WLH has earned its reputation as “trustworthy advisors, long-term partners, and reliable change managers.”

Dr. Wendy L. Heckelman is a globally recognized thought leader in the pharmaceutical and life sciences industry with over three decades of experience guiding organizations through strategic change, cultural transformation, and leadership development. As Founder and CEO of WLH Consulting and Learning Solutions (“WLH”), she partners with Fortune 100 and high-growth biopharma companies to deliver tailored consulting and learning strategies that drive long-term business impact.

A trusted advisor to senior executives, Wendy is renowned for her ability to turn strategy into execution—using diagnostic precision and a disciplined, people-centric approach to bridge performance gaps, align stakeholders, and foster enterprise agility. Her expertise spans Strategic Change Execution, Commercial Excellence and Account Management, Human Capital Optimization, Leadership Development, and Learning Strategy Design.

Wendy is the author of Change and Thrive: A Modern Approach to Change Leadership, a field-tested framework for leading organizations through constant and large-scale change. She also hosts the Change and Thrive podcast, where she shares timely insights and interviews leaders shaping the future of the industry.

Through a rigorous and scientific approach, Wendy leads her team of experienced consultants and leadership development experts to help clients identify gaps between current reality and future vision and then provides clear, actionable recommendations and solutions.  All projects are highly customized.  Wendy applies her strong project management skills to ensure all projects both large and small, are successful.  These projects require an integrated approach to define and articulate a clear strategic direction, align cross-functional stakeholders, develop processes that streamline costs, and improve efficiency.

As a skilled facilitator of executive level programs, Wendy has worked with leadership groups in the U.S. and over 25 countries throughout Europe, Latin America, and Asia.  She also serves as an executive coach to many senior and executive leaders.  Clients from Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, and many growing biotechs turn to Wendy for her strategic clarity, facilitation expertise, and commitment to driving measurable results.

Wendy has presented her work in the areas of large-scale change, jump starting organizations post-merger, organizational cultural transformation, integrated human capital strategy, leadership development, and talent retention. These topics have been presented at several national conferences including the Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network (LTEN), Pharma Congress, Organizational Development Network, Society for Human Resource Professionals, Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (HBA), and the International Quality and Productivity Center.

Wendy holds M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University, and a Master’s in Education in Counseling from Columbia.  She serves as the Regional Head of Corporate Partnerships for the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (HBA), is on the advisory board of the Southeast Medical Device Association, and the Alliance Theatre.

Rich Baron brings more than 30 years of leadership experience in the pharmaceutical industry, with a track record of transforming strategy into action, building high-performing teams, and architecting enterprise-wide change. Known for his pragmatic and collaborative style, Rich partners with clients to accelerate commercial effectiveness, develop world-class leadership capabilities, and drive measurable results.

Before joining WLH Consulting & Learning Solutions (“WLH”), Rich served as a senior executive at Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., where he held leadership positions across Sales, Marketing, and Learning & Development. He led a large training team supporting all commercial customer-facing roles and marketing for the Human Pharma Business Unit—from pre-commercial planning through product launches and commercialization. As a member of the senior Commercial Operations team, Rich was instrumental in aligning cross-functional stakeholders and creating scalable learning solutions to support business objectives. When in marketing roles, Rich’s strategic mindset was instrumental in product positioning, optimizing the promotional mix, strategy development, omnichannel execution, sales optimization, POA Development, and launch planning.

Rich’s impact includes leading large-scale field force transformations, orchestrating competency-based development strategies, and implementing multi-tiered leadership development programs to build future-ready talent pipelines. His initiatives significantly improved sales performance, accelerated new hire time-to-performance, and enhanced employee retention, especially in marketing and customer engagement roles.

At WLH, Rich serves as chief operating officer and senior engagement lead across priority client accounts, providing counsel on strategic account management, field force optimization, and integrated talent development. He draws upon his rich experience to guide clients through change, align leadership teams, and cultivate strategic mindsets across commercial organizations.

