Careers in Action

Meet The Speakers & Coaches

Colleen Mills, Ph.D.

Dr. Colleen Mills is a gifted results-oriented industrial psychologist who brings over 20 years of experience as a corporate leader with industry leaders, such as CCH, Cingular and BellSouth, to her practice. Colleen integrates a strong intellectual foundation with plenty of practical leadership and corporate experience. She has an extensive background as a senior information technology leader in the telecommunication, publishing and government sectors. Colleen understands the pressures, demands and dynamics of high performing corporate cultures from firsthand experience. She knows what it takes to lead effectively and succeed in today’s corporate environment.More

One of Colleen’s strengths is her ability to get to the kernel of an issue quickly. She has an uncanny ability to help her clients to see their situations with remarkable clarity, discern the root cause(s) and take highly focused actions to address the source(s) of the issue. Her keen analytical skills, her pragmatic orientation and compassionate delivery enable her to say what really needs to said in a way that people can hear it. Colleen is known for her ability to be a “truth-sayer”. She has worked with a wide variety of clients in the areas of executive coaching, leadership development and organization development.

While Colleen’s professional credentials are impressive, it’s her personal passion for unleashing her own potential and her lifelong commitment to peak performance that makes her such an exceptional coach. She received her undergraduate degree and graduate degrees while working full time. Colleen’s enthusiasm for maximizing individual and organizational effectiveness inspired her to pursue her Ph.D. in I/O psychology. Her unique combination of technical and human development education and experience enables Colleen to coach executives who need to improve their ability to lead others.

Today, Colleen combines this knowledge and experience to coach corporate leaders to achieve new levels of success. If you want to take your leadership or your organization's performance to the next level, Colleen can help you to achieve your aspirations with greater clarity, speed and ease!

Colleen is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Organizational Development Expertise Panel and is VP of SHRM Atlanta’s Professional Education Groups. She is active in the Technology Association of Georgia where she serves as a board member for the HR Society and is Head Coach for Women in Technology’s Executive Coaching Program. Her research interests include employee engagement, team effectiveness and diversity.

Deb Weiler, MCC, MA, SPHR

Master Certified Coach / Certified Emotional Intelligence Coach | | Fast Lane Coaching

Deb Weiler is an ICF Master Certified Coach and a highly sought after management consultant with 14 years of experience as a corporate leader and senior executive in Fortune 500 firms. For 20 years, she has coached hundreds of individuals and teams, including CEOs, senior executives, coaches, and even world-class athletes, to achieve their goals with incredible results. Deb combines her experience as a corporate executive and a former world-class swimmer to coach leaders and their teams to attain peak performance and achieve new levels of success.More

Deb’s mission is to coach leaders to become masterful leaders, achieve peak levels of performance, and live extraordinary lives. Deb achieves this mission by sharing her knowledge and experience in human resources, leadership/organization development, TQM, and high-performance coaching techniques with her clients. In addition to individual and team coaching, she offers a variety of training classes and custom designed workshops to help leaders and their teams to attain peak performance. Deb is known for her uncanny ability to help leaders and their teams to deal constructively with negative emotions associated with change, get unstuck and inspire them into action. Deb has coached leaders and their teams in organizations such as: Planned Parenthood of Massachusetts, Resurgens, LexisNexis, Comcast, Ricoh, Staples, AT&T, Ken Blanchard Companies, CIBA Vision, Dekalb Medical Center, Drake Beam Morin, and Georgia Pacific.

She believes that most executives and their teams are only accessing a small portion of their true potential because they fail to fully leverage their talents, harness internal motivation and eliminate costly forms of mental interference (such as frustration, fear of failure and self-limiting beliefs). Just like world-class athletes, successful executives will benefit from the focus, challenge, structure and motivation that a coach can provide. In her work with her clients, Deb uses many of the same techniques that she used to attain peak performance as a world class swimmer to develop the mindset of a champion.

Deb has an MA degree in Industrial Organizational Psychology and has been awarded the Master Certified Coach designation; the highest level of professional coaching certification from the International Coach Federation (ICF). She served as an executive mentor in the Georgia 100 program for four years, where her first mentee won the “Outstanding Mentee of Year” award. She has been featured in The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, the Atlanta Business Chronicle and on Fast Company’s website. Deb was also named to the “ICF Coaching Dream Team” for the outstanding results achieved through her coaching. She currently serves as the co-chair for SHRM Atlanta’s OD Professional Emphasis Group and has done so for three years. She has also served on the Board of Directors for several organizations, including the Georgia International Coach Federation and the Dunwoody YMCA.

