Meet the Team
As the four primary leaders of Resilient Leadership LLC, Jim Burns, Jim Moyer, Bridgette Theurer and Bob Duggan are the driving force of the RL Model and are responsible for growing the coaching, training and consulting business based on that model. Together, they provide the professional expertise required to deploy the RL Model to both professional coaches and to senior leaders and their teams in the for-profit, not-for-profit, and government sectors.
Jim Burns
RL PARTNER
During his 38 years with Marriott International, Jim held a variety of positions including Restaurant Manager, Director of Food & Beverage, Regional Director of Human Resources, Vice President of Total Quality Management, Vice President of Service Development, and Brand Executive for MHRS — to name only a few of his many positions.
Jim’s wide range of leadership experiences enables him to apply Resilient Leadership resources in ways that connect with leaders at all levels of an organization. He provides keen insight into Resilient Leadership concepts, methods and tools and can quickly demonstrate how these tools can be used to lead more effectively. As he often says: “The secret sauce of leadership is knowing how to recognize and manage emotional process.”
Jim Moyer
RL PARTNER
Jim is a founding member of Resilient Leadership, LLC, and is the co-author with Bob Duggan of the book Resilient Leadership. Jim is an Executive Coach and strategic planning and organizational development consultant with over 30 years experience in for-profit, not-for-profit, and government organizations.
Jim has successfully grown his consulting and coaching practice since 1998. Before he began his consulting practice Jim worked for 25 years at Marriott International as a manager, director, and senior executive in Strategy, Organizational Development, Human Resources, Quality and Loss Prevention.
Bridgette Theurer
Bridgette Theurer is a RL Speaker and co-author of Resilient Leadership 2.0 Revised and Expanded (with Bob Duggan). She has been instrumental in the design and development of Resilient Leadership training programs, including a 9-month leadership development program for the FDA. She led the developed the 3-day Coach Certification Course and has helped to certify over 100 coaches in the Resilient Leadership model.
As an Executive Coach, Bridgette specializes in coaching senior and emerging leaders facing significant growth and change. In 2015 she co-authored her first book, Missing Conversations: 9 Questions all Leaders Should Ask Themselves (with Heather Jelks). She has been coaching and consulting in the Washington, D.C. area for over 30 years.
Dr. Bob Duggan
Dr. Bob Duggan is a founding member of Resilient Leadership, LLC and is the co-author of the book Resilient Leadership (with Jim Moyer), Resilient Leadership 2.0 (with Bridgette Theurer) and of the Resilient Leadership training materials now available in a variety of formats. Bob is a veteran Executive Coach and organizational development consultant, a prolific and widely published author, and a speaker and workshop facilitator both in this country and internationally.
In his work with individuals and organizations implementing the Resilient Leadership model, he brings a diverse background that includes counseling, teaching at the university level, leadership of an organization that achieved national recognition for excellence, and success in working with CEOs and executive teams in the corporate world, government, and non-profit settings.
As the four primary leaders of Resilient Leadership LLC, Jim Burns, Jim Moyer, Bridgette Theurer and Bob Duggan are the driving force of the RL Model and are responsible for growing the coaching, training and consulting business based on that model. Together, they provide the professional expertise required to deploy the RL Model to both professional coaches and to senior leaders and their teams in the for-profit, not-for-profit, and government sectors.
Jim Burns
RL PARTNER
During his 38 years with Marriott International, Jim held a variety of positions including Restaurant Manager, Director of Food & Beverage, Regional Director of Human Resources, Vice President of Total Quality Management, Vice President of Service Development, and Brand Executive for MHRS — to name only a few of his many positions.
Jim’s wide range of leadership experiences enables him to apply Resilient Leadership resources in ways that connect with leaders at all levels of an organization. He provides keen insight into Resilient Leadership concepts, methods and tools and can quickly demonstrate how these tools can be used to lead more effectively. As he often says: “The secret sauce of leadership is knowing how to recognize and manage emotional process.”
Jim Moyer
RL PARTNER
Jim is a founding member of Resilient Leadership, LLC, and is the co-author with Bob Duggan of the book Resilient Leadership. Jim is an Executive Coach and strategic planning and organizational development consultant with over 30 years experience in for-profit, not-for-profit, and government organizations.
Jim has successfully grown his consulting and coaching practice since 1998. Before he began his consulting practice Jim worked for 25 years at Marriott International as a manager, director, and senior executive in Strategy, Organizational Development, Human Resources, Quality and Loss Prevention.
