WORK SAMPLES Jennifer McCall
2025 THE HUMAN SIDE OF INNOVATION EMPOWERING EMPLOYEES TO LEAD THE CHARGE
AKS Cutting Systems • Alco-Chem, Inc. • Biery Cheese Co. • Cantex Inc. Ferragon • Hynes Industries • North Coast Container • OGS Industries Philpott Solutions Group • Royal Chemical • Skylift • Stakes Manufacturing
MINDY BAIERL
WHAT MAKES A STARTUP SUCCESSFUL? IT’S PEOPLE, PURE AND SIMPLE February 2025 ■ www.sbnonline.com
FRED DISANTO
THE IMPORTANCE OF CHOOSING THE RIGHT BUSINESS PARTNER
MARK A. FILIPPELL
ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL IN M&A VALUATIONS
How Corporate College helped Step Forward establish an internal development program
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tep Forward recognized that a generational change was coming to the organization. Turnover from retirements would threaten the antipoverty agency’s mission to promote educational attainment and economic self-sufficiency in Cuyahoga County. So, the nonprofit determined that it had to develop its internal teams to more effectively promote from within. “Just as we work to uplift our community, we wanted to invest in the growth and success of the staff,” says Russell Bowsky, the Step Forward human resources training and development coordinator. “We’re an educational institution externally, but we’re also an educational institution internally. We can’t expect to champion those values if we don’t embody them.” Bowsky was chosen to head an internal development initiative that would better prepare the existing staff to step into vacated roles. Early in the project, however, he recognized that he needed help. He found it through Corporate College®, a division of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®). “I quickly realized that it was going to take more than a year to develop the materials that I would need to launch something of this scale,” he says. “I
“They’re really engaged. They’re excited, and they want to keep learning and applying what they learned to continue to grow. That’s making a big difference in the organization and winning people over, showing them the value in this learning.” looked around the Cleveland area and found Corporate College. With the quality of its content, its interactivity and the value for the pricing, it became evident that this was the best partner to help us do this quickly and at scale.” Start from the beginning Bowsky connected with Jennifer McCall, the project manager of client solutions and program management at Corporate College. Its staff is accustomed to large enterprise training initiatives, and Step Forward’s needs were well within its capabilities. “We’re used to handling top-down approaches from leadership, working closely with their frontline employees to make sure that we offer a learning solution that really meets the needs of their organization,” McCall says. “I felt
like this would be a really good fit — that we’d be able to design a solution that’s unique to their learning needs. After identifying Step Forward’s needs and matching them to Corporate College content, a schedule was set, and courses were implemented. Starting with 60 people, the courses focused on areas such as trust, customer service, continuous improvement, teamwork and performance management. And always, each course tied the lessons back to the agency’s mission. Step Forward also needed to get everybody on the same page, which meant training had to be done across departments and service areas. Classes were set up so different departments would need to engage with each other and develop relationships. That, Bowsky says, would help strengthen employees’ understanding of how the mission is achieved in other departments and how they could all work together to help families access services. Moment of truth Since going through the classes and returning to their roles, Bowsky says he’s gotten a lot of positive feedback from the staff and a sense that everyone
knows what they need to do to meet the organization’s mission. “They’re coming to me and asking questions afterward, and they’re applying the lessons as they work,” he says. “There’s an increased level of emotional intelligence across the organization. There are a lot of crossdepartmental relationships that have been forged through the program. Everybody is sharing the same language.” Initially, Bowsky says there was some concern about what the program would look like and how much it might take away from work time. But as they undertook the program, he says engagement quickly increased as they saw the value of their personal development. Because of that enthusiasm, the coursework has expanded.
“We’re having practice for public speaking,” he says. “We’re having a lot of different rollouts of other activities for people to develop their skills. They’re really engaged. They’re excited, and they want to keep learning and applying what they learned to continue to grow. That’s making a big difference in the organization and winning people over, showing them the value in this learning.” The right partner Bowsky says the partnership with Corporate College provided significant value, enabling the organization to implement the agency-wide leadership academy that they’d envisioned with a short turnaround. “It’s something that’s never been done before in the organization,” he says. “It provided essential training on the core elements of leadership, and it equipped our staff at all levels with the skills necessary to lead effectively.”
“Jennifer is a fantastic partner. She helped me coordinate and organize this enormous project and assisted with data reporting. I didn’t have to figure out things for myself. She was always there when I had questions.”
