ABOUT US: Who We Are

All Executive Essentials trainers and coaches are business professionals who succeeded in their profession by utilizing the business skills they train. The result is a trainer who understand the issues and audiences you face. EE's specialists work to meet the specific needs of your organization:

Michelle Tillis Lederman, CPA, MBA, ACC - President & Founder Connect with Michelle Tillis Lederman: www.michelletillislederman.com
Michelle Tillis Lederman, author of The 11 Laws of Likability (AMACOM), is the founder of Executive Essentials, a training company that provides communications and leadership programs, as well as executive coaching services.  Michelle believes real relationships lead to real results and specializes in teaching people how to communicate with confidence, clarity, and connection.  She has delivered seminars internationally for fortune 500 companies, universities, high schools, and non profit organizations including; JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Citibank, Deutsche Bank, Columbia Business School, MetLife, Sony Music, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and The Museum of Modern Art.    Michelle is an Adjunct Professor at NYU’s Stern School of Business and serves on the faculty of the American Management Association.
Michelle’s has appeared on CBS Money Watch, Fox 5’s Good Day NY, and over 50 radio shows across the country including; Gayle King, NPR, Martha Stewart Living, and the John Tesh show.  She has been quoted in the New York Times, The Star Ledger, Working Mother and Real Simple magazines, US News & World Report, on MSNBC, and Monster.com among others.  Her book, articles, quizzes and videos have been featured on USA Today, AOL, Forbes, CNBC, and About.com.
Michelle spent ten years in finance beginning her career as a Certified Public Accountant in Arthur Andersen's audit practice, later joining Primedia as a mergers & acquisitions analyst. Her experience ranges from venture capital to hedge funds and includes positions as a financial strategist with Deloitte Consulting, a hedge fund investment adviser for HypoVereins Bank, and a director of communications at Investor Analytics, an alternative asset risk management firm. Michelle is involved in extensive volunteer and community advocacy. She has developed a youth curriculum called Leadership Essentials which provides workshop and assembly programs. Having already reached over 1,000 teens, it is her mission to bring these critical communication and life skills to high school students to increase their likelihood of success. As an animal advocate, she has organized multiple benefits to raise awareness and donations for domestic and exotic animal rescue.	Learn more about the book
She received her BS, Summa Cum Laude, in Accounting and Communications from Lehigh University, her MBA, with honors, from Columbia Business School, and her coaching certification from the Institute for Professional Empowerment Coaching and is accredited by the International Coaching Federation. Michelle is certified in numerous assessment tools including Myers Briggs (MBTI), Lominger Voices 360, Whole Brain (NBI), Social Styles, Thomas Kikman (TKI), and Insights Inventory. Michelle is a member of the National Speakers Association and Executive Essentials is a certified Women Business Enterprise. For more information visit: MichelleTillisLederman

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Amy Aronoff Blumkin, MBA - Partner

Amy Aronoff Blumkin is a marketing and professional development consultant, focusing on cultivating leaders from inside out. Amy’s marketing and strategic-planning career spans over 20 years working for some of the top tier marketing and sales organizations in the world. Amy’s experience includes sales and marketing positions within AT&T, Salomon Brothers, American Express and the Walt Disney Company.

Known for her ability to lead, inspire and organize, Amy has developed marketing and sales plans for some of Walt Disney World’s newer efforts, including the Animal Kingdom. Throughout her seven years at Disney, and after, as a consultant, Amy led the marketing division’s annual operating plan. Amy also developed the first marketing intern training program in the Walt Disney World Marketing department. Additionally, she developed training programs to improve the strategic thinking for advertising input; coached senior management, and redesigned marketing operational flows and processes. Since leaving Disney, Amy has developed marketing and sales plans for small businesses ranging from Internet Start-ups to Private Equity firms. Amy earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Vermont, and her MBA from the Harvard Business School.

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Kira Copperman, LSMW

An Executive Essentials affiliate Kira Copperman’s understanding of human behavior combined with her strong communication and management skills have provided her with specific expertise in improving workplace communication to minimize risk and maximize results.  Kira has designed and facilitated programs on a variety of topics, including change management, performance management, and emotional intelligence. She is also an experienced business coach. She has presented at local and national conferences on topics related to employee communication, generational issues and stress management. She was selected as the featured presenter for Fiserv’s Enabling Leadership Excellence series. 

Kira’s career spans more than 15 years of Corporate Management and Human Resources experience. Her diverse employment background includes major corporations such as Viacom and USA Networks as well as a successful career in healthcare management. Kira has authored articles for various publications and websites including Dowden Media, the Open to Hope Foundation and Learning Dynamics. Her research has been featured in national and specialty publications, and recently, her study on workplace communication won an award of distinction. Kira hosts a weekly radio show, Lessons from the Corner Office, where she interviews executives about leadership and management.

