OUR TEAM

Clear Intent Strategy, Inc. is a network of national resources with strengths and personalities that work with you.  We leverage our strengths so you can leverage yours.

Who you see is who you get.
We do our own work.  No bait and switch.  You get to work with the people you think you are going to.  Promise.

Melissa S. Kelly-McCabe, MS, GPCC



President and CEO of Clear Intent Strategy, Inc., Melissa is a strategist, executive coach, and dynamic public speaker. Having worked in industry and with corporate executives for over twenty five years, she assists leaders and boards create clarity of strategy, cause positive and lasting change, and realize their visions. Melissa's reach spans hundreds of service and manufacturing companies, non-profit firms, and industrial economic development corporations in 50 states, Canada, and the Caribbean. Prior to forming Clear Intent Strategy, Melissa held positions with WNY Technology Development Center, Inc., Price Waterhouse LLP, and General Motors Corporation, and was a guest lecturer at George Washington University and University at Buffalo. Melissa was an assistant to Dr. W. Edwards Deming for five years, researching thinking processes and teaching groups about Deming management principles. (Dr. Deming is credited with transforming Japanese management principles and causing the quality revolution.)

Melissa is a Gestalt Processional Certified Coach (GPCC) and holds a Masters of Science in Organization Systems, focusing on Change Processes, from the University of Southern California, and a Bachelors degree in Statistics, minor in Industrial Engineering, from the University at Buffalo. Graduated from the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland, Melissa has a certificate in the 18 month Gestalt Training Program, an advanced certificate in Gestalt Working with Physical Process, and Gestalt Professional Certified Coach training. She is a certified Family Business Adviser, Galliard Group, LLC, and is certified in Appreciative Inquiry, Case Western Reserve University. She is trained in Emotional Freedom Technique and is a member of the International Coach Federation, International Association of Facilitators, OD Network, and the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland.

At home in the beautiful Finger Lakes Region of New York State, she spends time sculpting, skiing, gardening, and looking for bears in the woods.

"My biggest contribution is to help leaders look at the big picture and support them as they apply strategic thinking and concrete methodologies aimed at implementing real strategy for their organizations."

Jennifer A. Comeau is an expert at harnessing the rich capacities of people and systems.  She has over twenty years demonstrated success in attending to challenging organizational initiatives using creative leadership, collaboration, sound decision-making, and hard work.  In executive positions within organizations like General Motors, Carborundum, and Sherwood, Division of HARSCO, Jennifer has led successful business initiatives in Staff Training and Development, Quality, Sales, Operations, and Product Development.  Founder and CEO of iAmplitude, Jen is first and foremost a leader.  A seasoned motivational speaker, Jen speaks about awakening our innate human capacity to achieve greatness.  With proficiency in leadership development, coaching, instructional design, and knowledge systems, Jen has successfully led consulting engagements with clients such as Prudential Real Estate Headquarters, Transamerica Corp., Bank of The Bahamas, Hilton Hotels Worldwide Headquarters, Hyundai, and 20th Century Fox.

Jen holds a Masters of Engineering degree in Engineering-Management from the University at Buffalo and a Bachelors degree in Industrial Engineering from General Motors Institute.  With her husband and two dogs, she sails the rocky coastline of her home in Southern Maine.

"I am a bridge.  My feet anchor the world of reason; my arms span ever outward-stretching to our limitless human possibility."

Amy Davis offers leadership expertise built upon over twenty-five years experience in management serving public and private sectors. She has expertise in a variety of areas, including project and strategic management, finance, and government relations. Amy served as Executive Director of Idaho's Women's Business Center for close to four years bringing it from probationary status to rank as the #3 Center in the country in 2004.

Amy helps businesses and non-profit organizations revitalize their strategic plans by focusing on achievable goals and helping them to better utilize their current human and technological capital while creating opportunities for growth.

Amy holds a Master of Science in Educational Technology specializing in Adult Learners and Information Literacy from Boise State University. Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Wisconsin.

