who we are and why baseball drives our vision
Meet the Founders: Julia Cannell & JD Wyneken
The Bench Strategy was born from a shared passion for innovative talent development. JD’s love of baseball sparked a conversation about the book Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game by Michael Lewis—and its Brad Pitt film adaptation—and how the MLB’s talent acquisition strategies could be applied to business. Julia, with her focus on ensuring she always knew where her next employees would come from, saw an immediate connection. Together, they built The Bench Strategy to bring these concepts to life.
At The Bench Strategy, we are dedicated to transforming how businesses build, develop, and sustain their talent pipelines. Founders Julia Cannell and JonDavid Wyneken combine their extensive expertise to create a guided process for planning and executing strategies that drive individual and business success. Whether you’re a startup, an established company, or an individual seeking career growth, The Bench Strategy is here to help you achieve your goals.
Julia Cannell, MBAA, MSLD
Julia holds a Bachelor of Science in Flight Technology, a Master’s in Leadership, and a Master of Business in Aviation, the company draws on over 25 years of experience in business management, including leadership roles in nonprofit and for profit environments.
Seeing the persistent pilot shortages in the aviation industry, she created a process that reimagines recruitment, training, and employment by focusing on compatibility—ensuring that pilots not only fit the job but also align with the culture and goals of the airline, and vice versa.
Her love of all things aviation is credited to her father, John James Cannell,, a retired 747 Captain flying for Northwest Airlines (now part of the Delta family). Fascinated with airplanes since birth, she earned her Private Pilot's License prior to starting college. With a Bachelors in Flight Technology at Central Washington University, a Master's of Science in Leadership and a MBA in Avition from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, her focus has been researching ways to solve the persistent airline pilot shortage. Her thesis, that expanding the range of STEM education and training focused on reaching groups that normally are overlooked as candidates, has been proven through research as well as in her work over the past decade.
JD Wyneken, PhD
Dr. JD Wyneken, a certified human potential coach. With a talent for working with startups and high-growth companies, JonDavid helps organizations develop their "bench" of talent—nurturing potential and guiding businesses to align their teams for long-term success. His ability to navigate everything from inspirational moments to difficult conversations makes him an invaluable partner across industries.
Whether you’re in aviation or another sector, The Bench Strategy is here to help you build a dynamic, ready-to-perform team. Together, we focus on strategic hiring, seamless onboarding, and fostering compatibility to ensure your people and business are prepared to thrive. Let us help you create a bench that’s always ready to step up.