Hudson Institute, Certified Coach
Northwestern University, Organizational and Leadership Coach Graduate Certification
Prosci Certified Change Practitioner
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, BA, Communications and Psychology
Court Appointed Special Advocate
This is my story
Hi, I’m Stephanie! I grew up in North Carolina and have lived in the San Francisco Bay Area since 2003 except for a 3-year stint in Sydney, Australia. I have two big, rambunctious dogs, Oliver and Maisey. They keep me busy by needing constant exercise. I love old houses and live in a colorful old Victorian from the 1870’s.
Before becoming a full-time coach, I worked for Google for 17 years managing teams, creating learning experiences, and consulting with business leaders. From being an individual contributor, to taking on people management roles, and leading regional teams, I’ve had the opportunity to dive into various products and departments, including ad sales, analytics, payments, cloud, and people operations. I’ve encountered my share of failures, pivots, learning experiences, unlearning old habits, and embracing new knowledge. This has equipped me with the ability to hear and understand where my clients are coming from in order to coach them and offer insights, where appropriate.
For 10 of those years, I coached Google employees as a “Career Guru” and Leadership Coach and it brought me immense joy. Now, I find myself dedicating 100% of my time to empowering and guiding brilliant and creative folks on their journey of personal and professional growth.
I Serve
You are someone who wants to:
- Embark on a different career but is unsure about where to start.
- Get assistance with every aspect of the job application process, including crafting resumes, cover letters, and building valuable connections.
- Leverage your existing skills from one career to transition into a new one.
- Enhance your communication skills to ensure better understanding.
- Create a compelling case to navigate the competitive promotion process.
- Break free from external expectations to discover a career that resonates with your passion and interests.
- Navigate through rapid work changes, especially in volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous situations.
- Become a great manager who motivates, mentors, and builds a cohesive and capable team.
- Influence effectively and project a powerful executive presence.
- Navigate office politics, build strong relationships, and get things done with other
My Coaching Approach
My approach is to create a space of non-judgment, empathy, and honesty. My clients say I’m an attentive listener with a compassionate demeanor who prioritizes problem-solving with self-discovery. As a coach, my top priority is to make sure my clients walk away from each session feeling refreshed and motivated, with a clear vision of their next moves. My aim is to become a reliable and trusted partner for my clients—a supportive cheerleader during your successes and someone who can provide honest and constructive feedback when it’s needed. I have a no-nonsense approach, striving to explore deeply and reveal the root causes of the issues at hand. I also like coaching people from all walks of life. No matter the industry or the company you work for, the process, partnership, and outcomes are the same.
Throughout my 20+ years of professional experience, I’ve acquired a wealth of valuable insights and expertise in the business world. As a result, I am adept at integrating this knowledge with a skillful coaching approach to help my clients achieve meaningful development and growth. My clients tell me again and again that they genuinely appreciate the value and benefits received from this combination of experience and coaching.
What my clients say
“Stephanie has empowered me with invaluable perspectives and techniques to help me avoid alienating people as a leader, especially right out of the gate. Through her guidance, I’ve learned to manage my energy more effectively, delegate with confidence, and truly listen to others. These shifts have allowed me to show up as a much more effective and approachable leader, making a positive impact on both my team and myself.”
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“Stephanie’s approach has been remarkably thoughtful, engaging me with great questions that have been instrumental in my journey of self-discovery. Thanks to our work together, I’ve been honing my active listening skills, becoming a more conscious and intentional leader in managing my personal brand, and being more sensitive to the emotions of both my team and peers.”
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“My coaching journey with Stephanie has been an incredible source of support, validation, and reassurance. Throughout our sessions, I’ve felt truly empowered, especially as I’ve navigated some tough work dynamics. Stephanie’s guidance has been a gift, and I can’t overstate the positive impact it’s had on my personal and professional growth.”
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“Throughout our time together, I’ve felt an incredible sense of support, validation, and reassurance. It’s been truly empowering, especially as I’ve navigated some complex work dynamics. Stephanie’s guidance and presence have been a tremendous asset on this path. I’ve regained confidence that was lost during the past few years and have taken action on doing something for myself, joining Chief. In addition, I’ve been proactively engaging in interviews and networking to explore new opportunities. It’s been an eye-opening experience, and I’ve honed the skill of taking time out to reflect on each career scenario thoughtfully and effectively. This process has been instrumental in helping me make informed decisions and find the right path for my future.”
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“These past 6 months have been filled with self-doubt and imposter syndrome, but you’ve been an absolute game-changer. You’ve shown me that I can trust my abilities to handle challenging situations with grace and skill. What’s more, your guidance has made me a better and more confident manager. Your support and insights have been a true turning point in my career journey.”
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“Through coaching with Stephanie, I’ve pinpointed areas where I can step up my managerial game, learned effective strategies to handle team members who struggle with ambiguity, and discovered how to excel and make a meaningful impact as a manager even without extensive content knowledge. It’s been an eye-opening journey, and I feel more empowered than ever in my role. Thanks to the work we’ve done together, my confidence has increased, and I’m now committing wholeheartedly to my career path.”
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“I truly value Steph’s flexibility and adaptability in supporting me through this journey. Whenever new challenges pop up in my new job, Steph has been there to provide guidance, even in areas we didn’t originally plan to cover in our coaching sessions. Her commitment to my growth is genuinely invaluable!”
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“Stephanie creates a safe space in which to get vulnerable and consider some challenging truths about yourself. She has challenged me to empathize with certain problematic coworkers, which is a different point of view that I have never taken before. I cannot emphasize enough the positive impact this insight has had on one of my most difficult coworker relationships. She has also helped me understand that sometimes what I am facing in the workplace might not be ‘my fault’ or ‘my shortcomings’. Sometimes there are external factors that may contribute that are out of my control. Her influence has challenged me and helped to shift my thinking and mindset significantly.”
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“ALV Coaching and Stephanie helped me pull out of a dark place regarding my career. I’m now headed toward launching my own business! The coaching was validating, motivational and inspiring. Although I’m a driven person, in general, the support I received from ALV made a big difference in my life!” – Kim E.
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