Additional Experienced and Dedicated Partners to Our Clients
Executive Essential’s trainers and coaches are dedicated to the success of our clients. With a fundamental belief in continuous learning, they are business professionals who succeeded in their profession by utilizing the business skills they train. The result is a trainer who understands the issues and audiences you face.
Adam Connors
Adam Connors is a sought-after speaker, podcast host, social architect and super-connector who has transformed lives and accelerated careers through training, recruiting & career coaching. He’s known for expediting outcomes for people through training in the art and science of personal and professional networking. Adam has been interviewed on TV and quoted in numerous well known publications.
Adam hosts professional and personal networking themed workshops for corporations, teams, individuals, groups & schools. The principles he imparts apply to all levels and industries, affording him the opportunity to help thousands of people. Some of the more popular workshops he offers are “How to get access to anyone”, “Networking 101”, “Networking at a conference or event” & “Networking to Improve the company’s bottom line”.
Originally from New York, Adam now resides in Hoboken, New Jersey. He earned his B.A from Quinnipiac College in Sociology. He’s owns a small residential real estate company. He was a licensed FINRA Registered Rep and previously held his Real Estate license. He’s the author of the “Art & Science of Networking”, an infographic he published that went viral and got picked up by LinkedIn, The Association for Talent Development, Entrepreneur and TheLadders, just to name a few. Adam is also in the process of getting his “Networking IQ” evaluation trademarked.
Alison Bluestone
With over 25 years of team and systems relationship-coaching, training, consulting, and facilitating, Alison Bluestone knows what it takes to create and teach healthy conversations that promote higher productivity through clear communication. As a team specialist, she is committed to creating rich environments where leaders can identify and cultivate their emotional intelligence through connections such as Peer Groups and Forums, expanding themselves, and their people to reach their optimal potential.
As a progressive trainer and coach, Alison has worked with CEOs and Presidents worldwide in mostly mid-sized organizations in the banking, investment, fashion, construction, manufacturing and service industries. She specializes in culture development in organizations and develops long term relationships with her clients. She runs offsite Leadership Development programs and delivers seminars to both for-profit and non-profit organizations, specializing in teaching emotional intelligence, communication skills, self-mediation, and implicit bias training.
Alison has a rich background gained through both experience and education. Alison graduated NYU with a BFA/BS, with a background in Dramatic Arts and Organizational Psychology. Early on, Alison was a successful entrepreneur in the both the fashion and holistic personal health/development areas. Later in her career, she sold her business and became a consultant in the fashion industry which led her to forming her own consulting company focusing on Relationship and Team Facilitation/Coaching, Training and Mediation business. Alison is a Consultant for Growth Resources Inc. – GRI.CO® (highly rated assessment tool for use in talent acquisition and retention, management training and communication); Certified Forum Facilitator for Young Presidents’ Organization International®; Certified Facilitator for Interaction Associates for Social Change®; Certified Positive Psychology® Practitioner and Coach – Harvard College, MA; Enhanced Practitioner Conversational Intelligence®; International Coach Federation® Member; Certified Trainer and Mediator: Managing Workplace Conflict® and a Certified Administrator for the Conflict Dynamics Profile® both from Eckert College, FL. She sits on the boards of several women’s business charitable organizations. She is a certified Women Owned Small Business (SBA – WOSB).
Anne Boyce
Anne Boyce is an organization development, coaching and training consultant with more than 20 years of experience as both an internal and external professional in the human resource/talent development arena. She specializes in needs assessments, instructional design, facilitation, coaching and measuring ROI. As a Coach/Trainer, Anne creates an inspired and safe atmosphere for participants to learn, grow, change and integrate new skills into their work and life.
Anne has had internal corporate experience in the financial services industry, American Express, and public sector organizations with her experience ranging from implementing needs assessments, instructional design, facilitation, coaching and measuring the return on investment of training initiatives. Anne has been on teams that have implemented multi-tiered leadership training programs both in the private and public sector. As a consultant, Anne has both facilitated training and provided Executive Coaching for organizations such as Prudential, American Express, Morgan Stanley, McGraw Hill, Times Mirror and others. She is certified as a facilitator/trainer in a variety of programs focusing on: Communication Skills, Presentation Skills, Diversity Training, Supervisory and Management Skills, Team Development and Change Management.
