Brian Arao
5.0
(5)
Studied at University of San Francisco
Works at Brave Space Leadership
Successful clients at
Not currently taking new clients
About Brian
I am a Professional Certified Diversity Coach through the CoachDiversity Institute at Howard University and an Associate Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation (ICF). I’ve coached leaders from directors to CEOs and across a multitude of industries, helping them arrive at powerful insights about how to lead in more personally and professionally fulfilling ways. As I coach, I do not tell you what to do or how to do it. Instead, I help you to recognize and better understand the wisdom you possess; use it to identify what matters most to you; and create concrete plans for actualizing your goals. Coaching is a transformative method for helping you to see and use your power to pursue virtually any goal - large or small, personal or professional. You may find coaching helpful when you: * have a difficult decision to make * are navigating a challenging interpersonal relationship * are leading a group or organization through a period of change * need to develop clear goals * feel like you’re “stuck” and need new insights to get moving again * want to create an inspiring vision for yourself and the teams you lead. I coach leaders who want to help people thrive in their workplaces, communities, families, and other spaces. Often, these leaders use coaching to further develop their capacity to advance DEIJB objectives. My clients have included leaders from directors to CEOs and across a multitude of industries.
Why do I coach?
Over the course of more than 24 years as an educator and progressively responsible organizational leader, I’ve used many strategies to promote transformational learning, from authoring publications to giving educational talks to designing and leading training and professional development activities. I know now that I am of the greatest service in this work - and also the most satisfied - when I truly come alongside people as a trusted companion on their unique learning journeys and offer custom-fit support as they pursue their goals for personal and professional growth. Increasingly, I find coaching is my preferred approach to this kind of work, especially when the focus is on leading for diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging (DEIJB). Exploring these topics requires courage and vulnerability, which are powerfully facilitated by the intimate and confidential nature of coaching.
Work Experience
Co-founder and President
Brave Space Leadership
June 2022 - Present
• Provide executive leadership coaching to leaders from directors to CEOs and across a multitude of industries, helping them arrive at powerful insights about how to lead in more personally and professionally fulfilling ways • Design, facilitate, and assess professional and leadership development programs using both in-person and virtual modalities • Deliver engaging keynote talks to audiences ranging in size from 30 to 300+ • Provide expert advisement to clients on matters pertaining to diversity, equity, social justice, and belonging • Offer interim leadership support and special project management for colleges and universities • Manage all administrative operations of the business Diversity & Inclusion, Leadership Development Coaching and +10 skills
Associate Dean of Students & Chief of Staff
UC Santa Cruz
February 2019 - June 2023
Hiring Manager
• Provide leadership and direction for a portfolio of student development and support programs including non-clinical case management, basic needs programs, an outdoor events venue with a 2,800-person capacity, and the student-run radio station KZSC • Report to and act in the absence of the Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Development and Engagement/Dean of Students (AVC/DOS) • Directly supervise and evaluate the Assistant Dean of Students for Student Support Programs, the Title IX Hearing Officer, the Quarry Amphitheater Events and Facilities General Manager, and the KZSC Broadcast Advisor • Act as chief advisor and strategist for the AVC/DOS on a wide range of sensitive, complex, and closely scrutinized student concerns • Manage organizational planning and workforce support functions including staff recruitment, organizational restructuring, annual performance evaluation and merit raise processes, and staff training and development activities • Lead comprehensive and equity-focused examination of student conduct practice at UC Santa Cruz, including a self-study and external review • Administer policy on student grievances concerning allegations of privacy rights violations and discrimination by staff and faculty • Advise a student-run office connecting students with volunteer opportunities on- and off-campus • Provide leadership for spiritual life on-campus, including serving as the liaison for the University Interfaith Council and convening an advisory committee for the campus prayer and meditation room • Co-chair the campus’s Coordinated Community Response Team for Sexual and Gender-Based Violence and Misconduct • Participate as a member of the UC Santa Cruz Demonstration Operations Team • Collaborate with the AVC/DOS and Financial Analyst to develop, approve, and monitor annual budgets and financial forecasts for Student Development and Engagement. Presentations, Staff Training and +6 skills
Senior Director of College Student Life
UC Santa Cruz
August 2017 - January 2019
Hiring Manager
