Constance Dierickx is a rarity among consultants – a pragmatic expert. She has consulted with over 500 executives, more than 20 boards in over a dozen countries, written more than 20 articles and delivered memorable speeches in the US, Europe, and Latin America.
She has provided consultation to Bank of America, Best Buy, ARAMARK, Gillette, Tennessee Valley Authority, Chubb Insurance, Alston and Bird, PanAMSat, DIRECTV, American Automobile Association, American Society of Hematology, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Olive Garden, Buffets and Frito-Lay as well as private equity firms, start-ups and professional services firms.
Early in her career at a major Wall Street firm, she saw firsthand the impact of poor management, pay without performance, or worse, pay for destructive performance, irrational beliefs, and extreme overconfidence. The behavior of neither her colleagues nor clients made sense, but her curiosity about it propelled her to earn a Ph.D. in psychology.
Constance’s sardonic wit and sharp observations lead publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Chief Executive, Chief Financial Officer, Directorship, Boards and Directors, and Corporate Board Member to seek out her point of view. Speeches, workshops and seminars with Constance are a combination of useful concepts, infused with examples from her work, brought to life by her sardonic wit.
She serves on the board of the Board of Directors Network where she is President-elect and chairs the Board Development Committee. Constance is also on the board of the Inter-Organization Network and leads the Board Referral Committee. She is a licensed psychologist and a member of the American Psychological Association, the Georgia Psychological Association, the Society of Consulting Psychologists and the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Constance is married to Michael Dierickx and has two adult daughters. An amateur anthropologist and chef, she also maintains an inexplicable interest in boxing. Even a Ph.D. in Psychology does not equip her to explain her divergent interests.
Mary Madden is an experienced senior executive who has worked in numerous early stage, high growth and mature companies serving in roles such as CEO, President, COO or consultant.
From 1981-1994, Ms. Madden was President, Founder and Co-CEO of Information America, the first company to offer on line access to public record data. She created the firm, raised over $8 million from angel investors and venture capital, grew profitable revenues to $25 million, took it public, and then sold the company. Ms. Madden has worked with ValuBond, Inc. (sold), eAttorney (sold to Lexis), fabric.com (sold to Amazon), Miavendia.com, LVGRM, and LAWDOCS. She has done turnaround work with Grisanti Galef and Goldress.
Ms. Madden has received numerous awards including: inclusion on Inc magazine’s 500 List for three years running, finalist for Inc’s Entrepreneur of the Year, and the Information Industry Entrepreneur of the Year. She is a member of the Committee of 200, CEO Netweavers, and the Society of International Business Fellows. She has served on private and public corporate boards. She is and has been on several advisory boards for TI:GER program at Georgia Tech and Emory University, Kennesaw University Center for Corporate Governance, the Grove, and the Global Foundation Network. She is co-founder of the Atlanta Chapter of Women Corporate Directors for women on public and private corporate boards. Ms. Madden received a BA in Math and Economics from Vassar College and an MLS in Library of Science from Columbia University.
Heather Rocker is the Chief Executive Officer for Girls Incorporated of Greater Atlanta, a leading nonprofit organization that helps girls recognize their rights and reach their full potential. Girls Incorporated is part of a national youth organization dedicated to helping every girl become strong, smart and bold. In 2011, Girls Incorporated of Greater Atlanta celebrates their 35th anniversary having served over 100,000 girls in metro Atlanta.
Heather is a recipient of the Turknett Leadership Character Award, was named to the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Top 40 Under 40, named an Outstanding Young Alumna by Georgia Tech, and is an inductee of the Georgia Tech College of Engineering Council of Outstanding Young Engineers. Heather’s story is profiled in the book “Change Your Career: Transitioning to the Nonprofit Sector” and she is a contributing author in the book “CLIMB: Leading Women in Technology Share Their Stories.”
Heather’s dedication to improving the lives of women and girls led to volunteer leadership roles with Atlanta Women’s Alliance, Distinguished Young Women of America, and the Junior League of Gwinnett & North Fulton Counties.
Prior to joining Girls Inc., Heather served as the first-ever executive director for Women in Technology (WIT), leading WIT volunteers in raising funds for WIT’s programs, recruiting and managing more than 50 Atlanta-based corporate partners, and developing and implementing WIT’s strategic volunteer program for 200-plus volunteers. Under her leadership, WIT more than tripled their fundraising goals, and WIT Foundation’s Girls Get IT program was awarded the 2010 Spirit of Endeavor “Leadership in Technology” Education Award.
Previously, Heather was the Product Manager at Georgia Center for Nonprofits and a Senior Consultant for EnerVision. She is the Immediate Past Board President of Atlanta Women’s Alliance, Executive Team Member & Past State Chairman for the Distinguished Young Woman of Georgia Scholarship Program, Trustee and Past Young Alumni Committee Chair for Georgia Tech Alumni Association’s Board of Trustees, and Board Advisor & Community Impact Director for the Junior League of Gwinnett & North Fulton counties.
Heather speaks to nonprofit and corporate groups about incorporating strategic volunteering, and served as a presenter at the 2011 National Conference on Volunteering and Service. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and son.
