About me.
As a coach and consultant, I have:
Advanced degrees in business management and organizational leadership
Strong business acumen and interpersonal skills
Over 30 years of real-world work experience in the public sector
Executive credibility and authenticity
More than 5 years of coaching experience
A high regard for confidentiality and ethics
One of the things I enjoy most is coaching, mentoring and actively developing the leadership skills of all those with whom I work. Clients often express their appreciation for my ability to create a safe and supportive environment where they can be challenged and grow.
Experience
I’ve spent over 20 years in executive leadership roles in local government, and I enjoyed the challenges and opportunities to grow that came with each new position. Some of my strengths and areas of expertise include: organizational and team effectiveness, leadership development, strategic leadership, change management, public sector budgeting, and policy development.
I’ve successfully led organization-wide initiatives and cultural change efforts that increased transparency, transformed operational systems, and improved overall customer service. As a local government leader, I initiated changes by restructuring the organization’s approach to fleet management, employee training and development, sustainability, and infrastructure investment in technology and facilities.
When I retired from working full-time in local government, I started Townsend Consulting where I focus my time on supporting the growth of others through providing leadership coaching and consulting. I’ve conducted numerous trainings on mentoring, strengths-based leadership, change management, and social and emotional intelligence.
I’m also currently a Scholar in Residence with the Utah Women & Leadership Project at Utah State University, which provides an outlet where I can pursue my passion of research on a variety of topics related to women leaders.
Education
I received my Doctorate in Education from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. My focus was on organizational leadership, which augmented my decades of practical, hands-on leadership experience in government.
I’m certified from ISEI (the Institute of Social and Emotional Intelligence) and I’m experienced with Gallup’s StrengthsFinder assessments. I’m one of those people who is always wanting to learn and improve, so I’m currently pursuing a coaching credential from the International Coaching Federation (ICF).