Our Team
Meet the Team
Our diversity is our strength that helps you succeed.
Warren Wright
Founder and CEO
warren@secondwavelearning.com
Warren is one of the nation’s leading experts on researching generations, working with leaders to uncover their influence and insights on business strategy and outcomes. He advises leaders on ways to humanize the workplace, putting autonomy and ownership in the hands of the individual worker while improving engagement and results in the process. He began his career in radio and television interpreting Nielsen and Arbitron ratings to help companies better understand their audience. As Managing Partner at Gallup, he led innovative projects that combined the disciplines of psychology, sociology, economics, and statistics to achieve new insights for strategic decision making, including the largest polling project ever conducted on the Iraqi citizens during the Iraq war. Warren has over 2 decades of experience in consumer research and demography, leadership development, and workshop facilitation. He worked with best selling author and demographer Neil Howe who coined the term “Millennial.” It was working with Howe that Warren discovered the role generations play in shaping culture, society and workplaces. He is author of the book, Second Wave Millennials: Tapping the Potential of America’s Youth, published in 2019. Warren is a frequent keynote speaker for associations and company conferences. He is a lifelong learner in the areas of human behavior, leadership and business outcomes. His top 5 Strengths are: Maximizer, Activator, Ideation, Developer, and Positivity.
Alexandra Santiago
Culture Transformation Consultant
alex@secondwavelearning.com
Alex is a lead facilitator and consultant for Second Wave Learning. She has a master’s degree in Organizational Development and Knowledge Management from George Mason University. Her experience as a Talent Development Specialist in corporate Human Resources allowed her to understand the complexities of technical management, development, and delivery of large-scale leadership workshops. She has facilitated multiple focus groups, applied quantitative data and analysis to improve the effectiveness of corporate leadership programs, and facilitated enterprise wide Leadership programs. Alex is both a problem solver and charismatic and confident facilitator. She knows how to energize a room, and makes training a worthwhile and purposeful pursuit. Alex is fully bilingual and proficient in English and Spanish. Her passion and interest in generational differences, especially Millennials in the workplace, led her to join Second Wave Learning as an Advisory Board Member. Now she brings her passion, enthusiasm and experience as lead facilitator and experienced consultant for Second Wave Learning.
Nikki Rogers
Culture Transformation Consultant
nikki@bladen-group.com
Nikki Rogers Is a transformation strategist with 20+ years’ experience in organizational change management, strategic planning, and project management across multiple industries. She is the Managing Director of the strategy consultancy the Bladen Group Previously, Nikki was a senior program manager at Booz Allen Hamilton where she spent over a decade guiding federal clients through organizational transformation. She has a B.S, MBA, MHA and certificates, including the Change Management Advanced Practitioner Program (CMAP) at Georgetown University the Leadership Development program (LDP) at Johns Hopkins University, and is a Project Management Professional (PMP). Nikki is the host of the Women Thriving in Business podcast and the Board Treasurer of the Washington Improv Theater.
Diana Katz
Chief Catalyst
diana@secondwavelearning.com
After a 15-year computer engineering career at Computer Sciences Corporation and Performance Engineering Corporation, Diana redirected her considerable energies to the philanthropic sector.
As a co-founder of the Giving Circle of HOPE (GCH), she led the development of its grant making process, from mission definition and criteria, through evaluation, selection, award and post-grant assessment. Subsequently, she applied lessons learned to develop and award larger grants as co-founder of the Latino Engagement and Achievement Fund (LEAF), which seeks to increase Latinx civic education and engagement in Northern Virginia.
Since 2004, Diana has been a connector, a voice, and a partner for local nonprofits. In partnership with nonprofit leaders, she co-convened the Northern Virginia Ideas Exchange (NoVIE), a CEO-level forum to benefit social good organizations. Working with community leaders, she was the force behind the creation of the award-winning NVRides, which is the most impactful of the programs initiated under Fairfax County’s 50+ Community Action Plan.
Diana views her role of Chief Catalyst at Second Wave Learning as an extension of her passion for creating relationships to achieve meaningful and effective change.
Farzin Farzad
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Consultant
ffarzad@criticalequity.com
Farzin Farzad is an Organizational Justice practitioner with experience in higher education, local government, and the private sector. Holding two master’s degrees in international affairs and diplomacy as well as a certificate in conflict resolution skills. Farzin leverages his unique academic background, extensive travel experience, and experiential knowledge to provide comprehensive, thought-provoking local and global approaches to his work. Farzin is the founder of Critical Equity Consulting, LLC, a boutique Organizational Justice consulting firm focused on helping organizations rebuild with a primary focus on creating equitable outcomes.
Cindy O’Kane
Leadership Coach
cindy@secondwavelearning.com
Cindy O’Kane is a leadership coach and business consultant with over 20 years of experience serving private sector and non-profit organizations. As a coach, Cindy works with senior executives, helping them gain insights into their own drivers and behaviors; and empowering them to operationalize who they want to be as authentic leaders.
She is a trained facilitator, working with teams to co-create goals and vision for success, clarify roles and responsibilities, improve cross-team communication, and create a culture of collaboration.
In her years at KPMG Consulting and The MITRE Corporation, Cindy led Organizational Change Management (OCM) teams to support clients undertaking large-scale organizational change, including joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, and IT/ERP implementations.
Cindy is a graduate of the Georgetown University Executive Coaching Certification Program, and a member of the International Coach Federation. Cindy received her MBA from Boston University, and her MSW from Syracuse University, where she also completed her BS.
Cindy serves on a variety of non-profit boards in the DC area including the Community Foundation of Northern VA, and is a member of the Giving Circle of Hope, and the Business Women’s Giving Circle.
