Our team

Our CEO has held many titles but his passion for tackling the most challenging business problems and delivering strong, sustainable results has been consistent at every phase of his career. J. Todd is the calm in the midst of chaos, the steadying leader that charts the path and creates the environment where teams can thrive.. He is direct, yet inclusive. Firm, yet nurturing. Global, yet focused. J. Todd is a big-picture thinker yet he cares deeply about every detail. He craves precision, quality, excellence, action and, yes, fun! In 2013, after 20 years of learning and leading in Corporate America, J. Todd launched Parson Partners to help corporate executives and boards deliver on the most ambitious strategies..

Indeed, J. Todd has gone by many names but his most cherished title is "Pahp". If not working with Parson clients or serving his community, J. Todd is almost certainly engaged in some activity involving his family, creating memories and finding new ways to have fun in every moment. His passions include coaching baseball and softball, woodworking, golf, travel, cooking, tinkering with old cars and fixing stuff around the house.

Nicole transforms leaders’ lives through learning. She has a knack for combining brain science, purposeful practice and gameful engagement to ignite behavior change. By aligning development strategies with company objectives, the solutions she designs (and often facilitates) improve performance to propel business forward.

Nicole has been involved in all aspects of performance improvement consulting including training development, sales, marketing and delivery. Having led an instructional design department and served as a Vice President on the executive team of an international sales training firm, she understands and can speak to executive level priorities and expectations. Without question, Nicole is good at what she does and her skills and insights will help you and your firm grow in all the right ways.

John helps leaders simplify, make, and communicate challenging decisions under conditions of uncertainty. He loves to study new industries and has a knack for generating creative ways to think about problems or opportunities. John sees industries, businesses, and teams as complex systems that operate under a common set of human-led rules and principles. His motto is: "Think straight. Talk straight.", and by understanding the root causes of a systems-challenges, John can cut through noise and create clarity (not chaos).

John has little interest telling his clients what to do – they are the experts, and he believes clients are well equipped to handle their challenges and make decisions independently. Instead, John is interested to share how he thinks about challenges, given his extensive experience and the context of their situation, so that he can work with clients to simplify, make, and communicate better decisions.

When he’s not with his clients, you can find John working a pizza oven, writing original songs for a future record, or going for a swim in Lake Michigan with his amazing wife and two children.

Valencia is the rock, the anchor, the glue that holds us all together. She is a stickler for details, only accepts excellence, pushes for perfection in everything she does. She is undoubtedly tough but the warmth and positivity she brings to every interaction reminds all of what's truly important.

Prior to joining the Parson Partners team, Valencia spent 16 years working with one of the nation's leading orthopedic surgeons. Her deep healthcare industry knowledge fits perfectly within the Parson Partners family and her energy and passion for learning inspire us all.