I am an Organization Seeking Leadership Development
Solutions
Empower your teams with customized leadership training and coaching designed to drive performance, strengthen culture, and cultivate future-ready leaders. Our expert-led programs equip your organization with the tools to inspire, engage, and lead with impact.
ORGANIZATIONS:
I am an Emerging or Established Leader Seeking Executive Coaching & Growth
Accelerate your leadership journey with personalized coaching and development strategies tailored to your career goals. Gain the confidence, skills, and insights needed to lead effectively, influence with authority, and unlock your full potential.
INDIVIDUALS:
Teaching and Coaching Experience
YEARS
of combined teaching and coaching experience fuel our programs with depth and insight.
Curriculum Design Expertise
YEARS
of curriculum design expertise ensure every lesson is strategic, structured, and impactful.
Leadership and Strategic Growth Experience
YEARS
of leadership and strategic growth experience driving transformative outcomes for every participant.
Graduating Leadership and Executives
PARTICIPANTS
who completed various training opportunities with Next Step Associates (with certificates).
The Standard of Leadership excellence
Download Our Year-In-Review Leadership Guide
NSA Leadership Programming and Training
Next Step Associates, LLC, (NSA), was founded in 2004 to provide innovative and relevant professional development, training, and technical assistance designed to help individuals and organizations improve performance, build capacity, and successfully reach goals. NSA is certified as a minority, woman-owned company (MWBE), and a Local Business Entity (LBE).Building on our broad spectrum of expertise, cross-disciplinary approach, and knowledge of adult learning principles, NSA has an excellent track record for creating compelling training and curriculum delivered with laser-sharp execution to meet client needs. Our highly credentialed trainers and instructors are supported by a strong research and evaluation team, and they incorporate best practices and solutions designed to enhance the performance of our clients.
Why Choose NSA?
NSA professionals capitalize on their expertise in training for best practices, years of cross-industry training experience, and project management strategies and methodologies to develop and deliver effective professional development and training programs. These programs are tailored to support the type of organizational change each client seeks. Our customized professional development and training approaches help employees in a wide variety of positions acquire the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to improve their performance and foster a culture that embraces positive change.
Empowering Growth Through Expertise
Proven Expertise and Customized Solutions
Next Step Associates (NSA) brings 20+ years of experience in professional development, combining cross-industry knowledge and adult learning principles to deliver tailored leadership training. Our programs are designed to drive organizational change, equipping individuals and teams with actionable skills to excel in their roles.
Empowering Organizations with Inclusive and Impactful Solutions
Seasoned Leadership and Locally Trusted
As a certified Minority/Woman-Owned Business (MWBE) and Local Business Entity (LBE) our high profile clients include stalwarts in Philadelphia and beyond. NSA prioritizes inclusivity and community impact. We understand diverse workplace challenges and deliver culturally responsive training to foster inclusive leadership.
Measurable Outcomes That Elevate Performance and Growth
Results-Driven Approach
NSA’s laser-focused execution ensures training translates to real-world impact. From project management strategies to performance improvement tools, we help organizations build capacity, embrace change, and achieve measurable goals.
Customized Professional Development to Drive Growth and Lasting Change
Empowering Organizations and Executives
Through Expert Training
NSA professionals capitalize on their expertise in training for best practices, years of cross-industry training experience, and project management strategies and methodologies to develop and deliver effective professional development and training programs. These programs are tailored to support the type of organizational change each client seeks. Our customized professional development and training approaches help employees in a wide variety of positions acquire the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to improve their performance and foster a culture that embraces positive change.
Client Success Stories:
Recognized Leadership and Measurable Results
For 21 years , NSA has worked alongside its clients to develop, design, and provide comprehensive and relevant training and curriculum. NSA delivers servic es that increase skills and overall staff performance in the areas of leadership , workforce development, succession planning, and executive – level coaching
Recognized in 2014 by the Philadelphia Business Journal as one of the region’s Top 50 Minority – Owne d Businesses, NSA helps organizations maximize return on their investments and restores focus on mission critical initiatives. In April 2019, the U. S. Small Business Administration Eastern Pennsylvania District Office recognized Next Step Associates as th e 2019 Eastern Pennsylvania Minority – Owned Small Business of the Year. In 2024, Dr. Jones was recognized by the Philadelphia Business Journal as a Women of Distinction, a spotlight on the region’s most influential Businesswomen.
