Executive Coaching

Kathleen’s motto is “Authenticity is Contagious” – but when you meet her, you’ll be quick to learn it’s her passion and excitement that will infect you first. If anyone was born to be in a profession, it’s Kathleen as a coach. She is genuinely driven by helping others succeed in life. The legacy of her clients and alumni already are proof of her gift. She’s not afraid to push you, but she does it with love. If you need a coach, or want to be one, Kathleen is the first (and perhaps only!) call you should make.

Kathleen is an amazing coach. To say that the almost 3 years we spent working together was game changing would almost be an understatement. My work with Kathleen shifted me from a 20-something designer-founder with a bad case of impostor syndrome (who moved to NC with no clients in 2014) to a badass female design industry leader with major vision and the confidence to now be working on my first venture-backed startup (clients post-Kathleen have included multiple Fortune 500s and a Top 5 global university, in case you were still wondering about the impostor syndrome). Kathleen coached me through some of my first speaking gigs, more than one professional breakup, the aftermath of a grey personal relationship that took a disappointing turn, and so much more. Her gift is helping her clients tap into their own creative, intuitive power, rather than in giving them the answers. If you want to live your best and fullest life now, work with Kathleen! She is worth every penny and then some!!

Kathleen is a sharp, intuitive, results-focused professional coach who teaches an insightful, novel coaching model that can add new dimensions to one’s coach approach regardless of previous training or experience level. She’s a true innovator and excellent thought partner.

Being able to work with Kathleen O’Grady is an amazing gift. Because the passion and enthusiasm for what she does is so infectious, it creates a remarkably productive environment for personal growth. Kathleen has a belief in her clients that allows them to find their own strength and their own authentic path. The intuition that she has for every situation is absolutely brilliant, no matter how serious or mundane a scenario may be. After working with Kathleen, I feel so empowered, enlightened, and ready to forge my path as authentically as possible!

The long page of accomplishments and recommendations I just scrolled through in order to write this recommendation for Kathleen says it all. Kathleen O’Grady is a coach and leader and authenticity guru extraordinaire! I came to Kathleen seeking insight and advice when I was languishing in a horrible fit work situation. Through her authenticity-based leadership coaching model, I was able to peel away decades of what I felt I “should be doing” and hone in on my my deepest values, traits and passions. Using 1:1 sessions, exercises (yes, I had some homework to do!) and insightful guidance, Kathleen helped me connect with myself as an individual and to this great universe in which we live. For this I am forever grateful. I love this lady and highly recommend her to anyone seeking coaching, intuitive insight and advice, coach training, or speaking about authenticity, leadership & connection. You’ll see her passion for you and what she does in every session!

Kathleen is a game-changer for women coupled with a larger than life personality and I am absolutely honored to know and collaborate with her. Not only is Kathleen a stellar business woman, she offers and shares her knowledge abundantly with her network, proving that her heart and intentions are always in the right place. I happily and wholeheartedly endorse Kathleen, as a mentor, a coach, and a friend.

I consider Kathleen O’Grady to be an expert in Authentic Leadership and Coaching. We have worked together to provide leaders at my company with information and tools to enhance their leadership skills. Kathleen is a personable, innovative and highly professional consultant that provides high quality work. I highly recommend her for training and coaching needs in the leadership field.

I enthusiastically recommend Kathleen for anyone desiring authenticity in not just the business arena, but on an individual level as well. I hired Kathleen to help develop a new vision and brand for my small business. She is naturally curious and insightful, which combine to make her a excellent listener and a brilliant problem solver. Working with Kathleen is like sitting down for coffee with a friend. She skillfully guides you through an orderly discovery process and achieves significant outcomes in a seamless and efficient manner. Kathleen is genuine and creative, and I look forward to working with her again in the future.

Kathleen is an amazing coach! She has a true passion for what she does and for helping people to know themselves. She brought a very creative and organic approach to understanding my business. Kathleen helped to bring clarity to the business steps I needed to take authentically. I felt I could go pursue my career goals without compromising myself. Outstanding!

Kathleen O’Grady’s courage and assertiveness have become a landmark, for me personally, in the direction of our new generation of coaches and professionals. Her passion for guiding others to succeed and her transformational capabilities continuously make a remarkable impact on individuals and organizations that are fortunate to count on her… including me! Kathleen’s background in communications as well as her expertise in corporate settings allow her to always provide her clients with the most insightful-assertive result-oriented approach. I sure recommend her as the ideal partner for all your business/personal projects.

Kathleen has been amazing to work with. She is very professional and giving. Her knowledge and experience when it comes to dealing with people and their needs both in life and in business is tremendous. She continues to go above and beyond with her services. Kathleen understands the value of a customer and doesn’t look at it a way to make money but a way to change someone’s life. She explained to me that her goal was to set up time frames for sessions and she would get me to a point of completion where she could then mentor me instead of just looking at me as a customer for life and a way to make money. I would recommend anyone that is looking for a job, career change, leadership training or just needs help with life to contact Kathleen, you will not regret it. I can’t say enough about the respect and admiration I have for Kathleen.

