For over 25 years, Dr. Barbara Kaufman, President of ROI Consulting Group, Inc., has worked as an executive, business coach and educator to help organizations increase their leadership effectiveness and organizational capacity. As a trusted advisor to leaders in business and the non-profit sector, Dr. Kaufman combines executive experience with practical and creative guidance to provide executive coaching, consulting and assessment to enhance leadership performance, energize boards, optimize governance structures and build strong teams.

Experience and Expertise:

Dr. Kaufman held executive-level positions at Fortune 500 and mid-size companies, followed by 18 years as an entrepreneur, management consultant and educator. Her clients include a wide range of non-profit organizations such as the American Council on Education (ACE), California State University, University of California, University of North Carolina, University of Nebraska, Northwestern University, College of Staten Island (CSI), RTl International, The College Board and The Association of Governing Boards (AGB). In addition to coaching senior administrative leaders and their teams, she also helps presidents and chancellors, along with their governance and advisory boards, to enhance their leadership and collaborative problem-solving skills. Areas of focus include developing research-based strategies for performance assessment, governance (leadership and infrastructure), succession planning, managing board diversity, creating effective board orientations and related topics.

Volunteer Activities:

Dr. Kaufman is a committed volunteer who contributes time and resources to professional development organizations. She is an advisor to and past president of Leadership California, a non-profit organization devoted to educational programs and furthering the advancement of women leaders in business, government, education and other public and private arenas. She is the 1998 recipient of the prestigious Leadership California Leader award for her program design and board development efforts. She has also volunteered for the Executive Advisory Board of Leadership California, The Women’s Leadership Forum, the Association of Governing Boards and the Achieving Styles Institute.

Education:

Dr. Kaufman received her Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate University (CGU). She served as the Leader-in-Residence for the academic year 1998-1999 at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Leadership, located at the Peter Drucker School of Management (CGU), where she earned her Master’s in Executive Management. Dr. Kaufman often serves as an adjunct professor at CGU, where she teaches courses in leadership and talent management. She is also a certified consultant for the Association of Governing Boards in the areas of presidential assessment and board development, as well as a certified instructor in the use of the Connective Leadership Achieving Styles Model.

Recent Publications:

• ROI Slashing Budgets? Don't Stop Thinking About the Future (June 2010, University Business)(in press)
• Landmines Ahead: Why smart, newly appointed leaders derail (Summer 2010, University Business)(in press)
• Working with Consultants: Look before you leap (December 2008, University Business)
• Reining in Those "Maverick" Trustees (July-August 2007, AGB, Trusteeship)
• Organizational Champions (July/August 2006, Board Member)
• The Helping Hand (March 2006, University Business)
• The Leader as Change Agent (March 2005, University Business)
• En Route to Executive Retention (January 2005, American Society of Association Executives, January 2005)
• The Juggling Act (July 2004, University Business)
• The Role of Executive Coaching in Performance Management (September 2005, Journal of Business Strategy)
• Succession Planning Means Planning Ahead (February/March 2003, Board Member)

Dr. Deena Barwick has over 24 years of comprehensive experience as a Strategic Performance and Process Improvement Consultant. She is proficient in performing operational analysis and developing programs for enhanced quality, productivity, cost control and increased profitability. Dr. Barwick is also a knowledge expert in the implementation of team tools and processes in a wide range of complex organizational settings, including aerospace manufacturing, small business administration, government contracting, education, healthcare, construction, real estate, non-profit organizations and warehouse distribution in both union and non-union work environments. Dr. Barwick’s client list includes UCLA, Dept of Psychiatry; West LA VA Medical Center; General Dynamics, Interaz (Mexico); Mt. San Jacinto Community College District; New York Health and Hospital System; Canadian Health System; United States Air Force (Norton Air Force Base); Las Vegas VA Medical Center; Sempra Energy Utilities; Hyundai Motor America; Walter’s Auto Center of Riverside; California State University, Chancellor’s Office; CSU, Fresno, IT Dept; Grove Community Church; and Unified Grocers of California.

Dr. Barwick creates and delivers innovative seminars and programs for staff, management and executive level personnel. Her work includes such topics as: Coaching and Leadership Skills for Executives and Managers, Managing Change Through Automation, Time Efficiencies Management (Managing Oneself), Interpersonal Skills, Stress Management, Communication Skills, Interviewing Skills, Project Management and Team Building. Dr. Barwick is a frequent guest lecturer on Leadership and Coaching, Employee Integration Programs, Process Improvement Tools and Techniques, Team Implementation Process and Tools, On-line Training Records Support and the use of simulation tools for education.

In addition to her consulting practice, Dr. Barwick serves as a Professor at the California Baptist University in the areas of Business Administration and Information Technology and holds the position of Pastoral Associate for Children’s Ministries at First Baptist Church of Redlands. She has also taught at Cal Poly, Pomona in the subjects of Corporate Leadership Development and University of Redlands, in the area of Education. Dr. Barwick holds a Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate School where she majored in Narrative Research Studies for Employee Involvement and studied areas of Adult Development, Industrial (Organizational) Psychology and Business Reformation Techniques. Her Bachelor and Masters Degrees were earned at The California State University, San Bernardino majoring in Computer Technology, Instructional Design and Adult Development. She has also earned certificates in Methods for Management of Productivity and Quality (Deming Principles); Managing in a Multicultural Work Environment; High Performance Work Teams, Internal Consulting Skills; Cost Effective Training and Applied Assessments in Business and Business Education.