Coaches

Pat Arnold recently worked as an outplacement coach for managerial, executive and C-Suite clients impacted by corporate restructuring, thus fulfilling her passion to help others. Most were communications and marketing professionals. Pat is on the board of Male Mogul Initiative, volunteers with AARP Illinois, and serves as a marketing committee member for the workplace advocacy organization, Women Employed. She was named one of “100 Women Making a Difference” by Today’s Chicago Woman, is a Golden Life member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, past vice president of the Chicago Association of Black Journalists and is the founding president of the Twin Cities Association of Black Journalists.

Judy Ball is a seasoned talent acquisition (TA) executive with over 20 years’ deep and broad global HR and TA experience within corporate recruiting, retained executive search, and independent consulting environments. Most recently, Judy headed up North America Talent Acquisition as Vice President for Zurich Insurance. Prior to that, Judy ran her own talent acquisition consulting practice working with clients in healthcare,
technology, and professional services.
Judy has a master’s degree in Human Resources from Iowa State University, holds a current SPHR certification, and has a certificate from the Executive Program in Leadership Development from Loyola University. She is active in the regional HR professional community
including a board membership for the professional association, STAR Chicago (Society of Talent Acquisition and Recruitment).

Shira is a former civil rights lawyer and public defender. She has specialized in youth justice and education throughout her career. Prior to going to law school, Shira was a special education teacher in Chicago and New York. She is in the process of getting her certification in coaching from the Co-Active Training Institute and is excited to begin the next chapter of her career as a coach for people going through various types of career exploration and transition.

She holds a JD from Fordham Law School, a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Michigan, and a Special Teaching Certificate (K-21) From National-Louis University.

Shira is originally from St. Louis and moved to Chicago four years ago. She is an avid reader and TV watcher and has recently started practicing hot yoga. She has three little kids and she loves all things outside, including: eating good food, walking, hiking, beaching, and traveling.

Renee has more than 25 years of experience in talent with a focus in the healthcare and consulting industries at firms including McKinsey, ZS Associates, Sg2 and Huron. In her role at McKinsey, Renee worked with senior level executives to help them navigate career transitions in the healthcare industry. In addition, Renee spent several years with her own recruiting firm, Principal Talent Group.

Renee has a BA in Mathematics and Anthropology from Oberlin College and an MBA from Kellogg. Renee has a very friendly and empathetic coaching style and loves helping people at all stages of their careers figure out “what they want to be when they grow up”.

Barb is a solution-oriented senior leader with experience building and directing the HR function for Real Estate, Legal and Financial Services companies. She has worked in Human Resources for more than 20 years, most recently consulting for the Illinois Land Title Association, and formerly as the VP of Human Resources for Attorneys’ Title Guarantee Fund, Head of US HR for Henderson Global Investors, and Payroll Manager for PPM America.

Barb is energized by opportunities to collaboratively envision the future, develop and implement strategies which support the vision and champion fellow visionaries by nurturing a collaborative and inclusive community, fostering transparency and building trust. This informs her solution-oriented coaching style. Barb is empathetic and a good listener. She enjoys helping individuals discover their strengths, make decisions and overcome setbacks.
A longtime Chicagoan, Barb is an avid museum, theatre and concert attendee, who is grateful to dwell in a city with a vibrant arts community, beloved bookstores, fantastic restaurants and natural and architectural beauty she loves to share with visitors and new friends.

 Steve has an extensive background as a Chief Operating Officer with law firms in many major U.S. markets. His experience includes providing leadership and management in all facets of law firm operations including candidate recruitment and hiring, evaluation of potential merger candidates and incorporation of merged firms, organizational and diversity program development, training, compensation, and Human Resources management.

 Steve left the workforce about 2 ½ years ago due to a stroke that has resulted in partial arm and hand paralysis, and holds a special interest in working with clients with physical disabilities and/or health issues. He holds a BA in Anthropology & Religion from Columbia University in New York. Currently, Steve is focused on volunteer work and completing his ICF certification through Coach Academy International as an ACC Coach.

Sarelle is a certified human resources professional with experience in the nonprofit, hospitality, retail, medical, and startup sectors. 

She is currently employed as a Talent Connector for Colorful Connections, a social enterprise that helps companies and people become better versions of themselves, while supporting the advancement of the underrepresented. Sarelle also serves as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

Sarelle holds a master’s degree in Human Resources Management with a focus on Employment Law from Rutgers University, combined with mentorship and career coaching experience to first generation college students and individuals facing barriers to employment. Additionally, she has credentials as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR), SHRM-CP, and MHRM.