• Serve as the chief student affairs officer for two residential colleges at a public research university with an enrollment of 15,645 undergraduate students and 1,555 graduate students • Report to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Colleges, Housing, and Educational Services (CHES) • Directly supervise and evaluate one Associate Director for College Student Life, two College Programs Coordinators, one Budget Analyst, and three full-time administrative support staff members • Provide leadership and direction for the colleges' student activities, student government, residential programs and services, cocurricular program development, preventative education programs, student orientation, student conduct, and other academic support services that build community and enhance student success • Partner with the College Provost at each of the two colleges to develop a living-learning environment that integrates academic and cocurricular experiences • Collaborate with other members of the CHES Senior Management Team to advance the overall mission of CHES by providing resource support, analysis, and leadership • Participate in the short and longrange planning of maintenance and new construction needs for college facilities • Serve on search committee for the Rachel Carson Provost • Serve as campuswide liaison for transgender and gender nonconforming students with questions and concerns regarding on-campus housing at UC Santa Cruz • Serve as a member of and facilitate meetings for the Chancellor's Diversity Advisory Council • Participate as needed as a member of the Demonstration Operations Team • Act as chairperson for student conduct hearing boards, including for cases wherein Title IX violations have been alleged • Serve as the principal coordinator for responding to student crises in concert with UCSC Police, counseling and psychological services, and other campus administrators • Manage annual budgets totaling $1,600,000.00. Presentations, Staff Training and +6 skills
Associate College Administrative Officer
UC Santa Cruz
August 2014 - July 2017
Hiring Manager
• Oversaw and provided direction to all aspects of residence hall and apartment life in two residential college at a public research university with an enrollment of 15,645 undergraduate students and 1,555 graduate students • Reported to and acted in the absence of the College Administrative Officer • Directly supervised and evaluated four full-time professional live-in Coordinators for Residential Education and two full-time administrative support staff members • Lead and directed efforts to develop a curriculum model of residential education rooted in the mission and values of the institution, driven by clearly articulated and measurable learning outcomes, informed by student development theory, and evaluated with practicable assessment strategies • Collaborated with Crown and Merrill Provosts to develop an undergraduate leadership development program with closely integrated academic and cocurricular components • Served on search committee for the Crown Provost • Served on the reappointment review committee for the Merrill Provost • Led implementation team for UCSC's Trans-Inclusive Housing option • Provided high-level after-hours crisis response support to first-responders • Oversaw and provided direction to all aspects of residence hall cocurricular life for UCSC Summer Session in 2015 and 2016 • Adjudicated high-level cases of alleged student misconduct, hold students accountable for adherence to university and residential policies, and utilize educational sanctioning to promote learning through the student conduct process • Managed annual budgets totaling $200,000.00. Presentations, Staff Training and +6 skills
Director of Residential Education
University of California, Berkeley
January 2013 - August 2014
Hiring Manager
• Directed the daily operations and develop vision and priorities for a comprehensive residential education program serving all student housing areas at UC Berkeley. • Directly supervised and evaluated four Assistant Directors for Residential Education and one Manager for Community Development and Inclusion • Lead and directed efforts to develop a curriculum model of residential education rooted in the mission and values of the institution, driven by clearly articulated and measurable learning outcomes, informed by student development theory, and evaluated with practicable assessment strategies • Oversaw management of and developed programmatic priorities for seven residence hall-based academic centers, designed to promote academic success and enrich the intellectual experience of resident students • Determined strategy, goals, and objectives for the Community Development and Inclusion portfolio within Residential Education, which includes a classroom-based intergroup dialogue program and a set of seven living-learning communities administered in partnership with academic affairs and multicultural student development • Provided direction to the Resident Faculty program and other initiatives designed to promote out-of-classroom interaction between students and faculty members • Directed efforts to infuse restorative practices and restorative justice frameworks into community development and student conduct practices in the residence halls, and participated in similar efforts undertaken by campus partners in the division of student affairs and multicultural student development • Provided high-level after-hours crisis response as a member of the departmental administrator on-call rotation, with duties including consulting with first responders, coordinating response efforts with senior administrators, and communicating directly with students’ emergency contacts during medical crises • Developed, administered, and monitored a complex annual budget of $1,700,000.00. Presentations, Staff Training and +6 skills
Education
University of San Francisco
Ed.D., International and Multicultural Education, emphasis in Human Rights Education
2010 - 2017
Presentations and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training
University of Vermont
M.Ed., Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration
2002 - 2004
Activities and societies: Editor-in-Chief, The Vermont Connection Steering committee member, The Next Step Social Justice Retreat Presentations and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training
University of California, Santa Cruz
Bachelor of Arts, Biology
1996 - 2000
5 Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
Brian has helped Leland clients get into Comcast