They’re fully immersed and 100% committed to the mission-driven work we do here every day. They’re the proxies through which we impose our fully-aligned purpose, to create change in your organization. And then your community. And then the world.
Misti Aaronson
Misti has been part of the bedrock of SHIFT for more than 15 years and has been instrumental in the growth and success of the company. She has played a pivotal role in building SHIFT into a company known for having a remarkable impact on the lives of countless people, organizations, and communities. Her passion for helping others and building relationships only burns brighter now as she looks to continue to grow the SHIFT family and have a greater effect on the lives of others.
Misti was welcomed to the company in 2005, and has since been the architect of SHIFT’s delivery model, bringing to life the study & roadmap process. She was invaluable in the restructuring of the company in 2009, and was even named partner before the age of 30. Her super power is her unique ability to take a vision, design a strategy around the vision, and then make it happen.
Often described as tenacious and gritty, two qualities that have allowed her to continue pushing the company forward, she finds developing employees and watching people grow personally and professionally is the most rewarding part of what she does every day.
A 2012 graduate of GBC Leadership Program, the recipient of SmartCEO’s 2014 Brava Award, and Baltimore’s Daily Record 40 under 40Award, Misti is certainly a mover and shaker, but also a yogi at heart and has completed her 200 hours of yoga training. She is into anything that makes her feel alive – reading about stuff that amazes her, meditation, acupuncture, healthy eating, and of course yoga. Her daily source of inspiration is her daughter, Mattea. As a lifelong learner, Misti dreams of a day where she can study yoga all over the world, immersing herself in the different cultures, and one day teach again.
Kristen Abbott
Kristen joined SHIFT with a background in staffing and recruiting and loves the opportunity to mentor and help others grow within their careers. Kristen also spent time volunteering in the IT space while co-organizing the non-profit, Techies for Good.
As a SHIFT Associate, she shares her expertise by supporting the consulting team with any necessary project management efforts. Kristen is responsible for aiding in the development and growth of SHIFT’s clients by planning and implementing client engagements, strategy sessions, and many special projects.
Kristen grew up near Ocean City, MD and attributes her temperament to the laid-back atmosphere of the Eastern Shore. In addition to going back to the beach, Kristen is a self-proclaimed “health nut” and enjoys listening to podcasts and reading all things related to healthy living.
Jeff Cherry
Over the last 29 years Jeff has been a designer, CEO, educator, consultant, and investor. He enjoys the creative process, both from an artistic and organizational perspective. Currently he's bringing these divergent experiences together in order to help companies develop more conscious, purpose-driven business models; and to help investors build societal as well as financial value. He tries to bring right and left brain thinking to problem solving, business creation and investing ideas; hopefully asking better questions and using his expertise to make the lives of those around him more fulfilling and successful.
As the Founder and Executive Director of Conscious Venture Lab, Jeff is an evangelist for the transformation of capitalism. Working with private investors and early-stage businesses his goal is to create businesses that are operating at the intersection of profit and purpose. As an expert in the emerging field of Conscious Capitalism Jeff has been invited to speak or present at a number of universities around the country on the topic of impact investing and new models of business. These include: the University of Maryland, the Darden School at the University of Virginia, Yale University, Columbia University, the Booth School at the University of Chicago, Howard Community College and the University of Baltimore.
Jeff is a recovering NCAA DIII Football player, has a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and currently studies Krav Maga, the martial art and self-defense system developed by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
Andrew Freedman
Andrew wakes up every day with a singular mission: to make a positive difference in the lives of every person with whom he comes in contact. He thrives when helping others be more, do more, and give more. As the Managing Partner of the consulting business, Andrew drives the strategy development and execution for this area of SHIFT, while also playing a key role in service delivery in key client relationships.
Andrew specializes in helping SHIFT's clients grow by creating vibrant company cultures where remarkable client and employee experiences are the norm. He has an insatiable passion for human performance, and so, much of the work he does with SHIFT clients centers on change management and organizational development—helping individuals, teams, and organizations bridge the gap between strategy and execution.
When he is not helping his clients grow regardless, Andrew is currently an Affiliate Professor for both University of Baltimore and Loyola University of Maryland, teaching both undergraduate and graduate students the core elements of business strategy, organizational development, and company culture. Serving as a “Big” in the Big Brothers of Central Maryland program for more than 10 years, Andrew also received the Rising Star award from Living Classrooms in 2015. Andrew and his wife live in Baltimore, and are the proud owners of two loving mixed breed pit bulls.
Jess Greenwood
“All that matters is how your product helps people survive and thrive.” This mentality inspires the development of products that matter, products that enhance our lives, our relationships, our work, our existence.
