About

My Qualifications

I’ve completed rigorous Coach training and certification with the Academy of Coaching Excellence, including over 200+ hours of training.  I’ve accumulated over 700+ hours in coaching and facilitating.

I’m a Facilitator of Interpersonal Dynamics course, cited as the school’s most transformational course, at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

I’m a Facilitator of Interpersonal Skills and Embodied Leadership at the Berkeley Haas School of Business.

I draw from my other training experiences including with The Institute for Woman-Centered Coaching, Training & Leadership, Positive Intelligence, Entrepreneurs’ Organization, Hakomi Institute, New Ventures West, Matrix Leadership Institute, Path of Love, Couples Institute, Conscious Relating, Stanford, U.C. Berkeley, as well as from ancient wisdom, other cultures, a month long personal development and silent meditation in Brazil, and my own direct experiences as a life-long learner.

My 17+ years in San Francisco, Boston, and Silicon Valley tech, including work in corporate settings, consulting in various industries, as an early contributor in a successful IPO start up, and holding various leadership positions as a woman also add dimension to my support.

Identities & social location

I value having clear conversations about differences in identities and experiences as a part of bringing social justice principles into coaching and facilitation. To that end, here’s more about me:

My ancestors were from England, Mexico (Spanish and Indigenous), Wales, Ireland and Denmark. I’m a cis, lesbian woman with pronouns she, her, hers. I grew up in a middle-class family and have an undergraduate degree. I’m able-bodied and generally neurotypical. I’m an introvert who enjoys being sociable. I’m middle-aged. I’m a US citizen with English as first language. I grew up in an non-religious home and now identify as spiritual but not religious. I’m a later-in-life mama to a toddler. I live in the Bay Area, California with my wife and son.

My commitment to anti-racism, equity, and inclusion

As part of my ongoing journey to wake up to my own social conditioning, I strive to be a student and practitioner of anti-racism and decolonization.

I redistribute at least 10% of my profits to organizations and causes bringing about a more just, equitable, and life-giving world I’d love to live in.

My Story

Tears unexpectedly rolled down my face. I was stunned. Here I was, several years ago, on a transcontinental flight heading towards my next corporate conference, excited about going to a place I’d never been. Moments before, I was simply appreciating the travel I got to do for my work, looking out the window to take in the distant lands passing below me as the sun was setting. After I had gotten up to stretch, and walk to the back of the plane, I looked back and something about the light in the center of the plane caught my attention. I paused and, for an instant, felt as though I was the only one on the plane. The other passengers - who were reading, sleeping, and all still in their seats - seemed to disappear from my focus and instead it was as though I became aware of observing myself and what I was doing for the first time. I heard a soft voice rise up from somewhere within me, unexpectedly, asking a simple question. “Is this really what you want to be doing with your time, your energy?” And my answer, coming from somewhere inside of me, equally surprising, was an immediate and unequivocal “no”. Even with my apparent “success” and “happiness”, I suddenly saw that I was not moving towards a more deeply fulfilling and vital life that was possible for me.

For most of my corporate career, I now see that I wasn’t actually making direct progress toward my true vision.  I had experienced “success” as a woman in tech businesses in San Francisco, Boston, and Silicon Valley.  I enjoyed working with smart, well-rounded people, learning new skills, and creating something new in the early stages of a start-up.  And yet there was that soft, quiet voice that became clear that there was something else I could be doing to be even more aligned with my values and to make a difference to others and the planet. 

At first, I thought I would stay in the corporate world and still practice more alignment with my values.  I was able to do this, even though at first I thought I’d be fired for speaking to my values and ethics - and, instead, I was unexpectedly promoted multiple times.  Until it came to a point where, for me, I realized I could no longer be in full integrity and stay in the work I was doing, despite further monetary enticements.  I began to wonder if it was possible to expand my view of what it meant to be “successful” and if that could include the impact of my work on all beings and the earth itself.  

I eventually discovered that my path was to intentionally step into uncharted territory for myself to stay true to my intuition, even though I was terrified.  I had many worries come up: Isn’t that something only other people did?  Brave souls who were born to make bold choices and fearless entrepreneurs who started early?  I’d already had a whole career that was leaning more toward the “safe” side, working hard to earn promotions and climbing someone else’s ladder.  What if I failed?  What if I made a mistake?  What would others think of my choices?  How could I start over when I’m paying my bills and everything seems okay as it is?  

After first thinking that I couldn’t give myself “permission” to take time out, I traveled to Brazil to do a silent meditation and self-development work and ended up staying for a month, where I had a profound experience that I could trust my own intuition in my way of being in the world.  And I finally saw that my path finding could be much more enjoyable and highly effective when I was open to receiving support. I discovered that I was able to stretch even further into aligning my actions, one step at a time, into my life’s intentions and values. 

I never could have imagined that the steps and leaps I took that felt so scary at the time, would yield the biggest rewards in all areas of my life.   With the support of a coach, I took a chance on a big career pivot aiming toward greater fulfillment, was willing to end a relationship that wasn’t spiritually aligned and then found a love greater than my heart’s vision, had a child after I had thought it too late, and I’m continuing to stretch and grow into more of who I am - brilliant and imperfect, as we all are. Looking back, I could see that I truly had no idea what was possible, or what I was capable of, before I took those steps. As a lifelong learner, I am so grateful to be living and experimenting into a life that exceeds my deepest authentic dreams as I continue to take small steps to be more aligned with what is most important to me.  

Discovering your true authenticity and fulfillment in the way you’d love to contribute is how I would most love to support you!  In this way, as we follow our unique paths to deep fulfillment and serving, we make a contribution to collectively thriving with each other, and with the planet.

Like the ripple of a single water drop in a deep blue lake, we have no way of knowing the extended impact of one simple act made with a true intention rooted in love and respect.

Will you join me to spark global thriving, contributing in your own unique way, one small, sweet step at a time?

I live and work on the ancestral and present-day homeland of the Lisjan Ohlone people, and contribute to land back through Cafe Ohlone's incredible work here.