About Me

I bring my life experiences, education and training to my work as a coach.  

Coach

I studied Life and Career Coaching at Rider University.  Long before this more formal training, I advised and mentored undergraduate and graduate students, doctoral candidates, new professionals, and anyone needing a supportive friend, accountability partner, or a bit of tough love. Most recently, my coaching clients have been:

• College students
• Young professionals entering the workforce
• "Sandwich generation" women 
• Graduate students completing a doctorate
• Professionals considering a career change and/or creating an enjoyable side hustle
• Adults adjusting to retirement
• Parents of neurodiverse children to prepare them for college and independent living

Educator

Nearly 20 years of work in higher education has provided me experience in Student Affairs, Undergraduate Education and Academic Affairs. I am strategic-thinking, skilled at building faculty connections and collaborations, developing student leaders, and advising and mentoring students and new professionals. I have experience with grant-writing, project management, and building educational initiatives that promote student retention. I have taught courses in women's leadership and transition skills for transfer students. I am dedicated to diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice and ensuring that education is accessible, equitable, forward-thinking and progressive.

I have a B.A. in Women's Studies and American Studies, an Ed.M. in Adult and Continuing Education, and an Ed.D. in Sociological and Philosophical Foundations of Education, all from Rutgers University.  My dissertation focused on the lived experiences of doctoral student mothers as they managed and balanced the responsibilities of school, work, and motherhood. The strategies used to try to achieve a reasonable balance, the conflicts experienced when managing different roles, motivation to persist, and contribution to educational practice and policy were examined. 

Mom

I'm a mom to three, first a son (now a college sophomore) and boy-girl twins (now high school juniors) and still remember the days of three under three like it was yesterday.  I am a mom who has sat through numerous meetings advocating for IEPs and 504s, traverses the state for track meets and band competitions, has driven hours away to tour colleges (for my kid to dislike the campus immediately), checks chores and doles out allowances, and requires a daily proof of life text from the college student. I often stay up too late after everyone has gone to bed to watch TV and have a few minutes to myself, read past my bedtime, and I really need a date night with my husband and a night of laughs with girlfriends. I read once that moms of teenagers should have a dog so someone is always happy to see them - I am also the mom of a two cockapoos named Hershey and Graham and a senior yorkie named Bella. Apparently, dogs are like potato chips, you can't only have one.

I live in NJ and love the Jersey shore, particularly Cape May. In my free time I read, walk, listen to podcasts (Mel Robbins is my new obsession), make wildly unobtainable to-do lists, practice yoga, support local businesses, and am active in my graduate school alumni association.