Dr. Mateo Cruz is an award-winning teaching-scholar at Bentley University. His primary research focuses on diversity, equity, inclusion, social justice (DEIJ), and change in groups & organizations. His research has been published in top management and psychology outlets including, Journal of Organizational Behavior, Journal of Vocational Behavior, and Research in Organizational Change and Development and presented to academic and executive audiences in the US, UK, and South Africa. 

As a scholar-practitioner, Mateo’s work is guided by one central goal: To design and deliver evidence-based interventions that advance change leaders at the intersection of identities. He holds 20+ years of experience as an executive coach and organization development & change (ODC) consultant & trainer specializing in inclusive leadership, group & team dynamics, and organizational change.  

Mateo views his academic work as an extension of his passion for teaching and training, leadership development, and community advocacy. He currently serves as a Faculty Advisor to the Center for Women and Business at Bentley University and is a proud member of the Executive Board of Directors for GLSEN National, the #1 LGBTQ+ education advocacy organization in the US. In 2024, he was awarded the Dr. Earl L. Avery MLK Leadership Award for his efforts to advance inclusion in organizations. 

Mateo holds a Ph.D. in social/organizational psychology from Columbia University; an M.A. in organizational psychology from Columbia University; and a B.A. in social work/psychology from the University of Portland. 

Susan Vroman (EdD, EdM), is a Senior Lecturer of Management at Bentley University.  Her research interests include the impact leadership enactment has on organizational culture and employee engagement, authentic leadership, leading teams, and inclusive leadership, with specific focus on supporting flexible work arrangements. 

Prior to her academic career, Susan spent over 20 years as an organizational effectiveness and strategic people and culture executive and advisor both internally and in a consulting capacity. Susan’s passion and expertise lie in values-based leadership development and profit-centered culture development. She has demonstrated superior results in designing and creating engaged workforces with direct business results.

Susan has engaged with companies ranging from 8 to 50,000 employees. Her consulting niche is in entrepreneurial businesses that are “coming of age.” Susan has served as Executive Coach (specializing in high potential emerging leaders), designed and used 360 degree questionnaires to help leaders achieve greater success, and has facilitated retreats to foster better results. Susan has also led Change Management initiatives ranging from organizational re-engineering to culture and human resource assimilation preparing for and in the aftermath of leadership changes, mergers, and acquisitions. Susan’s work facilitating troubled teams has also helped them to overcome obstacles.  Susan has been the architect of corporate universities and has designed and developed programming for leadership development, upskilling, and soft-skills effectiveness.

Susan holds her undergraduate degree in Communication and Human Resource Development from James Madison University; a Master’s Degree in Leadership Studies from Harvard University; and her doctorate degree in Organizational Leadership Studies from Northeastern University.  She is also certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), Predictive Index (PI), Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), ExperiencePoint Change Management, Emotional & Social Competency Inventory (ESCI), Hogan’s Derailers, and in DiSC. 

Veronica Barber (MS, EdD), is a lecturer and assistant chair of the management department at Bentley University.  She is a promoter of presence-based leadership, life-enriching work, and healthy organizational change. 

Her professional career spans over 30 years in the healthcare and aging services fields, in which she has worked as a Chief Operating Officer for a health system in New York, a Senior Vice President of Human Resources for a national assisted living company, and continues to function as an organizational development consultant, serving clients nationwide.   

Veronica is also an International Coaching Federation (ICF) and Emotional Intelligence (EQ) certified coach. She has helped countless executives across the United States to develop their emotional intelligence competencies, and is actively involved in the coaching community, whereby she assists with the education of coaches and functions as a mentor coach.  

Veronica’s other passions and expertise lie in the areas of leadership, culture, talent management, and leading change.  She holds an international certification in organizational culture assessment and development and is a DISC certified assessor/trainer. Veronica has a doctorate in executive leadership with a research focus on organizational change, a master’s in health services management and a bachelor’s in mathematics.