Susan White
Biography
Susan Letterman White, J.D., M.S.O.D, designs, implements, and manages customized, organization-wide, strategic change projects to create sustainable and substantial performance improvements. Her work aligns leadership, culture, and competency modeling with performance goal outcomes of: (1) business development, retention, and growth and (2) the engagement, development, advancement, and retention of exceptional people. She gets people to collaborate and change their thinking and behavior by looking at data about themselves and their organizational context.
Susan was an employment law litigator and trusted adviser to her clients for more than 20 years and a managing partner of a law firm before she began her Master of Science studies in Organization Development. In 2008, She was awarded her M.S. degree with Academic Distinction from American University. She is certified to administer competency, culture, and personality assessment tools, interpret results, coach and consult using:
- Korn/Ferry Leadership Architect®
- Korn/Ferry Voices®
- Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI®)
- Thomas Kilmann Inventory (TKI)
- Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI)
- Organization Network Mapping
- Social Styles®
She also has received advanced training in group dynamics and facilitation from NTL Institute and is certified as a mediator.
Susan is a frequent speaker at international, national, and local conferences, has published a book, numerous articles, and a chapter on client development and networking in an upcoming book to be published by MCLE, Inc. She is the chair of the Massachusetts Bar Law Practice Management Section and a practice advisor at the Massachusetts Law Office Management Assistance Program. She has delivered programs and workshops on leadership, team development, project management, and culture change for law firms, non-profit organizations, and Fortune 500 companies.
Professional Experience
2006-present
Founder and Principal Letterman White Consulting, Braintree, MA
2016-present
Practice advisor with Massachusetts non-profit
2012-present
Adjunct Professor, Northeastern University, Boston, MA (Organizational Leadership, Leadership Ethics, and Career Strategy)
2011-2012
Adjunct Professor, American University, Washington, DC (Organization Development)
1997-2007
Partner, Hepburn Willcox Hamilton & Putnam, Philadelphia, PA
Education:
M.S. Organization Development (Distinction)
American University
Washington, DC
2008
J.D. (Moot Court Honors Program)
Loyola Law School
Los Angeles, CA
1985
B.A. (Philosophy)
Brandeis University
Waltham, MA
1980
Professional Activities & Accomplishments
Developmental Training and Coaching
- Developmental training and coaching of executive and manager level individuals
- Action Research and ADDIE-based design and implementation of training & coaching for: leadership development and transition, engagement and inclusion, marketing & sales, team development, and MBTI®-based strategic communication & communication differences.
- Design and delivery of experiential and lecture training programs, in-person and e-learning training, facilitator and participant guides, one-to-many and one-to-one on topics: strategic communication including: understanding and leveraging differences for effective communication, understanding how people
- Data collection design, implementation, analysis, and feedback using written surveys, assessments, interviews, and focus groups for purposes of strategic change.
- Group facilitation and mediation.
- Experienced public speaker.
Training and Development
- Designed and led post-merger integration program for the chiefs, directors, and managers of an international law firm of over 1000 lawyers
- Led national level marketing and sales skills development group for lawyers for 2 years, and launched a comprehensive marketing & sales training program to lawyers across the US and in Canada through a train-the-trainer design replete with facilitator’s guide and participant’s workbook
- Design and teach face-to-face and e-learning organizational leadership, leadership ethics, and career-development courses to international group of university students at Northeastern University
- Team development consultation with Boston non-profit
- Leadership development for mid-level managers of Massachusetts manufacturing company
- Delivery of leadership and project management training to New England non-profit
- Substantive topics include: career development, leadership and management, strategy planning and implementation, strategic communication, conflict management, personal branding, business development, time-management, presentation skills, networking, giving and receiving feedback effectively, leading effective meetings, and unconscious bias.
- Author of career development book published by Thomson-Reuters
- Author of client Development and networking chapter in book scheduled for publication by MCLE, Inc.
Team and Organization Leadership
- Managing Partner of Hepburn Willcox Hamilton & Putnam, LLP
- Chair of Massachusetts Bar Association Law Practice Management Section Council
- Chair of ABA Women Rainmakers
- Executive council of several associations
Certifications and Advanced Training
- Korn Ferry Voices 360ᴼ assessment and coaching certification
- Korn Ferry Leadership Architect certification
- Mediation certification
- Myers Brigg Type Indicator certification
- Advanced training in group development, dynamics, conflict, and diversity & inclusion
- Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Inventory
- Leadership Practices Inventory
- Relationship and stakeholder mapping
