Our Team

GLORIA E. BADER, Ed.D. – Founder

GLORIA E. BADER, Ed.D. – Founder

podcastAction Learning for Leadership Development
Interviewer/Editor:
Amy Berger, Technology Coordinator, ASTD San Diego
play | download

Dr. Gloria Bader is the founder of The Bader Group. She has facilitated leadership development and organizational renewal for clients in a broad spectrum of industries: e-commerce, manufacturing, education, finance, insurance, NGO’s, healthcare, pharmaceutical, retail, technology, and engineering. Ninety percent of her clients are repeat business, and they include: Solar Turbines (winner of the 1998 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award), Northrop-Grumman, the Inter-American Development Bank, the UN, and IKEA North America.

Most recently, Gloria received certification in Covey’s Speed of Trust program that offers organizations tools and assessments to build trust and reduce costs. She is leading a seven-month complex Action Learning project for State Farm’s high potential directors that includes coaching, assessments, videotaping, and focused learning experiences as the group solves a strategic organizational challenge. The Bader Group client projects are highly customized.

Examples include:

  • designing and facilitating a leadership workshop in Ethiopia for health care change agents in women’s reproductive rights and family planning
  • serving on a three person design team for succession management and leadership development for an international bank
  • designing a mentoring program across six countries that increased productivity 30%
  • facilitating an engineering leadership team over six years

Gloria’s publications include: Trust Cards, Coaches’ E-Library, Creative Activities for Teams, “Building the Consulting Relationship” with Tom Stich; and “How to Do Peer Review” with Audrey Bloom, both published in Training and Development Journal. She is national conference presenter and professor in the University of California, San Diego’s Masters in Healthcare Leadership program. For over 20 years, she has served as an adjunct staff member and feedback specialist at the Center for Creative Leadership. She holds a doctorate in leadership from the University of San Diego. Her master’s degree is from Temple University and she received her B.A. from Rosemont College.

Gloria’s original approach to organization development and coaching grows out of her diverse life experience. She’s an accomplished graphic artist, mountain climber (Mt. Rainier, Mt. Kilimanjaro, the Ruwenzoris, Dolomites, and others) and former Outward Bound wilderness instructor. She’s lived and worked in Italy and Nigeria, travels widely, and studies yoga, Italian, and gourmet cooking.

ANNE M. LILJENSTRAND, Ph.D. – Managing Director

ANNE M. LILJENSTRAND, Ph.D. - Managing Director

podcastLive radio interview on the topic of Executive Coaching
Interviewer:
Chris Gorman, NBRFM
play | download

Dr. Liljenstrand has over the past 20 years guided leaders, teams and organizations in becoming increasingly successful. As The Managing Director of The Bader Group her role is multifaceted; coaching senior leaders, designing organizational programs and working with individuals and groups, as well as leading consultants and partnering closely with clients.

She is bilingual and has served as a Coach to the United Nations Secretariat, partnering with professionals around the world building leadership and managerial skills. Since 2009 she has taught Physicians, Biotech professionals and Medical students in the Masters of Clinical Research program at the University of California, San Diego, and over many years she has provided her services as an Executive Coach at the Center for Creative Leadership, where she has also served as a Mentor Coach to incoming Executive Coaches.

Anne holds experience working within many different industries, including but not limited to: Pharmaceutical, Biotech, Healthcare, High-tech, Engineering, Financial/Investment, Manufacturing, Defense, and Governmental agencies. She has worked with individuals at all levels, from the individual contributor level to the C-suite.

When serving as a coach, Anne’s overall goal is to help managers and leaders become increasingly successful in their roles. She meets the individual within their specific leadership context, and she recognizes the potential challenges of managing in large, matrix systems. In her work, she combines her understanding of individual differences and potential with organizational knowledge and business acumen. She is pragmatic, business minded, and capitalizes on the clients’ strengths. Examples include:

• VP, Information Technology, Hospital. Focus: Improving communication, executive presence, and strategic focus supporting a promotion, and closer relationships at the C-level
• CEO, biopharmaceutical company. Focus: Improving communication, time management and providing constructive feedback.
• Several Managers, Large high-tech company.
• Site Head, Pharmaceutical Co. Focus: Culture shift from research focus to market driven.

Trained in both Industrial-Organizational and Clinical psychology, she naturally considers organizational cultures, politics and individual dynamics throughout her work. She is a Board Certified Coach. She holds a minor in Business Administration and a major in Psychology from Western Washington University, and a Ph.D. in Dual Clinical and Industrial-Organizational Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology. She has authored and coauthored research and articles including: Coaching Services: A look at coaches, clients, and practices, published in the peer review Consulting Psychology Journal.

XAVIER HERNÁNDEZ, Ph.D. – Senior Consultant

XAVIER HERNÁNDEZ, PH.D., BCC. – Senior Consultant

Xavier Hernandez, PhD, is a Board Certified Coach, management consultant, and an Executive Coach at The Center for Creative Leadership. He drives the development of people, teams and organizations by utilizing assessments and evaluation to initiate break-through thinking. Xavier is proficient and certified in administering, interpreting, and providing feedback on several psychological, individual and organizational assessments and instruments. He leverages strengths-based approaches and systems thinking to create sustainable impact.

