With over 25 years experience in youth development and non-profit leadership, I use coaching to help organizations create better ways to cultivate trust, loyalty and engagement with their employees.  As an Empowerment Coach and Impact Leader I believe in igniting potential, promise and possibility through a combination of straight talk, thoughtful planning, goals setting, lots of listening and meaningful conversations.  By doing so individuals and organizations can better serve the populations they work with.  I founded IGNITE Power Coaching & Consulting to support the hardworking people who are striving to make an impact in the communities they serve.  

 

I am one of the founders and architects of Fair Futures, a coaching model designed to help young people, ages 11-26 who are connected with the foster care and juvenile justice systems, achieve success in their life specific to the areas of career, education, housing and independent living. I helped to design, package and rollout the model to the 26 child welfare agencies and 7 juvenile justice agenies in New York City. My current role includes supporting the 500 Fair Futures staff by providing leadership coaching, strategic advising and professional development opportunities.

 

I have had the pleasure of working with other non-profits, including Graham Windham, Episcopal Social Services, Big Brother Big Sisters of New York City and the YMCA of Greater New York.  At the YMCA of Greater New York I took the Y-MVP Health and Fitness Coaching Program from concept to implementation in less than a year. This program was rolled out to 22 YMCA branches across NYC serving over 1,000 youth. This work included developing the program curriculum, a program model, a compatible app and training all Coaches.  At Graham Windham I helped build one of the country's largest coaching programs for youth and young adults ages 11-26. This work included operationalizing how young people can achieve goals in the areas of career, education, independent living and housing. 

 

I also had a rewarding venture in the social entrepreneurship arena where I spent ten years as the founder and CEO of Fit 4 Life NYC, an organization dedicated to delivering quality sports, fitness and wellness programs to schools and non-profits that serve youth in underserved communities. We became one of New York City’s leading organizations and the winner of the Best for NYC award and Best for the Community award presented by the New York City Economic Development Corporation and B Lab.

 

Education

• Master of Arts in Sociology – Kansas State University

• Bachelor of Science in Psychology – Kansas State University

• Columbia University Senior Leaders Program for Non-Profit Professionals

• Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program

• SUNY Levin Institute FastTrac Growth Venture business program

• Certified Master Level Life Coach