Susan Vafa has spent more than two decades helping leaders and teams strengthen the human side of organizational performance.
As TSi’s Vice President of Facilitation and Training, Susan brings over 25 years of experience in human capital management, leadership development, and organizational facilitation. Her work focuses on helping individuals build self-awareness, strengthen relationships, and create environments that enable them to do their best work.
Her path into leadership development grew out of a personal passion for learning and helping others grow.
“I’ve always gravitated toward helping people and have had a passion for self-improvement,” Susan explains. “My natural talent in storytelling and teaching merged slowly with my research into tools and theories to be a better mom, wife, friend, co-worker… human.”
Over time, those interests evolved into a professional mission. Susan began applying these lessons with leaders across government and industry, including work with Marine Corps Systems Command (MCSC) and Program Executive Office Land Systems (PEO LS). Through those experiences, she saw firsthand how leadership behaviors shape organizational culture and performance.
“I’ve witnessed the impact of great leaders and weak ones,” she says. “My mission is to support people who want to be a positive force—helping them build cultures of empowerment, accountability, community, and self-awareness.”
Susan joined Transformation Systems Inc. after being referred by a trusted government client. What stood out to her immediately was TSi’s deep commitment to leadership and organizational development.
“I was enamored by the team’s dedication to helping Department of War (DOW) teams through organizational development, leadership, coaching, and systems thinking,” Susan recalls. “They didn’t dabble in leadership development—they built the company on it.”
Her introduction to Dr. Marta Wilson’s LEAP Theory was another defining moment.
“At that meeting, I told her I wanted to teach this theory,” Susan says. “Here I am 20 years later, still using LEAP as the backbone of how I help leaders and teams grow.”
As VP of Facilitation and Training, Susan leads the development and delivery of leadership workshops, team engagements, and coaching programs across TSi’s client organizations.
Her work begins with understanding the unique needs of each team.
“I research and develop workshops and training that pull from thought leaders in Organizational Development and Leadership,” she explains. “A typical engagement starts with understanding the client’s needs and building a program around them.”
In addition to facilitating sessions, Susan coaches both individual leaders and teams—helping them identify opportunities for growth from the individual, team, and organizational perspectives.
She also serves as the lead facilitator for TSi’s Leadership Effectiveness and Potential (LEAP) Program, a leadership development framework that emphasizes continuous growth.
“LEAP is easy to understand and follow while providing the essential ingredients to being a leader people want to follow,” Susan says. “You identify where you need to focus first and start there.”
Susan also developed the LEAP Train-the-Trainer program, which helps organizations expand the reach of the LEAP methodology internally.
“I wanted people to see the connections between the theory and the real work they do every day,” she says. “We start with the big picture, then dive into the practical tools people can apply immediately.”
Susan’s work focuses heavily on self-awareness as the foundation for leadership effectiveness.
She is certified in both the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and DiSC Personality Assessment, tools she uses to help leaders better understand themselves and their teams.
“Personality assessments don’t give you the complete picture,” Susan says, “but they help people understand their preferences and blind spots—and they help build awareness of others.”
Creating trust within teams is another key focus of her facilitation approach.
“Be authentic. Listen more than anything. See people,” she explains. “If you come with a big ego, people can smell it a mile away.”
Susan believes some of the most powerful lessons come from vulnerability.
“People remember ‘scar stories’—moments of failure or struggle that helped you grow. Those stories help people connect and see their own challenges as part of something shared.”
Across the organizations she works with, Susan sees several recurring leadership challenges.
One of the most common is the difficulty leaders face holding themselves and others accountable for behaviors that undermine team culture.
She also sees untapped potential within teams when leaders lack the time or skills to empower their people effectively.
“Many leaders don’t have the time or the human skills capability to give the attention and trust needed to truly empower their teams,” she explains.
At the same time, rapid technological change, particularly the rise of artificial intelligence, is reshaping the workplace.
“Some employees have embraced AI and others distrust it,” Susan says. “Leaders have to help teams find a middle ground because it’s here to stay.”
She also believes organizations should invest more intentionally in developing middle managers, who play a critical role in shaping workplace culture.
For Susan, leadership development ultimately comes down to human connection.
“As humans, we live for connection and community,” she says. “People need to understand how their work aligns with the mission, and they need to feel connected to the people they work with.”
The most rewarding moments in her work often come when participants experience a breakthrough in how they see themselves or their teams.
“I love when the lightbulb goes off,” she says. “Especially when someone who started as a skeptic comes back afterward with questions. It shows they’re thinking differently.”
When leaders build self-awareness and communicate openly, the impact can be significant.
“Trust is built. Honest conversations happen,” Susan says. “When you have an authentic leader walking the talk, it creates a powerful and positive culture.”
What motivates Susan most about her work is helping people recognize their own potential. “Making a difference, especially when it comes to showing someone what they’re capable of,” she says.
Her advice to leaders looking to strengthen their teams is simple.
“Start with walking around. It’s an old concept, but people need to see you. Get to know them, know their names, and celebrate their work.”
Outside of work, Susan enjoys meditation, listening to podcasts on self-development while gardening, and staying active.
And when she’s not facilitating leadership workshops, you might find her on the pickleball court.
“I can play a mean pickleball,” she says with a laugh. “I’ve got a couple scars to prove it.”
"Susan brings the human element of leadership to life. Her ability to help leaders see themselves, their teams, and their organizations more clearly creates lasting change. The impact she has had through LEAP and her facilitation work continues to shape stronger leaders and stronger teams across the organizations we support."
Shawn James, CEO
Connect with Susan Vafa, MA on LinkedIn to follow her insights on leadership and applied psychology → https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-vafa-321a8013/
Learn more about Transformation Systems Inc. (TSi) and how we support mission-driven leaders → https://transformationsystems.com/solutions/
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