Her specialties include branding, talent acquisition, resume training, career consultation, DEI, and onboarding. Her coaching style is one of approachability, creativity, and highly effective interpersonal skills. 

“For those looking for new opportunities, I will advocate for you in an efficient, personable, and reliable manner.”

Kristi’s professional career started as a High School vocational education (DECA) teacher in Oklahoma, and she has always had a passion for developing practical employment skills.  After earning her Master of Science in Occupational and Adult Education and moving to Arizona, she began working in distance education and developed the first online degree program for the University of Phoenix. Her career in global corporate training at Intel spanned 20 years where she served in a variety of
roles including leading the Management & Leadership Development and Sales and Marketing University functions. She led three start-up/turn-around learning and development organizations for a semiconductor equipment manufacturer, global
construction company and most recently an AI company, and is now starting her own professional coaching and consulting practice to return to her purpose of helping others more directly. Kristi has designed and facilitated courses for skills including behavioral interviewing for managers and hiring teams, design thinking, and change and transition management. Her coaching style is both caring/reflective and direct/action oriented.  As an experienced hiring manager, Kristi can work with clients from Discovery through the interview and negotiating process. “I’m here to support you in upleveling your skills, staying motivated, and keeping the momentum as you reach your goal”.

Tim embraces the process of transition. He affectionately refers to the varied rebound stages as “personal reinvention” (albeit sometimes volatile). As a Career Coach, Tim encourages others to believe that “America is the home of second (and third) opportunities.” He is ready to assist peers to secure a career that fits.

Jerry Donahue has deep and extensive career service work experience in higher education, including the University of Michigan College of Engineering, Indiana University, Northwestern University, as well as Moraine Valley Community College, St. Norbert College, Canisius College and the University of Detroit. He has held career services positions for the Midwest Association of Colleges and Employers, SHRM, and several regional career consortia in New York, Wisconsin and Michigan.

Kevin brings his real-world experience and expertise to coaching.

Kevin has decades of experience helping Fortune 500 companies, emerging and startups in marketing, communications and business management. He also founded three companies with two of them focused on coaching and improving business performance.

He has coached individuals to become more fulfilled and accomplished, whether in a new or existing role. While he can help jobseekers and those transitioning in their careers, Kevin also can be valuable to those starting their own business as a career option.

Regardless of the industry or experience level, Kevin will assist clients in gaining the necessary clarity and confidence to face and overcome their challenges to form a clear path to success.

Ellen is a former Principal with ISHR Group, a leadership development and coaching firm. She has over ten years’ experience Talent Assessment and Development and Human Resources in the corporate arena. Ellen’s passion is helping people “turn insight into action” as they learn and grow during their leadership journey to becoming the best version of themselves. Members tell Ellen that her style of both challenging and championing them makes her particularly effective. Ellen resides in Neptune Beach, Florida.

She is a Sessional Lecturer at the University of the German Federal Armed Forces in Munich, Germany. Previously, she was an Education Coordinator for the BMW Group in Munich.

Erna partners with client to identify, clarify and align their authentic personal and professional goals and develop a sustainable strategy to reach these goals.

She has University Diploma in International Business and Cultural Students from the Universitat Passau and was a visiting PHD at the University of Victoria. She is a member of the International Coaching Federation. She is fluent in English, German and Russian.

Georgia Katsianis, MBA, MPA, PHR, SHRM-CP, PRC, CDR is a Talent Acquisition/HR professional consultant and career coach with twenty years of human resources experience that includes benefits, compensation, employee relations, training and development, and staffing /recruitment in the academics, corporate, finance and technology environment. Georgia also teaches graduate and undergraduate HR and Career Development courses at DeVry University. Additionally, she is the founder of Career Development Savant, LLC., which is a recruitment firm that specializes in finance and technology and also provides career coaching services. 

Georgia holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago and an MBA with a concentration in Human Resources from Keller Graduate School of Management along with a graduate certificate in Instructional Design from the University of Wisconsin-Stout and other professional certifications. She is currently pursuing a Psy.D. in Consulting Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

Julia Katz is a former CTC member who has completed several major transitions over the past twenty years, culminating in her launching and eventually selling a business to a Fortune 500 Company.  Six years ago, Julia became the principal of JLK Advisors, where she serves as a leadership consultant and executive career coach. Julia guides clients through the discovery process using a variety of coaching tools. Members learn to trust their instincts and move toward what matters most to them. Julia works clients in the Discovery Phase (finding direction.)

