Our Distributed Network of Experts

Leadership Theoretician

Mears Consulting

Mike retired as CIA’s Chief of HR (Human Capital) and founded and headed the CIA Leadership Academy. He trains and consults on advanced leadership and management approaches for government and private sector organizations. 

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Before his tenure at the CIA, Mike was senior vice president at GE Investments. His role involved managing private equity funds, leading turnarounds, and serving as a Six Sigma Black Belt. He also launched multiple small business start-ups and was president of a fast-food company.

 

In the military, Mike served as commander of a nuclear missile site and a general’s aide and was decorated for valor as a U.S. Army combat platoon leader. He earned his undergraduate degree at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and his MBA from Harvard Business School.

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Mike has taught and lectured on leadership at the Department of Defense, Georgetown University, the University of Salzburg, the University of Maryland, and the National Intelligence University. He is also a former Senior Fellow at the Conference Board.​

His latest book is CERTAINTY: How Great Bosses Can Change Minds and Drive Innovation.  https://www.certaintyleadershipbook.com/

Website  https://www.mikemears.biz

Newsletter  https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/i5b5t0

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Founder & CEO

Bridger Leadership Institute

Brian is passionate about creating leadership that fosters a safe and dynamic environment where people can learn, grow, and excel. His career spans a wide range of industries, sectors, and geographies, including the US, Canada, Central and South America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific. Brian is deeply committed to helping individuals, teams, and organizations uncover the root causes of success and identify barriers to achieving sustainable growth.

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His 25+ years of work have focused on building actionable strategies and partnering with senior leaders to create lasting, meaningful impact for people and organizations alike.  His experience as a master facilitator and coach has allowed him to work with and help develop emerging and senior leaders in over 200 different organizations. 

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Brian’s professional journey includes roles such as Senior Vice President of the Americas at Symmetra, Managing Director and Principal at L+C Learning, VP of Client Solutions at Braidio, and Senior Managing Consultant and Diversity & Inclusion Practice Lead at Capital H Group. He has also held leadership positions at Marakon Consulting, The Kaleidoscope Group, the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy.

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Outside of work, Brian loves spending time outdoors with family and friends, whether hiking, camping, or skiing. He’s an avid cook, a dog and horse lover and enjoys traveling to favorite and new places around the world. 

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Brian’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science in both Sociology and Psychology at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and graduate work in organizational and clinical psychology with additional program participation and certifications at the University of the Andes, in Merida, Venezuela and South Dakota State University. 

30-year CIA veteran led pioneering programs and organizations focused on Identity transformation, Counterterrorism, Technical Security, Clandestine Technical Collection, Cyber Operations, and Multi-Int Collection, Created and sponsored the first-ever intelligence Community Innovation Seminar, Served in three of four Directorates

BS. Drexel University, Distinguished Military Graduate-Army

MBA, George Mason University 
Doctorate, University of Colorado, Boulder Colorado 

Member Of Senior Intelligence Service
White House Executive Exchange Fellow 

Interview:  "Creating Mission Impact" https://youtu.be/UXhdZqTd2kg

President and CEO

Publica Virtu LLC

A 2006 Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA), Dr. Ronald (Ron) Sanders is a highly decorated, 20+ year career member of the US government’s Senior Executive Service (SES), with years of experience in government, academe, and the private sector. As a public servant, Sanders helped lead some of the most historic organizational transformations in US history, including those involving DOD, DHS, IRS, and the US Intelligence Community (where he won a 2009 Innovations in American Government Award from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government). He also served as the Presidentially appointed Chair of the Federal Salary Council from 2018 to 2020; Eminent Professor of Public Administration at George Washington University (GWU) and Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; Vice President and first Fellow of the consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton; Director and Clinical Professor of the University of South Florida’s School of Public Affairs; and Staff Director for the Florida Center for Cybersecurity. He is currently an elected member of the American Society for Public Administration’s National Council and serves on NAPA’s Development Committee. He is also a Senior Fellow with GWU’s Center for Excellence in Public Leadership, an organization he helped found in 1996, and on the board of the National Intelligence University Foundation. Currently on the Editorial Board of the Public Administration Review (PAR), he is semi-retired and serving as CEO for the LLC, Publica Virtu (www.publicavirtu.com).

Global Culture Change Expert, Systems Strategist, and Behavioral Change Specialist

Hanlie van Wyk is a behavioral change expert, systems strategist, and Ph.D. candidate specializing in Transnational Psychology. With a career spanning three decades and four continents, she has dedicated her work to solving complex human problems and fostering inclusive, high-performing cultures. As co-owner of the Behavioral Research and Applied Technology Laboratory, Hanlie develops evidence-based frameworks that create sustainable change for individuals and organizations.

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Her expertise lies in designing strategies to grow effective leaders, foster radical inclusivity, and promote workplace wellness. Drawing on her South African roots and global experience, Hanlie helps leaders navigate challenges, scale change, and create environments where people thrive. She has collaborated with organizations such as PepsiCo, American Express, and Sodexo to drive cultural transformation and build equitable systems.

hanlievanwyk.com

https://www.amazon.com/author/hanlievanwyk

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