OUR MISSION
To inspire the extraordinary in human beings.
OUR VISION
THEO will influence the transformation of healthcare in partnership with key enterprises and their leaders.
OUR PURPOSE
To influence the transformation of healthcare by the power of ideas and ideals, by inviting the extraordinary in people and by creating vibrant health enterprises through the application of THEO leadership advisory.
THEO VALUES
Our staff, as well as our clients, embrace these values and practice them in their professional and personal lives as well. The THEO commitment to our clients is our key differentiator. It is a privilege to partner with a leader and their institution. Our commitment to their journey is not a transaction, it is a mission. It is not a project, it is a person. We seek to serve, listen and guide whenever we can be of service – we are here always.
DIFFERENCE
Difference means dedicating ourselves to learning about how every individual is extraordinary. It is more than diversity, it goes to the core of a person and their values.
KINDNESS
Kindness allows us to be direct without offending.
EXCELLENCE
Excellence combined with contribution creates a powerful individual and impact for the organization.
TRANSPARENCY
Transparency is the core to true dialogue. We advance openness and honesty, having the courage to say what needs to be said and to act when necessary.
CONTRIBUTION
Contribution is our core. We strive to ensure our work is purposeful, our methodologies are proven and our relationships have transformed the lives of the leaders we serve.
THEO ADVISORS
THEO Advisors facilitate and accelerate the transformation of leaders by working with them at the individual level, delivering them to the next level of their leadership, and at the systemic level, equipping them to navigate the complexities of organizational life. We leverage a highly applied proprietary method, THEO Method™, and design an appropriate rhythm of interactions with the leader and their team to achieve the objectives for his or her growth.
THEO Advisors have an intimate knowledge of the organization so that they are able to provide an independent perspective. THEO Advisors bring organizational experience, methodological expertise, and insight. They serve as thought partners to the leader, creating a safe place in which the leader can grow.
THEO THEODOSIOU
Theo Theodosiou
Chief Executive Officer and Practice LeaderTheo Theodosiou is the Chief Executive Officer and Practice Leader for THEO and a Senior Transformation Strategist and Leadership Advisor. He is the founder and steward of the THEO Method™ and has built the framework that THEO Advisors utilize in practice. Before forming THEO, he was a partner with Ernst and Young, LLP.
Theo trained in the areas of business management and organizational theory at Texas A&M University and Northwestern University. He has served as faculty of the American College of Healthcare Executives and taught conflict resolution at the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management of Northwestern University.
Theo lives in Dallas, TX and enjoys spending time with his family, playing tennis, and gardening.
NICK PORTER
Nick Porter
Senior AdvisorNicolas C. Porter is a THEO Senior Advisor who has served as a thought partner to numerous CEOs and other executives to build strong cultures of excellence.
Prior to joining THEO as a Senior Advisor, Nick served with the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute from 1988 to 2011 holding a variety of positions including EVP, COO and more recently EVP of Institutional Advancement and Corporate Relations. Prior to joining The Moffitt, he had a long tenure with Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions in Baltimore, Maryland. He served as the Administrator of the Johns Hopkins Oncology Center, and then as EVP and COO of the Johns Hopkins Hospital with responsibilities for the management of a 1,036-bed, acute, tertiary, multispecialty metropolitan teaching hospital.
In the course of his career he has established and overseen a variety of areas and functions including Customer Service, Staff Relations, External Relations and Communications, Human Resources, Patient and Institutional Advocacy, Corporate Compliance, Government Relations, and Public Relations & Marketing. Additionally, he has extensive governance experience and has served as primary liaison with multiple institutional boards. He served on the Board of Trustees, Executive Committee and as Chair of the Finance Committee of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network as the Chair Executive Committee of the Alliance of Dedicated Cancer Centers; on the Finance Committee of the Association of American Cancer Institutes; and on other community boards.
Nick holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Baltimore and a master’s degree in education from Loyola College, Baltimore, Maryland.
Nick lives in Tampa, Florida and enjoys spending time with his two grandchildren, traveling the world and cooking southern style dishes.
DAISY JENKINS
Daisy Jenkins
Senior AdvisorDaisy M. Jenkins, Esq., is a Senior Advisor and a former Executive Vice President with over 30 years’ experience in both health care and manufacturing industries. She has served in national and multinational corporations, and has significant experience in developing and leading high performing, multifunctional human resources organizations, with broad organization development expertise.
Daisy has received numerous honors, including Tucson Woman of the Year, the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law. She also serves extensively in her community, including the University of Arizona National Leadership Council, United Way Women United Executive Committee, United Way board chair, Tucson Airport Authority and University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law Board of Visitors.
Daisy holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Communications from the University of Hawaii and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of Law. She is a member of the State Bar of Arizona and a published author of two books.
Prior to joining THEO, Daisy served as Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative and Human Resources Officer for Carondelet Health Network in Tucson, Arizona. She was also responsible for Government Advocacy and Community Relations as Carondelet’s Lobbyist. Daisy served as the Vice President of Human Resources for Raytheon, and was the first director of Global Diversity during her 28-year career there.
Daisy lives in Oro Valley, Arizona and enjoys her extensive family, is an avid hiker and tireless advocate for quality K-12 education for all students.
