Take your next steps with clarity and confidence

Leading in a social purpose organization has never been more complex

Funding uncertainty, shifting policy environments, governance challenges, and complex stakeholder expectations can leave even the most seasoned leaders feeling isolated and stretched.

Drawing on three decades in the social impact sector, I work with executive directors, CEOs, social entrepreneurs, leadership teams, and board members who want to lead effectively, and authentically, through complexity while advancing meaningful impact.

As an ICF credentialed coach, I provide a confidential space to think clearly, unpack assumptions, navigate difficult decisions, and move important priorities forward. My clients often seek support when facing organizational change, leadership transitions, strategic decisions, board relationships, partnership challenges, or simply the ongoing demands of mission-driven leadership.

Leadership can be lonely, and having an experienced thinking partner who understands the realities of the sector can be invaluable to surface insights, gain perspective, uncover new possibilities, and take your next steps with greater clarity and confidence.

A supportive space to pause, to think,
to explore

Current Offerings:

  • I coach social purpose leaders - executive directors, CEOs, social entrepreneurs, leadership team members, and board members - who want to lead effectively, and authentically, through complexity while advancing meaningful impact.

    Having a supportive and confidential sounding board with an experienced thinking partner who understands the realities of the social purpose sector can be invaluable.

    I support my coaching clients to unpack complex issues and difficult decisions, voice concerns they can't share elsewhere, examine their own leadership habits, see possibilities, and craft meaningful actions to move priorities forward with clarity and confidence.

    See Coaching section of the Services page for more details.

  • I support organizations through processes of strategic planning, organizational change, developing leadership teams, and convening important, perhaps difficult, conversations. While leaders might seek me out to find answers or solutions to a tricky challenge, more often than not I bring more questions than answers.

    I bring a similar coaching approach to my consulting practice. I thrive on bringing out the wisdom in the room, helping people surface insights and pathways forward.

    Types of projects I work on:

    • Designing and facilitating leadership and team retreats.

    • Strategic Planning.

    • Multi-partner project planning.

    • Facilitating team development sessions.

    • A tricky project or organizational change that needs a thinking partner and sounding board.

    See Consulting & Convening section of the Services page for more details.

What clients say

  • “Ruth was an exceptional executive coach and trusted thinking partner during an important period in my leadership journey. Her thoughtful questions and insight helped me bring greater clarity and discipline to our organizational priorities while also assisting me with some important professional decisions.”

    Doug Tennant, CEO, UNITI - Semiahmoo House Society/ Peninsula Estates Housing Society/ The Semiahmoo Foundation

  • “Ruth is an insightful, grounded and talented coach. Even when I think that I've explored all angles of an issue, Ruth coaches me to find a deeper understanding, leading to real transformation. I leave feeling supported and empowered, knowing that each coaching session is a true partnership. I highly recommend Ruth as a coach - my path is clearer because of her gifts.”

    Leanna Hill, Program Director in BC public sector

  • “I wanted to express a ton of gratitude to you Ruth. You have a beautiful way you hold space. You have a way of listening and then restating and packaging it back to us in a much more clear and eloquent way than we may have expressed - “I think you are saying this” in a way that helps us with our thinking. It's a skill that makes difficult conversations so much more manageable."

    Joanna Goode, Executive Director, Canadian Association for Supported Employment

  • “Ruth has an extraordinary ability to bring clarity and focus to even the most complex challenges, empowering leaders to navigate them with confidence. I highly recommend her to anyone seeking a trusted partner in leadership growth.”

    Alexandra Snelgrove, Former VP Social Impact, LIFT Impact Partners

  • “The work was becoming really overwhelming and Ruth’s coaching really helped me ground, get organized, be vulnerable enough and confident enough to engage others to help. It is not ALL on me. It doesn’t need to be and that was one of the biggest ah-ha’s.”

    Jillian Hardie, Former Executive Director, Opportunities Yukon