Dr. Stephanie A. ParsonDr. Parson is a world authority on 21st Century Leadership. A proven consultant, speaker, trainer, author and executive with Fortune 100 global experience in leading teams in the public and private sector. She is the President and CEO of Crowned Grace International (CGINTL), where they Link Leaders to Business ResultsTM. CGINTL brings 20+ years of charismatic leadership, executive management and extensive problem solving skills in mission support services, information technology support services and organizational development/organizational change management support services. CGINTL’s clients include the US Army, US Navy, Department of Labor, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy, Torrent Technologies, DC Waters, Department of the Treasury, Homeland Security and others!
Dr. Parson has consulted with agencies surrounding their strategic direction, technology strategies, business growth strategies, innovation, project management strategies, succession planning and productivity strategies. She has also conducted leadership development workshops, seminars and events for over 7000 individuals within the public and private sector in the United States, Mexico and Brazil. As an executive, she has also provided one-on-one coaching sessions to over 300 executives in the public and private sector. Dr. Parson’s background includes roles in executive management, strategic planning, training and development and program management within Fortune 100 companies.
Prior to creating Crowned Grace she served as a Vice President at Walt Disney World, where her duties entailed day-to-day operations of the strategic planning process, research and development, fiscal planning process, procurement, Program Management Office, Training and productivity improvement. She implemented the first strategic planning process for Walt Disney World’s IT Group, leading to a Strategic Plan (Balanced Scorecard). While working with operational business partners, her team delivered customer facing technologies which positively impacted annual revenue. She also implemented the first Program Management Office for Walt Disney World, leading to a rollout of standard practices for project management across the Walt Disney Company. In this role, her team sourced and delivered over 1200 training seats and implemented a training provider network.
Dr. Parson’s other leadership experience includes serving as a Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Parsons Brinckerhoff Inc, one of the world’s oldest continuously operating engineering firms; ranked number one in transportation engineering and has major practice areas in energy, power, aviation planning, environmental and facilities engineering from over 200 offices worldwide with over 8000 employees. She also led a global staff of 112 professionals for new development and ongoing support for Seagram Spirits and Wine Group. As a Director, she owned financial responsibility for an annual $15M operating budget with a separate $24M capital budget, and in this role at SSWG, supported Universal Studies, Tropicana and Chateau and Estates Wine Company. Dr. Parson is also a military veteran, having served as a decorated officer in the United States Air Force prior to entering the corporate sector.
Her life motto: Leave a Thumbprint Behind!
Areas of Expertise/Topics
Conflict Resolution / Difficult People / Emotional Intelligence
8. Warning – Conflict Within & Without Can Kill You
9. Your IQ Gets You In The Door – Your EQ Keeps You In & Gets You Promoted
10. The Power of P.I.E. – Performance, Image & Exposure
Project Management
11. Watch Out For The Pitfalls – Avoiding Project Scope Creep
Special Interest Topics For Special Occasions
Please Contact Dr. Stephanie A. Parson directly at 240.454.3624
Lt. Colonel Jennifer R. Cobbs-GrantJennifer Cobbs-Grant is a woman of many talents and much experience. Currently Cobbs-Grant uses her skills as a Project Manager, which in brief requires oversight, business development and capture, management, training, and development of policies and procedures. A genius at multitasking, Cobbs-Grant hopes that her post COVID-19 future includes at least a form of a hybrid work model. Clients have been amazed at how much work continued to get done, even during the onset, and continuance of the COVID-19 pandemic. While safety of employees and clients will forever be paramount, certain types of productivity require in person work, as does socialization. People across the globe are missing the simple human interaction of brief greetings, shared stories over coffee, and emotional support.
Cobbs-Grant is proud to say she was able to retire from the military after a 28-year career and was able to immediately begin work in the civilian sector. “The transition went much easier than I expected. I learned I still have a work family, just a different family.”
If you want to put a smile on her face, just let Cobbs-Grant wander a mall or PX with her sister or family! Girl time is spent with her sister shopping on less-crowded days. Always on the hunt for a bargain, they take joy in the freedom to choose items and explore stores. When it’s safe, Cobbs-Grant loves to travel with her family including her husband, her daughters, one local, and one farther away, and of course her sister!
