About Us
Mike Orzen & Associates specializes in the training and application of continuous improvement methods in all work processes, digital information & technology, service, manufacturing, and healthcare to drive measurable improvement. As coaches, trainers, and consultants, we discover opportunities for improvement and train leadership, management, and associates in the effective application of Operational Excellence, Lean, Six Sigma, Lean IT, and Agile to develop internal capability and sustain improvement. We work with clients to build awareness, create conditions, develop skills, and coach specific behaviors needed to drive an environment of trust, mutual respect, continuous improvement, and team-based performance.
Mike Orzen & Associates, Inc. is a collection of people with a passion for helping companies move from reactive firefighting to a more thoughtful and intentional way of running their organization. We have invested decades in learning what works in moving organizations to higher levels of engagement, ownership, and performance.
Meet Our Dedicated Team
Mike Orzen
As president of Mike Orzen & Associates, Inc., Mike’s passion for meaningful teamwork, psychological safety, and continual improvement helps clients build a healthy organizational culture that prioritizes respectfully engaging people, improving business process capability, enabling people, and leveraging information technology to drive a culture of excellence.
His personable approach and people-first philosophy have inspired leaders and empowered workforces to successfully apply Lean in many complex work environments, including banking, insurance, software development and operations, textiles, manufacturing, aerospace, food and beverage, logistics, healthcare, military, and higher education. Mike has been teaching, consulting, and coaching for more than 25 years and has amassed a unique blend of Lean, Lean IT, service administration, and operations insights he uses to help organizations in their pursuit of enterprise excellence.
Mike actively coaches and mentors business professionals around the world. He is the co-author of the award-winning books Lean IT: Enabling and Sustaining Your Lean Enterprise and The Lean IT Field Guide. The principles of these books extend far beyond Information Technology and apply to all aspects of business and organizational change.
Mike holds degrees from Stanford University and the University of Oregon, as well as certifications in Management Accounting, Production and Inventory Control, Project Management, Six Sigma, ITIL, Agile, DevOps, and Lean IT.
He is a recipient of the Shingo Prize for Operational Excellence, a faculty member of the Lean Enterprise Institute (LEI), a Shingo Fellow, and a certified assessor and adjunct professor with Ohio State University’s Master of Business in Operation Excellence program.
He served on the first editorial committee for the Lean IT Association (LITA). His contributions to LITA, the DevOps Institute (DOI), and The DevOps and Agile Skills Association (DASA) demonstrate his thought leadership.
Mike is a 40-year practitioner of yoga and meditation and has completed over twenty long-distance running races. He is active in several local charities and community projects.
David Verble
David Verble has been a performance improvement consultant and leadership coach since 2000. Prior to that, he worked for Toyota in North America for 14 years, first as an internal change agent and later as a manager of human resource development. He is on the faculty of the Lean Enterprise Institute and supports a number of the LEI affiliates in the Lean Global Network.
David has worked with clients in manufacturing, healthcare, finance, and higher education in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. His work focuses on supporting clients in process improvement, the development of lean management systems and practices, strategic thinking and problem-solving, and leadership coaching for managers and executives. He has a graduate degree in instructional systems and performance technology and training in consulting psychology.
Jennifer Greenburg
Jennifer Greenberg is a certified executive coach with a focus on growth and team development. Her career experience has covered multiple industries and includes work in communications, strategic planning, and program development. She has brought stakeholders together in the pharmaceutical drug development space, supported change efforts and communications at a major academic medical center, and directed international trainings at the PhD level. Jennifer has experience working within in a wide variety of companies, and has coached clients in sportswear, tech, healthcare, consumer goods, and government. Her expert focus is on the intersection of collaboration, emotional intelligence, individual achievement, and business results to drive team performance. As a coach she is an investigative champion for growth.
Jennifer teaches organizational management at the MBA level and has developed trainings on topics that include Feedback, Talent Acquisition, Leadership, and Peer Coaching.
Ashley Kirk
Ashley’s coaching philosophy is rooted in growth minded awareness that prioritizes adaptability and incremental improvements for the professional well-being of her clients. Her mission is to empower others, create clarity out of ambiguous challenges, and to uncover hidden opportunities that lead to lasting transformative change. Ashley recognizes that change and challenges are constant, yet her expertise in bridging gaps enables leaders of all stages to achieve win-win scenarios.
Ashley holds a Bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies: Business & Psychology from Arizona State University and a Master's degree in Organizational Leadership from Colorado State University Global. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and is currently pursuing the International Coach Federation (ICF) accredited coach certification.
In her free time, Ashley enjoys cooking, reading about psychology, practicing mindfulness, and exploring new places. She believes that personal growth and professional success are deeply intertwined, and she strives to embody this belief in her coaching practice.
Joe Hesch
Joe Hesch, MBA, LSSBB, PROSCI certified Change Practitioner, started Lean work in 1987, beginning with a career in the machine tool industry, followed by a 13-year career at HP in ink jet printer manufacturing where he designed and refined high-volume manufacturing processes. Joe also worked as a Lean coach for eight years with a broad range of clients, from cheese makers to mattress recyclers, shoe manufacturers, medical device manufacturers, and higher education institutions.
Currently, Joe is a Lean Coach specializing in building problem-solving capabilities in front-line employees up to VP-level executives. Joe has a real flair and passion for training using real-life examples and simulations, while focusing on coaching people to develop their own solutions and methodologies based on Lean principles. Joe is an accomplished Lean Management System Developer who helps companies build what is right for them, from the shop floor to office processes and executive enterprise management.