Jess Greenwood comes to SHIFT as our Head of Product, leading the roll out of our adaptive technology platform, Latch, designed to identify issues, connect people, and inspire action. Throughout her career, Jess’ constant goal has been to bridge the gap between product development and product utilization, creating products that are not just commercially successful, but personally and professional useful. She brings to this work a scientific lens, having previously held roles as the Director of Clinical Implementation at Aspira Women’s Health and Lead Medical Science Liaison for Ariosa Diagnostics (acquired by Roche). Jess’ experience in the product development space has also been informed by the plethora of diverse projects she’s managed as the owner of JessG Consulting. Jess earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Biological Sciences from North Carolina State University and a Master’s of Science in Genetic Counseling from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She also completed the Certificate Program in Digital Health Communication at Tufts University School of Medicine.
Outside of the world of product development, Jess is a Peloton junkie but can easily be pulled outside for an adventure with her rambunctious four-year old human, Rhodesian Ridgeback fur baby, and their father. Jess has a passion for running and has recently started volunteering with Girls on the Run as there is nothing more awesome than watching young girls discover they can do hard things. As the wife of an Army brat, Jess and her husband are committed to giving back to Veterans and are hoping to become puppy parents in the near future through Warrior Canine Connection, a MD-based non-profit that provides and trains service dogs for wounded combat Veterans.
Rita McDearman
Rita works behind the scenes at SHIFT to ensure our vision and mission are upheld, and all of our goals are met. She oversees finance, HR, IT and operations and is a vital piece to the growth and development of SHIFT.
An MBA recipient from Loyola University of Maryland Sellinger School of Business, Rita has nearly 20 years of professional experience. In past roles she has guided struggling organizations and led major company overhauls, helping to turn them away from dire straights. Rita enjoys providing structure, improving efficiency, and streamlining operations to make it possible for team members to focus on what they are best at.
In the past, Rita has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and Project Clean Stream. A native of Budapest, Hungary, Rita has traveled to every continent but two, and speaks four languages. She is raising two fascinating teenagers, lives for unplanned road trips and hikes in the woods with her dog, and a good book at the end of a long day.
Whitney Siders
Whitney lives out her purpose through a recipe of creating space for leaders to think differently, leading with vulnerability, and attacking every challenge with a learner, solution-oriented mindset.
As a SHIFT Consultant, Whitney influences and teaches leaders the importance of, and how to practice more candid conversations rooted in authenticity and observation. She is known for fusing connection with execution to accelerate actionable, unified steps forward that deliver results.
Working with a range of our clients over the past 6+ years from SMB, family-owned, and non-profit organizations to private enterprise and Fortune 500 companies, Whitney has helped a variety of executive leaders and teams improve and infuse organizational clarity and alignment.
She specializes in developing visions for growth and strategic planning, innovation program design and culture infusion, role clarity, advising and coaching senior executives, and shaping powerful offsites that elevate team principles and activate stronger teams.
Whitney’s history with SHIFT in combination with her previous experience in advertising, community outreach, brand communication, and project management serves a unique adaptability across various projects.
Whitney’s high energy, solution-focused mindset, and commitment to excellence builds deep trust that drives meaningful impact for our clients. This is front and center in her powerful TEDx talk and Bounce Back story highlighting the importance of perspective, storytelling, and resiliency.
She calls Baltimore home, although she loves to travel and has recently resided in Boston for several years. Whitney will always bleed purple for the Ravens with a mix of gold for her ECU Pirates. She finds joy in adventure and exploration, competing in triathlons and half-marathons, ziplining through the Costa Rican rainforest, and skydiving in Spain.
Beth Spurrier
Beth supports SHIFT Consulting as a valued Associate. In her role, she flexes her project management muscles, acts in supporting the consulting team, and assists clients in achieving their goals of bigger and better sales, growth, and performance. Additionally, she helps clients stay focused on their business initiatives for growth and aids them every step of the way towards a clear, strategic vision.
Beth’s extensive experience in retail management within independent businesses has ingrained in her the true values of providing a valuable customer experience. Beth comes to SHIFT from Poppy and Stella, where she worked as an Operations Manager; in that roles, she learned that customer service isn’t just about meeting customer expectations, but exceeding them. She believes that working with clients isn’t about selling them something or giving them answers to their questions, but letting them know that we’re committed to helping them through a process, to offer insights, and to make their experience remarkable.
Beth was born in Korea and moved to the US at the age of 3—she has called Baltimore County and Baltimore City her home since. She now resides in Fells Point with her fiancé and fur baby, their sweet rescue dog named, Ogie. Beth loves living and working in this neighborhood because of its close proximity to the water, the wide array of shops and dining spots, as well as a deep sense of community. Additionally, Beth has a newfound love for fitness and enjoys traveling; the Caribbean and Greece top the list of places she’s visited, and hopes to one day venture to Italy.
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