Margarita Sarmiento is an award-winning international trainer and speaker, certified leadership coach and author. Three major career shifts as a result of reorganizations and lay-offs gave rise to more than 30 years of management and training experience in both the corporate and nonprofit sectors. These life changes have provided Margarita with the unique ability to intuitively connect with people by sharing her expertise through personal stories and firsthand knowledge.

After one of her job-pivots, Margarita found she was providing training and coaching to friends and colleagues. At their encouragement, she decided to start ITK Consultants. Now more than 15 years later, she has been called on to successfully consult and train in a variety of industries, including hospitality, health care, social service, transportation, finance, insurance, law enforcement, government, and education. She continues to design and deliver customized programs to influence positive change.

Margarita is the author of Managing Courageously: Serving Others Authentically While Leading from the Middle Office and co-author of SPARKS: Lessons from the Experts.

A native of Cuba and graduate of Florida State University, Margarita is a naturalized citizen of the United States and an admirer of different cultures, traditions and perspectives. She loves her Cuban American family and may be guilty of highlighting them in some of her stories.