Business Details
45 Years
experience
Your Trusted Partner for Leadership Solutions
Since 1981, MDA Leadership has been dedicated to transforming organizational performance through exceptional leadership development. Our mission centers on partnering with organizations that prioritize leadership excellence, offering tailored solutions in talent strategy, assessment, and executive coaching. With decades of experience, we help clients align business objectives with leadership capabilities, ensuring sustainable growth and competitive advantage. Our team of seasoned professionals brings objective insights to C-suite succession planning and board effectiveness, supported by proprietary frameworks like Awaken, Align, Accelerate.Recognized with Brandon Hall Group Excellence Awards, we combine data-driven methodologies with personalized coaching to develop future-ready leaders. Clients like Sleep Number and Macy's attest to our ability to build diverse, agile leadership teams that drive measurable business impact. Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion ensures leadership solutions that reflect modern organizational needs.
Services
Talent Strategy
Leadership Assessment
Executive Coaching
Succession Planning
Board Consulting
Private Equity Services
Leadership Development Programs
Details
- Year established: 1981
Highlights and features
- 40+ years of experience in leadership development
- Award-winning assessment methodologies with measurable ROI
- Customized solutions aligned with business strategy
- Proven success with Fortune 500 and PE-backed firms
- Data-driven approach to leadership pipeline development
Associations and certifications
- Brandon Hall Group
What people say
Trusted partners
Accelerate growth
High-quality delivery
Immediate response
Strategic insights
Services
Leadership Development
Our Awaken, Align, Accelerate framework develops leaders at all levels through personalized coaching and experiential learning. Clients gain strategic decision-making skills and emotional intelligence to drive organizational change. Programs combine 360-degree assessments with action learning projects for sustained impact.
Talent Assessment
Data-driven assessments identify leadership potential and readiness for key roles. Using psychometric testing and behavioral interviews, we help organizations make informed promotion and hiring decisions. Solutions reduce turnover risk while building diverse leadership pipelines.
Executive Coaching
One-on-one coaching for C-suite executives and high-potential leaders focuses on strategic transitions and performance optimization. Our certified coaches combine neuroscience principles with business acumen to enhance leadership effectiveness during critical career milestones.
Succession Management
Enterprise succession strategies ensure leadership continuity through CEO blueprinting and bench strength analysis. We help organizations identify critical roles, assess readiness gaps, and implement development plans for future business needs.
Board Services
Board effectiveness evaluations and CEO transition support strengthen corporate governance. Services include director peer reviews, chair succession planning, and strategic alignment sessions to enhance boardroom collaboration and decision-making.
People
Scott E. Nelson
CEO
Scott leads organizational transformation initiatives with 25+ years of talent strategy expertise. He specializes in aligning leadership capabilities with business growth objectives for Fortune 500 clients.
Sandra Davis
Chair and Founder
Dr. Davis established MDA Leadership in 1981 and continues guiding executive succession practices. Her work focuses on CEO transition planning and board governance effectiveness.
Sharon Sackett
SVP of CEO and Board Services
Sharon advises Fortune 500 boards on executive assessment and succession planning. She brings 20+ years of experience in top-of-house leadership transitions and governance consulting.
Jeffrey D. Hinds
Vice President of Private Equity
Dr. Hinds specializes in leadership due diligence for private equity firms. He helps investors evaluate management teams and develop talent strategies for portfolio companies.
Jim Laughlin
Senior Vice President
Jim designs leadership development programs for Fortune 500 executives. His expertise includes strategic change management and executive team alignment initiatives.
Questions
What leadership development programs do you offer?
We provide customized programs covering executive coaching, succession planning, board consulting, and leadership assessments using our Awaken, Align, Accelerate framework.
How do you tailor solutions to specific industries?
Our consultants combine deep business acumen with industry-specific insights to create context-driven solutions aligned with each organization's unique strategic challenges.
Can you help with C-suite succession planning?
Yes, our CEO Blueprinting process identifies critical leadership requirements and develops succession pipelines for executive roles through rigorous assessment and development planning.
Do you work with private equity firms?
We specialize in leadership due diligence and talent optimization for private equity firms, helping investors assess management teams and develop leadership capabilities in portfolio companies.
What makes your assessment methodology unique?
Our approach combines psychometric testing with business context analysis to predict leadership success, validated by decades of research and client outcomes.
How do you measure program effectiveness?
We track leadership behavior changes through follow-up assessments and business metrics like retention rates, promotion success, and financial performance improvements.
