Leadership Facilitators Who Believe in People
Learn & Lead, LLC was founded on a simple conviction: the most effective organizations are led by people who never stop growing. We are Cathy Meyer-Looze and Rick Vandermolen—educators, researchers, and facilitators dedicated to helping leaders and teams reach their full potential.
Our Story
Learn & Lead grew out of decades of shared experience in education, leadership, and organizational development. Both of us spent years in PK-12 education—as teachers, administrators, and district leaders—before moving into higher education and consulting.
Along the way, we saw a common thread: organizations thrive when their leaders are supported, when communication is intentional, and when teams share a clear sense of purpose. We founded Learn & Lead to bring that insight to schools, nonprofits, municipalities, and other mission-driven organizations.
Based in Traverse City, Michigan, we serve organizations across the region—combining rigorous research with real-world experience, and bringing a developmental, people-centered approach to every engagement.
What Guides Our Work
Every engagement is rooted in these core principles that shape how we show up for the organizations and leaders we serve.
People-Centered
We believe leadership begins with understanding and valuing people. Every engagement starts with listening.
Collaborative
We work alongside your team—not above it. Our role is to facilitate growth, not prescribe solutions.
Research-Grounded
Our methods are informed by current research in leadership development, coaching, and organizational behavior.
Results-Oriented
We focus on practical outcomes: stronger leaders, better communication, more aligned teams.
Meet the Facilitators
Experienced educators and researchers dedicated to building leadership capacity in every organization we serve.
Cathy Meyer-Looze, Ed.D.
Co-Founder & Leadership Facilitator
Dr. Cathy Meyer-Looze brings a rare combination of academic depth and practical leadership experience to every engagement. As an Associate Professor and Unit Head for Educational Leadership and Counseling at Grand Valley State University, she has spent her career developing the next generation of school and organizational leaders.
Cathy’s career began in PK-12 public education, where she served as both a teacher and an administrator. That grounding in practice informs everything she does—from her published research on superintendent leadership and support systems for school administrators, to her facilitation of the Leadership Grand Traverse program, which she has directed since 2016.
A certified Process Communication Model (PCM) practitioner, Cathy employs communication strategies rooted in Relational Cultural theory to build trust, strengthen relationships, and help leaders communicate more effectively. She is also a passionate advocate for equity and inclusion, serving as the Faculty MI-ACE Representative for GVSU’s Women’s Commission.
Rick Vandermolen, Ed.D.
Co-Founder & Leadership Facilitator
Dr. Rick Vandermolen is a seasoned leadership development professional whose career spans more than two decades of teaching, coaching, and consulting. As an Associate Professor at Eastern Michigan University and co-owner of Learn & Lead, LLC, Rick brings a practitioner’s lens to every interaction—grounded in research, but always focused on real-world impact.
Rick’s expertise includes leadership development, team building, change management, and executive coaching. He is a certified Process Communication Model (PCM) Trainer, and holds credentials in ACUE Effective Teaching Practices and Central Office Administration from the Michigan Department of Education. He has been recognized for 25 years of dedicated service to Grand Valley State University.
As co-facilitator of Leadership Grand Traverse, Rick has helped develop hundreds of community leaders across the region. His coaching philosophy centers on the concept of the “thought partner”—a relationship built on trust, reflective practice, and shared commitment to growth. Leaders who work with Rick describe the experience as transformative.