Mina Brown
MCC, CNTC, BCC, MBA
President and Founder
Cheryl Close
MCC, M.Ed., Faculty Member and Certified Mentor Coach
Joan Evans
PCC, MBA, Faculty Member and Mentor Coach
Shelley Smith
PCC, BCC, MBA, Faculty Member and Mentor Coach
Meg Rentschler
PCC, MSW, Principal Group Mentor Coach
ABOUT US
Positive Coaching Solutions offers unique and powerful learning opportunities at affordable prices. Programs are shaped by a deep understanding of globally recognized coaching best practices (ICF Core Competencies and Code of Ethics), real leadership challenges and executive experiences, and the science-based tools and methodologies that come from Neurolinguistics Programming (human performance excellence, communication principles, and natural human motivation) and Neuroscience (how the brain works and how to make change successfully). All programs are guided by the philosophy that by understanding how the mind works, how to achieve precise communication, and how top performance can be modeled, a coach can quickly and effectively facilitate client discovery and growth.
Mina Brown
MCC, CNTC, BCC, MBA Founder and CEO
Mina Brown is deeply passionate about coaching and the impact it can have on individuals, families, and organizations. For the last several years, she has devoted all her time to coach education. She uniquely brings the learning alive with almost 30 years of coaching experience preceded by more than two decades in senior corporate leadership roles.
Audacious and lively, Mina infuses the learning experience with humor, wisdom, intuition, and a deep appreciation for the way we humans are programmed to operate. Understanding our nature and our brain's "default settings" is crucial for helping clients make big changes that require risk taking and courage. Students appreciate her compassion and unique style that radiates energy, enthusiasm, and spontaneity. They would tell you, "There's never a dull moment in Mina's classes."
Mina is a Master Certified Coach (MCC), Certified Neuro Transformational Coach (CNTC), Board Certified Coach (BCC), and Certified Master NLP Practitioner. She was a very early member of the International Coach Federation (ICF) and a Founding Training Provider for the Board Certified Coach credential. She is actively supports Texas Coaches Coalition. She served on the board for six years (President and Director of Finance) and has consistently been a top sponsor and a popular presenter.
Mina holds an MBA from Vanderbilt University and a BBA in Accounting from Eastern Kentucky University. She is a popular keynote speaker and author. Her pivotal book, BE SHARP: “Tell Me About Yourself” in Great Introductions and Professional Bios, continues to receive rave reviews. Her book, BE SMART: Sail Past the Hazards of Conventional Career Advice, is “rewriting the career planning rulebook.”
Beyond her devotion to her students and the coaching profession, she is a dedicated senior dog rescuer and frequent foster fail. With family spread from coast to coast, living in Dallas makes the travel for birthdays and holidays manageable in any direction.
Cheryl Close
MCC, M.Ed. Faculty Member and Certified Mentor Coach
Cheryl is a distinguished Master Certified Coach (MCC) with the International Coaching Federation (ICF). As a nationally recognized leader, Cheryl is passionate about working with executives and leadership teams to deliver transformational changes and unparalleled impact for their organizations. Cheryl collaborates with leaders to achieve strategic outcomes, driving performance far beyond initial expectations. Clients often attribute their profound leadership growth to her, dubbing her services as "Coaching Magic."
She is also a premier Certified Mentor Coach renowned for her expertise in guiding fellow coaches towards mastery, self-confidence, and achievement of new credentials. When added to her expert mentorship, her extensive educational background and dynamic learning and classroom experience position her as a top-tier instructional designer, professional development facilitator, and captivating presenter.
As the Founder and CEO of Close Coaching & Consulting, LLC (CC&C), Cheryl has built a firm that champions leadership growth across diverse industries. Her track record of delivering mission-critical results is fueled by an intrinsic drive to strategize, innovate, and prove that "It can be done!" These consistent, successful outcomes has made CC&C a trusted partner for mid-size corporations, non-profits, and governmental organizations across various sectors, including finance and academia.
Cheryl's prior role as the Director of Advanced Academics & Program Integration in a leading, award-winning school district showcased her ability to lead complex programs. She oversaw Leadership Development initiatives, Gifted & Talented Programs, the Advanced Placement Program, and National Merit scholars. Her pioneering initiative, Coaching Lewisville Administrators for Student Success (CLASS), a coaching-based leadership development program, served leaders in a district of over 50,000 students for more than a decade and earned the prestigious Prism Award for Excellence in Coaching from ICF's North Texas Cgaoter.
A recognized leader in the coaching profession, Cheryl is a Master Certified Coach (MCC) and Certified Mentor Coach. She holds a Master of Education (M.Ed.) and a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree with a Secondary Psychology Certificate. As a Charter Member and seven-year Officer of the Cross Timbers Rotary, Cheryl has demonstrated her commitment to leadership through community service. She also serves on the board of the North Texas chapter of the International Coaching Federation, repeatedly recognized as one of the top ten ICF chapters worldwide. Leveraging her vision and strategic insight, Cheryl co-founded Texas Coaches Coalition, a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting, inspiring, and supporting coaches throughout the sprawling, diverse State of Texas and beyond. She has served on the Board since its beginning and has just completed two years as the President.
Joan Evans
PCC, MBA Faculty Member and Mentor Coach
After a successful career as a health care executive, Joan Evans joined the faculty of Positive Coaching Solutions in 2021. A highly accomplished executive coach, Joan advances the impact of individuals and organizations through a focus on leadership and career development, strategic thinking, conflict resolution and change management.
