Coaches' Corner

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Coaches’ Corner Coaches

• Susanne Carpenter, principal and founder of Carpenter Leadership Consulting, specializes in coaching leaders and teams to become high-performing and strategy-focused. She believes that when leaders are at their best, their schools thrive.
• Brooke Carroll is the principal consultant and coach at Acies Strategies, supporting schools in leadership development, board development, and strategic thinking and planning. A former head of school who has served on eight school and nonprofit boards, she is an ICF-certified leadership coach and author of the book Governing the Small School: Strategies for Boards (2022, Bold Story Press).
• Dick Ewing is an ICF-credentialed coach and former school head, association director, and teacher now serving as thought partner, advisor, mastermind group facilitator, and professional resource to educators globally. He has 40 years of experience as an educator, leader, and board member, including service as president of the American College of Sofia (Bulgaria) and head of Norwood School (MD).
• Trina A. Gary is a certified leadership coach who partners with clients to unlock their potential and drive transformative change. Through tailored coaching strategies, she helps leaders raise self-awareness, navigate challenges, foster collaboration, and create impactful environments.
• Aimee Giles empowers bold, adventurous heads of school and school leaders to stay “in the arena” and lead with integrity, power, and impact. With more than 20 years of leadership experience, including as head of school, she coaches leaders to courageously tackle the big challenges that lie ahead—in education, in schooling, in life—with grace, dignity, and joy.
• Mike Hanas has been a leader in education and leadership development for nearly 40 years. He believes in the power of reflection to catalyze wisdom and the deep potential of others. Hanas launched Furthering to advance learning, leadership, and service through individual and team support. His executive coaching and consulting clients include heads of school, board chairs, boards of trustees, and senior leadership teams.
• Christy Colby Heno is a Gallup-Certified Clifton Strengths coach who has worked in education for 30+ years. Currently the culture and engagement coach at Presbyterian School (TX), she aspires to bring the transformational work of investing in the strengths of faculty and staff to schools everywhere, promoting higher levels of engagement, productivity, and joy.
• Olaf Jorgenson brings 22 years of experience as a head of day and boarding/day schools, and 14 years of coaching, to his pro bono support for leaders and aspiring leaders. His areas of expertise include managing difficult board members/chairs, contending with enrollment decline, and leading small/underresourced schools.
• Jim Leonard most recently served as head of school at Santa Fe Prep (NM) for 21 years. Before that he served in leadership roles at two boarding schools: The Mountain School of Milton Academy (VT) and Pomfret School (CT).
• Story Reed Leonard has forged a unique path through three independent schools: from teacher and coach, to director of admission, and finally director of college counseling. In every role she focused on relationships. Her leadership coaching practice supports leaders in developing potential in themselves and in others.
• Garet Libbey is a certified executive coach with over 25 years of experience in education and leadership. She collaborates with individuals and teams to foster growth, develop healthy leadership models, and create inclusive work cultures. Libbey helps leaders deepen their self-awareness and intentionally align their actions with their strengths and values to drive greater effectiveness and impact.
• Tekakwitha M. Pernambuco-Wise is the head of The Wyndcroft School (PA), a senior consultant for The Jane Group, and a certified executive coach. A servant leader, she is most energized when helping others be their best selves.
• Renee Prillaman has been an educator, coach, and consultant for over 40 years whose work focuses on supporting and coaching educators who seek to be courageous, authentic, and joyful school leaders. Uniquely suited to support division directors, associate heads, and instructional leaders, she also believes deeply in the need for and power of transformative coaching for senior administrators.
• Zakaria Sherbiny is a certified executive coach who works with independent school leaders to grow their confidence, impact, and awareness. A former lower school leader and educator, he is certified by the International Coaching Federation and holds master's degrees in education from Harvard University and the Klingenstein Center at Teachers College.
• Sidra Smith is an ICF-certified coach with more than 20 years in independent school leadership, who is dedicated to supporting both emerging leaders and seasoned professionals in navigating career transitions and new roles. Her clients appreciate the space she creates for them to reflect, question, and experiment as well as her compassion, discernment, and real talk.
• Alan Sparrow is an ICF-certified coach who focuses on independent school educational leaders, including heads of school, senior administrators, faculty, board chairs, and staff. He spent 48 years as a teacher, coach, and administrator. In 2020, he retired from Rowland Hall (UT) after 28 years as head of school—but he prefers the title “headlearner.”
• Michael Walker has been a teacher, athletic coach, division head, and head of school. He is a certified executive coach whose doctoral research focused on individual and organizational decision-making. He brings this life experience, training, and professional background to his coaching to help individuals make decisions, manage dilemmas, reduce stress, and achieve clarity and a sense of purpose. 
• Lukie Wells is a certified coach and group dynamics practitioner who is eager to walk alongside you and support your goals. After 35 years in independent schools, she uses her passion for helping others and understanding systems to focus on coaching and organizational dynamics.
• Abigail Wiebenson has worked in the realm of independent schools for many decades, including 19 years as head of Lowell School (DC). Since 2008 when she became a certified leadership coach, she's worked across the country and abroad with dozens of school leaders and several associations advancing competence and confidence in the craft of leadership.
• Laura S. Yee empowers Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) and allies to lead authentically, sustainably, and effectively. Through coaching, clients realize their worth, affirm their unique skills, and crystalize their core values, gaining clarity in decision-making and in strategic career development to reach their goals with confidence, balance, and well-being.