Cavalier Consulting & Leadership is built on a simple but uncommon principle: our clients work directly with senior leaders throughout the entire engagement. We do not introduce our team at the outset and then delegate the work elsewhere. The leaders you meet are the leaders who remain actively involved from start to finish.
Our approach is hands-on, relational, and grounded in real organizational environments. Whenever possible, we work on-site and alongside our clients to ensure strategies are practical, embedded, and aligned with the realities of their teams. We partner best with organizations whose leadership is willing to engage fully in the work and continue investing in their people beyond our time together.
Clarence Scott Jr., M.Ed.
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
Clarence Scott Jr., M.Ed. is a senior learning and talent development leader with more than 15 years of experience designing and scaling high-impact workforce and leadership initiatives across corporate, higher education, and workforce development environments. As a Co-Founder of Cavalier Consulting & Leadership (CCL), Clarence works directly with clients to address the root causes of disengagement, turnover, and ineffective leadership.
Drawing on his experience in talent acquisition, leadership development, apprenticeship programming, and organizational learning—including senior roles at Smithfield Foods and within higher education—Clarence partners with organizations to build leadership practices that are practical, people-centered, and sustainable. His work is grounded in the belief that strong leadership is essential to healthy cultures, long-term retention, and organizational success.
_edited_edited_edited.jpg)
Linda Manning, Ph.D.
Senior Consultant
Linda Manning, Ph.D. is a senior consultant with more than 30 years of experience in higher education, leadership development, and organizational communication. She is the founding Director of the Center for Sustainability in Education at Christopher Newport University and an Associate Professor of Communication, where her work focuses on interpersonal communication, leadership, and organizational culture.
At Cavalier Consulting & Leadership, Dr. Manning works directly with individuals and leadership teams to strengthen communication, align values with leadership practice, and cultivate inclusive, resilient organizational cultures. She specializes in leadership mentoring, team development, culture analysis, and helping organizations integrate equity, sustainability, and purpose into their strategic decision-making.
Melissa Scott, Ph.D.
Co-Founder & Partner
Melissa Scott, Ph.D. is a senior higher education and organizational leader with more than 20 years of experience in leadership development, strategic planning, and program design. As a Co-Founder of Cavalier Consulting & Leadership (CCL), Dr. Scott works directly with clients to address the organizational conditions that contribute to disengagement, poor workplace climate, and leadership breakdowns.
Drawing on her research background and extensive professional experience, Dr. Scott brings a data-informed, people-centered approach to leadership development. She has a proven record of designing outcome-based initiatives, evaluating organizational practices, and guiding leaders toward more effective, equitable, and sustainable ways of working.
At CCL, Dr. Scott partners closely with leadership teams to strengthen culture, enhance productivity, and improve retention through hands-on, customized development strategies. Her work reflects a core belief that strong, intentional leadership is essential to building healthy, resilient, and high-performing organizations.
JP Kelliher, MBA.
Senior Consultant
JP Kelliher, MBA is a senior consultant with more than 20 years of experience spanning higher education leadership and corporate operations. His work centers on organizational development, leadership training, and systems-based solutions that support sustainable growth and effective change. JP is also a published researcher on operational transformation within higher education and has presented his work at national conferences.
In the corporate sector, JP spent over a decade applying organizational development strategies within a Fortune 100 environment. He led multi-million-dollar software integrations and designed customer learning platforms that scaled to more than 1,000% growth in user engagement. At Cavalier Consulting & Leadership, JP works directly with clients to strengthen operational design, leadership alignment, and client lifecycle strategies—ensuring systems and people are positioned for long-term success.