About Connect2

Debra

Connect2 Corporation founder and Principal Crisis Navigation Partner® Debra A. Woog (pronounced “Vogue”) has 30+ years of experience as a leadership researcher, executive, and advisor. Debra accompanies leaders facing complex responsibilities both at work and at home. She researches to inform their high-stakes decisions, mobilizes their networks for added support, and strategizes with them for difficult conversations.

Having experienced her own crises and crossroads, Debra realizes the importance of outside perspective when navigating difficult situations, conversations, and decisions.

Debra’s career has included conducting primary research at Harvard Business School for an award-winning book, directing admissions and career development for the MIT dual-degree program Leaders for Global Operations, and advising nine technology start-ups as Director of People Strategy for Cambridge Incubator. The Boston Globe profiled Debra for her outstanding abilities to select talented candidates, motivate and develop employees, and resolve conflicts between people as well as between organizations. Her work has also been featured in Forbes, Inc., and U.S. News & World Report.

Debra earned her B.A. in Psychology and American Studies from Wellesley College and her M.B.A. from MIT Sloan School of Management. Upon Debra’s graduation, MIT Sloan awarded her the Miriam Sherburne Scholarship as recognition of her leadership abilities and contributions to the community. She trained further as a mediator, an ombudsman, and a Brené Brown Dare to Lead™ professional.

A theater-lover and occasional intuitive painter, Debra delights in spending time with her young-adult children. She is also a voracious reader and a sometimes knitter.

Why do I do what I do?

I know from my own experience how difficult it can be to do it all. Sometimes life presents us with more challenges than we feel we can handle on our own. In the midst of all my activities as a leader, entrepreneur, homeowner, family member, and friend, I have lived and worked through diagnoses, divorces, deaths, corporate downsizings, and distressing disagreements. My journey honed my abilities as a researcher, communications strategist, advisor, and source of unwavering, wholehearted support.

My heart sits in the balance between logic and empathy. I encourage women to lead with everything they are. As a leader myself, I know that needs fluctuate, so I offer a variety of ways for us to collaborate.

My intention is to use everything I have experienced and learned to make a positive difference for others. It would be my honor to support you to find the best possible outcome of your difficult circumstances. Let’s connect.

-Debra

Maria

Maria Yunis, CPCC, is an Associate Crisis Navigation Partner® with 20+ years experience as a coach and advisor, following 15 years in corporate visual marketing and communications. As she consults, Maria’s extensive experience, broad perspective, and ongoing training enable her to balance skillful inquiry and care with her deep curiosity and intuitive abilities. She is known for her warmth as well as her clear, authentic communication.

Having experienced divorce, co-parenting, empty nesting, the loss of a parent, the loss of a sibling to cancer, and serving as primary support to an aging parent, Maria is uniquely positioned to offer support, perspective, and hope to women managing crisis while juggling multiple priorities. She knows the value of having the right support to embrace what’s possible through life’s transitions and challenges.

Maria lives in Natick, Massachusetts with her partner Don. She is a proud mother of her PhD-candidate son and devoted to her extended family, community, and clients. She loves being in the woods, studying Jung, and being creative with her hands, music, and people. Maria is a graduate of Wellesley College and certified by The Coaches Training Institute. She trained as a Brené Brown Dare to Lead™ Professional and as a Positive Intelligence Mental Fitness Coach.

Cindy

Cindy Nacson-Schechter joined Connect2 Corporation as an Associate Crisis Navigation Partner® after 15+ years working with parents and young children. Her professional experience includes leading an infant-and-toddler-classroom teaching team and working one-on-one with children with special needs. Attending to the needs of families as well as fellow teachers made her outstanding at juggling rapidly changing priorities as well as helping people feel both seen and heard. Able to hold multiple perspectives, she naturally connects people to what they need.

Cindy’s own family has dealt with many mental and physical health crises over the years, which has helped her develop strategies for navigating crises with empathy and compassion. Her personal experience with clinical depression enables her to understand the importance of therapy and finding the right medication. Beyond her work with Connect2, Cindy serves as a brand ambassador for her current antidepressant, speaking with practitioners around the country.

In addition to writing, crocheting, playing word games, and devoting herself to her book club, Cindy enjoys spending time at home in Stamford, CT with her husband, a clinical and school psychologist, as well as their adult children, their partners, and an adorable toddler grandson. They are making the best of their empty nest by traveling, hiking, and enjoying their two energetic and vocal huskies who try to escape but have yet to fly the nest.

Cindy earned her B.A. in English at Tufts University and MA in Cinema Studies at New York University.

Join Our Tribe

Follow along as we share perspectives formed while traversing personal, professional and organizational crises with our clients, colleagues, and loved ones. Learn how we accompany them to navigate difficult circumstances, time-sensitive decisions, and challenging crossroads.

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