Who We Are

Established in 1984, COE is the only known firm that is solely dedicated to improving and transforming federal organizations so they can efficiently, effectively, and credibly achieve their mission. We are committed to the federal government achieving its goals and better serving the American people.

We engage with agencies, their programs, and government wide initiatives. We assess and transform operations, automate, develop data ecosystems, strategize, measure performance, and help implement federal operations successfully.

We serve as unbiased non-conflicted advisors who care deeply about our clients’ success.

Steve Goodrich, COEs President wrote the book on transforming government.

What Guides Our Work

Critical to organizational success is the fact that organizations are made up of multiple interrelated “systems” that must be aligned and perform at maximum effectiveness. Difficulty or failure in any one element can cripple or hinder an entire organization. COEs work is guided by our proven methodologies, well-honed protocols and processes, and expertise across the appropriate organizational effectiveness disciplines.

COE conducts our work guided by our OE Framework™, Organizational Logic Model™, and Data Ecosystem Model™ as the lens through which we gain a clear and comprehensive profile of an organization’s functional strengths and weaknesses, as well as opportunities for organizational improvement or transformation.

COE structures our work around the following four areas to ensure emission performance and outcomes:

  • Ensuring strategic systems drive achievement – purpose, strategy, customer and stakeholder experience, governance, structure, budget/costs, policy, controls, metrics, etc.
  • Structure tools and performance systems to enable effective performance, serving partners, stakeholders, and customers – processes, infrastructure, quality control, technology, data capacity, work allocations, risks.
  • Align talent systems to support effective performance – people, leadership, culture, skills, skill levels, talent acquisition, change readiness, etc.
  • Effective responses to changing conditions and external systems – legislation, workload trends/shifts, environment, risk management, and stakeholder requirements and influences, etc.

Using these models, what emerges is a clear picture of how well the organization is positioned for achievement, ensures effective solutions are identified, and an appropriate transition to a justified and measured future state.

We examine an organization’s purpose, governance and strategic systems, talent, internal and external environmental conditions, tools and performance systems, and the results achieved. Proper alignment among these organizational systems sets the stage for maximum success in efficiency, effectiveness, and credibility. Likewise, gaps with a newly defined or expanded mission or intent are determined and we always measure both performance and results.

We Manage The Quality of Our Services to You

COE places an extremely high value on the quality of the services we provide to our clients. Quality at COE is defined through our 4 Quadrants of Quality framework to include:

  1. The ability of our methodology to produce effective outcomes.
  2. The technical and consulting skills applied by our consultants.
  3. The completeness, accuracy, and utility of the product artifacts produced.
  4. The trusting relationships we have with our clients.

Each quadrant is accompanied by a set of standards that are adhered to by all COE staff.

4 Quadrants of Quality at COE

Systems and Standards

Applied Experience

Leadership and Values

Project Management

Consulting
Client Relaltions
Artifacts
Methodology

Leadership Team

Steve Goodrich

President and CEO

He has more than 40 years of leading organizations and advising top government and private sector leaders in organizational effectiveness strategies to improve performance and effectiveness. Steve’s passion for excellence is the foundation for creating and guiding COE to serve the American people and care about our clients and staff.

He has more than 40 years of leading organizations and advising top government and private sector leaders in organizational effectiveness strategies to improve performance and effectiveness. Steve’s passion for excellence is the foundation for creating and guiding COE to serve the American people and care about our clients and staff.

Steve is routinely engaged in helping government leaders solve organizational effectiveness problems and developing supporting legislation and policy. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of the federal Shared Services Coalition and was the co-founder and vice chair of the Government Transformation Initiative (GTI). He regularly appears at conferences, and in the media.

Steve began his career in education and then transitioned into consulting in the power generation industry. As a division director in a large technology solutions firm, he guided the integration of technology into the workplace. He has held senior leadership positions in small and large firms. He served on many government committees, roundtables, and engages in pro-bono support to our government. He was also the Chairman of the Board for the Association of Management Consulting Firms, and Renovating America. Steve has taught at the university level and serves on a number of corporate boards.

Steve holds a master’s degree in industrial management from the University of Maryland and a bachelor’s degree in education from Fitchburg State University.

Steve is also the author of countless articles, thought pieces, and three books all available on Amazon – Transforming Government from Congress to the Cubicle, A Little Instruction Book for Congress, and A Little Instruction Book for Overcoming Racism and Prejudice.

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Karla Englund

Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Operations

Karla Englund contributes to COE’s strategic planning, the achievement of company growth goals, setting objectives for financial and contract strategy as well as overall acquisition activity. She provides strategic leadership for business operations and financial functions of the company. As Chief Financial Officer & Vice President of Operations, Karla oversees accounting, financial reporting, financial planning and analysis, payroll, banking, contract administration and management, human resources, and information technology.  She provides fiscal oversight of the company’s budget, analyzes all contract solicitation costing and project related accounting, and assists with the overall financial strategy within business development.

Karla Englund contributes to COE’s strategic planning, the achievement of company growth goals, setting objectives for financial and contract strategy as well as overall acquisition activity. She provides strategic leadership for business operations and financial functions of the company. As Chief Financial Officer & Vice President of Operations, Karla oversees accounting, financial reporting, financial planning and analysis, payroll, banking, contract administration and management, human resources, and information technology.  She provides fiscal oversight of the company’s budget, analyzes all contract solicitation costing and project related accounting, and assists with the overall financial strategy within business development.

Karla has over twenty-five years of experience spanning finance, accounting, business process, and project management disciplines. She has worked within government contracting, hospitality, technology manufacturing and public accounting industries. Prior to joining the Center for Organizational Excellence, Karla founded her own government contracting business, successfully leading all strategic and financial responsibilities. She previously gained experience from both Price Waterhouse Coopers and Bearing Point where she led account responsibilities to grow business and managed consulting teams for government projects.

Karla holds a Master’s in Business Administration from American University and a Bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), a Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM), a Project Management Professional (PMP) and is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (LSSBB).

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