Who We Are: Our Team - Creative Energy Options (CEO) - Offering leadership programs, consulting and coaching with a focus on leadership training, team building, improved communication, and conflict resolution.

In addition to our successful programs, CEO's core group of highly–experienced consultants and facilitators are available for:

Creative Energy Options Founders

Herb Kaufman is Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Creative Energy Options, Inc. (CEO) and brings more than 30 years experience as a corporate executive and experiential leadership educator. He has the ability to combine bottom line thinking with attention to organizational health and well-being. Herb has developed and conducted innovative executive programs and has led adventure-based leadership challenge workshops to Peru, Brazil and New Mexico.

Sylvia Lafair, Ph.D. is Co-Founder and President of Creative Energy Options, Inc. (CEO) She holds a doctorate in clinical psychology, has taught at Hahnemann University, and is an executive coach and leadership educator. She has worked successfully and strategically for more than 30 years with all levels of management from leading business owners, senior corporate officers and scientists to mid-level managers and high-potential leaders. Her book about the connection of family patterns at work is due out in 2008.

Visit Dr. Sylvia Lafair's blog

Staff

Jane Evans is the Executive Director of Administration for Creative Energy Options, Inc. (CEO) and the keeper of our records. She provides support and services to new and existing clients, manages our human resources, purchasing, budget and finance, payroll and scheduling. Jane has more than 31 years of business and leadership experience and has held a number of critical managerial positions in major companies representing a variety of industries including banking, federal healthcare, manufacturing, stock brokerage and leisure entertainment.

Mary Jane Saras, LCSW, is Vice President, Leadership Development, for Creative Energy Options, Inc. (CEO). As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Mary Jane brings years of experience in group development, group process, team-building and strategic planning to help organizations grow in creativity and collaboration. As a lead facilitator, Mary Jane supervises and conducts all CEO programs. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Secondary Education from Clemson University and a Master of Social Work from Marywood University. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Pennsylvania.

Lorraine Dachiel, M.S., is the Director of The Country Place Retreat and Conference Center, headquarters of Creative Energy Options, Inc. (CEO). She brings over 20 years experience in the field of training and development, consulting with corporate business leaders to design and implement employee development initiatives. At The Country Place, her skills in facilitation, leadership and organization development are directed to creating a center devoted to inspiring personal and professional growth and providing complete guest satisfaction. Lorraine holds a Master in Human Resources Education from Fordham University.

Patti Schuldenfrei is CEO's Director of Communications, otherwise known as the Communications Guru. With a journalism degree from Syracuse University's prestigious Newhouse School of Public Communications, Patti has many years' experience in areas as diverse as magazine writing and publishing, marketing communications, human resource consulting, and entrepreneurship. Her expertise in the area of branding helps ensure that CEO, like all excellent leaders, sends a clear and consistent message about who we are and what we stand for.

Shirley Sabol is our Administrative Coordinator for CEO and The Country Place Retreat. Shirley is your first point of contact with CEO and her pleasant and warm personality offers a true authentic welcome to CEO. As a graduate of Alvernia College with a background in Public Relations, Interpersonal Communication and Mass Media Communication, Shirley brings a wealth of knowledge to this position to assist in the visibility and promotion of CEO and The Country Place Retreat.

Consulting Faculty

Dianne Moore, M.A., Senior Consultant, has served as a Human Resource Manager for 3M division, Senior Development Consultant, Manager of Team Building Services and Director of Organization and Talent Development for Imation. She helps executives solve complex issues, provides executive coaching, builds high-performance teams, and leads cultural change initiatives and teaches others to do the same.

Nancy Pennebaker, M.A., Senior Consultant, is a contributing editor of PEPTalk, CEO’s monthly e-newsletter. For 18 years she was a senior director of a large 501c3, Nancy provided coaching and workshops for effective leadership and communication and is an expert on non-profit organizational issues. Nancy has a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology, a Masters of Science in Journalism, is a graduate of Stanford University's Institute for Executive Leadership and is presently in a Doctorate program, focused on organizational development at Capella University.

George Pennebaker, Ph.D., Senior Consultant, is a contributing editor of PEPTalk, CEO’s monthly e-newsletter. He is a pharmacist, a columnist, an innovator and leader in healthcare. He received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of California and has been on the University’s Board of Regents. He has served on several other Boards and Commissions and is a Past Present of the California Pharmacists Association.

John Meade, B.A., Senior Consultant, is a 1974 graduate of Princeton University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and Education. John brings a unique blend of experience to CEO from more than 30 years of diverse entrepreneurial & business management endeavors including a life-coaching practice. He has been a production manager for many Hollywood films and has been based in Los Angeles and Santa Fe.

Mary Wilson, M.A., Senior Consultant, was head of People Development for McDonald's largest global supplier. She brings 30 years of experience as a business consultant, senior manager and human resources development professional. Her expertise is in the areas of leadership development, performance feedback, team-building, interpersonal communication and conflict management. She is an adjunct professor in the Leadership Development Institute at Northampton Community College and a certified mediator.

Connie Pheiff, Senior Consultant, is a versatile executive with a powerful blend of non-profit and for-profit experience, including 20 years of leading organizations ranging from local chambers of commerce to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. She has a talent for leading organizational change and driving results by identifying creative solutions, forging collaborative cross-functional partnerships, and instilling fiscal and operational discipline. Connie is an approved consultant for an ethics and accountability program for the Pennsylvania non-profit sector.

Catherine K. Afeku, Senior Consultant to Ghana, resides in the town of Kumasi, in the Ashanti district, Ghana. She brings more than 15 years of high-level office management, sales and financial experience in an international environment. Catherine has strong ability to instruct and facilitate programs and her organizational planning and public speaking skills can be seen in her monthly television program about business issues and economic development in Africa.

John R. Delfs, M.D., Senior Consultant, holds an Doctorate from Harvard Medical School and a Bachelor of Science Degree from Tulane University and is board-certified in Internal Medicine, Geriatric Medicine, and Neurology. He has more than 25 years experience in medical practice and education and in the business of healthcare. He has also held a number of leadership positions in medicine and the healthcare industry and is currently President of a medical marketing company.

Joclyn Won Goss, Senior Consultant, has dedicated her 15-year career to making a difference in people’s lives, from juvenile offenders to domestic violence victims to the staffs, volunteers, and clients of not-for-profit organizations. An experienced human resources manager and academic administrator, she describes herself as a “compassionate, straightforward motivator” who uses skills honed in counseling and social work to introduce change, achieve consensus, and build team support. Joclyn is currently Executive Administrator for a non-profit ministry center in Philadelphia.