About the Founder
Empowering Leadership Strategies, Transforming Lives
Dr. RJ Willis, PHD
Hello, I’m Dr. Ricke “RJ” Willis, Jr. known as Dr. RJ, and I am the founder of The Up-Ward Shift (TUWS), home to a team of doctoral-level leadership consultants. With over 13 years of experience in the mental health field and a Doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership, my journey has been driven by a passion for creating positive organizational change and providing the support needed for individuals to thrive, both professionally and personally.
My career began as a Certified Peer Specialist (CPS), where I provided direct support to individuals navigating mental health concerns. Over time, my focus expanded, which includes outreach, case management, retail, collections, customer services, management, leadership and organizational consulting, with a particular focus on integrating mental health awareness into leadership practices. I believe that great leadership starts with empathy, active listening meaning, knowing how to respond is key to building lasting relationships, understanding, and the ability to foster a positive, supportive and conducive environment for everyone involved.
As the founder of a nonprofit organization that supports individuals with mental health concerns, including returning citizens from the prison system, helping them return into the workforce, I’ve seen firsthand the transformative power of leadership that prioritizes both mental health and performance. Through TUWS, I am committed to using trauma-informed leadership strategies that help organizations, leaders, and teams gain insight into mental health, becoming more resilient, compassionate, and effective in everything they do.
Experience & Expertise
- Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) with over 13 years of experience supporting individuals with mental health concerns.
- Doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership, with a focus on leadership practices and mental health integration in the workplace.
- Founder of a nonprofit organization that provides job training, case management, peer support, and mental health assessments to individuals, especially those with a history of incarceration.
- Extensive experience working on board, bringing diverse perspectives and strategic thinking to leadership and organizational decision-making.
My Vision for TUWS
At TUWS, I believe that leadership isn’t just about achieving results—it’s about creating a culture of care, support, and resilience so we can become the product of our environment. As a leader, we not only need to motivate and inspire our team through motivational interviews while connecting but also create an environment where employees feel emotionally safe and empowered. Our work and trauma-informed leadership strategies together are everlasting, to transform your team to become even better leaders being Emotional Intelligent (EI) and meeting the professional needs of your team, ensuring that they can be the best version of themselves for the workplace and the people we serve.
Through TUWS, I aim to empower leaders and organizations to face areas of focus head-on, support mental health in the workplace, and apply trauma-informed leadership strategies that lead to sustainable success.
The Founder’s Quote:
I believe this slogan is the cornerstone of both personal and organizational growth. Until we confront the concerns we face—whether personal fears, team dynamics, or organizational barriers—we cannot move forward or achieve meaningful change. Together, let’s embrace the process, face those learning points, and work toward building stronger, more resilient teams.
Doctoral-level leadership consultants for Meaningful Organizational Change
Leadership is more than a title. It is the ability to influence people, shape culture, navigate challenges, and create an environment where individuals and organizations can thrive. As one of the Doctoral-level leadership consultants behind The Up-Ward Shift (TUWS), Dr. RJ Willis brings a thoughtful, people-centered approach to leadership development, organizational wellness, and sustainable workplace transformation.
Dr. Willis founded The Up-Ward Shift to help organizations move beyond traditional leadership models and create healthier, more emotionally intelligent workplaces. His work brings together leadership development, behavioral insight, mental health awareness, and organizational strategy to help leaders better understand the people and systems they serve.
The Vision behind the Up-Ward Shift
The Up-Ward Shift was created around a simple but powerful belief such as when leaders grow, organizations can grow with them. Today's leaders face increasingly complex challenges. They are expected to guide teams through change, manage competing priorities, support employee well-being, strengthen organizational culture, and remain focused on performance. These responsibilities require more than technical expertise. They require self-awareness, emotional intelligence, empathy, resilience, and the ability to lead with purpose.
As experienced Doctoral-level leadership consultants, Dr. Willis and The Up-Ward Shift bring an informed, people-centered perspective to leadership development. This approach recognizes that effective leadership involves more than managing tasks or achieving organizational goals. It also requires understanding people, strengthening relationships, navigating organizational challenges, and creating a culture where individuals can thrive.
Dr. Willis brings these principles into his approach to organizational leadership consulting, helping organizations identify opportunities for meaningful improvement while developing leaders who can create lasting positive change.
The Up-Ward Shift works with nonprofit, for-profit, and faith-based organizations to strengthen leadership, improve workplace culture, and support the professional and personal well-being of their teams. As Doctoral-level leadership consultants, the team understands that every organization has unique goals, challenges, people, and values.
A Doctoral-Level Approach to Leadership Development
What distinguishes Dr. Willis's approach is the integration of advanced education, leadership practice, behavioral wellness, and real-world organizational challenges.
As a doctoral-level professional, Dr. Willis approaches leadership as a multidimensional discipline. Effective leadership is not simply about directing people or achieving short-term goals. It is also about understanding human behavior, recognizing organizational dynamics, building trust, and creating conditions where people can contribute at their highest level.
This perspective informs every aspect of The Up-Ward Shift's organizational leadership consulting services. Rather than relying on generic leadership formulas, the goal is to understand the unique needs of each organization and develop strategies that align with its people, culture, mission, and objectives.
