Testimonials

Anger Management

“Your workshop on ‘“Anger Management, Sexual Harassment, and Discrimination Complaints’ with Kevin McNulty was outstanding and well received by the participants.  Your well organized agenda and dynamic delivery received excellent workshop evaluation ratings.”

Barbara J. Hall

Diversity Manager

Energy Information Administration

U. S. Department of Energy

Communication

“The impact of the workshops has also paid off in the long term.  There are fewer situations which escalate to a formal grievance.  We believe that this is due, in large part, to the communication skills that you and your associates teach.”

Judy Welcker

Training Officer

USDA/National Finance Center

“Course evaluations continue to demonstrate that our employees appreciate the opportunity to participate, and are walking away with a renewed awareness and respect for the importance of diversity in the workplace.

Your continued work with our Champions Group empowers our employees to become true agents of change for the Center.  This group has made numerous strides in improving communication among our 1700 employees, supervisors, and managers.

I was impressed with your workshop facilitators, who were able to provide an atmosphere that was safe for revealing true emotion and free expression of ideas.  The teamwork exercises managed to pull all 25 very diverse individuals in my class into a single team.”

Donna S. Maeder

Equal Opportunity Specialist

USDA/National Finance Center

“Your team building work with our senior staff was highly successful.  Success in that effort lead to an agreement to have C. Harris and Companies train some 400 managers, supervisors, and other employees in effective communication skills.”

John R. Ortego

Director

USDA/National Finance Center

“Thank you for speaking about ‘Culturally Sensitive Communication’ at our In-service.  We enjoyed your talk immensely and we found you to be a very inspirational, warm and sincere person.

Your presentation was truly refreshing.  You made us examine our own trust issues and realize how they influence the larger picture.  This is such a sensitive topic and your ability to diffuse the issue, provoke thoughtful insight and promote change is unparalleled in our experiences.”

Kat Rice, MSW

Executive Director

Grace House

“The compliments poured in during the morning break, luncheon, and the rest of the day after your address to our members at the National Association of Women in Construction Region 5 Annual Forum.

Your audience felt energized, motivated and a greater sense of understanding of the needs and benefits of effectively communicating in their personal, business and civic environments.

It has been my pleasure to be able to work with you during the planning of our Conference.  It was a FABULOUS KEYNOTE ADDRESS.” Barbara R Alleman, CCA

NAWIC Region 5, Forum Coordinator

“Both your superb delivery and the genuine quality in presentation of ideas made this an excellent program for our project personnel.  We certainly feel that the workshop achieved its goals.

Special in the workshop was the way you crafted equity/diversity issues into communication and relationship skills that daily impact work and other interactions. Your humor, your down-to-earth examples, your interactive style, the application exercises – all made this a powerful delivery.

Participants loved the workshop.  Note some of the remarks they made:  ‘My favorite was Cathy Harris’ professional development workshop!!!’  ‘Cathy Harris was a wonderful presenter.’  ‘Group building games and activities were a favorite aspect.’  (The workshop was) Too short – (we regret) not having more time with Cathy.’  ‘Cathy needs to come to all universities/colleges that … (have projects); central administration needs to be sensitized to these issues.’  Overall, your impact on their mission was impressive.

You were very flexible and accommodating of our needs and implemented all of our contract with you very well.” Dr. Margaret Hargroder, Director

University Southwestern Louisiana

“Your seminar entitled, ‘Communication That Works’ was very informative as well as stimulating.  The participants’ evaluation of your seminar was outstanding

‘Cathy Harris was Dynamic!’

‘Cathy Harris was wonderful!’

‘The speaker kept your attention and class participation.’

‘Ask Cathy Harris to return next year; Best year yet!’

‘This workshop conducted by Cathy Harris was excellent!’

‘Hope she’s here for the next Conference.”

