2014 Game Changer: April Kassen

April Kassen’s co-workers describe her as a “breath of fresh air.” Considering everything she has accomplished in the past 15 years in management, business operations and human resources, a gale-force wind may be a more accurate descriptor.

In addition to her current position as the senior organizational development consultant at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska, Kassen, 35, owns and is the chief learning officer at A2 Consulting Group. She also teaches communication courses at Kaplan University and finds the time to lead group fitness classes at her local gym.

Kassen’s active life fuels an innovative and effective approach to workplace learning. When she began six years ago, Children’s Hospital did not have a leadership development program. Since then, without a budget, she has coached an average of 32 new leaders each year.

Employees share material and create their own best practices, wrote Terry Nigh, the medical center’s manager of organizational development. Her results speak for themselves: Employees who complete the program lead the organization in employee engagement, turnover and patient satisfaction, according to the hospital.