Richard E. Lyons has served as a professor of management, department chair, instructional dean, corporate trainer, faculty and staff developer, and independent consultant. His grounding in sound research and quality management practices, as well as deep learning from his varied experiences, has enabled him to exceed expectations of clients systematically. Richard launched his consulting and presentation practice in 1999, shortly after the publication of his first book, The Adjunct Professor’s Guide to Success. He has since authored three other books – Teaching College in an Age of Accountability, Success Strategies for Adjunct Faculty, and Best Practices for Supporting Adjunct Faculty. His extensive research on these topics and familiarity with best practices that align with that research undergird his consulting. The strategies that he espouses have been well received not only by clients, but also by audiences in dozens of presentations at varied academic conferences. Richard has presented on the campuses of community and state colleges, universities and proprietary institutions, in three countries. Besides traditional institutions, these have included historically Black colleges and universities, historically women’s institutions, and those that serve significant populations of Native American, Hispanic and other diverse populations. He also regularly utilizes webinars to deepen workshop participants’ mastery of critical learning outcomes. His travel experiences in over forty countries enable him to address issues in a global, futuristic context – a factor of increasing importance at many institutions. Active throughout his career in professional organizations, Richard presently serves on the board of the North American Council for Staff, Program and Organizational Development [NCSPOD]. Richard earned his B.A. in Management and M.S. in Business Education at Western Kentucky University, and his doctorate in college teaching and curriculum at the University of Central Florida. |
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Tag Archives: building teams
Randal Joy Thompson
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For the last two years, she has helped staff at the Ministry of Planning and Development Cooperation in Baghdad, Iraq enhance their management skills and understanding of the global economy. She facilitated an Appreciative Inquiry with ministry staff during which the group drafted a preposterous proposition which expressed their dream for collaborative teamwork and a democratic, flat organizational structure. The group made serious individual and group commitments to achieving their proposition. Randal also taught course in cross-cultural communication and protocol for ten ministries in Iraq. She is now serving as Chief of Party on another project in Baghdad, responsible for monitoring and evaluating the US government project portfolio and conducting sector studies to support their future strategy. Randal has been a keynote speaker at several conferences, including the first and second International Women’s Conferences held in Romania in 1998 and 1999. She delights in inspiring her audiences to see their potential to achieve their dreams and work together on common opportunities to change their personal and social worlds. She combines humor with serious calls to action. She is particularly interested in helping organizations change creatively through the application of appreciative approaches. She is President and CEO of an organizational development consulting company in Reno, Nevada, “Getting to Excellence.” Randal works with government, private sector, and non-profit organizations as well a common interest groups. She especially enjoys working with women’s groups and organizations. She also delivers training in international development and how to effectively work in a globalized economy and cross-cultural communication. Randal has her BA in Philosophy from the University of California at Berkeley; her MA in Philosophy and MBA from the University of Chicago; and her MA in Biblical Exposition from Capital Bible Seminary. She also has a Certificate in Organizational Development Consulting from Georgetown University and a Certificate in French Civilization from the Sorbonne. She has been certified by Company of Experts as an Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator. |
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For over thiry years, Randal Joy Thompson has expressed her passion for helping people around the world achieve their dreams through a career in international development. She has advised senior government officials on key policy changes, assisted local non-governmental organizations establish themselves, organized interest group coalitions, and worked in small rural villages and large urban centers on a variety of development challenges in India, Cameroon, Morocco, Nicaragua, Mongolia, Romania, Ukraine, Kenya, Albania, Bulgaria, and Bolivia.New Department Chair – You’ve Got the Stuff!
A quick Google search and I found many hits for department chair. Most of these “hits” were job descriptions from a number of colleges and universities. Most start job descriptions include the statement. “The position of Chair is important and one of the most difficult in any college environment.” If you are a Department Chair this is no surprise.
Some chairs are elected and others appointed and the job comes with built in term limits. What is certain is that many are unprepared for the move from greatest educator in the classroom to the new role of go between.
Reading some of the job descriptions is like reading the script for a CBS show titled CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Only a forensic sleuth could wind their way through these job descriptions and know how it happened and who did it before big reveal.
The Chair position is one of great importance and sounds impressive to the lay person. To the Chair, it is a personal journey of participation and excitement as well as the opportunity to develop leadership skills. Neither faculty nor management, the department chairs that I have known usually share the feeling of being overwhelmed.
Our new Show DCI: Department Chair Institute
Solving the impossible
Scene of the Crime
Our gullible and innocent faculty member is either selected or elected to the position of Department Chair. The DC is an honor as the faculty member is recognized and respected by their peers and the college leadership. This is a spring rite of passage for the new chair. They are welcomed into the new position. Their friends and family are so excited that they have been recognized for their hard work. It is a glorious time of excitement for the New Year. As graduation fades and the faculty begin their summer journey, the new chair realizes that summer for them is no longer a time of renewal, of travel, no opportunity to learn, to research or to write. This is the time for scheduling classes, hiring faculty, and there is usually a budget to begin to understand and maybe, just maybe program review or accreditation responsibilities.