Having a dedicated project manager from Corporate College to work with, he says, made the process smooth. “Jennifer is a fantastic partner,” Bowsky says. “She helped me coordinate and organize this enormous project and assisted with data reporting. I didn’t have to figure out things for myself. She was always there when I had questions.” For McCall, she says working closely with clients is her favorite part of the job. “As project manager, I’m a central source for everything they need regarding program delivery,” she says. “They can count on me to be right there with them, arm in arm, making sure delivery occurs seamlessly. We get to know the participants. I’m alongside the students, seeing what’s working well and identifying opportunities for improvement on the spot. I’m there with them every step of the way to make sure that we’re delivering on the promises we made at the start.”
(216) 987-2800 ■ corporatecollege.com
EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE CASCADE CAPITAL CORPORATION
BUSINESSGROWTH THE 2024 HONOREES — P. 43 AWARDS MEET
BEHIND the
CURTAIN How some of Northeast Ohio’s top firms cultivate Rising Stars in M&A
MARCIA J. BALLINGER, PH.D. CREATING PATHWAYS FOR STUDENTS TO IN-DEMAND JOBS
October 2024 ■ www.sbnonline.com
GRAHAM HEARNS
TAKING HOME BASE TO A NEW LEVEL
RAKESH NIRAJ
AI IS NOT TO BE FEARED, BUT UNDERSTOOD
How Medical Mutual Works With Corporate College To Build a Strong Leadership Pipeline
"Fortunately, because the College offers the program in a virtual modality, her new leaders could access the same content and the same facilitators without leaving the city. The program instilled confidence in the new leaders on Jenkins’ team."
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ngoing development is part of Medical Mutual’s culture. The Cleveland-based health insurer — one of Ohio’s largest — aims to build a strong talent pipeline, says Susan Edwards, Director of Organizational Development and Culture at Medical Mutual. “We want our frontline leaders to enhance the skills they have in place to effectively lead and set an example for their teams,” Edwards says. “We also want them to gain knowledge that will allow them to develop successful leadership traits, such as decision-making and communication skills.” To do that, she says the company maps out goals for its frontline leaders
and provides internal and external development opportunities and mentorship programs to help them grow. Among those external development opportunities is the Leadership Certificate program at Corporate College®, a division of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®). Lessons learned When Jessica Jenkins was promoted to Medical Mutual Customer Care Supervisor in June 2019, she possessed skills that qualified her for the role. However, she was new to corporate leadership. To help her gain additional tools to aid in her leadership success, her management recommended
that she enroll in the Tri-C Frontline Management Certificate program. There, she says she enjoyed and appreciated the discussions centered around effective communication, she says. “A focus on different communication styles taught me how one style might work for one team member, but not another,” Jenkins says. “I’ve come to see the benefit of adjusting my communication style to fit another person’s needs. Flexing those skills has contributed to positive professional relationships, both with my leadership peers and my team.” She also learned how to effectively address more challenging encounters.
“Handling difficult conversations is part of the territory for leadership roles,” she says. “When you apply effective communication practices, though, you can reframe those discussions simply as a conversation with a goal in mind.” Because change is constant in business, she says she’s benefitted from a better understanding of the change curve. “There are various stages of processing change that, as a leader, I first need to adjust to so I can then best assist my team members,” Jenkins says. “Having that knowledge, and working through those stages for myself has allowed me a better opportunity to assist the change management process for my team members.” Jenkins says she found the information discussed in the course and the skills she gained beneficial — so much so that she felt strongly about recommending that other new leaders participate in the training partnership Medical Mutual has with the College. Training the team Though Jenkins wanted others who report directly to her to have that same valuable learning experience, the new leaders on her team were in Toledo, Ohio. Fortunately, because the College offers the program in a virtual modality, her new leaders could access the same content and the same facilitators without leaving the city. The program instilled confidence in the new leaders on Jenkins’ team. “They hone effective communication skills and help teams provide great customer service to our members and partners in the community,” Jenkins says. When a new leader comes on board, there’s always a learning curve. However, because of the College’s program, Jenkins says the new leaders quickly obtained the skills to lead their teams in providing the outstanding customer service. “Our excellent customer service standards were maintained and exceeded,” she says.
