OUR team
Why we're different
Leadership Strategies International LLC offers unparalleled access to an unequaled cadre of expert consultants and trainers. Using insight gained from years of practical experience and research, we match the right expertise to your specific culture and needs. Many of our associates, all of whom are experts in their own right, are nationally known and respected in their field.
FOUNDERS
Laura Hauser, Ph.D., MCC
Founder, Director of Education & Managing Partner
Throughout Dr. Laura’s 30-year career, her clients and colleagues have described her in many ways: pioneer, catalyst, sage, trusted advisor, mentor, and masterful executive and team coach. She is passionate about helping leaders and teams — and professionals who support them — quickly expand their capability to thrive in disruptive times and to build inclusive cultures. Dr. Laura was one of the first to develop a coach approach to management practices in the financial services industry. After working internally for corporations for 18 years, she founded Leadership Strategies International (LSI) in 1993. Since then, her thought leadership, research, and evocative and provocative style have transformed executive offices across a variety of industries, including pharma, healthcare, entertainment, defense, and technology in North America, Europe, and China. A woman wearing many hats, Dr. Laura has taught for Fielding Graduate University's yearlong coaching program for more than a decade. She is the developer and program director of LSI’s proprietary TCOS Team Coaching Operating System®. She serves as an executive officer for the Graduate School Alliance of Education in Coaching (GSAEC). And, she contributed to the recent development of ICF’s team coaching competencies and EMCC’s global team coaching standards. Dr. Laura is one of few people in the world who holds the credentials of Ph.D., master-level coach, team coach, and supervisor, accredited by both the ICF as well as the EMCC. Her contributions have been highlighted in presentations at major conferences, podcasts, academic journals, and practitioner articles.
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Dave Hauser
Partner, Operations
In 2003, Dave joined Leadership Strategies International as a Partner. Dave brings more than 40 years of operations and C-suite experience and solid business and operations bench strength to the team. As the Western Regional Vice President of Ticketron, Dave spent two years directing expansion into new entertainment facilities and markets while overseeing the sale of tickets through telephone and remote outlets. While at Metromedia Technologies, he served as the Vice President and General Manager of the Los Angeles facility. He was responsible budgeting and directing the operation of graphics and the production facility in L.A. During his nine years at Metromedia Technologies, the nation's largest producer of computer painted outdoor graphics, he also contributed to the successful opening of new plants in Australia and the Netherlands. Dave's most recent internal corporate position was President and CEO of Guest Informant, the nation's largest producer of hardcover city information books distributed in hotel rooms in 33 cities. Dave was responsible for returning the core product to a hard cover publication, expanding the Internet to include revenue sharing, and the expansion of Guest Custom Publishing. Dave is known for his active involvement in numerous community and corporate organizations including the City of Santa Clarita, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, and serves as a board member for the U.S. Foundation for Historical Monuments. David and Laura reside in Santa Clarita. They have two grown children and two grandchildren.
SENIOR COACHES & INSTRUCTORS
Dennis White, Esq., PCC
Prior to retiring from the corporate world, Dennis spent 37 years working in Human Resources. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Organization and Human Resources for Lafarge U.S., an international building materials company.With his certification as a Professional Certified Coach, he has over 15 years of formal coaching for leaders at all levels and in all types of organizations.Currently, Dennis spends his time teaching, coaching, and practicing law with his daughter. Dennis holds a B.S. in Industrial Management from Georgia Tech, a Juris Doctor from Woodrow Wilson College of Law, and an M.A. in Organizational Development from Fielding Graduate University.
Shelli Hendricks, PhD Candidate, PCC
Shelli has served as an educator, executive coach, organization consultant and strategic business partner inside Fortune 500 companies for 20 years. Today, she works with senior executives in companies of all sizes to unlock extraordinary team performance, personal effectiveness and organizational capability. In her practice as a certified professional coach, Shelli utilizes an evidence-based, inquiry approach to coaching and organizational development. With a Master of Science in Educational Technology from Nova Southeastern University, she is currently completing a Ph.D. in Organization Development and Change from Fielding Graduate University, with a concentration in Evidence-Based Coaching. Shelli’s motto in business and life is: Learn. Lead. Leave a Legacy.
