Stephanie Thanos
Steph Thanos is a creative, thoughtful, and disciplined learning strategist, designer, and facilitator. With over 20 years of experience in leadership development, Steph continues to elevate her own leadership skills as she leads high-profile talent development initiatives for global Fortune 100 retailers, healthcare systems, and Ivy League institutions.
Steph is highly capable at matching learning objectives with the right learning approach. She has experience developing all levels of leadership – from first time leaders to experienced executives. She also appreciates the unique leadership requirements and motivations of influential individuals, including creative and visionary innovators, top thinkers, and tenured doers.
Certifications
Meyers-Briggs
Expertise
Consultant
Leadership Development
Experience Designer
“Stephanie makes any program you hope for even better. Her personable approach helps her uncover what’s truly needed. Her empathy for learners sparks deep and meaningful experiences. Her creativity generates unique programs that people remember, apply, and rave about well beyond the initial experience.”
– Jan F., Talent Executive
My Background
On the first day of my first professional job, I was captivated by the New Hire Orientation trainer. I hung on every word as she painted the history of the company’s origin and their customer focused culture. Most importantly, I learned how much I loved being a part of a learning experience. I asked them, “How do I get this job?” Within months, I was leading New Hire Orientation.
Since that first training role, I have traveled all over the world, scaled learning programs to reach nearly 20K leaders annually, localized learning to multiple languages and cultures, established facilitator certification standards, set benchmarks, and analyzed data to continuously improve development experiences.
But I always go back to my first experience in the classroom, remembering how I felt as a learner.
When writing content, designing learning, or facilitating, my focus is always on care for the learner. I take care to understand what it really means back on the job. I honor the unique experience each learner brings and allow space for the learner to decide what is right for them-right now. And I create opportunities for them to practice courage and operate in discomfort, so they can step into who they are becoming next.
My goal is to create experiences that spark new ways of DOING, new ways of THINKING, and new ways of BEING. This rarely comes from being lectured at, reading To Do’s or Never Do’s, or memorizing scripts. The best learning usually comes from hands-on, heads-on, hearts-on moments that activate personal Aha’s.
Why I Work
“The difference between awesome and awful management shows up in our physical and mental wellbeing. Leadership matters a great deal, so I am passionate about understanding what great leaders do and how they do it.”
– Stephanie Thanos
When I Am Not Working
When I am not working, you’ll find my Golden Retriever, Loa, at my side and we are usually outside. My husband Chris and I live in Loa’s house in Providence, Rhode Island. However, the three of us spend as much time as we can up north in New Hampshire, hiking and roaming the forests of the White Mountains.
I’ve been exploring different kinds of art. I especially like print making. I play around with both lino and white line wood cuts printing methods. Lately, I’ve been using watercolor and ink to make abstract drawings. My best creations happen when I don’t have a plan and just let my pen flow.
I am obsessed with true crime stories. It all started with reading Ann Rule books, the OG of true crime. I have watched every episode of Forensic Files and, obviously, Dateline. I am always listening to true crime podcasts, like, Morbid, Crime Junkie, The Deck, and Wrongful Conviction.