Lisa F. Spurlock

Workshop Coordinator

EEO Leadership Conference

Federal Executive Board

“The sessions relative to Diversity and EEO Laws not only increased our level of awareness, but also provided excellent guidelines for communicating and working together.  Your canny ability to motivate the staff to eagerly participate as individuals and during group sessions is to be commended.

The staff loved your personal style, the group exercises and the relaxed environment.  Several employees expressed that they received more than they hoped for.  Additionally, the staff greatly appreciated the fast paced hands-on approach used throughout the entire presentation….  We look forward to the opportunity to work with you again”*

                                                                        Leroy R. Bailey, Jr.

General Manager

Transit Management of 

Southeast Louisiana (TMSEL) See note below

* Note: We have presented three additional programs for (TMSEL) since the above noted program.

“I am getting steady positive feedback about your flexibility as an expert presenter.  EIA employees were impressed at your fluidity to cover the following three sessions: Communication That Works, Relationships for Building Trust and the Multiple Perspectives Discussion facilitated by you between our Administrator, Deputy Administrator and employees.  Your dynamic ability to educate skeptics has really paid off.  Participants accepted your validity about the value of respecting differences and more importantly, they are actually showing signs of applying this information into their day to day work.”

“Feedback on our evaluation forms rank you in the category of outstanding. You have convinced participating employees that diversity is not “soft stuff” but essential in determining how we do business.”

Barbara Hall

Diversity Manager

Department of Energy

“Your seminar was enlightening in that it helped us to concretely identify the characteristics of a successful team and it allowed our employees to ‘rate’ where they felt we were on each of those characteristics.  It also demonstrated the importance of creating an environment in which people feel comfortable enough to communicate openly, and to learn to cultivate the strengths that can result from the differences in our talents, styles, skills, and backgrounds.  

This type of interaction will allow for greater openness, better communication, and forge a stronger bond between all of us.

The staff will continue to strengthen and expand upon the foundation that was laid at this seminar.”

Ellen M. Hazeur

Clerk, First City Court

City of New Orleans, Louisiana

Conferences

“Your workshop on “Anger Management, Sexual Harassment, and Discrimination Complaints” with Kevin McNulty was outstanding and well received by the participants.  Your well organized agenda and dynamic delivery received excellent workshop evaluation ratings.”

Barbara J. Hall

Diversity Manager

Energy Information Administration

Department of Energy

“The compliments poured in during the morning break, luncheon, and the rest of the day after your address to our members at the National Association of Women in Construction Region 5 Annual Forum.

Your audience felt energized, motivated and a greater sense of understanding of the needs and benefits of effectively communicating in their personal, business and civic environments.

It has been my pleasure to be able to work with you during the planning of our Conference.  It was a FABULOUS KEYNOTE ADDRESS.”

Barbara R. Alleman, CCA

National Association of Women in Construction

Forum Coordinator

“Both your superb delivery and the genuine quality in presentation of ideas made this an excellent program for our project personnel.  We certainly feel that the workshop achieved its goals.

Special in the workshop was the way you crafted equity/diversity issues into communication and relationship skills that daily impact work and other interactions. Your humor, your down-to-earth examples, your interactive style, the application exercises – all made this a powerful delivery.

Participants loved the workshop.  Note some of the remarks they made:  “My favorite was Cathy Harris’ professional development workshop!!!”  “Cathy Harris was a wonderful presenter.”  “Group building games and activities were a favorite aspect.”  (The workshop was) Too short – (we regret) not having more time with Cathy.”  “Cathy needs to come to all universities/colleges that … (have projects); central administration needs to be sensitized to these issues.”  Overall, your impact on their mission was impressive.

You were very flexible and accommodating of our needs and implemented all of our contract with you very well.

Dr. Margaret Hargroder, Director

University of Southwestern Louisiana

Your seminar entitled, “Communication That Works” was very informative as well as stimulating.  The participants’ evaluation of your seminar was outstanding

‘Cathy Harris was Dynamic!”

“Cathy Harris was wonderful!”

“The speaker kept your attention and class participation.”

“Ask Cathy Harris to return next year; Best year yet!”

