More about my experience &Â training
The Way Past
I was a competitive gymnast growing up which meant I learned early to use my body as an "instrument of performance." I also learned the importance of flexibility, risk-taking and what it takes to recover from "falling." I continued in sports in high school but found academics were more reliable. I chose to attend Brown University where I began as a psych major but once I learned that required me to work with mice in the lab, I switched to Women's Studies. I graduated with Honors and a thesis on the feminist deconstruction of women's bathroom graffiti...now when my kids ask me "What job did that help you get?" I just smile.
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The Past
After graduating, I moved to NYC to work in violence prevention. I facilitated conflict resolution workshops in the public school system for students, teachers and parents. Recognizing a passion for adult learning and organizational systems theory, I enrolled in graduate school at the New School for Social Research and received a Master’s degree in Human Resources Management with a certificate in Learning and Organizational Development (I was now seeing the value of something a bit more career-oriented). My favorite job during this time was leading corporate teambuilding sessions on the ropes course in Princeton, NJ. Taking leaders into the trees and watching what happens when people get out of their comfort zone excited me; I saw immediate impact in the moments they realized they could do something they never thought possible. I wanted more of this in my work!
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When it was time to leave the East Coast, I headed West to follow a lead my grad school professor had given me about "an interesting company that was selling books on the internet." So began my career at Amazon.com where I supported the startup phase from 400 to 10,000 employees. During this time I had the opportunity to build the initial manager development program and experienced first-hand the dynamics of start-ups, organizational change, culture transitions and the impact high-growth and ambitious BHAGS (big, hairy, audacious goals) can have on employees. I became intimately aware of the importance of great leadership at all levels - and how important it was that these leaders were self-aware and conscious of the impact they had on others and on the systems they influenced.
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During this intensive phase, I began to hone the work I most wanted to offer to the world. After Amazon, for 6 years, I led the US Consulting Services Team for Insights Learning and Development, a global firm whose mission was to "create a world where people truly understand themselves and others and are inspired to make a positive difference in everything they do." I steeped myself in Jungian psychology, personality theory and human development. I facilitated workshop after workshop watching teams connect more deeply and witnessed personal transformations come through the exploration of the self. This catalyzed my decision to become a coach.
I trained as a Co-Active Coach through CTI, a Somatic Coach through the Strozzi Institute, and completed a certificate in The Neuroscience of Change through BeAbove Leadership. Just months after launching my own coaching and consulting firm, I was asked to join bluebird bio full-time to build and lead the Leadership Development & Coaching team. Inspired again by the energy of the start up and the passion of a clear patient-focused mission, I was thrilled to bring coaching and leadership development into practice. Highlights of my accomplishments include co-creating the Manager Essentials program, inspiring and leading their internal coaching function, and implementing a highly-leveraged "fly by" coaching program.
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The Present
Through Shift Learning & Development, I have reinvested in my own coaching and consulting practice out of a continued desire to develop conscious, connected and competent leaders and teams for our world (yes, I am worried about what happens if we don't!) In partnership with colleagues from Insights, bluebird and the co-active coaching community, I serve a broad set of individuals, teams and organizations -- satisfying my desire to be "part of something bigger than myself." I am a consultant, learning solution designer, workshop facilitator and executive coach. My style is an uncommon blend of dynamic enthusiasm and attentive awareness. When facilitating, I foster an interactive and participative learning environment designed to meet a range of learning styles. I am recognized by my coaching clients for my ability to attend not only to the conversations at hand, but to those not being spoken; I often invite people to go deeper, "below the waterline," to ensure the conversations which need to occur are addressed.
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The Future
After two years of a pandemic, I see the workplace in transition. While others talk about the "Great Resignation," I think more about a "Great Renegotiation." I hear stories of people recognizing their desire to do something different, to be something different...they want to make shifts in their lives, in their work, in how they contribute. I aim to be by their side as they do this. I cannot think of anything more gratifying than supporting someone coming fully into themselves and stepping toward a life on purpose and aligned with their values. It is time. ​