Greater Philadelphia - Association of Career Professionals International
The Greater Philadelphia Network is a local meeting group started by members of ACP International in 1995. We are career professionals affiliated with organizations or practicing independently. Our members deliver career services to individuals and groups in corporations, career transition firms, non-profit organizations, recruiting firms and colleges.
Board Member Profiles Professional Development Benefits of Membership Contact
Greater Philadelphia Network Board
President
Dr. Helen Richardson is principal consultant and owner of Career Consciousness, Inc. - a career and human resources consulting firm. Helen's philosophy is that work is a relationship just like any other relationship and that one needs a "career consciousness" to maximize its benefits. Helen has over 25 years of experiences as career coach, human resource director, organizational development consultant, school to career pioneer and advocate. Prior to starting her own consulting firm, she held senior level human resource positions in both corporate and non-profit organizations. Helen has a doctorate in Organizational Development and Training from Temple University, a Master of Human Services from Lincoln University, and an International Coaching Certification from the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland. She is also a certified Career Development Facilitator. Prior to being elected to the position of President of the Association of Career Professionals International - Greater Philadelphia Chapter, she served as Vice President and Treasurer.
Secretary
Serves as the keeper of organizational documents and written communication to organizational members.
Treasurer
Betty Hirsch is founder and principal of Career Advisory Services. Additionally she works in career transition as a Project Consultant for Right Management, in Berwyn, PA. Previous to joining Right, Betty worked for 12 years at Manchester Partners - a human capital management firm. During her tenure at Manchester, she served as VP and Senior Consultant working with hundreds of professionals considering a career transition. She has provided service to individuals from companies such as PNC, JPMorgan Chase, Wachovia, Morgan Stanley, Cigna, DuPont, Rohm and Haas, GSK, Merck, Wyeth, PECO, Safeguard Scientific, Campbell Soup, Unisys, and a variety of not-for-profit organizations.
She also serves as a volunteer Career Counselor for the Women's Resource Center in Wayne, PA. Her educational background includes an MA from the University of Texas and a BA from Duke University. Her avocation is studying art at The Barnes Foundation.
Programs Chair
Craig Karasin
Membership Chair
V. Ennis Harris is President and CEO Global Career Consultants providing comprehensive services in the areas of professional career training and leadership development. GCC specializes in the area of career transition, outplacement, and coaching. Ennis has also worked as a Project Contract Associate at Right Management, a Career Consultant and Girls Leadership Facilitator at Women's Resource Center, and the Director of Client Services at Careers Express.
Ennis has an M.S. in Administration from West Chester University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. Social Work with a minor in Sociology.
Professional Development Chair
Janice Coleman is a uniquely skilled Communications Specialist focusing on Career Management, Business Communications Training, and Executive Presentations/Life Coach. Her ministry focus is Christian Leadership Education.
Janice's professional and personal experiences enable her to connect with a wide variety of people. Her intense love for knowledge and understanding and the application thereof has helped Janice throughout her career to encourage and motivate people, teams and organizations to strive for achievement while even in the midst of challenges and crisis.
Public Relations Chair
Barbara Bair, M.Ed., CMP conducts management development training, has a private career consultation practice and is a Senior Consultant with The Impact Group a Relocation and Career Transition firm. Barbara seeks to Inform, Involve and Inspire individuals to understand the nature and process of managing change to achieve new levels of performance excellence. She has a highly developed ability to "listen between the lines" enabling her to quickly understand what people need to be successful.
Career highlights include Academic Dean of a Business College through roles as a Management Training Specialist, Senior Career Consultant and Performance Consultant in New Orleans, LA, New York City and the Philadelphia, PA region where she currently resides.
Barbara is an Internationally Certified Career Management Professional, possessing Birkman Method Certification and is qualified to use the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Further, she has a Masters Degree in Counselor Education from The Pennsylvania State University and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology.
Barbara has served in leadership roles with multiple professional associations including ASTD serving in the Long Island, NY Chapter as Membership and Newsletter Chair, Great Valley Chapter of ISPI -Membership Chair; Association of Career Professionals International, Philadelphia Chapter – former Membership Chair and currently Public Relations Chair. She also is affiliated with PADLA (PA distance and learning association).
Technology Chair
Hudson Whitenight has served as a practitioner and leader in organizational development at several Fortune 100 companies across a broad range of industries. His perspective is that one must always look at the whole system to understand its parts. He believes that it is only through effective diagnostics and planning that sound business solutions can be discovered and implemented. Hud is also a highly experienced photographer and videographer. These qualities/experiences plus a passion for the use of social media and other emerging technologies as key tools in the arsenal of career development serve Hud well as the Chair of the Technology Committee.
Strategic Alliances Chair
Beth Wilson, M.Ed., CMF, specializes in consulting with individuals about the planning, transition and management of their careers. She advises people of all ages from diverse fields and backgrounds about career and life decisions. Her experience includes designing and conducting training programs and workshops for corporate, government, education and non-profit organizations. Many professional and community groups have heard her speak on career topics.
In 2004, Beth earned recognition as a Career Management Fellow from the Institute of Career Certification International. In 2008 Beth was elected to the Board of Governors of the Institute of Career Certification International and is Chair of the Application Review Division.
Beth has an independent career consulting practice with offices in Delaware County and Center City Philadelphia. She has conducted career transition workshops for Right Management as an adjunct. Before starting her practice in 2001, Beth worked for OPTIONS Career and Human Resource Consulting for seventeen years. Prior experience counseling in vocational rehabilitation, managing classroom training for a federal employment program, coordinating vocational research projects and working in two college career centers has given Beth a solid foundation on which to build her expertise.
Beth is a Work in Retirement guide for www.ComingofAge.org and a member of the GetWorks Steering Committee, a job search forum serving Delaware County. She earned a M.Ed. in Counseling from the Pennsylvania State University and a B.A. in Psychology from Dickinson College.
Certification Chair
Marilyn Dyson, Ph.D, CMF. is a Career Management Professional with more than 15 years of client experience. She also has over 20 years business experience in fortune 500 companies. During that time she switched her focus from computer systems to training and development. Then, while earning her doctorate in Adult and Organization Development, she evolved into a Change Management consultant. She now works at two levels: she consults with individuals and organizations on creating new strategies and goals and for the Alzheimer’s Association she manages support groups and volunteers. Occasionally, Marilyn also teaches in a MBA program and spends her spare time knitting. Marilyn has earned recognition as a Career Management Fellow from the Institute of Career Certification International.