OUR TEAM
People are the Core
People are the core of every business, and when the core is strong, so is the company. This is a central tenet of our business and the reason we do what we do. We also live it every day, striving to build the strengths of our own team.
Get to know the Core team!
Maggie Frye
Founder & CEO
Maggie Frye founded Core in 2014, which, looking back, was a natural step in a career focused on organizational development, strategy, and communications. Her passion is building strong, capable leaders and effective business practices, and that passion shines through in Core’s purpose and values.
Before founding Core, Maggie served as the Global Communication & Talent Development Manager at Hobsons, an education technology solutions provider, supporting a global workforce in the areas of leadership development, internal communications, and employee engagement. She also has extensive experience in the public sector with a particular focus on clean water utilities. Ms. Frye spent several years earlier in her career working at a wastewater and stormwater utility (SD1 in Northern Kentucky). Throughout her tenure at SD1, Ms. Frye worked in communications, employee development, regulatory compliance, and strategic planning, with additional leadership responsibilities for the safety and information technologies functions.
- Bachelor of Arts in Communication, Northern Kentucky University
- Master’s in Strategic Organizational and Corporate Communication, University of Southern California.
- Certifications:
- Everything DiSC Certified Trainer (Wiley)
- Foundations of Servant Leadership (Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership)
- Association of Talent Development Certificate Programs: Facilitation Skills & Coaching
- Leadership programs:
- United Way Board Orientation & Leadership Development Program
- SOAR Women’s Leadership Program
Maggie serves on the board of directors for Aviatra Accelerators, an entrepreneurial accelerator that enables women to start and sustain businesses by giving them the resources and network they need to be successful. One of her most personally fulfilling volunteer roles is with a non-profit she founded called EmpowHer & Move, which is a summer program for high school girls in her community that provides a transformative journey of self-discovery, leadership empowerment, friendship and physical and mental fitness.
A proud mother of two teenage boys, Maggie spends far too much of her time driving her kids and their friends around (endlessly) and watching them play football and basketball. The Fryes love the outdoors and soak up Vitamin D whenever possible. She’s married to an environmental scientist with a green thumb who has planted so many pollinators in their backyard that it’s hard to sit on the deck without bees on your lap. Maggie is an avid runner and swimmer and finds her Zen during early morning workouts – sans headphones…sans kids…sans deadlines.
Jamie Holtzapfel
Vice President of Consulting Services
A principal consultant with Core since 2017, Jamie is a strategic thinker and goal-oriented individual who is passionate about helping other people succeed. She enjoys using her background in marketing and communication to help clients achieve an outlined vision for the future through the creation and/or delivery of tailored leadership programs, team development opportunities and company strategies. As the VP of Consulting Services, she also enjoys preparing other members of the Core team for client engagements to ensure successful project execution.
Prior to joining Core, Jamie spent over a decade working for a Northern Kentucky wastewater and stormwater utility. As the Director of Communications she oversaw all internal and external communication affairs. She supported the utility’s leaders by collaborating with stakeholders to address community needs, building and facilitating outreach programs, managing media, communicating through crises and building brand awareness.
- Bachelor of Arts in Communication, Northern Kentucky University
- Certifications: Everything DiSC Certified Trainer (Wiley)
- Leadership programs:
- Leadership Northern Kentucky
- SOAR Women’s Leadership Program
Jamie has a deep love for community and enjoys actively engaging with collective impact organizations. As the President of NKU’s Alumni Association and Board, she is working towards improving alumni and student collaboration and connection. Jamie also engages with Notre Dame Academy and serves as a mentor and guest speaker to help junior and senior girls prepare for life after high school. A past board member for Green Umbrella (the Cincinnati region’s sustainability alliance), she chaired their communication committee to help share the organization’s story and increase environmental awareness.
On a personal note, Jamie resides in Northern Kentucky with her husband, Andy, and their three children. Between her children and lots of local extended family, she can attest to the fact that there is never a dull moment in her household. Jamie enjoys being surrounded by others but warmly welcomes an opportunity to get off the grid. If you can’t reach her, she’s probably escaped to a lake or the mountains.
