Meet the team

John RAMERMAN

CEO

As CEO of Ramerman Leadership Group, John has trained, consulted, coached, and presented for various industries, including banking, interior design, public school systems, criminal justice, insurance, faith communities, senior living, manufacturing, construction, universities, boards, and not-for-profits. He has experience in executive coaching, organization design, team development, culture building, presentation skills, transformational mediation, experiential workshop design, and strategic planning. John is a core faculty member for the prominent Leadership Coaching Certificate Program done in partnership between Ramerman Leadership Group and the University of Rochester. In addition to his client work, John is involved in several community initiatives aimed at solving systemic issues. He believes in the power of leadership to create a better world. John is passionate about leadership development because he has personally experienced how it is a catalyst for transforming individuals, teams, organizations, and communities. John has completed his Masters of Organization Development through Pepperdine University, where he traveled globally and consulted with companies and governments in France, Costa Rica, and China. He completed his thesis “Designing an impact assessment for leadership development programs in employee experience focused organizations”. His thesis work gives him a unique perspective on designing and implementing leadership development programs that build a high-performing culture and deliver sustainable change in organizations. John’s work is results-oriented - and every consultation is designed to create significant value for his clients.

JIM RAMERMAN

President

Jim is a hands-on transformation expert. He is a successful CEO, as well as a results-driven, innovative leadership and organizational consultant with more than 35 years helping leaders, their teams, and their organizations achieve their goals. 

He is widely known in the area as “the coaches coach.” 

Through thought-provoking dialogue, best-practice instruments and tools, professional coaching and consultation, and an engaging style, Jim helps clients generate the insights and willpower necessary to fuel desired long-term change. 

His specializations include CEO coaching, developing high-potential leaders; conflict management; succession planning, and high-performing teams. He has also facilitated organizations through the transforming process of becoming more diverse, with an inclusive culture, by helping leaders and teams do the deep work of understanding their own unconscious and implicit biases. Jim is certified in the use of numerous professional development instruments. He also has 30 years of experience working intensively with ownership and leadership succession planning and has helped many businesses and corporations navigate critical executive transitions. He is the co-founder of the Leadership Coaching Certificate Program – co-sponsored with the University of Rochester Warner School. Education: Syracuse University, Ph.D. candidate. As a Ph.D. candidate in social science through Syracuse University, Jim concentrated on interpersonal and group conflict management, leadership, and group dynamics. He earned an M.A. in Theology from St. Mary’s College, Moraga, CA, and a B.A. in Education from California State University. Jim has completed coach training with Arbinger and serves as a coach with Arbinger clients. Jim is also certified through WBECS – the World Business Executive Coaching Summit at the highest levels: ACE; Mastery and Virtuoso.

ShERRY WALKER-COWART

Senior Consultant

Sherry has been involved in enhancing the quality of life issues for communities in and around Rochester, NY for over thirty years. Sherry is the former CEO of the Center for Dispute Settlement and The Community Place of Greater Rochester. Sherry was the Executive Director of Eastside Community Center and was instrumental in merging three separate community organizations into what is now known as The Community Place of Greater Rochester. Because of Sherry’s experience as a CEO, she finds both joy and reward in being an Executive Leadership Coach with the Leadership Learning Collaborative (Warner School of Business/University of Rochester, and Ramerman Leadership Group). Her particular passion is coaching new and emerging leaders. As a trainer, Sherry has trained hundreds of individuals to be mediators as part of the New York State Unified Court System, Center for Dispute Settlement, and the United States Postal Service. Being a trainer, mediator, arbitrator, and Honored Fellow with the Canadian Institute for Conflict Resolution, she has traveled throughout the United States and Canada training and mediating individuals and organizations who want to manage and resolve conflict. Serving on numerous boards and committees, Sherry finds volunteerism a satisfying way of giving back to her community. She is and has been, adjunct faculty at Nazareth College and St. John Fisher College. Sherry holds a Certificate for Social Change and Conflict Transformation from Colgate Rochester Crozier Divinity School, Master of Science Degree from Keuka College, and Master of Arts Degree from SUNY Brockport.

Sally Breyley Parker

Senior Consultant

Sally Breyley Parker is co-founder of TimeZero Enterprises, an organization strategy, design, and development consultancy. Her work focuses on unleashing the life force of organizations as flourishing living systems – naturally innovative, productive, profitable, and healthy. She believes that all organizations are capable of flourishing when conditions are present - and that creating those conditions is our most crucial work.

Sally brings an integrated background in organizational strategy, design, and development; polarity thinking; complex adaptive systems / systems thinking; biomimicry; architecture; and cultural anthropology to her work with organizations and their leaders. She has worked with organizations in all sectors, helping leaders envision new futures and develop the strategies and designs to accomplish those futures. Her passion is social process innovations that release the authentic power of the human spirit. The outcomes are inventive strategies, innovative designs, and transformed businesses grounded in a deep sense of purpose.

Sally speaks and teaches globally on Flourishing Living Systemsä, a living systems approach to thriving. She has presented at multiple Academy of Management conferences, the European Organization Design Conference, the Organization Design Forum, the Business as an Agent of World Benefit Global Forum, the Creativity and Innovation in Management Conference (Barcelona, Spain), the Global Appreciative Inquiry Conference (Johannesburg, South Africa) and a series of Designing Organizations for Sustainability Conferences in the US, Sweden, and Italy. She has authored numerous case studies and articles on living systems, sustainability and polarity management; co-authored chapters for several volumes of the Organizing for Sustainability series; and contributed to Organization Development and Change by Thomas G. Cummings and Christopher G. Worley, 9th edition.

