Rachael is a Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC) with six years of experience helping students and professionals discover careers that align with their strengths, values, and goals. After earning her B.A. from Kent State University, she began her career as a high school Spanish teacher, where she developed a deep appreciation for the transformative impact of mentorship and guidance.
Sunny Collins is a career development professional who empowers individuals to design meaningful, values-aligned lives and careers. With a background in human resources and specialized training through the National Career Development Association (NCDA), she supports individuals in navigating their career journeys with clarity, confidence, and intention.
Dr. Nakeisha Cody is the Vice President of Student Success at Simmons University, where she leads institutional strategy to advance career readiness and leadership development. Her work focuses on integrating academic and career support to equip students with durable, future-ready skills aligned with the demands of a global economy. She also builds strategic partnerships with leading employers to expand access to meaningful work experiences and long-term career opportunities. She oversees the Leadership Innovation Hub, which unifies leadership development across the university through a shared philosophy and assessment framework. This initiative has driven both curricular and co-curricular innovations, including a leadership certificate and the adaptation of Arrive and Thrive: 7 Impactful Practices for Women Navigating Leadership for college-age women.
With a deep commitment to youth development and social innovation, Michael has played a pivotal role in founding two social enterprises. These organizations are dedicated to equipping young individuals with essential soft skills, entrepreneurship support, and personal coaching. His extensive experience includes advising and developing strategies for more than 200 social entrepreneurs and over 10 non-governmental organizations (NGOs), drawing on his broad network and in-depth knowledge across various sectors.
As a design thinking expert trained at Johns Hopkins University and the Mayo Clinic, I specialize in improving health service models and sharing my insights through academic publications. Leading over seven Taiwanese universities in a major project endorsed by the Ministry of Education, I facilitated workshops for over 1000 participants, empowering educators and students with design thinking skills. My work, recognized by the Teaching Research Program, demonstrates my commitment to applying professional knowledge in practical settings to enhance life and work quality.
For over ten years, I have served as a career coach at Augustana College, where I’ve been deeply committed to nurturing growth, purpose, and belonging in every student I work with. My approach blends creativity, reflection, and strategy to help students, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, discover their strengths, clarify their goals, and confidently navigate their futures.
Founder & Educator
Megan spent the initial 25 years of her life excelling as an elite athlete on the international stage. She then shifted gears into a digital marketing career and focused on her family, guiding her children towards both academic and athletic success.
I support recent college graduates, people re-entering the work force, young professionals, and seasoned leaders to fully embrace purpose and meaning in their work and personal life. Coaching is all about seeing more clearly though the cloudiness of uncertainty – it’s the breakthrough moments that help us reframe and reimagine so we can see a path forward with greater clarity. Drawing from my experience in a broad range of roles in for profit and nonprofit organizations focused on social impact, I partner with individuals, groups and teams to facilitate breakthrough insights that lead to personal and organizational growth and create organizational cultures where people can thrive. I take a strength-based approach in all my work, using approaches that are sensitive to power dynamics and focus on personal and organizational assets. I am comfortable communicating across differences in culture and identity having lived and worked in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. I am an ICF certified coach with a PhD in Comparative International Education and MPH in International Maternal Child Health from UCLA.
Many people I work with have lived abroad for years, built solid careers, and done what was expected of them. On paper, things look fine. Inside, something feels off.
A professional career coach and advisor with a passion for helping people find their own path and purpose. After taking a break from my own career, I discovered my joy for helping others was not being utilized to its fullest potential. With the help of a career coach, I was able to dig deep and explore what truly made me happy and fulfilled in my career. Drawing from my experience in sales and marketing, I developed a strategy to become a career coach, receiving my CPC through iPEC in 2022 and my ACC through the ICF in 2023. I have worked with individuals from all walks of life to help them navigate their career paths. While working with university students, I realized how much I was drawn to their passion and motivation to create positive change, leading me to became a Senior Career Advisor at Ivey Business School. Seeing the confidence and clarity develop within my clients is what motivates me to continue on this path. I am dedicated to helping others find their true potential and achieve their goals.
Darcie is an experienced career educator and life coach, having worked in the non-profit sector for 20+ years before transitioning to the post-secondary world in 2022. Throughout her career she has supported career seekers of all ages including those just beginning their careers, those in mid-career transition, and those exploring new interests as they approach retirement. She is a Certified Career Development Practitioner (CCDP) and currently works as a Career Educator at the University of Victoria, providing career support to undergrads and grad students within the faculty of Social Sciences. She is passionate about career exploration and enjoys helping students tap into and develop their unique skills, passions and interests. She believes we are each born with a unique soul purpose and it is her mission to help each of us to discover it.
