Meet Ryan's Village Faculty

Ronnie Cunningham, President, Principal Faculty Member

Ronnie, a devoted lifelong learner, is an Executive Program Leader, Certified Coach, Speaker, Trainer, Parenting & Family Coach, Youth Facilitator, Maxwell DISC Method Consultant, a Neuro-encoding Specialist, and Certified Emotional Intelligence Trainer.

With over 52 years of experience in various sectors, Ronnie received the President's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022 and the Maxwell Leadership Cultural Award in 2023.

He is committed to developing youth leaders globally and serves on the John Maxwell President's Advisory Council Content Development Committee for Youth Leadership. He also serves on the Education and Youth Committee for the Neuroencoding Institute.

Valeria Howard-Cunningham, VP, Senior Faculty Member, Certified Coach

Valeria, co-Founder and VP of Growth by Design Pasadena, is a certified coach, speaker, trainer, Maxwell DISC Method trainer and emotional intelligence coach. She is also the owner and president of the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo (celebrating 40 years in 2024).

Valeria mentors young and adult ladies nationwide and retired in 2018 as a Sr. Regional VP in the insurance industry after a distinguished 42-year career.

In 2022 she was a recipient of the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for her decades of service to the community.

Robert G. Jerus, Senior Faculty Member, Emotional Intelligence - SME

Bob, the author of "Mind Matters: Applying Emotional Intelligence for Personal and Professional Success," founded Success Dynamics International, which provides EIQ-2 emotional intelligence learning, performance development systems, and certification.

Bob frequently speaks at public and private engagements and has taught business, psychology, and adult development at various universities.

As a marriage and family therapist, consultant, coach, and trainer, Bob has worked with Fortune 500 organizations and aspiring entrepreneurs.

Maria R. Diaz

Maria, a Certified Senior Human Resources Professional (PHRCA and SHRM-SCP), founded Level Up Workplace Training & Coaching to help people grow and be positively engaged. With over 20 years of experience as an HR Generalist in various industries, Maria is passionate about educating and sharing knowledge on self-respect, accountability, and personal development.

She holds a BS in Business Management from the University of Phoenix and is an Advanced Certified Practitioner through Assessments 24x7 with Dr. Tony Alessandra. Maria is bilingual in English and Spanish.

Njeru Nthigah

Njeru, President of The Leaders University, partners with organizations to create and implement leadership development programs to continuously improve top and bottom-line results.

As a Certified Coach, speaker, and trainer with the John Maxwell Team, he focuses on leadership development, personal leadership, communication, and professional coaching through customized keynotes, workshops, seminars, masterminds, and coaching.

Njeru has served on John Maxwell's President's Advisory Counsel and is a Best-Selling author in collaboration with Brian Tracy.

Donna Rice

Donna, a certified coach, speaker, and trainer with the John Maxwell Team, has over 30 years of leadership and team development experience. With a background in corporate executive roles and entrepreneurship, she delivers educational enrichment programs to children and parents.

Certified in Applied Positive Psychology and as a Parenting and Family Coach, Donna inspires leaders to develop themselves and others, creating high-performance teams that reach their highest potential.

Melvin G. Mercer

Substance Abuse Counselor and Employee Assistant with over 20 years of experience in treatment, counseling, and crisis intervention. Knowledgeable in Twelve Step Programs and Additions Severity Index (ASI).

Melvin has represented employees in grievance hearings, disciplinary actions, and court proceedings. Melvin counsels individuals facing depression, anxiety, and marital issues. He is a compassionate communicator with excellent verbal skills.