About Jennifer Wilson
Founder/Principal, New Leaf Coaching & Consulting
MA, ACC (she/her)
For over 30 years, I’ve followed my calling to facilitate transformational change with people, teams and organizations. As a seasoned coach, consultant, facilitator, and trainer, I partner with mission-driven people and organizations who are seeking to create a more just, equitable, and sustainable world. I think that everyone in an organization is a leader in any context they find themselves, regardless of position or title, and that leader-full teams and organizations are what we need more than ever.
My clients describe me as warm, compassionate, and deeply present, and also as “kindly honest” when helping people challenge their self-limiting assumptions and beliefs. I can’t think of anything more joyful than partnering with people and teams as they make shifts, both large and subtle, that allow them to live and lead with purpose and power.
I fell in love with the transformative power of coaching after making a series of bold and necessary changes in my personal and professional life with the help of my coach. I completed my initial training with the Institute for Life Coach Training in 2003 (when “life coach” was definitely not a household word in the midwest!). I recently completed a second coach training program at Teleos Leadership Institute in 2021 to sharpen my skills and practice. I earned my MA in Counseling and Educational Psychology at the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities where a fortuitous grad assistantship led to my discovery that teenagers are amazing and awesome.
I became a consultant after co-founding two urban high schools dedicated to serving marginalized youth. Learning what it takes to take an idea all the way to implementation, often while navigating bureaucracy and resistance, gave me a strong foundation for helping others achieve big goals. I founded New Leaf Coaching and Consulting LLC in 2006 and have worked across the US with progressive organizations such as The Obama Foundation, Sierra Club, and Open Society Foundations. I continue to advocate for children and families as a consultant, volunteer, and Board member.
When I had a month of unexpected downtime at the beginning of the pandemic, I wrote Waking Up to Your Worth: Ten Touchstones for Overcoming Imposter Syndrome, lessons learned from surviving, healing, and transforming childhood abuse into self-acceptance.
Where I Find Joy: Engaging with my inspiring clients each day, morning coffee on the screen porch, traveling and exploring all over with my favorite travel companions, the deep serenity of the backcountry, talking and laughing with beloved friends, getting lost in a good book.
Life & Leadership Coaching: Whole-hearted leadership; aligning with purpose and values; navigating transitions; developing self-awareness, emotional intelligence, mindfulness, and presence; thriving after abuse/trauma; LGBTQIA+; stepparenting.
