Coach Profile

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"I must be willing to give up what I am in order to become what I will be."  - Albert Einstein

      Values: Respect everybody; Judge nobody; Learn every day; and Laugh often (especially at myself).

     Core Beliefs: 

           - Success begins within, happens through relationships, and inspires everyone it touches.

           - People are good.  The greater our differences, the more I can learn from them.

     Passion: Empowering people and organizations to visualize new possibilities, believe in themselves, and achieve moments of success and positive change.

    I grew up in a small rural community in the southeastern United States. Neither of my parents finished high school, but they instilled in me an appreciation for education, a strong work ethic, and unconditional respect for everyone around me. Ironically, they also instilled a clear understanding of what NOT to do, by frequently exposing me to the more negative, unlawful parts of their lives. The stark contrast of negative examples and positive values fueled my determination to grow and serve, which inspired me to become the first member of my family to earn a college degree.

        I served more than 20 years as an active duty officer in the U.S. Air Force. I dedicated myself to being a servant leader and held a wide range of positions, from managing individual teams and leading organizations as a commander and Chief of Staff, to advising executives at the highest levels. That variety of roles gave me leadership experience in many areas such as information technology, budgeting, financial planning, strategy, communications, personnel, policy, cyberspace, and learning and development.

    In 2009, I joined federal civil service and spent the subsequent 13 years applying my experience and skills to U.S. Air Force workforce development. I served as the technology advisor to the Chief Learning Officer and Deputy Director of Staff to the 3-star Commander. I culminated my career as Executive Director of Futures, Analysis, and Innovation, where I applied my strategy skills to forecast the future learning and development needs of a 500,000-strong, global workforce and helped translate those needs into actionable plans. 

     My journey as a professional coach began in 2013, when a doctoral course required me to have an executive coach.  That life-altering experience put a name—Professional Coach—on my life's passion of serving others to help them grow and succeed. It inspired me to complete a 10-month graduate program in executive coaching and earn ICF certification. From 2016-2023, I coached employees, leaders, and Congressional staff pro bono in my free time, helping where I could and honing my coaching skills. 

     In mid-2023, I stepped away from my career in federal service.  Rather than seek out another executive position, I chose to embrace my passion for coaching full-time. I have found my unique background—from rural upbringing to a military career, multiple degrees, and successful experiences as a leader, mentor, commander, strategist, and certified professional coach—has given me a distinct humility and perspective that empowers me to connect with professionals at every level. Through that connection, I support others as they explore and discover insights and solutions, building a deeper sense of personal mastery. 

     Levels Coached: CEO/C Suite (military equivalents); Senior Executives/VP/Directors (industry and military); General Managers & Business Unit Leaders (military equivalents); Congressional staff

     Coaching Focus Areas: Personal mastery, Role transition, Career growth, Company culture, Leading a diverse workforce, and Women leading in a male-dominated workforce.

    I have had the privilege to live and work in seven U.S. states, Canada, Germany, South Korea, and Turkey, collaborating with international partners, government agencies, industry, and academia to achieve organizational goals.  I served as a US military representative to international network security working groups with members from the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Germany, and France.

- Doctor of Business Administration, specializing in Strategy and Innovation, Capella University

   -- with doctoral research in the organizational performance impact of mature learning cultures

- Leadership Decision Making Program Graduate, JFK School of Government, Harvard University

- Graduate Certificate in Executive and Professional Coaching, ACTP, Naveen Jindal School of Management, University of Texas at Dallas

- M.S., Administration, Central Michigan University

- B.S., Computer Science, University of Southern Mississippi

- Associate Certified Coach (ACC), International Coach Federation