About
our company
Barela Leadership exists to support leaders with practical guidance, thoughtful mentoring, and training that works in real-world environments. We focus on clarity, steadiness, and human-centered leadership—helping individuals and teams navigate responsibility, accountability, and growth.
Our services include focused leadership calls, one-on-one mentoring, in-person and custom training, and a growing library of publications and workbooks. Each offering is designed to provide actionable insight leaders can apply immediately, not abstract theory.
We bring experience, intention, and respect for each client’s context—meeting leaders where they are and helping them move forward with confidence, consistency, and integrity.
Our founder
Barela Leadership is a leadership development and consulting practice focused on clarity, steadiness, and effective leadership in high-accountability environments. We work with leaders responsible for people, performance, and outcomes—providing practical guidance they can apply immediately.
The practice was founded by Gilbert G. Barela, PhD, who brings extensive leadership experience across the U.S. Army, law enforcement, private military contracting, government security contracting, and nearly two decades in public utility leadership. He currently serves as a Mechanical Superintendent with more than 18 years of experience in the water and wastewater industry, leading teams in environments where trust, accountability, and calm decision-making are essential. In addition, Gilbert served as State President of the California Water Environment Association, leading its Board of Directors and representing more than 11,000 members statewide. He currently serves as Delegate-at-Large for the Water Environment Federation, representing 35,000 members across the nation and globally, with constituencies that include Veterans, People of Color, People with Disabilities, and Operations and Maintenance.
Gilbert holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, an MSML, an MBA in Organizational Leadership, and a PhD in Organizational Leadership. He developed the Grounded Integrator Leadership Style based on his academic and research work, and is strongly shaped by experience—not theory. Across military service, public safety, critical infrastructure, executive leadership, and statewide professional leadership, he has seen firsthand how leadership directly impacts people, culture, and outcomes. That perspective, combined with advanced academic study, drives the mission of Barela Leadership: helping leaders grow with confidence, lead with integrity, and build strong, reliable teams.
Through consulting, mentoring, training, and published works—including Grounded Integrator Leadership: Leading with Clarity, Strength, and Human Connection and I’m a Supervisor…Now What?: A Practical Guide to the First Year of Leadership—Barela Leadership delivers practical resources for leaders at every stage of their journey.