Kim Freedman

Catalyst Leadership Coaching

Kim Freedman is President of Catalyst Leadership Coaching, LLC – a company focused on developing effective leaders and productive teams in small and mid-size technology companies. Her approach includes talent management strategy development and execution, customized training solutions, and one-on-one coaching. As a leadership coach, Kim uses a 5-step process in guiding leaders to gain clarity, establish goals, stay focused, and achieve breakthrough results.More

Kim has over two decades of senior management experience with Fortune 500 information technology companies. During a professional career that has spanned 30 years, Kim has worked as a registered nurse, business analyst, information technology manager, business operations manager, project manager, human resources director, corporate trainer, and professional coach. The common element in these seemingly unrelated roles is helping people achieve their goals – of health and wellness, of career advancement, and of personal success.

Already an experienced facilitator and workshop leader, Kim expanded her skill set by completing professional coach training through the Coaches Training Institute (CTI) in 2006. Kim also maintains professional certifications in project management (PMP) and human resources management (SPHR). Kim earned an undergraduate degree in Nursing from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA degree with a concentration in Management and Organization Development from Georgia State University. Additionally, she is qualified to administer many assessment instruments, including the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Harrison Assessment, and Disc.

Kim is a member in good standing of the International Coach Federation, the Society for Human Resource Management, and the Technology Association of Georgia. Kim has served on the Board of Directors of the Georgia Coach Association (the Atlanta Chapter of the International Coach Federation) and is the 2010 President. Contact Kim at 678-984-4024 or kim@catalystleadershipcoaching.com.

Shelley Hammell

The Sage Alliance

Shelley Hammell, accomplished Executive Coach, seasoned speaker, skilled workshop facilitator and President of Sage Alliance, Inc. is a recognized expert in leadership performance and team optimization. Her extensive work as an executive coach and team facilitator with high-potential leaders enables her to leverage proven strategies that work. Combined with over 20 years of practical business experience in sales and marketing and leading global teams, Shelley knows what it takes to grow your top talent and deliver measurable results.

Jennifer Remling

Before authoring Carve Your Own Road: Do What You Love and Live the Life You Envision, Jennifer Remling was a corporate recruiting executive for high tech consulting corporations and today has her own consulting firm. She traveled around the country in 2007 with her husband, Joe to interview people who were successfully pursuing their dreams in order to write Carve Your Own Road (Career Press, 2009). A frequent speaker on the topic of professional development, Remling has been featured in media outlets such as CNN, ABC News, MSNBC.com, The New York Post and Shape Magazine.More

Jennifer recently launched the Panta Rei Community for women to give women leaders a place for making new connections in a relaxed environment and to deliver innovative content that empowers and engages the whole woman, not just the business woman. Women are multi-dimensional by nature and Panta Rei celebrates that! She also believes that women can and will play a key role in solving the many issues in front of us locally and globally, and is launching the Panta Rei Community as a platform for bringing women together to impact change.

David Hand

Possibility Partners, LLC

David Hand recently founded Possibility Partners, LLC. In his current role, he partners with clients to enable their employees to be more profitable, productive and passionate than they ever thought possible. Possibility Partners is strategically aligned with Agile Resources Inc. in support of WIT’s Executive Coaching Program. Prior to forming Possibility Partners, David was President of Agile Resources and was responsible for developing and executing the firm’s vision and strategy and leading the talent solutions practice.

Richard Warner, Moderator

What's Up Interactive

Richard Warner is founder and CEO of What's Up Interactive , an Atlanta based web and video marketing firm whose clients include AT&T, the Georgia Lottery, the Georgia Aquarium, the Coca-Cola Company and Holiday Inn. He is seen frequently as a business commentator on Fox5 WAGA.More

He spent 30 years as a host and managing editor interviewing CEOs on "Georgia's Business" on the state's PBS network, as well as 20 years as a commentator on Atlanta's WXIA and WAGA TV. His daily radio commentaries were syndicated on more than 200 stations nationwide.

