Meet the Team

Cheri Britton, M.Ed., is President/CEO of Whetstone Consultations, a training and consulting firm. She has over  20 years of experience public health as an HIV counselor, disease intervention specialist, educator, and trainer.

Cheri is also the creator of BOOM Thinking, both a process and a way of being.  As a professional speaker and business coach she helps her audiences and clients become BOOM Thinkers, thus moving their lives forward in amazing ways.

Cheri's down-to-earth approach blends humor and practical advice in a refreshing style that leaves her audience and clients inspired. During her lively programs fun, learning and shared experiences are the norm. Sharing her delightful blend of comic and profound personal experiences, Cheri creates a backdrop for participants to re-energize their commitments to serve clients. But don't confuse this with "fluff" or mere cheerleading; participants consistently report increased learning in this environment when compared with "serious" sit-down-and-listen, "death by PowerPoint" training.

Cheri embraces a realistic vision of working professionals born of her own challenge to juggle her commitment to raise two young children while simultaneously training professionals in both the public and private sectors.

Learn more about BOOM Thinking at www.boomthinking.com.  Also, sign up to receive Cheri's her  newsletter, "The BOOMerang: A Newsletter to Help You Break Out of Old Mindsets" 

"Bill and Cheri are like Batman and Robin or Bonnie and Clyde-Please never split them up! They appeal to all types of learners and keep it interesting."
- Susan H., HIV Counselor

 

Bill Petz, M. Ed., M.Div., is a contract trainer for Whetstone Consultations. Bill has done training throughout most of his professional life. For 15 years Bill worked in higher education as a counselor, adjunct faculty, and Dean of Students. He most recently completed 17 years in public health with the North Carolina HIV/STD Prevention and Care Branch where he provided direct clients services, supervisory leadership, and staff training for Branch staff and other public health professionals. The training program he created for the Branch has received national attention. He first began training HIV counselors 1988. Participants in his training and workshops benefit greatly from his years of experience in this field, his conscientiousness as a trainer, and his empathy as a counselor. Bill has always been an advocate for understanding and respecting the experience of students and clients.

For more than 20 years Bill has been deeply involved in men's issues. He came to that work from feminist perspectives that recognized the destructive nature of gender stereotypes. Bill has presented papers, lead workshops, and been a part of men's gatherings. Both men and women have found Bill's insights a challenging path for growth and change.

In addition to his work with Whetstone, Bill is pursuing his many diverse interests, such as e ClergyMan™ workshops , writing essays and poetry and the light-hearted "Red Ring Library™" , with his own company PetzRitter Enterprises.

Bill is the father of three grown daughters and five grandchildren. He lives in the country in Fairview, North Carolina with his wife and their two dogs.

 

Stefanie Beierschmitt is Whetstone’sExecutive Assistant and Training Registrar.  She joined our team in 2007 and we haven’t been the same since.  She is a whizz bang and keeping us organized and making everything run smoothly.  She also runs her own business called Spiffy Stefanie. 

Stefanie moved to Asheville in 2006 being beckoned by the beautiful environment and climate, artistic and inspiring vibe, with a myriad of diverse activities and organizations to get into. 

Stef grew up in Virginia.  After earning a degree in Business Administration from the University of Mary Washington, she decided she wasn't ready to settle into a 9-5 job, and she worked for a year on the high-seas on cargo ships.  This experience forever changed her perspectives and solidified her passion for travel.

Her current diverse passions are horseback riding, motorcycling, belly dancing, drumming, hiking, and dabbling in a variety of art mediums.   She often can be seen tooling around downtown Asheville with her dog Tonka, a rescue from the Asheville Human Society, and (in her words) “by far the coolest dog ever.”