Rich is also a certified facilitator and architect of Framework Leadership—a modern, research-based leadership development system designed to build core capabilities across all levels. Through immersive and measurable training journeys, Rich helps organizations enhance employee engagement, inclusion, innovation, and psychological safety. By aligning development with the “flow of work,” he ensures that leadership growth is practical, sustained, and tied directly to business outcomes.

Additionally, Rich is personally certified in training the critical communications skill, called Pyramid Thinking. This methodology is the premier way that all professional consultants are trained, globally, on how to communicate. It is designed to help organizations move more quickly from idea to implementation by accelerating the ability to get to decision making and has been proven to increase the success rate / win rate in selling situations.

In addition to his corporate and consulting work, Rich Baron has been an active contributor to the broader professional community through his board membership with PM360 Magazine and the Life Sciences Trainers & Educators Network (LTEN). He has served on advisory boards and strategic committees for industry associations, where he shares insights on commercial capability building, leadership development, and the evolving role of learning in driving business outcomes. Rich’s board participation reflects his passion for elevating standards across the pharmaceutical sector and his commitment to advancing the disciplines of marketing excellence and adult learning. His thought leadership has helped shape best practices and foster innovation within professional networks dedicated to growth, talent, and performance.

Rich’s signature strength lies in bridging strategic vision with operational execution—empowering companies to turn their people into a true competitive advantage.

Rich received a MA in Organizational Psychology from Antioch University, and a BA from Penn State University.

Loretta Cate, D.PH is a seasoned leadership development professional and certified executive coach who brings over 30 years of industry experience and a unique blend of clinical expertise and business acumen to her work. With PharmD she stands out as a rare and invaluable resource on projects that require a deep understanding of both clinical dynamics and leadership effectiveness.

Throughout her 23-year career in the pharmaceutical industry, her role as Director of Leadership Development at Pfizer— Loretta has held senior positions in sales training, field leadership, HR, talent management, and commercial management. Her ability to translate complex scientific information into high-impact development solutions has made her a go-to partner for designing and facilitating programs that support emerging leaders, executive talent, and cross-functional teams.

At WLH Consulting and Learning Solutions (“WLH”), Loretta is relied upon to lead client engagements where clinical credibility, leadership capability-building, and organizational alignment intersect. She is a sought-after facilitator known for her warm, calming presence, ability to foster psychological safety, and innate talent for managing team dynamics with empathy and precision.

As a creative architect of leadership development journeys, she designs scalable, behavior-based solutions that support critical capabilities such as coaching, strategic thinking, and change readiness. She is also the founder and champion of WLH’s “Women in Leadership” initiatives, where she curates and delivers experiences that empower women to lead with confidence, authenticity, and influence.

Certified by The Coaches Training Institute (an affiliate of the International Coach Federation), Loretta brings the full weight of her clinical background, organizational insights, and coaching credentials to every client she serves, making her an instrumental force in shaping talent strategies that drive performance and impact.

Loretta holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Tennessee Center for Health Sciences with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Tennessee.

Stephen Kontra is a seasoned executive leader and trusted advisor with more than 35 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, including a distinguished tenure as Vice President of Global Learning & Development at Pfizer, Inc. Recognized for his ability to partner with the C-suite and senior leadership teams, he brings extensive expertise in organizational transformation, global capability building, and large-scale change execution.

Throughout his career, Steve has led learning and development efforts during complex business shifts, including merger integrations, restructuring initiatives, and enterprise-wide strategy launches. He blends a deep understanding of business governance, performance management, coaching, and human capital strategy with the agility to adapt programs for regional and cultural nuances across Latin America, Europe, and Asia.

At WLH Consulting and Learning Solutions (“WLH”), he plays a pivotal role in guiding strategic learning engagements and senior team alignment. Clients value his pragmatic approach and ability to translate business objectives into sustainable learning architectures that achieve measurable impact. His experience spans both commercial and corporate functions, providing him with a holistic view of how to align talent development to market demands and corporate goals.

An innovator by nature, Steve is known for designing scalable, high-impact development initiatives that reflect both industry best practices and the lived realities of global execution. He is a skilled facilitator of leadership sessions for executives and senior teams, helping organizations align, engage, and transform with clarity and purpose.