John has had a passion for helping those seeking employment and career change for many years. After finding himself ill-equipped for this job search after working for the same company for 20 years, he developed his job search skills through a company sponsored professional outplacement service as well as a program similar to that offered by Career Transitions Center. Subsequently, he started up 2 Job Support Groups (one in Illinois, one after he moved to NJ) which he ran for over 10 years. He continued to provide career coaching support after his subsequent move to NY. Great personal satisfaction was derived from helping others achieve their career goals and find meaningful employment. Twice he experienced the trauma of job loss and looking for a job while unemployed, so he can identify with those in a similar situation. He retired from Pfizer, Inc. in 2019 as VP Business Development after a 42-year career in the pharmaceutical industry, which included overseas living assignments in Hong Kong and Singapore. Prior to joining CTC, John was a Career Coach at Career Resource Center Lake Forest, which ceased operations in 2023.

Kate helps guide professionals in developing their personal brand to communicate confidently, authoritatively and effectively across a variety of audiences. She is the current Principal of Brand New Discovery, providing communications and personal brand consultancy, along with coaching and  training services to enable leaders to share their vision to innovate; inspire others; lead proactively; and implement effectively. Kate’s previous experience includes 13 years as the Communications Advisor to Senior Management in the Restaurant Solutions Group (RSG) – McDonald’s largest global business function made up of ten departments. She has also served as the International Scouting Chair for Boy Scouts of America, Pathways to Adventure Council for the past eight years. Kate holds a certificate in Leadership Arts form the University of Chicago Graham School and a BA in Communication Arts from Columbia College Chicago. Kate was a volunteer coach for CTC from 2009-2014, and we are pleased to welcome her back in 2023!

Mike Munger is a Sr. Client Partner with Digital Information Systems, a global managed services and staffing firm with 86 offices worldwide. Mike has 13 years’ experience in the staffing industry, previously managing a recruiting team and now focused on service delivery for McDonald’s Corporation, Allstate Insurance, The CME Group, and Advocate Aurora Healthcare. Through partnership with HR and hiring teams at his clients, Mike works to understand hiring needs and market potential candidates. Mike is approaching his 6^th year as a volunteer coach at CTC and enjoys making resumes stand out through content creation, interview prep, career discovery exercises, and offer negotiations in his one-one meetings.

Don has served as the managing Director for FGMK, LLC since 2014. His expertise in executive compensation and leadership spans 30 years. He has authored multiple publications on the topics of compensation and long-term incentives. Don also has a particular interest and knowledge of networking which he plans to share with CTC clients in future workshops.

Don holds a BS in Economics from the Wharton School and an MA in industrial Relations from the Carson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.

In addition to his corporate work, Don is an active volunteer who has served as an Admissions Alumni Interviewer at the University of Pennsylvania for the past ten years and served as a career coach for the Career Resource Center for nearly seven years. Don is particularly skilled at working with clients in the Planning & Action phases of transition, as well as providing H.R. perspective and insights to their job search. We are delighted to welcome Don to CTC in 2023!

Kristina is a human centric, executive business leader
and Co-Active Coach with 25+ years of experience in
client relationship management, sales leadership, end-
to-end customer and employee experience, customer success, and
transformation.

As a lifelong learner and student of what motivates people to be better, she enjoys seeking new ways of thinking, doing and being to improve experiences and help people and businesses achieve their best. Kristina’s areas of specialty include hiring, coaching, and developing teams promoting human-centered design and problem-solving. Kristina holds Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing and Honors Humanities from Ball State University, Certification as a Co-Active Coach from the Coaches Training Institute, and is currently completing ICF Coaching certification. She is an active volunteer for both the Heart Walk Fundraising Team, American Heart Association and BMO Harris Employee Giving Ambassador,
United Way of Metropolitan Chicago.

After a successful career as a healthcare executive and given
her passion about women’s leadership, Kim’s journey continues as a certified coach. She helps talented women bring their authentic
selves to their work so they can confidently navigate today’s leadership challenges, inspire leadership and find fulfillment across their career continuum—from now to purposeful retirement and beyond. During her career, Kim served as a trusted advisor, a sought-out mentor and was known as a women’s advancement advocate. A catalyst for customer-centric business transformation at Fortune 200 Companies, she oversaw complex enterprise initiatives with high financial risk, accelerated growth, and significantly enhanced organizational efficiencies. Her energetic, yet pragmatic approach supports clients in attaining success, based
on their definition, no matter what the context.

