The People I Coach
Education Leaders
Leaders in research and consulting organizations, education-adjacent nonprofits, education vendors, higher ed, and government agencies.
You have spent your career in one of the most mission-driven, complex, and underappreciated fields there is. You hold the tension between research and practice, between stakeholder demands and budget realities, between the urgency of today and the vision of five years from now.
I have been exactly where you are. As a Senior Vice President at Mathematica Policy Research and NORC at the University of Chicago, I led large, high-stakes education portfolios; directing staff, managing client relationships, driving strategic growth, and producing work that mattered. I understand the culture, the language, and the very particular pressures of leading in education. I’ve charted the course through the complexities of the multiple stakeholders of a mission-driven non-profit and managed the demands of public service at government agencies.
Leaders I work with are navigating challenges like:
• Stepping into a new senior role and establishing credibility quickly
• Managing up, across, and down in a matrixed or political environment
• Moving from deep subject-matter expertise into broader organizational leadership
• Building high-performing teams under tight resource constraints
• Sustaining personal effectiveness and avoiding burnout
• Sharpening executive presence and strategic communication
People Navigating Career Transitions
For those changing jobs, switching careers, returning to the workforce, or approaching retirement.
A career transition - even one you chose - can feel disorienting. Your identity, your confidence, and your sense of direction are all in play at once. Whether you’re pivoting to something new, re-entering after time away, or starting to imagine what life beyond your current role might look like, this is not a moment to navigate alone.
I know this terrain from the inside. My own career has spanned research, policy, public sector work across multiple sectors. I have made deliberate pivots, navigated unexpected changes, and helped others find clarity about what they truly want and how to get there.
People I work with are in moments like:
• Considering a career change but unsure where to start
• Returning to the workforce after a leave of absence or caregiving period
• Exploring retirement - what it means, whether they’re ready, and what comes next
• Feeling stuck or unfulfilled in a role that looks fine from the outside
• Rebuilding confidence after a difficult professional experience
• Wanting to make a move but needing a sounding board before taking the leap