FRANCESCA M. DEA, CAE
Principal/Founder
Gordian Solutions, LLC
325 Pennsylvania Ave., SE
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 731-0821

Gordian Solutions, LLC is a management consulting firm whose mission is to build a trusted consulting partnership offering simple solutions to challenges allowing clients to focus on their core business. Ms. Dea founded the firm to pursue a new branch of her career working with small companies and businesses at the time when they are most vulnerable and in need of strategic guidance and support. In her role as a consultant, she has developed strategic plans, marketing campaigns and collateral, operational policies and procedures, financial reports and events for her clients. She has also facilitated the thought process for planning and guided the final development and implementation.

As the Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) for five years, Ms. Dea served as chief of staff responsible for the day-to-day operations of NAIFA, ensuring short-term objectives were met in accordance with long-range plans of Board of Trustees, Executive Committee and Chief Executive Officer. She managed an 18-month Strategic Planning Process that included more than 100 people, drafted the plan and oversaw early stages of implementation. She was also responsible for the functional areas of marketing and business development, communications, membership and association services, and Advisor Today. She assisted the CEO by acting as a spokesperson to ensure communication, goal-setting, and conflict resolution on his behalf in his stead. Additionally, she managed the establishment of operating procedures, oversaw the development of annual budgets, determined staffing needs, and initiated major changes within departmental functional areas.

In her position as Vice President & Chief Operating Office of the Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education (LIFE) for 10 years, Ms. Dea provided leadership and strategic guidance to staff based on direction determined by the Board of Directors and President. She managed a 12-month Strategic and Business Planning Process. Working with the VP, Programs, Ms. Dea oversaw LIFE’s administrative and financial operations as well as strategy, development and implementation of all consumer and industry education programs.

Prior to joining LIFE in 1997, Ms. Dea was the Manager of Communications for the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association where she handled media relations on regulatory and legislative issues. She also organized and oversaw all media related issues surrounding two annual conventions with more than 100,000 attendees.

Ms. Dea began her work in communications at the National Association of Broadcasters in Public Affairs and Communications, followed by Bell South/MobileComm where she held the position of Manager of Marketing. As such, she wrote proposals and marketing materials to gain and retain, as customers, Fortune 500 companies.

Ms. Dea earned her MBA from Johns Hopkins, Carey School of Business and the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). As a graduate of Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA, Ms. Dea received her BA in Political Science with a concentration in American Politics & Media. She began her Public Relations career at the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) in Washington, DC. She currently is an active member of ASAE, the Association of Management Companies Institute (AMC), the Institute of Management Consultants (IMC), the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the National Association of Female Executives (NAFE), Past Chair of the Insurance and Financial Communicators Association (IFCA), Past Chair of the Young Leaders’ Circle of the AARP Foundation and Co-Chair of her Dickinson Class Alumni Giving Campaign.

Tony Silard, Executive Director

Saira Sufi, Program Coordinator
Saira handles all of the logistics for the Center for Social Leadership's (CSL) events, including the Youth Leadership Program and Transform. She worked on Capitol Hill, in Congressman Steve Israel's office and then at AG Consulting, a political consulting firm. Saira then worked at the Civil War Preservation Trust as the Deputy Director of Events. She joined (CSL) in March of 2008. Her background is in Political Science and Women's Studies as well as Event Management.