Relationship Management

When Maren walks into the room, you know it. She is a natural and dynamic leader one is drawn to for her energy, charisma and her diverse knowledge and background.

Her experience in coaching top performers has brought her clients in diverse areas: from Fortune 500 companies, to U.S. Government, to leaders in the Arts. Maren’s clients are consistently recognized for improved relationships and moving large projects forward swiftly and effectively. Her focus is on developing her clients’ interpersonal and communication skills so that they can lead their teams with a higher degree of engagement and effectiveness.

Prior to coaching as owner of a management consultant company, Maren worked with clients such as the Annenberg Foundation, White House Project, AIG and Blackstone Group. Standout projects include the management of the International Women Leaders Global Security Conference and Initial Public Offerings for Blackstone Group and Genworth Financial.

With 20 years of experience in global talent development, Donal has  designed and delivered learning programs for more than twenty of the  world’s largest corporations. He is considered an industry leader in  designing and delivering dynamic talent management, leadership and  B2B sales and marketing learning programs that transcend borders,  languages and cultures.  Before establishing Donal Conn Associates, Donal held executive  positions with multiple Global Fortune 500 organizations. Most  recently, he served as Chief Learning & Talent Officer of Momentive Performance Materials (formerly GE Advanced Materials), an  engineered materials company with $7.5 billion in annual sales  and over 12,000 employees doing business in 119 locations in 23 countries. Previously, Donal served as Vice President of a global advertising and communications agency with clients in the consumer, pharmaceutical, medical device and manufacturing sectors and has held senior talent management roles with State Farm Insurance and KeyCorp. Throughout his career, Donal has repeatedly been honored with numerous industry awards, including winning the prestigious ‘Vanguard Executive of the Year’ award from Chief Learning Officer magazine in 2009. As a recognized thought leader, he regularly authors articles for trade magazines and frequently serves as a keynote speaker at industry conferences around the world.

Alan A. Malinchak is a goal-driven leader with broad strategic and tactical operational success in the private and public sectors.  Al is known for transforming organizations by crystallizing direction, addressing emergent talent and learning challenges and issues, and executing tactics to improve and enhance workforce and organizational performance.

Al is currently the Executive Advisor, Talent and Learning Practice at Deltek, leading customer facing engagements involving assessments, evaluations and recommendations to address a company's "People Challenges" employing best practice solutions in talent, learning and leadership development programs focused across all corporate and business functions to drive both employee and organizational growth.  Al conducts keynotes, leadership development seminars/workshops and consultations regarding the administration and operation of corporate universities.  Al is also CEO of two certified and verified (cVe) Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses - Éclat Transitions LLC offering “Public to Private Career Transition Services” at www.eclat-transitions.com and STRATactical LLC offering change agility, learning agility, leadership agility and knowledge agility services and solutions at www.stratactical.com.  Prior, Al was Chief Learning Officer (CLO) at Homeland Security Solutions, Inc. (HSSI) and business development executive for eLearning and instructor-led training programs and initiatives (2011-2013); VP/CL) at ManTech International (2005-2011), where he founded, developed, implemented and led the administration and operation of ManTech’s first corporate university, ManTech University.  From 1984 to 2004, Al was a FBI Special Agent (retired) with a variety of assignments, including  federal investigations of homicides, rapes, fugitives, kidnappings and skyjackings; Instructor at the FBI National Academy; Administrator of the FBI's National Executive Institute; Supervisory Special Agent of Criminal Squads focused on Organized Crime, Narcotics and White Collar Crime; Inspector; On-Scene Crisis Commander for the 2002 Winter Olympics; Chief of Investigative Training; Acting Senior Executive of New Agents Training, National and International Law Enforcement Programs, and Facilities and Security of the FBI Academy; and, lastly as the Chief of the FBI's Leadership Development Institute (LDI). In the LDI, his responsibilities included leading the administrative and operational oversight of all internal and external leadership programs for executive and middle-management FBI Special Agents and Professional Support employees; leadership services and training for 26,000 employees; leadership curriculum development; professional presentations; drafting of the FBI’s Strategic Development Leadership Plan; and, executive board member to several professional law enforcement associations.  Throughout his career, Al held a variety of academic positions - included are a tenured Associate Professor, St. Thomas Aquinas College, Sparkill, New York (1978–1984); as well as former Adjunct Professor positions at the University of Virginia (1992-1995); and both a graduate and undergraduate Adjunct Professor at George Mason University, (2002 to 2005).

Sara Taylor, President and Founder of deepSEE Consulting, has 35 years of extensive experience, nationally recognized as in the practice of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion serving local, national and global clients. While her areas of specialty are in both Diversity and Leadership Development, Sara has become a thought leader particularly in the field of Cultural Competence. Her bestselling book, Filter Shift: How Effective People SEE the World, is used by numerous individuals and organizations to increase success and create greater effectiveness. Sara holds a Master's degree in Diversity and Organizational Development and, prior to founding deepSEE, held positions such as Chief Diversity Officer and Leadership and Diversity Specialist.

John U. Bacon has worked the better part of two decades as a writer, a public speaker, and a college instructor, winning awards for all three.

Bacon earned an honors degree in history (“pre-unemployment”) from the University of Michigan in 1986, and a Master’s in Education in1994.  In 2005-06, the Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellowship named him the first recipient of the Benny Friedman Fellowship for Sports Journalism.

He started his journalism career covering high school sports for The Ann Arbor News, then wrote a light-hearted lifestyle column before becoming the Sunday sports feature writer for The Detroit News in 1995.  He earned numerous state and national awards for his work, including “Notable Sports Writing” in The Best American Sports Writing in 1998 and 2000.

