BARBARA GRANT, MA ABS Principal Consultant, MGS

Barbara has a BA in International Relations from the University of Notre Dame, and spent several years managing international business issues for the Microsoft corporation. She most recently served as Microsoft's Director for the worldwide Management and Employee Development organizations. She has designed and managed the implementation of web-based information strategies for local and global business. Barbara also supervised customer support and product development businesses, including the Accessibility and Disability group, which is responsible for making sure that Microsoft's software is accessible and useful for people with disabilities. She managed employees in several countries, traveled and negotiated business partnerships, and speaks Spanish fluently.

Barbara's work has always included a community focus. She was a founding member and/or Board member of several Diversity groups during her tenure at Microsoft. She has been an active member of Seattle's Social Venture Partners organization, and involved with several other community organizations. Barbara has been a speaker and a presenter for local and international conferences and has been on the faculty for the University of Washington's Organizational Communication certificate program, and the City University business programs. MGS is a member business of the GSBA, the Greater Seattle Business Association.

Barbara's clients appreciate that she has faced many of the same challenges they face -having accountability for today's bottom line results while attempting to anticipate and capitalize on tomorrows emerging opportunities. Her Masters Degree in Applied Behavioral Science was focused on Leadership and Organizational Development. She specializes in helping organizations capitalize on their own resources and work through conflict in a productive way. Barbara is fluent in several employee development instruments such as the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument, Barry Oshry's Power & Systems workshops, Ken Blanchard's Situational Leadership and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Her current work includes corporations, non-profit organizations, and individual management/leadership coaching.

MAUREEN MACCARTHY, MBA, NHA Principal Consultant, MGS

Having been a manager of large employee and client systems in the social and health services industry, Maureen understands first-hand the challenges and constraints that government-regulated organizations must face. She is skilled at managing the intersection of business and community systems, ranging from researching methods for the City of Seattle to reduce food waste, providing market research for non-profit organizations, and developing successful communication strategies for individuals and organizations. Her work in specialized communication has resulted in recognition at the local and regional level for her expertise in applying communication strategies in the area of Alzheimer's and Dementia care. Maureen has developed training programs for both businesses and academic settings.

Maureen has a Masters in Business Administration degree and an undergraduate degree in Social Work. Maureen has served on the faculty for the University of Washington and City University. She currently serves on the Greater Seattle Business Association Marketing committee and has presented at several local and regional conferences. Maureen's MBA program focused in managerial leadership and she is also has a background in Business Tax and Accounting issues. Maureen has been a small business owner and employer for several years - building a community-based business from the ground up, increasing productivity and profitability over 400% during the life of the business. Maureen's approach incorporates her business research skills, as well as her insight into human behavior within systems. This diversity of experience combined with her background in employee education and training provides the basis for her consulting practice. Maureen's clients appreciate her candor, her sense of humor, and her crisp business analysis. Her insight is often useful in areas concerning clarity of communication or work processes and development of leadership and business strategies.

Kari K. Hanson Organizational Consultant, MGS

Kari's experience with funders, public agencies, nonprofits, and local and national coalitions has given her the ability to affectively work with clients from diverse backgrounds. She has seen the way in which partnerships from various sectors can strengthen and expand programs, and hopes to continue supporting these collaborations in the future.

Through her work, Kari has gained significant experience as a grant writer. At the Housing Authority of Snohomish County (HASCO), Kari developed applications for private, County, and State funders. She was the lead on a two million grant application to the Washington State Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development which was fully funded. This experience has equipped Kari with excellent writing skills, and the ability to produce clear, professional grant applications on the behalf of MGS clients.

All her life, Kari has valued volunteering in her community, including her work as an AmeriCorps Vista volunteer in Seattle where she developed a passion for issues surrounding housing and homelessness. For the past three years she has been involved with the children's program at Sacred Heart Shelter in Seattle.

Kari has a BA in English Literature from Seattle Pacific University, and a Master's in Public Administration from the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Management at the University of Washington.

KEN GORDON Organizational Consultant, MGS

Ken moved to Seattle following a distinguished career in philanthropy, teaching and public service in New Zealand. He is currently the Executive Director of the Potlatch Fund, serving Native American communities in Puget Sound. He has extensive experience with organizations of all sizes both in the for-profit and not-for-profit worlds. This experience has encompassed strategic planning, organizational refocusing, fund development, community consultation, evaluation, data analysis, investment management and socially responsible investing.

He is also very experienced in the areas of gender, race and diversity and understands the challenges that can arise in communities and organizations in these areas. He has an inclusive work style and will do whatever is necessary to give all parties the opportunity to productively participate.

Like the other members of the MGS team, Ken also has a client centric focus and will work with clients to understand their needs, to establish clear expectations and to produce results which meet those expectations.

Barbara Staley Organizational Consultant, MGS

She has a Masters Degree in Education from Northwestern University and a Bachelors Degree from Stanford University. She has served as a member of several non-profit organization board of trustees, including the French American school of Puget Sound. Barbara's proficiency at working with groups through challenging and complex issues has gained her the trust and respect of her clients and colleagues in multiple settings. She is an accomplished trainer, facilitator and coach and excels at helping group members to listen and engage productively with each other in the service of their ultimate shared goals.

PHIL MITTERTREINER Organizational Consultant, MGS

Phil is the President of Potentials Unlimited Inc., a consulting and training company based in Calgary, Alberta. He is an associate of Brantas Performance Inc., and the Secretan Center. He sits on the advisory board of Leadership Alliance International. One of Phil’s strengths is the diverse background and work experience that he brings to the organizations he works with. He has had previous careers as a Controller, an Information Systems Professional, as well has holding key Sales and Marketing Management positions, including 10 years with IBM Canada. His clients include TransCanada, Numac Energy, CanOxy Petroleum, Union Pacific Resources, Computing Devices Canada, Superior Propane, Credit Union Central of Manitoba, Selkirk Financial Technologies, and IBM Canada. He has had success in both union and non-union environments, and has worked with several municipal governments.

Phil works extensively with senior leaders and leadership teams, including boards, providing facilitation support, ideas and perspective on both organizational strategy development and leadership team effectiveness. His clients appreciate his ability deliver outcomes, enhance relationships and build energy within the groups he supports.

CATHY BANKS Technical and Organizational Consultant, MGS

Cathy moved to Seattle in 1991, she began her 12 year career with Microsoft as a developer support engineer, where she gained the skills of interfacing with customers and translating complex information into digestible terms. This background in support also gave her a focus on quality, and customer importance. Over the next 10 years with Microsoft Cathy moved on to a wide variety of roles including program manager for technical teams and an instructional designer for training and certification.

Giving back to the local community has long been a centerpiece of Cathy’s career. She has been active on the board and as a volunteer with several local non-profit organizations, assisting in delivering programs for computer training skills and job readiness and media literacy programs for teen girls. Cathy graduated from Eckerd College in St Petersburg Florida with a Bachelors of Science in Computer Science.