“I’ve come to see the benefit of adjusting my communication style to fit another person’s needs. Flexing those skills has contributed to positive professional relationships, both with my leadership peers and my team.” Growing together The outcome for Jenkins, her team and Medical Mutual reflects the value of their partnership with Tri-C and Corporate College. It’s allowed the College to understand the organization, its values and approaches to the development of its leaders. In this case, it led the College to recommend an existing course. But if such a course wasn’t already available, the College could take the next step. “We would be able to craft a co-branded leadership certificate program solely for the competencies that Medical Mutual wanted or needed,” says Geraldine Weiser, Executive Director, Client Solutions and Program Management at Corporate College. “Having a partnership would allow us to work together to craft the most impactful course for their learners and their approach to development.” That partnership is facilitated by regular check-ins with Corporate College's project manager, Jennifer McCall, which helps enhance the learning experience for the leaders involved as well as the organization.
Regular checks-in after each module provide perspective and feedback to the client about the learners’ experience. That gives the client a chance to understand what took place in the classroom, what was accomplished, and what could enhance or reinforce those lessons so behavioral changes are made. “Sometimes people return to the job after taking a class and fall into their former habits and behaviors,” Weiser says. “Having this continuous feedback from the project manager provides valuable information back to the client to support that learning process and facilitate the learners’ mastery of the new skillsets.” Jenkins says having a project manager made collaboration with the College easy and enjoyable. “From working with Jennifer McCall, I sensed that Tri-C truly wanted an enjoyable, yet impactful, experience for our Medical Mutual participants,” Jenkins says. An ongoing relationship also ensures the College can remain flexible to client needs as the competitive landscape changes. “One of the reasons why the partnership with Medical Mutual is so successful is they're very intentional about developing their leadership team,” Weiser says. “They're focused on the same things as we are.” While Medical Mutual offers a variety of valuable training opportunities internally, Edwards says the company also recognizes the expertise that Tri-C’s Corporate College brings as longtime educators in the business world. “We value how Tri-C is able to tailor training to specific roles and experiences of team members, and bring insight from business partners across the region,” Edwards says.
(216) 987-2800 ■ corporatecollege.com
Facilitation: Cleveland Cavaliers ERG Summit, ERG: Parents & Caregivers This year I had the opportunity to facilitate a breakout session for the Cleveland Cavaliers ERG Summit, for the Parents & Caregivers Breakout Session where we held space for meaningful conversation around what it looks like to lead, care for family, and still show up as our whole selves at work. The session focused on connection, shared experience, and practical strategies for navigating the responsibilities of caregiving while maintaining personal and professional momentum. It was inspiring to see participants support one another and walk away with both new language and a stronger peer network they can rely on moving forward. Summit Snapshots
As Global Processing & Development Training Coordinator, I planned and executed training logistics for audiences of 75+ engineers across the U.S. and Guangzhou, China, ensuring consistent delivery of technical content across regions. I led the bi-annual technical training series by coordinating scheduling, instructor engagement, regional staff support, and interpretation vendors to mirror domestic and international implementations. My responsibilities included developing and communicating the annual training calendar, managing participant registration and rosters, arranging catering and classroom setup, preparing training materials, and maintaining training data in the LMS to ensure seamless program access. I partnered with technical SMEs and external facilitators to refine content, captured training footage and testimonials to boost visibility, and collected evaluation data to drive continuous program improvement. These efforts supported the launch and expansion of multiple 2013 course offerings across both U.S. and China regions, contributing to strong participation, cross-regional alignment, and operational continuity in product and engineering capability development. Sample Training Schedule Course Offering (U.S. Courses)
Course Offering Date
Problem Solving Strategies & Techniques Course Pilot
February 19-20
Problem Solving Strategies & Techniques Course
April 8-9
Surfacing Using Creo Parametric 2.0
April 24-26
Mathcad Essentials
May 2- 3
Managing Project Risk
June 27-28
Course Offering (MGFC & MSKB Courses)
Course Offering Date
Fluid Fundamentals
March 27-28
Theory & Application of CFD Software for Solving Fluids Problems
April 11-12
Fluid Flow Analysis Consultation Using FloEFD
April 17-19
Material Selection & Testing
August 6-8
Plastic Part Design & Failure Analysis
August 27-29
As the Global Training Coordinator at Moen, I successfully expanded the Grabill Product Rough-In Installation Course from two to four monthly sessions, significantly increasing training access and strengthening workforce readiness. This initiative supported Moen’s Customer Experience Model by positioning employees as the “customer" during the installation process, allowing them to experience real-world product challenges firsthand and provide actionable insights to improve installation ease and end-user satisfaction. This course served as a customer intimacy practice, allowing employees to step into the role of the customer and gain first-hand insight into the installation journey. By positioning installers as the end user, participants were able to identify real barriers, pain points, and opportunities for improvement, enhancing empathy, problem-solving, and customercentric thinking across the workforce. In partnership with Grabill Plumbing & Heating, I streamlined scheduling operations, implemented a structured waitlist and backfill process, and proactively managed cancellations to ensure consistently full cohorts. As a result, 40+ employees completed the program, with the coordination model becoming a scalable framework for future workforce development efforts across the organization.
