Profile

“Our life is composed greatly from dreams, from the unconscious, and they must be brought into connection with action. They must be woven together.“
~ Anais Nin

If you decide to pursue working with a coach, you need to feel confident that you have the right companion as you establish and move toward your goals.  Trust and a sense of connection can accelerate your progress.  Here is part of my personal story for you to learn about who I am and how I work with clients.

I am by inclination and by training a left-brain thinker who believes in the profound power of the right brain. I spent twenty-five years in technology: teaching, researching and consulting.  I earned a Ph.D. in Information and Computer Science from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1987 because I thought computers were absurdly hard to use and I wanted to be part of making them more accessible. But I have always prized people over machines, and I am constantly learning about new ways to apply technology to address life’s challenges.  (Join me on Facebook or Twitter to learn more.)  Since 1995, I have been a happy, successful entrepreneur working from home and I am very committed to a strong work-life balance.  Many of my clients are entrepreneurs who benefit from my integrated style of combining business and personal coaching.

I place a high value on science, and I believe wholeheartedly in the wisdom of intuition. My decision to pursue coaching as a profession was the result of a recurring dream.  For six months, week after week, I dreamed that I had lost my computer.  My beloved computer!  This happened in various ways—it was stolen, lost, or destroyed, but the terrifying conclusion was always the same.  I would wake up completely rattled by the thought that my data, my tools, and my power were gone.  I came to realize that I had to expand my identity beyond computer geek. I researched coaching training programs and found the one that inspired me the most.  I trained and certified with Martha Beck, famous for her many books and her regular column in O Magazine, and her team of master coaches.  The researched-based methodology I learned through that program is a spicy blend of science and intuition that works.

I am a realist, and I choose to live a joyous life. My friends will tell you that I am forever saying, “But the good thing is…” This is not because I am a chirping Pollyanna who puts on blinders before I get up each morning.  Rather, I have a made a very conscious decision to value the lessons that life offers and to include the people, places, and passions that bring me delight. Some of those passions are eclectic.  For instance, I am a published essayist and an award-winning knitting designer.  Okay, that was just one 4th place in a sock design contest but it was a huge thrill for me.

I have had the extraordinary good fortune to work with brilliant, compassionate teachers. I have not always had this deep sense of connection and meaning; I understand from experience what lost and frustrated feel like. But nothing is more stimulating to me than the opportunity to learn something new and I embrace very diverse points of view.  I also benefit deeply from a personal spiritual practice and my frequent involvement in the work of my Episcopal church.  It is here that I continue to discover what enriches my spirit and what makes my family life strong as I witness the extraordinary benefits of a healthy faith community.

These are just highlights, but I hope they offer you a sense of what it might be like to work with me, as partner and coach.  If my story resonates with you, please contact me and let’s begin the conversation.