The Investigation Begins
From an actual job description found on the web “The Dean ….will listen sympathetically to suggestions about such [training] opportunities. This is a major shift in the drama. The new chair isn’t automatically provided training to do their job? How, What and Who?
From the start, this DC will identify the evidence at the scene of the crime (no budget), hit the high tech lab (also known as business services) and apply the most scientific techniques used today by DC’s to crack this case also known as building a team. This is definitely for someone who likes to learn on the job.
- Communication
- Motivation
- Hiring Faculty
- Managing Time
The Finale
I will admit that I have never been a chair but I have worked with Department Chairs for nearly 30 years. My knowledge comes from these department chairs as well as those who have attended the Department Chair Institute. All good employees who wanted to do a service for the college.
Ray Wells
Ray Wells, based in the Philadelphia region, is the president of a consulting firm that uses a strengths-based approach in designing leadership, team and organization development programs for its clients. This approach, which focuses on accentuating and building on “who we are when we are at our best,” has helped the firm capture the energy and professional passion of the people it serves. Ray has been certified by Company of Experts.net as an Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator and Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Trainer (AIFT ©). Since 1987, the firm has customized programs and projects for nearly 100 non-profit, business, and education clients in organizations ranging from just a dozen people to the Fortune 500, from the smallest private schools to the Ivy League, from single-office non-profit agencies to the largest corporate health systems. When necessary, the firm draws on the talent of a host of trainers, facilitators and consultants with whom it regularly partners. Ray’s own strengths and professional passion are focused on guiding higher education institutions and their leaders in transforming the post-secondary educational landscape. He has assisted with major change initiatives at Penn State University, Lehigh University, the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, the University of Connecticut, and in the growing Drexel University system. He has facilitated whole systems change workshops for the National Association of Presidential Assistants in Higher Education, the American Council on Education, and A Community of Agile Partners in Education (CAPE), a not-for-profit Pennsylvania-based consortium of higher education and K-12 members, where he has served as a consultant since January of 2001. In 2001 Ray joined the faculty of the Foundation for the Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER) as a leadership scholar/instructor. The annual FAIMER Institute serves medical school faculty from developing countries in South America, Africa and Asia who have the potential to play a key role in improving medical education in their schools. Over a four-year span at Princeton University, Ray worked with an on-going culture change program targeted towards Princeton’s top 450 administrators and managers. Among many other projects, he assisted with the design of several management development conferences and post-conference training programs on the challenges of change, process improvement, the introduction of a performance enhancement initiative, and the impact of new technology on organizational processes. Ray earned his Master of Arts from Bowling Green State University (OH) in college student development and his Ph.D. in applied social-psychology from Temple University, where his research focused on how leadership creates and maintains a sense of community on a college campus. He has held professional student affairs positions at Arizona State University, Southeast Missouri State University, and Temple University. |
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Roseanna G. Ross
Roseanna G. Ross, is Professor and Chair of the Department of Communication Studies at a state university in Minnesota. She was Internship Director for the department for 18 years, and was Director of the Faculty Center for Teaching Excellence for 5 years. In addition, Roseanna currently serves as a campus mediator in the university mediation program. Roseanna’s professional publications include the development of a self-report instrument to assess communicative messages in conflict (Ross-DeWine CMMS). She is also co-author of two books: “The Internship As Partnership: a Handbook for Businesses, Nonprofits and Government Agencies,” and “The Internship as Partnership: A Handbook for Campus-Based Coordinators and Advisors.” As Senior Associate in the “Developing the Leadership of America’s Next Generation of Nonprofit Leaders” joint project of the National Society for Experiential Education, Regis University and the Center for Creative Leadership, Ross developed and facilitated a series of institutes for interns and mentors. Roseanna Ross is an energetic, creative presenter, trainer and storyteller, and experienced process consultant. As an independent communication consultant and trainer, Roseanna has over 30 years of experience in designing and facilitating seminars, assessing organizational communication needs, and providing keynote presentations for both the public and private sectors. Dr. Ross was a recipient of the National Society for Experiential Learning 2006 Pioneer in Experiential Learning Award and the 1999 Young Leader in Experiential Learning Award. Roseanna received the 1998 MnSCU Center for Teaching and Learning Star Leader Award. Ross has received teaching awards including the Central States Speech Association Outstanding Young Teacher Award and the Ohio University Department of Education Distinguished Alumni Award. She was also listed in Outstanding Young Women of America in 1985, and was honored as an International Women of the Year 1992-1993. Dr. Ross taught for a year in Japan 1991-1992. She was Director of the University’s Center for British Studies, Alnwick England, 1993-1994 and was Academic Director for that program in Summer 2006, and Summer 1996. Roseanna Ross earned a BS in education at Ohio University, and a Master of Arts in communication from Ohio State University and is a Doctor of Philosophy in communication theory, speech communication and higher education from Ohio University. |
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Nicholas Holton
Contact Information:Address: Email: Phone: Skype: NicholasHolton Website(s): Social Media Networks: Working Portfolio: |
Nicholas Holton has worked as a professional educator his whole career. First as a math instructor and now at a community college as an Associate Dean for General Education, Nicholas has been a leader in innovation by design. His workshops have visited four continents, and include strategic planning, appreciative inquiry, service learning, and engaged learning techniques. He is sought out as an invited speaker and his keynote and other presentations draw an international audience. Nicholas’ appreciative inquiry teams work with small nonprofits and whole community colleges. He conducted an Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Workshop (AIFT) in Perth, Australia and his clients are located all over the world including: Scotland, Chile and India. His professional passions include anything that helps people improve the human condition. He is committed to this also in he personal life as he sits on several nonprofit boards and volunteers regularly at community events.