Leadership Transformation—At Every Level
Two Paths of Excellence
We deliver the strategy, coaching, and tools to make success inevitable.
Great leadership requires transformation at every level—that’s why we offer both macro and micro development paths. For organizations, we build scalable leadership systems that strengthen culture, alignment, and measurable growth. For individuals, we provide high-impact coaching to sharpen skills, amplify influence, and drive change from within. Because true progress isn’t just about fixing structures or people—it’s the synergy of both. When organizations invest in systemic leadership development and empower their people with personalized growth, that’s how enduring success is built.
Organizational Leadership Solutions
For businesses, corporations, government agencies, and nonprofits
What We Deliver: Custom leadership training, executive coaching, and strategic audits to enhance performance, culture, and growth.
Key Differentiator: Data-driven, scalable programs designed to align teams and drive measurable organizational impact.
Individual Executive Development
For strategic mapping and empowering emerging and established leaders.
What We Deliver: High-level coaching, leadership academies, and public workshops to sharpen skills, expand influence, and accelerate careers.
Key Differentiator: Personalized, ICF-certified coaching with elite faculty, tailored to individual leadership growth.
Leadership Programming and Training
NSA Leadership Academy Featured Programs
Where
Laser-Sharp Thinking Meets
Unmatched Execution
At NSA Leadership Academy, we believe transformative leadership starts with clarity, strategy, and accountability. Our programs equip executives, managers, and government leaders with the mindset, tools, and actionable frameworks to drive measurable change—within themselves, their teams, and their organizations.
Philly Future Track
Training and Development
The Philly Future Track program, in partnership with the City of Philadelphia, offers a six-month training and work experience opportunity that can lead to full-time employment in civil service. The program includes certifications in Powered Industrial Trucks and training in Mobile Elevating Work Platforms.
Global Academies Program
Legacy Building
We equip inner-city youth with tools to lead, serve, and thrive—locally and globally. Through curated curriculum, travel, and mentorship, students gain exposure beyond their neighborhoods and grow as empowered future leaders.
AEW Leadership Institute
Strategic Leadership
For C-suite leaders and senior executives ready to redefine organizational success. This immersive virtual program blends Harvard-modeled coaching with real-world strategy, empowering you to inspire transformation, align teams, and execute with precision.
The Lindback Awards for Distinguished Principals and Teachers
Recognizing Excellence in School Leadership
Since 2011, Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation of Philadelphia has recognized and rewarded school principals who have made significant leadership and humanitarian contributions to his/her school community.
Each year, the Lindback Foundation awards 60 distinguished teachers and seven principals from The School District of Philadelphia public schools who demonstrate excellence in promoting learning at the highest levels. The teacher award recipients will be chosen based on their activities that improve the intellectual and character development of students. Similarly, the Lindback Distinguished Principal Award recognizes and rewards school principals who have made significant leadership and humanitarian contributions to his/her school community.
“THEY SAID”
Roberta W. Gutman’s “They Said” is a powerful reminder that both personal and professional success begins with rejecting limiting beliefs imposed by others. Rooted in the Black experience, the poem speaks to the universal struggle of overcoming doubt, reclaiming pride, and choosing growth. It challenges us to reflect on our own path—have we internalized defeat or stepped boldly toward our potential? Whether in life or work, the message is clear: change begins the moment we decide to believe in our worth and take action.
SERVICES
Overview of Expertise
Services for Organizations
Services for Individuals
Our Four-Step Training Process
ABOUT NSA
ABOUT
SERVICES
PROGRAMS
LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
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CONTACT
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Examples play a central role in explaining difficult ideas because they turn abstract principles into situations that readers can observe, compare, and remember. A strong example does more than illustrate a definition: it shows how a concept works under realistic conditions while also revealing its limits. In classroom assessment, a well-designed test example should match the skill being measured, use clear instructions, and distinguish genuine understanding from lucky guessing. The most effective teaching materials usually place a simple case beside a more demanding one, helping learners notice which details remain constant and which change the outcome. Examples also become more valuable when they include brief explanations, since feedback connects each conclusion to the evidence or rule behind it. Used with care, they support accurate reasoning without replacing independent practice, allowing learners to transfer an idea to unfamiliar problems rather than merely repeat a memorized pattern.
