Meet the Team
Roxanne Kaufman
President & CEO, ProLaureate Ltd.
Certified Leadership Master & Executive Coach
Speaker & Author
Every human being is born with many of the ancient elements of the earth in our bodies; carbon, silver, magnesium, GOLD.... 0.2mg of gold to be exact – most of which lies in our heart. I guess we can say that we are all born with hearts of gold. And this is the source of our superpowers, our grit, our grace - and the thing we do best in the world. This gold represents our 'why' - our passion and purpose - and is the fuel that drives our superpowers, and our limitless potential to be and to become the best of ourselves to emerge as a champion in life and in our fields of endeavors. It is my life-long purpose to help others discover and unleash their 0.2mg gold.
I am a GOLD miner.
Roxanne Kaufman is the Founder, President, and CEO of ProLaureate Ltd. Helping organizations develop and grow professional champions within their organizations is Roxanne's passion. She is a certified master, executive coach, and facilitator in both The Leadership Challenge®, Leadership Practices Inventory® 360, THRI3VE Leadership, as well as a highly respected and sought-after speaker, presenter, and published author.
With over 35 years of national and international corporate experience, Roxanne works with clients ranging from privately held middle market businesses to global corporations in insurance, manufacturing, health care, accounting, financial services, real estate, consumer products, and construction as well as many others.
She is passionate about unleashing the leader in others and dedicated to helping people and organizations create cultures, lives, and legacies of genuine and authentic leadership and success.
CERTIFICATIONS & EDUCATION
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i3® Leadership Master – ProLaureate™
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Certified Master - The Leadership Challenge®/The Leadership Practices Inventory® 360
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Authorized Partner – Wiley Everything DiSC® and The Five Behaviors®
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SOAR Women’s Leadership Development Certified Facilitator & Coach
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Certified Facilitator/Coach – Trusted Advisors Network Corporation
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Certified Executive Coach – LLM, Inc.
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AA & BAC - Sinclair College & Bowling Green State University
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Executive Certifications - University of Wisconsin at Madison/American Marketing Association
Jim Dean
ProLaureate Affiliate
Certified LPI Assessment Coach
With a distinguished career spanning over four decades, Jim Dean is a well-known and highly respected Treasury Management and Leadership professional. His journey in banking began 40 years ago, with significant roles at renowned institutions such as National City Bank, KeyBank, and Fifth Third Bank. In these roles, Jim demonstrated exceptional strategic insight, commitment to excellence, and a profound impact on the organizations he served.
Jim’s career was marked by managing and coaching sales professionals nationwide, likening his approach to “fine sandpaper”—refining and shaping his team members into the best versions of themselves. He emphasizes the importance of motivation and self-motivation, helping people find their voice and ensuring they feel heard. Jim's belief in leadership extends beyond coaching, as he is deeply invested in helping the leaders of today and tomorrow, fostering a shared vision and alignment within organizations.
Despite setbacks, Jim’s passion for coaching never wavered. He experienced Roxanne’s impactful Thri3ve program 15 years ago and knew at that time that leadership development and coaching would be something he pursued in the future. His work has always focused on helping people grow, recognizing that success comes when teams row in the same direction, and leaders listen to understand what drives others.
Jim's approach to leadership development starts with the Leadership Practices Inventory® (LPI) 360° Assessment, where he emphasizes that the assessment serves as a mirror—helping individuals see themselves as others do. He believes that reflection, understanding the impact of feedback, and aligning with organizational goals are crucial for personal and professional growth.
Recently retired as the Director of Treasury Management for Farmers National Bank of Canfield's Northern Region, Jim led a team of 10 professionals and drove the success of the bank’s operations. Now, he joins ProLaureate Ltd as an Affiliate and Certified LPI Coach, continuing his journey of guiding others.
Jim's educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from John Carroll University and an MBA from Baldwin Wallace University. He lives in Chesterland with his wife and is a proud father of three grown children and a grandfather to five.
Jim’s professional journey reflects his dedication to fostering excellence, refining leadership, and contributing to a better, more motivated company culture.
Megan Hiles
Operations & Marketing Manager
Megan Hiles is a dedicated strategist and connector, empowering entrepreneurs and small business owners to achieve sustainable growth through intentional and strategic systems. As the Operations & Marketing Manager at ProLaureate, Megan focuses on optimizing processes and promoting brand growth.
With over a decade of experience in strategy, operations, marketing, branding, and business development, Megan employs a “zoom-out” approach to business strategy—ensuring all elements work cohesively to support overarching business objectives. Drawing on her background as the former Chief Growth Officer at a professional services firm, she collaborated closely with leadership to execute strategic growth plans that enhanced client experiences, increased retention rates, and streamlined operations.
Megan's experience spans marketing agencies and consulting, where she has successfully crafted and managed marketing strategies for various clients. Her expertise lies in strategic management consulting, where she helps small businesses and entrepreneurs develop clear, actionable strategies to align their visions, missions, and values with growth objectives. Passionate about systems thinking, Megan collaborates with clients to understand their business ecosystems, identify key leverage points, and co-create solutions that drive sustainable growth.
Megan holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Kent State University.
Jana Vanadia
Creative Director
Jana Vanadia is an accomplished graphic designer and creative director with a sharp eye and deep passion for design that spans over 20 years. She serves as the Brand Director and Designer for the ProLaureate team.
Jana provides visual solutions for clients across various industries, including healthcare, finance, law, and manufacturing. Although she began her career in print design, she quickly discovered that design wasn’t her only passion—people ignite her too. Leading creative teams and overseeing the entire process from concept to final product allowed her to satisfy both interests.
Jana is detail-oriented, deadline-driven, and customer-focused, with the creativity, vision, and flexibility to deliver messaging that captures each client’s vision and long-term objectives.
In addition to her professional work, Jana is dedicated to giving back to the community. She has served as the Vice President of the Brecksville Chamber of Commerce since 2016 and has been on the Board of the Brecksville-Broadview Heights School Foundation since 2018. She also volunteers her graphic design skills to support various local organizations. With every project, Jana begins with a clear focus, stays true to her vision, and delivers a powerful product that connects with audiences.