Tamar believes in unique and creative ways to learn, solve problems, and build a life that suits you. She has done this through guiding master’s students in their careers, teaching entrepreneurship to high school students, building programming to strengthen youth voice and agency within organizations, coaching young entrepreneurs to start and grow their businesses, mentoring young women as they navigate high school and transition into college, solo travel, and creating her own major in college at Binghamton University. She seeks to bring more joy and play to our world. She holds two coaching certifications (CPCC, ACC) and a Master’s Degree in Business of Creative Enterprises. She is currently the Associate Director of Life Design & Career Coaching in the Career Development Center at Emerson College.
Hello from Australia! I’m Jane, an accredited Life Design Facilitator and devoted Career Practitioner. With a person centred approach, I’ve guided students in universities, supported young people in not-for-profits, and worked with private clients.
Katy Kelly is the Associate Director of Career Management with EPICS at the School of Communication at Northwestern University. She holds a BA in International Relations and French from DePaul University and a Master’s degree in Public Diplomacy from the University of Southern California. Prior to becoming a Wildcat, she spent nearly a decade supporting career services and international programs at the University of Southern California. She also has experience working with non-profits and NGOs. She is passionate about helping students connect the dots between their academic interests, career goals, and ongoing professional development. In her free time, she loves to travel, read, and practice yoga.
I’ve been privileged to have spent the past three decades as an educator in media and the creative arts, designing curriculum and mentoring students in Singapore’s Institutes of Higher Learning. Throughout my journey, one thing has remained constant: a deep commitment to helping young people find their voice, tell their stories, and chart paths that feel true to who they are.
Shannon has worked in the career development space for 20+ years including both higher education and nonprofit and most recently Edtech. She spent the last 12+ years working in higher education career services, serving as a strategic partner in developing several large-scale career programs that focused on supporting individuals in their career journey. Additionally, she has managed a career center as well as supported graduates as part of the Job Corps Program, the largest nationwide job training program for young adults. She loves empowering individuals by providing them with the tools, resources and opportunities to succeed while helping them to define their “WHY”.
I founded MKCareerChoices twelve years ago with the vision to create a high-touch, innovative, boutique firm that walks with clients throughout their career journey.
Rosa Moreno is passionate about helping people design lives and careers filled with purpose, joy, and connection. A natural facilitator and coach, she leans into design thinking and human-centered design as tools for navigating change, uncovering possibilities, and turning uncertainty into opportunity.
Naseer Rana holds a master’s in industrial and systems engineering from USC. He has served for more than two decades in senior positions with the World Bank, including as a governance advisor. In his global experience, he worked in South Asia, East Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.
Lisa Thomson is a career development and career transition coach, with over a decade of experience coaching early and mid-career professionals as they seek to continue to grow and advance within their careers. With extensive experience as a coach at a top 15 graduate business school and a global edtech startup, Lisa offers individual and small group coaching on career clarity, balancing work and life, strategic job search planning, and navigating and managing your career. She utilizes the design thinking model to encourage people to seek congruence in their careers and their lives, supporting her philosophy of lifelong learning and iterating. In addition to her DYL certification, she holds a Doctorate in Education from North Carolina State University and is trained in Positive Intelligence.
🌟 Career Development Coach | 📚 Guiding Individuals to Success Welcome to the world of career development and coaching, where I’m dedicated to empowering individuals at all career stages to thrive both in their professional lives and on their educational journeys. 🎯 Career Development Expertise: With over a decade of experience in career development, I’ve guided individuals towards fulfilling and prosperous career paths. I bring an innovative, human-centered design approach to the table, tailored to each person’s unique aspirations and potential. I believe that everyone has a dream, and it’s my mission to help them chase it. 📚 Nurturing Tomorrow’s Leaders: My passion lies in nurturing the leaders of tomorrow. Whether you’re a high school student starting your educational journey, a university student working on your career goals, or a seasoned professional seeking to thrive at work, I’m here to support you. I help individuals make informed decisions, align their studies with their career goals, and find success at every stage of their professional journey. Let’s work together to explore your unique talents and passions and create a thriving professional future. Contact me, and let’s make your dreams a reality!
Mandy helps ambitious professionals discover that their most powerful resource isn’t another strategy or framework—it’s the untapped wisdom of their own experience.
Joanne Koo believes that every person’s life is an unwritten book. Each writes his/her own. Her professional passion lies in working with people to help them discover their natural talents, strengths and aspirations to lead a more meaningful professional career and write a richer life story. An ICF Professional Certified Coach, Joanne’s career included being in Executive Search Korn/Ferry, heading MBA Career Services on INSEAD’s Asia Campus, as well as working with various Institutions of Higher Learning, using positive psychology creative arts therapy, NLP and other tools to help professionals position their strengths in the workplace.
I work in partnership with my clients to help them cultivate mindsets for shifting their energy to take action in creating plans to achieve their goals, live in possibility, and design a joyful life.
