“Growing up the youngest of six kids in a low-income family, I often had the experience of feeling unseen and unheard. I became very focused on hearing and seeing others – as individuals and within the groups that we live and work in.  This led me to recognize the uneven playing field that we call “equal.”  While in high school, I participated in the first Earth Day, attended anti-war protests, and later volunteered for McGovern in the New Hampshire primary.  I experienced the power, and joy, of working with others to change the world early in my life, and I kept on doing it.”

Rita Sever has brought a unified approach to human resources and organizational development for over 20 years.  She worked at nonprofits for over 20 years, including nine years at an AIDS organization and another nine years at a community action agency.

She has an MA in Organizational Psychology and is a certified professional coach.  Rita created Supervision Matters to provide consulting, coaching and training to make work more effective and fun.   Rita teaches part time at University of San Francisco and Sonoma State University in California.

Supervision Matters focuses on the critical role of supervision in organizations.  Through all her work, Rita sees the tremendous impact of supervision – both positive and negative.  Too often, supervision is an auxiliary function added onto an already full job, but it is never an auxiliary function to those being supervised.  Every action that a supervisor takes, or doesn’t take, impacts the organization.  Rita works with individuals, teams, leaders and the entire agency to improve the culture and practice of supervision, thereby helping the organization to be more effective.

Rita currently resides in Northern California.