2024 MCAP(My Career Accelerator Program)
Speakers and Coaches.
Speakers
Stacey Bledsoe is the director of people and employee experience at Galloway & Company, an architecture and engineering firm based in Denver, CO. Stacey has over 23 years of experience in human resources, serving companies that range from $150,000 – $10 billion in revenue. In addition, she is a certified professional coach through the International Coaching Federation, holds advanced HR certifications through HRCI and SHRM, and has a masters of human resources degree from Rollins College. Stacey is an avid reader and gardener. She also enjoys focusing on health and wellness through physical activity including bar method classes and being outdoors.
AJ Lauer helps leaders thrive both inside and outside of the workplace. She is an expert on STEM diversity and workforce development. After 20 years working in the higher education and non-profit research fields, AJ founded her company Thriving Ibis Leadership Solutions. Through Thriving Ibis, Dr. Lauer provides a tailored-to-you mix of workshops, coaching, retreats, and consulting to provide individual and team leadership development, and help build inclusive workplaces. Dr. AJ Lauer holds an EdD in Interdisciplinary Leadership from Creighton University, MS in Higher Education Administration from Florida International University, and BA in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She received her coaching certification from the Center for Executive Coaching.
Melissa Leland brings 15 years of experience in designing and leading successful organizational change efforts in various sectors and global landscapes. She worked with C-suite sponsors and other stakeholders, providing thorough and timely communication, excellent organization, insight, successful implementations and sustainability, measurement, and feedback. Her areas of expertise are within Human Capital Management, focusing on learning and development, organizational development, and change management. Melissa has extensive experience in conducting needs assessments and administering psychometric tools, including providing individual results through debrief and coaching, along with group workshop facilitation. Melissa earned her master’s degree, Organizational Leadership, with an emphasis in Leadership & Management, Regis University. Most importantly, she’s a wife, along with a mom to a son and 4 *bonus* daughters…along with 3 chickens and fish. She enjoys volunteering with her faith’s women’s group, traveling, staying active, and learning about anything.
Tracy Graf is a communications coach with 18 years of leadership experience in learning and development, marketing and public relations roles with prominent international corporations. She led teams of professionals to grow revenue for over 25 prestigious international brands in her positions with Vail Resorts, Life Time Fitness, Disney on Ice and Ruder Finn Public Relations. Leveraging her vast background in project management, marketing and public relations, Tracy coaches teams to communicate more effectively. As the owner of Fuse - Igniting Communication, she is increasing success for a variety of prestigious organizations across the globe. She works regularly with Fortune 500 tech companies, renewable energy agencies, and prestigious universities. Tracy also enjoys coaching team members at small-to-medium-sized organizations on their development journey.
Jennifer Elizabeth Arzberger, Ph.D. Dr. Jea offers over twenty years of leadership experience in education, government, and corporate environments. Through her work, she inspires individuals to build brilliance in their lives; to live with confidence, compassion, and courage. Equipped with ten years of teaching experience, Jea became a Gifted and Talented Facilitator and Instructional Coach, and then led the development of downtown Denver’s first elementary school. Jea later developed Building Brilliance, a consulting company, which supports individuals across the globe in achieving the extraordinary. Dr. Jea completed her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on Educational Administration and Policy at the University of Denver. Her doctoral research focused on leading in a culture of innovation and change. Through her work, Dr. Jea inspires individuals to adopt high performance habits, practice self-leadership, and become architects of lives that transcend the ordinary.
Jeremy Edmonds Jeremy Edmonds, VP of People and Culture at Snooze, an A.M. Eatery, is a seasoned HR professional driven by a passion for cultivating exceptional employee experiences and vibrant organizational cultures. With over a decade in talent recruitment, he transitioned his focus to engagement science, becoming a thought leader in culture, performance development, and leadership. Jeremy's commitment extends beyond the workplace, serving on the boards of The Snooze Compass Foundation, Heart and Hand, and advising FSR and QSR magazines. A staunch champion for diversity, he spearheads initiatives to enhance the experience of underrepresented employees. Jeremy's love for food and beverage fuels his enthusiasm for creating memorable moments for Snooze employees nationwide, while his personal interests include reading, cooking, and exploring the world with his family.
Coaches
AJ Lauer helps leaders thrive both inside and outside of the workplace. She is an expert on STEM diversity and workforce development. After 20 years working in the higher education and non-profit research fields, AJ founded her company Thriving Ibis Leadership Solutions. Through Thriving Ibis, Dr. Lauer provides a tailored-to-you mix of workshops, coaching, retreats, and consulting to provide individual and team leadership development, and help build inclusive workplaces. Dr. AJ Lauer holds an EdD in Interdisciplinary Leadership from Creighton University, MS in Higher Education Administration from Florida International University, and BA in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She received her coaching certification from the Center for Executive Coaching.
Gillian Faith is the founder of Next Level HR Consulting and Coaching, designed to offer fractional HR services to small businesses and nonprofits and professional coaching to individuals for leadership and personal development. Originally from Scotland, she is experienced working in both the UK and the US and brings a background in healthcare, business ownership and leadership and human resources management to her clients. Gillian holds a Masters degree in management, is SHRM-SCP and SPHR certified and has completed Certified Coach Training with the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC). She is also currently enrolled in a Positive Intelligence Coach training program. Gillian volunteers with SHRM as an item developer for the SHRM-SCP exam and also with Mile High SHRM as a Certification Manager. She has organized an annual charity golf tournament to benefit CureSMA since 2003. Outside of work, Gillian is passionate about fitness and wellness and enjoys being active with her husband, son, two daughters and Border Collie rescue dog.
Rachel Lucas, PHR is a Human Resources and Business Development expert with experience in a range of industries including finance, luxury retail, and non-profit. One of Rachel’s proudest professional moments to date was delivering her 2016 TEDxTalk entitled “Why You Can Pee Next to Me.” Rachel is passionate about participating in the conversation around people and workplaces in Denver, Colorado and has volunteered with Mile High SHRM in multiple roles. In 2020 Rachel was honored to lead the Mile High SHRM Education Committee in winning a national SHRMIE Award for Innovation in Programming. Rachel is also President of Savage Professionals which provides Professional Services Consulting as well as Leadership, Branding, & Speaker Coaching.
Wendy Allen is an executive, leadership, and team coach. She is incredibly passionate about helping individuals become fully engaged, living their purpose and calling. She brings unique approaches to identify your values and strengths and to apply them in your professional and personal life. Wendy’s goal is to provide a safe yet challenging place to navigate change, challenge assumptions and beliefs, identify roadblocks, and design goals and actions that lead to your success. Wendy brings over 30 years of operations and technical leadership with broad experience in strategic, operational, and technical functions, including operations, customer engagement, software project management, technology transition, user engagement, and training.
Wendy is a member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and s a Professional Certified Coach (PCC). She earned a Certificate in Evidence-Based Coaching from Fielding Graduate University. She holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs and a Master’s in Computer Information Systems from Webster University, St. Louis, MO.
Yvette Costa is a Team Dynamics Coach + Consultant. Her passion is to help create teams that are HIP – Happy in Place; through Full Circle Coaching + Consulting. Her background is diverse, eclectic, and non-linear. She worked in corporate for 25+ years, has been trained as a yoga teacher and yoga therapist, continues to teach, and earned certifications in coaching from iPEC, The Science of Well Being from Yale, and Facilitating Happiness from Harvard’s Tal Ben-Shahar. Yvette is best known for taking a practical approach to melding eastern concepts with western logic to help clients become more self-aware, happier, productive, and solution-focused and to intentionally create the lives they want to live.