Christine Sapita
Senior Consultant
As a seasoned professional with a passion for operational excellence, Chris offers a diverse background with specializations in communications, employee engagement, corporate culture, team management, and overall talent and leadership development. She earned much of this experience in her 25 years at Hobsons, helping build the start-up software development firm into a global force in education technology. Chris knows that people are at the core of building a thriving, successful “anything,” and she loves sharing her knowledge and experiences for the benefit of helping others succeed.
- Bachelor of Arts, The University of Dayton (Go Flyers!)
- Certifications: Everything DiSC Certified Trainer (Wiley)
Chris sits on the Board of Directors for Think Tank, an organization with a mission to alleviate poverty through relationship-driven initiatives. She has enjoyed a number of volunteer leadership positions that allow her to experience the power of people on a more casual platform.
Chris raised her three children in Dayton, Ohio where she lives with her husband. Her personal passions include long walks, Peloton tabata rides, outdoor cycling, hiking, cooking, healthy snacks, sidelining at sporting events, traveling, and life coaching her young adult children.
Jeff Eger
Senior Consultant
An experienced executive in the fields of management, strategic planning, organizational development, coaching and communications, Jeff is a skilled communicator and facilitator who strives to achieve peak performance with every team he leads. He encourages innovation and creative thinking. Jeff is a servant leader with a proven record of accomplishment.
Jeff’s career experiences are broad and extensive; ranging from entrepreneurship to C-Suite leadership. His most notable accomplishments are building and reinventing organizations. He led Northern Kentucky’s Sanitation District No.1 as Executive Director for 17 years, transforming it into a multi-jurisdictional agency providing wastewater and stormwater management services to over 46 local governments. He negotiated transformational environmental compliance with the state and U.S. EPA., which has become the model for the nation in achieving clean water goals. He has served as CEO of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, as well as CEO of The Water Environment Federation – an international association of clean water professionals.
Eger recently retired from HDR, one of the top A&E firms in the United States. While there, Eger built and led the company’s national stormwater practice. Additionally, Eger has facilitated dozens of strategic plans for non-profit agencies and corporate clients, has served as Chairman of several organizations including ORSANCO (the Ohio River water authority), and served on non-profit boards and public agencies, currently including the Boone County Water Commission. He believes the key to success for any company or organization is to focus first on its culture. Recognizing that team members are the most important resource can achieve boundless opportunities.
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Bachelor of Arts in Communication, Northern Kentucky University
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Graduate of Leadership Northern Kentucky, and was named one of their Leaders of Distinction
Jeff has always believed the best success comes from building and creating dreams with a team. Eger, along with his wife and a group of his friends, started the Regional Youth Leadership Program for high school juniors. Now in its 25th year, this is one of the few programs of its type that has reached across state boundaries to include students from Kentucky and Ohio schools. Eger has lived community service since high school, where as President of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes he conducted a food and clothing drive for those less fortunate in his community. His favorite title is that of “coach,” having spent years coaching youth sports.
Let me tell you about my grandkids – family is number one for Jeff. He and his wife Ruth, married for 46 years, center their lives around their son and daughter and their families. After moving back from Washington D.C. six years ago, they bought a home with a pool, affectionately known as the Sunnybrook Spa & Bistro, where every weekend is family time. Jeff loves every genre of music and always has a special music playlist going, while Momma Ruth is cooking up something special for dinners. Travel during the offseason is typically centered around food destinations.
Chamina Curtis
Senior Consultant
Chamina is a Vision Implementation Strategist bringing 20 years of experience in both the corporate and academic sectors. Whether you are seeking professional or personal expertise in organizational development, leadership or life, Chamina’s unique lens allows her to construct actionable plans from formative ideas for teams and individuals. Generating pathways to success is always her mission.
Chamina’s career highlights are in Sales and Marketing, Human Resources and Training and Development for Fortune 500 companies. Currently, she is a full-time Lecturer at Miami University bringing learning to life and motivating students to be the best version of themselves through thought-provoking reflections and real-life engagement.
- Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, Ohio University
- Master of Organization Development, Bowling Green State University
- Master in Labor & Employee Relations, University of Cincinnati
- Leadership Programs:
- MADE Women’s Leadership Program – Mason-Deerfield Chamber of Commerce
- Urban League African American Leadership Program
As the Co-founder of CHIP’s (Citywide Hamilton Internship Program), Chamina’s focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion has led CHIPs to become a conduit that connects companies and untapped talent from historically underserved populations. Through internships, workforce education and leadership experiences, pathways are created to career opportunities, workplace development and cultural integration.
