More Than a Mission. It’s Our Story.
This is who we are, why we do it, and how we promise to show up every day.
Our story begins with a single goal: transforming the world one local government at a time. To achieve this, we see the world through a unique lens, one of Appreciative Inquiry, Unrivaled Listening, and Open-Mindedness.
But our vision is nothing without our character. Our values are our non-negotiables: we are Quality Obsessed, provide Unabashed Customer Service, lead with Fearless Authenticity, and infuse Love into everything we do.
This unique combination allows us to build something truly special: an inclusive culture that encourages, supports, and celebrates every unique voice on our team and in our clients’ communities. This isn’t just our method; it’s our DNA.
Our Team
We couldn’t be more honored to have some of the leading experts in organizational culture, leadership development, and executive coaches on our team. In addition to our lead team members below, our bandwidth expands to meet the needs of our local government clients with additional coaches and trainers. See the full bios here of our rock stars below.
Dr. Maria Church
CEO
Dr. Nicholas Harvey
Strategic Advisor, Consultant, Coach, Trainer- Mae L. Sinclair, MBA
Consultant, Coach, Trainer - Trish Kordas
CHRS, Consultant, Coach, Trainer - Veronica Toledo
Marketing and Design Specialist - Stephanie Turcios
Engagement Specialist 
Monica Roca-Quesada
Chief Financial Officer
Jeff Pierce
Consultant
Ed Hard
Consultant
Pamela Pousa
Concierge
Dr. Maria Church
CEO
Maria is a local government and corporate alum with Fortune 500 experience, and academia adventures that constitute a treasure trove of colorful experiences over 20 years. With a doctorate of management in organizational leadership, Maria works with local governments to create workplaces that attract and retain the best talent. Yes, she is the author of Love-Based Leadership: The Model for Leading with Strength, Grace, and Authenticity – and no, it is not a book about Kumbaya, puppies, kittens, or rainbows. Her latest book, A Course in Leadership: 21 Spiritual Lessons on Power, Love, and Influence was released in June 2021. Maria is a classic rock and Motown junkie who hopes to learn drums from Keith Moon and Benny Benjamin in Rock-N-Roll Heaven.
Trish Kordas
CHRS, CONSULTANT, COACH, TRAINER
Trish Kordas is a proven Human Resource Executive with over 20 years of progressive experience. She has a true passion for driving positive company culture through enhancing the employee experience. Her mantra is #GivePlaySlay, and she lives this out any chance she gets. She believes that when teams serve their community, put the fun in everything they do, and are dedicated to doing it exceptionally, they succeed. From Strategic Planning and Succession Management to Policy creation and Employee Relations, she possesses the breadth of expertise needed to help cultures thrive. She has an enthusiasm for developing talent and creating flourishing cultures where people want to Be, Grow, and Stay!
Monica Roca-Quesada
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
A seasoned CFO with over 25 years guiding businesses toward their financial north star. Throughout her career, she has implemented financial systems and operational processes for major organizations such as Carnival Cruise Lines and other Fortune 500 clients. Currently, Monica offers her vast business financial knowledge and experience as Government Leadership Solutions’ CFO and helps us support local governments across the United States. In her downtime, Monica enjoys traveling and building Lego sets to help reset and re-energize.
Dr. Nicholas Harvey
STRATEGIC ADVISOR, CONSULTANT, COACH, TRAINER
The Social Impact Coach, Nicholas uses his extensive experience and training in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to create a more just world. He is a former pastor, professor, and military officer who is passionate about strategic leadership and people development. He aspires to use his public policy expertise to actualize policy change and social change. He is an Associate Certified Coach with the International Coaching Federation and a Qualified Administrator for the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI). Nicholas also enjoys cooking Southern Homestyle dishes for his wife and adult children.
Mae L. Sinclair, MBA
CONSULTANT, COACH, TRAINER
Mae is an exceptional executive with vast experience in Organizational Development and Training, Leadership Development, DE&I, Employee Relations, and Strategic Planning. As a successful leader in both public and private sectors, Mae has been recognized for her expertise in design and development of learning solutions that improve decision making, increase customer service, performance management, and business results. She is also passionate about finding a good deal, an “ultimate thrifter” who ventures to small towns to support the small business owners.
Verónica Toledo
MARKETING & DESIGN SPECIALIST
Verónica earned her bachelor’s degree in advertising and her work reflects her inclinations toward graphic design, her passion for User Experience (UX) design, and site development. She is keen on email marketing campaigns and keeps our clients and us connected by overseeing our social media efforts – sharing our leadership messages with the world. Veronica is also our unparalleled go-to for clients and team members alike; she ensures we are organized and each local government relationship is well cared for in every interaction. During her free time, Verónica enjoys going to the beach and spending time with her boyfriend and Weimaraner puppy, Ahsoka.
Stephanie Turcios
ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST
Stephanie is an Engagement Specialist with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and a passion for connecting with people. As a Engagement Specialist, her primary focus is enhancing online presence and connecting with our media inquiries, which fuels her creative spirit and drives her professional endeavors to new heights. Outside the professional realm, she embraces the fast rhythm of dance and the warmth of family and pets, where she finds the perfect blend of passion and contentment.
Jeff Pierce
CONSULTANT
Dr. Jeff Pierce has over 20 years of high-stakes leadership experience, including his role as a Police Lieutenant with the Phoenix Police Department. Holding a Master’s and Doctorate in Leadership Studies, Dr. Pierce brings a unique 360-degree approach to leadership development, encompassing real-world experience, academic teaching, and organizational development. He has led leadership training programs for a workforce of 14,000 employees. In his spare time, Dr. Pierce enjoys staying active and is an avid football, basketball, and boxing fan, rooting for the Suns and Steelers.
Ed Hard
CONSULTANT
Ed Hard is a distinguished Organizational Development Leader with over 30 years of experience in assisting organizations align their strategies, culture, and resources to enrich performance and deliver results. Through his experience in Fortune 25 companies and local government, his expertise encompasses culture management, strategic planning, change leadership, team dynamics, continuous improvement, and performance enhancement. In his free time, Ed enjoys home improvement projects, preparing authentic cultural cuisine, and baking the finest Neapolitan pizza this side of the Ocean. He also enjoys relaxing with his wife and “hiking” with Chip, his 140-pound puppy Saint Bernard.
Pamela Pousa
CONCIERGE
Pamela’s bachelor’s in psychology, coupled with her experience in HR, provides her with a unique perspective on human behavior and organizational dynamics. She ensures seamless communication between clients and our team. She manages scheduling and client inquiries, making sure that leaders seeking our expertise receive timely support and guidance. Her commitment to seamless coordination and operational excellence mirrors our firm’s mission to empower community leaders. Outside of work, Pamela recharges with a passion for swimming, walking her 13-old labrador Thor, and playing overcomplicated tabletop RPG campaigns with her friends.
Dr. Maria Church International has been around since 2005 and formed Government Leadership Solutions in 2014 to support Cities, Counties, Towns, and Districts across the United States. Our mission is to transform the world, one local government at a time. Like our local government clients, we strive to make the world a better place at work and in our communities.
We are a woman-owned, minority-owned boutique consulting firm. You have access to our senior consultants and our CEO. We are not just “vendors”, we are local government partners in success.