Career Coaching, Events, and Resources

I provide strategic career coaching for students, early-career, and mid-career professionals seeking to reach the next level in the career, with a specialized focus on candidates from advanced degree backgrounds. Having successfully transitioned from a PhD in Biomedical Engineering to an Associate role at Goldman Sachs, and Corporate Development at a startup, I offer first-hand, tactical insights into how to can effectively translate your skills for the next step. My professional background spans over four years across institutional finance and corporate strategy. This includes SMID Biotech coverage at Goldman Sachs and corporate development at a venture-backed startup with over $650M in funding. Based on these experiences, I provide guidance that is deeply grounded in how various companies evaluate talent and personal experience. To date, my clients have successfully leveraged my coaching to secure competitive roles at leading companies. Whether you are navigating a mid-career transition or launching your professional path after graduation, I am committed to serving as a dedicated partner and strategic resource throughout your career development.

Welcome to my profile! With a robust background in corporate strategy and development at Monotype and a dynamic tenure as a Senior Business Analyst at McKinsey & Company, I bring a wealth of experience in driving innovation and strategic growth. My journey from co-founding a successful startup to leading AI strategy initiatives has equipped me with unique insights into the tech and business landscapes. I am passionate about helping professionals navigate their career paths, leveraging my expertise in pricing, growth strategy, and digital transformations. Whether you're looking to break into a new industry or accelerate your career growth, I'm here to guide you every step of the way. Let's connect and chart a course for your success!

I support individuals through career transitions by bringing clarity to direction and precision to positioning. With a background in leadership at Oracle, I help you craft a cohesive narrative that bridges where you’ve been with where you’re going—and communicate your strengths, perspective, and future contribution with confidence and intention.

I’ve spent the last several years helping people navigate high-impact career decisions while building and leading teams at fast-growing startups. As CTO & co-founder at Leland, I’ve worked closely with hiring, interviewing, mentorship, leadership development, and team building across engineering and cross-functional roles. My experience includes: CTO & Co-founder at Leland Former Head of Engineering leading and scaling engineering teams Hiring and mentoring engineers across internship, entry-level, senior, and leadership roles Conducting technical and behavioral interviews for candidates from a wide range of backgrounds Advising people on career direction, compensation, promotions, leadership growth, and startup vs. big tech decisions I work best with ambitious people who want clear, practical, and honest guidance on questions like: What should I optimize for in my career right now? How do I position myself for better opportunities? Should I pursue startups, big tech, management, or entrepreneurship? How do I become a stronger communicator, leader, or operator? How do I stand out in competitive hiring processes? My coaching style is direct, strategic, and highly actionable. I focus less on generic advice and more on helping people make thoughtful decisions that compound over time.

Welcome to my profile! As a career development coach with over two decades of career development experience, I specialize in helping professionals gain clarity, build confidence, and take meaningful steps toward their next career move. Throughout my HR leadership roles, I partnered with executives to develop key talent and led career development conversations as part of succession planning, team leadership, and organizational growth. Today, I bring that same strategic insight and personal support to my coaching clients—whether they’re navigating a pivot, pursuing promotion, or strengthening their leadership skills. Known for an insightful and encouraging approach, I help clients turn potential into progress. In addition, my top CliftonStrengths theme, “Developer,” reflects my natural ability to see the potential in others and my passion for helping others grow—and it's the foundation of everything I do.

With nearly 20 years of experience in career development and executive coaching, I am passionate about helping professionals achieve their career goals. As the former Assistant Dean for Career Development at Darden School of Business and Director of Career Services at UNC Kenan-Flagler, I have led teams dedicated to enhancing career management skills and fostering relationships with top recruiting companies. I founded Acorn Associates to continue empowering business executives seeking impactful career changes. Having coached thousands of individuals, I am here to guide you through your career journey with personalized strategies and insights. Let's connect and take your career to the next level!

I'm a senior technology executive specializing in trust, product management, and responsible AI. I've built and scaled integrity and product organizations at Bumble, Slack, and LinkedIn managing teams of 100+ full-time employees across product, policy, and operations. With a JD/MBA from Stanford, I bring deep expertise in building high-performing teams and navigating complex cross-functional challenges. I've hired and developed cross-functional teams, written successful promo packets, and conducted hundreds of interviews across product management, trust & safety, policy, and engineering roles. As a coach, I can help you advance your career through promotion advocacy, effective communication, and interview preparation. I understand what it takes to succeed from IC roles through executive leadership.

I have mentored and coached hundreds of transitioning military service members, spouses, and executives through career and industry transitions. I have completed more than 7,000 professional resume reviews and have mentored and coached via a variety of platforms and programs. I have extensive expertise in career development, LinkedIn, resumes, interview preparation, offer negotiation, and just about any other career development topic. I have hired, trained, and mentored dozens of executives and have experience in international markets and organizations as well.

Take a structured approach to landing your next role. This can be hard - and I personally have navigated this many times and have helped others navigate it. Understanding the role requirements, how you should go about pursuing it, and how to frame your experience are learnable skills! With practice, I am convinced that anyone can successfully achieve their goal career role. As a former HR Business Partner at Amazon and Management Consultant, I have worked extensively with hundreds of friends, family, and colleagues from a variety of backgrounds to refine resumes, write cover letters, and practice interviewing. My coaching philosophy is based on the following principles: 1) Your time is precious - we'll be efficient and I won't waste your time if I'm not providing value 2) Listen more than talk- I'll focus on what you need and won't monopolize our sessions with unrelated commentary 3) Drill down on targeted areas of focus - You're good at a lot of things; let's target any weak areas and drill those until you feel confident 4) Respect and genuine concern - I'll always be respectful and I bring sincere, singular attention to our calls Don't hesitate to reach out!

Welcome to my profile! With an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BS from Vanderbilt University, I bring a wealth of experience in business strategy and operations. As the former Business Strategy & Operations Lead at Google and current Chief of Staff at Verily, I have a deep understanding of what it takes to excel in top-tier tech companies. Over the years, I've mentored numerous professionals, helping them navigate their career paths and achieve their goals. Whether you're looking to break into a competitive industry or advance within your current role, I'm here to provide tailored guidance and actionable insights. Let's connect and chart your path to success!