Tatiana Nesis is a psychologist and trainer with more than fifteen years of experience in the educational field. She began her professional path at the age of 18 working in schools as a teacher and professor, and since then she has accompanied children, adolescents and young people in their academic, social and emotional development. She led the guidance and counselling team at Northfield School Puertos until 2024, and currently coordinates the Personal Life Project program at Red Educativa Itínere, guiding students from four schools in the north of Buenos Aires as they explore their sense of purpose and make informed life and career decisions. She is also founder of Elegite Orientación, a vocational guidance and career redesign initiative for youth and adults, focused on the search for meaning and conscious decision making. Her approach combines close accompaniment, planning with concrete objectives and the conviction that each person can shape his or her own path. Tatiana feels deep gratitude for her vocation and is enkindled by accompanying others to discover what lights them up.
Professor and award-winning writing instructor, Heather N. Martin helps individuals harness the power of writing to live more intentional lives. Writing can be a tool of reflection, healing, growth, and planning. Heather has helped thousands from all over the world as a professor and coach. With warm guidance and decades of experience, she will help you write your way to a life you love.
Kandis Rodgers is a Career and Life Design coach with almost 10 years experience providing career counseling to individuals from a broad array of industries (accounting, business, marketing, engineering, public health, etc.). Kandis incorporates art, storytelling, and self-reflection into her work with those seeking career advancement or balance between career and life, career pivoters, and people who wonder, “What’s next?”.
Education Program Coordinator. Working with students and guiding them in their education journeys.
Amir is a strategist/marketer/banker and a professional life coach. He believes that coaching should be approached in multi-disciplinary ways, from philosophical, psychological, design thinking, storytelling, through personal business model, so that someone’s life potential can be unlocked wholistically. Amir is is a certified coach in STRONG Interest Inventory, Business Model (You) Innovation, and Designing Your Life. He has also earned accreditation from prestigious institutions such as Columbia Business School, Stanford Business School, Stanford D-School, Columbia Business School, Wharton Business School, UCLA Anderson x Cannes Lion-Marketer Academy, Omnicom x Singapore Management University-Spike Brand Manager Academy, and ACUCA Scholars. His career experience in the corporate world also enriches his coaching background; Amir has worked in various global banks. He received his first SVP posting when he was only 30 and has achieved about 50+ marketing awards up to date. He was featured as one of the 40 under 40 2020 Campaign Asia as top-tier talent transforming Asia-Pacific marketing.
I help people get unstuck and defeat the greatest self-limiting force in the universe: their comfortable, stagnant status quo. My work focuses on building personal and professional abundance through simple, repeatable systems. My abundance systems rest on three pillars: adopting the right mindset, simplifying goal setting, and tracking goals and habits effectively—principles I fully develop in my books Stop Just Being Yourself!, Becoming Positively Disruptive, and The Super Dad Myth.
What are you secretly wishing for yet feel that dream might be unreachable? What I love about what I do is I help people bring that dream into real life, exploring it, and building it, piece by piece. I support early career professionals in exploring their self-identity, designing their career and life paths that speak to who they are, and setting up the foundation for their long-term success. I also support people who are going through transitions, to craft their new life stories, creating more meaning and joy in their life as well as learning and growth. My approach is explorative, creative, and strategic, with a balance of exploration and actions, to support you in gaining clarity and moving forward with concrete action steps. As an enthusiastic learner and adventurer myself, warmth, curiosity, fun, and intelligence are some of the qualities I bring to what I do. I am a Master Certified Coach with over 2500 coaching hours, specializing in career coaching and leadership coaching. Leveraging 20 years of experience in business management and learning and development, I have supported many people in designing career and life paths that are more aligned with who they are and what they value. It was joyful to have witnessed my clients embark on richer, more colorful and fulfilling lives by using design thinking tools. Personally, I have spent years of studying, working, and living across Asia, Europe, and North America, and gone through a lot of personal and professional changes during my life which helped me gain valuable insights about transitions and navigating uncertainties and changes.
Jetaun Davis helps young adults become intentional about the lives they create. She believes the starting point is within and guides others through a journey of self-awareness utilizing a variety of tools and frameworks. A life coach certified through the Life Purpose Institute and a Myers & Briggs Certified Practitioner, she assists teens and twenty-somethings in designing their own paths to careers that will allow them to have fun and live a life of adventure – whatever that looks like for them. She also hosts the bi-weekly career podcast Journey to Jupiter: Discover the Life You’ll Create. With a decade of experience in internet marketing and consulting, Jetaun now operates at the intersection of higher education administration and personal development coaching at Emory University. She attended the University of Notre Dame (B.A., Sociology and Gender Studies) and Northwestern University (M.S., Communication).
Stephanie is the CEO of VOOYA, an education company that empowers students, parents, and professionals to feel more confident in their educational and career choices. She believes in a multidisciplinary approach to have a better understanding of oneself. Thus, they are able to decide and achieve the kind of future they find fulfilling and meaningful. She is a certified ‘Designing Your Life’ and ‘Business Model Youth’ career coach, ‘Strong Investment Inventory’ practitioner, and ‘Business Model You’ Master Facilitator.