JOHN KILGORE
John Kilgore
Senior AdvisorThe Reverend Canon John W. Kilgore, M.D., K.St.J. is a THEO Senior Advisor with significant experience in clinical medicine as an invasive cardiologist. He co-founded a large and highly respected cardiology group and served notably as chief of cardiology, chief of staff, and then Regional Medical Director of Cardiovascular Services of a national health care system. In addition he is an ordained Episcopal priest, and served concurrently with his medical practice. Over the last decade he has consulted in the medical, leadership, clerical, philanthropic, and hospitality industries across the United States, Europe, and Central America.
His career has been highlighted by significant international philanthropic endeavors, including being a Knight of the Order of St. John and a member of the British Books Beyond Words Honorary Advisory Council in London. He is widely regarded as an accomplished national and international public speaker and lecturer.
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biological Sciences, a Master’s Degree in Public Health and a Doctor of Medicine degree, all from the University of Missouri. In addition he has a Diploma in Anglican Studies from General Theological Seminary in New York City and studied at the University of Madrid, Spain. He is nearly fluent in Spanish and conversant in Italian.
John lives in St. Louis and northern Virginia, travels to Europe to serve in his role as an Episcopal priest and enjoys creative writing.
SHANNON DWYER
Shannon Dwyer
Senior AdvisorShannon G. Dwyer, Esq., is a THEO Senior Advisor with almost 30 years of experience in healthcare serving as trusted advisor, counsel and strategic thought partner to executive management and governance.
Prior to joining THEO, Shannon served with Providence St. Joseph Health from 1998 to 2018 where she held several positions including Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and most recently Executive Vice President, Special Advisor to the President & Chief Executive Officer. She was instrumental in her role as General Counsel in facilitating the combination of St. Joseph Health and Providence Health & Services. She also served as in-house counsel for a national physician practice management company for several years, specializing in the management of anesthesia group practices. Prior to becoming an attorney, Shannon served as the Assistant Director of Health Information Services at Bon Secours-St. Joseph Hospital for seven years.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Shannon’s commitment to meeting the needs of the vulnerable is expressed in her community service. In collaboration with the Public Law Center, she started the Family Advocates Program at St. Joseph Health, a medical-legal collaborative that provides free legal services in matters affecting the health, education and well-being of patients and their families. She is a volunteer member of the Credit Union of Southern California Board of Directors, a past Chair of the Board of Directors of Health Associates Federal Credit Union and supports various ministries of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, CA.
Shannon holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Syracuse University, a Master’s Degree in Health Care Administration from Nova Southeastern University and a Juris Doctor Degree from California Western School of Law. She also completed the Executive Education, Leadership in Corporate Counsel at Harvard Law School. She is a member of the California State Bar, the American Health Lawyers Association, and the California Society for Health Care Attorneys.
Shannon lives in Orange, California and enjoys spending time with her expanding family and traveling with her husband.
JACK COX
Jack Cox
Senior AdvisorJack Cox, MD, MMM is a Senior Advisor and a seasoned senior healthcare executive with over 25 years’ experience in regional and national senior leadership positions including both large integrated healthcare delivery systems as well as national corporate experience. His areas of expertise and experience include executive coaching, advising, strategic development of performance improvement / quality systems, innovation, clinical program strategic development and implementation, physician leadership development, large program operations, education, research and national and international publishing and speaking. He has achieved national recognition as an expert in quality and safety. Dr. Cox has regional and national committee and board experience.
Prior to joining THEO, Dr. Cox served as the Sr. VP & Chief Quality Officer for Providence St. Joseph Health and the system Chief Medical Officer for Swedish Health Services. Previously he served as the SrVP and Chief Quality Officer at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian and President and CEO of the Hoag Medical Foundation. While at Hoag, he led performance / quality improvement, had strategic and operational responsibility for Hoag’s six clinical institutes, as well as oversight of the development of physician engagement models, the medical staff office, Hoag Institute for Research and Education, infection prevention, patient safety and regulatory compliance.
From 1999-2005, Dr. Cox was the Chief Medical Officer of Premier Inc., a national alliance of 2,000 non-profit hospitals and health systems, specializing in group purchasing, supply chain, clinical performance improvement and healthcare informatics. Under his leadership, Premier implemented a national performance improvement model that led to the Healthcare Quality Improvement Demonstration project in partnership with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). In 2005, Dr. Cox was on the executive team influential in Premier receiving the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 2006. Dr. Cox also implemented extensive outpatient quality measures and developed a family practice residency program while serving as a Regional Medical Director for Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Dr. Cox is a board-certified Family Physician, a fellow of the American Board of Family Practice and a fellow of the American College of Physician Executives. He has been named one of Becker’s Top 100 CMO’s to Know in 2014, 2016 and Becker’s Top Expert Leading the Field of Patient Safety in 2017, 2018. He has spoken internationally and published widely, including 4 books.
Dr. Cox received his undergraduate biology/biochemistry degree from the University of Tennessee. He graduated with his medical doctorate from the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He completed his residency in the Department of Family Practice at the David Grant Medical Center on Travis Airforce Base. He also completed a Masters in Medical Management from Tulane University.
Dr. Cox lives in Midway, Utah, enjoys traveling with his wife, Patty, cooking, golfing and visiting his 5 children and 14 grandchildren scattered across the country.