Bridgette Theurer
Bridgette Theurer is a RL Speaker and co-author of Resilient Leadership 2.0 (with Bob Duggan). She has been instrumental in the design and development of Resilient Leadership training programs, including a 9-month leadership development program for the FDA. She facilitates our 3-day Coach Certification Course and has helped to certify over 100 coaches in the Resilient Leadership model.
As an Executive Coach, Bridgette specializes in coaching senior and emerging leaders facing significant growth and change. Her clients have included larger organizations such as the Marriott Corporation, Sodexo USA, and Booz Allen as well as numerous small businesses and entrepreneurial enterprises. In 2015 she co-authored her first book, Missing Conversations: 9 Questions all Leaders Should Ask Themselves (with Heather Jelks). She has been coaching and consulting in the Washington, D.C. area for over 20 years.
Dr. Bob Duggan
Dr. Bob Duggan is a founding member of Resilient Leadership, LLC and is the co-author of the book Resilient Leadership (with Jim Moyer), Resilient Leadership 2.0 (with Bridgette Theurer) and of the Resilient Leadership training materials now available in a variety of formats. Bob is a veteran Executive Coach and organizational development consultant, a prolific and widely published author, and a speaker and workshop facilitator both in this country and internationally.
In his work with individuals and organizations implementing the Resilient Leadership model, he brings a diverse background that includes counseling, teaching at the university level, leadership of an organization that achieved national recognition for excellence, and success in working with CEOs and executive teams in the corporate world, government, and non-profit settings.
RL Associates
Heather, AnaLia and Irvine are veteran RL Associates. As long term certified RL Coaches and RL Trainers, they offer an extensive depth of knowledge and experience with the RL Model. All three have blended the concepts of RL into a broad offering of training and coaching services.
Heather Jelks
Resilient Leadership Associate
Heather O’Neill Jelks is a certified Executive and Somatic Coach, speaker, and associate at Resilient Leadership, LLC. She partners with non-profit executives as well as leaders in business, health care, and the federal government, such as the The Humane Society, the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, Holy Cross Health, and Morgan Stanley/Smith Barney, to help them elevate their individual and team performance and enhance their well-being.
She’s worked with Bob Duggan, Bridgette Theurer, and Jim Moyer to deliver RL training at the FDA and weaves RL principles and practices into all of her leadership coaching engagements. An avid runner and mindfulness meditation practitioner, Heather introduces her clients to leadership concepts and best practices that deepen resilience, wisdom, and well-being. She recently co-authored with Bridgette Theurer the book, Missing Conversations: 9 Questions All Leaders Should Ask Themselves.
AnaLia Medina
Resilient Leadership Associate
AnaLia Medina is a certified Executive Coach, strategy consultant, and associate at Resilient Leadership, LLC. She specializes in collaborative culture, helping leaders and teams bring their individual and collective best thinking and creative solutions to their toughest problems. With 20 years’ experience, she has a proven track record working with federal government leaders and decision-makers in the United States and globally, as well as private sector professionals specializing in health care, finance, law enforcement and regulatory affairs.
She has worked in various capacities including business development, leadership development, solutions consulting and training. Her clients have included Health and Human Services, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Veterans Affairs as well as small for profit companies. AnaLia has a Masters Certificate in Leadership & Management and certifications in Conflict Resolution, Mediation, Project Management and CoActive Coaching.
Irvine Nugent PH.D., PCC
Resilient Leadership Associate
Irvine Nugent, Ph.D., PCC is an Executive Coach, speaker, trainer, and associate at Resilient Leadership, LLC. He possesses fifteen-plus years in senior leadership roles in organizations of various sizes, stages of growth and different sectors. As an executive coach, Irvine offers a unique combination of experience and skills to assist leaders and individuals reach the next level and fully realize their inner potential. Through active listening and observation, Irvine quickly gets to the heart of the matter with clarity and compassion.
Born in Northern Ireland Irvine brings to his practice a rich and varied experience. Growing up in a society torn apart by conflict and violence he has always been attracted to discovering ways to help leaders develop greater resilience in the face of chaos and change. He has been privileged to work with many different cultures, learning firsthand the challenges of effective communication and understanding. He is an ATD credential Master Trainer and Certified World Class Speaking Coach and has offered seminars on various topics of leadership all over the country.
RL Trainers
In the past two years, several of our best Certified RL Coaches finalized their in-depth study of Resilient Leadership concepts, practices and tools to become Certified RL Trainers. We are proud to recognize these professionals and welcome them to our team as we continue to expand our programs and services
Jennifer Bigelow Ed.D.