Kathleen uses a comprehensive and holistic approach for coaching in leadership. Her approaches assist in a deeper understanding of ones self, and the impulses of action. This gives individuals a deeper understanding of self, and allows growth potential beyond the conclusion of her services. In my opinion, these services are superior to the instructive approach. The investment is insignificant in comparison to the results of her services. I recommend her very highly.

I’ve had the great pleasure to engage Kathleen as my executive coach. Her authenticity and genuine desire to help her clients reach their goals, are both amazing assets she brings to the table. I would highly recommend Kathleen to anyone!

I used Kathleen as a mentor coach in my pursuit of my ICF certification. I found her to be very professional in all of our dealings. She is also a very good teacher with high standards and a patient and helpful approach. I would recommend her to anyone who is looking for a coach with a unique blend of skills and experience.

I have had the pleasure of having Kathleen as my coach for almost a year as part of the ICF Leadership Coaching Program. Kathleen is an excellent coach with masterful coaching skills. She transform her authenticity and in-depth expertise and passion into great coaching. Thank you Kathleen for helping me in my new role as President for ICF in Denmark. I love your to-the-point-attitude and great sense of humor. You “live coaching” and are an outstanding example of professional coaching and leadership in ICF. I highly recommend Kathleen as a professional coach and leader.

Kathleen is one of the most authentic people with whom I have had the opportunity to work. Kathleen’s energy and commitment to her clients is nothing short of remarkable. I had the opportunity to witness her ability to work with, and coax out, a growing sense of leadership and self-esteem from a number of team members I had asked her to work with on my team. Each of them reported to me that they had had some profound “awakenings” in their perception of how they perceived themselves in the world and in relation to the opportunities they were being provided. In a very collaborative, and confidential manner, Kathleen was able to help her clients identify and surface an increasing number of leadership traits while supporting each of their unique needs and styles. I can’t thank Kathleen enough for all of her support and guidance for our team. She is a breath of fresh air.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Waffle House is one of four corporations used to gauge the severity of disaster response. WH has extensive plan for portable power and pre-positioned food and personnel that can mean life or death for thousands of affected people. They also have excellent hash browns, which can be ordered “scattered, smothered, and covered.” You may recall the album by Hootie and the Blowfish of the same name, but I digress. All this to say: if you’re in a professional or career storm, your future looking a bit scattered and smothered with no FEMA on the way and more rain coming, coach Kathleen O’Grady’s wisdom, forethought, and insight is a bright yellow beacon on the highway of life. Welcoming, professional, non-judgmental, and highly intuitive, you’ll never have to worry about your order. And at the end, for the significant value received, you’ll be pleased with the check!

Kathleen O’Grady provided excellent insights on advancing my skills as a manager. She provides a no-nonsense approach and its a breath of fresh air, she combines good humor with keen and precise questioning, keeping the meetings super helpful and honest. I’d recommend Kathleen to anyone who really is looking to launch their life/career.

Kathleen O’Grady not only knows how to pull the best qualities out of individuals to help them grow, but she also knows how to match up needs with the right talent. Anyone interested in upgrading themselves or their business practices, will definitely benefit from Kathleen’s honest and authentic services.

I hired Kathleen O’Grady to help me revamp my website. Kathleen helped me think more creatively about how to authentically describe what I do and the value I create for others. Working with Kathleen was a respite from a very intense schedule as I was also completing grad school and working in my business. She has amazing ideas and also draws out ideas from her clients to create something absolutely perfect for them. What is unique about Kathleen is that she has the ability to create wide open spaces for creativity and focus at the same time. Kathleen is an extraordinary coach, and I would highly recommend her to anyone.

I hired Kathleen O’Grady as a Branding Coach in 2009 to help me come up with a logo and marketing strategy. I didn’t know what I didn’t know – one good reason for hiring a coach – and my company is in a far greater place because of her work. Kathleen helped me discover and capture the energy behind my company. Though she did not personally design the logo, it is her work that inspired it and her recommendation of a designer that allowed its creation. Some things I liked about Kathleen’s style: She was persistent, but not pushy. In fact, she was very patient. She was flexible and easy to coordinate busy schedules with. She was kind and generous, handing off work to others where she found it most valuable for me (her client). I will continue to use Kathleen as my coach as I continue to evolve my brand and I highly recommend her to others, especially those looking to discover the link between their work and themselves.