Ned Ellington, PhD. is currently working with the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) at the US department of Health and Human Services in Washington DC to establish the Health IT Research Center (HITRC). Prior to this assignment Dr. Ellington lead Georgia Tech University’s initiative to create the Strategic Partners Office.

He recently served as the Associate Director for Research and Analysis for NIST MEP. He also served as the Team Leader for the Manufacturing Futures Research project. Ned has a long history in executive education. He has developed and delivered seminars and workshops on the topics of Transformation Management, Innovation Management, Lean Enterprise Management, and Total Quality Management.

His consulting activities are focused on strategic planning and critical problem solving in complex organizations. During his tenure at Georgia Tech he developed and directed several Centers of Excellence in the areas of strategic planning, quality management, information technology, lean manufacturing, and human resource development. He holds a PhD in Management, MBA in Finance, and Bachelors in Industrial and Systems Engineering.

Christiane Frischmuth works as a coach, a facilitator, a process consultant, trainer, learning and leadership development specialist with more than 25 years of experience. She co-creates and facilitates learning experiences and change processes for individuals, groups and organizations in the United States , Asia, Europe, Africa, Latin America and North America . Christiane brings to her work many disciplines such as nature-based design, poetry, dance, music, pottery, story-telling, embodied processes and draws on the richness that diverse cultures contribute. She is particularly strong in bringing a results and strategic focus to her work as well as creativity and the ability to create a trusting, optimistic and safe space for people to grow and develop.

Christiane received her MA in Political Science from the George Washington University , a Certificate equivalent in Organization Development from NTL, and a BA in International Relations from Hamilton College . She also undertook coursework in sociology, anthropology and political science in Germany , Mainz University . She is serving as adjunct faculty member for the Gestalt International Study Center , Cape Cod and studied organization and systems development and Physical Process at the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland. Certifications include the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, Emotional Intelligence EQ-i and EQ 360 degree. She has been trained in and conducted Future Search, Gestalt Theory and Practice, Nature-based personal growth, Open Space, World Café, results-based leadership and other large systems intervention technologies. She has successfully led various Rapid Results Initiatives (Work-out).

James Frost, President of Starr Business Services, Inc., is a business advisor, transformation leader and teacher/coach. He is a highly action-oriented executive coach and facilitator who helps executives and teams tackle strategic and tactical issues enabling them to solve problems and establish an implementation plan and management process to deal with their issues. Jim has worked in industry, not-for-profit and with corporate executives for over thirty-five years by providing experienced advice and change leadership for organizations that desire to improve their cost, quality, growth, technology and delivery. Organizational development includes manager and leader development, IT development and delivery, lean-six sigma enterprise and supply chain development and delivery, and functional and cross-functional business process development and optimization. People, process and systems change capabilities and experience include executive level and strategic planning to value add work at tactical levels in production, service, engineering, sales, quality, supply chain and IT. Jim leverages his 31 years experience in GM/Delphi, MSEE from Stanford, Six Sigma Greenbelt, MA Organizational Leadership Teaching and multiple successful consulting, advising, transformational change, strategic planning and startup projects.

Non-profit sector work includes involvement with the recent start-up of National Retiree Association and VEBA (structure development, board development, bylaws, incorporation, funding, and recruitment,) as webmaster and advisor to Clarence Soccer Club, as Cub Master and Cub Scout Business Committee, and as building committee leader for Eastern Hills Wesleyan Church.

W. Cliff Kayser is Founder/President Xperience® LLC, offering Organization Consulting, Executive Coaching, and Leadership Training to public, private, non-profit, and international clients. Xperience® LLC helps leaders, teams, and organizations experience “IT” -- the power of generative and sustainable high-performance (XperienceIT.com). Part of Xperience® LLC is Kayser Ridge Retreat and Learning Center located in Berkeley Springs, WV.

