Our Team
David Kuhnert
Managing Director
-
David Kuhnert grew up on a small farm in northern Wisconsin, where hard work, responsibility, and service were part of everyday life long before they became leadership principles. After high school he enlisted in the United States Army and married his high school sweetheart shortly after basic training.
David served 23 years in the Army, holding every enlisted leadership position from Team Leader to Command Sergeant Major. His career included six combat deployments and completion of some of the military's most demanding schools, including Ranger School, Jumpmaster School, and Drill Sergeant School. He was awarded four Bronze Star Medals and the Combat Infantryman's Badge with second award, recognition earned leading soldiers in the most challenging environments on earth.
After retiring from the Army, David entered the oil and gas industry as Production Manager for CrownQuest Operating in Midland, Texas, where he spent thirteen years helping build one of the industry's most distinctive cultures: a purpose-driven, self-governing organization where leadership was everyone's job. Following the company's successful sale, he continued as an investment partner at CrownQuest.
Today David works with leaders and organizations around the world, helping them build self-governing cultures grounded in purpose, truth, and responsibility. He serves on the faculty of the Jannetides College of Business, Communication, and Leadership at Southeastern University, where he teaches in the Executive MBA program.
David is the author of three books on servant leadership and organizational design, including Servant Leadership: Influencing Others to Get There by Living a Transformational Life and The Self-Governing Enterprise: Building an Organizational Strategy. He holds an undergraduate degree and an MBA from Columbia Southern University and an MBA from Southeastern University, where he is completing his doctorate.
David and his wife have four children and eight grandchildren. He remains deeply committed to faith, family, and developing leaders who serve others well.
Patrick Payton
Managing Director
-
Patrick grew up in Oklahoma and has now been in Midland for nearly 30 years. After beginning his career in food service sales and marketing, he shifted to full time ministry and was a founding member of Stonegate Fellowship serving as Senior Pastor from 1999 to 2018.
After his retirement from Stonegate, Patrick was elected Mayor of Midland in 2019. Patrick was part of the inaugural Presidential Leadership Scholars class and is the author of The Middle: How the Quiet Majority Can Mend a Divided Nation. He holds a BS in Political Science from Southwest Baptist University, an Mdiv from Southern Baptist Seminary, and an MBA from Southeastern University, where he is also completing his doctorate in Organizational Leadership.
Patrick and his wife, Cindy, have been married since 1989 and have three grown children and seven grandchildren, who affectionately call him "Boomer" thanks to his die-hard love of OU football. An avid golfer and runner, he's also a loyal Boston Red Sox fan.
Jesse Venegas
Consultant
-
Jesse was born in the cityscapes of Northern California and raised in a small town in southern New Mexico. Those two very different places gave him an early, firsthand education in how social and cultural structures shape people, a perspective he still draws on today.
In New Mexico, he was a high school math teacher and coach before moving to Midland, Texas, to work in the oilfield. Over twelve years in oil and gas, he learned management and leadership from the inside. That is where he discovered a true love for servant leadership and workplace culture, and for helping others build both within their own organizations.
Jesse now works with athletic teams and coaching staffs, oilfield businesses, and companies of every size that want to redefine their culture around growth and success.
Having learned much of what he knows about life through sports, Jesse has a deep passion for coaching. He has coached youth flag football and baseball for more than ten years, helping young men find the best version of themselves and grow into their highest potential through sports, and really through servant leadership.
He enjoys spending time and traveling with his wife, Kendra, and their two sons, Jaxson and Jesse.
Jay Whitlow
Consultant
-
Jay is a leader, educator, consultant, and nonprofit advocate with more than 25 years of experience in pastoral ministry and community leadership. He holds degrees from Texas Tech University (BS) and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MA) and is currently pursuing an EMBA from Southeastern University. His experience also includes the O&G industry, higher education, nonprofit leadership, and international work supporting water well projects in Africa.
Jay is passionate about helping people discover their calling, embrace servant leadership, practice self-governance, and become purpose driven leaders. Through his work with Consilium Business Labs, he helps leaders and organizations gain clarity, strengthen leadership, align people and systems, and build healthier organizations that make a lasting impact.
Outside of work, Jay enjoys time with his family at the ranch, the Tottenham Hotspur, the Dallas Stars, and all things Chick fil A.
Jesse Leonard
Consultant
-
Jesse Leonard is a Consultant at Consilium Business Labs, focused on executive coaching and organizational design. He joined Consilium for its people and mission.
A business owner since 2018 who has run multiple companies at once, Jesse is strongest on the organizational and human capital side of business. He has hired or helped hire hundreds of professionals across oil and gas, aerospace & defense, optics, and engineering. He holds a BS in Secondary Education from Eastern New Mexico University and is completing his MBA at Southeastern University.
Outside of work, Jesse and his wife, Shae, have two young daughters who take up most of their free time. Like a typical West Texan, church and sports are his primary hobbies.
Jessi Russo
Administrative Director
-
Jessi grew up in South Carolina and made her way to West Texas in 2007. She oversees the operations, systems, and daily support that keep Consilium running smoothly. She has worked in consulting since 2019 and especially enjoys the strategy and Servant Leadership work Consilium offers its clients. Jessi brings structure, follow-through, and a genuine commitment to getting things right. She holds a BA in Humanities from the University of Texas Permian Basin.
Jessi and her husband, Jake, have been married since 2008 and have three very active boys. In her spare time, she can be found cheering them on at the hockey rink and the golf course, or coaching strength and conditioning classes at a local gym. She loves house plants, the New York Yankees, and the Oxford comma.
What Sets Us Apart
People-First Approach
Everything we do is built around understanding your needs and helping you succeed—because when you thrive, so do we.
Long-Term Relationships
We’re not just here for the now. We love creating lasting relationships with our clients and growing with them over time.
Proven Process, Flexible Execution
We bring structure where it counts and adaptability where it matters. Our methods are clear, but always responsive.