Xavier has extensive experience working with individuals and groups from diverse multi-cultural and multi-national backgrounds. This includes a wide variety of industries from both private and public sectors including global clients in: automotive, banking, biopharmaceutical, biotechnology, data/analytics, energy, finance, investment, government, healthcare, hospitality, legal, technology/high-tech and telecommunications.

Xavier’s approach to executive coaching is to provide the leader with tools necessary for success and to perform at their peak by enhancing what they do with an emphasis on how they do it. He integrates assessment feedback with real work experiences as a guide through self-awareness towards goal setting and development planning. His genuine interest in helping the leader reach their desired outcomes creates a learning environment that engenders trust and is safe to take risks needed for long term change. Partnership, alliance, and collaboration are integral to the coaching process that facilitate Xavier’s ability to create awareness, understanding, clarity, and integration. With a balance of support and challenge, he addresses development areas and highlights strengths essential for navigating through the leader’s organizational reality.

In addition to coaching, Xavier has extensive management consulting and organization development experience. This includes collaborating with key internal stakeholders to create, enhance, and leverage leadership initiatives, performance and talent management processes, and expertise in executive assessment and development. He works with teams/groups to advance results through team development, action learning, and group coaching. Additionally, Xavier partners to grow a learning organization through large scale initiatives, such as aligning/creating competency models, data driven change management, and culture change.

Xavier received his Doctorate in Dual Clinical and Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology and the Marshall Goldsmith School of Management at Alliant International University. He conducted research and maintains expertise in the areas of the Strengths Psychology, Social Axioms and Latino leadership. Xavier lives in San Diego with his wife and his three daughters.

CONNIE WEISS, PHD – Senior Consultant

CONNIE WEISS

Dr. Weiss consults with leaders to help them maximize their potential and effectively navigate through professional and organizational challenges.

She has worked extensively in the areas of leadership assessment and development, executive coaching, action learning, and group facilitation.  She is a Board Certified Coach through the Center for Credentialing and Education.

Connie has experience in both for profit and not-for-profit settings in a variety of industries, including healthcare, energy and utility, retail, and finance.  She has worked with leaders across all levels of the organization, from emerging high-potential leaders to senior executives.

Recent Executive Coaching engagements include:

  • Nursing Director at nonprofit full service hospital
  • SVP and VP at Energy company
  • Regional Division Manager and team, large Automotive Manufacturer
  • Controller, national Building Materials Supplier
  • Newly promoted Director, Operations (previously plant manager), nutritional supplements company

Connie has a passion for partnering with individuals to facilitate their personal growth and leadership effectiveness and achieve organizational results.  Building a safe yet challenging learning relationship with each client is the cornerstone of her approach.  She also blends her real-world leadership experiences with the principles of adult learning to foster a self-discovery process.  Her interventions include maximizing learning from feedback, fostering practice of new and different behaviors, and asking thoughtful questions to empower clients to reflect deeply about their business challenges and the impact of their behaviors.
Connie’s business experience includes senior leadership positions leading clinical and operational departments at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Medical Center, a hospital within the County of Los Angeles, Department of Health Services.  Most recently she served there as Chief Strategic Development Officer with responsibilities for succession planning, leadership development, strategic planning, patient experience, and business intelligence initiatives.

Connie received her Doctorate in Consulting Psychology from the California School of Organizational Studies at Alliant International University.  Prior to her transition to organizational consulting and leadership coaching, she received a Master’s degree in Speech & Hearing Sciences from the University of Washington.  Connie is certified in the Workplace Big 5 Profile, Hogan Assessment Inventories, and Influence Style Indicator as well as being trained in the MBTI, CPI, FIRO-B, FIRO Business, Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI), StrengthsFinder, and Change Style Indicator.  She is also certified to give feedback using various 360° instruments.

MARGARET GOMEZ, MCC – Senior Consultant

MARGARET GOMEZ

Margaret Gomez, MCC, SPHR has over 20 years of demonstrated success in executive coaching and brings deep and long-term experience in human capital management.  She has also held senior leadership roles at cutting-edge, creative, and global organizations.

Margaret has “field-tested” business and entrepreneurial success and is skilled at navigating complex, demanding work systems, cultures and transitions.  Throughout her corporate career, she was rapidly promoted to positions requiring innovation, consistent high-performance and ground-breaking strategies.  Margaret served as Chief Talent Officer at Arnell Group, unit of Omnicom, and SVP of HR at Draft Worldwide.

Margaret has been a change-agent in organization-wide restructurings and cultural evolutions and a trusted adviser to executive leadership; having coached Chairmen, C-Suite leadership, Board Officers and Executive Management.  She has experience serving several industries, including but not limited to; Financial services, Healthcare, Pharma, Advertising and Branding, Media and Entertainment, Retail and Luxury, Sales and Marketing, Automotive as well as Not for Profit.