Amy is a trained personal and executive coach (ACPEC) focusing on leadership, career, and transition coaching with a focus on discovering personal strengths, values, and purpose. She partners with clients to explore new possibilities and design ways to reach new goals. She incorporates a coaching style that is highly approachable, gentle but direct, creative, and utilizes humor. She holds coaching certifications from both the International Coach Federation (ACC) and the National Center for Credentialing in Education (BCC).

Amy is also a trained psychologist with a doctorate (PsyD) in clinical psychology. She holds a B.A. in History and a M.A. in Community Psychology, and previously worked for the American Psychological Association. Amy has a lengthy history of volunteering and community involvement thanks to her husband’s military service, which has allowed her a variety of experiences ranging from language tutor to nonprofit lead to international treasurer, in locations around the world.

Lukas is a Human Resources executive with over 20 years of progressive experience building human capital programs and solutions across diverse client groups in multiple industries ranging from hospitality to transportation and manufacturing.

 Lukas draws on his professional experience and personal multi-cultural experience to guide clients through their own path of Discovery. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois in Political Science. Lukas specializes in providing guidance, support, and strategy to clients at the beginning stages of their career transition journeys.

Bobbie brings over two decades of experience in talent management, leadership development and career transition to her coaching practice and extensive experience in the health care space.  She is certified through the University of Texas at Dallas and the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and holds a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SHRM-SCP) designation. She enjoys working with clients in all stages of career transition, especially those interested in expanding opportunities and navigating challenges in their current work setting.  With authenticity and compassion, Bobbie offers a practical approach and a comfortable space for growth and transformation.  In addition to her private practice, she serves as a Fellow Coach with BetterUp.

Harry is a Talent & Organization expert operating at the intersection of HR, Business, and IT. As a Principal Director at Accenture Management Consulting over 19 years, he helped top tier companies primarily in the high tech/software industry navigate complex change and maximize human capital. He specialized in digital-cloud-HR transformation, talent management, org development, L&D, HRIS, and change management. His passion lies in creating a positive employee/customer experience.

He holds a BA in Psychology from Northwestern University, is fluent in Greek and French, and recently obtained his Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), Project Management Professional (PMP), and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certifications. Being in transition himself, Harry can help others navigate the discovery phase with a spiritual but practical approach.

Liz is a trusted executive, career and transition coach who helps clients do what they didn’t believe they could. She coaches to create awareness, encourage clients to leverage strengths, learn from feedback, practice resilience, and welcome challenges. She is an International Coach Federation (ICF) ACC coach with an ACPEC certification from the College of Executive Coaching.

Liz provides facilitation and consulting for skill-building and leadership programs. For over 25 years, she has led teams to empower thousands of professionals to take their skills to the next level. She draws from a learning experience design and leadership development consulting background built from relationships with small tech companies and Fortune 500 organizations including Fidelity Investments, UnitedHealthcare, and Eli Lilly. Many years at Fidelity Investments developed her sharp business acumen and strong relationships with business partners in sales, contact centers, product development, technology, and other support functions. She partnered with senior leaders on strategic projects including a transition to an agile operating model.  

Liz holds a BA from Fairfield University, an MBA from the University of Hartford, and a Learning Design and Technology graduate certificate from Harvard University. She lives in Deep River CT with her 5th grade teacher husband and an emptying nest. Her two college student sons are thriving! 

Learn more about Liz at https://www.tracycoaching.com.

Sherry provides leadership and team coaching, facilitation and training to business leaders and teams all over the world.  She leverages the breadth and depth of her experience to help leaders grow and execute organization results.

For over 25 years, she held a variety of senior human resource leadership positions in industrial and financial services businesses. Her experience includes global strategic business partnership roles with large employee populations in several geographies. Her consulting practice focuses on leadership and team coaching, leadership development, training and facilitation.

Sherry holds a Professional Certified Coach qualification from the International Coaching Federation, holds a master’s certificate from Fielding Graduate University in Evidence-Based Coaching and graduate of Coaches Training Institute. She is a certified practitioner of Birkman and Hogan leadership assessments.

Sherry has a strong commitment to volunteerism and has served on nonprofit boards and volunteers at Fourth Presbyterian Church, CTC and Executive Service Corp of Chicago.