DAME LEADERSHIP - Key Persons
Allison works as a Business Administrator for Dame Leadership. She has over 20 years of experience working in the online assessment field.
Born in Wisconsin, she grew up as a military brat. She spent her first seventeen years enjoying many different experiences with her parents and younger sister in nine different duty stations in the US and Europe.
Her first foray into the working world was during high school. She had full-time administrative summer hire positions through the Office of Personnel Management in Europe for the Offices of the Deputy Chief of Staff (ODCS) -CE and ODCS-PER. This was followed by a part-time after school position with ODCS-OPS. Her senior year she spent afternoons working for an insurance office in Springfield, VA.
After graduation, she was hired as a receptionist for a telecommunications engineering firm specializing in broadcast services, located just outside Washington, D.C. Later she applied for and was granted the position of engineering assistant, preparing applications to be filed with the FCC. She discovered an interest in databases and moved to the data group and was promoted to assistant manager of Broadcast Data Services, the database division of the firm. The firm expanded into new technologies, including cellular and microwave, and was then acquired by The Washington Post Company to support the development of wireless communication services and infrastructure. When the information systems department was created, she became the IS Coordinator dealing with the creation of supporting data and project management.
She then found an interesting position in desktop publishing working for a firm that had won government contracts to create operation and maintenance manuals for military equipment. The largest project involved an armored personnel carrier, the Pandur. She worked on photography, layout, formatting, translation, production, and assisted with the training of maintenance crews. Once the contracts were fulfilled, she decided it was time for a change of scenery and moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
In Lancaster she was hired by a firm that handled online hiring assessments. Assessment questionnaires were moving from paper to online with automated scoring, so she was once again working with data. The firm's niche was as a broker between assessment publishers to smaller to mid-size companies to provide those companies with services, guidance, and excellent customer support. In 2022, that firm was acquired by Dame Leadership where she continues that work.
She enjoys learning, so while working, she managed to obtain two associate degrees. One in Humanities, Languages & the Arts, and a second in Accounting, graduating summa cum laude.
AR is a proven executive with over 30 years of career providing leadership within the mortgage banking and banking industry. In this time, she has held multiple c-suite leadership positions and co-founded two successful lending institutions. Both organizations gained industry recognition for their fast-paced growth and innovative technology solutions that enabled their success.
After accomplishing the build and sell of two mortgage companies, AR went into the consulting arena to lend her expertise to financial institutions, new business start-ups, and high-growth organizations. She provides expertise on the application of workflow management, technology, training, and implementation of mortgage loan technology platforms. Clients have retained her services to lead them through practical and complex solutions as all as the integration of third-party services to allow best practices in implementation, operational efficiencies, compliance, and automation.
AR is passionate about providing strategic and practical solutions to complex situations and challenges. Working in tandem with executive leadership to grow and execute their strategic and business plans by driving systematic change through all levels of an organization. She provides invaluable coaching to individual and leadership teams focusing on profitability optimization.
AR joined Dame Leadership as a strategic partner and launched a Vistage Executive Peer Group in 2020.
Chris serves as a leadership consultant for Dame Leadership helping leaders improve through executive coaching, peer groups, strategic planning and the facilitation of assessments to identify potential areas of personal and organizational improvement.
Chris' relationship with John began during a chance meeting at a local business expo in 2008 and the result has been a nearly 15-year business relationship and friendship. Chris was an original member of one of John's first Vistage groups and over the years John has served as a much-valued coach and mentor.
Growing up, Chris' parents owned and operated a convenience store franchise, and from the time he was 10 years old, he was exposed to the inner workings of running the business. It was the inescapable daily discussion around the dinner table. While not recognized at the time, all those years of listening, working at the store and witnessing the highs and lows of running a family business have taught countless life lessons that Chris still applies to business today.
Over his 35-year career, he has held various executive leadership roles in a wide range of industries including media, entertainment, software, technology, and marketing. His clients have ranged from small closely held companies to multinational Fortune 500 corporations and included sectors such as manufacturing, construction, education, healthcare, finance, and entertainment.
"I'm grateful for having the good fortune of encountering so many wonderful people over the course of my career that have taught me so much about business, management, and leadership. Working with our Dame Leadership clients gives me the opportunity to honor them and pass along their legacy to those that will carry it forward."
Dave Black brings over 40 years of experience in leadership, not-for profit and government management, strategic planning, economic development, political insight, and navigation skills to Dame Leadership.
Dave has been a client and friend with Dame Leadership over the last nearly 20 years and credits them with helping bring success to organizations he has led or has been involved with, as well as providing him professional guidance to become a better manager and leader. Dave is a believer in the power of organizational cultures, building, creating, and evolving a positive environment and team spirit to both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations.
Dave is a graduate of Westminster College and nearly completed his Masters in Public Administration from Slippery Rock University. He and his wife Shirley live in the Harrisburg area and are parents to 2 children and proud grandparents of 3 grandchildren.