Margaret built and grew two corporations from the strength of results over 8 years; an executive recruitment firm and an executive coaching and consulting practice.  She is experienced at leading high volume recruitment, development and staffing integration campaigns as well as serving in coach supervision roles in large-scale executive coaching engagements.

She holds experience as Adjunct Professor at New York University, Department of Leadership and Human Capital Management.  She has also served as an instructor, examiner and mentor coach in Columbia University Coaching Certification Program.

Margaret holds graduate studies in Organizational Psychology and a BA in Psychology and English.  She is credentialed in Coaching Supervision from UK based Coaching Supervision Academy’s first ever US offering of its Coaching Supervision Diploma Program and Certification.

Margaret is located in New York, NY.

STEPHEN HANSEN, PCC – Senior Consultant

STEPHEN O. HANSEN, PCC – Senior Consultant

Steve Hansen is a Professional Certified Coach recognized by the International Coach Federation. He specializes in leadership development and group coaching. He brings over 30 years of practical, in-depth business experience drawn from past executive and leadership roles. Steve has extensive experience as an Action Learning coach in long-term leadership development programs in which high-potentials address strategic organizational challenges. He is a Master Coach at the Center for Creative Leadership as well as an executive coach for the United Nations Secretariat.

Steve works with individuals and groups in mid-size to Fortune 500 companies ranging from mid- level managers to C-Suite clients from over 20 countries in North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Industry experience includes financial services, high tech, manufacturing, insurance, health care, engineering, automotive, government contracting, and communications, among others. Coaching engagement examples include: Several EVPs and SVPs at a large financial institution focusing on managing relationships, influence, communication approaches, and development/coaching of direct reports. Hospital group executives focusing on peer relationships, delegation, and work team development. Fortune 50 insurance company seven-month Action Learning project.

Steve guides clients in behavior change by building on their strengths and focusing on their development needs. He builds trust quickly, asks powerful questions, and contributes observations and feedback that move the client to successful outcomes. Using inquiry, and feedback from assessments, Steve helps the client discover and clarify the areas of development, encourages client self-discovery, elicits client-generated solutions and strategies, and holds the client responsible and accountable to their goals. This moves the client into action and increased effectiveness.

As a former COO and Director of Sales, Steve organized, automated, and streamlined operations, administration, and sales functions. He had a solid record of increasing revenue and profits by improving processes, managing projects, and building teams. Steve possesses excellent analytical, evaluative, communications, and interpersonal skills. He is a strategic and systemic thinker.

Steve has completed an extensive course of study with the Coaches Training Institute. He has training and experience in Action Learning coaching, Organization & Relationship Systems Coaching and in the Immunity to Change™ process. Steve is certified in a number of 360-degree multi-rater assessments. He holds a bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University.

Interview featuring Steve as a coach.

KAREN HOLMES, MA – Senior Consultant

KAREN HOLMES, MA – Senior Consultant

Karen Holmes brings extensive consulting experience in the areas of Training, Organizational Development, and Coaching. Her career has provided the opportunity to guide individuals and organizations to reach their unthinkable potential. She has experience in consultation, needs analysis, program design, facilitation and training for both individual and group development. By utilizing a variety of assessment instruments, Karen is able to provide targeted program planning, implementation, and evaluation.

Her experience includes work with large organizations in industries such as Biotech, Healthcare, Banking, Oil & Gas and Telecommunications. Accomplishments also include working with organizations and individuals through Personal Change Management during mergers and reorganizations. Karen has facilitated cultural transformations in organizations by gathering and compiling audit data, conducting feedback sessions, and creating a desired culture through developing a vision, utilizing mind mapping and communication planning.

Also, Karen has worked as a feedback coach and adjunct faculty with the Center for Creative Leadership. During that time, Karen has been responsible for training and coaching executives in the practice and development of leadership. Karen is truly proud to be associated with this organization, which has been ranked Number 1 for Leadership Development in Business Week’s Executive Education Rankings. Her passion in facilitation is helping clients achieve results.

Karen’s work throughout the world has given her a broad global perspective. From working with businesses in Russia, Uzbekistan, Trinidad, and Canada, as well as throughout the United States Karen is able to bridge cultures and perspectives. Specific areas of interest include working with clients on Influence Skills, Conflict Resolution, Accountability and Interpersonal Communication. Karen’s enthusiasm and dedication to her profession has helped her clients enjoy tangible results.

Karen earned Master’s Degree in Communication from California State University Northridge and Bachelor’s Degree from California State University Long Beach.

MICHELLE BLANCHARD – Head Administrator

MICHELLE BLANCHARD – Head Administrator

Michelle Blanchard is The Bader Group’s Head Administrator and Book Keeper. Michelle holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration, with an emphasis in Accounting, from San Diego State University. She also obtained her CPA license (currently inactive).

Michelle has worked at several local CPA firms and non-profits, and in 2011 she opened her own accounting business serving small local businesses.

She is a San Diego Native, married and has four cats.  She enjoys camping, swimming, and volunteering at San Diego Humane Society.

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