I believe that everyone deserves a life with direction – and I’m here to help you find yours.
Hi, I’m James — a Life Design coach, facilitator, and founder of The Aliveness Project.
I bring over 25 years of diverse leadership, education and coaching expertise to individual and organizational clients. The Designing Your Life framework is embedded in my coaching foundation with individuals and groups. I’ve done extensive career and leadership development work in higher education, specifically focused on empowering women. Earlier in my career, I spent 18 years as an independent senior-level Human Resources leader working with small businesses, primarily in the areas of talent management, career/succession planning, employee engagement, team collaboration, training and strategic people planning to support business goals. I serve as a volunteer board member for a local credit union, chairing the CEO Evaluation Committee. My professional development includes memberships with the Society of Human Resource Management and the Association for Talent Development, and an MBA/Human Resources from Isenberg School of Management/UMass Amherst. I look forward to helping you reflect on who and where you are, envision who and where you want to be, and become an expert wayfinder as you design your unique path.
Kat Clements is eternally curious and a ‘student of life’, working at the intersection of social impact, career development and higher education. Kat’s coaching business, Sparkbright, focuses on supporting social impact and not-for-profit professionals. She works with clients to establish, transition into, and level up their purpose-driven careers, and take action in the world in alignment with their values. Her career design approach incorporates mindfulness, wellbeing and, importantly, the practice of joy-spotting.
Valerie has a passion for helping people discover and take the next best step in their lives. As a veteran college admissions counselor and college counselor, she has worked with hundreds of students and their families as they navigate the complex transition from high school to college through a process centered on self-discovery and goal-setting. Valerie also specializes in adult and faculty growth and advancement, where she approaches career inflection points with both tough questions and kindness. More than just a coach, Valerie is a catalyst for big change, and balances reflection and introspection with concrete action.
My focus is to support individuals navigating change and challenge, especially during life transitions (for example, new school, new job, empty nest, retirement).
Based in Northern Virginia, I am the Director of Equitable Opportunities for Vine & Fig Tree. In that position, I get to help youth and under-resourced and overlooked populations discover and develop their own paths to success. As a non-profit Executive Director and a board member for several small non-profits, I have a passion for investing in, and helping to further develop, advocates and leaders who want to make a difference in their communities, along with anyone feeling stuck in their life’s journey. Through an understanding of each individual’s unique strengths, I encourage a design path that focuses on using resources on hand and personal goals to overcome obstacles and navigate life and career transitions. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps, I’m also a certified Adverse Childhood Experiences trainer, Mental Health First Aid certified, and am a Verified Coach in the Enneagram via Cloverleaf and ICF.
I’m Johanna, founder of ᴍɪɴᴅᴜᴘᴘᴇʀꜱ – 𝗔 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆, and researcher at the University of Applied Sciences Worms. Bridging the academic and practical world of New Work and Positive Psychology, I’m on a mission to create fulfilling workspaces and enrich traditional controlling with human-centric KPIs.
I work for Greendale Schools in Wisconsin. We have a Charter school that allows students to have a more individually designed approach to education. With that, they can choose a combination of in person, virtual and independent study programming. I serve as the Success Coach. My role is helping students be successful in their classes and get them to their graduation day. I speak with them weekly and serve as a listening ear as they are working through their own personal challenges. We focus on improving the executive functioning skills they personally need to be a successful student and head into their next phase of life with confidence. I don’t take the opportunity I have with these high school students lightly. Each meeting is a chance to learn more about them as they grow, find their purpose and evolve into a life that brings them joy.
Born and bred in the beautiful Mother City, Cape Town, South Africa, I find my roots deeply intertwined with the community in Rocklands, Mitchell’s Plain, situated within the Cape Flats region of Cape Town. Over the past four years, in collaboration with my wife, our mission has centered on empowering the youth within this underserved community. The primary focus has been on nurturing the latent wonderfulness within them and providing guidance as they embark on a transformative journey towards a life where they can truly flourish. I am convinced that they are the agents of change in their communities. I love working with people and witnessing their triumphant journeys. Leading with adaptability, ideation, vision-casting, positivity, and inclusivity, my professional background is in youth ministry and swim coaching. These strengths enable me to more effectively empower and uplift those I work with. In terms of academic qualifications, I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from Northwest University, and I have also completed a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) in Systematic Theology from the University of Pretoria.