Her deep knowledge and keen insight – grounded in decades of executive coaching, C-suite operational and innovation leadership, organizational development and neuroscience studies — uniquely qualify her to understand client challenges, help clients embrace their inner wisdom, and support their commitments to new possibilities. Joan provides a safe space for exploring strengths and opportunities. As described by a client, “Joan’s superpower as a coach is asking just the right question at just the right time to challenge her coachees to think beyond what they believe to be possible . . . and move into action.” She blends her compassionate approach with thought-provoking questions to reveal fresh perspectives and clarify complex situations. Together, Joan supports her clients in creating measured and workable action plans that result in confidence, impact and success.
As a consultant and a senior executive in health care, Joan is recognized as a thought leader in transformational innovation and organizational effectiveness. She spent most of her distinguished career as a leader in a $2 billion health system in North Carolina. A trusted advisor and operational partner with the CEO, she founded system’s Office of Lean Transformation. Using lean thinking, elevating a culture of accountability, and incorporating system-wide project disciplines, the profoundly positive outcomes were nationally recognized. Previously, as Chief Learning Officer, she was a visionary industry leader in creating an internal coach training program which has now certified more than 100 in-house coaches.
Joan is certified in a range of psychometric instruments – including the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, DiSC, Hogan, Firo-B, Decision Style Profile, TKI and Strength Deployment Inventory. Added to her Six-Sigma Green Belt, she has a wide range of effective tools to assist organizations and individuals perform at higher levels.
Joan is highly regarded as a national speaker on a variety of topics related to health care operations and leadership. She has published articles about transformational change, coaching, leadership development and organizational culture. She has served as adjunct faculty at UNC-Chapel Hill, UNC-Greensboro, Winston Salem State University and Elon University. Joan currently serves as an Executive in Residence for the Health Management Academy, a peer learning company that brings together C-suite health care industry executives to collectively address the industry’s biggest challenges and opportunities.
Joan received her MBA from UNC-Greensboro, where she received the Distinguished Alumni Award. She completed her bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from the Medical College of Virginia. Her post-graduate studies in neuroscience from the NeuroLeadership Institute and ontological coaching from the Newfield Network have given her exceptional insights and skills she brings to her coaching engagements. She is an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC).
Shelley Smith
PCC, BCC, MBA Faculty Member and Mentor Coach
Shelley joined the faculty of Positive Coaching in 2019 with more than 20 years of experience in leadership, consulting with executives, coaching, and organizational development. Her passion is to help leaders and organizations focus on purpose and talent to help move individuals and organizations forward.
Shelley’s areas of expertise include executive coaching, physician leadership coaching, leadership/talent development, change management, succession planning, and performance consulting. Her clients come from a variety of industries including health care, financial services, manufacturing, agriculture, and academia.
She was previously the Managing Director, Leadership Practice for the LAK Group – a boutique consulting firm focused on transforming careers, cultures & organizations. In her role, she was a key strategic asset for the firm.
Prior to LAK, Shelley was the Senior Director of Leadership Development at Aurora Health Care (n/k/a Advocate Aurora Health). While there, her accomplishments included the development of their Coaching Practice Center, multiple high potential and senior leadership training programs, and consulting initiatives focused on talent management, change management, physician leadership development, and organizational development. For her efforts, Shelley and her team received the National Center for Healthcare Leadership’s BOLD (Best Organizations in Leadership Development) Award. Prior to her time with Aurora Health Care, Shelley also spent 16 years in the financial services industry in various roles.
Shelley is an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC), a Board Certified Coach (BCC), and an accredited coach through The Physician Coaching Institute. She holds an MBA from Concordia University of Wisconsin and Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. She is certified in the MBTI, the Hogan Assessment Suite, Clifton StrengthsFinder, KornFerry Voices 360, Lominger Leadership Architect, Prosci Change Management, the Coaching Mindset Index, Change Style Indicator, and the Influence Style Indicator.
Meg Rentschler
PCC, MSW Principal Group Mentor Coach
Meg Rentschler, an Executive and Mentor Coach, hosts her own Podcast “The STaR Coach Show.” She is an executive and leadership coach dedicated to assisting management teams in maximizing the potential of individuals within their organizations, through customized team building and/or coaching programs designed to meet business objectives. As a psychotherapist and a business owner in private practice for more than two decades, Meg has the benefit of understanding people and their challenges, as well as the keys to building a successful business.
Using a solution-focused approach in her work with individuals and teams, Meg helps management to identify goals and desired outcomes, maximizing inherent strengths within their teams and organizations, as well as addressing the challenges at hand. With over 24 years in the mental health field, Meg also has experience working with individuals to improve relationship dynamics in the workplace. Her knowledge of human behavior and the impact that stress has on performance, as well as individual and team productivity, has proven invaluable for the companies with whom she works.
Meg graduated with her Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan and earned her Bachelor of Science from Michigan State University. She holds a Graduate Certificate in Executive and Professional Coaching from the University of Texas at Dallas and is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) through the International Coaching Federation. Meg is a Certified Winslow Business consultant, using this assessment for the selection and development of employees, managers, and executives within the business. She is certified by the Center for Creative Leadership in their 360 assessment tools and EQi assessment tools. She also helps teams become highly productive and more collaborative by focusing on four dimensions of positive team dynamics, maximizing their resources, and becoming more efficient in less time.
Meg’s experience stretches across industries, having worked with clients in the transportation, engineering, education, technology, financial, healthcare, and service industries, including American Airlines, Hawker Beechcraft, Grant Thornton, the University of North Texas, Texas Tech University, CACI, First National Bank, Aetna Healthcare and Bell Helicopter to name a few.
Meg is Positive Coaching’s Principal Mentor Coach and also an instructor at the University of Texas at Dallas.