Our Team

Molly D. Shepard, MS, MSM

Molly D. Shepard is Founder & Chief Executive Officer of The Leader’s Edge and has more than 30 years of experience in career counseling, leadership development, executive coaching and executive search. Through her leadership as Chairman, President and Co-founder of Manchester Inc., one of the world’s largest career development consulting firms, she helped thousands of people a year transition and reach their potential as leaders under her guidance.

Kristin Lytle

Kristin Lytle is President of The Leader’s Edge and brings significant experience in talent assessment, leadership development, succession planning and organizational design to the firm. Kristin has worked at well-known companies including Vanguard, Kohler, Whirlpool, and Target. She has held leadership roles in business operations and human resources in both domestic and global capacities throughout her career and developed HR solutions that align with business priorities while enabling talent to unlock their full potential.

Peter J. Dean, PhD

Peter Dean heads Leaders By Design – the men’s leadership development and executive coaching division of The Leader’s Edge. With over 30 years of national and international experience, Peter bases his executive coaching and consulting work on current research and best practices in the field of leadership development. Leaders By Design helps executives recognize and understand the intricacies inherent in global leadership and dealing with diverse cultures and sub-cultures.

Shelley Potente, MA

Shelley Potente is the Executive Vice President, Client Relations at The Leader’s Edge. As part of the executive team Shelley’s focus is on strategy, business development and marketing. Shelley is known for her trusted partnerships and innovative approaches to promoting introductions and connecting clients and colleagues for their mutual benefit.

Monica Warner Dimpfl

Monica Dimpfl is Senior Vice President, Marketing & Operations at The Leader's Edge. With over two decades of experience at the company, Monica is a key driver of the firm’s strategic communication efforts with responsibility for marketing, brand management, and cooperative partnerships. Her innovative approaches help promote the company’s message of leadership excellence.

Nila G. Betof, PhD

Nila Betof has extensive experience coaching leaders in the C-Suite through emerging level talent and brings over 30 years of operational and management experience to The Leader’s Edge. She has substantial experience in career development consulting, assessment, leadership development, executive coaching and organizational change. She has consulted on hundreds of leadership development programs and organizational change initiatives. She is certified in a variety of assessment tools and behavioral interviewing techniques.

Elizabeth Reeder, PCC

Elizabeth Reeder is a consultant and executive coach with The Leader’s Edge and brings extensive experience across multiple industries to her work. Betsy has worked with senior executives and high potential leaders from the pharmaceutical, health care, and consumer product industries and has helped leaders successfully enhance their performance in a wide range of areas including leadership and communication skills, executive presence, building and managing stakeholder relationships, and developing effective teams. Betsy has coached senior, high potential and emerging leaders at client companies such as Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, Boeing, Johnson & Johnson, and Penn Mutual.

Mary Jane Reed, SPHR

Mary Jane Reed brings over 30 years of leadership development and human resources management experience to The Leader’s Edge. Mary Jane Reed is a respected business leader and senior human resources executive with proven skills and successes in leadership and organizational development and change management. She has a reputation for integrity, creativity, leadership, teamwork and business strategy.

Tracey Cantarutti, PhD

Tracey Cantarutti is an executive coach and leadership development consultant with The Leader’s Edge. Tracey has coached senior executives and managers from all over the world while working with multi-national organizations in a variety of industries including health care, packaging, manufacturing insurance and financial services. In addition, Tracey has 20+ years of global business and team leadership experience, leading to her desire to help others to reach their full potential as leaders. As a former executive, Tracey understands the issues leaders face and their environment, leading to deeper insights based on practical experience.

Jane E. Beale

Jane Beale is a seasoned corporate human resources executive with years of executive coaching experience coaching male and female executives up to the level of CEO in a myriad of different industries. Jane’s inside knowledge and experience of the executive suite brings a valuable perspective to her clients. As the Head of Quality & Delivery, Jane oversees coaching engagements to ensure consistency with the firm’s established coaching protocols.

Lisa Mathis

Lisa Mathis is Vice President, Consulting Initiatives and has been an executive coach and corporate team facilitator for over 20 years bringing a depth of experience to The Leader’s Edge. In her role, Lisa provides support on both small and large-scale client projects and applies her consulting expertise in the areas of leadership, competency, organization development, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Lisa’s collaboration with clients on their key initiatives provides tremendous value and an opportunity to tailor leadership development approaches to align with organizational goals.

