Skip to content

Welcome Heather, Karen and Mary

Navigate Forward Adds Talented HR Professionals and Career Coaches to Team
New team members at Navigate Forward: Heather Averbook, Karen Preston, Mary Stieber Reynhout

Amid continued demand for our proven executive career services, we are once again welcoming new team members to the Navigate Forward family. Our latest growth brings a new role to our leadership team and expands our roster of seasoned executive consultants.

“We’re pleased to onboard three talented individuals who not only bring immense experience, but who also share our values,” said Anne Sample, CEO of Navigate Forward.

These latest hires keep us well positioned to deliver the responsive, personal service our clients expect

She added, “We recognize that our people and our ‘relentlessly helpful’ approach to our clients are what truly differentiate us in the market. These latest hires keep us well positioned to deliver the responsive, personal service our clients expect, even as our business grows rapidly across the country.”

Meet Heather Averbook, VP of Corporate Partnerships

Heather Averbook, VP of Corporate Partnerships

Heather Averbook joins us as Vice President of Corporate Partnerships. In this newly created role, Heather will leverage her industry expertise and her problem-solving style to build trusted advisor relationships with our valued corporate clients. She’ll also share her hands-on experience as both an HR practitioner and strategic HR consultant as part of our leadership team.

“Heather’s role gives the many HR professionals and corporate clients we work with a dedicated partner who’s easily accessible for questions, new service requests or even just an outside perspective on trends in outplacement or talent management,” Sample explained.

“Heather’s background as both a corporate HR leader and external HR consultant, along with her strong track record of supporting companies large and small, make her a perfect fit for this role,” she added.

Heather’s role gives HR professionals and our corporate clients a dedicated partner

Prior to joining Navigate Forward, Heather served as chief talent scout and employee experience consultant at LeapGen, where she helped various Fortune 500 companies hone their strategies for human capital management (HCM) technology and employee experience. For more than a decade, she sold and implemented HR technology solutions and managed key account activities for Workday, Knowledge Infusion and Peoplesoft. Her client-side roles include vice president of operations for Knowledge Infusion, an HR technology startup, where she oversaw all facets of talent acquisition, onboarding and systems.

Heather will work from our Minneapolis, Minnesota, offices at International Market Square.

Introducing Karen Preston and Mary Stieber Reynhout

Two outstanding individuals join our ranks as executive consultants, bringing our powerhouse team of coaches to 23. This team are the heart of our business. Each executive consultant works one-on-one with senior leaders around the country, guiding them to discover and achieve their career goals.

Karen Preston, Executive Consultant

Karen Preston led HR teams for more than three decades before joining Navigate Forward, working in talent acquisition, human capital management and global HR operations.

A Michigan native, her roles took her around the world. She has lived in nine states and in Bangalore, India; she also traveled extensively during her sixteen-year career with GE.

Her corporate HR experience includes leadership roles with Amazon, GE, Kellogg’s, Pentair, RTI Surgical and SuperValu. In 2021, she launched her own HR consulting firm.

She also serves on the board of trustees at University of Olivet.

Mary Stieber Reynhout, Executive Consultant

Mary Stieber Reynhout is a certified coach, trained psychologist and former HR executive who excels at developing talent and helping leaders maximize their potential. Her experience spans corporate, non-profit and higher education, as well as running her own coaching, consulting and assessment firm.

Her corporate work includes key roles with Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Career Partners International, Royal Bank of Canada and Wells Fargo. Mary also worked at several colleges and universities in Minnesota as a faculty member, program administrator and career coach.

Broader Skillsets, Coaching Styles to Support All Senior Leaders

“The stellar outcomes that our clients achieve stem from our ability to match each executive with an ideal coach for their career goals, communication style and industry background,” Sample noted.

The stellar outcomes our clients achieve stem from matching each executive with an ideal coach

“Mary adds depth to our bench as a trained psychologist with experience in financial services, pharmaceuticals, higher education and non-profits; Karen brings an amazing global perspective that spans consumer packaged goods, manufacturing, retail and medtech. Both expand our range of skillsets so we can better serve all types of senior leaders, and we’re excited to have them join Navigate Forward.” Sample added.

Karen and Mary will support clients in our Executive Transition Services practice. Karen will work virtually from Michigan; Mary is based in the Twin Cities.

Learn more about our team. See other talented professionals who joined us in 2023 and meet our recent Featured Consultants, Jill Harmon and Patty Hamm.

Previous Article
Next Article

Read More

Author Christopher Wong Michaelson Leads Thoughtful Discussion On What Makes ‘Worthy’ Work

Author Christopher Wong Michaelson Leads Thoughtful Discussion on What Makes ‘Worthy’ Work

By Diane Fiderlein

See photos and insights from the 2024 Author’s Breakfast where we explored the importance of aligning work with our personal values, passions, and life goals.

Three Reasons To Ramp Up Your Job Search Networking In Q4

Three Reasons to Ramp Up Your Job Search Networking in Q4

Hiring decisions may slow through year-end, but that’s no reason to put your job search activities on pause. Fall is the ideal time to connect with busy executives.

Over 50? It’s Time To Invest In Yourself With Executive Career Support

Over 50? It’s Time to Invest in Yourself with Executive Career Support

Too often, tenured leaders neglect their own career development. If you’re restless in your current executive role or ready for new challenges, a career coaching engagement can help you clarify your options and achieve your goals.

Back To Top