As I get older, I find my bio getting shorter and shorter and focused on what I now find important, like I am a proud husband, father and friend, but there has been a lot of interesting stuff happen in the past thirty five years. I started my career in Residential Care in rural Kentucky from there I went to work for the "State" eventually in both Mental Health and Child Welfare. From there I worked for both Eastern Kentucky University and University of Kentucky on faculty in the social work department and College. Proceeding my tenure at the University of Kentucky I entered the private sector where I worked administratively in a mental health practice and then began my own non-profit consulting firm which continues today in Lexington, Kentucky. Seven years ago I was given the opportunity to work for an international Child Welfare Organization that was opening in the United States as its 11th country. During the past seven years I had the great privilege to build an incredible team to provide an integrated behavioral health with out of home care service for young people with severe developmental disabilities. This was the hardest work I have ever undertaken and to this day, creating a community based system of care for individuals for whom it never existed is one of my proudest achievements and doing it alongside the team made it even more rewarding. Now? Currently, I am living in the Tampa Florida area as an Associate in Research for the College of Behavioral and Community Sciences. The work and innovation is so rewarding and I just want to share what I have learned. I think social workers and human service providers need to understand funding and how they are paid; I think agencies need to be bold and measure themselves against the highest markers; I think CEOs need to find new and different funding sources and articulately tell their stories in such a way that new funders engage with them and share in the outcomes. These experiences have taught me about clearly understanding the "business" of human services while not forgetting "why" we do what we do. These skills are hard taught and important to remember no matter what seat you occupy. My career in human services has given me a broad perspective on my personal and professional journey all while developing my skills to help others navigate their journey.

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Groeber Consulting,LLC doing business as Gro & Co is borne out of thirty plus years of working in human services in both the public and private sectors.  Its DNA comes from important concepts like Social Entrepreneurship, Building Social Capital, Collective Impact and Values based practice models.  The quote “if you do what you’ve always done you’ll get what you’ve always gotten,” resonates so true in our current standard operating procedures, both internally and externally.   Gro & Co believes we must think about things differently, try new approaches and do it all from a clearly defined set of values. If we do not have goals we will NEVER hit them; and so often we just react to what is happening around us with no real self reflection about the consequences.  Whether it’s coaching to find your internal monologue, setting of goals that reflect your values, facilitation of Boards, mission/vision re-creation, values-based program development, staff and stakeholder training or just brainstorming, Gro & Co stands ready to think differently with you.  Whether you are an individual trying to make a difference, large State system or a small human service agency, we will tailor the work to your specific organizational needs.  Gro & Co quite simply seeks “to help those that help others” and maximize the collective potential.

You don’t need to figure it out alone.  Gro & Co is designed to help ambitious professionals strengthen leadership, make aligned career decisions, and create a more fulfilling life.

If any of these questions are on your mind:

  • Are you mid career and wondering what is next?
  • Is my organization needing to refocus or develop values?
  • Are you in your last season of work and are thinking about your legacy?
  • Are you just wondering why I get up every day and exist?
  • Are you leading others while quietly burning out?
  • Are you wanting a more intentional life, but unsure where to start?
  • Do you know you “Why”?

Consider gaining support through our approach:

So often we talk about our values but never really link them to our behaviors, we don’t know our reputations or how that impacts our lives, and we never stop to think that our inside voice may be a terrible narrator, if we have an internal monologue at all.  These discussions can include:

  • Leadership: Value’s Clarity and decision support.
  • Career direction and transition strategy.
  • Confidence, boundaries, and communication.
  • Life design that supports your values and energy.
  • Legacy thinking