“This workshop conducted by Cathy Harris was excellent!”

“Hope she’s here for the next Conference.”

Lisa F. Spurlock

Workshop Coordinator

EEO Leadership Conference

“I am getting steady positive feedback about your flexibility as an expert presenter.  EIA employees were impressed at your fluidity to cover the following three sessions: Communication That Works, Relationships for Building Trust and the Multiple Perspectives Discussion facilitated by you between our Administrator, Deputy Administrator and employees.”

“Your dynamic ability to educate skeptics has really paid off.  Participants accepted your validity about the value of respecting differences and more importantly, they are actually showing signs of applying this information into their day to day work.”

“Feedback on our evaluation forms rank you in the category of outstanding.  You have convinced participating employees that diversity is not “soft stuff” but essential in determining how we do business.”

Barbara J. Hall

Diversity Manager

Energy Information Administration

U. S. Department of Energy

Conflict Resolution

“They [participants] have learned to apply rules to advocate for changes which will make NFC a more inclusive work site.”  

Judy Welcker

Training Officer

USDA/National Finance Center

“Cathy Harris’ diversity initiative reduced the number of EEO complaints by 30 percent and saved us over $880,000 in administrative costs.”

Gary Thornton, EEO Manager, USDA

“I am writing to tell you how satisfied my employees have been with the first presentation of your Conflict Resolution workshop held last month for union representatives and front-line managers.  They rated your session a 9.82 out of a possible 10 on the evaluation.  That is just outstanding.

Both sides have told me that the workshop was the first time they began to view each other as peers rather than adversaries… they feel a positive shift – that the training gave them a chance to see another side of their colleagues…  It enlightened them to look at the overall work relationships in a different way.

Certainly the experiential and non-confrontational techniques of your program added to its effectiveness.  The non-traditional setting really worked, so the groups could progress on significant and real issues they now face in the workplace.

In summary, we found your Conflict Resolution workshop extremely valuable and we strongly recommend it to any company that wants to strengthen the bonds among their team members.”

Philip Holland

Postmaster, New Orleans

United States Postal Service

“Thank you for the fine workshop “Communication that Works” that you presented 20 times for the National Finance Center/USDA during the month of September.  The National Finance Center/USDA’s strongest endorsement of the quality of your work is that we scheduled 10 more workshops.  What has brought you back is our employees’ satisfaction.  They appreciate your guidance to improve their communication in professional situations, especially with sensitivity for persons who are different from them.  

They told me you encouraged them to open up and communicate more effectively.  They said the practice you gave them will allow them to resolve issues in their work setting before they escalate to conflict.  

Comments on the evaluations indicate that your audience could relate well to you.  You were funny, down-to-earth and communicated in ways to reach both the staff and management levels of the organization.  An overwhelming majority of the employees recommended that the workshop be attended by all other employees and supervisors. 

Gary A. Thornton

EEO Manager

USDA/National Finance Center

Customer Service

I’ve received many, many positive responses regarding the training.  The training evaluations are excellent, too.  Of course that was not a surprise, as your training from more than 10 years ago left an indelible mark on me!

It has been a pleasure to work with you and I hope to contact you shortly after the start of the new fiscal year, October 1, 2010 for additional sessions!

Sylvia J. Mitchell

Supervisory Program Analyst

Controller Operations Division, Customer Liaison/Training Branch 

Leadership Development

“Cathy Harris’ Diversity Leadership workshop was invaluable in that it taught us that to be effective leaders, we must first understand what it means to be a good follower.”

Col. Mary Baldwin Kennedy

Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff’s Office

“The workshop promotes self development through problem solving learning activities.”

                                                Col. John LeCour

Orleans Criminal Sheriff’s Department

Your “team building” work with our senior staff was highly successful.  Success in that effort lead to an agreement to have C. Harris and Companies train some 400 managers, supervisors, and other employees in effective communication skills.