Anne holds an M.S. in Training & Development from Lesley University, Cambridge, MA, and a B.S., cum laude, from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. She has completed an independent study in Executive Coaching with iCoachNY and is experienced with numerous workplace assessments: DISC, Myers-Briggs, etc.
Anthony Sulmonte
Anthony is a coach with expertise in leadership, skills in emotional intelligence, and individual systemic change. He coaches individuals to achieve the outcomes that matter to them. Helping his clients define their leadership vision, understand their core values, and implement the changes they want. His compassionate and candid approach allows him to engage, support, and build deep trusting relationships with his clients.
Anthony has worked with leaders at all different levels and across various industries. He has worked with profit and non-profit organizations such as manufacturing, retail, fire and security, health and fitness, investment services, and governmental cities and towns. His goal is to meet his clients and help navigate them in creating new patterns of thought, leadership competencies, and behaviors that support the outcomes that matter to them and those they lead.
Anthony holds a BS in Accounting and Management. He is certified in the Leadership Circle 360 and Predictive Index Assessments. He has studied Organizational Change, Facilitative Leadership, and Systems Thinking with Systems Theory Management. His previous work experience has been with large and small organizations, Foxmoor Specialty Stores, L. E. Mason Company, and Thomas & Betts.
Cara Power
Cara Power is a Certified Leadership, Career & Professional Development Coach whose disciplined, high-energy approach facilitates partnerships with aspiring, newly-transitioned, and existing leaders who seek meaningful transformations in their business and personal lives. Her career spans two decades and includes experience in corporate, legal, non-profit, and women’s leadership and empowerment organizations. In the coaching domain, Cara specializes in Leadership Presence, Personal Branding, Communicating Value Proposition, Goal Achieving, Team Collaboration, and Career Advancement—topics on which she is a sought-after speaker, trainer, and facilitator.
As a Certified Positive Psychology Practitioner, Cara offers coaching, training, and facilitation across a range of areas including: Growth Mindset, Resilience, Building Trust, and Impactful Communication. She caters to the high-achieving executive and those who aspire to become one. Her style is both interactive and action-oriented. She inspires clients to bridge the often-gaping chasm between contemplating change and implementing change. By cultivating Growth Mindset, Cara empowers leaders to overcome limiting beliefs, own their power and achieve greater goals than they knew were possible.
Cara has coached and/or trained clients from the following organizations: Bloomberg, Goldman Sachs, Blackrock, Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo, Ernst & Young, Prudential, Elliott Management, DigitasLBi, McCann Torre Lazur, Planned Parenthood, Teach for America, Scholastic, App Annie, NAACP, NYC Economic Development Corp, NYC City Council, NYC Bar Association, NYC Mayor’s Office, Council of Urban Professionals, Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP , Reed Smith LLP, Fusion Media Group, WebMD, HBO, City College of NY, Georgetown University and Cornell University.
Chris Westfall
Chris Westfall is a certified transformational coach, keynote speaker and publisher of seven books. Recognized as the US National Elevator Pitch Champion, he specializes in helping owners, founders and executives to create more powerful conversations. So far, his communications strategies have helped raise over $100 million for entrepreneurial investment, launching over four dozen businesses and transforming thousands of careers along the way. His clients have appeared on Shark Tank, Dragons Den in Canada and Shark Tank – Australia. He regularly writes for Forbes, and has appeared on CNN, ABC NEWS and on NBC TV. A sought-after keynote speaker, he speaks between 60-80 times per year – helping organizations to go beyond the elevator pitch, and have the conversations that really matter.
Describing his coaching style, Chris explains, “Companies looking to match a pattern are probably better served by other coaches on this page. But leaders looking to create a pattern – or break free from one – are in the right place”. Because breaking through your barriers may or may not mean that you use the same strategies as someone in Nassau County or New Orleans. He takes an innovative, customized and results-driven approach, where the agenda is YOU. And one size doesn’t fit all. He looks beyond the “how-to”, helping leaders to see the “want to” and the “can-do”. It’s a fresh perspective on empowerment, change-leadership, and cross-generational impact. Chris provides one-on-one remote executive coaching, and facilitates online group coaching as well, to help people unlock the secrets of peak performance, teamwork and customer impact. His clients include engineers, scientists, bankers, financial pros, healthcare, technology leaders, and real estate professionals…as well as owners and founders across various industries and nationalities.
