Hi. I'm Brooke.

(And this is my WFH officemate, Theo.)

My story...

I am a life and leadership coach who masquerades as an academic administrator by day. I was a theatre and film performer and educator for about 15 years before I moved into academic leadership, where I support faculty and students in their growth and development. Adding coaching to my plate was a no brainer for me–the tools that we use in student development and faculty mentoring are incredibly helpful at all phases of life, and I want more people to have access to that kind of transformation. At my very core, I want to help people examine the beliefs and values that motivate us, shape our decisions, and contribute to the impact we make.

As a coach, I blend my experience as an educator, artist, and leader, to help people of all ages discover their values, strengths and purpose so they can get more fulfillment with less effort.

My approach...

Metaphors are central to my approach to coaching, teaching, and leading, because they are efficient, effective, and engaging. Romeo could say "Juliet is a radiant woman, she's powerful, and I feel like my universe revolves around her." Or he could say "Juliet is the sun."

See what I mean?

I secretly wish I was a neuroscientist, and I not-so-secretly weave nuggets of neuroscience into my practice. When you work with me, you can expect to learn some cool stuff about your brain. And the stuff you learn will stick.

("Stick" is a metaphor for neuroplasticity...see what I did there?)

I believe that everyone is inherently creative and playful, and I've spent decades nurturing both active artists and the "creativity challenged" (<--their words, not mine) in their quests to be more curious, generative, and expressive.

Come play with me!

(This guy is the real star)

My credentials...

I have an MA in educational theatre from New York University, and an MFA in interdisciplinary art from Goddard College. I am a tenured member of the faculty at Whitworth University, currently serving as Dean of the School of Continuing Studies. In addition to acting and directing for both stage and screen, I specialize in collaborative theatre making, and using theatre skills and tools in non-theatre settings. At least once a year, a former student contacts me to ask if that was me in the training video they just had to watch. The answer is usually, yes.

I began my coach training in 2018 (though I was delighted to discover that as an educator and artist, I had been intuitively coaching for years). I completed coursework, mentoring, and practice hours through the Academy of Creative Coaching. I am also a certified Gallup Strengths coach and a trained Playing Big Facilitator (with Tara Mohr). I've taken the Neuroscience of Change course through Coaches Rising...twice! I'm obsessed with the Hidden Brain podcast and everything that Lisa Feldman Barrett publishes. And I recommend Laurie Santos' Science of Happiness course on Coursera to everyone I meet.

I'm a huge believer in Design Thinking (and hold several certificates from IDEOU) and as a result, I never show up at a meeting without a prototype and I always celebrate failure with gusto. I am a whiz at group facilitation and I'm great in front of a crowd. I speak frequently on Gender in the Workplace, Strengths-based Leadership, the Power of Purpose, and Avoiding Burnout. I am a proud member of Executive Women International, Women Helping Women Fund, and the founding board chair for Spokane Arts.

Ready to schedule a consult?

Send me a little message, I'll get right back to you.