Having first hand experienced Kathleen O’Grady’s expertise, I can honestly say that she has a special gift. She intuitively knows the right questions to ask to awaken a person’s outside-of–the-box creativity and to help them succeed at their own objectives. Kathleen brings out the best qualities in a person and is almost more excited than you are when you reach a goal. Anyone seeking to go to the next level in their brand as an individual, their business career, or to simply fine-tune and improve on a current business plan will see great benefits!

Kathleen is an exceptional Mentor Coach. The day I hired Kathleen I knew this was a perfect match. I am currently enrolled in CoachU, as a student in Personal and Corporate Coach Training. Kathleen’s approach is based on Authenticity; she shows up filled with passion and integrity providing a place for me to be vulnerable and take risks to be the best of who I am. As we continue to work together I am in the arena of my passion to create lifestyles of empowerment. Kathleen’s intuitive sense is the catalyst in this journey.

As an experienced Leadership and Professional Development professional, I had been looking for answers to some deep questions concerning leadership in the corporate arena. Specifically, why there is so much disengagement in the work place (as many studies have highlighted) when there is more focus, energy and training on developing leaders than ever before? I think the answer to that question lies in Kathleen’s coaching model – that our development efforts are focused on the goal and not on the soul. The Authentic Leadership Advisors Academy, under Kathleen’s loving leadership, gives us the permission to be human and therefore, vulnerable, in the workplace. Her program teaches coaching from the heart and helps us to become creators rather than victims in life. If you are a seasoned coach or looking to take your career in this direction, look no further than the Authentic Leadership Advisors Academy. The program is ICF certified and I believe, one of the best Coaching certification programs in the world.

Kathleen is an amazing facilitator and she’s created a curriculum at Authentic Leadership Advisors Academy that is top notch! She has the ability to create a space that allows for transformation and that is no easy task, specifically when dealing with the dynamics of a small group. If you are interested in becoming a coach, or are in need of coaching, Kathleen should be on the short list of people to consider working with!

Kathleen exudes contagious passion in everything she says and does. She is a true catalyst for others to want to learn from her how to lead their best life, inspiring change seemingly without trying. Authentic Leadership Advisors Academy is beyond what I ever could've expected; it is a wonderful cultivation of all the aforementioned qualities Kathleen possesses, in a way that makes it feasible for students to walk away with a sense of real progress and growth. I have never been part of a program that both teaches you to look deep within and discover yourself in a way that can never be tangible, but also provides the tangible tools needed to act on the person you've become throughout the program - because you WILL be someone different at the end! The way Kathleen runs ALA Academy is unlike any other training or workshop in that you truly feel like a family and will not want to ever lose sight of the relationships built. Kathleen helps her students feel proud, encouraged, supported, and safe. The skills learned and traits discovered are applicable far beyond coaching others - they are applicable in all areas of life. I'm so grateful I chose to embark on my own ALA Academy journey, and know that anyone else able to experience Kathleen's and ALA Academy's wonder will be so happy they did!

I’m not sure it’s possible to love someone more than I love Kathleen and the Authentic Leadership Advisors Academy. From the very first phone call to learn more about the program until this very moment, Kathleen has made me feel like anything is possible. Kathleen is like a symphony conductor gently directing all of the students in her class into perfect harmony with both the ICF core competencies and the authentic heart of a masters level coach training. This is a special program for individuals who are open to exploring deep, personal transformation and learning the powerful and life changing abilities of a skilled coach. I cannot fully express the tremendous gratitude I have for having found ALA Academy and Kathleen. They have both been a gentle, healing balm for my soul’s journey and my professional work. Kathleen is truly a gifted teacher and coach. If you’re feeling called to become a coach, Kathleen is the answer.

Completing the Authentic Leadership Advisors Academy course work has been one of the most transformative events of my life and it is largely due to the facilitation and guidance of Kathleen O’Grady. Her team of Certified Authentic Leadership Coaches fostered a culture of shared trust, love, and acceptance. She is committed to seeing the world changed, and if you let her, she will lead you on the same journey.

Life changing! Last year, I was bogged down with many struggles, both personally and professionally, my life needed attention in ways that I had been ignoring for way too long. I was given the gift of coaching sessions with Kathleen. I knew from our first meeting, it was an opportunity that if I embraced, would help me navigate some pretty rough waters. Through Kathleen’s questioning, coaching, and observations she helped me uncover parts of myself that were lost through the years of being a single parent and working mom. Her authentic style opened up healthier perspectives, fostered new abilities to face fears, helped me develop more self-confidence, and have a more faith-filled life. The sessions inspired me so much that I dusted off an old dream and completed the ALA Academy’s Authentic Leadership Coaching program. I obtained my ICF accredited skills and I am working to obtain the ACC credential. Without the coaching and education from Kathleen this past year would have been rough, instead, it was a year of growth and opportunity. Now I am happier than I have felt in a long time and I look forward to all the wonderful things to come. I will end with the same two words I started with - Life changing!