Kayser Ridge is a unique and intimate space for small groups to experience and accomplish big things (KayserRidge.com). Previously, Cliff was VP of Organizational Development and Training for The National Cooperative Bank; Sr. Organization Development Consultant for The Washington Post, and Corporate Manager of Human Resources, Training & Web Development for The Washington Post Company.

Cliff holds a Master’s in Organizational Development (The American University/National Training Laboratory), a Master’s in Human Resource Management, (The American University,) a Bachelor’s in History & Business (Lenoir-Rhyne University,) is a graduate of Georgetown University’s Executive Leadership Coaching program, and holds a coaching certificate focused on effective interventions from the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland.

Linda Ray With 10 years in the non-profit sector preceded by 20 years experience in the aerospace industry, Linda Ray is a successful trainer, coach and strategist. She brings a rare for-profit sensibility to the work of the non-profit sector while appreciating the unique challenges and joys associated with community-impact work. Prior to founding LRAY, her own consulting practice, Linda was Executive Director of the Family Justice Center of Erie County (FJC). Before joining the FJC, she coached and trained North American non-profits to build sustainable funding for their missions, diversify their revenue streams and maximize their assets in service of their clients. Her experience spans domestic violence, homelessness and hunger, affordable housing, arts and culture, education, the environment, childhood wellness, and affordable health care. Other previous positions include senior director at the Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society, and a 20-year aerospace career, as a manager of business systems and of corporate contracts.

A native Texan, Linda has called Western New York home for 30 years. She earned a master’s degree in organizational leadership from St. Bonaventure University and a bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University in English and journalism.

Linda provides resource development expertise to mission-driven organizations in Western New York and around the country. She is committed to bringing organizations and supporters together around their passion for a common mission.

Lisë Stewart is a leader who focuses her work in organizational development, strategic planning, training, and human performance management.  Working with companies ranging from ten to 3,000 employees, Lisë specializes in organizational issues including organizational and work force development, service system design, performance management, human resource systems, training design, delivery and evaluation of services.  Lisë is a dynamic public speaker who engages leaders around topics such as transition planning, 'smart' business and creating learning organizations.  In 2005, Lisë founded the Galliard Group, a consultancy practice with a mission to strengthen communities by building better family businesses.  Prior, Lisë held several leadership positions in state-wide organizations such as TechHelp Idaho, and ran the company she started, The Training Company Limited, a nationally award winning company that now operates throughout the South Pacific.

Lisë holds a BA in Organizational Psychology from Massey University in New Zealand and is currently completing a Masters Degree in Management Systems.  When she is not working with clients, Lisë enjoys exploring the wilds of Idaho by rafting down the beautiful white water rivers, hiking in the wilderness areas and camping under the stars.

"Business intelligence isn’t just about understanding your market.  It’s about building smart companies by teaching competent people how to use ‘smart skills’ such as communication techniques for enhancing clarity, cooperation and credibility, the cornerstones of a trusting, dynamic and high performing organization that can attract and retain talented employees."

Michael Stone assists clients in making strategic decisions by conducting detailed research and analysis on markets and competitors, and by modeling costs and profitability.  For nearly twenty years, Mike's consulting experience has included Fortune 1000 manufacturing companies, and government and non-profit organizations that serve manufacturing markets.  His engagements have focused on market research and analysis, competitor assessments, and strategic cost and profitability analysis.  His assignments have required an understanding of global markets and competitors throughout North America, Europe, and Asia.  In 1995, Mike formed Stone & Associates, Inc., a strategic management consulting firm focused on industrial and business-to-business markets.  Prior to Stone & Associates, Mike was a Managing Consultant at Telesis, the strategic consulting arm of Towers Perrin.

Mike holds a degree in Developmental Studies from Brown University, and recently applied his business skills as a volunteer with The William Jefferson Clinton Foundation where he was instrumental in forging a landmark procurement agreement with leading generic pharmaceutical companies that reduced the price of key HIV/AIDS drugs for millions of people in Africa and the Caribbean.