fearless, inclusive & present

I have found that my vocation is to dare others to elevate and sustain their leadership capacity, and then dare them to start all over again.

People who know me call me fearless, active, provoking, and engaging.  They also call me inclusive, present, encouraging, and gentle.  A lifetime of experience and occasional struggle with these two distinct energies has produced my greatest triumphs...and certainly my harshest lessons!

My declared ambition while preparing to finish college was to “do good” in the world.  As much by happenstance as by design, my first job was in the not-for-profit sector in an operations support function. Within less than ten years I had assumed a formal leadership position, and by age 35 was a CFO.

Looking back over my career progression, I can say I diligently "did good" while working for a wide variety of charitable organizations: local, national and global in scope; budgets from $30,000 to $75 million; special events driven or government contracts driven; in high-growth mode, turn-around mode, or maintaining.  In every case my unique contribution was consistent: a natural drive to cultivate trusting relationships, come to know the best in others, and offer my support to maximize their effectiveness as both leaders and followers.

Today I can best capture the essence of my own journey with the words “emerge”, “transform”, “integrate” and "sustain".  These acts describe my most profound experiences developing, succeeding--and sometime failing--as a leader.  Today they inspire me to continue to learn and grow as well as to share this with my clients.