Suzanne Kennard has 20 plus years’ experience in senior leadership positions within various industries, including financial services, business services, manufacturing, and the utility sector. These positions included leadership roles in Marketing, Customer Relationship Management, Product Development, Corporate Development, and Client Management. In her coaching practice, Suzanne focuses on supporting individuals and teams including college students pursuing their first opportunity, leaders seeking support in their current roles and senior global leaders transitioning to new roles and/or broadening their scope of responsibility. Suzanne earned her leadership coaching certification from Georgetown University and is ICF PCC certified. Experienced in numerous assessment tools Suzanne holds an MS in Finance, an MBA in Marketing, a BA in Social Rehabilitation and has completed several executive education programs.
Are you ready to get started with the next thing? Sensing that there’s something better out there, but don’t know what? Needing a little more confidence to listen to yourself and tune out the noise? Whether you are a recent graduate or a seasoned professional, I’m here to help you gain deeper insights into yourself, see fresh perspectives, tap into your resourcefulness, and design a life and career you really, really want.
I support high school and college students, recent graduates and retired professionals re-entering the work force. Together we explore their academic, professional and personal goals along with their talents and interests to maximize plans for next phases, be that a four year college experience or a recent grad beginning a first job or an empty nest parent looking to restart a career or begin a new professional path.
Regina Padilla is a psychologist, educator, and certified Designing Your Life coach passionate about guiding people to design lives filled with meaning, purpose, and joy. With over 15 years of experience in psychotherapy, parent education, and youth development, she has worked with adolescents, young adults, and families in both private practice and educational settings.
Gabrielle Gononsky is the founder of CultivatED, a design thinking consultancy that helps individuals, teams, and institutions navigate complexity, cultivate connection, and design meaningful lives and communities.
Shalu Ahuja is a Certified Designing Your Life (DYL) Coach and founder of Sthir, where she helps students build clarity and agency in a rapidly changing, AI-driven world.
As a university Career Services Director, assistant professor, and story scholar, I coach students, encouraging them to dig into life work options and create their unique road maps. Through the exploration of personal narrative, and using co-active and transformational coaching tools, students uncover their strengths, clarify goals, and navigate career choices.
In my role as Founder and CEO of reboot4success LLC, I am dedicated to crafting personalized strategies that empower college stop-outs to get back in the boat and complete their studies. Our organization specializes in academic skill building, fostering growth mindsets and setting actionable goals, and understanding the financial literacy that is necessary for college enrollment.
Chad Ellsworth is an author; professional speaker; career, leadership, and life coach. In 2018, he published, “Building up without tearing down: How to cultivate heroic leadership in you and your organization.” On December 29, 2018, he was featured in a story in the Star Tribune, “Coaching us to purposeful lives.”
As a guest on the lands of the Treaty 7 peoples of Southern Alberta and Métis Nation of Alberta, Districts 5 & 6, Gareth McVicar has had the great privilege over the last 16 years of working with students, faculty and staff to collaboratively create, grow and/or facilitate many of the University of Calgary’s leadership, orientation and student life programs.
Rooted in curiosity and creativity, Chelsey partners with clients to design energized, intentional lives from the inside out. As a Career Advisor at a research institution, she supports students in shaping well-rounded professional paths through personalized coaching, thoughtful conversation, and innovative programming.
Kim Vierra is an award-winning educator and career coach known for guiding students towards fulfilling lives. Currently, she serves as the Student Engagement Program Manager and Instructor in the College of Business at Oregon State University-Cascades. In this role, Kim collaborates with business leaders and external partners to design and implement a comprehensive curriculum of professional development experiences. She also provides personalized guidance to students in all aspects of their career planning. Prior to joining Oregon State University-Cascades, Kim gained valuable experience at Mercer and Nike. Her roles at these organizations involved management development and learning, global mobility, compensation, and benefits. She has also co-founded impactful initiatives such as the OSU-Cascades Innovation Pitch Fest, Alumni Career Conversations, and the College of Business Reverse Career Fair. Kim holds a Master of International Management (MIM) from Portland State University and a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Economics from Lewis & Clark College. Her approach is consultative, with a strong emphasis on a bias towards action. Through her dedication to learning and career development, Kim aims to make a lasting impact on her local community and individuals alike.
Barb Mackie has over twenty years working in career education in the university sector, most recently specialising in coaching MBA students. Each student has a compelling story. Barb guides students to reimagine and create their careers based on a design thinking approach. Using a strengths-based approach to career development, Barb coaches students to clarify their purpose, explore options, leverage from past experience and create a future. Barb has a track record in guiding students to articulate their personal profile and presence (in person and online) to develop and expand strategic networks and relationships to bring career goals to reality, gaining confidence and managing uncertainty. Barb is located in Newcastle, NSW Australia and is available to coach clients online. Contact Barb on barbara.mackie@me.com
Laura is a native North Carolinian who attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She moved away for 20 years (NY & DC) and returned to her home state. After starting her career in public relations in the publishing industry in New York City, Laura attended graduate school at The American University, obtaining her M.A. in Education. She has worked in higher education and a variety of educational institutions, serving undergraduate and graduate students, for over 25 years, including more than 13 years at The Duke University Fuqua School of Business. Coaching is more than a job to Laura, as she builds long-lasting relationships with students and alumni. She finds great satisfaction in helping individuals stay true to their authentic selves, telling their professional stories, and supporting their career journeys. She is an ICF Associate Certified Coach, a Certified CliftonStrengths Coach, and a Distinguished Toastmaster. Laura is also nourishing a private coaching practice.
