Becoming a Coach

I came to leadership coaching after many years of leading environmental organizations, mission-driven coalitions, and political campaigns in Alaska. In those efforts, it became clear to me that the essential element in the success or failure of any campaign or project was the quality of its leadership—and that leadership was less about skills and techniques and far more about character and being.

In pursuit of developing my leadership, I moved to New York City and entered a rigorous leadership coaching program. I did the seven-month program four times: twice as a participant and twice as a mentor coach. Few experiences in my life have been so formative—and I experienced firsthand the power of coaching. When I left the program, I decided to become a coach. I studied with Accomplishment Coaching, one of the nation’s premier coaching schools, and I have been coaching professionally since 2012.

Leadership was my path into coaching, but over the years, I have broadened my focus to personal mastery.  Leadership doesn’t require mastery—history is replete with powerful leaders who were a mess personally—but mastery does require leadership. Personal mastery is like a bicycle wheel—all the spokes must be properly tuned for the wheel to spin true. So it is with life, all the virtues required to live life well must be present and tuned.

I am a member of the International Coaching Federation and I hold its Master Certified Coach credential—the ICF’s highest credential. I coach leaders in both for- and non-profit organizations and high-performing professionals committed to making a difference in their communities, their organizations, and their lives.

In addition to my coaching and non-profit work, my professional background includes many years as an IT project manager and systems analyst. I have written two novels, lived in Italy and Australia, and I have traveled twice around the world—once overland and once, alone, by sail. When I left Alaska bound for NYC, I bicycled to Mexico via the continental divide. I am currently building a wherry which I will row around Newfoundland.

I am married and live in Maine–my clients, of course, are scattered around the world.