Originally from the Chicago area, Chris Westfall graduated with honors from the top-rated MBA program for developing strong business communication skills, according to the Princeton Review. His corporate career included a series of progressive responsibilities in sales and marketing, at Fortune 100 giants as well as consumer-focused private companies, so he’s walked in your shoes. A former professional stuntman, he still does all of his own stunts (you’ll have to ask him about that one). He’s an award-winning instructor at a Top 20 MBA program, and he’s been recognized with the Members’ Choice Award in Vistage. Focused on working with Millennials and Gen Z, he’s coached the winners of the Harvard Executive MBA Pitch Competition and the Rice Business Plan Competition (the largest and most lucrative competition of its kind in the world). His books include the international best-seller, The NEW Elevator Pitch as well as BulletProof Branding and Leadership Language (Wiley – 2018).
Crista Salvatore
Crista Salvatore is a seasoned talent development consultant, facilitator, and coach for 12+ years as both an internal and external professional in learning and organizational development. Her expertise is in helping executives, high-potentials, and professionals tap into their authentic style through increasing their self-awareness, leveraging their strengths, and increasing their capacity to take action. Crista’s has coached and trained individuals to success from many organizations and industries: financial services, technology, retail, insurance, manufacturing, medical devices, education, and non-profit. Her goal is to help individuals and organizations to create sustainable transformation and growth.
Crista has an intuitive approach when it comes to facilitating learning. Her strong insight and instincts enable her to stay tuned in to the group and drive meaningful discussion. Her philosophy is to respect the learning process and allow space for participants to challenge and assimilate the content. She teaches on the following topics: Management Fundamentals, Emotional Intelligence, Presentation Skills, Personal Brand, and Communication Skills.
Crista graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a Business Studies minor at Providence College. She completed an Executive Education Program in Change and Consultation: Principles and Practices of Organization Development at Columbia University in 2011. Additionally, she completed a Professional Coaching Program from iCoachNewYork at Baruch College’s Zicklin School of Business in 2014. Crista is certified on a variety of assessment tools: 360 feedback, Hogan Assessments Systems, The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, and EQi.
Julie Murphy
Julie is a consultant, speaker, and master training facilitator helping clients develop better leadership skills, healthy culture, employee engagement, change management, team dynamics, resilience, and emotional intelligence. She coaches leaders with a focus on raising self-awareness and managing blind spots to become a more effective leader. Julie is a certified mindfulness teacher and has taught the science of mindfulness worldwide at global corporations. She is passionate about creating environments where leaders inspire and employees thrive.
Julie is a former practicing attorney and headed up strategy for a large, national non-profit, providing leadership at the national level and for affiliate organizations across the country. She focuses on core leadership and management capabilities, and helping leaders create a culture of inclusion and engagement. She has developed and delivered many programs on resilient leadership for senior leaders and has conducted leadership retreats for women executives. Julie has experience with the Tech, Healthcare, Banking, Wealth Management, Chemical, Telecommunications, Foundation, and Non-Profit industries.
Julie has a Juris Doctorate from Brooklyn Law School and a Bachelor of Arts from Rutgers University. She is a retired member of the NJ Bar Association. Julie is a certified teacher of Search Inside Yourself, the mindfulness based emotional intelligence program developed at Google.
Karoline Borup
Karoline Borup is a human capital consultant and executive coach based in Princeton, New Jersey providing consulting, coaching and workshop facilitation. With over 25 years of corporate experience, internally and as a consultant, she has worked across the various facets of human resources. Her experience is in organizational design and effectiveness, talent management and development, mergers and acquisitions, change management, workforce engagement and total global rewards.
Karoline has worked with Fortune 500 companies and not-for-profit organizations supporting them through significant growth and change. She has been responsible for developing and delivering programs that enhanced communications, build team effectiveness and increase employee engagement. Past projects include the facilitation of Everything DiSC™ at AmerisourceBergen, conducting leadership assimilation workshops at Princeton National Rowing Association, facilitating DDI workshops in Building Trust and Effective Communication at LifeCell, developing/implementing merger integration strategies at Johnson & Johnson, and the development of onboarding programs at Veeco Instruments.