Dominique SanGiovanni

Dominique SanGiovanni is the Senior Director, Program Experience & Communication at The Leader’s Edge. Dominique manages the firm’s leadership development programs, including EXCEL for Emerging Women Leaders, Leading Up for high-performing women and the Leadership Assessment and Development Process for high-potentials. Dominique’s main area of focus is on the participant communications and overall experience for each leadership program. Dominique leads the social media strategy for the firm and helps coaching clients with their digital presence.

Kaitlin Emery

Kaitlin Emery is a Client Relations Project Manager at The Leader’s Edge. She provides project management, communications and administrative support, including maintaining marketing database, overseeing coaching engagement progress, and managing client programs and internal meetings.

Lauren Harting

Lauren Harting is a Client Relations Project Manager at The Leader’s Edge. Lauren provides project management, communications and administrative support, including managing logistics, long-term planning, and attending to timelines and details of client programs and internal meetings.

Lisa Brooks Greaux, EdD

Lisa Brooks Greaux, EdD is principal and founder of SYNC (Seek Your Natural Calling) and a Program Partner of The Leader’s Edge. As a leadership development strategist, DE&I expert, thought leader, and executive coach, Lisa is committed to helping leaders achieve their potential, while leveraging their unique strengths. With over 25 years of experience spanning multiple industries, Lisa brings a unique and innovative perspective on the relationship between personal and professional development. Lisa is also the author of Don’t Abdicate The Throne and her doctoral research was on Developing African American Women Executives.

Maribeth Renne, CMF

Maribeth Renne, CMF has extensive experience in leadership development and executive coaching. She has partnered with C-Suite leaders through emerging talent to develop the knowledge and tools to enhance performance and executive presence.

Beth Reeves, MA

Beth Reeves brings over 30 years of global human resources experience to The Leader’s Edge. She is a high-impact HR professional specializing in acquisitions, due diligence, integration, people assessment and development, with strong global expertise and the ability to link HR strategy to the business strategy.

Lisa Aronson, PCC

Lisa Aronson has in-depth experience partnering with and coaching successful executives. Since 2000, Lisa’s primary focus has been on coaching leaders to maximize their impact and personal effectiveness. She assists her clients in clarifying their goals and objectives and developing the self-awareness necessary to reach their aspirations.

Whitney Siavelis

Whitney Siavelis brings 20 years of global experience to her role as Senior Consultant for The Leader’s Edge. She is an ICF certified leadership coach and consultant passionate about helping individuals maximize their success by developing confidence and key leadership skills that deliver results within their organizations.

Denise Williams, EdD

Dr. Denise Williams is Senior Consultant and a Licensed Professional Counselor, and Adjunct Professor at New York University and Seton Hall University. As an experienced coach and consultant, Denise's mission is to work with individuals to help them overcome obstacles, make positive changes in their life, and achieve their goals.

Denise has held posts in Fortune 100 companies including Accenture and JPMorgan Chase; and has provided change management consultancy to top tier firms. Denise brings to The Leader’s Edge a successful history of working closely with individuals and teams to leverage their strengths, articulate their goals, and challenge perspectives, in order to maximize personal and professional impact.

Nancy Singer, PCC

Nancy Singer is a Senior Consultant at The Leader’s Edge with over 30 years of experience in executive positions leading Sales, Marketing and Talent Management teams in three Fortune 100 pharmaceutical companies. As a pharmacist with a dual MBA in Marketing & Finance, she possesses a unique professional background and is a recognized global thought leader in developing high-potential, female, diverse and scientific talent. Her leadership development programs have garnered numerous industry awards. She has been published in Management Development journals and regularly speaks at Talent and Leadership conferences.

Karen Coplan, PhD

Karen Coplan is a senior consultant with The Leader’s Edge. She is an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist with over 20 years of corporate and consulting experience working across a variety of industries. She is fluent in Spanish, completed an expatriate assignment in Spain, and has also led global talent management projects. These experiences enable Karen to be particularly effective in coaching leaders who are working in global or multi-cultural environments. Additionally, she has extensive expertise in executive coaching, leadership development, and assessment. Karen’s coaching approach focuses on helping clients see patterns and trends in their behavior/experiences, challenging their assumptions, in order to help them push beyond their own boundaries.

Jan Levine, Esq.