Kathy Norwood, Ed.D., MCC
Dr. Norwood is a national educational consultant, trainer and author. She is certified as a professional coach with the International Coach Federation and licensed as a HeartMath® Certified Trainer. She teaches for Fielding Graduate University’s Evidence-Based Coaching Program and provides leadership coaching for educators. With a vision for bridging professional coaching and educational coaching, Dr. Norwood has – for the past 25 years – helped districts nationwide implement comprehensive leadership, coaching, and literacy programs to influence systemic changes that enhance learning and well-being. Kathy has the gift of inspiring passion and a deep commitment to the power of transformational learning.
Wally Kuhns, MSOD
Wally has more than 25 years of experience as an HR Business Partner and Talent Management executive with several Fortune 500 companies. He consults and coaches C-suite executives and senior leaders in multiple markets, e.g. medical technology, life sciences, consumer products, service/hospitality, industrial automation, and specialty gases/chemicals. He has designed and delivered projects with enterprise-level impact, while concurrently maintaining an ability to comfortably partner with and coach mid-level teams and individual leaders. Professional Highlights: - Led a global team of 50+ HR employees in seven countries (US, UK, DE, LT, CH, PH, MY). - Launched and successfully ran a private consulting practice (since 2015) Involved in multiple global acquisitions (diligence, integration). - Designed a talent planning framework for a $2.5B medical technology segment. Aligned GM team to define and implement targeted talent strategies that, for three years, led the enterprise in retention, internal advancement, and diversity metrics. - Co-designed and facilitated multiple strategy alignment sessions for the CEO staff of a multi-state, regional hospital system, with emphasis on long-term strategic outlook and prioritization. Personal Achievements: - Married since 2001, with college-bound twins and (Sadie) our beloved Labrador Retriever. - Pepperdine University Master of Science in Organization Development (MSOD). - Worked and/or traveled in more than 25 countries – LOVE it. - US Army Reserves, Army ROTC four-year scholarship (Penn State).
Carmen Bolanos, PhD, MCC
Passionate about making the world a better place one leader at a time, Dr. Bolanos has coached and trained people to lead from the inside out for over 25 years. With a background in Clinical Psychology, she integrates the tenets of positive psychology, and positive intelligence to support leaders to strengthen their mental fitness, optimize their impact, cultivate overall happiness. Dr. Bolanos maintains a private coaching practice and trains for a variety of leadership programs including Leadership Strategies International LLC Team Coaching Operating System program as well as Fielding Graduate University’s Evidence Based Coaching Program. When she is not guiding others toward excellence, Dr. Bolanos finds continued inspiration in her three adult daughters and enjoys staying active through exercise.
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
Robin Kramer, BA, CP
Robin is the Virtual Project Manager for Leadership Strategies International and lives in the Chicago area. As manager of back office operations, Robin is responsible for managing technologies, financials, research and project work related to the organization and client projects. Robin is extremely efficient, friendly, funny and bright. Robin supports LSI through her many talents ranging from project management to customer support, and more. She has a B.A. in Education, certification as a paralegal and has worked in Human Resources roles. Presently, Robin owns her own virtual office business and works with clients all over the United States in a variety of professional and managerial capacities.
Linda Yang
Linda, LSI’s Coaching Program Manager, supports the most important asset to our organization--our team and our clients. She not only manages our program logistics, and coach education communications, she Linda creates a positive environment where our team and clients thrive. Linda is a trained coach with a specialty in whole-person coaching. She is passionate about helping people find more purpose, balance, and humanity in their lives. She also serves as a consultant with organizations on how to implement coaching programs as an investment in their people and teams. Linda lives in the San Francisco area with her husband and two adorable kids.