THEO LEADERSHIP
THEO THEODOSIOU
Theo Theodosiou
Chief Executive Officer and Practice LeaderTheo Theodosiou is the Chief Executive Officer and Practice Leader for THEO and a Senior Transformation Strategist and Leadership Advisor. He is the founder and steward of the THEO Method™ and has built the framework that THEO Advisors utilize in practice. Before forming THEO, he was a partner with Ernst and Young, LLP.
Theo trained in the areas of business management and organizational theory at Texas A&M University and Northwestern University. He has served as faculty of the American College of Healthcare Executives and taught conflict resolution at the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management of Northwestern University.
Theo lives in Dallas, TX and enjoys spending time with his family, playing tennis, and gardening.
MARC DESGRAVES IV
Marc Desgraves IV, CPA
Chief Financial Officer- Member of the Office of the CEO
Marc Desgraves IV is our Chief Financial Officer providing business leadership to the Firm in the form of financial stewardship of our resources. His direct areas of responsibility include accounting, financial planning, execution & analysis that allows him to properly lead and deliver on the Firm’s core values and competencies.
Prior to joining THEO, Marc was the sole proprietor of Desgraves CPA, a Dallas-Ft. Worth based CPA firm providing fractional CFO and tax services to several technology based start-ups. Over his tenured and diversified career, Marc has also provided thought leadership and oversight in the disciplines of audit and compliance for several public and private institutions, which include clients such as Ernst & Young, American Airlines, Countrywide Financial Corporation, TXU Energy and Cambium Learning Group.
Marc earned his Bachelor’s degree from Alabama State University in Accounting and his MBA from University of Texas at Arlington in Management Information Systems. Marc is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the state of Texas.
Marc lives in Dallas, Texas and enjoys spending time with his family and has a passion for inspiring youth and championing the next generation to be the best they can be.
SHANNON DWYER
Shannon Dwyer
Senior Advisor- Member of the Office of the CEO
Shannon G. Dwyer, Esq., is a THEO Senior Advisor with almost 30 years of experience in healthcare serving as trusted advisor, counsel and strategic thought partner to executive management and governance.
Prior to joining THEO, Shannon served with Providence St. Joseph Health from 1998 to 2018 where she held several positions including Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and most recently Executive Vice President, Special Advisor to the President & Chief Executive Officer. She was instrumental in her role as General Counsel in facilitating the combination of St. Joseph Health and Providence Health & Services. She also served as in-house counsel for a national physician practice management company for several years, specializing in the management of anesthesia group practices. Prior to becoming an attorney, Shannon served as the Assistant Director of Health Information Services at Bon Secours-St. Joseph Hospital for seven years.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Shannon’s commitment to meeting the needs of the vulnerable is expressed in her community service. In collaboration with the Public Law Center, she started the Family Advocates Program at St. Joseph Health, a medical-legal collaborative that provides free legal services in matters affecting the health, education and well-being of patients and their families. She is a volunteer member of the Credit Union of Southern California Board of Directors, a past Chair of the Board of Directors of Health Associates Federal Credit Union and supports various ministries of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, CA.
Shannon holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Syracuse University, a Master’s Degree in Health Care Administration from Nova Southeastern University and a Juris Doctor Degree from California Western School of Law. She also completed the Executive Education, Leadership in Corporate Counsel at Harvard Law School. She is a member of the California State Bar, the American Health Lawyers Association, and the California Society for Health Care Attorneys.
Shannon lives in Orange, California and enjoys spending time with her expanding family and traveling with her husband.
BOB HENKEL
Bob Henkel
President of Healthcare Transformation
- Member of the Office of the CEO
Robert J. Henkel, LFACHE, is our President of Healthcare Transformation leading the Vision, Strategy, and Plan to positively influence the transformation of the industry in partnership with the top thinkers and leaders inside and outside of healthcare, committed to this cause.
As the healthcare industry undergoes major change, THEO is facilitating a movement to engage C-suite leaders to proactively drive true transformation. Health systems across the country are moving to value-based care to improve outcomes, reduce costs and increase consumer satisfaction. The focus is shifting more to nurturing and improving health status, and doing so by empowering people and implementing technology. With the current state of health care, however, being fragmented, change is slow and difficult to navigate. It is imperative that today’s leaders deliver transformational reform to rein in costs, improve quality and expand access to care to the entire community. In addition, healthcare workers are experiencing burnout and lessened satisfaction. Leaders of healthcare transformation must value and sponsor their people and invite their best contribution by extending sponsorship, community, and individual development.
Mr. Henkel is considered one of healthcare’s most influential and committed leaders. With decades of industry experience, he retired as the President and Chief Executive Officer for Ascension Healthcare and Executive Vice President, Ascension, following 25 years of service. During this time, he served in a number of different roles including President, Healthcare Operations and Chief Operating Officer at Ascension Health and President of the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic States Operating Group at Ascension Health. He spent much of his career striving to eliminate health disparities by closing gaps in access, safety and personalized care and embracing diversity and inclusion.
Mr. Henkel has held executive positions with numerous other healthcare organizations, including the Daughters of Charity National Health System, St. Louis; Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, Fla.; SSM Health Care in St. Louis; and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York.