The best coaching and leadership development experience of my life. I was already a certified coach through iPEC, and I had already launched my own business. I had a lot of doubt and was completely unsure of how to grow my practice so that I could truly transform the lives of my clients. Fortunately, I got connected with Kathleen and the Authentic Leadership Advisors Academy (ALA Academy). After my first day of instruction, I realized that ALA Academy was just at a different level. Over the three months of the program, the personal and professional growth I experienced through ALA Academy was life altering. ALA Academy incorporates references and resources that truly expand your knowledge and understanding of how to be your most impactful coach. ALA Academy is personalized, focused, and remarkably insightful. In three months, I got more than I did through any other coaching or leadership development program. Furthermore, I was truly impressed by the facilitation and peer to peer coach training. The focused and timely feedback was both challenging and constructive. Kathleen's facilitation of group coaching and instruction was extremely thought provoking. I step off into the entrepreneurial world with the confidence to create my future and transform the community of veterans that I seek to support. If you are looking for the competencies to inspire your workforce, lead with passion, or create a new enterprise, the journey for what you truly seek begins with ALA Academy.

There are few people in this world who are able to create an environment that brings about such a tremendous personal transformation not only in me, but for my cohort as a whole. Kathleen’s presence and passion for bringing out the best in humanity is obvious in all that she does and says. I treasure the experience I had in the ALA Academy Dawson Cohort, because it was absolutely life changing. She has inspired me to inspire others!

Authentic Transformation! I went into this coaching program as one person and came out another! This program is truly from the heart and the passion of Kathleen O'Grady at Authentic Leadership Advisors Academy. Through this program, I found my peace, my heart, and my Spirit again which had been lost for many years at the expense of my mind and its ego. I now fully understand the messages and the miracles our life provides. As an authentic leadership coach, I look forward to supporting others with their transformations!

Kathleen O'Grady and the Authentic Leadership Advisors Academy helped me to create the life of my dreams. After many years of checking boxes and climbing ladders, I was fortunate enough to not only gain the skills needed to pursue my new career, I experienced a life change that was totally unexpected. Through Kathleen's coaching curriculum, her training format, personal approach, and the team she has developed, I learned more about myself and my gifts than I could have ever imagined. Her authentic inside/out approach to developing coaches is a tremendous gift to the profession.

ALA Academy and Kathleen far exceeded my expectations. I came into the program not knowing what to expect but by the conclusion I was blown away by the curriculum and delivery. Kathleen and her associates create a safe space where each student can learn and grow at their own pace. This program changed me immensely and will remain at the center of my personal and business growth plan for the rest of my life. Kathleen’s ability to deliver the material at such a high emotional intelligence level is nothing short of amazing. If you are looking for a life changing coaching program, look no further, you found it.

Authentic Leadership Advisors Academy was a life-changing experience for me. Kathleen has a very unique and special gift for identifying talent in others and bringing those talents to the surface even if we are kicking and screaming the entire way ? No doubt I was a stubborn student but she still got me where I needed to be and frankly, I probably still haven’t realized how much I’ve grown personally and professionally from this experience. I am honored to be an alumni of ALA Academy and even more privileged to call Kathleen a friend and colleague. To say she’s amazing is an understatement. I’m blessed beyond measure to have her in my tribe and to have ALA Academy as a support system. I highly recommend anyone who is contemplating life coaching as a career to contact ALA Academy. It’s a tough program so be ready to work hard but the outcome is extraordinary and worth every minute!

My experience as a participant in the ALA Academy Authentic Leadership Training Program has been invaluable, both personally and professionally. To enhance the education process you are provided with numerous opportunities to engage in developing personal self-awareness, which is crucial to being an effective coach. I learned so much about myself, what is necessary to best serve my clients and how to offer my services at the highest level of consciousness. Kathleen provides a safe, nurturing and inspiring environment and her insight, experience and passion are “icing on the cake”! There are other certification programs available, but none provide the level of connectedness that you receive at ALA Academy. Finally, one of the most important points is that Kathleen and her faculty walk the talk; they represent all of the concepts, characteristics and traits they teach that are paramount to effective leadership and coaching!

I completed coursework to become a Certified Authentic Leadership Coach through Authentic Leadership Advisors Academy's incredible coach training program. The experience has transformed me from the inside out and completely changed how I see myself and interact with the world. Kathleen has created a coach training program that is truly ground-breaking, and she and the ALA Academy faculty lovingly encourage participants to face the internal voices that hold us back from reaching our full potential - and act as our biggest cheerleaders when we come back stronger on the other side. Kathleen, thank you for loving people for a living. You turned me up a notch, and it feels amazing to move joyfully and authentically through the world again. The work you're doing is game changing. Please don't ever stop! I hope that everyone gets the chance to experience your miracles.