Founder / Lead Consultant
Maya Townsend (Photo by Susan Wilson Photo)
Maya Townsend, founder and lead consultant of Partnering Resources, helps individuals, teams, and organizations thrive in our networked world. She specializes in helping leaders meet complex change and collaboration challenges. The practice is based on understanding how to leverage networks: the complex, interrelated, and often messy webs of relationships that drive all organizational activity.
Maya serves as an adviser to Gartner, the leading technology research and advisory company, on change management and organization network best practices. She teaches leadership, strategy, and collaboration skills through Boston University Corporate Education Center and has taught graduate and undergraduate courses for Boston University and Northeastern University.
Maya is co-editor of Handbook for Strategic HR: Best Practices in Organization Development from the OD Network (AMACOM, 11/2012). Maya’s articles on topics such as networks, collaboration, and strategy are regularly published in outlets such as CIO, Nonprofit Quarterly, Mass High Tech, Chief Learning Officer, and Talent Management. Maya serves on the Editorial Review Board for OD Practitioner, the premier organization development practitioner journal in the United States. Her presentations at national conferences have been acclaimed “best in conference” by participants. For more information on Maya’s speaking engagements, click here.
Mitzi the Eurasier dog
Maya graduated with distinction from American University / NTL Institute Master of Science in Organization Development (MSOD) program and holds a certificate in Organization Development from Georgetown University. She is a member of the Human Resources Leadership Forum, the NTL Institute for Applied Behavioral Science, the Organization Development Network, and The Commonwealth Institute.
When not working, Maya facilitates professional chocolate tastings and hikes in the forest with her dog, Mitzi. She recently achieved a personal breakthrough by successfully replicating the famed Frida cupcake from the Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop of Austin in her home kitchen.
Connect with Maya on LinkedIn or Twitter
Associates
Amber Mayes
Amber Mayes
Amber is an organization development consultant and coach with 10+ years of experience facilitating the learning and growth of leaders and organizations. Her passion is creating environments where individuals and organizations can optimize their potential and performance. Through experiential coaching and training models, Amber facilitates the individual awareness and skill development necessary for effective leadership in today’s diverse world.
Amber brings a strategic perspective to every engagement, focusing on helping her clients adapt to the complexity of today’s rapidly changing global markets. She has taught Organization Behavior at Bentley College and Cross Cultural Communication at Northeastern University. Amber holds a master’s degree from the American University / NTL Institute Master of Science in Organization Development (MSOD) program. She graduated with honors from Harvard University with B.A. in Psychology. She is qualified in Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Power and Systems Organization Workshop. She is a member of the NTL Institute for Applied Behavioral Science and the Organization Development Network. When not working, Amber sings at the occasional open mic night and is learning to play guitar.
Cheryl Coonahan
Cheryl Coonahan
Cheryl has over twenty-five years’ experience managing, consulting, and training in private sector and nonprofit organizations. She has managed large multi-cultural teams delivering services in challenging environments (the United Nations and several private agencies) and was recognized as the “top manager” among staff in 30 agencies. Cheryl has devoted 15+ years exclusively to international organizations and intercultural issues, including seven years during which she was based in Thailand. She also has worked in Romania, India, The Philippines, Kenya and South Africa and has significant experience in Cambodia, France, and Switzerland. Overall, Cheryl has traveled and/or lived in over 35 countries.
Cheryl currently teaches collaboration, cultural intelligence, and strategy through the Corporate Education Center. She has a M.A. in International Management from the School for International Training and a Certificate in Organization Development from the NTL Institute for Applied Behavioral Science. She is a member of the Organization Development Network. When not working, Cheryl does laundry. And in the rest of her spare time, she reads, tries to run, and thinks about her next international trip.
Douglas Fletcher
Douglas Fletcher
Doug been working in the field of organizational development for over 15 years. He specializes in diversity and inclusion, leadership development, strategic planning, team performance, and sales and customer relationships. He assists clients by listening to their needs, encouraging them to articulate their goals and uses a systemic approach of analyzing issues at the interpersonal, group, and organizational levels. He uses the methodologies of Action Research and Process Consulting, to assist clients in generating accurate data about their organizations. He then formulates strategies and training programs that meet the clients’ goals. When partnering with clients he draws on his diagnostic skills, compassion, and sense of humor to assist them in improving the effectiveness of their organizations.
Douglas graduated from American University with a Master of Science in Organizational Development. He is certified in Organization & Systems Development from the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland, and is also a member of the NTL Institute for Applied Behavioral Science. When he is not working, Douglas spends time with his two young daughters, which has recently involved wearing floral headbands and having tea parties. When he can find the time, he also enjoys playing the guitar and recording music.
Keli Trejo
Keli Trejo
Keli has a passion for improving business performance by strengthening relationships, coaching and developing leaders, and breaking through conflict within organizations. This passion has led her to fulfill both internal HR leadership roles and external consulting and executive coaching assignments over her 20+ year career. Keli has contributed to significant change management efforts associated with HR Transformation strategies in her former role as VP, Management Effectiveness at Fidelity Investments and as SVP, HR Business Partner at Citizens Financial Group. She has expertise in senior leadership development, executive coaching, change management, business planning, talent management, succession planning and in building team effectiveness.
Keli graduated from American University with a Master of Science in Organizational Development. She holds a BA from Wellesley College. Keli completed a professional coaching certification program with the Coach Training Institute and continues to study group and relationship dynamics with the Center for Right Relationship. Happy to be on the external consulting side again, in her “spare” time, she dabbles in landscape painting and enjoys experimenting with new media.
Laura Kangas
Laura Kangas
Laura is a designer, facilitator, and strategist of organizational and individual change and development. Laura specializes in customized, client-focused consulting, training, coaching, and design, with a strong commitment to continued growth, development, and leading edge technology. She has the unique talent of being equally interested and skilled in both curriculum design and program delivery.
Laura has been an adjunct faculty member at Lesley University, Becker College, the Middlesex Business and Industry Program, Webster University and Shanghai University in China. In 2002, working in collaboration with Center Focus International and Hasbro, Inc., Laura won a national award for effectiveness, creativity, and applicability in diversity leadership design and work. She currently teaches courses on cultural intelligence, collaboration, and organization behavior through the Boston University Corporate Education Center.
Laura holds a Master’s Degree from Harvard University. She is Myers-Briggs certified. When not working, Laura serves as chauffeur to her two teenage girls and dreams about her next international trip. Want to make a recommendation or swap experiences? Email Laura!
Steve Frigand
Steve Frigand
Steve specializes in executive coaching, management team facilitation, and organizational consulting. He has more than 25 years of experience working with leaders in a variety of industries including technology, transportation, financial services, education, health care, and government.
Previously, Steve held several senior management positions for Compaq Computer/Digital Equipment Corporation, where he was responsible for business planning and integration, strategic analysis, and market planning. There, he managed scores of teams and projects. One major initiative led to a rigorous go-to-market planning process for new software products that won approval from Bill Gates and his staff at Microsoft and enabled employees to shift their innovative talent from legacy systems to high-volume platforms.
Steve earned a master’s degree in management from the Sloan School at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Tufts University. He is certified as a Lore International Coach and a variety of assessment tools. He has designed and taught courses in the Coaching Certification Program at Cambridge College, and has won the Distler Family Endowment for “Ethical Leadership in Business,” the course he developed and teaches at Tufts University. In his spare time, Steve occasionally remembers to breathe. He also enjoys hiking, printmaking and kayaking.
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