Mr. Henkel is a Past Board Chair of the Catholic Health Association of the United States and served as a member of their Executive Committee and Board; he is a Life Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives; and member of the Executive Council for the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington DC. He is a University of Pittsburgh Legacy Laureate.
Mr. Henkel received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Union College, Schenectady, N.Y., and a master’s degree in public health from the University of Pittsburgh, where he now serves as an Adjunct Professor in the Graduate School of Public Health.
Bob lives in Watersound, Florida and enjoys spending time with his family and his dogs Ethel and Emma as well as continuing his work with Catholic Relief Services and education for vulnerable populations.
THEO BOARD
DEBORAH PROCTOR
DEBORAH PROCTOR
Chair of the BoardDeborah Proctor is the Chair of the Board with over 40 years of leadership health care experience. Over her career she worked for some of the largest and most prestigious healthcare organizations in the country. She is currently serving as a Trustee for the University of LaVerne, Front Porch, a non-profit senior living and affordable housing company and American Unity, the captive insurance company owned by St. Joseph Health.
As the CEO of St. Joseph Health, Proctor led one of the nation’s top Catholic health systems, which served communities throughout California, Texas and New Mexico. St. Joseph Health was a $6 billion not-for-profit health system consisting in 16 hospitals, physician organizations, home health agencies, hospice care, outpatient services, skilled nursing facilities, wellness clinics and community outreach services. St. Joseph Health also includes an affiliation with Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in its Southern California region. Before leaving for retirement, Proctor led the Board through a decision to merge St. Joseph Health with Providence Health and Services, resulting in the third largest health system in the country.
Deborah has received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in nursing from the University of California and California State University, respectively.
Deborah lives in Corona del Mar, California and enjoys spending time with her family, traveling the world and serving her community.
THEO THEODOSIOU
Theo Theodosiou
Chief Executive Officer and Practice LeaderTheo Theodosiou is the Chief Executive Officer and Practice Leader for THEO and a Senior Transformation Strategist and Leadership Advisor. He is the founder and steward of the THEO Method™ and has built the framework that THEO Advisors utilize in practice. Before forming THEO, he was a partner with Ernst and Young, LLP.
Theo trained in the areas of business management and organizational theory at Texas A&M University and Northwestern University. He has served as faculty of the American College of Healthcare Executives and taught conflict resolution at the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management of Northwestern University.
Theo lives in Dallas, TX and enjoys spending time with his family, playing tennis, and gardening.
ROBERT FRANKEN
ROBERT FRANKEN
Chair of the Finance CommitteeRobert Franken is a member of the THEO Board and the Chair of the Finance Committee. He initially joined the Firm in 2005 as a THEO Advisor and served numerous advisees and institutions across the United States. He is currently the treasurer for a New York based international not-for-profit trust fund which assist Episcopal Deacons in financial need. Closer to home he serves on three planning commissions for the Town of Frisco and Summit County, Colorado.
He is a seasoned executive and has served as the Chief Financial Officer of a public company and the Chief Operation Officer of two statewide organization. He has spent many years working in the areas of management, organizational design, finance and economics, political strategy and meeting design. In addition, he spent seven years lobbying state legislatures on a variety of issues. Robert has been active in the Episcopal Church for over 30 years as an ordained Deacon.
Robert holds a Masters of Arts degree in financial economics and a Bachelor of Business Administration from The University of Texas at El Paso.
Robert lives in the mountains of Colorado in Frisco and enjoys spending time with his family in the beautiful outdoors, relishes time with friends from church and the community, and traveling the world with his wife, Dr. Nancy Kinney.
THEO 1900
TAYLOR OVERSTREET
Taylor Overstreet
Director of Operations and Business DevelopmentTaylor Overstreet is our Director of Operations and Business Development who brings ten years’ experience in business development, client services, project management and cross-functional leadership. In her role, she architects and champions the policies and procedures for the Firm’s Practice, oversees the Firm’s annual revenue forecast, onboards new junior and senior talent, and leads a variety of strategic projects.
Prior to joining THEO, Taylor began her career at IBM as an Account Executive serving multi-industry clients with IBM’s entire portfolio hardware, software and professional services. At IBM, Taylor was selected to participate in a year-long intensive Leadership Development program and recognized for promoting community service and professional development through her leadership roles in the Global Advisory Council, World Development Initiative and International Women’s Day. Taylor has a Master of Arts in Religion & Cultures from Covenant Theological Seminary, and her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and in Art History from Vanderbilt University, along with experiences working overseas and with multicultural teams.
Taylor lives in Dallas, Texas and enjoys serving the local community, spending time with her friends, visiting art galleries, cooking and exercising.
DELAINA FELL
Delaina Fell
Senior AssociateDelaina Fell is a Senior Associate who brings fifteen years’ experience in the area of business management, client relations, account management and entrepreneurship. In her role, she serves to champion and coordinate the Firm’s resources to deliver excellent value to our clients. She partners with the client from the very beginning to understand objectives, document necessary outcomes, formalize arrangements and quarterback the delivery of the Firm’s services. She also supports the Senior Advisor in Network and Transformation sessions having led the coordination of key logistics, created session content and documented necessary deliverables post-session. Delaina also has responsibilities surrounding method management and stewardship, marketing efforts and the firm’s technology enablement.
