Our Team

OUR TEAM

Catherine Bradshaw, Expedition Leader
David Ellis, Expedition Leader
Margaret P. Holtman, Expedition Leader
Martha Glenn Miller, Expedition Leader
Hazel Rosin, Expedition Leader
Michael C. Simon, Expedition Leader

“A unique and refreshing perspective on the challenge of leadership. The (Syncretics Group’s) insights and skillful use of the Shackleton expedition as a case study make a valuable contribution.”

WILLIAM H. DONALDSON, Co-founder, former Chairman and CEO, Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, Inc.; founding Dean, Professor of Management, Yale School of Management, and former Chairman and CEO, The New York Stock Exchange, Inc

LEADING AT THE EDGE

Leadership Lessons from the Extraordinary Saga of Shackleton's Antarctic Expedition

Click here to learn more about the book
Click here to purchase the book

kessler Dennis N. T. Perkins
Chief Executive Officer

For over twenty-five years, Dennis N.T. Perkins, Ph.D., has advised senior leaders in organizations ranging from Fortune 50 corporations to nonprofit associations. His current focus is on developing leadership in organizations, especially under conditions of rapid change, economic adversity, sudden growth, and other demanding environments. He has written extensively on leadership and organizational effectiveness and is a featured keynote speaker to groups and organizations throughout the year.
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kessler Paul R. Kessler
Managing Director

Paul Kessler is the Managing Director of The Syncretics Group, a consulting firm with distinctive expertise in the areas of leadership, teamwork and change—particularly under demanding conditions. He has expertise in organizational effectiveness, executive leadership development, developing high-performance teams, and group process facilitation. He is a featured speaker at conferences around the world on the topic of leadership and team development and resides in Connecticut.
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Jillian B. Murphy
Senior Associate

Jillian Murphy graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and is currently finishing her Masters in Industrial/Organizational Psychology at the University of New Haven. Jillian has studied, worked and volunteered extensively in Cape Town, South Africa and coordinated the Honors Study Abroad Program for the University of Connecticut. She also has significant research experience and has worked with the Networking AIDS Community of South Africa, the African National Congress Women's League and the Department of Epidemiology and Health at Yale University.

kessler Debby Hedderman
Office Manager

Debby Hedderman joined The Syncretics Group in 2006 with over 12 years of Office Management, Administrative, Project Management and Accounts Payable/Receivable experience. Ms. Hedderman has worked in a variety of different industries such as Distribution, Engineering, Design and Vacation Travel. Ms. Hedderman studied Business Management at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, CT. She resides in Branford, CT and enjoys all types of outdoor activities.

kessler catherine Bradshaw
Expedition Leader

Catherine Bradshaw is a skilled organizational development consultant and Expedition Leader who has helped both private and public sector clients achieve outstanding results. She combines a strong theoretical foundation with twelve years of practical consulting experience to transform organizations into high-performing, flexible and collaborative workplaces. She has designed and delivered training programs on a wide range of topics, including leadership, team development, diversity awareness and intercultural communication, creative problem solving, and communication skills.
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kessler David Ellis
Expedition Leader

Dave Ellis's experience includes twenty years of corporate leadership and over seventeen years of consulting in the areas of leadership, senior team facilitation, groupware, change management and simulations. For the last fifteen years Dave has been a Managing Partner of Pantelis, Inc., an Atlanta based management consulting firm. Dave views his role primarily as a trusted advisor, and often guides leaders and teams to solve their challenges, clear organizational fog and manage transitional turbulence. Dave has delivered executive education in twelve countries for Fortune 100 clients.
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kessler Margaret P. Holtman
Expedition Leader

Margaret P. Holtman was most recently Vice President of Talent Management at The Hartford, Inc., and now works as an independent consultant and speaker. She specializes in talent development with a focus on leadership, retention strategies and executive coaching. As a keynote speaker, Margaret delivers a powerful message with practical applications for today's leaders. She has spoken to groups of leaders at a variety of companies and professional associations including The Hartford, The ASTD, the Association for Psychological Type, The National Insurance Pension Association, Lee Hecht Harrison and the Association of Purchasing and Inventory Control.
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kessler Martha Glenn Miller
Expedition Leader

Martha Miller has worked extensively as a strategic consultant to senior management for over 20 years. Her focus is in the areas of large scale organizational change, cross-cultural communication, managing diversity, and total quality systems in the workplace. As an Expedition Leader for The Syncretics Group she has worked with leaders and senior teams around their most critical challenges, and has helped them to address issues related to creativity, innovation, risk taking, and conflict management.Read PDF of Full Bio

kessler Hazel Rosin
Expedition Leader

Dr. Rosin is a Professor of Organizational Behaviour at York University’s Schulich School of Business and Associate Director of the International MBA Program. Over the past five years, Dr. Rosin has continued to bring new and innovative concepts into the award winning Schulich Executive Education Center. In 2005, in a partnership with The Syncretics Group, she incorporated the Metaventure^® approach to learning into the executive leadership curriculum. As a certified Expedition Leader she has facilitated Leadership at The Edge^® sessions within Schulich and to private clients.
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kessler Michael C. Simon
Expedition Leader

For 20 years, Michael Simon has worked with senior managers to improve organizational effectiveness, facilitate leadership development, and foster organizational change. He has worked as both an internal consultant (at Merrill Lynch and Company) and an external consultant (at Watson Wyatt, William M. Mercer, Stromberg Consulting and now The Syncretics Group). At Syncretics, he leads consulting engagements, designs and facilitates leadership programs, and speaks at conferences and organizations on the topics of leadership, teamwork and change. He received his Masters and Doctorate in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from New York University.
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The Syncretics Group
250 West Main Street, Branford, CT 06405
Phone: 203/481-6118 | Fax: 203/481-5531