Ed is President of Dame Leadership where his focus is on helping people become better and more purposeful leaders. He is a graduate of Penn State University with a degree in Information Science & Technology. This blend of business and technology was not new to Ed when he started down this path. Starting in the mid-1990s, Ed began developing websites for bands that he loved. This eventually led him to develop the website for the rock band, Foo Fighters and assisting for other bands like Beastie Boys, Beck, and Jimmy Eat World. Despite his brush with rock stardom, Ed moved towards a career in leadership versus coding.
Ed has held leadership positions in Software Development, Information Technology Services, and Healthcare Information Firms prior to joining Dame Management Strategies in 2019. Throughout this time, he focused on operational excellence, process improvement, data security, leadership development & coaching, and enterprise software implementation and deployment. Ed has expertise with the following tools:
Job Titles:
- Senior Consultant
- Business Writer
Described as a "Millennial trapped in a Baby Boomer body, a "hire authority," and "certified prophet" of workforce trends, Ira S. Wolfe has emerged as one of HR's most visionary thinkers. Ira personifies the passion and mindset required to manage the convergence of the tired, the wired, and technology. His enthusiasm and engaging approach inspires his audience to challenge preconceptions about what it takes to attract, select, manage, and retain top talent and take the initiative to make change for them.
Ira is an accomplished speaker/author and President of Success Performance Solutions. He has presented on the prestigious red carpet of TEDx and on the stage of DisruptHR. His first book The Perfect Labor Storm launched him into national prominence. This was followed by Geeks, Geezers, and Googlization. His 2016 TEDx Talk Make Change Work for You became the inspiration for his latest book Recruiting in the Age of Googlization: When the Shift Hits Your Plan.
Wolfe is also a prolific business writer, podcaster, and blogger, contributing to CornerstoneOnDemand's ReWork, Forbes, Huffington Post, Lehigh Valley Business Journal Business2BusinessMagazine, and numerous industry and business publications. He's been featured in INC Magazine, Fast Company, Business Week, American Express OPEN, NFIB, Inc., Intuit Small Business and Fox Business.
JD received a B.S. in marketing from Pennsylvania State University in 1973. He pursued a career in radio broadcasting for 32 years. His time spent in broadcasting was leveraged as a rich learning platform for his evolution as a business strategist.
Job Titles:
- Leader
- Leadership Consultant
Jolene is a seasoned leader with over 30 years of distinguished experience in Leadership Development. Having studied business at New Mexico State University, she has owned and operated three successful businesses and held executive roles in corporations. As a Gallup Certified CliftonStrengths Coach (also known as StrengthsFinder) and a dedicated learner, she brings a strategic and dynamic approach to leadership. Specializing in transforming leadership principles into tangible outcomes, Jolene employs an interactive style that fosters genuine team building. Her proven track record makes her an invaluable guide for organizations seeking to navigate from their current state to future success.
Job Titles:
- Business Executive
- Strategic Partner
Kirsten is an experienced business executive, licensed clinician, published author, legislative advisor, and management consultant. She works with Dame Leadership as a Leadership Consultant helping leaders and companies improve through executive coaching, peer groups, strategic planning, crisis management, performance improvement and organizational health.
Kirsten, a former personal mentee of John's, has spent over 20 years in various non-profits. As a former C-suite leader and CEO, Kirsten has significant experience bringing together teams, individuals, and stakeholders to create high-performing cultures and outperform expectations. Her experience in the non-profit sector has given Kirsten proficiency in developing strong relationships with Boards, government, community, and stakeholder groups.
Serving on multiple community boards, Kirsten is highly involved in the community. As Vice-President, she provides leadership to a non-profit advocacy and lobbying organization responsible for improving access and quality to highly specialized services. She is the co-author of legislation proposed in the 2018 (HB1900) and 2020 (HB19) legislative sessions. Kirsten further serves as a board member for Career Professionals Executive Networking Group (CPENG). CPENG offers a variety of networking and other services to support executives in transition and promote ‘networking for life.'
Kirsten is vehement about blending and braiding her training and experience to bring about meaningful and lasting change with her clients. She is passionate about creating environments where employees and leaders are productive and excited about coming to work every day. Clients have retained her services to implement performance improvement projects, develop strategic plans, conduct organization assessments, refine processes to improve efficiency and profitability, develop organization-wide systems map, and create healthy leadership teams. Kirsten provides coaching to individuals and leadership teams that improves company communication, culture, and overall performance.
Kirsten holds degrees in Psychology and Applied Behavior Analysis. She further has certifications in Organizational Performance Improvement and is currently continuing her professional development pursuing Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACTr) Certification.
Krista is a driven professional with more than 25 years of experience in leadership development activities that include operational assessment and strategic improvements, and most recently, training and coaching.
She has served in various regional and national-level leadership roles in her career that spans industries in human services, manufacturing, and the arts, as well as more than five years in workforce development in a higher education setting. Krista's passion to engage and grow others has led to a successful strategic realignment of processes, purpose, and collaborative efforts.
Krista earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Capella University and a Master of Science Degree in Organizational Development and Leadership from Shippensburg University. As a lifelong learner, her professional development has also included a Cornell University certificate, and certification as a DiSC Trainer through Wiley, Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) from HRCI, and Certified Interpretive Guide (NAI CIG) from the National Association of Interpreters.