Cobbs-Grant holds a M.A. in Human Resources Management, and a B.A. in Business Administration.
Key areas of expertise:
Sergeant Major Kenya L. BerryRetired Sergeant Major Berry currently serves as a Program Manager. She is an adept leader with 28 years of experience in management, motivation, group dynamics and performance with high calibre professionals. Her interpersonal and communication skills inspire diverse group members to create positive professional relationships.
The most important take-aways Berry has internalized since the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic are: “We can function virtually, successfully! We can definitely facilitate transitions from military service to civilian service. We can easily liaison more virtually because of fewer interruptions. Working online has increased self-awareness, and decreased expenses. Our work relationships seem to be maintained, but they do require structure and consistency.” Post- pandemic goals include looking to expound on our program, “Coffee and Connect” with clients and to increase opportunities for them to transition from working in the military to working in the civilian sector.
For fun Berry enjoys’ -ing’…. traveling, shopping, landscaping, decorating. Clearly possessing a creative streak and high energy, Berry is a self-proclaimed extrovert. “People make me laugh- l love to be around them and love being able to talk.”
Berry holds a M.A. in Human Service: Health and Wellness.
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Harold L. HillHarold L. Hill is a consultant and coach of Crowned Grace International. Harold has a passion for and expertise of enabling Fortune 500 organizations, teams and leaders to improve their effectiveness and increase their capacity. With over 20 years of relevant organizational development (OD), coaching and change management experience, Harold’s clients range across many professional sectors including retail, health care, technology, hospitality, financial services, education, entertainment, government and utility. Harold also manages his own consulting firm with clients that include The Walt Disney Company, Right Management, Vantage Solutions, University of Miami, Zebra Technology, Teleos Leadership, University of Vermont Medical Center, Merrill Lynch, City of Jackson, MS, University of Texas A&M Engineering Services and Partners Federal Credit Union among others.
Before joining Crowned Grace International, Harold was a Senior Consultant with North Highland Consulting. Prior to that he was an OD manager with Walt Disney Parks & Resorts in Orlando, Florida for over 10 years. He was responsible for coaching and developing executives and providing consultation in employee engagement, business assessment, strategic development, change management and leadership training. Harold also worked for a Chicago utility, ComEd, for over 15 years in the areas of OD, project management and engineering at the Braidwood Nuclear Power Plant.
With over twenty years of team and organizational facilitation experience, Harold has designed and delivered training and learning experiences for groups as large as 500 participants. He has also coached executives at all levels of the organizations including C-Suite, Executive and Senior VPs and Board Chairpersons. Harold is a faculty member and practicum supervisor at the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland and the International Organization and System Development program. He is also a facilitator and trainer for the National Training Laboratory (NTL). With these organizations, Harold delivers coaching and work sessions on topics of leadership, change, conflict, diversity, feedback, communication and culture.
Harold earned a BS from Bradley University and holds an MBA in Operations Management from DePaul University. He earned a Professional Human Resources (PHR) certification from SHRM and has completed the Principles & Practices of Organization Development program at Columbia University. Harold is certified in the Prosci Change Management methodology and tools and holds an ICF coaching certification.
Taye HailuTaye Hailu is on a mission- a mission to provide private and federal agencies solutions in their efforts to improve the health, safety, and human service needs of individuals, communities, and nations. To this end, Hailu has worked over 21 years as a meeting planner, project coordinator and trainer. Hailu currently serves at Crowned Grace International as a Meeting Planner. He states the pandemic “…reminded us in unique ways we were …not making the main thing, the main thing.” Hailu will take away from the experience of living and working during a pandemic that “… as professionals, we have an ever increasing need to consistently seek to be innovative, to stretch our creativity and not just think outside of the box, but live outside the box. The pandemic forced us to harness technology in every aspect in life. Business learned from the experience of working during this pandemic to develop teleworking policies; business that had hesitated before found out it can be done, and done well!”