Additionally, Chamina is the creator of Hamilton’s State of Reality Series; a collaborative community initiative identifying areas of concern for residents of Color in Hamilton, Ohio. The Series educates residents and provides a platform to create and implement solutions in the areas of economics, education, government, healthcare and law enforcement.
Chamina is the Advisory Board President for the Booker T. Washington Community Center and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Greater Miami Valley YMCA. Chamina’s love of empowering, uplifting and inspiring young minds has led her to create a teen girls’ leadership and mentoring program called Girls with A Purpose. This program affords inner-city youth access and exposure to resources within and beyond their community. When Chamina isn’t creating life legacies within her community, she enjoys pursuing a healthy life-style, reading, coaching, developing others and spending quality time with her husband.
Benjamin McCall
Senior Consultant
Benjamin McCall is a Consultant, Speaker and practitioner in HR, DEI & Leadership Performance serving organizations across the U.S. In his work, Benjamin leverages experiences in Organizational Strategy and Talent Management to affect business and people initiatives in varying environments and industries. He has worked with Fortune 500 companies across Financial Services, Education, Military Defense, and Manufacturing; and within the private and public sector.
- B.S. in Management from Indiana University
- B.S. in Information Technology from the University of Cincinnati,
- Master of Business Administration in Management.
- Certifications:
- DiSC Certified Trainer
- Life Styles Inventory™ (LSI ILF)
- Leadership WorkStyles™ (LWS)
- DDI Certified Trainer and Coach in Leadership Development and Targeted Selection
- Vital Smarts – Crucial Confrontations
- Executive and Leadership Program Development
Benjamin has a passion for youth development. He has served as a youth Baseball and Basketball coach for the YMCA and continues his involvement in support of Lakota Schools, School Board and several volunteer roles.
Benjamin is a golfer, writer and a big believer in life-long learning whether traditional classroom or self-driven. Ultimately, he spends time with his wonderful wife and 2 young boys!
Alan Heymann
Senior Consultant
Alan Heymann has a knack for coaching fellow introverts, helping them find their superpowers in an extroverted world. Alan also specializes in coaching through transitions — such as the transition from individual contributor to leader, the transition into a larger and more complex role, or the transition into a different career. He brings a warm, open and energetic presence to his coaching clients. To date, Alan has coached leaders who were born in 19 countries and work on 5 continents.
Alan is the author of the book Don’t Just Have the Soup: 52 Analogies for Leadership, Coaching and Life. An expert communicator and engaging speaker, he spent more than two decades in public, government and nonprofit communications — leading teams from 2 to more than 100 people who use words and images to inspire positive change. Inspired by his own career transformation through support of an executive coach, Alan became a coach himself and founded Peaceful Direction in 2019.
From 2015-19 and 2010-13, Alan served as an executive leader at DC Water. He was most recently the founding president of the utility’s nonprofit spinoff, Blue Drop. In his first tour of duty, he was chief of external affairs, leading the effort to rebrand DC Water and reconnect with a skeptical public.
Alan was previously Vice President of Communications for The Humane Society of the United States. He also held various roles in the Government of the District of Columbia, including agency public information officer, mayoral speechwriter and legislative staffer. Earlier in his career, Alan was a television reporter, producer and anchor in his native Illinois.
- Executive Certificate in Leadership Coaching (Georgetown University)
- Juris Doctorate (The George Washington University Law School)
- Bachelor of Science in Journalism (Northwestern University)
- Leadership Montgomery CORE Program
- Assessments: Wiley Everything DiSC Certification, Hogan, and Leadership Circle Profile 360
- Designing Your Life
Alan is a frequent participant in pro-bono coaching engagements through the International Coaching Federation’s Metro DC chapter. He is a member of the Barker Adoption Foundation Board of Trustees and the Newport Mill Middle School PTSA Board. Alan has followed a plant-based diet since 2002.
Alan lives with his family outside Washington, DC. He is the son and parent of immigrants to the United States. Alan enjoys travel, running half-marathons and reading his way through large stacks of books from the local public library.