Resilient Leadership Trainer
Jennifer Bigelow is a successful school leader with over 20 years of experience in public and private schools. Jennifer has a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from the North Carolina State University and specialized in organizational leadership in her program. She has presented to groups locally and nationally in the area of Catholic school leadership, organizational fit, collaborative leadership, and resilient leadership. Jennifer completed the Resilient Leadership Coaching Certification in December 2018. She currently serves as the Associate Superintendent of Schools for the Catholic Diocese of Richmond.
Tracey Cairnie MS PCC
Resilient Leadership Trainer
Tracey Cairnie, MS PCC, is an executive leadership coach and trainer with a master’s degree in Conflict Analysis and Resolution. With nearly 30 years of experience, she has guided leaders and teams across government, corporate, non-profit, and academic sectors to excel in complex, dynamic environments.
Through exploratory dialogues, Tracey helps clients cultivate self-awareness, clarify priorities, and overcome barriers to success. By encouraging observation, reflection, and experimentation, she empowers them to challenge limiting assumptions, perceptions, and expectations. Her transformative approach realigns thinking, behavior, and communication, fostering sustainable outcomes and stronger, more effective relationships.
Christine Kopec
Resilient Leadership Trainer
Christine founded the Avante Leadership Group in 2009 to help organizations solve their communication-related issues for bottom-line business results. Her communication and team-building training programs have changed the lives of professionals at the US Army, Sandia National Laboratories, Lockheed Martin, Spectra Logic Corp, Long View Systems and more. Christine is a certified facilitator and award-winning authorized partner for Everything Workplace DiSC©. She is also certified in The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team™ program based on New York Times bestselling author, Patrick Lencioni’s work, and a certified Resilient Leadership Coach.
Mike Nowland
Resilient Leadership Trainer
Mike Nowland understands that his purpose is to help managers be better, do better and live better! To achieve this, he uses the principles and concepts of Resilient Leadership to coach managers in new ways of seeing, thinking and leading their teams, and more importantly, themselves. He’s a persuasive and empathetic communicator with over 30 years of senior level experience in Leadership Development and Human Resources with companies like Marriott International, ResMed and Kisco Senior Living.
Faith Schneider
Resilient Leadership Trainer
Faith Schneider is an Executive Leadership Coach and organizational change facilitator with over thirty years of experience serving corporations, Federal Government agencies, and nonprofits. Faith served for 24 years in the U.S. Navy (Active and Reserve) including the first aircraft carrier deployment with women. Her first job out of college was with the Congressional House Banking Committee. Her introduction to organizational systems took place at a large science, technology and engineering company where she worked for nine years.
Marjorie Shonnard, MEd
Resilient Leadership Trainer
Over the past 25 years, Marge has served several organizations in a variety of executive leadership roles. Throughout her work experience, she has become increasingly aware of the impact that leaders have on the systems they serve.
During her leadership tenure, she had the privilege of working with two seasoned executive coaches who have had a deep impact on her effectiveness as a leader. The key insight she gained from working with theses coaches is that managing the emotional dynamics within the complex systems in which we live and work is the key to being a Resilient Leader.
At this point in her career, Marge is well equipped to combine her background in teaching, coaching and training to offer leaders at all levels of the organization the opportunity to deepen their understanding of themselves by discovering their strengths and experiential wisdom, and thus to bring their “best self” to every situation.
Dr. Katherine Bond
Resilient Leadership Trainer
Dr. Katherine (Kate) Bond has more than 30 years’ experience leading and managing health initiatives and teams in federal government, philanthropic, academic and non-profit organizations with global responsibilities. In 2020, she founded Network Strategies for Health, LLC, which supports organizations and individuals to map, strategize, act, measure and lead critical initiatives to improve health.
Born in Northern Ireland, Kate has lived and worked in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. She has acute insight into how social, cultural and emotional dynamics and networks influence behaviors, social systems and organizational culture and how to navigate them to improve lives.
As a leadership coach and trainer, she supports leaders to see, think and act with calm, clarity and conviction to achieve mission priorities. She builds relationships based on trust and openness, supporting leaders to build self-awareness and insight, to build from their strengths and to manage their own emotions and the dynamics in the systems they lead.
John Moyer
Resilient Leadership Trainer
Sofia Gonzalez
Resilient Leadership Trainer
Sofia began her more than 30 years in the hospitality industry with two objectives, to serve others and specifically to assist others in achieving their highest potential.
She is an experienced facilitator and executive coach, specializing in strategic human resources development at all levels of an organization.
Sofia brings infectious enthusiasm, energy and depth to her client interactions and facilitation sessions. Her extensive business operations background allows her to fully optimize her coaching sessions because she has walked a mile in others’ shoes.