Leslie Bailey Streissguth began her career journey at the University of Virginia, where she majored in Rhetoric and Communications. After working in the broadcast news industry, she felt her professional life could offer more, so she started taking to people. From there, she pivoted and earned a Master’s of Teaching from Towson University. Her career has continued to carve its path, each turn coming from being curious, talking to people, and trying new things. Designing Your Life was something she did before there was a name for it!
Jen is a life coach and educator who helps individuals navigate career and life transitions with curiosity, creativity, and confidence. Drawing on design thinking, positive psychology, and career development theory, she supports individuals to explore possibilities, build self-awareness, and design meaningful futures.
I bring coaching to life, and I love what I do! I’m a Northwestern University grad with a unique combination of real world experience, and world-class self discovery coaching tools.
During my career I’ve had the opportunity to provide career counseling to over 10,000 individuals from 100 plus countries, give more than 1,400 presentations and teach 30 sections of a career decision making class. In addition to my formal degrees, I am also a certified Global Career Development Facilitator, Career Launch Coach, Federal Employment Advisor and Mental Health First Aid Provider. My specialty is optimizing human potential.
Michael is a relationship builder and believes in the power of positivity. His time spent guiding an organization rooted in youth mentoring and empowerment shaped his belief that all challenges in life are opportunities, and his role is to support each individual on their path to “winning” their opportunities. By first building a trusting, supportive relationship as a foundation, he believes he can support every individual in finding their success.
Veronika has been working with young people since 2017 supporting them in finding community, building a sense of belonging and navigating the challenges of early adulthood. Currently, Veronika works at the University of Minnesota in the Carlson School of Management as the Wellbeing Coordinator. This work is focused on programmatic and systematic support for student wellbeing working across the college and university. Veronika has also served as an adjunct instructor in the Carlson School of Management teaching BA 1011: Leading Self and Teams, BA 2062: Impact Lab Problem Solving, and BA 1021: Design Your Life.
I’m Lucy Kinosian, an independent private counselor for youth and midlife women based in Frankfurt, Germany, helping people navigate moments of transition with courage and clarity.
Living a life of impact through meaningful connections.
Yaniv Kleinman is an Associate Director of Career Services at the NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. In this role, Yaniv coaches graduate students in their career development and partners with student groups to organize career panels and professional development workshops.
Aalia is a Communication and Connection Specialist and Coach. Through extensive knowledge in Communication and Coaching, she helps each of her clients unlock the power of their voice, find deep Connection with themselves, with others, and with their purpose. She is the Designing Your Life Coach and Parent Coach for the Crunchmoms group, a Senior Speech-Language Pathologist and Learning Development Specialist at The Developing Child Center, and leads the Parental Engagement group for the Aga Khan Social Welfare Board.
Amy Xu is a seasoned talent development professional with over 10 years of experience in a Fortune 500 company, where she leads leadership development programs and drives strategic talent initiatives. Certified in Hogan Personality Assessment coach, APTD, and PMP, Amy brings a unique blend of coaching rigor, psychometric insight, and programmatic execution to her work.
Laura Francis is an ICF certified life coach, career coach and speaker. She brings over 30 years of diverse experience to her work. Featured in the New York Times and NPR radio, Laura is an expert on teen, young adult and midlife and the issues currently affecting those populations. She is an active member of the Forbes Coaches Council and a designing your life certified coach. Laura regularly speaks at Rancho la Puerta wellness center, The University of California and Lewis and Clark University. She is currently expanding into corporate wellness programs. Laura has an active individual and group coaching practice and brings curiosity, open mindedness, active listening and thoughtful analysis to her work. As a career coach, Laura is particularly interested in helping clients find work at the intersection of what they love, what they can be paid for, what they are good at, and what the world needs.
My favorite parts of being a coach are hearing my clients gain clarity about what they want and watching them feel empowered to move toward their goals. As a coach I use empowering questions, reflective feedback, assessment, exercises, patience and compassion to help clients get clear on their values and life goals.
John Kelley believes that all people have the potential to live lives full of joy, purpose, and connection and that personal growth is the foundation for building strong communities and ethical leadership. By working deeply with individuals, he helps them develop the skills, habits, and mindset needed to create transformation in their lives.
I’ve been there before. I was that student who graduated college with no desire to work in my field of study. I was that professional that went to work each morning with an ache in my stomach and a lingering sense that there was more for me to do. During those times, I learned to intentionally disrupt my life to produce a different and more fulfilling outcome. From moving to South Korea to pursue graduate studies in sociology to building a 4-year global leadership program in the midst of COVID, I embraced the experimentation of the Design Your Life framework and it has served me well.
