If you are a leader, I have no doubt you love the challenge and excitement of catalyzing ideas and resources to make great things happen... and I have no doubt that you face the inevitable stress of being responsible for the performance and success of your organization or team... while possibly trying to do a good job caring for a family, and certainly striving to stay personally whole and healthy at the same time!
And, like it was for me in my leadership roles, I have no doubt there are times when you wish you had someone who has “been there, done that” to be totally candid and honest with, to figure things out, plan next steps, and make the changes you want to lead and live better.
If this describes you, then you’ve come to the right place. I offer decades of executive experience, organizational consulting, and, more recently, 1400+ hours professionally coaching clients at all levels in a wide range of organizations, from Fortune 100 companies to start-ups, US Government agencies, and local, national, and international nonprofits.
A Bit About Me Professionally:
I launched my career as a marketing and admissions officer at the School for International Training in Vermont, USA, and then joined the Peace Corps for a successful assignment working with deaf women and girls in Tunisia, North Africa. These two experiences sealed my passion for organization building and international community development work.
I started to hone my leadership skills in earnest when I accepted an offer to direct field operations for Plan International, a multi-million child sponsorship and community development organization . I spent my first two years running an urban program in Cite Soleil, the most marginalized community of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. After earning my M.Sc. at the London School of Economics, I returned to live for four years on the edge of the Sahel in northern Senegal, and built one of the most successful field offices in West Africa.
After returning to the United States, I split my time between leading a number of local and international nonprofit organizations, consulting, and raising two boys on my own.
A notable executive accomplishment was my nine-year tenure as the executive director of Save One Life, an organization serving economically disadvantaged children and families with bleeding disorders in 15 countries. In partnership with more than 50 local patient organizations, I tripled the number of sponsored children in addition to tripling annual revenues, and introduced post-secondary scholarship and micro-enterprise grant programs.
A notable consulting accomplishment was an assignment for USAID in Kabul, Afghanistan, where I was contracted to design the first training manual (translated into Farsi) and workshop curriculum to teach leadership coaching skills to community development workers in a women’s economic development program. I delivered two week-long workshops to 50 Afghan trainees, both men and women.
I started to formally coach in 2008. I established Mandala Leadership Coaching LLC at the same time I moved to western Massachusetts in 2019, and attained my Professional Certified Coaching certification in 2022.
In 2024 I added a new program, Leader of Your Life, to support organizational leaders who are facing personal transitions and want skilled and compassionate support as they negotiate a job loss, explore new professional directions, or seek personal renewal and resilience in the face of uncertain times.
My Approach To Coaching
Using a whole-person approach, I create a space of safety for clients to build confidence, credibility, and capacity to show up empowered and equipped to lead well and reap the rewards of doing a great job! I focus on real talk about the real world we work and live in, to find real solutions to catalyze professional and personal success.
Clients have described me as deeply thoughtful and empathetic, a great listener, able to help them consider new and different perspectives, push them out of their comfort zones, and hold them accountable!
My extensive international and cross-cultural experience makes me a good choice for clients who work in global and multicultural contexts. I remain committed to the strength of diversity and the power of skill-building in cross-cultural communication and appreciation to support thriving work cultures and business growth.
A Bit About Me Personally
I am the mother of now two adults sons, Seth and Timothy, who I raised on my own from the start, and in 2023 embarked on the wonderful journey of grandparenthood with Tim's little daughter, Emory.
I remarried at the age of 52 in 2009, and unexpectedly nursed my spouse through his brief journey and passing from pancreatic cancer in 2014. His dear mother became my responsibility, and I navigated the demanding waters of eldercare until her passing in 2017. In 2019 I left my executive position, launched my coaching business, and became one of 750 lucky residents living and working on a gorgeous ridgetop in bucolic Leyden, Massachusetts.
I am devoted to life-long learning and passionate about personal and spiritual growth. I enjoy studying our wisdom traditions, culture, geography, and history, and never get bored looking at maps! I care deeply about the safety and sovereignty of women and girls, and support organizations engaged in this advocacy around the world. At home I am committed to the protection of our American constitution and the civil liberties it provides. Locally, I serve on my town's Board of Registrars. I'm an avid gardener and adore connecting with nature and the big sky above my home. Other enthusiasms including biking, hiking, kayaking, and dancing until I drop!