Richard has also moderated and hosted events for more than 50 organizations including Emory University, the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, the Atlanta Business Chronicle, the State of Georgia and the Atlanta Press Club.

He serves on the board of the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia and on the Georgia Film and Video Commission

Kelly Quattlebaum

President | Global Marcoms

Kelly Quattlebaum is the President of Global Marcoms, an international consulting company that offers social media, marketing, public relations, business development and sales services. Kelly is an expert on Social Media and Social Networking, specializing in LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. She shares her knowledge with others in the business community as a public speaker and also hosts a series of seminars that provide social media training. More

Her passion is the art of communication. With more than 8 years of international corporate experience, Kelly has a deep understanding of intercultural communication and a strong appreciation for diversity. A linguist by nature, she is fluent in English (native language), Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese.

As the Regional Marketing and Communications Manager for Intec, a global software provider of operations and business support systems, Kelly gained 7 years of business-to-business marketing and communications experience in the technology and telecommunications industries. In her role she focused on defining and implementing marketing and communication strategy that targeted telecom operators and service providers throughout the Latin American and Caribbean region. She was also responsible for developing strong relationships with channel partners such as Sun, HP and eServGlobal; clients including América Móvil, Cable & Wireless, Digicel, Telefónica and Vivo; as well as various regional media outlets and vendors.

Kelly graduated summa cum laude from Kennesaw State University where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in communication, a minor in chemistry, and studied computer science. For more information, please visit www.globalmarcoms.com.

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyquattlebaum

Facebook: www.facebook.com/globalmarcoms

Twitter: @kquattlebaum, @globalmarcoms, @linkedinseminar

Karen Kessinger

Muddy Faces

Photography is more than just myjob, it rea lly is my passion. I put my heart and soul into my work. I have an eye for family photography that goes way beyond the traditional white shirts and jeans. More

My objective is not to create the "flawless traditional portrait." Life isn't flawless. My goal is to capture the real you. So please, when working with Muddy Faces Photography, please be prepared to "get muddy" (symbolically speaking), relax and have some fun.

I am often asked what kind of photography I do. Who is my target audience? My answer? I cater to all types of clients. I love working with children and families. Being a mother of four, I really identify with this particular niche and understand the importance of patience and flexibility.

Recently, I decided to extend my services to local schools in Buckhead. I currently shoot fall and spring pictures for two schools and am looking to expand this service. I love sports and being active (ah, more so before the four kids, cough, cough!) and really enjoy my role as team photographer for multiple sports teams in the Roswell area.

Last but not least, I spent ten years in the corporate world before pursuing my love of photography. I am now offering the corporate market professional head-shots. This role is rewarding for me in that I can toggle two worlds; the corporate one and the creative photography one. But don't get me wrong, even my head-shots are non-traditional, with natural light, no backdrops and a balance of who you are, mixed with the corporate polish.

If you are out and about in the Roswell area, you can view my work at "The Fickle Pickle" restaurant on Canton Street, "Starbucks" at Coleman Village, three "Northside Womens Specialist Offices" and at "The Chastain School" in Buckhead.

kessingerphotography@gmail.com 404-3175711 www.muddyfaces.com

Richard Currier

Vice President - Strategic Initiatives | InterSystems Corporation

Richard Currier has over 30 years technology experience and has personally performed many of the key roles in a software company, including development, sales, marketing and senior management. He is currently Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at InterSystems Corporation, a Boston-based $300 million privately held software firm. More

Previously, he held a variety of executive positions in seven high-tech companies, all of which were turnarounds. He served as President in four of these companies, ran sales and marketing in the other three. Two of these companies went public and the others were successfully sold. Currier has had extensive international experience as three of these companies were European based and all successfully marketed worldwide.

Prior to his industry executive roles, Richard led data communications software development at NASA Headquarters, and had a variety of technology consulting assignments in the Departments of Defense and at the Executive Offices of the President of the United States.

For the last 20+ years prior to joining InterSystems, he has worked with over senior executives in 400+ high-tech companies in over 600 assignments to help these companies sharpen their messaging, go-to-market strategies, and market leadership positioning. Some of his many clients included Ariba, Cognos, GE, Kronos, HP, IBM, Intel, JD Edwards, PeopleSoft, PWC, Radiant, RightNow, S1, Servigistics, and numerous emerging growth and startup companies.