Feeling stuck? Whether you’re considering a change, returning after time away, or launching your professional journey, I can help you move from uncertainty to a clear, achievable plan.
Sarah Wojnicki Smith is known for coaching and teaching emerging leaders and early career professionals who want to discover their leadership strengths. She creates transformational experiences through one-to-one coaching, group facilitation, and immersive retreats. Sarah also designs and delivers custom leadership development programs for undergraduate students, professional associations, and alumni communities. Drawing on design thinking, and leadership and equity-minded frameworks, she helps clients clarify their current needs and beliefs and prototype future possibilities.
Linette Heng has more than 29 years of experience in education, training & development, leadership development, talent management and organization development in both the public and private sectors.
Brie is the Chief of Empowerment and Head of Positivity for Work Life Om, LLC. In her 13+ years of coaching, consulting, training, and teaching, Brie has worked with a vast range of career shifters, such as students just starting out in their college journeys, to working professionals in mid and encore careers looking to transition into their next role. As a previous Major and Career Exploration Coach in the Colorado University system, Brie has assisted thousands of college students find meaningful majors, set up and execute career milestone maps, and build the necessary skills to land jobs upon graduation. As a certified Career Readiness Coach, Brie helps an array of working professionals in the tech, humanities, social science, and business industries finetune their job seeking, interviewing, and resume writing skills. Finally, as a Life Design Coach, Brie specializes in thoughtfully working with mid and encore career seekers looking to transition into their next role in life. Based in Colorado, but a native to the island of Aruba, Brie works with clients in Colorado and the virtual Caribbean. She has a B.A. in Communication Studies, an M.A. in Training & Development, and an M.A. in Learning Design and Technology.
John Giordano, Ph.D., M.F.A., founded Ramp Coaching in 2016. He is a Designing Your Life Coach and a certified Co-Active Coach (CPCC), as well as an International Coaching Federation Associate Certified Coach (ACC) and IECA Professional Member – the gold standards for professional coaching and educational consulting. John came to coaching and educational consulting after 30 years of college teaching in visual art & design, interdisciplinary humanities, and community engagement where he loved advising students one-to-one. He takes a creative approach to the coaching experience by seeing personal growth and human flourishing as a creative process that everyone can access, regardless of age or background. Ramp offers individual and group Life Design Coaching for adults and recent college graduates, the Semester for Change program for college-age students who are struggling with direction-finding or academic success, the Semester Success coaching and support process that takes place during the college semester, and College Coaching for high school juniors and seniors, which combines the college application process with self-awareness coaching and an authentic interest-finding process.
For over 20 years, I volunteered as an MIT Educational Counselor conducting alumni interviews on behalf of MIT to evaluate candidates as part of their admissions process. This experience gave me a unique perspective on what universities are genuinely looking for beyond what’s on paper. I loved the experience but wanted to do more to help college applicants and thus started independent college consulting. My practice is based on one-on-one support, and each student can expect an individually designed process with focused attention on him/her/them. I eventually realized that young adults continue to seek guidance after graduating from college. Therefore, I plan to use DYL’s tools to guide young adults after college in their life and career wayfinding.
I am a technology executive, Chief of Staff, and leadership coach with more than 20 years of experience across global marketing, business operations, and transformation roles at companies including Microsoft, Samsung Electronics, and Heidelberg Digital. Currently, I serve as Chief of Staff in Microsoft’s Global Industry, Cloud & AI organization, partnering with senior leadership to drive strategy, operating rhythm, and large-scale transformation across a complex, global portfolio. My career has been shaped by constant transition—across industries, countries, cultures, and leadership roles. These experiences have given me a deep appreciation for ambiguity, reinvention, and the courage required to navigate inflection points with intention rather than fear. Alongside my corporate work, I coach leaders and early-career professionals, including students, who are navigating change: leadership transitions, career pivots, first major role decisions, and moments when the traditional path no longer feels right. My coaching emphasizes intentional career and life design—helping individuals step back, clarify what matters most, and make thoughtful, values-aligned choices. Rather than chasing certainty, we focus on building clarity through reflection, experimentation, and forward momentum. I hold an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and am an ICF-credentialed coach and Certified Professional Coach. I have studied and worked across Europe, Asia, and North America.
Hello! I’m a learning designer by trade and I hold a master’s in education from Purdue University. I discovered Designing Your Life during a mid-career transition (from marketing to learning design). After reading the book and completing the exercises, I kept wishing that I knew about DYL earlier! I became a Designing Your Life coach in 2020 and I specialize in bringing DYL tools to high school and university students.