Jan Levine is an executive coach and Senior Consultant for The Leader’s Edge and works with individuals, team leaders, and management to discover and unlock innate and unique potential; develop awareness, resiliency, and a growth mindset; and support insight, vision, and transformation.

Jan helps leaders explore behaviors or habits that sabotage, drain energy, and ultimately hold back success to reduce or eliminate the impact of such tendencies that create obstacles blocking an individual or team from moving from where they are currently to where they want to be.

Cheryl Henderson, PsyD

Cheryl Henderson is an accomplished organizational development professional and executive coach with over thirty years of leadership experience. She has designed and delivered cross-cultural training and has also consulted to organizations on creating culturally diverse work teams and establishing global team competencies. In addition, she conducts needs assessments, interprets management assessment instruments, provides team process consulting, designs and delivers custom programs at the executive and senior levels of client companies.

Lauren Tate

Lauren Tate brings over 20 years of global human resources experience to The Leader’s Edge specializing in the development of top talent and building high-performing teams. Lauren’s experience spans across a variety of industries where she has served on leadership teams under a broad range of circumstances. Most recently she was Chief Human Resources Officer for the Americas at AXA XL. Lauren helps clients identify, grow, and retain emerging and high-potential talent creating engaging and inclusive work environments. A specific focus of her coaching is empowering women to excel in the workplace.

Maura Lightfoot

Maura Lightfoot, ACC is a Senior Consultant at The Leader's Edge and thrives on empowering others in their careers. From working in human resources in the Middle East to financial services management consulting in London to non-profit organizational culture in Washington DC, Maura’s experience has equipped her with a unique perspective that is both global and grounded.

Deena Benner, MSOD

Deena is a Senior Consultant at The Leader's Edge and an experienced executive leadership coach with expertise in helping leaders elevate their performance and capitalize on their strengths.

Deena guides coaching clients through a multi-faceted approach to envision new possibilities, set meaningful goals, tap into supports, and experiment with options for change. Her coaching is focused on providing leaders with a framework for deep reflection and sustainable growth.

Sophia Krainyk

Sophia Krainyk is a Client Relations Project Manager at The Leader’s Edge. Sophia provides project management, communications, and administrative support, including managing logistics, long-term planning, and attending to timelines and details of client programs and internal meetings.

Prior to joining The Leader’s Edge, Sophia was the Associate Senate Sergeant at Arms for the Wisconsin State Capitol, a legal assistant at Roethe Law Firm, and a Digital Design Project Manager, totaling 4 years of diverse management experience.

Robyn Wheeler

Robyn Wheeler is a Senior Consultant at The Leader's Edge, an engaging facilitator and an executive coach who resides in the greater Chicagoland area. Robyn's strengths as a coach include helping individuals in identifying the intersection of strategy and implementation, developing flexibility and change-ready skills, creating strategic leadership plans, and recognizing unique cultures across the global workforce.

Yasmeen Toney

With a career spanning the banking and investment services sector, Yasmeen brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in leadership, finance, and human resources to The Leader's Edge. Throughout her career, Yasmeen has held various HR and leadership positions, consistently achieving outstanding organizational performance by fostering accountable and inclusive cultures. Yasmeen spearheads talent consultation, providing expert advice, and offering support in the realms of leadership development, human resources, and performance management through coaching and mentoring.

Kim Karetsky

Kim Karetsky is a Senior Consultant at The Leader’s Edge and has over 15 years of experience designing and implementing leadership and professional development initiatives at Goldman, Sachs & Co. and JPMorgan Chase. She has dedicated her career to enhancing the culture of these organizations by building robust programs to promote the commercial and leadership growth of top performing producers and senior leaders globally.

Char Gross

Char Gross is an executive coach with an extensive background in HR and business leadership. She is passionate about helping professional women magnify their impact.

Jannie Lau

Jannie Lau is a Senior Consultant at The Leader’s Edge and a former Fortune 500 leader turned executive coach. She works with senior leaders on their development goals.

Karen O’Boyle

Karen O’Boyle is an Executive Advisor for The Leader’s Edge. For more than 20 years, Karen has held leadership positions in human capital management, professional services, and HR technology firms. Throughout her career, she has led teams that delivered highly-effective solutions to many of the world’s largest and most complex companies as they transformed their workforces and businesses. Karen’s expertise includes developing and executing accelerated growth plans, designing and implementing workforce transformation initiatives, and delivering talent management and talent mobility solutions – assessment, leadership development, change management, career development, and career transition.