About
You know you have more to offer. Let's make sure it shows.
I’m a board-certified executive coach, facilitator, and speaker with 20+ years of leadership experience across for-profit and nonprofit organizations. Today, I help leaders design their unique form of leadership, strengthen their influence, and create greater impact.
My approach is grounded in one simple idea: you don’t have to become someone else to become a more effective leader. Together, we uncover what makes your leadership distinctive, clarify how you want to lead, and turn that into authentic influence so your leadership becomes visible, credible, and impossible to overlook.
Why Work With Me
My goal is to help you lead in a way that's unmistakably you, and unmistakably effective.
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Growth, not conformity. Leadership development should expand what's possible for you to achieve, not force you into someone else's definition of a leader.
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Executive presence, not stagecraft. Presence is showing up in ways that authentically build credibility, trust, and influence, not performing a script.
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Design, not default. Effective leadership doesn't happen by accident. It's about consciously choosing how you want to lead, communicate, and influence based on who you are and what you want to accomplish.
My Background
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Board Certified and ICF-Credentialed Executive Coach with more than 10 years partnering with executives through coaching, consulting, and facilitation
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20+ years of leadership experience at organizations that included Walt Disney World, National Geographic, and Choice Hotels
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Award-winning adjunct professor who designed the Strategic Leadership and Branding courses for the Master of Professional Studies program at Georgetown University
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MBA from UNC Chapel Hill
Lead with Clarity.
Lead as You.
You know you have more to offer, but aren't getting the visibility, influence, or impact you want.
Through 1:1 coaching, I help you identify what's getting in the way and make strategic choices about how you lead, communicate, build trust, gain buy-in, and move people to action. This work is well suited for:
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Established executives navigating a transition, stretch assignment, or increased visibility
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Leaders preparing for a high-stakes moment: a promotion, a pitch, a reorganization, a bigger stage
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Emerging leaders and newly promoted managers finding their footing at a new level
What to expect: a partnership grounded in strategic choice, not scripts. We'll get clear on what effective leadership looks like for you based on who you are, what you value, and what you're trying to accomplish. Then, we'll focus on how to lead, communicate, influence in ways that reflect that identity and generate visible results where they matter most.
Workshops Built for Real Change.
For organizations investing in leadership development that actually changes how people show up. I design and facilitate workshops on intentional leadership, executive presence, communication, and influence, built around the same philosophy that drives my 1:1 coaching: leadership isn't about adopting a persona, it's about strategically choosing how you lead.
Workshops can be tailored to:
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Leadership teams driving change or realignment
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Rising leaders navigating expanded responsibility
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Organizations building a stronger, more consistent leadership culture
Popular topics include:
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Intentional Leadership: Defining and Expressing Who You Are for Maximum Impact
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Getting Noticed for the Right Reasons
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Saying Less, Landing More: Executive Communication
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Navigating Stakeholders with Confidence
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Building a Culture of Authentic Leadership
Keynotes & Speaking
I speak on intentional leadership, executive presence, and authentic influence, helping audiences rethink what it actually takes to lead effectively without losing themselves in the process.
My goal is to maximize engagement and leave your audience excited to move forward, so I work with you to customize the topic and approach that will resonate the most.
Topics I speak on include:
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Leadership Isn't a Role to Play. It's Yours to Define.
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The Myth of Executive Presence
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Authentic Influence: Leading Without Becoming Someone You're Not
Interested in having me speak at your event? Let's talk about what your audience needs.
Testimonials
"Rita partnered with me to transform our culture from “we’ve always done it that way” to one that questions the status quo and actively tests new ideas. We went from random, emotionally driven guess-work to a big-picture long-view strategy that is informed by data and best practices."
Cynthia Y.
"Rita was a great facilitator. The way the content tied together, the way the workshop progressed, and the amount of thoughtful feedback showed a great amount of care and consideration went into the planning, and it was much appreciated."
Zack W.
"Rita received the highest rating of all of our external speakers. The hands-on workshop was clearly appreciated by all – including me! I have used the learnings to make inroads on a few things already – very satisfying."
Heidi D.