enriched my life and inspired me to continue developing my leadership skills. — Deena Giltz McCullough, President & CEO, Northern Insuring Agency 

Cirque du Sophia is a unique opportunity to come together with other business women that have similar challenges and experiences. We begin our time together at one level of niceties and exchange and very quickly move into a deeper level of sharing and bonding that is not common in our everyday business lives. The group, as a whole, develops a powerful persona of its own due to the synergy of the individuals. Together we experience, share and learn more about ourselves as leaders and women in the professional world. We draw on the experiences and perspectives of each woman and offer support and constructive feedback in a loving way. We arrive as strangers but leave as friends and are forever impacted by what we shared together. Cirque du Sophia has been very instrumental in helping me on my journey over the past few years in striving to become the best leader I can be. It is a continual journey and I look forward to future Cirque du Sophia experiences. Lisë and Melissa are amazing together and I love that they share themselves with the group and are one of us, while still facilitating the discussions and leading us on a journey of discovery each time. — Sheila Harvey, CEO, A+ Corporation, LLC

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me to five amazing women! I am a return “rippler,” and I am once again walking away with a deep sense of self awareness. I feel recharged and ready to smooth that “edge” with the feedback and knowledge that I have gained over the past three days. — Nancy Hammond, CFO, Western New York Public Broadcasting Association

I believe as facilitators Melissa and Christiane did a fantastic job designing a program that focused on our goals and working on mapping out a journey in order achieve our goals. For me it was perfect. — Vania Broderick-Dursun, Independent Consultant

Create Ripples offered me an ideal setting to park personal and professional demands to learn about my own leadership style through a full, uninterrupted three-day engagement in different activities and conversations with six amazing women. Building on the transformational aspects of sharing personal experiences and challenges, the facilitators guided our group through a powerful journey, full of unexpected moments of joy, pain and caring…resulting in the recognition that it was the journey. For me, the image of Ripples evoked the tension, grace and fluidity of women, together, reaffirming, reimagining and redefining their personal and professional leadership styles. — Andree Wyncoop, President/CEO Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund

an overarching peacefulness. It was a wonderful place to be! — Managing Partner, professional services firm

You helped me to change my life completely. Melissa, truly – I have the most incredible life. I love my work, I love my husband and family. I am exactly where I am supposed to be and it is in large part to you! So thank you so much. — Owner, marketing firm

I cannot thank you enough or express in words how valuable the past coaching sessions have made a difference in both my personal life and my professional world. — President, precision machining company

After our time together, this is by far my biggest take away ~ for me to stop acting and start living and feeling truly, even if it’s different than the norm. I thank you for your guidance and wisdom. — President, insurance company

Our call has come back to me in so many ways, so many times. I was just reviewing my notes again grasping some of the nuggets of perspective that you gave me and I captured in my writing. It meant so much to me. I have been marinating on so much this weekend and continue to develop what my thoughts about going forward will be.  — Executive Director, women’s business funding non-profit

I just want to report that we had our All Hands Meeting today and we did a pretty good job! I don’t want to start a mutual congratulation group, but we used a lot of the wording that we developed yesterday; couched our introductions on the bigger framework of supporting the company and each other; and discussed each new person’s expertise and linked that to additional changes and discovery and growth as we all work forward together. — Managing Partner, professional services firm

and moving us forward. So, thank you for rearranging things to accommodate our schedule. — Dan Berglund, President and CEO, SSTI

Melissa has reinvented strategic planning. She helps you envision your future in a way that’s fun and engaging, and that really works. With her guidance, our strategic planning process has uniquely prepared us to take advantage of market and technology changes that have come along. The impact on this organization is powerful and enduring. We think and act strategically, which is a sea change she was instrumental in creating. — Donald K. Boswell, President & CEO, Western New York Public Broadcasting

Melissa – It is very clear that your God-given gifts have played a major role in getting us to this point. This has been quite a year and your role in it is helping all of us maintain our confidence and our courage. — Sr. Margaret Carney, President Saint Bonaventure University

Melissa collaborated with my family to conduct a great family retreat. She taught us lots of great communication skills and we had lots of fun in the process. Her expert knowledge and fun approach to sharing her knowledge make learning lots of fun. — Keith Mayeaux, Founder, Next Generation Family Advisors

Melissa – no matter the ultimate outcome, we couldn’t have gotten this far without your skilled facilitation. Thank you for making a significant difference in this work. — Cynthia Zane EdD, President, Hilbert College

techniques exquisitely, was her warm, well-prepared, perceptive, persistent, gentle but powerful, insightful, stay-with-you-where-you’re-at, clear, encouraging, illuminating mentor coaching that helped me gain mastery of the Gestalt and ICF techniques with which we worked. — Susanna Margaret Goulder, GPCC, ACC

Melissa, thank you. You have been so instrumental in my growth and development. Thank you so much for walking alongside as I grew. – Rima Shaffer, Gestalt Professional Certified Coach

My thoughts and prayers are with you as you impact the lives of the coaches entrusted to your care. I often think of those moments we shared with such fondness and know that you have played a major role in my coaching ability. The practicums are more significant to me now as I reach back in my memory of all you taught and equipped me to be. — Joan Nosal, PCC, GPCC, T.R.I. Life Coaching

My ACC application is being processed by ICF and my focus has shifted to developing solid PCC level skills. Your mini-mentor coaching gave me examples of ways to establish a more in-depth contract at the beginning of a coaching session and assist the client in evaluating whether the goals were met that would be so much more authentic for me than others I have heard described and have tried. I’m looking forward to experimenting more in these areas when I work with clients this week and to discussing my new awarenesses with my supervisor next week. Thank you! — Rev. Dr. Janice Lee Fitzgerald, Leadership and Ministry Coach

Thank you for your tireless commitment to developing us as coaches! – Patricia Bright, Bright Consulting LLC

Thank you for the heart, soul, and passion you gave to the coaching program. My understanding of Gestalt Coaching, and (inadvertently) facilitation and teaching grew to new depths, thanks to you. I am ever grateful that this program brought us together. — Elizabeth Roll, GPCC, PCC, Sandia Corporation

Besides being an expert in her field with a wealth of wisdom to share, Melissa’s energetic and powerful presence held her audience captive and interested. I highly recommend Melissa to any organization or company who is looking for an outstanding program that adds tremendous value for each participant – both on a personal as well as professional level. — Cornelia Wegener, Ph.D., ICF-GA Conference Committee

What a pleasure it was to ‘experience’ your presentation at our ICF Cleveland meeting! We so appreciated the generosity of your time, and value of the ‘pearls’ for coaching that you gave to us all. As noted in the evaluations, your efforts were highly lauded. It is clear that the audience especially enjoyed your presentation style, and it is always a great sign that many were able to record a solid take-a-way…Again thank you so very much! – Ann Fitzgerald, Program Co-Chair

I so enjoyed working with you in the coaching program and still think about and use many of the things you taught us! — Christina M. Royer, ACC, GPCC, Christina M. Royer, Ltd., Attorney at Law