Nell Kisiel
Founder and Principal
Nell’s work draws on over 20 years of leadership experience, working closely with visionary entrepreneurs to design and leverage cross-sector and interdisciplinary initiatives. Nell has served on the Executive Team for two nationally recognized non-profits as well as the founding team of the Harvard Initiative for Global Health. A consistent theme throughout her past leadership and academic work, is the understanding that adults and adolescents internalize learning and development through applied practice and reflection.
In her consulting and coaching practice, Nell draws on first hand experience leading organizations through periods of change, including start up, high growth, strategic pivot and leadership transitions. Her accomplishments include: developing and communicating organizational strategy, piloting and executing partnerships for scale, program design and innovation to enhance and scale impact, and introducing systems and structures to support sustained impact through later stages of growth.
Nell’s coaching practice is informed by a variety of theoretical frameworks and concepts, including the Learning through Relationships (LTR) model created by her mentor, Dr. Diana M. Smith, a pioneer in Action Science and the LTR model. Nell has been a proud member of the Associate Faculty for the Action Design Institute, a member of the ActionSmith Network, and has served as a guest lecturer on Systems Leadership at the Boston University Questrom School of Management, and a Gleitsman Visiting Practitioner with the Harvard University Center for Public Leadership. Nell holds a Masters Degree in Education from Boston University, with a specialization in international development and participatory action research.
All client engagements are facilitated by Nell Kisiel in close partnership with her team of curious, creative, and committed clients. For larger engagements, Nell partners with her diverse network of expert coaches and facilitators - all of whom also have organizational leadership experience.
“Our work together opened my eyes to a new vision of leadership and shed light on the opportunities for work that is fundamentally, creative. Nell’s approach is the right balance of directive and exploratory – exactly the kind of guide one needs in moments of personal and work transformation.”
-Elizabeth Cheek, Executive Director
The Emerging Teacher Institute, University of North Texas-Dallas
Susan Asiyanbi
Network Affiliate
Susan Asiyanbi is the Founder and Senior Partner of a practice that helps executives and emergent leaders forge the capabilities and relationships needed to accelerate growth and expand outcomes/impact through a racial equity lens. The practice draws on a relational approach called Leading Through Relationships as well as other change techniques. The approach and techniques integrate a Diversity, Equity, Inclusiveness (DEI) and Racial Equity orientation that help leaders build the capabilities and relationships they need to simultaneously navigate the now, continually imagine new realities, and move from here to there, as individuals and as a collective.
Prior to her current role, Susan served as Teach For America’s Chief Transformation Officer, coaching executives on how to lead through change as they ensure the most strategic priorities cascade effectively throughout the organization and within communities.
Lauren Johnson
Executive Assistant
Lauren’s role as Executive Assistant leverages her thirteen years of experience in administrative/administrator roles and her expertise in project management, systems analysis, HR best practices, and process management.