We lead teams through courageous conversations to improve organizational health.
About Us
The Almond Group is a leadership development firm that provides holistic organizational development strategies for corporations, government entities, small businesses, and non-profit organizations throughout the United States. We offer an array of direct services including corporate trainings, organizational audits, 360 assessments, executive coaching, strategic planning and communications.
Mission
The Almond Group is a leadership development firm. We forecast leadership challenges hidden due to organizational blindspots. We facilitate change for private and public sector employers by customizing solutions through our portfolio of trainings, coaching programs, and assessments to improve organizational health.
We help leaders create leaders.
Vision
The Almond Group envisions private and public sectors that lead with integrity,
value servant leadership, and incorporate policies and practices aligned with these ideals.
TAG VALUES
VISIONARY
INNOVATIVE
STRATEGIC
UNCONVENTIONAL
PROLIFIC
INTEGRITY
Monica Maybank, Ph.D.
Founder and CEO
Dr. Monica Maybank prides herself on being a bridge builder. Growing up in the Orange Curtain of California in a predominantly White, wealthy, conservative, and religious region—she understands what it’s like to live at the intersection of multiple identities.
Launching The Almond Group at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic after serving as an education lobbyist for almost a decade, she has built a reputation as a strategic advisor and relationship-broker across organizations and ideologies.
Dr. Maybank leads strategy for The Almond Group and works one-on-one with executives, leadership teams, and diversity councils throughout the country to help shape and implement long-term strategic visions for organizational change.
Dr. Maybank holds an Executive Certificate in Strategic Diversity & Inclusion Management from Georgetown University. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Howard University and a doctoral degree in education policy, evaluation, and reform from Claremont Graduate University.
Dr. Maybank has four daughters and is married to a United States Army combat veteran.
One of her many favorite quotes: “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again…who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails daring greatly.” –Teddy Roosevelt
Cedric Maybank
Senior Consultant and Director of Partnerships
Cedric Maybank serves as Senior Consultant and Director of Partnerships at The Almond Group (TAG). In his role Cedric cultivates and manages relationships with TAG stakeholders—including new and prospective clients—as well as provides leadership coaching and consulting services in the areas of talent acquisition, equal employment opportunity, career services, and mentorship.
Cedric, who has three decades of military experience and more than two decades of senior level leadership experience, to include seven years under the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) J6 Spectrum Management Branch, where among many responsibilities he ensured reallocation decisions were provided to the US Defense Secretary, and the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) offices. In the tumultuous aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, amidst the urgent need for coordinated relief efforts, Cedric supported General Russel Honoré’s mission of providing two-way communications for several government agencies. Cedric also liaised between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) during the Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of SPECTRUM 21 (SXXI).
As an Equal Opportunity (EO) Officer in the military, Cedric ensured units under his purview reduced the percentage of EO complaints through the frequent use of climate surveys, assessments, and team building exercises.
Prior to joining TAG, Cedric was a core team member for the United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) at MacDill Airforce Base where he project-managed Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Cases, Communication Interoperability and Security Memorandum of Agreements (CIS MOA), International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR)/Export Compliance, and Security Cooperation Country Plans for nations in the middle east.
Cedric is a graduate of Ashford University where he double-majored in Organizational Management and Electronics.