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Linda Watkins
Linda Watkins has been associated with community colleges for 20 years. She currently serves as President of San Jacinto College South in Houston, Texas. Before becoming President, Linda taught on all levels from middle school through graduate school. She has served in various administrative roles, including department chair, dean, Vice President of Instruction, and Vice President of Student Services. Linda has been certified by Company of Experts.net as an Appreciate Inquiry Facilitator. She works with many local organizations in the areas of planning and organizational change. Linda holds a doctoral degree in Secondary and Higher Education, a masters degree in sociology, and a bachelor of arts in language studies. She works with groups to bring about change through systematic planning and by building upon the strengths of individuals and institutions. |
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Jim Pulliam
Contact Information:Address: Email: Phone: Skype: jim_pulliam Website(s): Working Portfolio: |
My “walk” is no different from others nor the opportunities or achievements any greater. Spending time in the financial markets, teaching from the primary grades to graduate school, serving as a founding College President, Vice President of the Company of Experts and CEO of a software Company are professional experiences. Volunteer organizations range from holding professional statewide office, foundation boards, regional economic development board and serving as an appointee of a Governor on a BRAC Commission.
What have I learned? I have learned that our similarities are greater than our differences. Differences of people can be measured in millimeters not miles. It all depends on ones perspective.
I have also learned that destiny is up to us. One once said, “ it isn’t a journey but a quest”. A journey happens, a quest is something we thirst for.
What have I observed? I have observed that those making the greatest contribution for others are living lives of significance not necessarily one for their personal success.
What do I believe? I believe it is up to you, and you and me.
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| “Just a note to say how much I appreciate what you’re doing in the world and to let you know that AI continues to inform many aspects of all that I do.” ~ Susan Sanford, Certified AI Facilitator |
Kristen Crusoe
Dr. Kristen Crusoe is a Professor of Nursing, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse, and Appreciative Inquiry facilitator. Kristen is also an Organization Development practitioner specializing in Whole System Design through team-building, collaboration, communication, and relationship-based change. Kristen has roots in both Education and Healthcare and is successful leading change in both of these highly complex and turbulent arenas. She has experience as a facilitator, practitioner, teacher, department chair, manager, and director in healthcare organizations, community college, and university environments. The major focus of Kristen’s current practice includes using Appreciative Inquiry as a Change and Quality Improvement model for healthcare and education. She has lead initiatives for cultural excellence in healthcare and educational organizations including strategic planning, leadership development, quality improvement initiatives, and change management. Kristen is skilled in the art of appreciative reframing, leveraging opportunities, and collaborative relationship building. Kristen has a BA from Florida State University, a Master’s of Nursing from Oregon Health Sciences University, and a Doctor of Education from Oregon State University. She is a Certified Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator with the Company of Experts. She is also a Certified Dance Therapist and Yoga teacher. Kristen lives both on the Oregon Coast and in Pensacola, Florida. |
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Sue Tsuda
Sue Tsuda has experience in the complementary arenas of local government and community colleges. Sue has served in staff positions in local government ranging from intern to city manager in Oregon and California. She also has served as an appointed and as an elected official including city council. Her experience in education includes coordinating programs in CalWORKs, Workforce Development, Student Support Services, career and transfer planning, providing instruction in student success, life skills, workplace skills, career planning, tutor training, history, and government. She also is a successful grant writer. Land use planning and economic development are particular areas of interest. Ms. Tsuda has her Masters degree in Public Administration from California State University, Long Beach and a Bachelors degree in Political Science from California State University, Fullerton. She also has a certificate in Urban Planning from University of California Extension, at Irvine and post-graduate work toward another Masters Degree in Urban Planning at Cal-Poly, Pomona. Sue came into local government as a volunteer with the League of Women Voters and later went to work in the field she loves. Her greatest compensation is the opportunity to help others help themselves. The day she was hired as the first Town Manager of Yucca Valley, CA, the town experienced a 7.6 earthquake. The silver lining was the law that allows a fast track to formation of a Redevelopment Agency that is useful as an economic development tool. Ms. Tsuda’s career has provided broad experience in both local government and community college issues and opportunities. |
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