Claudia Richman Email & Phone Number

Chicago, Il, Us

We Grow Forward is an organizational design and change management consultancy that specializes in helping entrepreneurial and creative companies plan for and navigate growth. That’s a very buttoned-up way of saying we’re a network of seasoned professionals specializing in all aspects of corporate evolution—what you do, how you do it, who helps you do it, and how to communicate what you do to the world. We’ll bring together the right experts to address your specific needs and move your company forward.

Starling Training offers cohort-based, virtual, synchronous training designed to sharpen the skills that build productive, supportive relationships - with organizations, teams, direct reports and clients.We build confidence in new and experienced managers, competence in consultants and courage and compassion in executives.

The Kermit Collective is a small high-trust community made up of leaders of boutique software agencies who share a passion for doing great work for their clients while providing fulfilling careers for their employees. This is a safe space where we connect with respect and openness. We recognize that we are competitors AND collaborators and seek to share best practices that will help all of us grow our businesses and create even better places for people to thrive.

Chicago, Il, Us

Chicago, Il, Us

• Led software consultancy through transition from loosely organized start-up operating model to leadership and operating structures that effectively support a growing and profitable company with offices in 6 cities across two countries.• Focused on equity, diversity and inclusion while growing from 120 employees to nearly 200 employees, resulting in a tech company that is far more diverse than industry norms:o Of new employees hired between 2017 and 2020, 40% do not identify as cis male, and 40% identify as POCo Created and implemented mentoring and manager training programs to provide sponsorship and amplification to employees from underrepresented communitieso Defined policies and practices that support remote and flexible working situations o Revised hiring processes to reduce biases and lower barriers• Expanded back office team by hiring and training a team of skilled specialists including 8th Light’s first Learning & Development Specialist who has amplified the company’s culture of growth, and the first Staffing Specialist who greatly improved the efficiency of our project assignment process resulting in positive revenue impacts• Designed and launched innovative career grid that defines multiple paths to long and rewarding careers via technical and organizational influence competencies

• Architected practical and actionable organizational effectiveness and process engineering solutions for complex organizations• Designed and implemented change plans for companies in transition• Focused on preserving and evolving culture during times of operational restructuring• Aligned clients’ processes and structures with their goals while finding optimization opportunities • Designed and facilitated leadership, team-building and career development workshops

Boston, Massachusetts, Us

• Partnered with Regional President to set strategy and develop and implement change plans across growing Chicago and San Francisco offices• Oversaw financial health of $100MM+, 600+ employee region, reaching aggressive margin targets by guiding hiring and investment decisions • Defined, built and trained integrated production team, a new role within the organization dedicated to flawless delivery of multimedia experiences• Led project management, client financial operations and resourcing teams for two rapidly expanding offices

Chicago, Il, Us

• Assumed responsibility for project management over EnergyBBDO (traditional agency) in addition to retaining role as Director of Operations for Proximity Chicago (interactive agency), gaining efficiencies and increasing expertise across the discipline• Built relationship with top-tier new global client: part of pitch team, led transition/onboarding and contract negotiations, and developed day-to-day working relationship resulting in doubling of agency revenue • Integration process evangelist, creating and delivering training materials to improve integration processes between traditional and interactive media across partner agencies and our clients, and with other offices throughout the global network

Chicago, Il, Us

• Second employee hired when EnergyBBDO opened interactive sub-agency• Set company mission, vision and strategy as part of three-person leadership team• Developed structure, processes and policies for new organization• Grew company to 80+ employees with strong culture and portfolio of great work• Determined staffing plans and hiring priorities, coordinated education efforts, stewarded company culture and handled office logistics• Determined roles and processes required for company, hired and trained staff across departments• Grew company revenue from nothing to $20MM annually by leading new business efforts, participating in pitches, and leading development of new client relationships • Educated parent agency on the benefits of project management, resulting in expansion of project management practice into organization that previously did not value or utilize formal project management resulting in a promotion and expansion of role

London, Gb

• Project manager for start-to-finish site builds, beginning with strategy and discovery, including vendor selection and engagement, through design, deployment and ongoing enhancements• Served as primary liaison with client IT department, building strong working relationship and facilitating vastly improved communications between IT, marketing clients and the agency salvaging precarious relationships and resulting in retention and growth of revenue• Repeatedly unified fractured teams into a well-functioning units producing excellent work

• Program manager for agency’s largest account, Motorola• Primary client contact and project manager for multiple, concurrent projects • Managed multi-location, remote project teams on all projects

Chicago, Il, Us

Director of Site Operations• Hired and trained a team of highly skilled project managers who implemented over 400 new products, features and enhancements to Morningstar’s retail business unit each year• Managed programmers and QA team, improving efficiency in both teams by implementing new processesSenior Product Manager, Membership • Headed team responsible for primary revenue-generating business of Morningstar.com• Exceeded annual membership and revenue goals• Increased membership of two-year old subscription service by 50% in one year

Master Of Science (Ms), Learning And Organizational Change

Master Of Arts (Ma), Art History

Bachelor Of Arts (Ba), History Of Art