Prior to joining THEO, Delaina ran her own business which bought and sold heavy machinery, trucks and trailers primarily for export. She also served as the Office Manager for MHT Partners, a leading national middle market investment bank. Delaina has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies/Business Administration.
Delaina lives in Dallas, Texas and enjoys spending time with her family, the outdoors, dancing, cycling and traveling the world.
BRANDON MONTGOMERY
Brandon Montgomery
Senior AssociateBrandon Montgomery is a Senior Associate who brings ten years’ experience in the area of business development, account management, marketing and consultancy. In his role, he serves to champion and coordinate the Firm’s resources to deliver excellent value to our clients. He partners with the client from the very beginning to understand objectives, document necessary outcomes, formalize arrangements and quarterback the delivery of the Firm’s services. He also supports the Senior Advisor in Network and Transformation sessions having led the coordination of key logistics, created session content and documented necessary deliverables post-session. He also has responsibilities surrounding method management and stewardship, marketing efforts and the firm’s technology enablement.
Prior to joining THEO, Brandon ran his own consulting company providing small businesses with administrative, financial and marketing guidance. Brandon has also held multiple senior business development positions with behavioral health and acute care hospitals and served in positions with local city governments where he gained exposure to the city manager’s office, city planning and housing. Brandon has a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration and a Master in Public Administration.
Brandon lives in Dallas, Texas and enjoys spending time with his wife and four children, serving the local community, and dining out.
TRISH FRUENDT
Trish Fruendt
Senior Executive AssistantTrish Fruendt is our Senior Executive Assistant for the Chief Executive Officer and Practice Leader in addition to administratively and logistically supporting the Office of the CEO and the Board. She brings over ten years of strategic operational and logistical experience in planning, coordinating, and executing client engagements. On a daily basis, Trish applies her exceptional problem solving skills to optimize the practice, analytical acumen in decision making and natural relationship-building capacity with our clients.
Prior to joining THEO, Trish was employed as an Incentives Coordinator and Events Manager for a leading nutritional supplements company in where she was responsible for assisting in the coordination of associate events with upwards of 5000 people. Trish also worked as an Executive Assistant for several diverse industries, including Healthcare Management. Trish has her Bachelors of Business Administration.
Trish lives in Dallas, Texas and enjoys attending sporting events, spending time with family and cooking.
CHASITY WILLIAMS
Chasity Williams
Senior Practice CoordinatorChasity Williams is a Senior Practice Coordinator who brings extensive experience in the area of executive administrative support, office management, client relations, meeting organization, training and project coordination. In her role, she supports all aspects of the Firm’s Practice beginning with the cornerstone service line, Leadership Advisory. She manages the practices of our THEO Senior Advisors and Senior Associates where she maximizes and creates efficiencies and choreographs logistical details, optimization and quality. She also partners to deliver excellence in the Firm’s Network and Transformation services, including leading the THEO 1900 Experience which ensures optimal value in hosting Client visits.
Prior to joining THEO, Chasity served in a variety of operations roles with several leading companies where she supported Executive Leaders and managed office practices in diverse industries. She currently serves as an Executive Director for her nonprofit 501c3 organization called Hope for Widows Foundation. Chasity is a two time published author that chronicles truths of loss, her experiences and the hope and healing she found in the aftermath of tragic loss.
Chasity lives in Dallas, Texas and enjoys spending time with her family, volunteering, attending sporting events, traveling and writing.
ALICIA CLOUGH
Alicia Clough
Operations CoordinatorAlicia Clough is our Operations Coordinator and brings six years of project management, planning, training and administration experience. As the Operations Coordinator, she will be primarily responsible for ensuring operational excellence relative to day-to-day operations, performance, logistical and administrative support. Applying her high analytical capabilities and relationship building skills, Alicia leads the firm’s building management, construction management, service provider relationships and brings rigor and strategic perspective to special projects.
Prior to joining THEO, Alicia served as the Office Manager, Marketing and Events coordinator for CureDuchenne, a non-profit focused on improving the lives of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Alicia has a Master of Public Administration and Policy from American University and a Bachelor of Science in Sociology.
Alicia lives in Dallas, Texas and enjoys cooking, exercise, reading and spending time with her family.
JANEY L. WRIGHT
Janey L. Wright
ControllerJaney L. Wright is our Financial Controller, responsible for providing support to the CFO and delivering financial services such as accounting, treasury, financial reporting and budgeting.
Prior to joining THEO, Janey held the position of Financial Controller for a Strategic Tax Planning Firm where she oversaw the Finance, Human Resources, and Payroll Departments. During her tenure, she implemented a new Payroll and ERP systems for the company and spearheaded all internal/external audits and SEC filings.
Janey has an extensive financial and accounting background that spans more than 16 years and includes senior positions in various industries, including banking, retail, restaurants operations, real estate, tax, and insurance. She loves learning new systems and considers herself an Excel Guru. Janey holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting Degree and is currently working towards her Master’s Degree in Accounting.
Janey, along with husband, Edward, run an Artistic & Design company. They have worked with local schools and businesses in Texas as well as Police and First Responder organizations in Louisiana.
Janey lives in Hackberry, TX with her husband and their daughter, Lily. In her spare time Janey competes in several 5K races each year, is a Master Swimmer with USMS, and is working towards becoming a Master Gardener in the state of Texas. She also loves fishing and hopes to own a catfish farm in the future.
