What I do:
I am a Vice President in charge of business development and account management for Right Management in Indiana. Before joining Right Management in May of 2010 I owned my own consulting business for 11 years where I provided coaching and consulting to both small and large organizations. One of the areas that I became interested in was emotional intelligence and how it impacts performance and engagement in the work place. I did quite a bit of work in this area helping leaders to understand and develop their emotional intelligence.
Teaching:
I’ve been an adjunct professor for almost fifteen years. I love teaching. I’ve taught classes in Organizational Change, Leadership, Marketing, and Organizational Development. I currently teach a year- long course on emotional intelligence to MBA students at Anderson University. During the 1st semester students focus on self-management and how emotions play a part in setting and achieving goals. In the 2nd semester they focus on leading others and how to become more aware of others emotions and how to use that information to improve their effectiveness as a leader. It is one of the few classes on emotional intelligence in the country.
My Past:
Before embarking on a career in organizational development I spent eight years in the advertising industry in New York City as an account executive selling spot television commercial time. This was a fantastic experience where I learned the art of negotiating, the importance of follow-through, and the value of building relationships.
My first job out of college was working for Russ Berrie where I sold impulse gift items to gift shops and pharmacies. If it sounds like an easy job, it wasn’t. Little did I know before taking the job that I was taking over a sales territory in Hartford Connecticut where the past 8 sales people were fired or quit within a 2 year period. I didn’t fit the prototypical sales personality and had no idea if I could succeed. The best advice I received came from a colleague who said; “succeeding in this job is like riding a bicycle up a hill, it will be painful and there will be times you’ll want to quit, however if you keep peddling you will eventually get to the top of the hill.” Two- years later I was still there, and had turned the territory completely around. This did wonders for my confidence to succeed in business.
My Education:
I have my MBA from the University of Notre Dame and my coaching certification from Coach U. Getting my MBA from Notre Dame was one of the best experiences of my life. My studies at Notre Dame helped to reinforce my decision to change careers from advertising to organizational development.
What drives me:
I love taking charge of new ideas and opportunities and making them happen. I have a lot of energy around new initiatives that can make a positive impact on a business and individuals. I am constantly thinking of a better way to do something.
I thoroughly enjoy my job with Right Management where I spend my time helping our clients align their business goals with their people goals. I want to see a transformation in the world of work. I believe that the next great breakthrough in business will not come from technology but from organizations learning how to better unleash the vast talent, passion, and knowledge that exists within their employees.
My Family:
I’ve been happily married for almost 15 years and have three children; Olivia, Brennan, and Adriana. For fun I enjoy coaching my son’s soccer team, biking, and working out. We live in Carmel, Indiana and enjoy the Midwest. (Although I’m origionally from New Jersey and have purposely kept some of my “Jersey” accent.)
