Inside the world your leaders are navigating now
I spent 11 years inside Data & AI talent markets, in environments where leadership capability directly drove revenue, retention, and delivery. I watched what happens when support doesn't keep pace with expectations, and built Climb Up because I saw that pattern too many times to ignore
11
Years in Data & AI talent leadership
50+
Countries. Perspectives shaped by more than one room.
7
Years on the Board of Advisors for RPI University
3
Professional coaching accreditations, ICF member
The Pattern
Capable people get promoted because they deliver. Then the job changes - it becomes about judgment and enabling others, and almost nobody tells them that clearly.
What looks like underperformance is usually a capability gap nobody named. I watched this constantly in AI and data businesses, where the pace of change compresses everything and the cost of getting it wrong shows up fast.
"Leadership capability is not a soft investment. It directly shapes performance, retention, and execution - and in AI-driven environments, the gap between what organizations demand and what they develop is becoming impossible to ignore."
Why I formalized the work
I'd been doing this informally for years - advising leaders, building and training teams of my own, learning what actually changes behavior versus what just feels good in the room.
The difference between Climb Up and most leadership development: I'm not working from theory. I spent 11 years inside the environments your leaders are operating in. I know what the pressure feels like, which gaps show up first, and which interventions actually work.
What sets my coaching apart
I've seen, and made, the mistakes.
Hiring, firing, scaling, losing teams, rebuilding. I know what leading under pressure actually feels like.
I look past the symptom.
What looks like a performance problem is usually leadership misalignment underneath - that's where we focus.
This is about how you operate, not how you think.
No generic advice. We work on decisions, pressure, and day-to-day behavior.
I don't let things stay comfortable.
I'll challenge you where it matters - the work is honest and direct.
I build capability, not dependence.
The goal is you needing me less, not more, over time.
I measure outcomes, not satisfaction.
The question isn't "did people enjoy it", it's "did behavior change."
Beyond the work…
Where it all started
Born and raised in the North-West of England -mostly raining, always beautiful. Fueled by northern grit, strong tea, and a deep love for rolling hills and dry humor. I've lived in New York for 12 years.
What lights me up
I've been to over 50 countries and counting - usually choosing destinations based on the quality of the coffee or the opportunity to get properly absorbed in local history. Travel shaped my perspective on leadership more than most books have.
What backs me up
Before becoming a certified coach, I earned my undergrad in History and spent 11 years in business development and sales training in Data & AI. I've spoken at multiple conferences on the Data & AI job market and spent 7 years on RPI's Board of Advisors, helping students launch their careers.
My Coaching Accreditations….