ANGIE SPURLOCK
Angie Spurlock
Executive AssistantAngie Spurlock is the Executive Assistant for various executive roles at the firm including the Chief Financial Officer, the President, Healthcare Transformation and the Chief Administration Officer. In her role, she supports Human Resources, Finance, invoicing, budgets, office management and calendaring and travel logistics. She also heavily partners with the Senior Executive Assistant and Senior Practice Coordinator to ensure excellence in coordination, planning, executing client engagements and bringing optimal value for the THEO 1900 Client Experience.
Angie is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in executive assistant roles, including in the healthcare industry, bringing over 15 years of experience to her new role. Some of Angie’s key areas of expertise are project management, event coordination, office management and client relations. Most recently, Angie served as an Executive Assistant to the Chief Information Officer/Vice President at ACE Cash Express. She previously worked at Baylor Scott and White where she supported a number of senior leaders including the Chief Nursing Officer/Chief Operating Officer, President, Physicians, Management and the Irving Healthcare Foundation for nine years.
Angie lives in Grand Prairie, Texas and enjoys spending time with family and friends, staying active in church events, cooking and growing mentally and spiritually as an individual.
CLARE THEODOSIOU
Clare Theodosiou
Office AssociateClare Theodosiou is an Office Associate that brings dedication and enthusiasm into any job she performs. In her role, Clare assists the entire THEO office staff in many administrative functions within the Firm to ensure effective and efficient operations.
Clare is currently attending El Centro College to enhance her overall office skills. Clare has been awarded numerous certificates that have advanced her contribution at the Firm such as “Workplace Etiquette and Professionalism” and “Reading and Listening Skills for Effective Communication”. She is excited to apply these abilities to the Firm as she continues to attend, enhance and complete school.
Clare lives in Dallas, Texas and enjoys music, dancing, singing and baking.
LEADERSHIP ADVISORY THROUGHOUT HISTORY
Advisors date back to antiquity, but the Industrial Era has converted these trusted advisors into technical experts and management consultants, and the role of the trusted advisor as known throughout history has all but disappeared. Our goal at THEO is to revive and reclaim the role of the Advisor. THEO Advisors work behind the scenes in service of the leader, the organization, and its mission.
ALEXANDER THE GREAT
& ARISTOTLE
ALEXANDER THE GREAT & ARISTOTLE
The Leader - Alexander the GreatThe Advisor - Aristotle
Alexander was born in 356 BC, son of King Philip of Macedon. His mother Olympias encouraged him to believe he was the direct descendant of Achilles, the hero of Homer’s Iliad, a hero of exemplary virtue. When Alexander was 13 his father chose the philosopher Aristotle as his tutor.
At 16 he was called by his father to put down a revolt in Macedonia while Philip was absent. Alexander successfully stormed the rebels’ stronghold and renamed it Alexandroupolis, after himself. Before his death in 323 BC, over an eight year period he led a campaign that united a significant portion of the known world under his rule.
Aristotle’s time with Alexander was short, three years, but he left his impact. His ethics and politics seemed to have had an impact especially with regard to the concept of “barbarians,” a word used to mean all non-Greeks. Alexander was fiercely anti-Persian and Aristotle’s work gave him intellectual support.
Under the guidance of this great thinker, Alexander developed an interest in philosophy, medicine and science. Alexander was often known to recommend medicines to his friends and to take note of cures used in the lands he conquered. He took with him engineers, surveyors, architects, scientists and historians.
Aristotle’s father was court physician to Philip, which is what led to Aristotle’s appointment as Alexander’s tutor. Though his father died when he was young, a guardian sent him to Athens when he was about 17 to be educated at Plato’s Academy. He studied at the Academy for about twenty years and then started his own school in Athens. He rejected Plato’s belief that the objects of true knowledge are in an abstract realm, divorced from the real world we live in. Aristotle believed that there was only one world we could philosophize about – the one which we live in and experience. For him the world was a place of wonder which he worked to understand. Throughout his life he researched across a vast range of topics: logic, physics, political science, economics, psychology, meteorology, metaphysics, rhetoric, and ethics.
He invented technical terms still used in these fields, terms such as energy, dynamic, induction, substance, attribute, essence, property, accident, category, proposition, and universal. He also systemized logic, working out which forms of inference were valid and invalid.
Aristotle encouraged Alexander to model himself after Achilles, to live a life of greatness. Alexander is quoted as saying, “I would rather live a short life of glory than a long life of obscurity.”
Alexander, in his desire to follow a heroic paradigm, placed great value on honor and with it the virtues of self-control and self-denial. In these respects, Aristotle’s influence was likely essential for he pushed Alexander along a path that diverged greatly from his father, who had fathered many children with many women and had generally lived a life of excess.
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT,
HARRY TRUMAN
& GEORGE MARSHALL
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT, HARRY TRUMAN & GEORGE MARSHALL
The Leaders - FDR and Harry TrumanThe Advisor - George Marshall
George Marshall was an advisor to Franklin D. Roosevelt, serving as the Chief of Staff for the United States Army during World War II. When Roosevelt asked Marshall what he thought of such an appointment, he said, “Nothing, Mr. President, except to remind you that I have the habit of saying exactly what I think. And that, as you know, can often be unpleasing. Is that all right?” When Roosevelt said yes to him, Marshall replied, “I will give you the best I have.”