Mr. Kontra holds a B.S. in Business Management from California Polytechnic State University, an MBA from Saint Mary’s College of California, and a certificate in Principles and Practices of Organizational Development from Columbia University.

Sheryl Unger is a senior leader at WLH Consulting and Learning Solutions with over 20 years of experience delivering impactful consulting and learning solutions to clients across the pharmaceutical, biotech, and healthcare sectors. As the head of WLH’s Commercial Excellence practice, Sheryl leads initiatives that strengthen field force performance, align cross-functional execution, and equip commercial teams to succeed in complex and evolving environments.

Sheryl is a major contributor to WLH’s Change and Thrive model and its related programs, bringing a deep understanding of organizational dynamics and change execution. She plays a key role in designing and deploying WLH’s signature toolkits and learning programs—customizing them to meet the unique needs of each client. Her fingerprints can be found across WLH’s offerings on change management, transitional leadership, strategic account management, and HR’s role in transformation.

With robust experience in human capital strategy, Sheryl has led projects focused on competency modeling, organizational health diagnostics, and the development of 360° feedback tools and planning resources. Her insights and analytical rigor have enabled clients to identify performance gaps, align talent development with business objectives, and improve leadership effectiveness at scale.

A seasoned instructional designer and facilitator, Sheryl has crafted and delivered training programs on team effectiveness, process improvement, leadership development, and operating plan implementation. Her experience includes leading team jump-start sessions, gathering qualitative input via focus groups, and helping clients move from insight to action.

Earlier in her career, Sheryl held a range of internal HR and employee relations roles, including at Ford Motor Company, where she developed and facilitated employee involvement workshops. Her practical HR background continues to inform her highly collaborative and results-focused consulting style.

Sheryl holds a Master’s in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University and a B.A. in Political Science and Economics from American University. She is a member of the American Society for Training and Development (ATD) and the South Florida Organization Development Network.

Tianna Tye is a powerhouse in the intersection of change management, learning innovation, and leadership development. As a core contributor at WLH Consulting and Learning Solutions (“WLH”), Tianna has been instrumental in shaping a broad portfolio of development programs—including the design and launch of multiple emerging leader development journeys that are grounded in behavioral science and aligned to real-world performance needs.

Tianna spearheaded WLH’s enterprise migration to digital learning, leading the creation of an award-winning, on-demand suite of 50+ eLearning modules tailored to the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. She guides teams of instructional designers and SMEs to build blended learning experiences—virtual, in-person, and hybrid—that drive engagement, knowledge retention, and measurable capability building.

A recognized expert in organizational change, team effectiveness, and human capital strategy, Tianna regularly co-leads projects with Fortune 100 and fast-growing companies navigating large-scale transformation and enterprise-wide culture shifts. She plays a lead role in designing and facilitating human capital workshops, webinars, and train-the-trainer sessions on topics such as: talent retention, feedback and performance management, culture transformation, and change management. Projects often require partnering with HR and L&D functions to roll-out core values and competency models, career frameworks, and other targeted learning initiatives.

Tianna’s entrepreneurial spirit shines through in her role as Founder and CEO of Tianna Tye Co., a consulting firm that empowers 7- and 8-figure entrepreneurs to lead remote teams with clarity, intentionality, and impact. Drawing on her deep knowledge of team dynamics and scalable systems, she helps business leaders build thriving cultures without the constraints of a traditional office.

With a Master’s degree in Industrial Organizational Psychology from the University of Georgia, and a B.S. in Psychology from Howard University, Tianna seamlessly blends academic rigor with business practicality. Whether she's advising L&D leaders on competency rollouts or guiding founders through high-growth transitions, Tianna brings energy, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to helping people—and organizations—flourish.

Natasha Travis is a seasoned sales and training professional with deep roots in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. With extensive experience as both a top-performing sales representative and a leader in Sales Training & Development, she brings a powerful combination of frontline insight and instructional expertise to every engagement.

