Client Testimonials

Marin County Office of Education

“Thank you so much for the wonderful presentation you and Catherine gave at Walker Creek Ranch. The administrative group really appreciated hearing your approach to defining problems and then solving them. You gave us a great tool we can use in many situations.

Again, thank you both for getting our year off to a great start!”

Mary Jane Burke
Superintendent of Schools
Marin County Office of Education

Shasta College Economic Workforce Development Grants Office

“Liz worked with us to coordinate, market, and emcee our event. Her assistance was invaluable and had a huge, positive impact on the success of the event. Her assistance with logistics was very useful, but her ability to uphold program timeliness while maintaining speaker and audience interest was a sight to see. I will be hiring Liz and IBS again.”

Luzie Clark
Assistant Project Director
Shasta College Economic Workforce Development Grants Office

Plumas Lake Elementary School District

Superintendent

“Due to the rapid expansion and growth in our community, our school district was faced with significant challenges. Thanks to Kelly’s professionalism and skillful facilitation, we improved our communication, successfully addressed staffing issues, clarified our vision, and strengthened our management team. Kelly has the mastery, enthusiasm, and the integrity to get the job done. I recommend Kelly without hesitation. When it comes to improving individual and organizational performance, you’ll be glad he’s ‘on board.'”

Dione Beilby
Superintendent
Plumas Lake Elementary School District

Principal

“Our school district hired Kelly Graves to assist our leadership team with the challenges caused by rapid expansion. Kelly helped us to clarify roles and responsibilities, facilitate meetings, plan for staffing issues, and improve our communication systems and skills. He proved himself to be a real asset to our district’s growth and development! Kelly has the heart to listen and really hear the important information. He respected our unique culture and helped us to build trust and self-reliance during this time of intense change and growth. He is a man of integrity and wisdom beyond his years. If you are considering the services of a consultant, an executive coach or a insightful, confidential sounding board, I recommend Kelly Graves. He is a consummate professional with a gift for helping others succeed.”

Meredith Putnam
Principal
Rio Del Oro Elementary School, Plumas Lake Elementary School District

Teacher

“I have been meaning to email you and thank you for coming out to our site a little over a week ago. I know my attitude was not always positive in those types of situations, but I really think what you and Liz were all about, with the communication and team building, is crucial for a vibrant and thriving staff. Your passion despite any adversity you may have felt is what has struck me the most. As a teacher it is easy to get stuck on the negative thinking of others and you reminded me that I don’t have to be stuck with a bad attitude, but rather I can make a difference in my staff not just my students. Thank you.”

Ryan Gantenbein
5-8 Special Day Class Teacher
Riverside Meadows School, Plumas Lake Elementary School District

Brandon Steinle. VP Operations AMain.com

1. I have seen the things I have been taught also taught to others in the company. Kelly is able to help people figure themselves out. Teach us how to get out of our own way and see the big picture clearer. He has taught us how to be honest with ourselves and with our employees.
2. Efficiencies are up across the department. Kelly has helped in many ways from Team Building exercises to simplified meeting formats. He has helped us give the employees a voice and allowed us to implement good employee ideas. We have implemented Core Values that we work on every week. Teaching the employees how to live and lead by example and how to be accountable for themselves and looking out for the well being of their co-workers. All of these things have helped us organically create the culture we have today. A culture that is excepting that change is the only normal.
3. While it continues to be a work in progress, Kelly has helped improve our company dramatically. Simple communication around the company is improving every day. Kelly has helped us implement much needed structure and has taught us how to see the benefits of the structure. Kelly continues to teach us how to make smart well thought out decisions. We are really grasping the concept of us against the competition not us against each other. He has taught us how to have productive meetings and he continues to stretch us outside of our comfort zone. This has been a key element in each of our personal development. Kelly really inspires us to be confident in ourselves and how to pass this on to others.

Jim Wagoner, Air Pollution Control Officer
Butte County Air Quality Management District

We had Kelly initially come in to help us with our team building day.  Our staff quickly got into the exercises designed to build unit cohesion, improve communications and focus on solutions.  Staff developed a rapport with Kelly and a level of trust in his program.

We have continued with some follow-up work, identifying key organizational themes requiring management attention.  In this process Kelly has been very flexible in working with staff and management, given our limited budget.  Kelly’s services have brought incredible value to our current needs.