Organizational Leadership Consulting Rooted in People and Purpose
Strong organizations are built by strong leaders, but strong leadership does not happen in isolation. Leaders operate within systems, teams, cultures, and communities. That is why The Up-Ward Shift takes a holistic approach to organizational leadership consulting.
Dr. Willis helps organizations explore the connection between leadership behavior, workplace culture, employee well-being, communication, and organizational performance. By examining these elements together, leaders can gain a clearer understanding of what is working, what needs attention, and where meaningful shifts can occur.
Connecting Leadership, Culture, and Wellness
A healthy workplace culture begins with intentional leadership. Leaders influence how employees communicate, collaborate, respond to challenges, and experience their workplace. When leaders understand this influence, they can become more intentional in creating environments built on respect, psychological safety, accountability, compassion, and trust.
The Up-Ward Shift incorporates mental and behavioral wellness awareness into leadership development because workplace challenges do not always remain at the surface. Employees may experience stress, emotional challenges, grief, uncertainty, or other personal circumstances that affect their ability to engage fully at work.
Leaders do not need to become therapists to respond effectively. They do, however, benefit from understanding how to recognize concerns, communicate compassionately, establish appropriate boundaries, and connect people with appropriate resources.
Leadership That Moves Organizations Forward
The name “The Up-Ward Shift” reflects the organization's focus on positive movement helping leaders and organizations shift toward greater awareness, resilience, purpose, and effectiveness.
The approach is grounded in four core themes: transformational leadership, compassion, integrity, and mental wellness advocacy. TUWS also uses the acronym T.U.W.S i.e. Transform, Unite, Wellness, and Strengthen to express its broader philosophy of organizational development.
Why Organizations Work With Dr. RJ Willis
Organizations often seek outside leadership expertise when they recognize that meaningful change requires a fresh perspective. As experienced Doctoral-level leadership consultants, Dr. Willis works with leaders who want to strengthen their leadership capabilities while creating healthier and more effective organizational environments. His work can support organizations navigating leadership development, organizational growth, workplace culture, strategic planning, professional training, and behavioral wellness.
The approach is intentionally tailored rather than one-size-fits-all. Every organization has its own mission, people, history, challenges, and goals. Effective organizational leadership consulting should reflect those differences.
Through customized consulting, coaching, and training, The Up-Ward Shift helps leaders identify practical opportunities for growth and translate leadership concepts into actions that can be applied in the workplace.
A Partner for Sustainable Organizational Growth
Leadership development should not end when a workshop or coaching session ends. Sustainable growth requires reflection, application, accountability, and continued development. That is why Dr. Willis's approach focuses on helping leaders develop awareness they can carry into everyday decisions and interactions.
Whether an organization is strengthening its leadership pipeline, addressing workplace culture, developing managers, improving team relationships, or creating a more wellness-centered environment, the objective is to help leaders make intentional shifts that can influence the broader organization.
The result is not simply leadership training. It is an opportunity to rethink how leadership affects people, culture, and organizational outcomes.
The Up-Ward Shift Starts With Leadership
Dr. RJ Willis founded The Up-Ward Shift with a commitment to helping leaders lead with greater compassion, integrity, awareness, and purpose. His work as a Doctoral-level leadership consultant reflects a belief that organizational transformation begins with people. When leaders understand themselves, understand their teams, and understand the environments they create, they are better positioned to influence meaningful change.
Through organizational leadership consulting, executive coaching, professional training, organizational development, strategic planning, and mental and behavioral health support, The Up-Ward Shift provides organizations with practical resources for navigating today's leadership challenges.
The journey toward stronger leadership does not require perfection. It requires awareness, willingness, and a commitment to keep moving forward.
Ready to Create Your Up-ward Shift?
Your organization's next stage of growth may begin with a conversation about leadership, culture, wellness, and organizational strategy. Working with experienced Doctoral-level leadership consultants can provide your organization with valuable insights and practical strategies to navigate leadership challenges and create meaningful, sustainable change.
Whether you lead a nonprofit, business, faith-based organization, or another mission-driven team, The Up-Ward Shift can help you explore opportunities to strengthen your leaders and build a healthier organizational environment.
Connect with The Up-Ward Shift today and discover what is possible when leadership, wellness, and organizational purpose move forward together.
FAQs
1. What does The Up-Ward Shift do?
The Up-Ward Shift provides leadership consulting, executive coaching, training, and organizational development services. It helps organizations strengthen leadership, workplace culture, employee well-being, and organizational effectiveness.
2. What makes Dr. RJ Willis's approach different?
As an experienced Doctoral-level leadership consultants, Dr. RJ Willis has expertise with behavioral insight, wellness awareness, and organizational strategy. His approach is people-centered and tailored to each organization's unique needs and goals.
3. Who can benefit from The Up-Ward Shift?
The Up-Ward Shift works with nonprofit, for-profit, faith-based, and mission-driven organizations. Its services support leaders and teams navigating growth, culture, leadership, and workplace challenges.
4. How does leadership affect workplace culture?
Leadership influences communication, trust, collaboration, accountability, and employee experience. The Up-Ward Shift helps leaders create healthier, more supportive, and purpose-driven workplace environments.
5. How does The Up-Ward Shift support lasting change?
The Up-Ward Shift combines consulting, coaching, training, reflection, and practical strategies for continued development. This helps leaders turn new insights into sustainable improvements across their organizations.