Design & Staged Experience: Focus Group Experience & Visual Design Initiative In preparation for a series of hospital-based focus groups, I took the initiative to enhance the physical environment of each meeting room by designing a set of custom posters that aligned with the session themes. The goal was to create a welcoming, engaging, and visually reinforcing atmosphere that supported reflection, transparency, and psychological safety for participants. Each poster was intentionally crafted with messaging centered around service, change readiness, teamwork, and future-state thinking. The visual elements, colors, icons, and typography were designed to reinforce the purpose of the conversations while subtly encouraging openness and participation. By elevating the room ambiance and aligning the environment with the goals of the sessions, these posters helped set the tone for meaningful dialogue and contributed to an enhanced participant experience. The initiative was well received and later considered a best practice for future client-facing listening sessions and workforce engagement forums. Focus Group Room Posters
Design & Staged Experience: The Communication Relay with Batons In 2022, I helped support a leadership retreat where we facilitated a communication relay exercise, and it was such a great reminder that effective communication is more than talking, it’s planning with people in mind. We turned the concept into a real-life “race” in the classroom using batons, letting each team experience what happens when instructions are unclear vs. when communication is coordinated and rooted in the Platinum Rule (treating people the way they prefer to be treated). The difference in performance, energy, and teamwork was immediate. The best part? Watching participants make the connection that communication without a plan creates chaos, but communication with intention builds trust, alignment, and momentum. Classroom Snapshots
Platinum Rule Communication Mixer (Instructional Design Collaboration) For this project, I teamed up with Instructional Designer Andy Whyte to reimagine a communication styles activity and make it more interactive and memorable for participants. We used the Platinum Rule as the foundation, and I designed a custom “mixer card” experience that pulled in fun, relatable themes from the movie Inside Out. Each card represented a communication style through an emotion-based character lens, which helped participants quickly connect the concept to real behaviors they see in themselves and others. During the mixer, learners moved around the room, interacted with different styles, and practiced how to adapt their approach in real time. The result was a lighter, more engaging way to teach emotional intelligence and adaptability — and it really helped participants see the Platinum Rule in action, not just as a concept on a slide. Communication Style Mixer Card Snapshot
Design & Staged Experience: Bike for Tyke Team building Assembly Program I helped design and stage the welcome experience and materials station signage for our “Bike for a Tyke” team-building event, creating a warm and engaging environment for participants from the moment they entered the room. My focus was on flow, clarity, and emotional connection, making it easy for each team to quickly understand where to go, what materials they needed, and how the activity connected to its larger purpose. By curating the space with thoughtful signage, intentional layout, and mission-centered messaging, I supported both the logistical side of the activity and the human side, encouraging collaboration, storytelling, and enthusiasm throughout the build process. The result was a smooth, organized, and heartfelt team experience that not only brought people together but also created a direct and meaningful impact for children in our community. Draft Designs
Welcome Poster
Station Signage
Classroom Snapshots
Learning & Technology Platform Experience Jennifer McCall
Zoom Platform administrator • • •
Administered Corporate College’s enterprise Zoom account for virtual training, client meetings, and internal collaboration. Managed licenses, user access, and account needs across departments. Supported growth from 10 to 64 licenses and for eight departments across the WCED division of the college.
Popl Platform administrator • •
Administered eight Popl digital business card accounts for Corporate College. Managed access and help staff keep contact information and profiles current for meetings and events.
FranklinCovey Learning Learning Account Administrator • •
Administered Corporate College’s FranklinCovey Learning account. Managed platform access and supported the implementation of learning courses.
KPLearn Kaiser Permanente | LMS Administrator, Ohio Region, AIDET Service Delivery Framework • •
Used KPLearn, Kaiser Permanente’s proprietary LMS, as Regional Service Training Coordinator. Created and managed program courses, registered employees for the AIDET Service Behaviors Program and recorded program completions.
Cornerstone OnDemand Moen | LMS Administrator, • •
Used Cornerstone OnDemand, Moen’s corporate LMS at the time, as Global Training Coordinator. Maintained training data and coordinated registration and participation records for technical training in the United States and China. Platform Experience | Jennifer McCall