Dr. Melba Nicholson Sullivan
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Consultant
Dr. Melba Nicholson Sullivan (she/her/hers) is a licensed clinical-community psychologist, executive coach, people, culture, and systems consultant, and performing artist. Using contemporary research, psychological principles, contemplative practice, theater arts and somatic approaches, Dr. Nicholson Sullivan works with people from across global organizations. Her clients include United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Refugee, Asylum, and International Operations (USCIS-RAIO), Human Rights Watch, monday.com, McDonald’s Corporation, Center for Victims of Torture-National Capacity Building Project.
Prior to creating Freedom Flow Solutions, LLC, Dr. Nicholson Sullivan served as the Director of Training for the Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture where she provided individual and group therapy to LGBTIQ+ survivors/asylum seekers. She also designed and implemented the organization’s interdisciplinary training program for government, healthcare, legal and social service trainees and professionals. Dr. Nicholson
Dr. Nicholson Sullivan specializes in stress and resilience, anti-racism, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, leadership, management, and organizational development. She is a dynamic speaker and thought leader. Her publications include peer-reviewed journal articles, magazine articles, and book chapters. She is committed to equitable and attuned workplace cultures that leverage everyone’s lived experience and promotes their capacity to thrive.
Charles Dahan
Director of Research
Charles Dahan has worked as a survey researcher, and methodologist for fifteen years, with specific expertise in quantitative research for customer engagement, employee engagement, and corporate reputation management.
He uses rigorous methodological training developed from his PhD work at the University of Florida to ensure every corporate, association, and non-profit client has access to the most current research techniques for exceptional measurement and evaluation, including the development of unique methods for market research experiments utilizing conjoint and maxdiff models.
His survey research projects have assisted clients in designing engagement campaigns and materials, understand and track employee and consumer perceptions of their brand, and effectively identify actions to increase employee engagement and productivity. Charles has worked as the program manager for the Stanford University Immigration Lab, and research centers at George Mason University.
While his focus primarily lies in the corporate sector, his academic research has been published in many peer-reviewed publications, including Political Studies, Social Science Quarterly, and Social Science Journal. He is an active member of the American Association of Public Opinion Research (and has presented at the national AAPOR conference as well as Southern and DC chapter conferences), and the American Political Science Association.
Jenn Urso
Culture Transformation Consultant
jenn@activate-within.com
Jenn Urso is a coach and mentor for high impact, renegade leaders. These professionals, from emerging to established, are deeply invested in creating new ways of working, leading and living, which begins by becoming the best version of themselves. Jenn is a passionate business changemaker, coaching people and teams into new mindsets and habits to elevate the way we experience and facilitate business. She coaches with an open mind, bold spirit, and action-oriented lens to create personal and professional development.
Eliyahu Lotzar
Culture Transformation Consultant
eyl@reframedreality.com
Eliyahu Lotzar is an organizational therapist. Through his OD practice, Reframed Reality, Eliyahu (eh-lee-YAH-who) serves as guide and compassionate goad for workplaces to reframe their mindsets, relationships, and processes toward increased inclusivity and collaboration.
As academic, his primary research in employee soft skills and organizational culture has been utilized by commercial ventures, educational institutions, and government agencies in over 70 countries.
As an organizational consultant, trainer, group dialogue facilitator, and leadership coach, Eliyahu provides careful assessment, years of experience as a professional counselor, and more than 25 conceptual frameworks to help organizations, teams, and leaders. He catalyzes awareness and release of patterns of imbalance and stuckness in mindset, behavior, process, structure, and culture. His experience includes healthcare, non-profit, social service, higher education, and manufacturing.
Eliyahu is an Everything DiSC® Authorized Partner; Certified Everything DiSC® Trainer and Certified Everything DiSC® Management Trainer. He is also an Arbinger Institute Certified Facilitator of Developing and Implementing the Outward Mindset at Work.
Eliyahu holds an Ed.D. in Executive Leadership from St. John Fisher College, an MSW from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a BA in Political Philosophy from James Madison College at Michigan State University.
Giorgia Howe
Digital Strategist
giorgia@secondwavelearning.com
While studying in Italy and Quebec, Giorgia discovered her passion for education as a tutor and certified ESL teacher. She received her Bachelor's degree in Economics with minors in History and Italian Studies from McGill University in 2014. A firm believer in lifetime learning, she has continued her post-grad education through a variety of foreign language classes, online curricula, and professional certifications. Giorgia began her career working in the field of generational and demographic studies as a research and data analyst and has always been extremely interested in intergenerational dynamics and how different generations were raised. After several years in research, she began using her analytical skills to help small businesses develop and manage their online presences. A Google-certified AdWords specialist, Giorgia is an insightful digital strategist and online marketing professional who is excited to work with an organization that combines her passion for education with her previous experience in generational research.
Daniel Katz
Director of Marketing
daniel@secondwavelearning.com
Daniel is director of marketing for Second Wave Learning, bringing his ten years of experience in communications and business development for global professional services firms. He has worked with high-level executives on a variety of marketing initiatives, from crafting multimillion-dollar business proposals and drafting multilingual marketing credentials to storyboarding digital advertising and executing major events. Daniel has also advised on marketing strategy, post-merger integration, and client relationship management. At the beginning of 2018, he founded Danielist, a marketing communications boutique where he works closely with his clients to develop strategies to profile their expertise and achieve their business goals. Also passionate about diversity empowerment, Daniel has advanced marketing initiatives for a Latino civic engagement fund, minority-owned businesses, a non-profit working on behalf of law students of color, and a corporate diversity program.