John R. Ortego

Director

USDA/National Finance Center

Over the years, New South Parking has allowed its management and supervisory team to take part of the “Team Building and  Effective Leadership “ workshops because they are informative, effective, dynamic, energetic and encouraging.  

I practiced the skills I learned in your team building and effective leadership workshops over the last two years and it has made a world of difference in my leadership skills and how I am perceived by the employees I manage.   

Brenda Williams

New South Parking (Airport Parking)

 “My assistant has given you the highest recommendation after attending your public workshop on sexual harassment prevention.  She insisted that you energized your participants and were on-target about significant learning points – and she was right.

The feedback following your daylong facilitation has been plentiful and enthusiastic.  The managers have stopped me in the hall, left messages on my message service and sent me e-mail to document how valuable the session was for them.  They really enjoyed the non-traditional and interactive style in which you organized the program…in a non-confrontational and safe environment.

The session has certainly been a morale booster among those who attended.  Some employees have started to implement the action plans that were generated by the end of the day.

One of your most valuable contributions is how you share from your personal experience.  You are an ideal model of taking whatever resources you have to achieve the goals you set by taking the initiative to get things done.  You really motivate your audiences to do the same in their situations.

Margaret Deane

Director of Human Resources

Windsor Court Hotel (New Orleans)

Over the years, New South Parking has allowed its management and supervisory team to take part of the “Team Building and  Effective Leadership “ workshops because they are informative, effective, dynamic, energetic and encouraging.  

I practiced the skills I learned in your team building and effective leadership workshops over the last two years and it has made a world of difference in my leadership skills and how I am perceived by the employees I manage.   

Brenda Williams

New South Parking (Airport Parking)

I have worked for technology companies for most of my adult life and have taken classes that have touched on most of the topics being discussed in this training but never in a manner that was so profoundly effective as you and your team have been able to develop. I will truly come away from this training equipped to perform better not only in my role with FEMA but also in my role as a husband. You have not only helped me realize that I have never “really” listened to my wife, but equipped me to learn to do so and motivated me to take those steps. I thank you and value what you are doing as well as the amazing impact it is having on me both as a professional and as a husband.
    James Campo

Network Manager/Computer Specialist FEMA/LA TRO Participant


I just wanted to reiterate my appreciation for the training that your company provided. It is without a doubt one of the best/most beneficial training classes that I’ve ever attended. From effective communications to establishing mentorships, this training was A-1 from the beginning. Thank you so much!!! I’ve left refreshed and motivated for what is to come. God Bless!!!
John W. Williams, Jr.
Civil Rights Officer
FEMA/LA TRO Participant 

Leadership Class October 6-10, 2008

“Cathy Harris helped us develop our vision and focus.  She provided us with the tools to go from good to great.  With the best and brightest consultants, we see Cathy Harris, Inc. as part of the fabric of our company.”

Kirk Soileau, President, 

Gulf States Health Services

Teambuilding

The workshop provided for the New Orleans Recovery School District principals and central office senior staff, the bridge to pull the district together after the most devastating natural disaster in the history of the country.  “Cathy Harris” rejuvenated the staff after seven months of rigorous rebuilding of the school system.

Michael Haggen

Deputy Superintendent

Recovery School District

Louisiana Department of Education

“Course evaluations continue to demonstrate that our employees appreciate the opportunity to participate, and are walking away with a renewed awareness and respect for the importance of diversity in the workplace.

Your continued work with our Diversity Champions Group empowers our employees to become true agents of change for the Center.  This group has made numerous strides in improving communication among our 1700 employees, supervisors, and managers.

I was impressed with your workshop facilitators, who were able to provide an atmosphere that was safe for revealing true emotion and free expression of ideas.  The teamwork exercises managed to pull all 25 very diverse individuals in my class into a single team.”

Donna S. Maeder

Equal Opportunity Specialist

USDA/National Finance Center

“Your “team building” work with our senior stall was highly successful.  Success in that effort lead to an agreement to have C. Harris and Companies train some 400 managers, supervisors, and other employees in effective communication skills.”

