Tammy J. Bluhm, CPA
Organization: University of Mary Washington
Tammy joined The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in June, 2008. She is a CPA and currently the museum’s VP Finance & CFO. She has spent the majority of her accounting career in the nonprofit field. She has served as Director of Finance / Controller for the American Public Works Association and Vice President for Administration and Finance with Big Lakes Developmental Center, Inc. prior to joining the museum. Tammy serves on the senior leadership team of the museum and is the liaison to the Audit, Finance and Investment Committees of the Board. She served as one of the leads in finalizing the museum’s current Strategic Plan. During Tammy’s tenure the operational budget of the museum has grown 43% to over $34 million. This has been done while delivering financially balanced operating results and clean audit opinions. In her spare time she enjoys spoiling her grandchildren and gardening.
Judith Koke
Organization: The Institute for Learning Innovation
Based in Toronto, Canada, Judith Koke is a dynamic leader in the free choice learning ecosystem, with a strong track record of creating organizational change through the integration of research into evidence-based decision-making. As evidenced by her leadership roles at the Art Gallery of Ontario and The Nelson-Atkins Art Museum, Judith challenges museums to broaden and deepen their relationships with diverse audiences.
Currently the Deputy Director of the Institute for Learning Innovation, Judith’s career combines audience and learning research with museum leadership. She has been invited to work with numerous museum boards to build their understanding of the changing role of museums today, and worked with numerous museums in the effort to become more visitor-centered.
Judith has published extensively and taught in numerous graduate programs. Her passion for lifelong learning is currently being channeled into researching and developing the next generation of truly effective professional learning opportunities.
Charmaine McClarie
Organization: McClarie Group
Charmaine McClarie is an author, C-suite advisor, keynote speaker, executive coach and executive presence authority who helps leaders have their best year ever. She has worked with leaders in 27 industries across five continents. Her clients include top executives from Coca-Cola, Gilead Sciences, Humana, Johnson & Johnson, MasterCard, Starbucks and T-Mobile.
For more than two decades, 98% of Charmaine’s clients are promoted within 18 months. For CEOs, that might mean a promotion to corporate directorship. For other senior leaders, that might mean a promotion from SVP to EVP or even CEO.
Charmaine works predominately with C-suite leaders and executives with demonstrated readiness to be in the C-suite, coaching them on leadership acumen, communications ability and executive presence.
Charmaine and her work have been profiled in People, Forbes, Harvard Management Update, The London Times and The New York Times. She is on the faculty as a leadership and communications expert at the University of Missouri Kansas City Bloch School of Management, EMBA program, and is a visiting lecturer at the Smith College Executive Education program.
Philip Needles
Organization: Montgomery County Community College & UMW Continuing & Professional Studies
Mr. Needles currently serves as Vice President of Engagement and Student Experience at Montgomery County Community College. During his time with the College, Mr. Needles has provided leadership and support for multiple strategic initiatives at the College including operational launch of the Culinary Arts Institute and Virtual Campus, grant-supported efforts sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and development and launch of the College’s eSports program and Global Academy platform. Mr. Needles has been a national presenter at EDUCAUSE, Achieving the Dream, AACRAO, and AACC conferences, and has also co-published multiple writings.
Mr. Needles joined the College serving as Dean of Business and Entrepreneurial Initiatives overseeing academic and professional business programs, the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, Culinary Arts Institute, Virtual Campus, and Center for Workforce Development. He has also served as Strategic Advisor to the President, and is a graduate of the League for Innovation's Executive Leadership Institute. Previously, Mr. Needles served as Dean of the Institute for Business and Information Technology at Bellevue College in Bellevue, Washington. Prior to that appointment he served as Assistant Dean for Strategy and Planning at UMKC’s Bloch School of Management and also as Programs Manager for UMKC’s Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Mr. Needles began his career in education at the University of Miami School of Business Administration where he was Assistant to the Dean for Planning and Assessment. He also oversaw the school’s Entrepreneurship Program and was the recipient of the school’s Excellence in Teaching Award.
Professionally, Mr. Needles has served as: Content Consultant for a Walt Disney Internet Group International entertainment and educational product in Europe, Japan, Latin America, and Australia; Director of Programming for Disney TeleVentures, a Walt Disney Company interactive television and broadband content joint venture; and Senior Consultant with Andersen Consulting (now accenture). He also co-founded and oversaw business operations for an integrated entertainment experience media company.
Kimberly Young
Organization: Continuing and Professional Studies at the University of Mary Washington
Kimberly Young is responsible for working with state, regional, and local government, business, and non-profit agencies and organizations to support regional growth and economic development.
Kimberly was previously responsible for global and executive programs at the Henry W. Bloch School of Management, University of Missouri-Kansas City. She was National Director of Marketing at ARAMARK Corporation and a Manager in the strategy practice at Ernst & Young.
She is very active in her local community serving on her region’s Growth Opportunity Virginia board, the Women’s Colloquium board, Stafford County School Division Superintendent’s Business Advisory Board, Spotsylvania County School Division Strategic Planning Committee, and is an appointee of the Central Rappahannock Regional Library Board of Trustees.
Kimberly has more than 25 years of experience in business strategy and education. Her expertise is in strategic innovation, building and leading high performing teams, and program management. Through her work with Ernst & Young and Aramark Corporation, her client list includes companies such as Coca Cola, Sprint, Eli Lilly, 3M Corporation, Boeing, and Cerner Corporation among others.
She earned her B.A. in Public Policy Studies from Duke University, and earned both an MBA and a Master of Management in Hospitality from Cornell University.