After Bacon covered the 1998 Nagano Olympics, he moved from the sports page to the Sunday front page, roaming the Great Lakes State finding fresh features, then left the paper in 1999 to free-lance for some two dozen national publications, including stories on Formula One racing in Australia for The New York Times, on Japanese hockey for ESPN Magazine, and on Hemingway’s Michigan summer home for Time.

He has authored or coauthored six books on sports and business, including Walgreens: America’s Corner Store in 2004, Cirque du Soleil: The Spark in 2006, Bo’s Lasting Lessons: The Legendary Coach Teaches the Timeless Fundamentals of Leadership, which hit The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal’s Business Best Seller lists.

Bacon delivers speeches on the themes in his books — including leadership, creativity and diversity — to corporations, universities and other groups around the country and the world.  In 2011, the Michigan Chapter of Meeting Planners International (MMPI) named him “Speaker of the Year.”

Bacon has also pursued his passions for radio, television, coaching and teaching.  In 2002, he launched a Sunday morning sports talk show on WTKA (1050 AM, wtka.com, in Ann Arbor/Detroit) called “Off the Field,” and in 2007 he was invited to give weekly sports commentary on Michigan Radio every Friday morning, and he still does both.  He has also appeared on HBO, ESPN, and the Big Ten Network, where he is a frequent contributor to both “Icons” series.

Bacon teaches at Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism and the University of Michigan, where the students selected him for the 2009 Golden Apple award, given annually to the University’s top teacher.

A powerful storyteller with a powerful story to tell, Dr. Steve L. Robbins has an uncanny ability to inspire people even in the midst of disrupting and challenging the way they think about the world. Born in Vietnam, Dr. Robbins immigrated with his mother to the United States where they faced many challenges during a time when there was much anti-war and anti-Vietnamese sentiment.

Working through and rising out of the challenges of poverty, discrimination and the tough streets of Los Angeles, Dr. Robbins now brings insightful perspectives on issues of inclusion & innovation, leadership, and the power of caring.  Drawing upon a compelling life journey, his talks and workshops are filled with intriguing stories, laugh-out-loud humor and a keen understanding of human behavior.

Dr. Robbins uniquely knows how to simultaneously challenge and motivate people with a dynamic use of storytelling, humor and extensive knowledge of pertinent issues and concepts. The inclusive power of his message are why organizations like Coca-Cola, Disney, Ford Motor Company, Walmart, Lululemon, Pixar, NASA, The NBA,  Michelin, Bank of America, Mercedes-Benz,  and numerous others call on Dr. Robbins to inspire, educate and prepare their people for the exciting challenges of dynamic and diverse environments.

A thought leader and innovator, Dr. Robbins' unique, science-based approach to inclusion and diversity has captured wide acclaim from numerous audiences and organizations across the the world. His approach does NOT blame or point fingers. It uses neuroscience and the science of human behavior to encourage individuals and organizations to be more open-minded, mindful and intentional about inclusion and valuing people for their unique gifts, abilities and experiences.

Dr. Robbins earned an undergraduate degree in Communication from Calvin College, and his masters and doctorate in Communication Science from Michigan State University.  His background in communication, social-psychology and cognitive neuroscience drives his work with individuals and organizations – the core of the work is about understanding human behavior and leveraging human differences in an ever-changing, fast-paced 21st world.

James Wright of JamesWantsToKnowYou.com is a dynamic and compelling leader with a track record of delivering practical roadmaps for increasing Inclusion and Diversity in global corporations such as Apple Inc., LinkedIn, NBCUniversal, and Time Warner (now WarnerMedia). A featured guest on NBC and FOX, Wright’s articles and commentary appear frequently on LinkedIn and his expertise has been included in The Washington Post as well as several SHRM articles. 

In his practice, James offers transformative training solutions on Gender Equality, Unconscious Bias, Improving Race Relations, and Generational Diversity. In addition, James introduced The Language of Inclusion - a free download of over 135 key terms and definitions to help organizations find a common language to Inclusion. With increased focus on gender and LGBTQIA+ equality, James believes it is important to update these terms to signal where we are today in our journey to ensure diverse communities are truly seen, heard, and valued.

James attended Erskine College in SC & The Catholic University of America in Washington DC.

James Wright of JamesWantsToKnowYou.com is a dynamic and compelling leader with a track record of delivering practical roadmaps for increasing Inclusion and Diversity in global corporations such as Apple Inc., LinkedIn, NBCUniversal, and Time Warner (now WarnerMedia). A featured guest on NBC and FOX, Wright’s articles and commentary appear frequently on LinkedIn and his expertise has been included in The Washington Post as well as several SHRM articles. 

In his practice, James offers transformative training solutions on Gender Equality, Unconscious Bias, Improving Race Relations, and Generational Diversity. In addition, James introduced The Language of Inclusion - a free download of over 135 key terms and definitions to help organizations find a common language to Inclusion. With increased focus on gender and LGBTQIA+ equality, James believes it is important to update these terms to signal where we are today in our journey to ensure diverse communities are truly seen, heard, and valued.

James attended Erskine College in SC & The Catholic University of America in Washington DC.

In his current role, Mark is responsible for program development, project management and the expansion of Tanenbaum programs nationally and internationally. A sought-after expert on equality issues like race, gender, sexual orientation and religion, Mark's recent engagements include workshops at SHRM’s Annual Conference & Exposition, the National Association for Multicultural Education, the Out & Equal Workplace Summit, and Multicultural Forum for Workplace Diversity.