Laurie Axelrod co-founded Wheelhouse Group in 2003 to support visionary business leaders as they drive complex, enterprise-wide change requiring diverse stakeholder buy-in. She has more than 30 years’ experience developing communications strategies and stakeholder engagement programs that enlist people in designing a compelling vision, shared goals and a path forward. She has consulted with government, industry and non-profits throughout her career.
Before founding Wheelhouse Group, Laurie led corporate marketing communications at American Management Systems (now CGI) where her team supported marketing strategy and execution across seven industries.
Laurie is a frequent speaker on the power of integrated communications and change management and the co-author of The Method and The Magic: Every Leader’s Guide to Making Transformational Change Happen.
What I love about our work
Seeing the long-term impact of our advice and hard work. Building trust with clients and creating career-long clients. Helping groups achieve more together.
What I love about our team
The team is our greatest accomplishment. People tell me all the time how extraordinary they are, but I already know that. Talented, focused, experienced, no-drama, get-the-job-done people.
Fun fact about yourself
Beach or Lake? I’m a lake person and spend almost every summer weekend at Deep Creek Lake in Maryland. It reminds me of growing up in Maine.
Beth McDonald co-founded Wheelhouse Group in 2003 to help guide organizations of all sizes to realize the power of integrated communications and change management to bring about lasting behavioral change. She has more than 30 years of consulting experience in organization transformation, process improvement, strategic communications, leadership development, strategic planning, workforce transformation, and culture change for federal agencies, associations, non-profits, and commercial organizations. At Wheelhouse Group, Beth oversees customer experience and quality and personnel culture and experience.
Before founding Wheelhouse Group, she led corporate organizational change initiatives at American Management Systems (now CGI), launched its executive development program, and led the organizational change efforts for large-scale technology deployments at several Federal agencies.
Beth is the co-author of The Method and The Magic: Every Leader’s Guide to Making Transformational Change Happen. Beth is a frequent speaker on organizational change, high performing teams, leadership dynamics, and trust.
What I love about our work
I love when I see a change that a client has been leading with our support, finally take hold in the organization with positive results.
What I love about our team
I love that we blend-in to our client teams, seamlessly work with all parties involved, and simply-put, are pleasant to be around.
Fun fact about yourself
In high school was in the Guinness Book of World Records for the world’s largest Twister game (record has since been beat!)
Chris Frothingham is a business and IT consultant with 25 years of experience delivering complex program management and change management initiatives with an emphasis on strategic IT projects. He works with large, federal organizations on critical efforts involving challenging process change, application integration and process design to improve operational efficiencies. At Wheelhouse Group, Chris leads the company’s customer experience and business optimization practice and oversees client delivery for a portfolio of federal and commercial clients.
What I love about our work
Over the course of my last 11 years at Wheelhouse Group it has not only been rewarding to guide and support clients through large transformations, but to help evolve and equip their organizations to better meet the challenges ahead.
What I love about our team
It’s an absolute joy to work with smart people who get the job done and have fun.
Fun fact about yourself
I took the opportunity to work from my Airstream for 4 months while exploring the country
Joiwind Ronen has spent the past 20 years pursuing her passion to help mission-driven organizations better serve the needs of the American public. She uses her skills as a strategist, change agent, and facilitator to engage stakeholders and increase their impact. At Wheelhouse Group, she leads company strategy, builds partner relationships and oversees a portfolio of client engagements.
Joiwind founded Ethos Strategic Consulting in 2005, which was acquired by Wheelhouse Group in 2019. Prior she was the Executive Director of ACT/IAC and a managing director at Touchstone Consulting (now GDIT). Joiwind began her career leading the eGovernment Consortium at the Council for Excellence in Government.
What I love about our work
I come to work each day motivated to make an impact. I love working at Wheelhouse because we see tangible results month after month making the government more effective, efficient and transparent in service of the American public.
What I love about our team
I enjoy working with a group of people who are experts in their fields and have honed their skills working with top leaders. I learn something new almost every day.
Fun fact about yourself
I once spent a year backpacking across Asia and volunteering with girls in India.
Lee Frothingham is an accomplished, creative, and focused leader who helps her clients realize their business objectives by engaging stakeholders and delivering effective, change-focused communications. Her 30-year career spans government, healthcare, non-profit, financial services, and retail. She specializes in supporting technology adoption, communication/campaign strategy, message development, and communications execution. She thrives in working with leadership teams in dynamic, ever-changing environments, and has a unique ability to tailor communications specifically to the needs of any audience.
Lee also has a wealth of expertise and knowledge in experience design and has worked with public and private sector executive teams to align and enhance both the customer and employee experience.
What I love about our work
No two days are the same! It’s a great feeling to help our clients solve a variety of challenges – big and small – while fostering a strong, trusting relationships with them.
What I love about our team
We are all focused on one thing: making our clients look good to their leadership team, peers, co-workers and customers – and not taking the credit. We respect each other, have each others’ backs and don’t take ourselves too seriously.
Fun fact about yourself
I’m an avid reader and challenge myself each year to read 50 books. Last year, I almost made it…and I am determined to meet my goal in 2020!
Michele Capozzi is an award-winning marketing professional with 20+ years of experience in marketing strategy and operations, branding, research and testing, customer segmentation, communications and content, and video production. She is a consensus-builder who thoughtfully navigates cross-functional teams to generate results. Her work spans telecommunications, public sector, for-profit and non-profit organizations.
What I love about our work
When we get feedback from a client that our consultants truly made a difference to them personally as leaders, to their teams and within their organization.
What I love about our team
This team is very generous—with their time, with encouragement and with ideas. We roll up our sleeves and support one another. Our people work so well together and that attitude carries over to our clients.
Fun fact about yourself
I ride a motorcycle and love long-distance touring, logging 85,000 miles so far across U.S. and Canada.