Meet Dr. Kathleen Ong: Senior Director, Certified Coach & Mentor, Leadership Expert. Unlock your potential and achieve excellence with her guidance and expertise.
Highlights
- Accomplished Senior Director (Global Learning & Development) at ITD World, spearheading strategic initiatives in talent development and organizational growth.
- Distinguished as the Country Head for ITD INTERNATIONAL PTE LTD in Singapore, driving business expansion and enhancing regional presence.
- Recognized as a certified instructor for renowned coaching programs such as Thomas Crane‘s The Heart of Coaching, John Maxwell’s Laws of Teamwork and Winning with People, empowering individuals and teams to achieve their full potential.
- Valued as a certified LPI Consultant for LEONARD Personality Inventory, leveraging deep expertise in personality assessment and development.
- Holds esteemed credentials as a Certified Coaching & Mentoring Professional (CCMP), ensuring high-quality coaching and mentoring services for professional growth.
- Earned the prestigious Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential from the International Coaching Federation (ICF), USA, reflecting mastery in coaching methodologies and ethics.
- Actively engages in the practice and research of Human Resource Development (HRD), bridging the gap between theory and practical applications.
- Holds a Doctorate in Business Administration from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), showcasing a strong academic foundation and expertise in the field.
- Holds an MSc in Training & Human Resource Management from Leicester University, along with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from UKM, demonstrating a diverse educational background.
- Dedicated member of the Women Centre for Change, Penang, actively contributing to the advancement of women’s rights and empowerment.
- Visionary founder of the Women Leaders Mentoring Community (WLMC), fostering a supportive network for aspiring female leaders to thrive and excel.
Expertise
- Leadership & Team Excellence: Adept at cultivating exceptional leadership skills and fostering high-performing teams, driving organizational success.
- Training, Coaching (Executive Coach), Mentoring & Action Learning: Proven expertise in designing and delivering comprehensive training programs, providing executive coaching services, and guiding individuals through effective mentoring relationships. Proficient in utilizing action learning methodologies for enhanced learning and development.
- Personal Excellence & Emotional Quotient (EQ): Well-versed in empowering individuals to unlock their full potential and achieve personal excellence. Skilled in leveraging emotional intelligence to enhance self-awareness, interpersonal relationships, and overall effectiveness.
- Personality Profiling: Experienced in conducting accurate personality assessments and utilizing various profiling tools to gain valuable insights into individuals’ strengths, preferences, and development areas.
- Facilitation Skills: Highly skilled in facilitating engaging and impactful learning experiences, creating an inclusive and participatory environment that promotes knowledge sharing and collaboration.
- Power Speaking: Demonstrates exceptional communication skills and mastery of public speaking, effectively conveying ideas, influencing audiences, and inspiring others to take action.
- Mentor Coach for the Certified Coaching & Mentoring Professional (CCMP) program: Trusted mentor coach providing guidance and support to aspiring professionals pursuing certification in coaching and mentoring, ensuring their competence and success in the field.
Biography
Dr. Kathleen Ong is the Senior Director at ITD World, overseeing Global Learning & Development for the Asia-Pacific region. She immerses herself in this role, constantly staying up-to-date with the latest leadership trends and practices. With frequent travels throughout the region, she actively participates in the substantial growth of intellectual human capital. Since 2006, she has collaborated closely with Professor William J Rothwell, the renowned HRD Guru from Pennsylvania State University.
A trailblazer, Dr. Ong founded The Women Leaders Mentoring Community (WLMC) on July 2nd, 2013. WLMC aims to elevate women’s leadership by fostering effective mentoring relationships, embodying the ‘Pay it forward’ principle. Committed to community service, she is a life member of the Women’s Centre for Change (WCC) and volunteers as a trainer for JCI Malaysia. Additionally, she co-founded the KamPri (We Care) life coaching community, a CSR initiative dedicated to coaching B40 students at Universiti Sains Malaysia, which now boasts a team of 70 volunteer certified life coaches.
Dr. Ong’s academic journey began at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Economics. She furthered her studies, completing her MSc in Training & Human Resource Management at the University of Leicester in July 1996. Her extensive research work includes studies on topics such as “Top Management’s attitudes towards Training through the Human Resource Development Fund (HRDF) – The Case of the Manufacturing Industry in Johor,” “Role of Corporate culture in Human Resource Management,” and “Globalization-Its Impact on The Work of HRD Professionals.” Notably, she obtained her Doctorate in Business Administration from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).
Prior to her current role, Dr. Ong served the Asian Regional Training and Development Organization (ARTDO), an influential organization dedicated to advancing and coordinating HR development in the Asia-Pacific region. She remains devoted to this cause and its impact on the professional landscape.
ITD World’s team of experts – from left to right: Dr. Kathleen Ong, Serely Alcaraz, and Dr. John C. Maxwell
Passionate about emotional intelligence (EQ), Dr. Ong has collaborated with Dr. Leonard Yong, the creator of the Leonard Personality Inventory (LPI). As a Mentor-Coach for the Heart of Coaching (HOC) practice, she empowers leaders to enhance their EQ levels in the workplace. Additionally, she co-facilitates the “Power Speaking” program alongside Edwin Johnson, the program’s originator.
Driven by a vision of inspiring and empowering leaders to live lives filled with love, joy, and freedom, Dr. Ong actively fulfills her purpose through facilitation, coaching, and mentoring. Her expertise has benefited leaders from prestigious organizations such as Schneider Electric, Motorola Technology/Motorola Solutions, Osram, Intel Technology, Western Digital, and Agilent Technologies, among others.
Dr. Ong’s commitment to personal growth extends beyond her professional endeavors. As Vice President of the Johor Bahru Toastmasters Club, she achieved Competent Toastmaster (CTM), Advanced Toastmaster (ATM-B), and Competent Leader (CL) designations from Toastmasters International in Mission Viejo, California, USA. Sharing her expertise, she has conducted workshops on “Powerful Presentation Skills,” “Powerful Evaluation Skills,” and “Train the Trainer” for Toastmasters in Bangkok. Furthermore, she has facilitated transformative Train The Trainer sessions for esteemed organizations such as Celestica Malaysia Sdn. Bhd, Motorola, Seagate, DHL, UMW, Zhulian Jewellery, Genting Centre for Excellence, and Amadeus Asia Ltd, among others.