Given the ability to thrive under pressure, Hailu often manages multiple projects working under the pressure of a fast-paced environment. Even so, he is able to communicate effectively with diverse populations ranging from government officials and senior executives, to staff, contractors and related stakeholders. When given the chance for some R & R, likes to be around people- “I get charged and rejuvenated by being around great people, having great conversation- but also by reading books.” Few people know that Hailu is a thrill seeker- “I would love to bungee jump or skydive!”
Always interested in improving not just his client’s lives, but his own, Hailu is actively seeking his degree in Business Administration.
Areas of expertise:
Roseline JosephMs. Roseline Joseph proudly currently serves as a controller, handling numerous accounting functions and financial reports. Prior to joining Crowned Grace International, she worked in affordable housing for a decade. Roseline first became interested in accounting while in high school. “When I was in tenth grade, a teacher came in recruiting students for the schools Business and Technical Program.” Roseline learned it was a two-year program and it sounded interesting, so she decided to sign up. After a brief, rocky start, she began acing her tests and found “…great satisfaction when the debits equaled the credits!” After high school graduation, she joined the Navy and quickly learned it was not really what she wanted. Roseline remembered accounting came easily to her, so she went to college for accounting. Presently, Roseline continues to grow her skills in accounting and finance, leadership and entrepreneurism. “COVID-19 has forced me to readjust and sharpen my time management skills; it has taught me how to balance things- made me more tech savvy- especially regarding ZOOM meetings. My multi-tasking abilities have improved…,all while juggling responsibilities as a mom.” Roseline hopes the flexibility of telework continues after this experience with this pandemic. In the near future, she hopes to be more well versed in various types of contracts and business development so she will be able to provide a greater contribution to Crowned Grace International. In the distant future she would love to get to know co-workers again in a face-to-face environment and get her children back in the traditional school model. Roseline’s hidden talent is writing poetry for herself. Outside of the office, she likes to watch Family Feud, and read biographies of inspiring people.
Roseline holds a B. S. degree in accounting from University of Maryland- Global Campus and is a CPA candidate with Maryland Department of Labor.
Key areas of expertise:
Terri LigginsFor more than two decades, the name Terri Liggins has been synonymous with professional writing, after turning her journaling and blogging hobby into a viable writing, editing, and book publishing business following a heart attack at age 40 that sidelined her from Corporate America. That journey led her to the roles of ghostwriter, best-selling author, and book coach. For the record, ghostwriter doesn’t mean she writes about ghosts or haunted houses, but rather she’s a writer for writers. Two of Terri’s many wonderful clients include world-renowned motivational speaker, Les Brown, and retired United States Senator Roland Burris (who replaced President Barack Obama in the Illinois senate seat).
Since 2017, Terri has been using her writing skills to craft proposals and manage the process for private small businesses contracting to Federal agencies. She’s been enjoying this Proposal Writer/Proposal Manager journey at Crowned Grace since July 2023.
When Terri doesn’t have her government contracting cap on, she dons her rawtarian cape to help loved ones and strangers alike prevent and overcome diseases using raw, plant-based, high-protein superfoods. Her own experience of becoming a disease overcomer occurred in 2012 when she got rid of a 12-year-long autoimmune disorder called sarcoidosis in just seven days by adopting a 100% raw superfoods lifestyle. Over a decade later, Terri remains disease-free with good nutritional habits as an 80/20 raw vegan. She’s written several books in the health and wellness genre.
Fulfilling a passionate side hustle, Terri recently gained entrance into the Tech industry with the creation of a mobile app called 4th Quarter Lifestyle (4QL). The app targets baby boomers and caregivers, allowing them to thrive in their health in this 4th quarter of their lives and leave a legacy by getting their affairs in order (i.e. living wills, living trusts, estate planning, final wishes, etc.).
Fun fact: As an avid football fan and a resident of Las Vegas, Terri was super excited when her city brought an NFL team there, giving them a brand new, state-of-the-art stadium in the process. She vowed to become a season ticket holder or at least get to one Raiders game to see the inside of that stadium. Never in her wildest dreams could she have imagined her opportunity to be there would come four years later as a cast member of the Super Bowl LVIII Usher halftime show!
