Our Mission
To inspire, guide and elevate leaders and organizations — equipping them with the clarity, discipline, and confidence to rise higher.
Our Vision
A world led by courageous leaders who navigate complexity with clarity, elevate others, and create lasting impact in their communities and industries.
Our Core Values
Courage
We choose what is right over what is easy. We lead into difficult conversations, uncertainty, and change with clarity and conviction.
Growth
Leadership is a continuous journey. We are committed to learning, reflection, and becoming better leaders over time.
Connection
Strong leadership is built on strong relationships. We create trust, foster belonging, and build meaningful connections that drive results.
Integrity
We do what we say we will do. We lead with honesty, consistency, and a deep sense of responsibility to those we serve.
Contribution
Leadership is measured by the impact we make. We are committed to making a meaningful difference in organizations, communities, and the lives of others.
Our Story
The Ascent Leadership Group was born out of a simple, but powerful realization:
the work had grown, the impact had expanded, and it was time for the brand to reflect both.
At the center of this journey is Dean Stewart, Ed.D., founder of both Stratégie and Ascent Leadership, whose vision has always been rooted in one belief:
when leaders grow, organizations thrive—and communities are transformed.
In 2016, Dean founded Stratégie with a clear purpose—to help organizations think more strategically and lead more effectively. What began as a focused consulting practice in executive coaching and strategic planning quickly grew into something more. Over the years, Stratégie partnered with dozens of nonprofit and business leaders, guiding organizations through moments of clarity, complexity, and transformation.
At the same time, Dean continued to invest in relationships with a broader network of leadership development professionals—individuals who shared a common philosophy around leadership, growth, and impact. These were trusted collaborators who had worked together across organizations and initiatives, building a shared language and approach to developing leaders.
In November of 2023, that network formally came together to create Ascent Leadership—a collective of more than two dozen leadership development professionals committed to elevating leaders and organizations through shared experience, diverse expertise, and a deep commitment to growth.
As both organizations evolved, the path forward became clear.
The Ascent Leadership Group represents the coming together of these two legacies—Stratégie and Ascent Leadership—into a single, unified brand.
It honors the foundation built through years of strategic advisory and coaching work, while fully embracing the scale, energy, and collective expertise of a leadership development community. It is the natural next step in Dean’s vision—to create a platform that integrates strategy, leadership, and execution in a way that is both deeply human and highly practical.
More importantly, it simplifies how we show up for those we serve.
One name.
One brand.
One shared commitment to helping leaders rise.
Today, The Ascent Leadership Group brings together strategic planning, executive coaching, leadership development, and peer advisory experiences into a cohesive, integrated approach—designed to help leaders and organizations navigate complexity, grow with intention, and create lasting impact.
Because leadership is not a destination.
It’s an ascent.