Lead Where You Are: Coaching for Higher Ed Leaders
You didn't leave your field to become a leader. You became a leader inside it — as a department chair, a program director, a dean, an administrator — surrounded by colleagues you've known for years, inside an institution with its own culture, history, and yes, politics. Nobody handed you a leadership manual. And the generic leadership advice out there? It wasn't written for you. Lead Where You Are is a coaching program designed specifically for faculty and administrators navigating leadership in higher education. It meets you inside the world you already live in — and helps you lead more confidently, authentically, and effectively from exactly where you stand.
What's included
- Leading peers and colleagues
- Finding your leadership identity
- Navigating institutional culture and politics
- Having the hard conversations
- Decision making under pressure
Meet your expert
Carrie M.
NYU Senior Director | Elevate Academic Careers with Proven Strategies
I love to laugh, I love a good adventure, and I believe milestones are better when someone's in your corner celebrating them with you. That's basically my coaching philosophy, too. I grew up in the dance and theatre world — I trained as an actor and stage manager at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, then spent years as a professional stage manager, adjunct faculty member, and administrator, mentoring students and helping productions (and people) hold together under pressure. Stage managers run the room nobody sees. It turns out that's excellent training for coaching. These days I coach people in three worlds I know from the inside: Higher education — faculty, department chairs, deans, and administrators navigating transitions, team dynamics, and leadership roles they didn't always plan on. Artists and creatives — performers, makers, and the people leading arts organizations, including brilliant artists who never expected to be running the show. Sports — coaches, athletes, and sports professionals working through transitions, leadership questions, and what's next. As a runner, a marathoner, and a mom of four kids deep in their own sports, this world is personal. My background: 20+ years in higher education at NYU; a Master of Science in Executive Coaching and Consulting and an MPA in Executive Leadership; 700+ coaching hours; PCC and ACTC certifications from the International Coaching Federation; and training in the Leadership Circle Profile, Hogan, the Center for Creative Leadership 360 Suite, and Genos Emotional Intelligence. I specialize in 1:1 and team coaching. How I work is simple: coaching is a partnership, not advice. I ask good questions, we get clearer together, and you decide what happens next — with support, honest conversation, and usually a little laughter along the way. Personally, I'm a wife, mother of four, friend, and dedicated runner. Running has taught me the same things coaching has: set the goal, trust the process, celebrate the milestones. If you're in a transition, stepping into a bigger role, or leading a team you want to work better, let's have a real conversation.
