At 13, I was homeless and struggling to navigate a complex, often overwhelming world. I was fortunate to find mentors who gave me exactly what adolescents need: respect, guidance, and the autonomy to make my own choices. It wasn’t until my twenties that I discovered the tools to set and achieve meaningful goals, manage anxiety, build confidence, and cultivate genuine contentment.
Inspired by those early mentors, I earned a Master of Education and spent 17 years teaching in schools across the country. When I realized I could help young people achieve transformative results as a teen coach—without tests or attendance sheets—I knew I had found my calling.
Today I’m a life coach for teens all over the world, helping them overcome academic, social, and emotional challenges, build self-confidence, and develop essential executive function skills that are critical for long-term success. My evidence-based approach ensures teens are empowered to take ownership of their growth and reach their full potential.
Beyond coaching, I am an award-winning author of young adult memoirs, a contributor to major media outlets on teen development, and a sought-after youth speaker, helping adolescents transform adversity into success and build the life they dream of.
- Board-certified life coach for teens via International Coach Federation (ICF), the “gold standard in coaching”
- Trained with rigorous, research-based Youth Coaching Institute
- Trained in ADHD Cognitive Engineering, addressing the cognitive mechanisms behind attention, task initiation, and follow-through, not just behavior management and external systems
- Youth Coach Training Facilitator & Practicum Supervisor, Youth Coaching Institute
- Master of Education degree, University of Massachusetts, Boston
- Bachelor of Arts degree, double major English and American Studies, University of Massachusetts, Boston
- 17 years’ teaching & coaching in K-12 schools
- Teaching licensure in Special Education, English, and ESL
- Two award-winning young adult memoirs, The Dead Inside and We Can’t Be Friends
- Appearances and bylines in international media including CNN, NPR, CBS’ The Doctors, HuffPost, Reader’s Digest, Today’s Parent, Yahoo News, Newsday, She Knows, The Progressive, and others.
- 1000s of youth and young adults mentored, ages 11 through 28
- Pioneer in teen life coaching, with a track record of transforming lives since 2012
You may have seen me on
You may have heard me on
NPR’s Charlotte Talks
Narrator for Robert Downey Jr’s podcast The Sunshine Place
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