TEAM AND PARTNERS

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Amber Johnson is an executive advisor and leadership coach who works with organizations of all sizes to enhance collaboration, shape culture, improve communication, and drive results. Amber spent 11 years with the Center for Values-Driven Leadership at Benedictine University, including six years as the Chief Communications Officer. Her work helped leaders build people-focused profitable organizational cultures: companies where team members and customers are truly valued. She held responsibility for the organization’s thought leadership efforts including a Forbes.com column, research, eBooks, and executive education.

Amber holds a PhD in leadership and a bachelor’s and master’s degree in communications. Her doctoral dissertation focused on how global organizations can lead successful change initiatives. She is also a specialist in Appreciative Inquiry, a human-centered design process for organizational change and leadership development. Previously, Amber spent seven years working in marketing for global humanitarian organization World Vision, was a US Peace Corps volunteer in the Kingdom of Tonga, a public relations consultant, and a university editor.

Because relationships are at the heart of productive work, Amber partners with exceptional facilitators and consultants to deliver remarkable results.

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Jim Ludema, PhD, is the Dean of the School of Business at Calvin University and the founder of Positive Change Group. He is a senior advisor with Bright Threads. Previously, Jim served as a Professor of Global Leadership and Founder of the Center for Values-Driven Leadership at Benedictine University. Jim earned his Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from Case Western Reserve University, the birthplace of Appreciative Inquiry, and holds a bachelor’s degree from Calvin University. He has served as a consultant to a variety of organizations including GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, BP, McDonald’s, John Deere, USG, US Cellular, the US Navy, World Vision, and many local and international NGOs.

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Michelle Sanford, CPCC, PCC, is a certified executive coach with 25 years of corporate and coaching experience. She is a senior facilitator and the lead coach with Bright Threads. Michelle is certified through the International Coaching Federation.. Previously, Michelle served as Senior Consultant and Director of WorkforceChicago with the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning and was the Director of Product Marketing for Learning Resources, and Operations Director with The St. Paul Companies (now Travelers Insurance).

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Stephanie Lowe, ACC, is a leadership development practitioner and enthusiast with nearly 20 years of experience in learning & development, program development, coaching, and nonprofit management and executive leadership. Stephanie is an Associate Certified Coach with the International Coaching Federation (ICF), a qualified administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory, has been trained in an trauma-informed arts-based reflection curriculum. She holds a B.S. in Psychology from Duke University, and a Masters in Education.

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Clara Lucia Jaramillo-Carrier, PCC, has more than 20 years in the corporate and nonprofit worlds as a strategist, communicator, coach, and leadership trainer. She holds a Master of Arts in transformational leadership and coaching and two graduate certificates, one in emotional intelligence and another in transformational coaching. Clara Lucia also has a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) certification from the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

Kate Mangino, PhD, is a global facilitator and expert in setting and operationalizing strategy, policy, and plans; addressing organizational norms; and guiding teams through change. She is the author of Equal Partners: Improving Gender Equality at Home, published by St. Martin’s Press, and a contributor to Time, Harvard Business Review, Slate, and dozens of other publications and podcasts.

We frequently partner with these firms:

Ad lucem is Latin for “to the light.” Ad Lucem Group helps leaders move toward the light by building a clear vision and path to generate desired results more quickly, effectively, authentically. Meet founders Dr. Patrick Farran and Dr. Melissa Norcross and find more at adlucemgroup.com.
Equity + Inclusion = Equision. CEO Dr. Salwa Rahim-Dillard and her team guide organizations through a transformative process of truly investing in diversity, equity, and inclusion. More at equisionconsulting.com.
Positive Change Group helps organizations design strategy, guide change, and develop leaders using Appreciative Inquiry (AI). Learn more here.

TEAM AND PARTNERS

Because relationships are at the heart of productive work, Amber partners with exceptional facilitators and consultants to deliver remarkable results.

We frequently partner with these firms:

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