A Wisconsin native, Nick attended the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, as a first-generation college student. During his undergraduate experience, he found a passion for serving and helping others. This passion led Nick to continue his education at Mississippi State University, where he earned a Master of Science in Counselor Education with an emphasis in College Counseling. Nick has spent the last fifteen years of his professional career helping students navigate the landscape of higher education. He has worked for large land grant institutions, small state schools, and private faith-based institutions. His roles have included work in housing, counseling, career services, academic advising, summer bridge programs, first-year experience, orientation, academic support, and student success. As a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, he helps individuals activate their natural talents, abilities, and ways of thinking into productive and purposeful ways of living. Nick currently works and lives in Nashville, TN, where he serves graduate students and postdoctoral fellows at Vanderbilt University.
Kerry has a passion for helping individuals navigate change and uncover meaningful opportunities. With experience supporting people through all walks of life, Kerry brings empathy, strategic insight, and a practical approach to career and academic planning. She excels in designing and facilitating workshops that build confidence and clarity, and in supporting personalized strategies that lead to lasting results. Fluent in English and Spanish, Kerry’s love of travel and human connection fuels her curiosity about people and cultures. Her background as a university instructor informs her coaching style—rooted in exploration, growth, and lifelong learning. At the heart of her work is a belief that careers are more than paycheques—they’re opportunities to align skills, values, and purpose in ways that last
Communications and Transition Coach
Chenyu Zhang is a cross-disciplinary educator, AI researcher, and certified co-active coach with a mission to help individuals unlock their potential and lead lives of purpose and impact. With over a decade of experience in software engineering and a Master’s in Learning Design, Innovation, and Technology from Harvard, Chenyu blends deep technical expertise with a human-centered approach to growth and learning.
Steve is the Director of Denison University’s co-curricular center for entrepreneurship, innovation, and design thinking which we call the Red Frame Lab. He coaches students, helps student organizations improve, and designs and implements career-like experiences so they can prototype various futures. Steve is a 10-year education consultant designing in the US, Egypt, and other countries. His first career spanned 25 years in science & technology as a photonics engineer with the world’s largest independent R&D company. He is the father of an actor, a professional musician, and a music teacher, and he likes to play his own saxophones for fun. Steve has coached high schoolers, young professionals, and mid-lifers like himself.
To empower everyone to become our best so that we live our lives to the fullest
I help aspiring entrepreneurs and students design their business and personal growth strategies. I draw upon my own experience of 8 different career pathways – including my first with McKinsey Tokyo and Los Angeles – and starting 3 successful companies. I specialize in cross border business in the US and Japan. Fluent in Japanese.
As a first-generation college student and daughter of immigrants, I learned to navigate the hidden curriculum of higher education by aligning my choices with my core values and sense of self. During my doctoral journey, I began to question the narrow narrative that defined success solely as a tenured professorship. Intuitively, I leaned into the Designing Your Life (DYL) framework—reflecting on what energized or drained me, exploring multiple career paths, clarifying my values, and connecting with professionals who had forged diverse paths with similar training.
Laura is honored to serve as a career educator with three decades of experience in higher education, career counseling, professional speaking, and leadership. She holds an M.Ed. in Student Development in Higher Education from the University of Maine and a bachelor’s degree from Nebraska Wesleyan University.
Melissa Soza Fees, Ph. D, is a clinical psychologist who combines the best of positive psychology with two powerful and proven frameworks that enable human flourishing including Design Your Life (DYL) & Gallup Strengths. It starts within each of our relationships such as family and friendships and within our organizations as managers and colleagues. StrengthsLearning provides a proven and flexible model that is customized to work with organizations of all types. Dr. Fees brings deep expertise and practical insights that enable individuals and organizations to benefit from both strengths-based and design first mindsets.
Abdullah Bamatraf is the first Designing Your Life Coach in Saudi Arabia, introducing life design practices across government, private sector, and nonprofit programs in the Kingdom and the wider MENA region. His coaching blends global frameworks with culturally relevant practices, ensuring real-world impact that resonates with local communities.
Linda is a Certified Professional Co-active Coach and a Professional Certified Coach with 15 years of experience teaching, mentoring, and coaching. Working primarily with creative young adults, she is passionate about helping her clients make the positive changes they wish to see in their lives. Her background in higher education and college counseling brings an understanding of both the academic field and the range of experiences individuals have at this stage of their lives. Her experience as a professional lighting designer adds an element of imagination and innovative thinking, allowing creative expression to be a valued aspect of career development. Her work guides the process of uncovering what is truly important to her clients as they learn to hone their own vision and values as young adults and facilitating choices that honor that. Working together, she helps clients build a future that reflects their values and dreams.
David Angdi is an Organizational and Career Coach with over 3 years of dedicated coaching experience, specializing in helping professionals break through barriers and elevate their performance. With 13+ years of career experience across multinational companies, David currently leads a team at Strategy & Operations at LinkedIn, bringing real-world corporate insight to his coaching practice.