Creating the space for genuine human connection and transformational growth is at the heart of what we do. We are a team of award-winning teachers and coaches working diligently to deliver an unrivaled leadership development experience to every individual and organization with whom we are privileged to work.

  • Tom Hustead, MD, Retired Colonel

    CO-FOUNDER / PRESIDENT / CEO

    Tom graduated from West Point in the top 3% of his class and subsequently from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. As a retired Army Colonel, highlights from his distinguished 24-year career include being awarded Flight Surgeon of the Year for his service in combat, Outstanding Faculty of the Year for his medical teaching, and board selection as Department Chair for a family medicine residency department. As a result of his appointment by the Army Surgeon General to be the “face of military medicine” to recruit and share the Army Medicine story, Tom recognized a need and developed a passion for teaching physicians across the country to be effective, engaged leaders. In his final appointment in the military, Tom was the commander/CEO of a NATO military medical facility at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Belgium. Most recently, Tom served as the CMO for the Medical Group at Baptist Health Hardin in Elizabethtown, KY where he still resides. With an emphasis on servant leadership, Tom’s core conviction is that effective leadership is never about him but is focused in creating a culture where the ones he leads can thrive and succeed. Tom and his wife Cheri of 30 years live in Kentucky and have three children.

  • Doug Crandall

    VP / HEAD OF TEACHING

    Doug is a graduate of West Point, the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and has a M.Ed from the University of Washington. He has led multiple units in the Army, and spent time in operations at Amazon.com. For five years, Doug taught Leadership, Advanced Leadership, and Leading Organizations Through Change at West Point, where he won the Excellence in Teaching Award and exceeded the academy average in every area of teaching feedback during each semester that he taught. He’s the co-author of four books: Permission to Speak Freely, Say Anything, Hope Unseen, and Leadership Lessons from West Point. Doug has published articles in the International Journal of Servant-Leadership and written case studies for both Stanford’s and Harvard’s business schools. Before joining The Referent Group, Doug spent over a decade creating and delivering leadership development content for companies across myriad sectors and in multiple countries. He also regularly delivered keynotes for organizations such as Walmart, Gap, USAA, Goodwill, the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, McKinsey and Company, and others.


  • Matt Kincaid, PhD

    VP / HEAD OF COACHING

    Matt holds an MBA and a PhD in Leadership Studies from Gonzaga University, as well as a Master Certification in Physician Development Coaching from the Physician Coaching Institute. Matt was named on Inc.com as one of the Top 100 Leadership Speakers in the United States in 2018 and has been interviewed for both Forbes.com and Investor’s Business Daily. He co-authored the critically acclaimed leadership book, Permission to Speak Freely, which has sold thousands of copies across five continents and been translated into Chinese for greater distribution in Asia. Matt’s peer-reviewed work has been published in both the International Journal of Servant-Leadership and the International Journal of Leadership Studies, and he has been an article reviewer for the peer-reviewed publications, The Leadership Quarterly and the International Journal of Servant-Leadership. He has been featured in two widely-distributed textbooks published by Pearson Prentice Hall, and been a top-rated professor for 15 years—teaching for Heritage University, Columbia Basin College, and Gonzaga University. Matt lives in southeastern WA with his wife Alaina and their three children.

  • Amanda Cuda, MD

    SENIOR PARTNER

    Amanda “Mandy” Cuda provided 16-years of active duty service in the Army, during which time she assumed clinical, academic, combat operational, and leadership roles in Hawaii, Georgia, Washington, Alaska, and Afghanistan. She has held the roles of Medical Director and Physician for Product Innovation and Strategy, and has continued to serve in the US Army Reserves as a faculty member at the Uniformed Services University. Mandy has integrated medical innovation work with curriculum development by building and implementing advanced clinical rotations that emphasize Health System Science competencies, with her work being both published and presented at conferences across the nation. Dr. Cuda’s educational background includes a Biology degree from Wheaton College and a Medical Degree from the Uniformed Services University. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Public Health and. has completed a Faculty Development Fellowship at Madigan Army Medical Center. Mandy lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, their four amazing kids, a sweet black lab, and a mysterious cat.

  • Geoff Webb

    SENIOR PARTNER

    Geoff graduated from West Point with an Engineering Physics degree and commanded army units around the globe as an Apache attack helicopter pilot. Following his military career, he studied with Second City in New York, teaching improvisation while working as a professional actor. Blending his creative work with his technical experience, Geoff began to develop authentic leaders in corporate America and soon found himself transforming leaders in the world’s largest companies. At Walmart, he led a team that designed and delivered leader development for 2.1 million associates in 27 different countries. Geoff has worked with Google, Facebook, Apple, IBM, JP Morgan, HBO, Chick-fil-A, and more to create innovative, breakthrough experiences for leaders at all levels. He integrates scientific research with a uniquely human approach to help technical professionals connect with others and become better communicators, innovators, and influencers.


  • Tiffany Spanier, MD

    EXECUTIVE COACH

    Tiffany earned her medical degree at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, and completed residency training in Pediatrics both at Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis, and then Children’s Hospital in Seattle. She is currently an owner and partner in a large (100+) group of pediatricians serving a metropolitan area near Seattle, where she has been named “Best Pediatrician” on multiple occasions. She has served as Chairman of the Wellness Subcommittee where she developed processes in association with the American Medical Association (AMA) and the Washington State Medical Association (WSMA) that sought to determine barriers to well-being, improve communication and teamwork, and decrease physician burnout. Tiffany has completed extensive training in mindfulness and self-compassion. She also has advanced training in leading Self Compassion for Healthcare Communities (SCHC) from the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion. Tiffany has combined her training and experience to serve healthcare professionals to maximize their professional and personal potential through life coaching.

  • Todd Naille

    CO-FOUNDER / EXECUTIVE COACH

  • Kelly Safranski

    EXECUTIVE COACH

  • Cheri Hustead

    ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR

  • AJ Fountain

    HEAD OF FILM PRODUCTION

  • Lori Fountain

    VIDEOGRAPHER / CHIEF EDITOR

  • Justin Fountain

    CREATIVE DIRECTOR / EDITOR

  • Abigail Fountain

    PHOTOGRAPHER / EDITOR

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