Karoline received a B.S. in business administration from Montclair State University. She is a SHERPA Coach and a certified Everything DiSC™ facilitator. Prior to starting her human capital consulting practice she held director level positions at LifeCell Corporation, Veeco Instruments, and Johnson & Johnson. Ms. Borup has experience in the Biotechnology, Medical Device, Pharmaceutical, Consumer Products, Semiconductor and not-for-profit organizations. She began her career at PriceWaterhouse Coopers.
Ken Katzeff
Ken is a highly versatile Talent consultant with over 25 years of experience helping clients achieve their business goals and increase organizational effectiveness. He works collaboratively, tailoring each innovative and cutting-edge solution to meet each organization’s unique set of business needs that achieves measurably faster, better and more sustainable results. Ken specializes in Talent, Organizational and Leadership Development, and Executive Coaching.
Ken’s knowledge and wealth of experience comes from working with a highly diverse group of clients across a variety of industries. He has used his extensive experience to help organizations create business and learning strategies, and develop executive leadership programs and competencies, and also provides targeted executive coaching – 360 degree assessments and individual development plans. He designs succession planning processes, identifies high-potentials, implements Knowledge Transfer programs, creates on-boarding and mentoring programs, and provides post-merger integration learning systems. He also builds performance management systems, facilitates teambuilding off-sites.
As an accomplished facilitator and speaker, Ken conducts web- and classroom-based workshops on a variety of topics from Strategic Planning, Emotional Intelligence and Managing for Results to Promoting Your Personal Brand and Using Stories to Make High Impact Presentations using stories into his presentations to engage an audience, feed their imagination, and paint pictures with words to drive home key insights and serve as a foundation for learning.
Ken spent his early career as a consultant for Towers Watson’s Learning and Development Practice, headed-up Product Development for Juran Institute, Inc., and held key management positions at Philips Electronics, N.V. and Prudential Resources Management. Ken received his B.S. degree in Psychology and Mathematics from Lehman College, and holds a Master’s degree in Counseling from Bank Street College. He is certified in Lominger’s Leadership Architect® Competency process. Ken has also been an adjunct faculty member at Pace University and Fordham University’s Human Resource Graduate Program.
Maria Guida
Maria Guida is an expert in executive speaking, and specializes in developing emotional intelligence, empathy, impact, and influence; her custom-designed programs provide acting techniques that turn leaders into powerful and persuasive speakers.
Maria has delivered programs and keynote addresses for Fortune 500 companies, business associations, and universities, including McKinsey & Co., JPMorgan Chase, PricewaterhouseCoopers, American Express, Chubb, Moody’s Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, SHRM, and Baruch College. Maria was an Adjunct Professor at NYU’s School of Continuing Education and serves on the faculty of the School of Visual Arts Graduate Program. She has also served on the board of the National Speakers Association NY Chapter.
Maria spent fifteen years as a professional actor on Broadway, TV, and film (working with Paul Newman, James Earl Jones, and Kevin Kline) – where she learned that acting is the art of persuasion. She studied acting with Olympia Dukakis, and Alan Arkin. Maria is a graduate of the NYU Tisch School of the Arts Graduate Acting Program, holds an MA in Communications from Hunter College, and is certified as a teacher by the State of New York. Her articles on the use of theater techniques for persuasive business speaking have been published by SHRM, the National Speakers Association, Smart CEO Magazine, NY Women in Communications, the NY County Lawyers Association, Jersey City State College and others.
Natsuyo Lipschutz
A TEDx speaker, 3-time Toastmasters district finalist, World Class Speaking certified coach, strategy consultant, best-selling author, competitive ballroom Latin dancer, mother, and cancer survivor, a Japanese native Natsuyo has been delivering trainings, workshops, seminars, and keynotes in Japanese and English to the diverse audience.
Natsuyo is a Global Leadership and Cross-Cultural Communications strategist. Using a multi-layered approach of cross-cultural theory, public speaking skills, logical thinking frameworks, and team leadership skills, Natsuyo assists her audience to learn how to adjust their messages to be heard by different cultures. By the end of her session, the audience will be equipped with advanced cross-cultural communication skills to improve team dynamics by bridging the cultural gap and leveraging diversity. Natsuyo has worked with various industries and companies, including Toyota, American Express, BNP Paribas, Hitachi, Fujitsu, Chamber of Commerce, and more.
