Associates
How does a firm attract and keep the best and the brightest workforce? Give them what they want! We believe that for work to be truly rewarding it has to fit into our lives, not the other way around. How? Flexibility. Choice. Challenge.
TLN associates have all three.
We strive to match skill and expertise to jobs that align with our associates’ professional goals and personal needs.
Meet a few of our associates…they are a uniquely talented group with an average of over 15 years of consulting experience.
What Our Associates Are Saying
Imagine a work day when all you have to do is consult!!
I’m having more fun and have more control than at any point in my career.
You took the high road, whether you wanted to or not. You just prove time and time again that I’ve picked the right company; most people wouldn’t have made the call you did.
You have exceeded my expectations in every way since I began this relationship over 2.5 years ago. It’s so easy to work with people who always do the right thing!
Meet Our Associates
But who are we really?
Shelley has a simple philosophy: you get up every morning and do what needs to be done. You fulfill the obligation to give back, whatever that means to you. You live a good life, and are a good person, because you are always going to touch somebody’s life.
It’s the philosophy that has led Shelley and her husband to adopt two children from China and one dog from West Virginia, and it’s the philosophy that makes her an exceptional leader. She is energized by project based work that involves a group of people steadily achieving milestones under a leader that can, as she says, “bring out the genius of the group.” Her ready laughter and ability to be extraordinarily engaged in whatever she is doing – whether it’s organizational change management, child management, or anything in-between – make Shelley uniquely empathetic and effective, whether as facilitator, leader, coach, change agent, or simple communicator.
Her three current, long term goals speak to her commitment to her work, her love of her family, and her internal drive. Goal #1: To champion the importance of integrating organizational change management into the internal culture of more organizations. Goal #2: To watch and enjoy her children growing up. Goal #3: To run a half marathon. You live a good life.
But who are we really?
Malisa has a reputation for being the one who can keep all the balls in the air. She’s not always so sure, but she does strive to gracious, hard working, prepared, and adding value to all that she does. And she does a lot! Complimented on and admired by colleagues for the quality of her work, Malisa thrives on finding solutions. Whether alone or on a team, when she is faced with a problem that appears to have no solution, Malisa is energized by “going past the wall” and finding a key that unlocks the puzzle. She takes particular pride in creating new tools – starting from nothing, a blank screen – to presenting a demo of a real tool to a client. In Malisa’s words, “That’s fabulous.”
Equally fabulous, is watching her two children grow into “their own little people” who keep her on her toes, and grounded in her desire to be there for what’s important to them.
There are a lot of balls in the air, and so far, she’s juggling it all.
But who are we really?
Making Something Better
Stefanie takes her work ethic and inspiration from her grandmother, a working mother long before it was fashionable, who retired at the age of 83 because she had difficulty standing for long hours but thought it was inappropriate to do her job, selling hosiery, from a stool. Convinced that working and being involved kept her grandmother young and engaged, Stefanie applies a similar energy and commitment to her work – and to having fun.
Always aiming for a healthy balance between work and fun, Stefanie likes knowing that she has been part of making something better. Whether by volunteering at her daughter’s school, or serving on the Board of a local homeless shelter, or developing and delivering a world class CRM project, she enjoys having an impact. At her core, she is a collaborator, constantly challenged and impressed by intelligent people, and convinced that solid Team Work yields best results. Stefanie’s experience, expertise, and demeanor result in a leader who listens, who integrates viewpoints, who sees the goal and finds the best path to it. And as a leader, or friend, or colleague, her keen focus on people – making sure needs are met, voices are heard, questions are answered – makes her input sought after and valued.
She swears her dream is to retire and live on a ski mountain. The ski mountain part is very likely – but retire? Not so much.
But who are we really?
Toya credits her Dad, who came from exceptionally humble beginnings and still managed to be both smart and cool, for making her generally fearless, and convinced that anything is possible. As she says, “You get an incredible amount of true grit that will sustain you in any world, from having to hustle to pay the bills.” It is this same background that makes Toya comfortable in almost any setting, adept at talking with people and skilled at working as part of a team.
Toya is passionate about the empowerment of women, and particularly women in business, an area she feels is underserved. While at Deloitte, she was a Regional Champion for the Women’s Initiative, teaching women how to hone skills that can be used in business, how to network, and how to leverage their strengths.
The energy and passion Toya brings to her work as a consultant are also the driving force behind her desire to own and operate a small business of her own. And from there, she’d like to build a philanthropic avenue to give back, create a scholarship related to educating women in business, endow a business school…….anything is possible.
JOY QUINN
Who are we?
Ms. Quinn is a versatile, analytical, action oriented, and results driven management consultant with 12-years experience in organization, process, and technology transformation, strategy, and project management.
But who are we really?
Seek to Reveal the Opportunity in the Challenge
Joy starts each day with a “make it happen” attitude. Personally and professionally, obstacles aren’t really an issue. She takes great pleasure in working over, under, and around hurdles in creative ways, and credits her dad for teaching her the power of seeking to reveal the opportunity in the challenge. With a commitment to high standards and no short-cuts, above all else, Joy strives to always be fair, stay positive, and maintain forward momentum.
It’s no surprise that this outlook has led Joy to great success in making change happen in all kinds of situations. A seasoned management consultant, talented musician, and part time athlete, Joy has added entrepreneur to her resume. Working with TLN on the massive transformation project at USCIS, Joy values the importance of the task at hand, and finds great satisfaction in knowing that the work being done – getting the right systems in place – will make a direct difference in people’s lives. She admits it’s a bit of a roller coaster, but the excitement and challenge of the ride bring her back every day.
At the same time, Joy is also fulfilling a long-held desire to be a business owner. Having explored a lot of partnership opportunities for growing her consulting business, her heart wasn’t totally in it. “Although I love working as an independent consultant, and have wanted to grow ‘a business,’ there was a part of me that couldn’t commit to growing the consulting business…perhaps because I’ve been doing it so long.” Joy knew she had found the right one when she was on a business trip and strolled into a shop and experienced what she calls “an amazing sensory experience.” One thing quickly led to another, and in 2010 Joy and her business partner opened The Spice and Tea Exchange in Alexandria, VA. Since then, they have opened another shop in historic Annapolis, MD. “I love to cook, but time is short,” she explained. “Our spice blends and rubs let people have a complex cooking experience in a simple format.” The shops, which also offer fine and exotic spices, teas, sugars and salts, along with unique accessories, are thriving. And Joy and her partner are looking forward to the possibility of expanding to more stores.
Joy admits that the 18-hour days she is currently splitting between her two worlds are challenging, but sees valuable lessons from each world coming into play in the other. “Though the problems are different, hurdling them requires the same ingredients: focused goals, effective communication, committed people, and good working relationships.”
By building the right relationships, leading by example and rolling up her sleeves, she has earned a reputation as an enthusiastic and focused professional who doesn’t take no for an answer, and gets things done.
Beyond her passion for work and a job well done, Joy is an accomplished musician who plays with a local orchestra, a soccer player, cyclist, skier, and traveler. She also remains very active with the Wharton School of Business. Even on vacation, she takes pleasure in getting up early and getting something accomplished – and then sitting back to enjoy the rest of the day.
Joy has been quoted as saying “I don’t want to live an ordinary life.” That doesn’t seem to be a problem.