Richard is a frequent speaker at industry events and guest lecturer in University MBA programs and industry events throughout the world. His workshops – which one Venture Capitalist called “the definitive post-graduate course for high tech executives” – have been attended by over 4,000 industry executives from over 1,000 high tech companies.

Richard has served on numerous public and private technology company boards. He currently serves as a Director at Digital Technology International; a Riverside Partners owned Utah based company that automates newspaper print and web content, and AMTdirect, a privately owned real estate lease management software company in Charlotte North Carolina.

Marti Breen

Marketing Consultant

As a marketing consultant since 1993, Marti has built an impressive practice helping companies large and small improve their marketing efforts. Her clients range in size from small start-ups to Fortune 1000 companies. She applies her expertise devising strategic marketing plans that work and then puts them into action. More

Marti’s experiences range from exploring new market segments for existing products to designing a sales and marketing process based on best practices. She has helped start up firms secure funding by creating complete business plans and propelled established firms’ growth by focusing their marketing strategy. Marti is known for helping her clients increase sales and profitability by instituting concrete systems to more efficiently fulfill their customers’ needs.

Her background in teaching is applied in the development of innovative curricula and a practical approach to coaching. She has coached successful teams to identify strategies to deliver unique customer value and develop complete marketing programs that increase sales.

Prior to entering consulting, Marti had over 15 years corporate marketing experience. She led the marketing team at Medirisk, a start-up health information technology company. Under her direction, this group of 20 marketers introduced new products, maintained ongoing product marketing efforts, generated leads and conducted market research. At Siemens, she directed marketing for a division selling equipment in the medical and dental markets. With Healthdyne, she introduced new products and planned innovative programs to help the company grow from $8M to $250M revenue in three years. She entered the marketing profession in New York with Pfizer and Celanese.

At the Tilden School at the University of Maryland, Marti taught consumer marketing and conducted research in business-to-business marketing. She has an MBA from the AB Freeman School of Business at Tulane University.

A common thread in her career is successfully managing products and services to realize high growth and exceed goals and expectations. She has won several awards for outstanding marketing programs and serves on several boards. She is an active member of the Technology Association of Georgia, and is a former board member of the Business Marketing Association, Women in Technology (WIT) and PushPush Theater. She currently serves on the board of Georgia Interfaith Power & Light (GIPL).

Gillian Renault

President | Renault Communications, Inc

Gillian Renault launched RCI's media training program in 1999 and has worked with a wide variety of clients from CEOs and senior executives to scientists, physicians, and television hosts. She and her team have conducted trainings in numerous cities in the United States and worldwide, from New York, Los Angeles and Washington DC to London, Paris, Amsterdam, Munich, and Sao Paulo. Her clients include executives at Best Buy, DuPont, GLG Life Tech Corporation, Infor, Quintiles, Stonesoft, LexisNexis, Travelport, Discovery Channel, Discovery Times Channel, Animal Planet, Special Olympics, C.A.R.E., the Governor’s Council for Developmental Disabilities and many more. More

Clients rely on Gillian’s communications expertise in both presentation training and media training. Her creative insight, strategic thinking, professionalism, and clear and constructive feedback have helped clients find new and more effective ways of communicating their message.

Her media training clients have done successful interviews with media such as The Today Show, Good Morning America, Nightline, Larry King Live, Late Night with David Letterman, The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and numerous consumer and business-to-business publications. She has also prepared clients for national and international press conferences.

Gillian has more than 30 years experience in communications, including many years in management and leadership positions. She has proven skills in strategy development, crisis communications, media and presentation training, development of corporate image and brand, domestic and international publicity campaigns and executive training.

Gillian has developed and implemented media strategies for national corporate clients who are leaders in their industry, including Discovery Communications, PBS, and other media companies. Her corporate management experience includes developing and running assertive and successful public relations departments for NBC-TV, E! Entertainment Television, and the Travel Channel.

Gillian began her communications career as a journalist and broadcaster in Los Angeles, writing for the Herald Examiner, Los Angeles Magazine, California Magazine, and reporting for the local National Public Radio affiliate. She was born and educated in England.

Application