Julie M. Clark has been the President and Senior Project Consultant at J.M. Clark Consulting since 2004.

 

Julie is an experienced certified project manager and public accountant who consults with business leaders to relieve pain points by identifying areas for improvement in day-to-day processes.  My area of expertise is with accounting processes (purchase to pay, month-end close, inventory, business controls) and I also have experience serving as the liaison between subject matter experts and IT departments when implementing software-as-a-service. I started my career as an auditor with Deloitte and I’ve been a VP of Internal Audit and a CFO; thus, I have a depth and breadth of experience that allows me to work in many different industries and areas of the business. 

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Interview with Julie:  

• What is one mistake you witness leaders making more frequently than others?

Ignoring the infrastructure of their organizations (accounting, finance, HR, IT) and putting all energy toward top line growth.  It is like trying to row a boat with one oar (and the anchor deployed).  If you don’t keep the basics in good order (process, people and technology), you can’t serve clients.  In my career, I have seen these problems manifest in many clients.  

• What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time?

Refuse to feel stupid the for the first six months. Schedule time to think. Making decisions is exhausting. Do “something” in you day that allows you to follow and not lead (an exercise class, a craft, etc.)

• What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as a leader?

I educate myself in skills which will make me a more effective and efficient consultant. I take courses on basic techniques that I learned on my own years ago to learn new tips.  I supplement current knowledge with new certifications. I consider it “layering” veteran skills and knowledge with new techniques. I read various newsletters and blogs to pick up encouragement. Being a consultant can be lonely! 

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Diane Simard is a Bye Aerospace Executive Vice President and Member of the Board of Directors.

 

Recognized as one of the 100 inaugural “National Women in Business to Watch” by BizWomen.com, Diane M. Simard is an award-winning author and blogger, keynote speaker, late Stage III breast cancer survivor and Founder of the Center for Oncology Psychology Excellence (COPE) at the University of Denver.

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Interview with Diane:  

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• Name the top 3 things that have attributed to your successes and growth, professionally or personally? DS:

  • A college education I paid for myself – to appreciate the value it provided.

  • Perseverance – I keep believing and pushing forward long after most others give up.

  • Breast cancer – it forced me to forgive, to face my emotional traumas and to choose to live relentlessly for those who do not get to survive cancer.

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• What values are most important to you as a leader? DS: Integrity, honesty, gratitude, reliability, and the willingness to put the care and happiness of everyone else above my own.

 

• What is one mistake you witness leaders making more frequently than others? DS: They talk too much (usually about themselves) and fail to listen and genuinely interact with others.

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Kelly Goering is the Director of Program Management at CoBank and the Founder of Evolving Smart.  

 

Kelly is a Certified Project Manager, Certified Scrum Master, and Corporate Etiquette & International Protocol Consultant and trained in cross-cultural communication, global implementation projects with a specific focus on corporate/business etiquette, connecting teams, and supporting cultural sensitivities.

 

Kelly states "I am social, and love to connect people!"

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Interview with Kelly:  

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• How has your leadership changed with COVID? KG: In the time of COVID, I think your attention to detail while on WebEx/Zoom/ or any other web interface meeting has to be spot on! While you are in a more comfortable office, kitchen or patio, you have to ensure you are giving the other person the attention they deserve, go on mute when not speaking, and continue to be professional. When I need someone to be fully present, I often put in the ‘meeting location, WebEx with Camera” to let them know that I don’t only want to hear them, but I want to see them! 

• What values are most important to you as a leader? KG:  I believe you have to have empathy, be effective, be decisive, have civility and compassion and can connect with your team and across the organization.  

• What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time? KG: You are always learning. I was once given advice by an experienced and high level executive “each job that you take that is above your current role is 80/20, 80% of what you know and 20% of what you will learn”. Remember to breathe and take a moment to truly listen with your eyes and ears.

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Kate Palmer is a Vice President in the Denver office of J.P. Morgan Private Bank. Before joining the Private Bank, Kate was a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch. She began her career planning major events for corporate clients.

 

Kate earned her M.S. in Entertainment Business from Full Sail University, she holds a B.S. in Applied Economics and Business Management from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and is the winner of ColoradoBiz magazine's 2019 “Top Young Professional” award. 

 

Involved in both the professional and local community, Kate is a member of the Denver Leadership Foundation, where she serves on the Alumni Council and is a participant of their 2020 Colorado Civic DNA program. She is also on the board of CultureHaus and PawsCo, and Chairs the DAC's Whiskey Club. 

 

In her free time, Kate enjoys exploring Colorado with her husband and two dogs.

 

Interview with Kate:  

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• What does leadership mean to you? KP: It means finding a common goal more important than myself and working with others in a collective approach through teamwork, communication, and strategy.  One of the best descriptions on leadership that I have come across includes, “Leadership often demands to deal with uncertainty and to make decisions hoping that other people will follow. Success in leadership does not come from a role or title, but from clear purpose, passion, and self-awareness”.

• What three things that have attributed to your successes and growth, professionally or personally? KP: Being a listener first, building trust and connections with those in my community, having strong follow through.

• What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as a leader?  KP: I find ways to escape my own echo chamber and approach leadership with a fresh perspective. I do this by joining leadership programs, volunteering for organizations, and learning something from each person that I interact with.  

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