Born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, Natsuyo began her career at one of the top Japanese trading companies, ITOCHU International in New York. She then received her MBA degree from New York University, and held a position as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company. Today she is the managing principal of her own strategy consulting firm, ASPIRE Intelligence, and executive consultant of a global public speaking consultancy, Breakthrough Speaking.
Natsuyo resides in New York with her husband Robert, who is a dentist, and their young daughter Leena, who is a model/ballerina/figure skater!
Nicole Wells, MFA
Nicole Wells turned her greatest fear, public speaking, into her greatest passion and has taught hundreds of professionals to do the same. She is an adjunct faculty member at New York University’s Stern School of Business as well as the School for Professional and Continuing Studies (SPCS), where she teaches Organizational Communication and Speaking Without Fear. Nicole specializes in presentation/public speaking skills, overcoming performance anxiety, and business writing.
Nicole created the course Speaking Impromptu: The Art of Thinking on Your Feet, which is now part of the curriculum at The New School and NYU’s SPCS. The foundation of her skills comes from her extensive actor training–she earned her Master of Fine Arts at Rutgers University under the direction of William Esper. Nicole has performed in numerous theatrical productions throughout New York City and helped found the New Stage Theatre Company.
A successful manager, Nicole Wells has worked for two prominent New York City museums. She has experience in supervising a large staff, retail, customer service, negotiating contracts, and project management. Nicole also maintains a private coaching practice assisting people with vocal and performance issues. Prior to earning her MFA, Nicole received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre from the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
Patricia Lee
Patricia is a Sr IT executive with more than 25 years of experience focusing on business and IT transformation. Her specialization is transforming IT organizations through strategic planning and visioning, IT business alignment, organization design and effectiveness, leadership development, and culture shaping. Her experience spans across multiple industries, including higher education, government, non-profit, and transportation and logistics.
Patricia uses a collaborative approach by engaging stakeholders developing and executing change management strategies while aligning individuals, processes, and technologies to increase adoption and motivate teams. She has a track record of advancing teams to successful outcomes through a results-oriented and inclusive approach. Most recently, she led a leadership development program for a large government agency that was designed to strengthen and empower the leadership team through the development and facilitation of comprehensive leadership programming, covering areas such as: strategic planning, cross-functional network building, emotional intelligence, coaching and feedback, and development of personal leadership style.
Her experience and clients include: PricewaterhouseCoopers, CSX, Descartes Systems Group, The MTA, NYC Housing Development Corporation, Columbia University, and The New School. Patricia has an MS in Organizational Change Management from the New School, a coaching certificate from the Neuro Leadership Institute, and holds PMP, ITIL and CRISC certifications.
Sue Brogan
Sue Brogan has developed and delivered computer software training courses to business professionals for over 22 years. She teaches a variety of software packages including the complete Microsoft Office suite with specific proficiency in OneDrive, Project, Excel, Visio, and PowerPoint. Sue is a lead trainer and curriculum developer for projects including large scale migrations, proprietary software deployments, new hire onboarding, and over the last 15 years has expanded her global reach beyond the physical classroom by conducting online training using Skype for Business, WebEx, and Adobe Connect. Attendance in these sessions ranges from 2-250 people per session.
Sue has provided computer training and consultation for clients in the pharmaceutical, accounting, and financial industries such as: Novartis, Regeneron, J&J, Roche, Wyeth, Wolters Kluwer, Guggenheim and Citibank; government agencies such as the New York Economic Development Corporation; and educational institutions such as the Montclair Adult School.
Prior to becoming a computer training consultant, Sue produced the corporate marketing, public relations and employee communications materials for a Fortune 500 company. This experience allowed her daily contact with corporate departments such as Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, and Customer Service, which she believes helps her understand the environment her clients are coming from. She likes nothing better than to share her professional experience with her students. Rather than just teach concepts, Sue prefers to teach them how to apply what they have learned to their everyday lives.
