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True North Team Building has assembled a great team with a complementary blend of skills and experience, enabling us to address all of our clients’ team building and learning/development needs.
Members of our team have held leadership positions in experiential team-building, outdoor learning and skills-training companies - directing efforts in all areas of program development & delivery, including evaluation, group facilitation, skill development, curriculum research, planning and program design - while others have led successful high-profile corporate initiatives in sales training, capability development, consumer goods marketing, brand management, and project management. Considering this diverse range of skills, our clients can be assured that their team will have an informative, challenging and rewarding experience when working with True North Team Building.
Michelle Powers - Co-Director
As co-founder of True North Team Building, Michelle Powers brings 25 years of leadership experience in experiential learning, training, and hospitality management. Prior to launching True North Team Building, Michelle held Executive Director level positions at other experiential learning organizations, during which time she developed and led the execution of corporate leadership training curricula for Fortune 100 concerns, and experiential programming for public and private schools. Michelle also served as the Sports Center Director for the Doral Arrowwood Conference Center and Resort, managing all related aspects of program development, activities, personnel management and budget administration. Over the course of her career, Michelle has built a comprehensive, first-hand knowledge of all facets of experiential learning, hospitality, training and team building - from group facilitation, program design and evaluation - to technical support, administration and budgetary oversight.
As Managing Partner of True North Team Building, Michelle leverages her diverse skill set as program planner, facilitator, motivator and business manager, lending tangible, long-lasting value to every group she leads. Michelle holds a B.S. in Physical Education from the State University of New York at Cortland. She is a certified trainer in DISC ® Assessment.
In her spare time, Michelle enjoys hiking and traveling. Michelle's favorite True North programs include: Customized Experiential Challenges, The Great Amazing Race and Belbin Team Roles.
Cindy Crean - Co-Director
Prior to co-founding True North Team Building, Cindy Crean held corporate management positions in capability development, strategic planning and brand management, working in global consumer products goods companies. It was during the early stage of her corporate career that Cindy feels fortunate to have been mentored by a Vice President who fully understood the value of team and team building. He staged offsites three to four-times a year - typically conducting a strategy and planning session in the morning, followed by a half day of fun and motivating team building activities in the afternoon. As a result Cindy observed, first hand, the real value of investing in one’s team. In her words, this was “the strongest, most fun and productive team I ever worked with…we were all motivated and able to learn, to bond and, most importantly, to deliver impactful results for the organization …and, we all still keep in touch, 15 years later!”
As Managing Partner of True North Team Building, Cindy brings 20 years of corporate insight and experience from working with sales and global teams to all of her clients’ team building initiatives. This practical knowledge informs her approach and enables her to fully understand the team leader’s motivations and objectives - all toward the end of achieving sustainable results. Cindy holds a B. S. in Business Administration from the State University of New York at Oswego, and an M. S. in Leadership and Strategic Management from Manhattanville College. She is a certified trainer in DISC ® Assessment.
In her spare time, Cindy enjoys globe trekking {she has traveled to over fifty countries on six continents}, photography, playing ice hockey and volunteering. Cindy's favorite True North Programs include: Cooking Programs, The Shore to Shore Bridge Build, DiSC and Social Styles.
Matt Whalen - Director of Operations
Matt brings a diverse background in experiential education and leadership training. After earning a BA in Political Science and a minor in History from the University of Buffalo, Matt then spent time gaining hands on understanding in the experiential education and team building arenas while managing an outdoor adventure-based camp. Matt worked his way from Logistics Manager to Managing Director, before delving into the corporate team building world and further honing his experiential learning skills. Matt brings a diverse and proven set of leadership skills that he has acquired through a lifelong passion for the outdoors and experiential education. Some of the defining experiences in his life include participating in a twenty-eight day, National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) backpacking course in the Wrangle St. Elias Mountains of Alaska as well as extensive backpacking courses at Philmont Adventure Base in New Mexico. Matt has also spent time hiking, kayaking and camping all over North America. Matt earned the rank of Eagle Scout from the Boy Scouts of America and still considers it to be one of the capstone achievements of his life. Matt's favorite True North programs are: Chain Reaction, Bar Wars: A Cocktail Competition and Geocaching Adventure.
Our Facilitators
The True North Team Building facilitators are highly experienced and certified in their respective area's of expertise. We are happy to include their bio when we submit a proposal to you.
Where We Work
True North Team Building works across the U.S. and Canada. We have hosted team building and learning & development programs in: New York, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Chicago, New Haven, Long Island, White Plains, Stamford, Greenwich, Toronto, Columbus, Cincinnati, Washington, DC, Portland, Cleveland, Rochester, Buffalo, Albany, Boston, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Diego, San Francisco, Dallas, Denver, Austin, Houston, San Jose and more.
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