Kira received her BS, Magna Cum Laude in Business Communication from Emerson College and a Masters of Social Work from New York University. 

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Ben Dattner, Ph.D.

An affiliate of Executive Essentials LLC, Ben Dattner has helped a wide variety of corporate and non-profit organizations become more successful by developing a better understanding of the impact of individual psychology and group dynamics on their performance. He enables organizations to make better hiring and staffing decisions, enhance the professional capabilities of managers and employees, configure teams more effectively, and reduce the amount of interpersonal and intergroup conflict.

Ben received a BA in Psychology from Harvard College, and his MA and Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from New York University, where he was a MacCracken Fellow. His doctoral dissertation analyzed the relationship between narcissism and fairness in the workplace, and his masters thesis examined the impact of trust on negotiation. Before graduate school, Ben worked at Republic National Bank of New York for three years, first as a Management Trainee and then as Assistant to the CEO. After graduate school, Ben was Director of Human Resources at Blink.com.

Ben is an Adjunct Professor at New York University, where he teaches Organizational Development in the Industrial and Organizational Psychology MA Program in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, in addition to teaching Strategic Career Management in the Executive MBA Program at Stern Business School. Ben is also an Adjunct Professor at Marist College at the New York City Police Academy, where he teaches Organizational Change in the MPA Program. Ben is a member of the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, the Consulting Psychology Division of the American Psychological Association, and the Metro New York Applied Psychology Association.

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Ann Demarais, Ph.D.

Ann Demarais is an affiliate of Executive Essentials LLC.  She has over fifteen years experience as an executive coach, facilitator, and business consultant.  She works with individuals and groups in American and International Fortune 100 companies in a variety of industries including financial services, technology, media, education, publishing, and pharmaceuticals.

Ann has coached individuals from all levels of the organization, from CEO to individual contributor.  She develops engaging and supportive relationships with her coachees, and guides them in gaining critical self knowledge, taking personal risks, and overcoming obstacles in realizing their personal and professional visions. In addition to her corporate work, Ann coaches individuals in self presentation in social situations, job interviews, and in business environments.  She has co-written a book: First Impressions: What you don’t know about how others see you, published by Bantam Books (2004), translated into 24 languages.  She has been featured on the Today Show, Good Morning America, 20-20, NPR, The BBC, The London Times, among many other venues.   

Her clients include Soros Fund Management, Barclays Capitol, Morgan Stanley, The Bank of New York, Deutsche Bank, Heidrick and Struggles, Aon Risk Services, Pearson Education, Cisco Systems, Hewlett-Packard, Sun Microsystems, Johnson and Johnson, Bristol Myers Squibb, The FBI, The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, among others.  Ann holds a Ph.D. in psychology from New York University. 

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Leemor Ellman, MA

For more than a decade Leemor Ellman has developed, designed and delivered experiential workplace training programs on topics related to work/life balance, time and stress management and communication.   Managers, directors, supervisors and administrative staff from across industries have benefited from Leemor’s fast moving style and learner-centered approach.  Using a host of cutting edge instructional methods including simulations, movement, role-plays and humor, Leemor effectively engages every type of learner in an exciting classroom environment.  Participants leave having practiced skills that are directly applicable to their back-at-work situations. 

Leemor served as a Practice Consultant at American Management Association for five years where she led teams of content experts, trainers and marketing specialists to produce several best-selling multi-day nationally-held public seminars including the popular “Communicating with Tact and Diplomacy”.  Prior to this, she worked as a social worker facilitating groups and counseling individuals at several New York City non-profit social service agencies.  For Leemor, this work experience created a critical basis of understanding in human behavior, which she brings to every training event. 

Leemor earned her MA in Organizational Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University and her BA in Psychology and Sociology from Union College. 

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Abigail R. Kies, MBA

Abigail R. Kies is committed to empowering people in all of their relationships, and is a strategic partner of Executive Essentials. Combining her business background and powerful coaching skills, Abigail works closely with individuals, teams, and organizations from diverse backgrounds including; entrepreneurs, managers, Fortune 500 executives, artists, teachers, lawyers, to enhance communication, enrich relationships, develop leadership, and realize visions.

Prior to professional coaching, Abigail worked in investment management (Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., Inc.), management consulting (Mitchell Madison/marchFIRST and freelance), and marketing (Peaceworks LLC, American Express Company). She also has extensive volunteer experience including serving as Treasurer of her NYC co-op, fundraising and event coordination for Project Sunshine, tutoring/mentoring with the East Harlem Tutorial Project, teaching with Junior Achievement, and building for Habitat for Humanity.

Abigail has a BA in Anthropology and Art History from Johns Hopkins, an MBA from Columbia Business School, and is a graduate of Newfield Network, Inc., an International Coaching Federation accredited school.

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Corey Liberman, Ph.D.

