What is your background?

I grew up in and around the water and during one snorkeling trip, I came nose to nose with a sea lion. That was it. I started studying marine biology before I ever hit highschool. I figured I had to work in the profession that let me wear snorkel gear to work, don a bikini, and learn about what lived and played under the ocean.

How did you make the switch to business?

The decision was really already happening FOR me in the lab and in remote field working environments. You ever see what happens to people when you put them on a remote island in the middle of the ocean for an extended period of time? Leadership and teamwork takes on a whole new meaning. My team and supervisors used to ask me for guidance on how they should do this or that to work better together to get things done. When I made the decision to leave science and go back to grad school, I identified these as strengths for how I could really contribute to another field. It's been a wild ride, and extremely fun and rewarding.

You do triathlon competitively.
How has sports driven you in your work?

Competing in a variety of sports all my life, internationally and collegiately, has given me incredible opportunity to develop myself mentally, physically and emotionally. Triathlon was another foray into doing that in a new way. The nice perk is that it continues to develop my patience, discipline, focus and adaptability; all things that translate perfectly in the world of business - high performance business.

How would you say Elevati makes a difference for people?

Who doesn't want to have stronger, healthier more productive relationships with their coworkers, bosses and CUSTOMERS?!

We change people's lives. People feel better about interacting with their bosses, working through tough calls with angry or frustrated customers. They even go home and work their new practices with their friends and family.

And bottom line, we are responsive and purposeful in every partnership - because you don't want to wait and you shouldn't have to. That's part of building great relationships!

Ultimately, we strive to model the principles we teach.

How did you come to found Elevati?

I had three things in mind:

• 1.
  Lessen the volume and intensity of speed bumps ambitious professionals and their managers feel as they attempt to grow in their careers.
• 2.
  Offer scientists, engineers and new grad recruits (MBA/MPA grads) who are trying to build credibility, relationships and executive presence in their roles, do it with confidence and support.
• 3.
  Somebody once told me they didn't like it when I used the word "serve" to explain what I did in my role [in leadership development]. But that's what I do. So I started my company where I could work with people who need to be, and appreciated being, served with my expertise.

There is a lot riding on the kind of work you do...

There's a lot riding on what they are doing. Which is why a major element of what I do with my clients is give them permission to have fun, see setbacks they experience as evidence of learning in action, and reach out for support along the way. It takes time to get really good at anything. Learning at this level is like long distance triathlon, it's an endurance event. You need a lot of support and a healthy dose of humor to get to the finish line. The outfits alone are evidence of that.