Creativity and integrity are key to who Krista is at her core. She strives to incorporate unique experiences and interchanges that allow others to explore new perspectives, celebrate strengths and interests, and also challenge barriers. When she isn't creating on the job, Krista has various active projects in art, photography, landscape elements, and even construction at their house near Gifford Pinchot State Park. She is dedicated to her family life with her husband, Joe Beljan, and her two sons, Daegan and Jackson. Krista balances herself through immersion in the natural environment including yoga, hiking, water sports, gardening, and competing in observed trials events.
Job Titles:
- an Assessment Solutions Practice Leader
- Assessment Solutions Practice Leader
Mark Walker works at Dame Leadership as an Assessment Solutions Practice Leader to assist in the marketing and delivery of services related to employee assessment services. Walker is an accomplished employment hiring and best practices expert with decades of experience in the industry. With over 25 years spanning the full range of Human Resources and Risk Management products and processes, Walker's vision has been to change the way businesses think, act and operate to transform company culture and address their risk profiles. He has consulted many Fortune 100 companies and has been a thought leader in reducing risk of corporate turnover, workplace hostility, workplace misconduct, and workplace safety. Walker's involvement with programs, both domestic and international, affords him the ability to lean on his experiences when discussing hiring practices and their impact in the corporate environment.
Walker has a deep understanding of how corporate cultures tie closely to the growth of an organization. He remains passionate about finding solutions to address business risks that impact organizations and their employees, including the new risks in ESG (Environment, Social, and Governance). In August 2022, Walker received certification as a diversity and inclusion professional from The Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia. Having been a speaker at many conferences, client events, and webinar series, he is entrusted to serve as a resource in employee risk management, company culture maintenance, and employee lifecycle assessments.
Rhiannon Dame works for Dame Leadership as a project manager assisting with event and project planning, team and facilitator management and client and customer relationships.
Rhiannon attended Penn State University for a liberal arts degree and went on to get her Master's in Education from Marymount University. She is a Pennsylvania certified teacher and administrator and has worked as a teacher of students from preschool to practicing school professionals. She has also held a variety of administrative roles from personnel to curriculum management.
In her spare time, Rhiannon works with Ed to raise their kids and maintain their old farmhouse (built in the 1800s). She also enjoys exercising and traveling to new places.
Job Titles:
- Business Advisor
- Member of the Board
- Strategic Partner
Robert Vowler is a business advisor and experienced board member based in Hershey, Pennsylvania. He is the former CEO of Hershey Trust Company, the parent company of Milton S. Hershey's business enterprises. The Trust administers the estate and philanthropies of Mr. Hershey and provides trust and investment management services to individuals.
For 12 years, Vowler spearheaded operations at Hershey Trust Company, overseeing investments totaling $10 billion. He led the oversight of The Hershey Company, Hershey Entertainment and Resorts, and the M.S. Hershey Foundation. He served as the primary trustee of the controlling interest in the titular Fortune 500 company and served as a board member of several Hershey entities as well.
Prior to being named CEO, he was the CFO of The Hershey Trust for ten years. Vowler also served as president of The M.S. Hershey Foundation for twenty years. He served as Audit Committee Chair and Executive Compensation Committee chair of The Hershey Entertainment Company for many years as well. He began his career as a CPA at various firms and is qualified as a Sarbanes-Oxley financial expert.
During his time as CEO of the largest stakeholder in the Hershey Company, Robert Vowler grew the Hershey Trust asset base from $2.6 billion to $8+ billion, led a $1.5 billion diversification of assets, and increased the Private Wealth Division revenues fivefold.
In addition to the Hershey Trust ownership in the majority of Hershey Company stock, he oversaw the Trust's widely diversified investments. He also attracted and recruited talent to lead Hershey's entities, perhaps best exemplified by his full replacement of the Board of Directors of the Hershey Company in 2007, which refocused the company's direction and improved operating results without any loss of stock value.
Vowler was also responsible for boosting Hershey entities' community involvement. He is credited for some of the most significant enhancements to Hershey's iconic physical assets - from developing the Biomedical Research Park to renovating downtown Hershey to adding 1,000+ acres to the Trust's real-estate portfolio.
In 2008, Robert Vowler stepped down from his role as CEO at Hershey Trust Company. He began independently advising businesses or individuals and also served as an expert witness focused on fiduciary investments. He is currently Business Advisor to one hedge fund, and has successfully advised another hedge fund for five years; Rob joined Dame Leadership as a Strategic Partner in 2020 where he specializes in advisory services to family offices regarding planning, marketing, governance, executive coaching, and more. He also leads Milton Hershey's Enduring Legacy Program.
Job Titles:
- Executive Administrator
- Executive Assistant
- Co - President of the PTO
Taylor Fairchild, Executive Administrator, attended Allegheny College for Political Science and soon after, became at stay-at-home mother. After 4 years at home with her daughter, Taylor rejoined the work force with a focus on digital marketing, event planning, sales, executive administration, customer service and office management.
In her spare time, Taylor is Co-President of the PTO at her daughters elementary school. She enjoys running, cooking and every moment spent with her husband Tyler, daughter Collette and their two dogs, Stella and Pouncey.