Jennifer Brown
Studied at National Defense University
Works at Journey of Grace
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About Jennifer
Before becoming a leadership coach, I spent 23 years as a U.S. diplomat, leading teams across Latin America, Central Asia, and Washington, DC. I learned to lead through change, uncertainty, crisis, difficult conversations, and plenty of situations where there wasn't an obvious right answer. But my first lessons in leadership came much earlier. I grew up the oldest of five—and the only girl—in a family-owned construction business. Hard work was expected, speaking up was necessary, and I learned early that getting the job done matters, but so do the people doing it. Across countries, cultures, and careers, I've seen remarkably similar leadership challenges: stepping into bigger roles, building confidence, making tough decisions, developing people, and figuring out how to get results without carrying everything yourself. That's the experience I bring to coaching. I'll listen closely, ask questions that make you think, challenge you when you need it, and help you see what you may not be seeing. I don't believe my job is to give you all the answers. It's to help you strengthen your own judgment and become a leader who builds capability in the people around you. Outside of coaching, you'll usually find me walking the beach, spending time with my son and my rescue dog, Blondie, or recording my leadership podcast.
Why do I coach?
I coach because I've been the leader who thought I was supposed to have all the answers. At one point in my State Department career, I stepped into a bigger leadership role and felt completely in over my head. I was dealing with personnel challenges, operational issues, and a team that needed me to lead at a different level. My instinct was to work harder, solve more problems, and try to be the expert. Then I started working with a leadership coach. He helped me realize that I was part of the equation. I needed to do my own work as a leader—and my job had changed. I didn't need to be the technical expert anymore. I needed to develop the people around me, ask better questions, and sometimes get out of the way so they could step up. That shift changed how I led. It's also a big part of why I coach today. I love working with leaders who are reaching that same point—when what got them here isn't necessarily what will get them where they want to go next. Helping someone stop carrying everything themselves and start developing the people around them is some of the most rewarding work I get to do.
Work Experience
Founder
Journey of Grace
September 2023 - Present
• Founded and lead an executive coaching, speaking, and leadership development practice serving business, government, nonprofit, and educational organizations. • Deliver executive coaching, keynote presentations, leadership workshops, team facilitation, and professional development programs for emerging leaders, managers, executives, and business owners. • Design customized leadership development programs focused on communication, emotional intelligence, decision-making, accountability, conflict resolution, leadership transitions, and organizational effectiveness. • Facilitate team development using DISC®, Positive Intelligence® (PQ), Purpose Factor®, and other evidence-based leadership and coaching frameworks. • Coach leaders through organizational growth, change initiatives, and high-pressure leadership challenges to strengthen leadership effectiveness, resilience, and team performance. • Develop strategic partnerships with organizations to deliver leadership academies, workforce development initiatives, customized training solutions, and speaking engagements. Skills: Leadership/Executive Coaching, Communication, Active LIstening, Personal Development, Emotional Intelligence, Time Management, Delegation
Foreign service officer
U.S. Department of State
March 2002 - April 2025
Interviewer
• Led and developed diverse, cross-cultural teams in high-pressure domestic and international environments, supporting leadership development, communication, organizational effectiveness, and mission execution across multiple U.S. embassies and consulates. • Served in a variety of senior leadership, management, operational, and strategic advisory roles supporting U.S. foreign policy implementation, talent development, crisis response, stakeholder engagement, and organizational operations in complex global environments. • Experienced in leadership coaching, workforce development, onboarding, employee engagement, team communication, and leadership support across geographically dispersed and fast-paced organizations. Overseas assignments included: – Consular Chief / Deputy Principal Officer, U.S. Consulate General, Guayaquil, Ecuador – Deputy Consular Chief, U.S. Embassy Tegucigalpa, Honduras – American Citizen Services & Fraud Prevention Manager, U.S. Embassy Caracas, Venezuela – General Services Officer, U.S. Embassy Ashgabat, Turkmenistan – Consular & Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Embassy Bogotá, Colombia Domestic assignments included: – Assessor, Global Talent Management, Board of Examiners – Deputy Director, Office of Mexican Affairs – Chief of Staff, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs – Program Manager, Bureau of Consular Affairs – Ecuador Desk Officer, Office of Andean Affairs Foreign Relations, Leadership Coaching and +9 skills
Education
National Defense University
Master's degree, National Security Strategy
Georgia State University
Bachelor of Arts - BA, Spanish - International Business