Jonathan works with organizations to develop leadership and innovation solutions necessary for growth. Fast Company calls him an “innovation thought leader,” and Investor’s Business Daily referred to him as an “innovation guru.” Jonathan serves as the President of PRND:Shift, an executive leadership and organizational development practice, as a partner at Pilgrimage Professional Development Group, and on the faculties of the Joint Special Operations University and the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL).
He served as the executive Vice President of Product and member of the global executive team of Dale Carnegie & Associates, a training organization with operations in 50 states, 90 countries and 32 languages, where he revitalized the product offerings including face-to-face training, virtual instructor-led, on-demand video, and apps, plus led the experimentation with AI-based coaching. Jonathan previously worked at CCL as a senior faculty and had portfolio management responsibilities for innovation, technology-based learning solutions, and individual leadership development solutions. He also spent 14 years as the President and cofounder of New & Improved, LLC, a global training and organizational development firm focused on creative thinking and innovation leadership skills.
Jonathan regularly works with Fortune 100 companies in the consumer goods, electronics, pharma, automotive, and entertainment industries as well as mid-size enterprises, various government agencies and business schools. Formerly the Director of Training and Consulting for the Creative Education Foundation, he started his career in advertising and marketing where he worked for Lintas:USA and Leo Burnett, among other agencies.
Jonathan holds a Master’s Degree in Creativity and Change Leadership from the State University of New York’s Buffalo State College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication from Ithaca College after an unsuccessful early educational foray in engineering. He has earned certificates from the Mini-MBA Management Program at Loyola University Chicago, plus High Impact Sales Management and Organizational Leadership from the University of Central Missouri.
Jonathan has served as an adjunct faculty member at Northwestern University, SUNY Buffalo State College, Ithaca College, and the Rochester Institute of Technology, was a regular speaker at the Simon School of Business at the University of Rochester, and has lectured in the business schools at New York University and Georgia Tech.
Publications in which Jonathan has been quoted or interviewed include Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Newsday, Investor’s Business Daily, Entrepreneur, EuropeanCEO, HR Katha, BusinessWorld (India), and Road & Track. He is also the author of many white papers, articles, blogs, videos, books, and training manuals about leadership, creative thinking and innovation leadership. He is the co-author of the books, "More Lightning, Less Thunder: How to Energize Innovation Teams," "LEAD! How to Build a High-Performing Team," "Speak! Overcoming the Fear and Horror of Public Speaking," and "Connect! How to Build Trust-Based Relationships" plus two entries in "the Encyclopedia of Creativity, Invention, Innovation and Entrepreneurship." He also wrote, "Manage Your Boss," published by the Center for Creative Leadership.
He is an avowed yacht-racing enthusiast and gearhead, having once spent a season as a track announcer at Watkins Glen International Raceway. He is fairly sure that he is proud to have been referred to as an “innovation geek” in Forbes.
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