Her background in field sales is foundational to her success in designing and delivering effective, results-driven learning experiences. Natasha has led sales training initiatives across product lifecycles—from onboarding and upskilling to major national new product launches, including three women’s health brands. She played a pivotal role in launching Intrarosa, successfully generating new business and driving uptake across OB/GYN, urology, and primary care specialties.

As a Commercial Learning leader, Natasha is known for designing and executing comprehensive training programs that are fully aligned to brand strategy and field force needs. She manages all aspects of curriculum development, including clinical, product, and skills-based training, and regularly collaborates with cross-functional teams—Marketing, Medical, Regulatory, and Sales Leadership—to ensure content is not only compliant but highly relevant and engaging.

Her expertise includes developing blended learning programs for national meetings, product launches, and POA (Plan of Action) sessions. She has designed learning journeys for both new and tenured sales teams, inside sales, and field sales leadership. Natasha also serves as the lead facilitator for key learning events, bringing an energetic, relatable style that consistently earns top ratings for engagement and impact.
A strategic partner to Commercial Learning & Development teams, Natasha excels at translating business objectives into actionable learning outcomes that drive growth, enhance field performance, and strengthen brand execution.

Natasha has both a Masters of Science and B.A. degrees from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in Criminal Justice.

Matt Portch is a highly accomplished biopharmaceutical executive with more than 30 years of experience in market access, sales strategy, and commercial model innovation. With a strong background in building and leading account management organizations, Matt has helped shape how life sciences companies engage with today’s complex, value-driven healthcare marketplace.

Matt has held senior leadership roles at some of the industry’s most prominent companies, including Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pfizer, and Sunovion Pharmaceuticals. At Pfizer, he served as Vice President of Commercial Model Innovation, where he was responsible for redesigning the company’s sales and marketing model to align with the needs of evolving healthcare customers—including health systems, hospitals, and integrated delivery networks. Matt also founded and led Pfizer’s Key Account Management organization, positioning the team as a strategic partner to large-scale healthcare providers and systems.

His leadership track record includes roles such as National Account Director at BMS, Vice President of Market Access at Pfizer, and SVP of Sales and Market Access at Sunovion Pharmaceuticals. In each of these roles, Matt brought a forward-looking, enterprise mindset—expanding access, strengthening stakeholder engagement, and developing field strategies that advanced both product value and patient outcomes.

Currently, Matt serves as a consultant with WLH, where he partners with life sciences clients to build and refine Key Account Management capabilities, market access strategies, and B2B engagement models. He has developed a proven toolkit for teams to better meet the needs of organized customers and payers, and regularly advises commercial and portfolio teams on how to navigate the rapidly changing access landscape.

In addition to his consulting work, Matt is a Senior Advisor at Formulary Insights, a cutting-edge platform that delivers real-time, credible market access insights to pharmaceutical companies, investors, and healthcare innovators. Through this role, he contributes to advancing industry understanding of payer dynamics and specialty pharmacy strategies.

Matt is widely recognized for his strategic agility, deep institutional knowledge, and ability to bridge commercial innovation with practical execution. His global experience and collaborative leadership style make him a trusted voice in the future of pharmaceutical market access.

Matt received his BA in Business / Managerial Economics from Eastern Washington University. Throughout his career he obtained certifications in DiSC, Strategic Dialogue Skills, and Six Sigma Yellow Belt.

Magela Fontes is an Associate Consultant at WLH Consulting and Learning Solutions (“WLH”), where she supports the delivery of strategic client projects through expert coordination, learning system administration, and data-driven insights. With a MA in Industrial Organizational Psychology, she brings both analytical acumen and operational excellence to her role.

In her current position, Magela plays a key role in managing our learning management systems which includes customizing portals for each client engagement. Her attention to detail ensures a seamless deployment of programs and smooth user experience across engagements. She supports project leaders with executive-level coordination and tracks initiative progress across multiple workstreams to ensure timelines and deliverables stay aligned.

Her background includes extensive experience in data analytics, where she has applied quantitative skills to measure training effectiveness, assess stakeholder engagement, develop competency models, and support the design of a leadership development strategy. She has a keen eye for translating data into actionable insights that inform continuous improvement across human capital and change initiatives.