In her coaching practice, Sofia works with her clients to develop strategies and behaviors by encouraging growth in self-awareness and experiential learning resulting in greater personal and organizational effectiveness. Her clients gain a better awareness of their own hidden assumptions, perceptions, and unspoken expectations that block them from their objectives. Through coaching, her clients expand and realign their thinking, actions, and communications to achieve their desired outcomes.
Her practice with Resilient Leadership has created great resonance in her life; and she is an enthusiastic sharer of this information to continue fulfilling her life mission of assisting others in achieving their resonance and range in their own lives.
All this and in addition, Sofia is fluent in Spanish and French.
Dennis Stiles
Resilient Leadership Trainer
Purpose
As a guide and leadership coach, Dennis’ focus centers on helping clients develop meaningful and purposeful direction by tapping into their true strengths and gifts. Finding the best in people is his goal.
Experience
Since 1986, Dennis has been a practicing dentist and part time university educator. He has held leadership positions on nonprofit boards, in community groups and in small business. Having served as a facilitator for strategic planning, and coached other leaders, Dennis has amassed a vast portfolio of leadership training experiences. Lifelong learning is a top priority for Dennis.
Key Insight
Love, connection, courage, and influence are four key core values that ground Dennis’s work. Resilient leadership and system thinking has been foundational in his coaching and facilitation method. System thinking allows leaders to navigate corporate cultures, families, and communities. It also allows leaders to be grounded by a deep understanding and awareness of how to bring calmness and clarity to their surroundings. As a result of this awareness, Dennis helps leaders see the spark of change and influence that they have on the hearts of the people they serve.
Capability and Offer
In this second half of life, Dennis is more hopeful than ever about the future. Having had experiences in teaching, caring for people, mentoring students and professionals has enabled him to see the benefits of coaching and leadership development. Dennis’ offer is simple and powerful: “to help my clients find their unique abilities and strengths through good conversation, connection and listening.”
Dr. Melanie Palmisano Ed. D
Resilient Leadership Trainer
Dr. Mel is a dedicated educational expert with over 35 years of experience as a teacher and administrator on the elementary, middle, high school and college levels combined with a doctoral degree in school leadership, certification as a school principal and supervisor of instruction, a Master of Education degree in curriculum and instruction, Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education and secondary education, and certification as a student teaching supervisor.
In June 2022 Mel retired as Superintendent of Catholic Schools, Diocese of Baton Rouge, Louisiana Thirty Schools with an enrollment of approximately 15,000 Students. During her time as superintendent Mel led the initiative in the Diocese to achieve National Accreditation as a district through Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (Cognia). She also has extensive experience in the development of programs focused on leadership, curriculum & instruction, governance (Board Training) and strategic planning with a specific focus on continuous improvement and operational capacity.
After 13 years in service as Superintendent of Schools Mel is now a leadership coach and continuous improvement consultant. She achieved her professional certification as a Resilient Leadership Coach and RL Trainer in 2021. Among her many strengths, she has a keen insight into how to guide leaders on the pathway to increased self-awareness and self-command so that they learn how to stay calm, stay convicted, and stay connected. Mel communicates these insights through sharing her true-life experiences in her coaching, training and presentations.
Dr. Angela Hayes
Resilient Leadership Trainer
Dr. Angela Hayes has been a coach and trainer throughout her life. She has clear memories at the age of five, helping those in the red reading group improve their skills to move up to the blue reading group. She was mediating conflicts on the playground and in the school halls by age seven. Coaching and training have been her life-long passion. In graduate school she became very interested in changes/transitions and focused her research on ways to help individuals and organizations make the most of both planned and unplanned changes using systems thinking/planning to create the strongest and healthiest outcome for the individual, their direct reports and the organization as a whole. She has been coaching, training and consulting with individuals, groups and organizations since 1990 in both for-profit and non-profit sectors.
Angela’s very favorite experience in every job or project she’s ever had is to watch others develop their potential to the fullest. Friends and family often tease her that where ever she goes she “leaves a trail” of people greatly improving their leadership skills, taking charge of their health, getting promoted, starting their own business, improving their parenting skills, reconnecting with estranged loved ones or fulfilling their potential in countless other ways. She firmly believes, and frequently tells her clients that failure is merely success in finding out what doesn’t work. She relies the most heavily on working with clients’ strengths to make the most progress the most quickly, Resilient Leadership concepts to guide clients to create the most productive systems in which to work/live and her unwavering belief that clients have a deep well of untapped potential that can resolve whatever problems they might encounter. Clients often tell her that they had no idea how brilliant, creative and capable they were before working with Angela.