Clare Coonan is an executive coach and organizational development consultant specializing in leadership and team development. As an imaginative thinker and student of life, Clare brings creativity, insight and energy to her work with clients. She is an expert in emotional intelligence, and has an innate ability to quickly understand individuals' strengths and needs and help them find the most effective pathways to change. She is an advocate for
growth, discovery and possibility, and helps individuals and teams push out the boundaries of their thinking by connecting to their own values and passions. She likes to talk about finding the "passion sweet spot" that aligns a person's or organization's vision, values and activities.
Clare is passionate herself about building gender balance in leadership, and through her work with women leaders at Chocolate Villa, helps them identify their next steps, remove barriers, and build networks for support and challenge. She is also dynamic story teller. Her amazing ability to captivate an audience with stories from her experiences as as river guide and outdoor program leader provide colorful metaphors for developing leadership strengths and building teams.
In the field of consulting since 2005, Clare has worked with clients around the world. She has extensive experience working with clients in healthcare, R&D, non-profit organizations, governments and education. She has a Masters Degree in Social Work, and has worked as both a mental health therapist and program manager in a large behavioral healthcare organization, where she directed a team of over 40 staff, was responsible for a multi-million dollar budget, and was instrumental in developing several quality improvement programs. Previously, she served as the executive director of a non-profit organization whose mission was to take people with disabilities on outdoor adventure trips. There, she gained extensive knowledge of budgets, marketing and fundraising. She also learned to rock climb, cross country ski and river raft.
Clare is trained and certified in several assessment instruments designed to help leaders and managers harness their skills and recognize their blind spots. These include:
- Emotional Quotient Inventory 2.0
- 16 PF (Personality Factors)
- DISC - Behavioral inventory
- Hermann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI)
- 360° Feedback
In 1989 Clare moved from her native St. Louis to enjoy the wondrous outdoor bounty of Salt Lake City, where she currently resides. She loves spending time in the outdoors and traveling the world seeking new hiking trails and sailing adventures. Throughout her career path, her passion for helping others succeed and for teaching has consistently remained her "true north". Whether working with troubled youth, high-potential leaders, medical professionals, or government leaders, Clare has been teaching, facilitating and engaging people to become their best and most authentic selves throughout her professional life.