Prior to WLH, Magela worked at Accenture, where she delivered high-value project support to senior executives and led employee engagement initiatives. She served as chair of a national Mental Wellness Employee Resource Group, led cross-cultural training initiatives, and facilitated Co-pilot platform trainings for more than 300 executive assistants. She also oversaw a $500K regional engagement budget and implemented process improvements across global support teams. Magela is relied on to support any projects where Spanish speaking and writing is needed.

With a unique blend of analytical thinking, systems knowledge, and relationship-building skills, Magela is a rising talent committed to client success and operational excellence.

Rob Hansen is an experienced commercial leader with a strong foundation in Market Access field experience and a proven track record in training strategy and facilitation across the life sciences industry. With deep insights from his years in customer-facing Account Management roles, he brings a real-world, pragmatic lens to Market Access capability building—ensuring that learning solutions are not only relevant but immediately applicable in the field.

Over the course of his career, Rob has held key leadership roles in both Market Access and Learning & Development, where he was responsible for designing and delivering impactful training programs that support the evolving needs of field teams engaging with payers, organized customers, and healthcare systems. His unique blend of hands-on experience and training expertise positions him as a trusted partner in shaping access strategy education across multiple therapeutic areas.

At WLH Consulting and Learning Solutions (“WLH”), Rob is routinely relied upon to lead Market Access training engagements, where his calm and engaging facilitation style resonates with learners at all levels. Whether he's guiding Key Account Managers through complex value propositions or leading access strategy workshops, he anchors learning in credible, real-world scenarios that foster confidence and capability. His ability to translate policy trends, stakeholder dynamics, and access frameworks into practical learning moments makes his sessions both impactful and memorable.

Rob continues to be a go-to resource for clients navigating Market Access transformation and capability enhancement—bridging strategy and execution with clarity, experience, and lasting influence.

Rob received his MBA with a focus on leadership and operations. He is a Certified Pharmacy Technician which has provided strong foundational knowledge of the pharmaceuticals industry.

Jamie Rondeau is a highly respected Learning Strategist and Performance Improvement expert with a proven track record of designing, developing, and implementing learning solutions that drive measurable business performance. With deep expertise in sales excellence, learning strategy, change management, and leadership development, she has helped leading life sciences organizations transform how they build capabilities and accelerate results.

At WLH, Jamie is relied on to creating bespoke microlearning series to address account access challenges, design launch training efforts, and develop market landscape acumen training to strengthen business decision-making.

Recently, Jamie served as the lead strategist on a high-profile WLH curriculum analysis project for a global pharmaceutical company, where she conducted a comprehensive review of learning content across multiple franchises. Leveraging her expertise in sales excellence and learning strategy, she partnered with cross-functional stakeholders to evaluate current training programs covering product knowledge, disease state education, sales messaging, and marketplace dynamics. Her analysis culminated in a set of best-in-class recommendations that guided the client in modernizing and aligning their learning architecture to drive consistency, elevate field force performance, and better prepare teams for competitive success in evolving market conditions.

During her tenure at Gilead Sciences, she was tapped to build and lead a cross-functional, enterprise-level selling skills curriculum. In this newly created role, she developed and implemented a standardized, multi-phased sales competency development strategy, aligned across all therapeutic areas.

Her cross-functional partnerships with sales, marketing, market access, medical, legal, HR, and commercial operations ensured alignment, compliance, and sustainability of learning initiatives at scale.

As a consultant, Jamie is trusted by Fortune 500 clients to craft enterprise learning strategies, curriculum architectures, leadership pathways, change readiness plans, and learning governance frameworks. She has led key engagements for organizations such as AbbVie, Abbott, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Daiichi Sankyo, Otsuka, and Merck—delivering practical, high-impact solutions that resonate across commercial, medical, and enterprise-level audiences.

Jamie holds a B.S. in Communications and has completed advanced leadership and strategy certifications from Harvard University, Dartmouth College, and Georgia Tech.