Alison Bluestone
With over 25 years of team and systems relationship-coaching, training, consulting, and facilitating, Alison Bluestone knows what it takes to create and teach healthy conversations that promote higher productivity through clear communication. As a team specialist, she is committed to creating rich environments where leaders can identify and cultivate their emotional intelligence through connections such as Peer Groups and Forums, expanding themselves, and their people to reach their optimal potential.
As a progressive trainer and coach, Alison has worked with CEOs and Presidents worldwide in mostly mid-sized organizations in the banking, investment, fashion, construction, manufacturing and service industries. She specializes in culture development in organizations and develops long term relationships with her clients. She runs offsite Leadership Development programs and delivers seminars to both for-profit and non-profit organizations, specializing in teaching emotional intelligence, communication skills, self-mediation, and implicit bias training.
Alison has a rich background gained through both experience and education. Alison graduated NYU with a BFA/BS, with a background in Dramatic Arts and Organizational Psychology. Early on, Alison was a successful entrepreneur in the both the fashion and holistic personal health/development areas. Later in her career, she sold her business and became a consultant in the fashion industry which led her to forming her own consulting company focusing on Relationship and Team Facilitation/Coaching, Training and Mediation business. Alison is a Consultant for Growth Resources Inc. – GRI.CO® (highly rated assessment tool for use in talent acquisition and retention, management training and communication); Certified Forum Facilitator for Young Presidents’ Organization International®; Certified Facilitator for Interaction Associates for Social Change®; Certified Positive Psychology® Practitioner and Coach – Harvard College, MA; Enhanced Practitioner Conversational Intelligence®; International Coach Federation® Member; Certified Trainer and Mediator: Managing Workplace Conflict® and a Certified Administrator for the Conflict Dynamics Profile® both from Eckert College, FL. She sits on the boards of several women’s business charitable organizations. She is a certified Women Owned Small Business (SBA – WOSB).
Carrie Greene
Carrie Greene is a speaker, author, and coach. After she received her degree in Economics from Lehigh University, Carrie spent fifteen years on Wall Street in marketing and product development. She worked for the stock exchange and major brokerage firms, developing and launching highly sophisticated online trading platforms for clients. She left Wall Street shortly after 9/11 to start her own business so that she could be home to raise her children, and live her life on her own terms.
Over the years the focus of Carrie’s business has changed dramatically, but at the core of each shift was her commitment to keeping it simple in a world which seems to demand that success, and everything associated with it, be complex. Today, Carrie works primarily with business leaders to help them get clear on what they want and, helps them understand the value that they bring to their clients, others in their firms, and other people they associate with. She helps her clients create simple and straight-forward plans to help them reach their goals, clarify their message and communicate to improve employee engagement, improve their sales, and get past their biggest obstacle, themselves.
Carrie is a frequent speaker and the author of two books: international best seller, “Because You’re Worth It: How To Make More Money By Charging More Money” and “Chaos to Cash: An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Eliminating Chaos, Overwhelm and Procrastination So you Can Create Ultimate Profit!”
Maria Guida
Maria Guida is an expert in executive speaking, and specializes in developing emotional intelligence, empathy, impact, and influence; her custom-designed programs provide acting techniques that turn leaders into powerful and persuasive speakers.
Maria has delivered programs and keynote addresses for Fortune 500 companies, business associations, and universities, including McKinsey & Co., JPMorgan Chase, PricewaterhouseCoopers, American Express, Chubb, Moody’s Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, SHRM, and Baruch College. Maria was an Adjunct Professor at NYU’s School of Continuing Education and serves on the faculty of the School of Visual Arts Graduate Program. She has also served on the board of the National Speakers Association NY Chapter.
Maria spent fifteen years as a professional actor on Broadway, TV, and film (working with Paul Newman, James Earl Jones, and Kevin Kline) – where she learned that acting is the art of persuasion. She studied acting with Olympia Dukakis, and Alan Arkin. Maria is a graduate of the NYU Tisch School of the Arts Graduate Acting Program, holds an MA in Communications from Hunter College, and is certified as a teacher by the State of New York. Her articles on the use of theater techniques for persuasive business speaking have been published by SHRM, the National Speakers Association, Smart CEO Magazine, NY Women in Communications, the NY County Lawyers Association, Jersey City State College and others.