Senior Lead Consultants

Suzanne E. Anderson, M.Ed., PCC, CGI Principal                 

Executive Coach, Leadership and Organization Development, Diversity and Inclusion, Facilitation, Team Development, Trainer, Public Speaker, Project Director                        

Suzanne E. Anderson, M.Ed. PCC, principal of Collaborations Group, Inc. (CGI) of Rockville, MD near Washington, DC, has over 25 years’ experience as an executive coach, facilitator and organizational analyst to boards and senior leadership at colleges including Kenyon, Trinity (Hartford), University of Richmond, Mt. Holyoke, Lewis and Clark, and Swarthmore, Amherst as well as nonprofits and government agencies (K-12 Public Schools, Charter Schools, National Education Association, AIR public radio organization, Veterans Administration, PBGC), and corporations (CVS, CROSSMARK).

Suzanne serves as Project Manager and Lead Consultant when CGI provides and matches a team of consultants to a client system.  As such, she expertly manages the project and relationships amongst the team and with the client.

As a Visionary-Transformational Executive Coach who works holistically with the body-mind-spirit connections, Suzanne assists male and female leaders from a multiplicity of backgrounds, lifestyles, skills, and work styles grow and own their leadership, gain balance in the midst of organizational complexities, get unstuck, resolve conflicts, and make courageous decisions.

Suzanne’s past career as a psychotherapist, training as an emotionally intelligent executive coach, and certification in Gestalt organization development provide background as she works with leaders and organizations.  She is often called on to assist leaders who are involved in leadership development efforts to integrate and apply their learnings, and process 360 feedback.  Suzanne has provided services as the Lead Coach to multiple directors and their organizations in their efforts to implement change, keep morale high, reduce conflicts, mediate grievances, develop effective work relationships, and create strong work processes while strategically positioning them to produce extraordinary results.

Suzanne is a master facilitator with deep experience.  Born of Jamaican and African American decent, Suzanne has traveled the world and been responsible for the planning and facilitation of retreat experiences for groups from around the world in different parts of the world (e.g. across U.S., Peru, Egypt, Jamaica, Mexico, Israel). She expertly facilitates the groups’ debriefing and processing of their diversity and cross cultural experiences.  As a facilitator, she is experienced in university Board and Cabinet level retreats, and in team environments.

Suzanne is also co-creator of “A Quantum Change Model” which enables participants and organizations to shift and transform the status quo and create new behaviors and processes that activate their greatest visions of success.   Her top five strengths on the Gallup Strengths Finder are: Self-assurance, Connectedness, Maximizer, Responsibility, and Strategic. 

Suzanne received her BA from Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA and Masters in Education from University of Pittsburgh. Her certifications include:Professional Certified Coach (PCC) by the International Coach Federation, ESCI 360 instrument feedback, Conflict Resolution and Mediation, Myers Briggs (MBTI), Gallup StrengthFinders Coach, Gestalt Organization Development, and Teleos Leadership Institute Executive Coaching.

Kaye A. Craft, M.S.W., M.B.A., P.C.C., CGI Associate

Organization Development, Relational Culture, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Leadership and Team Development, Executive Coaching, Training and Facilitation

Kaye Craft is an organization development consultant, a practitioner of transformational change, a master facilitator/trainer, and an executive coach.   Kaye supports organizations in creating relational and inclusive cultures that promote and sustain employee engagement and positive organization results.  Kaye helps clients to focus their energy on their purposes and objectives; to create and sustain commitment to their visions; to leverage their strengths and emotional intelligence; and to manage conflict.  Kaye has a special talent for helping people to have the right conversations at the right time, using the right tools, and getting the right results. She is highly skilled at supporting individuals and groups in having tough, hard, uncomfortable dialogues about gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, and age that lead to better relationships and the ability to work more collaboratively on important issues.  

Kaye’s current work engagements are focused in four areas:  transformational cultural change in academia, building relational cultures, diversity, equity and inclusion, leadership and team development, and executive development through coaching.   

In the area of transformational change Kaye’s work focuses on using various forms of engagement to appropriately involve all the stakeholders.  By building relational cultures, organizations support the connection, collaboration and inclusion needed among all of the stakeholders to move their mission and work forward.  In the area of diversity, equity and inclusion, Kaye helps clients move from the diversity activity level to the strategic level, ensuring that all diversity activities are aligned with broader business and organizational goals.  In the area of leadership and team development, a theme that runs through many of the learning experiences that Kaye designs is the accountability of the leader for the work climate, the work culture, as well as for the work products and business results.  As an executive coach, Kaye works with leaders to address such topics as: accountability vs. control; creating an inclusive, positive, and achieving climate and culture; leading the new generation of young workers; leading, coaching and mentoring across differences; influencing and leading others in such a way as to recognize and leverage their talents; clarifying their personal legacy to their organization; conscious and responsible use of power; and work-life balance.   

Over the last 15 years, Kaye has facilitated events, trainings, and dialogues in many different cultural contexts around the world including US, Asia, Africa, Caribbean, and Europe. She holds an MBA from NYU, an MSW from Columbia University and a BA from Hampton University. She also holds a post-graduate certificate in Organization and Systems Development from the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland.

Debra B. Alexander, M.S., abd Ph.D., CGI Associate

Organization Development, Relational Culture, Leadership and Team Development, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Civil Rights Compliance, Human Resource Management, HR Advisor

Debra Alexander, an organization consultant, public speaker, and trainer has designed and conducted numerous initiatives for organizations in the public, private and non-profit sectors, including educational institutions and religious organizations. She has more than 20 years of experience. Her areas of expertise include improving organizational performance and assessing results, and integrating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in recruitment, policy, and HR practices.  In addition to Organization Development (OD), she has expertise in assessing and developing human resources policies, procedures, programs and practices. She also facilitates groups, and Board and leadership retreats; and, identifies key performance indicators (KPIs) in support of strategic planning and change initiatives. 

Debra works with clients in a variety of industries and sectors, and at every organizational level.  She assists organizations in embodying their values and manifesting their vision. She focuses on the human side of enterprise, using a variety of change management methods designed to elicit diverse perspectives and leverage the support and commitment of multiple stakeholders. She coaches individuals and teams; plans and facilitates conferences and retreats; and, conducts organizational assessments and culture audits. Her expertise is in enhancing individual, team, leadership and organizational performance; and building organizational capacity. She has worked with organizations ranging in size from 20 to 20,000 and facilitated groups ranging in size from 4 to 400.

Debra has personally trained more than 250,000 participants nationally and abroad.  She consistently receives high ratings and positive responses in training on sensitive and complex topics. 

Debra is a curriculum developer and has produced training materials using a variety of media and technology.  These include training videos, CD-ROM, and web-based training; and participant books and manuals.  Materials she developed are purchased for use by organizations in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. She has also developed distance learning programs utilizing satellite broadcast, video conferencing, and webcasts. She also trains trainers and provides presentation skills training to subject matter experts. 

Debra completed doctoral studies at Teachers College, Columbia University and the University of St. Thomas (MN). She holds an M.S., in Human Resources and Organizational Development from the American University and a B.A. in English Literature from Hampton University.  She is currently on the faculty of Georgetown University’s Organizational Consulting and Change Leadership program.