Professional Experience
Owner & Idea Midwife – The Innovation Wellspring LLC, Waterbury Center, 2003 – Ongoing
Director – Vermont Women’s Business Center, 2012-2014
Business Counselor – Vermont Women’s Business Center, 2007-2008
Team Leader – IBM Learning Services Burlington, 1999-2003
- Education/Curriculum Design/Performance Consulting
- a service of the Vermont State Colleges
Business Owner – Partners in Performance, 1995-1999
- Facilitator
- Consultant
- Trainer
Instructor/Adjunct Faculty: Johnson State College, Community College of Vermont, University of Vermont Continuing Education, Women’s Small Business Program, 1995-1998
Training Coordinator – Training Support Services of Community College of Vermont, 1990-1995
Employee Relations Coordinator – Mount Mansfield Company, Inc., 1989-1990
Education and Certifications
MS Career and Human Resources Development
Rochester Institute of Technology, 1995
BA in Social Welfare, magna cum laude
University of Southern Maine, 1984
Coach University, a professional training program for Coaches, 2003
Certified to administer and interpret the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
Leadership & Business Management:
Managed two businesses and a non-profit program through transitions in structure, focus, and brand identity — establishing an on-line presence, including websites, event management systems, shopping carts, e-newsletters, email marketing, and blogs.
Facilitated the redesign of business processes and systems integration to reduce duplicate work and improve data access and usability.
Managed $3 million+ annual training/solutions budget, serving a population of 8,000+ employees.
Coached senior manager to improve team structure and effectiveness.
Supervised and mentored a nine-member professional team to provide in-house performance consulting to ensure that training services supported key business goals and results.
Managed the development of new solutions including a fully revised new employee orientation, and a strategic needs assessment process aligned with the business planning cycle.
Designing & delivering programs, products and services
Coach start-up creative entrepreneurs through business planning and product creation helping clients to actively navigate the creative process to bring their authentic voice, original ideas, and innovative solutions from seed concept to tangible expression in the world.
Co-authored and self-published one hat at a time™ momentum cards and Energizing Groups with Hats: Guidebook for Group Leaders.
Facilitated Marketing Momentum and Running with an Idea coaching groups. Introduced Business Wisdom Circles, a peer-mentoring program, and co-designed Painting with Numbers, a basic business finance program for women in business. Taught Practical Business Start-Up to provide aspiring business owners with core foundational skills in small venture management. Provided the keynote address, The Feminine Principle in Business: the Good, the Bad, and the Different, at a statewide Women Business Owners Conference.
Provided business counseling to more than 100 women entrepreneurs exploring business start-up or seeking to strengthen and expand their businesses.
Review business plans to recommend strategies for improvement and implementation.
Partnership, Collaboration & Working with Boards
Compiling a report on the status of Vermont’s women-owned businesses for the Change the Story Partnership, a multi-year initiative focused on enhancing women’s economic wellbeing in Vermont.
Serve on board of WBON (Women Business Owners Network); as an Advisor to the Vermont Commission on Women; and as a member of the Vermont Women’s Alliance.
Developed and maintained strategic statewide partnerships, including close ties with the state SBA District Office, national SBA office, resource partners, and the business community.
Facilitated strategic growth for training consulting program by developing a successful partnership with a premier quality international training provider.
Worked closely in an entrepreneurial academic collaborative to bring college services to one of Vermont’s largest employers.
Forged strategic partnerships to develop a product, enhance business success, and create marketing synergy with related service providers.
Facilitate board retreats for strategic planning.