An affiliate of Executive Essentials, Corey Liberman studies issues of decision-making, social influence, conflict resolution, and teamwork in the organizational and small group realms. Corey earned his BA in communication at the University of Delaware and his MA and PhD in communication at Rutgers University. His doctoral dissertation focused on the extent to which employees’ social networks come to influence how identified they are with their organization in an attempt to understand the relationship between these two streams of research.

Corey is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Arts at Marymount Manhattan College. He teaches in the strategic and relational communication concentration, teaching courses in interpersonal communication, small group communication, organizational communication, and social network theory. Corey is an active member of the National Communication Association, the Eastern Communication Association, the New Jersey Communication Association, and the New York State Communication Association. He has several forthcoming publications, including articles dealing with cognitive social networks, network cohesion, social network constraints, and informal organizational gossip.

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Rebecca Rodskog

Rebecca, an affiliate of Executive Essentials, has spent her career helping individuals and organizations navigate and manage change. Her strength lies in her ability to cater to a client’s unique needs and customize a program grounded in practical principles that brings about successful change and growth. Her 16 years of experience includes organizational development, coaching, change management and talent engagement. Rebecca’s work spans large corporate entities and small independent, one-on-one relationships.

As a Manager in Accenture’s Change Management Practice, Rebecca became an advocate for people impacted by organizational change through training, communication and project planning. Armed with this strong foundation, Rebecca further helped clients grow as the VP of People for a financial services internet company, and then by collaborating with niche change management consulting companies and consulting independently. Her corporate clients have included Chevron, PMI Mortgage Group, Gateway Computers, Thompson Reuters, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals and She Writes. In addition to being a consultant and coach, Rebecca is proud to be a Nittany Lion, earning her degree in Communications with a minor in Speech Communications from Penn State. She’s also a featured writer on numerous websites, an actress and a mother of two.

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Laura Schwarz

Laura Schwarz, an affiliate of Executive Essentials, works with individuals, teams and organizations on improving leader effectiveness through executive coaching and training. As a former Marketing Executive, Laura knows the value that high performing leaders can contribute in driving business results. Laura's areas of expertise include executive development, executive coaching and team building. Her clients are mid and senior level executives across multiple industries with a focus on Financial Services and Marketing Services.

Prior to founding the company, Laura held leadership positions at American Express including Director of the Small Business Delta Credit Card Portfolio, overseeing P&L performance, new product development and branding as well as Director of Partnerships, creating and developing the industry-leading savings partnership program with top small business brands. Additionally, Laura led extensive global research and branding initiatives on behalf of Young & Rubicam Advertising and Research International.

A graduate of the University of Michigan with a B.A. in Psychology, Laura has earned her coaching certificate from The Coaches Training Institute (an ICF accredited program) and is certified in a wide range of assessment tools, including Myers-Briggs and Lominger Voices 360. She is a member of the Society of Human Resource Management and METRO NY Association of Applied Psychologists.

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Daniel Saunders

Daniel Saunders is a seasoned Business Communication specialist, working with companies and business people from an array of industries, in all aspects of language usage. He specializes in advanced written and verbal business communication skills for foreign-born executive-level professionals.

As a teacher and trainer in both college and corporate settings, Dan has helped clients with thousands of business, technical, scientific and interpersonal communication challenges. He worked with groups and individuals to enhance their English language, writing and public speaking skills for clients such as Merrill Lynch, UBS, BMW, UPS, Mercedes-Benz, Siemens, Accenture, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Phelps Dodge, BASF, Whole Foods, Nordstrom and others in a myriad of industries.

He received a B. A. with Honors from Hofstra University and has done graduate work in disciplines such as Applied Linguistics, Second Language Acquisition and Strategic Business Communications. Dan's passion for teaching brought him back to the profession after 25 years of Fortune 500 business and consulting experience for a wide range of industries. Dan has contributed to numerous publications, dictionaries and web sites in the areas of English language usage and strategic business communications.

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Nicole Wells, MA

Nicole Wells turned her greatest fear, public speaking, into her greatest passion and has taught hundreds of professionals to do the same. She is an adjunct faculty member at New York University's Stern School of Business as well as the School for Professional and Continuing Studies (SPCS), where she teaches Organizational Communication and Speaking Without Fear. Nicole specializes in presentation/public speaking skills, overcoming performance anxiety, and business writing.

Nicole created the course Speaking Impromptu: The Art of Thinking on Your Feet, which is now part of the curriculum at The New School and NYU's SPCS. The foundation of her skills comes from her extensive actor training--she earned her Master of Fine Arts at Rutgers University under the direction of William Esper. Nicole has performed in numerous theatrical productions throughout New York City and helped found the New Stage Theatre Company.

A successful manager, Nicole Wells has worked for two prominent New York City museums. She has experience in supervising a large staff, retail, customer service, negotiating contracts, and project management. Nicole also maintains a private coaching practice assisting people with vocal and performance issues. Prior to earning her MFA, Nicole received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre from the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

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