Our Team of Experts

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What Works Consultants is powered by a team of experts in research, process development, communication management, and people operations. Together, our consulting team acts as a member of your team to solve pressing business problems to increase your revenue, save you time, and lock in process change for the long run.

Our roster of top-notch consultants includes:

Diane Dye Hansen – Founder, President, Chief Management Consultant
Dr. Candace Pruett – Head of Research and Client Insights
Steve Gomez Pedroza – Communication Consultant, Non-Profit SME

Diane Cancino – Communication Consultant, Storytelling SME
Allyson Lambert – Communication Consultant, Training Development SME
Gerard Jean-Baptiste – Research Consultant, Process Consultant, and Healthcare SME

Scroll to learn more about the leadership team!

Diane Dye Hansen, MCM, EdD-C – Founder, President, Chief Management Consultant

Diane Dye Hansen
Diane Dye Hansen – Founder, President, Chief Management Consultant

Diane Dye Hansen has been at the forefront of transforming companies for the last 20 years. Companies on her resume include The Press-Enterprise (sold to Belo Corp for $27 million) and FUNimation Entertainment (sold to Sony Entertainment for $143 million). The final full-time employer on her resume, the SaaS lost and found company Chargerback, boasts enterprise clients such as American Airlines, United Airlines, Disney, and Six Flags Theme Parks. Her multi-industry experience spans SaaS, publishing, entertainment, professional services, government, healthcare, and consumer products. As the Chief Management Consultant of What Works Consultants, Diane utilizes research, internal communication strategy, and process development to reshape companies and position them for reorganization, expansion, growth, succession, and (if desired) sale. She has helped more than 300 Owner/Operators and C-Level leaders do the inner and outer work necessary to be successful. She specializes in utilizing challenging situations to create innovation in service-focused companies, enabling them to diagnose and fix internal problems to increase revenue through enhanced process, communication, and training. 

Diane has a Masters in Communication Management from the University of Southern California where she graduated as an inductee of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Cal State San Bernardino. She has a High Performance Masters from the High Performance Institute, is a Certified Problem and Change Manager, and is a Certified Customer Success Management Consultant. She is currently pursuing her doctorate of education in organizational change and leadership from USC Rossier.

Diane enjoys personal development endeavors, spiritual practices, reading novels about dystopian societies, paranormal research, travel, and a range of warm weather activities such as hiking, exploring, visiting ghost towns, boating, kayaking, and enjoying the beautiful waters and shores of Lake Tahoe and the Pacific Ocean.

Dr. Candace Pruett – Director of Research and Client Insights

Dr. Candace Pruett – Director of Research and Client Insights

Dr. Candace Pruett has been working with entrepreneurs as they launch and grow their business ventures over the past decade assisting them dive into product testing, customer discovery, launching their marketing plans, and obtaining financing. As a GrowthWheel Certified Business Advisor and FranFit Advisor, she has assisted over 500 entrepreneurs achieve their business dreams. She has had the opportunity to work with corporate franchises, non-profit organizations, and quasi-government organizations to provide research based solutions. At What Works Consultants, Candace is the Director of Research and Client Insights where she conducts primary and secondary research to solve organizational problems using an evidence-based management approach. In this role, she focuses on internal company specific problems, acknowledging obstacles and industry norms, and providing implications and next steps for progress. Candace also works with businesses to develop and enhance the performance improvement plan process to ensure customization, communication, and mastery saving companies thousands of dollars in employee retention and higher employee satisfaction ratings.

Candace earned her Doctorate of Business Administration at the University of Maryland Global Campus (formerly known as University of Maryland University College). Candace received her Master of Business Administration and B.S. in Management from Salisbury University. Candace’s research interest is in generational studies revolving around how the culture of an organization impacts knowledge transfer.

Candace is an active participant within local economic development organizations and teaches Introduction to Entrepreneurship at Anne Arundel Community College. She also volunteers on the Career Advisory Board for Purdue School of Business at her alma mater, Salisbury University.