Marshall protected his independence as an advisor to the President. He avoided socializing with Roosevelt in order to remain insulated and independent from Roosevelt’s magnetic and beguiling personality. Since he never campaigned for positions or for advancement, he always took a position with no strings attached, on the strength of his character and competency alone.
FDR insisted that no one admired Marshall more than he did. President Harry Truman felt similarly about Marshall, who served as his Secretary of Defense and later Secretary of State… “I’d say he performed more important jobs for this country than any man I can think of, and I don’t know where we’d be if we hadn’t had him.”
In 1951 Truman recalled General Douglas Macarthur and removed him from command, and Marshall stood strong in support of Truman’s action, in large part because Macarthur had challenged the authority of the President as Commander-in-Chief. “He was a man who never turned down a job that needed to be done.”
Winston Churchill described Europe after World War II as a “rubble-heap, a charnel house, a breeding ground of pestilence and hate.” Marshall devised a plan for the economic rebuilding of Europe, one that President Truman called the Marshall Plan. It proved essential to the recovery of the continent and the stability of the world. In 1953, Marshall became the first career soldier to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his plan.
Truman was effusive in his praise of Marshall’s work. “He was one of the men you could count on to be truthful in every way, and when you find someone like that, you have to hang onto them. You have to hang on to them.”
George Marshall was an adviser to Franklin D. Roosevelt, serving as the Chief of Staff for the United States Army during World War II. When Roosevelt asked Marshall what he thought of such an appointment he said, “Nothing, Mr. President, except to remind you that I have the habit of saying exactly what I think. And that, as you know, can often be unpleasing. Is that all right?” When Roosevelt said yes to him, Marshall said “I will give you the best I have.”
Marshall protected his independence as an adviser to the President. He avoided socializing with Roosevelt in order to remain insulated and independent from Roosevelt’s magnetic and beguiling personality. Since he never campaigned for positions or for advancement, he always took a position with no strings attached, on the strength of his character and competency alone.
FDR insisted that no one admired Marshall more than he did. President Harry Truman felt similarly about Marshall, who served as his Secretary of Defense and later Secretary of State… “I’d say he performed more important jobs for this country than any man I can think of, and I don’t know where we’d be if we hadn’t had him.”
In 1951 Truman recalled General Douglas Macarthur and removed him from command, and Marshall stood strong in support of Truman’s action, in large part because Macarthur had challenged the authority of the president as Commander-in-Chief. “He was a man who never turned down a job that needed to be done.”
Winston Churchill described Europe after World War II as a “rubble-heap, a charnel house, a breeding ground of pestilence and hate.” Marshall devised a plan for the economic rebuilding of Europe, one that President Truman called the Marshall Plan. It proved essential to the recovery of the Continent and the stability of the world. In 1953, Marshall became the first career soldier to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for the Marshall Plan.
JOHN ADAMS
& ABIGAIL SMITH
JOHN ADAMS & ABIGAIL SMITH
The Leader - John AdamsThe Advisor - Abigail Smith
John Adams, born in Massachusetts in 1735, was a teacher and lawyer before he devoted himself to a life of patriotism and politics. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress, a diplomat who served as a commissioner to France, Great Britain and the Netherlands, and minister to the Court of St. James.
John Adams was a passionate advocate of independence for the British colonies. He helped secure funding for the war and he was chosen to negotiate treaties of peace and commerce with Great Britain after the war.
He served as the first Vice-President and the second President of the United States. His presidency was significant, first because it demonstrated a successful transfer of power in Washington and also because he kept the United States out of war with France when it was infringing on American neutrality during the Napoleonic wars with Great Britain.
His steadfastness came at a political price. While keeping the young democracy from war was ultimately good for the country, he antagonized his own party which was anti-French because of the radicalism of the French Revolution. His opponents in the other party, led by his Vice President Thomas Jefferson, were angered by restrictions such as the Alien and Sedition Acts, which made it a crime to criticize the government or its policies.
In a sense John Adams, a man of principle, made no one politically happy. But he did as he felt was best for the nation. Recalling his administration years later, he noted, “No man who ever held the office of President would ever congratulate a friend on obtaining it.”
He married Abigail Smith, whose father was a Congregationalist minister and whose mother was a member of a notable family in Massachusetts. Throughout their 54 years of marriage she was his closest confidant, his most loyal supporter, his political advisor, and the love of his life.
He died in 1826 and the fourth of July just hours after Thomas Jefferson who had been a friend and colleague for many years, though they were estranged for about twenty years over conflicts begun while Adams was president.
His marriage to Abigail Smith was the most important decision of John Adams’ life. She was in all respects his equal and the part she was to play would be greater than he ever could have imagined. Though they were apart for much of their married life, they conducted a lively correspondence in which he shared his concerns, doubts, and opinions of the people and the events of the time.
She gave him advice, expressed her political opinion, kept him abreast of current events and the political feelings at home and developed her own ideas about how the new nation should evolve. While Abigail maintained the appearance of “the loyal little lady managing the farm and the children” John relied heavily on her political judgment. She was his closest confidant in both political and personal matters.