Dr. Leighann Rechtin
Senior Consultant
Leighann is an executive level leader who is passionate about the development of others. Her work focuses on strategy and talent development. Leighann is a highly skilled facilitator and communicator, within the corporate, academic and nonprofit sectors. In addition to her work with Core, Leighann is an Assistant Vice President at Ivy Tech Community College, responsible for leading talent development efforts to ensure Ivy Tech maintains a skilled and motivated workforce to meet its talent needs and drive success. She also consults with and advises executive-level leaders to drive systemic change in strategic management of talent and is instrumental in leading the College in innovative practices. As a former full-time Communication Professor, corporate trainer, and faculty professional development director, Leighann has a significant background in communication skills and pedagogy. Leighann has led faculty professional development sessions centered on several best practices utilized in the classroom, specifically focusing on assessment, online student engagement, applied learning, strengths, and innovation.
- Bachelor of Arts in Communication, Northern Kentucky University
- Master of Education in Human Resource Development, Xavier University
- Master of Arts in Communication, Northern Kentucky University
- Doctor of Educational Leadership, Northern Kentucky University
- Certifications:
- Gallup Strengths Coach
- Gallup Engagement Champion
- Leadership Programs:
- Leadership Northern Kentucky
- Women’s Institute for Leadership Development
- Emerging Leaders
- Leadership Academy and Pathways to Peak Leadership
- Vital Smarts – Crucial Conversations
- Executive Leadership Program Development and Coaching
Leighann is very passionate about women in leadership – formerly serving as the president of the board of directors for the Madonna House of Northern Kentucky (a home for single mothers). She is also on the Steering Committee for the Women’s Institute for Leadership Development, and mentors women in early stages of career development. She is the Guiding Circle leader for the Lawrenceburg Ivy Tech Circle of Ivy – a women’s philanthropy organization. Additionally, she helps coordinate and present at women in business luncheons for the Dearborn County and Batesville chamber of commerce in Indiana. She is also very involved with her church, where she serves primarily as an announcement manager, along with leading small groups.
Leighann currently resides in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky with her husband, their youngest son, two cats and dog. They have two young adult boys who now live outside of the home. Her family are big soccer fans and athletes, spending most of their time on or around a soccer pitch. They are also big fans of Ted Lasso and have season tickets to FCCincy soccer. Leighann really enjoys reading books and is currently involved in four book clubs. She also enjoys attending live theatre, teaching and attending Pilates Reformer classes, and all things Harry Potter.
Jenny Gavin
Client Relationship and Program Manager
With a professional background in software consulting in financial services and Human Resources with Accenture, Jenny brings experience with career counseling, performance assessment, and mentoring. Through various leadership positions with volunteer organizations, she also gained experience with strategic planning, bookkeeping, and event planning. She is passionate about working collaboratively to achieve great results.
- Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Political Science, and Philosophy, Denison University
Jenny is a volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House in Cincinnati. She loves working with the amazing families that stay there as their children receive treatment at Cincinnati Childrens Hospital. She also volunteers with Lasagna Love providing home cooked meals for local families in need.
Jenny resides in Cincinnati, OH with her husband and two children. In her free time, she enjoys exercising, walking her dog, reading, and hanging out with family and friends. She also loves watching her son play sports and visiting her daughter in Chicago.
Julie Kleinhenz
Program Administrator
With a professional background rooted in account management and client services, Julie takes great pride in ensuring that projects run efficiently while delivering the desired results. Julie brings years of experience as an account executive at an advertising agency, where she ran successful campaigns for clients in several industries. She also spent years directing sales operations at a student marketing company; keeping projects supported, organized and on track for success. Julie enjoys leveraging her previous experience, communication skills and knack for the details to assist organizations in achieving their goals.
Julie is a busy volunteer at her children’s grade school. Whether it is being a PTO board member, leading cub scouts or coaching youth sports, she is passionate about serving her community and finding ways they can support local charities. She enjoys being a board member for her summer swim club, donating her time as secretary. Julie also finds great fulfillment as an ongoing volunteer at Lasagna Love, a global nonprofit that connects neighbors with neighbors in need through meal delivery.
Julie resides in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband, three children and dog. As a family they love to hike, bike ride and watch local sports. When Julie is not busy with her kids’ activities, she enjoys going to concerts and comedy shows, traveling, and trying new restaurants.