Cassie Brennand is officially someone to watch in government. As a leadership and executive development specialist at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Cassie Brennand has been a driving force behind the Federal Coaching Network, a program designed to give federal agencies access to internal certified coaches at no cost. She also is leading a government-wide effort to train federal employees as coaches. 

In a recent Spotlight article in The Public Manager, Brennand explains that the Federal Coaching Network fosters a coaching culture within government by empowering leaders at all levels to practice self-reflection, creativity in problem solving, accountability, and candid and respectful communication. In addition to the network, Brennand has been involved with the launch the Database of Internal Federal Coaches, which is working with agencies to share coaching services across government at no cost. The database is just one goal of an overarching effort by the Federal Coaching Network. Another goal has been to establish a Federal Internal Coach Training Program to train internal federal coaches who will, in turn, be added to the database. 

The program, which is currently in its second iteration, has been recognized by the International Coach Federation as providing Approved Coach-Specific Training Hours. It also received the 2014 Best Leadership Development Program Award by Human Capital Management in Government. 

“Our goal is to cultivate an environment of continuous learning and individual and organizational performance excellence by promoting positive leadership practices,” says Brennand. 

Read the complete Spotlight Q&A from the January 2016 issue of The Public Manager.