While her own politics could be quite conservative, and like John she felt the American Revolution was a political and not a social revolution as was the case in France, she did advocate education for women. “If you complain of neglect of education of our sons, what shall I say with regard to daughters, who every day experience the want of it…I most sincerely wish that our new Constitution may be distinguished for encouraging learning and virtue. If we mean to have heroes, statesmen and philosophers, we should have learned women….”
In addition to famously requesting of him “not to forget the women” in writing the Constitution, she also wrote that “I most sincerely wish that there were not a slave in this province. It has always appeared a most iniquitous scheme to me--to fight ourselves for what we are daily robbing and plundering from those who have as good a right to freedom as we have.”
She encouraged John in his career though his absences were difficult for her. He was often prey to self doubt about his leadership abilities. At his lowest point, when he was faced with a contemptuous cabinet and a thankless country she joined him, at his request to “assist me with your councils and console me” and became his “chief domestic minister without portfolio.”
A historian says, “Abigail Adams was one of the most remarkable, admirable, wise Americans of all times. She was a better judge of people than he was. She was a much more insightful politician.” Her impact continued long after her death in the life of their son John Quincy Adams, who would also become President and who would become a tireless warrior against slavery.
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
& STANLEY D. LEVISON
Martin Luther King, Jr. & Stanley Levison
The Leader - Martin Luther King, Jr. The Advisor - Stanley LevisonCourage is the force that creates history. For Martin Luther King, the young pastor who led the successful bus boycott following Rosa Parks’ refusal to surrender her seat, courage was the key to his meteoric rise. Beset by self-doubt, frequent depression, and well- founded fear, King became synonymous with civil rights in America as he faced persecution by local officials, frequent imprisonment, violent attacks by white racists, jealousy from some other black leaders and harassment by J. Edgar Hoover.
That his short 13 year career called for courage is clear from King’s comments when he said, “like anybody I would like to live - a long life… but I'm not concerned about that now, I just want to do God's will… I may not get there with you, but I want you to know that we as a people will get to the Promised Land.” Asked by a reporter if he wasafraid, King responded, “I wouldn't say that I have risen above the shackles of fear. But [while] I live every day under the threat of death… I am strengthened from realization… that the cause is right... there is a great spirit that comes to an individual when he is engaged in something he believes is right and something he will ultimately win.”
Trying to link King to the Communist Party, Hoover worked single- mindedly to isolate him from Stanley D. Levison, King’s advisor, confidant, strategist, protector, fundraiser, accountant, editor and “closest white friend,” a man King called his “winter soldier,” who stood by him in the hardest of times. Levison looked after Martin Luther King from 1955 until years after his assassination and was essential to the cause of civil rights and to King’s legacy of courage which persists today more than 50 years after he entered the national consciousness.
Levison, a successful Jewish businessman and lawyer from New York, lived and breathed social justice. A member of a group itself persecuted and denied civil rights for centuries, he briefly raised money for the U.S. Communist Party because he believed its support of workers could create a more just society. Disenchanted by Soviet brutality, he severed ties with the Party after the violent end of the Hungarian Revolution in 1956.
Meeting King in 1955, he determined that the young minister personified his own philosophy - a rejection of injustice regardless of color or ethnicity. Until his own death Levison made King and his work the centerpiece of his own life. Instrumental in the creation of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, King’s base, Levison was SCLC's major fundraiser and with the help of Harry Belafonte, also a tireless supporter of King, he accessed major donors in the entertainment industry and wealthy Jewish social activists to provide the funding that would keep SCLC afloat.
Levison helped King define himself, telling him he needed, "to absorb some kind of real philosophy… that sets you apart from other leaders and makes you more than just an after-dinner speaker." When they were forced to stop communicating under pressure from President Kennedy, who acted on unfounded FBI assertions that Levison was still a Communist, Harry Belafonte noted that, "Stan did stop talking to Martin-for a while. The truth was, though, we needed Stan too much to let him go… He was just too powerful as a chess player." Clarence Jones, entertainment lawyer and close friend of both King and Levison, served as a secret go-between and noted that, "Stanley read Martin with great intuition and was very clear on Martin’s strengths and weaknesses," adding that, "Stanley kept it all together for him. I was there, I played a role, but he was really the one in charge of everything behind the scenes that had to happen for the movement to survive."
About himself Levison said, "My skills were acquired… in a cloistered academic environment... [and] in the commercial jungle where more violence in varied forms occurs daily than is found on many a battlefront… I looked forward to the time when I could use my skills not for myself but for socially constructive ends. The liberation struggle is the most positive and rewarding area of work anyone could experience."
After King’s assassination and 1968, Levison, an executor of King’s meager estate, continued for years to send personal checks to King’s family. He negotiated lucrative book deals and interviews for King’s widow, supported King’s protégé, Andrew Young, in his successful bid for Congress and continued to raise money for SCLC. Though he received an award from the King Center in 1979, shortly before his own death, he remains a shadowy figure, only occasionally mentioned in recountings of the era.
King often quoted abolitionist Theodore Parker saying, "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice." Martin Luther King, with the unfailing assistance, guidance, and devotion of Stanley Levison, moved America much further along that arc to a more just society. Together their courage helped create history.