John R. Ortego

Director

USDA/National Finance Center

“Your seminar was enlightening in that it helped us to concretely identify the characteristics of a successful team and it allowed our employees to “rate” where they felt we were on each of those characteristics.  It also demonstrated the importance of creating an environment in which people feel comfortable enough to communicate openly, and to learn to cultivate the strengths that can result from the differences in our talents, styles, skills, and backgrounds.  

This type of interaction will allow for greater openness, better communication, and forge a stronger bond between all of us.

The staff will continue to strengthen and expand upon the foundation that was laid at this seminar.

I believe that any organization that requires individuals to function as a team can benefit greatly from this seminar.” 

Ellen M. Hazeur

Clerk, First City Court

City of New Orleans, Louisiana

“The participants at your “Board Diversity and Teambuilding” session were extremely fortunate to have such a knowledgeable and well-versed presenter.  I was truly delighted at the transformation of these board members from individual participants to group participants.”

Karen L. Gauthier

Volunteers and Training Programs Manager

Center for Non-Profit Management

I searched long hours for the most appropriate description until the right superlative finally hit me.  You are simply the best.

We were impressed with your abilities even during your preparation period.  Our opinions were enhanced the day of our session.  You combined down home wit with astute professionalism to communicate with us.  By doing so, you created an atmosphere that was conducive to participation and results.  Already we are seeing rewards that we can attribute to your workshop.  Staff productivity is up. Team performance is evident, attitudes are courteous, interoffice relationships are improved and our business is stronger.

Karin Hopkins

Multi Image Resource Group, Inc.

“Overall the workshop received a quantitative rating of 9.60 on a scale of 10.  Employees’ qualitative comments also show their appreciation, especially for your way of expressing views and giving personal examples.  More than one person noted that the down to earth honesty in the session gave them opportunities to share and learn more about how to work well with others.  One long term benefit I anticipate because of this session is a greater sense of teamwork among workers.  

If a company would like problems to resolve, this is an open forum to discuss it.  You create an environment where participants can express ideas and differences that make for better solutions.”

Gloria M. DeCuir

Assistant to the Dean for Financial Affairs

Loyola University School of Law

Participant Testimonials

Cathy, the pleasure was all ours.  Your seminars are educational and I enjoy participating in them.  Everyone that I have polled seems to concur.  Keep up the good work and I look forward to your next seminar. 

D.A.D., 

Regional Transit Authority

“Cathy Harris’ diversity leadership workshop was interesting, enlightening and informative.  All senior executives should go through this process in order to better prepare themselves for future success.”  

Arnold Fielkow, 

New Orleans Saints/Voodoo

 “I really enjoyed this seminar!  I felt like you could see inside of our office, and read my mind.  I learned so much that I could take back, I left very excited!  Everything was helpful.”  

Rita Pinero,

Jefferson Parish Employees Federal Credit Union

“The workshop was very informative and thought-provoking.  It challenged current management style with new, innovative management opportunities.”

Gloria M. DeCuir, 

Tulane University

“Cathy Harris’ workshop has given me both techniques and a common understanding of diversity, which will help me do a better job in today’s world of constant change.  What I liked best was the hands-on interaction in groups.”

Anne M. Lee, 

U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs

“As a result of this workshop, I will try to create an environment where employees feel free to communicate.”

Unsigned participant comment

“I feel most compelled to share with you again my gratitude for all that you taught us.   Your leadership seminar has helped me to find my identity and worth in my workplace.   I’ve learned that it is O.K. to be “me” as long as I am true to myself and others……”To thine own shelf–  be true”.    Thank you for your dedication and hard work.  You have made an everlasting mark on my life.    

Shanna Porter

Jefferson Parish Employees Federal Credit Union

Thanks Cathy, much appreciated!  It was certainly encouraging to have you there…  You bring a wealth of experience and talent to our sessions.

Bill DeVille

General Manager, 

Regional Transit Authority