Career Experience
Dr. Bennett brings a diverse breadth of skills from 35 years experience with government, nonprofit and corporate, specializing in leadership development, and organizational effectiveness. Her career foundation is public service, having held management positions in local, state and federal government. Dr. Bennett was awarded U.S. Commerce Dept. – Bronze Medal for Superior Federal Service. She held-dual hatted roles as Special Assistant to the Director of the Census Bureau and to the Associate Director for Field Operations, responsible for the Partnership & Marketing Campaign with an annual budget of $150m, HQ staff of 50 and 750 decentralized personnel.
Her firm, Maximize Consulting, LLC, a private consulting firm, was National Partnership Program contractor for 2010 Census – responsible for engagement, training & coaching leaders of major nonprofit & faith-based organizations. Recently, her firm was awarded the 2016 & 2017 mentoring contracts for WICT Carolinas, Southeast, Southwest and Greater Philadelphia. This custom design program includes webinars, interactive satellite cohorts, assessments & analysis and in-person presentations by Dr. Bennett. She has expanded organizational effectiveness and executive coaching support to several telecommunications entities.
Dr. Bennett has an abiding commitment to social change through Habitat for Humanity International where she served as global Diversity Director for 5 years, as program architect, engaged national organizations; coordinated fundraising ($1.5m) and 120 partner-sponsored house builds. She is also a Guardian Ad Litem volunteer in Mecklenburg County, where she advocates for the rights and well-being of neglected and abandoned children in the foster care system. For seven years, she served as civic engagement liaison with the Obama White House Office of Faith-based & Neighborhood Partnerships and major minority NGO’s.
Current Roles
Dr. Bennett is Faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership and co-facilitates: Betsy Magness Leadership Institute and Betsy Magness Graduate Institute – leadership development and coaching senior executives in telecommunications; American Express Leadership Institute for nonprofits and American Express Leadership Institute for Minority Executives. She also co-facilitates federal client work: NGA, HHS, ACF, BOC, DOD. She co-facilitated Network of Executive Women’s Executive Institute (Chicago), a global organization, focused on senior women executives in commerce. Dr. Bennett is an author, college lecturer, innovator and sought-after inspirational speaker.
Education & Assessment Certifications
Dr. Bennett holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy & Administration, specialization – Public Management & Leadership (Walden University); Masters of Regional Planning (University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill) and Bachelors of Arts – English, Psychology and Afro-American African Studies (triple major)(University of North Carolina – Charlotte). She holds Graduate Certificates: Gamification – The Wharton School of Business – University of Pennsylvania; Executive Women’s Leadership Program – Kellogg School of Management; Northwestern University and Design Thinking for Innovation – Darden School of Business – University of Virginia. She is a certified executive coach (20-yrs); also certified in multiple psychometric assessments.
