I grew up in a small coal-mining town in Central Pennsylvania and became the first in my family to finish college—twice. High school was… well, high school...hormones, awkward moments, and just enough academic effort to get by. College started off the same way. I worked full-time as a waiter, did the bare minimum in class, and skated through—until midway through sophomore year, when a personal development test changed everything. The more I learned about myself, the more I grew up, and (shockingly) the more I actually enjoyed learning. That shift led to good grades, a business degree, and, apparently, an addiction to professional development. I went right back to school for an even better business degree and, just for fun, took a non-credit elective on The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Once again, development propelled me forward. I spent a few years managing restaurants (not my calling) and selling investments and insurance (definitely not my calling). Then I found my first real fit: Student Development at a university. I spent a decade in housing and residence life, helping students find their footing—and later, training new managers to do the same. And let me tell you, I was AMAZING at it. Just kidding—I was not good at first. 

Most new managers aren’t. The learning curve is steep, and traditional HR training focuses more on paperwork than peoplework. I eventually figured it out (thankfully), earned a promotion, and hit my next big A-ha! moment—courtesy of, you guessed it, another professional development training: CliftonStrengths.

That training changed everything. I finally understood how to lead authentically. And that’s the game-changer. People can smell fake a mile away—especially when you’re their boss. If you don’t trust someone, how willing are you to follow them? When I started leading as myself instead of trying to copy someone else’s style, my effectiveness skyrocketed.

Eventually, I left higher ed to start a pet care business, which (surprise!) took off. Soon, other pet care professionals were asking me for coaching and business advice, which turned into a side hustle. That’s when I discovered CliftonStrengths offered a coaching certification—and just like that, I was back in my element.

Now, I specialize in coaching early-career managers because they have the biggest impact on the workforce. Over 60% of employees report to entry-level managers, yet most of those managers receive little to no training beyond compliance and HR checklists. I bridge that gap. Using CliftonStrengths, I help managers find their authentic leadership style, and I teach the skills I wish someone had taught me: time management, goal setting, prioritization, effective communication, conflict resolution, running meetings that don’t suck, supporting employees, and developmental coaching.

Here’s my math: 

• Better managers = higher employee engagement. 
• Higher engagement = improved productivity, profitability, retention, and wellbeing (AKA, all the metrics boardrooms actually care about). 

My mission? To improve society by making managers better, sooner.

When I’m not coaching or training, you can find me rowing, cycling (outdoors or on the Peloton), traveling with my better half, or spending time with friends, family, and my pup, Pebbles—who, for the record, is the real boss in our house.