A Gestalt certified coach and practitioner, Sally is faculty for the Gestalt Center for Organization and Systems Development. She holds certifications in Polarity Thinking, Advanced Strategic Organization Design, Theory U, and Appreciative Inquiry. She is also a Certified Biomimicry Specialist. Sally holds a BA Interior Design, a BS Cultural Anthropology, and an MA Cultural Anthropology from Kent State University.

micah Anderson

Organizational Development Consultant

Micah Anderson (he/him/his) is an organization development consultant working with corporations, non-profits, and government agencies to better align their structure, culture, and strategy to their mission and values through leadership development, coaching, and organization change efforts.

He has experience working in non-profits, schools, and community-based organizations to enhance and build systems that support the education and well-being of low-income youth, and young people of color.

Micah has also worked in the development and training young professionals in college access work and has partnered with school staff and administration to improve college access and enrollment in high schools. Prior to that he worked as a college coach, supporting students and their families as they navigated a path through high school to ultimately obtain admission into and financial aid for postsecondary education.

Micah obtained a Master’s in Organization Development from American University and a bachelor’s in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Washington University in St. Louis.

Dr. Lynda J. Dimitroff

PhD, MSEd, BSN, LMHC, RN, MCHES, PCC
Associate Coach

Dr. Lynda J. Dimitroff earned her BSN at the SUNY College at Brockport, a MSEd in Grief Counseling at the SUNY University at Buffalo, a PhD in Health Education at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and a Certificate of Advanced Study in Mental Health Counseling at the SUNY College at Brockport. Dr. Dimitroff, a licensed mental health counselor, registered professional nurse, advanced certified health education specialist, education consultant, researcher, and certified coach has worked in academia, health care, and mental health, as well as the public and private sectors. Her professional experience spans 38 years. Lynda has consulted with local, state, national, and international organizations, and colleges and universities on topics including evidence-based practice, leadership, empowerment, mindfulness, nursing research, outcomes, and women’s issues.

 Lynda’s passion for authenticity, self-awareness, and making a difference has led her to enroll in two leadership academies. She is a graduate of the Advanced Leadership Program and the University of Rochester/McArdle Ramerman Leadership Coach Certificate Program. Dr. Dimitroff is a Professional Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation. Most recently, she completed Breakthrough! Advanced Coaching I with Ramerman Leadership Group and is currently enrolled in Breakthrough! Advanced Coaching II. Lynda’s dedication to lifelong learning led her to apply to the Internal Family Systems (IFS) Institute for IFS Level I training. She was accepted into the program and begins training this Fall.

 Dr. Dimitroff is committed to practicing mindfulness, meditation, and mindfulness-based stress reduction both personally and professionally, and has been studying these healing modalities for the past ten years. She teaches these practices in her coaching and private practices, in the community, for professional organizations, and in higher education locally and abroad. As a part of her mindfulness experience, she designed and implemented a 3-credit mindfulness course for both undergraduate and graduate students. In conjunction with this course, she designed a study and collected data to determine the effects of a 15-week mindfulness course on outcome measures in undergraduate nursing students.  

Lynda has a private mental health counseling and coaching practice. Her thoughtful and innovative approach working in counseling, coaching, and mindfulness has yielded excellent results.

DIANE BASSETT

Executive Administrator/Program Manager

Diane serves as the full-time executive administrator for Ramerman Leadership Group (RLG). She is a hard-working, organized, and detail-oriented individual with a broad range of experience in administrative and management positions. She excels at creating a smooth workflow in complex work environments. She has a dynamic combination of strong administrative ability and excellent communication skills. Diane has wonderful interpersonal and client-centric skills and is a team player with an outstanding work ethic who is eager to take on new challenges. In addition, Diane is the Program Manager for Breakthrough! Advanced Coaching Program that deepens and refines coaching skills at a more advanced level. Diane is a graduate of Roberts Wesleyan College. She is passionate about people making positive changes in their lives- both personally and professionally. She is excited to serve in her various leadership roles to work towards the goal of helping people accomplish meaningful transformation in their lives.

RACHEL Anderson

Chief Financial Officer

Rachel has a BS in Business Administration & Accounting from Greenville University. As Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Rachel is responsible for the financial and human resource functions of Ramerman Leadership Group. As a lover of people, growth, transformation and coaching she is a tremendous asset to our team.

Rachel is a CPA and has served individuals and small businesses with accounting and tax services for over 20 years. She experiences joy while teaching others and spends time educating and encouraging new business entrepreneurs.

Having a love for people and mission, Rachel and her husband have traveled extensively to India, China & Costa Rica. She spent several years working with a non-profit organization mentoring young business students and travelling around the world studying businesses with a heart for mission.

• Executive Coaching Certificate

• ICF Coaching Certification, Master Certified Coach

• Meyers Briggs Indicator 

• Korn Ferry 360 

• Emotional and Social Competency Inventory 

• Choices Architect

• Arbitration-BBB and AAA.

• Relational Coordination Survey 

• The Innovation Strengths Preference Indicator 

• DISC Certified Behavioral Analyst 

• Arbinger Coach Training process

• WBECS Master Coaching

• Mediation and Mediation Training