Linda W Ferraro

About Linda W Ferraro

One of the most exciting things about starting, nurturing, and growing my firm is defining my brand—the lasting impression I want clients to see, hear, & experience. It’s an expression of my authentic self. For me, this is the power of relationships and the strength, inclusion, and cohesiveness of people. In molecular science, valency measures the degree of connectivity and the existence of purposeful bonds. I believe the same is true in business with success being correlated to an organization’s ability to bring employees together to react, interact, & effect change. Cultivating these behaviors is at the heart of my work. As a Talent, Inclusion, and Leadership Development consultant, I have worked across diverse industries including defense, education, manufacturing, government, healthcare, insurance, finance, and pharma. Key partnerships include Barnes Aerospace, Digitas, General Dynamics, Pfizer, Verizon, and UTC. Leveraging my extensive OD and HR experience, an MBA, and coursework towards a Doctorate in Quality Systems, I connect people leadership and strategic decision making with data insights, digital trends, business analysis, and statistical interpretation to drive change. Community, non-profit, and academic partnerships are critical components of my work. I take pride in being a two-time nominee of a Teaching Excellence Award at Central Connecticut State University and in my tenure at Southern Connecticut State University fostering the next generation of OD and HR leaders. My commitment to inclusion continues with my board position at Writers Block, Inc, where youth address social justice issues including domestic violence, gender identity, and racism.Let’s connect!FOCUS AREAS: Organizational Performance Leadership | Women in Business Team Optimization Cultural Workshops | Inclusion HR Organizational Collaboration Academic | Board LeadershipKEY ACHIEVEMENTS: Leadership development for 500+ UTC managers across U.S, Europe, & Asia focused on team dynamics & change. Board Leader promoting diversity, inclusion, & social justice for Writers Block, Inc. since 2015. OD & leadership capability development support to 1,500+ managers at Hamilton Sundstrand, delivering a double-digit increase in survey scores around feedback, goal setting, job growth, & communications. Cutting edge talent assessment & pipeline process for MBA interns at The Hartford. Increased brand recognition, exposure, & competitive edge. Cross-cultural leadership competency model for 1,100+ managers in the US, UK, & Japan at Pfizer.

Experience

1. Principal, Founder, & Consultant

   Valency Consulting Llc

   Jan 2009 — Present

   When not consulting or teaching, you can find me riding my horse and volunteering at the High Hopes Therapeutic Riding Center. My horse is agile with an impressive independent streak. To form a positive relationship, I look for the right cues towards partnership and engagement. I ask the right questions—balancing when to push boundaries towards performance and pull in towards partnership, cooperation, and meeting her half way. This same philosophy holds true when partnering with professionals on transformational change. My passion is to “stretch yourself to grow” whether as a business leader, people manager, HR driver, or next-generation OD learner. Together with clients, I explore workplace landmarks and partner with those who are curious and fearless and share the same commitment to pushing boundaries towards social justice, inclusion, diversity, and change. OFFERINGS: Leadership & Organizational Performance: Strategy Metrics Multi-Rater Feedback Inclusion Reverse Mentoring Women in Leadership: Business Acumen for Emerging & Senior Women Leaders Virtual & Live Workshops Team Optimization: Collaboration Issue Resolution Conflict/Change Mgt. Diversity of Thought HR Collaboration: Instructional Design Training Surveys Leader & Manager Action Planning ER Culture Workshops: Insights & HR Implications Context & Workforce Impact Dimensions of Culture Workforce Dilemmas Next-Generation Social Justice Leadership: Board Leadership University ProfessorSAMPLE PARTNERS: Leadership Research Institute: Collaborate on multi-rater survey design. Formulate constituency groups & marketing plans. Charter Oak Consulting: Deliver leadership development to UTC divisions. Position leaders to navigate transformational pipeline initiatives through communication, culture, & change mgt. training. Led workshops for 500+ global leaders. Leading Women Consulting: Senior leadership coaching for women in business.

Education

• University of New Haven

  Management Systems

• Le Moyne College

  BS/BA

• Binghamton University School of Management

  MBA

Skills

• Personnel Management
• Employee Relations
• Management Development
• Performance Management
• Employee Training
• Career Development
• Deferred Compensation
• Organizational Effectiveness
• 360 Feedback
• Executive Coaching
• Hris
• Organizational Communication
• Program Management
• Workshop Facilitation
• Instructional Design
• E-Learning
• Training
• Organizational Design
• Employee Engagement
• Recruiting
• Staff Development
• Business Planning
• Management Consulting
• Succession Planning
• Leadership
• Talent Management
• Conflict Resolution
• Human Resources
• Organizational Development
• Public Speaking
• Analysis
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Teaching
• Change Management
• Coaching
• Resume Writing
• Consulting
• Interviews
• Leadership Development
• Project Management