Staff

Marcia LaReau
Founder & President:
As founder of Forward Motion, Dr. Marcia LaReau focuses on helping clients move through their working years with the purpose and direction to realize their full potential. This is accomplished through meticulous, up-to-date, ground-breaking research about ever-changing hiring practices.

Dr. LaReau’s background includes Bachelor’s and Masters degrees in Music and a doctorate in education. Her career includes15 years as a college teacher, 12 years as an orchestral conductor, 10 years in the corporate sector as a Project Manger, Learning Technologist, and HR Director. Now she is an entrepreneur - building a business from the ground up. She is living proof that all of our life experiences and formal education evolve into a set of skills that can lead us to enriching, rewarding work experiences. Some we may never have imagined probable or possible.

Marcia’s background in the fine arts, education, and executive leadership inspired her to take Forward Motion from idea to reality. In the years preceding the economic uncertainty of 2008, Marcia was truly a visionary - busy developing a viable business whose time was about to come.

The Forward Motion business model she developed combines a focused job search method and personalized coaching to maximize hiring and promotion success rates. Blending her creativity and refined analytical and communication skills, Marcia’s passion and drive have created a unique hands on and virtual business that accommodates international clientele. Email: mlareau@forwardmotioncareers.com

Carol Mon
Motivational Speaker & Facilitator
Ms Mon is a passionate trainer, speaker, presentation coach and corporate storyteller. As a workshop facilitator for Forward Motion she draws on her diverse background to keep the presentations lively and interactive. Carol has spent over 10 years leading workshops and working with individuals on their communication skills including the crafting of stories for interviews.

Carol is a member of the National Speaker’s Association and a past president of the Connecticut Chapter. She is a member of the Connecticut Storytelling Center, Toastmasters International, the National Speakers Association – Connecticut Chapter. She is also the author of a booklet “Ten Telling Tips for Talkers – Storytelling Tips Everyone Should Know”. She has a BS in Accounting from Providence College and worked as a payroll manager, radio and TV technician and tutor. Email: cmon@forwardmotioncareers.com

George Caspar
Career Success Counselor & Writer
George Caspar is a creative thinker and writer with a strong desire to use these skills to help others with their careers, particularly in creating polished, compelling written products.

For the last ten years, George has worked as an attorney for a large litigation law firm in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He currently resides with his wife and two daughters in his home state of Connecticut working as a Career Success Counselor and Writer for Forward Motion.

George earned his B.A. in Psychology from Boston University and his J.D. from Loyola University School of Law. Email: gcaspar@forwardmotioncareers.com

Milva McGhee
Career Success Counselor &
Business Development
Milva is passionate about building positive rapport with people. She understands the motivation and meaning of success for the individuals with whom she works. This is the foundation that she uses to coach clients to craft, polish, and present resumes. Milva also assists with business development; building relationships with business partners and discovering ways that Forward Motion can support their values and mission. Milva currently resides in Connecticut with her husband and also works as a Career Counselor for Rhode Island College in Providence.

Milva has served as Assistant Director of Resident Life at the Rhode Island School of Design. She has also worked as a Career Counselor for Texas A & M University and managed special projects for Student Activities and Wellness and Recreation Center for Springfield College in Massachusetts.

Milva earned her B.A. from Hendrix College in Humanities and her Master of Science in Education in Higher Education Administration from Southern Illinois State University–Carbondale. Email: mmghee@forwardmotioncareers.com

Michelle Carpenter
Consultant, Special Projects
For more than 25 years of experience Michelle Carpenter has focused on engaging employees to do their best work, enhancing employee effectiveness, and increasing productivity. Her responsibilities included: career transition center and employee outplacement services, employee relations, policy development, and work/life.

Michelle’s expertise includes interviewing and selection, instructional design and training, coaching for performance, and diversity and inclusion. She has served on numerous national boards and committees, and has spoken at national forums, and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Business Week, the Associated Press, NPR, and NBC Nightly News.

Ernest
Director of Canine Affiliations
As a puppy I worked as a watchdog in a Manhattan office. When I grew too big for the office my boss let me go. I roamed the streets for several months, grew sick and lost a lot of weight. By the time the animal control service picked me up I weighed 45 pounds. They took me to a “fast kill” shelter. (Now isn’t that an ironic name?)

Luckily a woman recognized that I was a pure-bred German Shepherd and took me to work in Pennsylvania at a canine boarding house. For a long time I only rested in my room, working hard at getting better and gaining weight. One day, I received a gift in the mail: a nice smelling blanket. Three months later, Marcia came to visit. She had driven all day from Connecticut and she smelled just like that blanket! We played for a while and then Marcia left and I went back to my room. Later I realized that Marcia had interviewed me. I felt devastated because I thought I had failed.

Unfortunately, while I had been out of work my appearance deteriorated. My coat looked shabby, my ears did not stand up, and my manners fell by the wayside. Although I gained some weight, I could not walk very well because my legs had been so cramped in my first office as a puppy. In short, I didn’t look like I was ready for a new job. I understand that this happens to a lot of job seekers. They are so devastated that they don’t exercise their professional skills and they get rusty.

After Marcia left, time seemed to drag on day after day. The rejection felt crushing. A month later my supervisor gave me a shampoo and dried me off. He told me it was my lucky day. We walked outside and there was Marcia! She put me in her car and took me to my new job in Connecticut. Despite my lingering weakness, she eased me into my new responsibilities as Director of Canine Affiliations for Forward Motion.

This all happened in 2010. Today I weigh 115 pounds and I am stunningly handsome. Marcia and I run and cycle over 130 miles every month. My favorite game is Lacrosse catch and I can catch a ball over six feet in the air. I have the job of my dreams at Forward Motion. It's a great fit!

If you are a job-seeker, we have a lot in common. So visit my blog, Ernest Answers, and tell me your story. Ask a question and together with Marcia, we’ll bring you the latest up-to-date research about employment. Email: ernest@forwardmotioncareers.com