Bio

Dean Gualco has served in many high-profile public/private-sector positions as a human resource and library director (for two California cities, the University of California, and an entity created by the Governor of California). He has published nine books, the latest titled Take the Right Road: Finding the Right Job, Being the Right Employee, and Becoming the Right Person. Dean has appeared in over 150 national media forums, including television, radio, and magazines.

Education

Dean holds a doctorate from the University of the Pacific, an MBA, and an MPA from the University of Southern California.

Bio

Drawing upon more than two decades of specialized operations experience in the U.S. Army, Eddie possesses an extensive background in leadership, team building, strategic planning and organizational effectiveness. In his capacity as the Principal Consultant at TierraFirma Consulting, Eddie incorporates his military expertise to collaborate with executive leaders in fostering professional and organizational resilience. His focus lies in defining professional goals, co-developing strategic plans, and designing high-quality roadmaps for leadership development. Eddie is adept at providing coaching services to leaders in both the private and public sectors, leveraging his understanding of leadership dynamics gained through his dynamic military career.

Motivation for Teaching

Embracing Diverse Perspectives: Driven by a commitment to fostering diverse perspectives, Eddie believes in the power of inclusive leadership. His motivation for teaching is rooted in the belief that diverse voices and experiences contribute to stronger, more resilient leaders and organizations. By incorporating this philosophy into his courses, he aims to prepare students to navigate the complexities of the modern workplace with an appreciation for diversity and inclusion.

Bio

Eric Savickas is a proven leader, as well as an expert teacher and trainer, with over 25 years of experience as an Army officer, university instructor, and leadership coach. He is the founder and president of Convergent Impact, which is a company that provides military-inspired leadership training to those in the fire service working to make a difference each day. Eric uses his combat-tested leadership experience and practical lessons learned to help individual leaders and their departments develop, grow, and succeed.

Eric is a retired Army Field Artillery Officer who served 22 years on active duty in a variety of leadership and staff positions at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels. Most notably, he commanded multiple artillery units, served on the Joint Staff in the Pentagon, and led the Army ROTC detachment at Eastern Illinois University. Additionally, he served two combat tours in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Eric’s passion is in helping to guide students gain knowledge and facilitating “lightbulb moments” in the various subjects and topics within his courses. He seeks to be a true partner in the learning experience and understands everyone has something valuable to share that can enhance the collective knowledge of an entire class. Eric teaches using a flipped classroom format, where his students are the focus and are primarily responsible for their own success.