Annmarie Caño, PhD, ACC, BCC

I know what it feels like to be caught between institutional pressures and personal values. I also know the joys of leading with integrity to build institutions that serve as engines of democracy and social uplift—places where everyone, not just the privileged few, can thrive.

As a Latina, first-generation college student who became a professor, academic leader, licensed clinical psychologist, and certified executive coach, I’ve navigated the complex terrain of higher education from multiple vantage points. I understand the unique challenges facing leaders who are working to dismantle oppressive systems while building careers and lives of meaning and purpose.

My Coaching Philosophy

I first experienced coaching when I began a newly created position reporting to a provost. Having a confidential person who had my back as I navigated politics, built out of my office, and made strategic decisions was essential to enhancing my confidence and effectiveness. It was a liberating experience that led me to pursue a coaching certification.

My coaching philosophy is grounded in liberation psychology—the same framework I detail in my book Leading Toward Liberation: How to Build Cultures of Thriving in Higher Education (Hopkins Press, 2025). This approach involves “reading reality” with compassion and curiosity, recognizing that effective and fulfilled leaders are those who commit to knowing themselves and their institutions and then act strategically to achieve shared goals.

What We Work On

Through thoughtful questioning that encourages reflective inquiry, I guide you to:

• Get clear on your values: Focusing on what’s important to you can help you say yes and no more intentionally and stay true to your purpose.
• Navigate transitions successfully: Whether you are entering or exiting a role, leading change, or there are changes happening around you, I help you make strategic and wise decisions to be effective and have a positive impact on others.
• Manage up, down, and around more effectively: I help you discover ways to advocate for yourself and others, build inclusive teams, and negotiate so you can be more effective in reaching your goals.
• Hold yourself and others accountable: Whether it’s time or project management or holding others accountable for their performance and contributions to a healthy culture, we can strategize and identify ways to keep things moving.
• Chart career paths: We can identify career paths and build a plan to secure roles that honor your professional ambitions and your deepest commitments.

Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all template, I adapt our work to your particular context and needs. Our coaching relationship provides a confidential space where you can reflect, set goals, and enhance your impact. Together, we move from reflection to direction, helping you lead with both courage and compassion while co-creating the kind of workplace where you and your colleagues can truly thrive.

Who I Coach

As someone who has served in leadership roles at both public and private universities, I understand the distinct pressures facing mid-level to senior leaders, from department chairs to deans, vice presidents to provosts. My experience as a professor, spouse, and mother to a teenager informs my understanding that leadership happens within the fullness of our lives—not separate from them.

Whether you’re seeking clarity on a current challenge, preparing for a leadership transition, or building the skills to lead systemic change, I’m here to accompany you on your journey of leadership.

Testimonials

“Dr. Caño’s coaching style is not only inclusive and person-centered, it integrates her dispositions as a critical scholar and caring human. As a Latina in the academy and in a field that is predominantly demographically homogenous in a way that underrepresents my positionalities, I consider myself more than fortunate to have enjoyed her wisdom, guidance, and acompañamiento. She ensured my “different” experiences, ways of communicating, and ways of knowing – which are often erased in high power higher education contexts- were valued in our exchanges. In fact, she helped me reframe these as leadership strengths, a stance that in turn has scaffolded important career transitions in the last year. Muchas Gracias, Dr. Caño!”

“Annmarie Caño’s coaching was invaluable during my first year as dean. Facing complex challenges, I found in her a thoughtful, equity-minded, and ethical guide. Her feedback was both insightful and practical, helping me find my footing and articulate my vision for leadership. Having first heard her speak on “Deaning with Compassion and Conviction,” I’m grateful that her coaching helped me embody those very principles.”

“I treasured working with Annmarie as my coach. She listened with compassion and curiosity, asked questions that led me to new possibilities, and shared ideas and resources that I continue to use in my leadership journey and career. Coaching with Annmarie was transformative for me. I am grateful for our work together!”

BIO

Annmarie Caño, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist and certified executive coach whose coaching is informed by 25 years of experience in higher education, including as an award-winning teacher and mentor, a principal investigator on National Institutes of Health grants, a two-time Fellow of the American Psychological Association, and an academic leader in public and private institutions, including as a dean and an associate provost. She draws from her lived experience as a Latina and a first-generation college student to advance personal and systemic change that can liberate the workplace from harmful and exclusionary practices. Her book with Johns Hopkins University Press (2025), Leading Toward Liberation: How to Build Cultures of Thriving in Higher Education, applies liberation praxis as a framework for academic leaders who strive to create healthier working environments for everyone. Connect with her at https://www.linkedin.com/in/annmarie-cano/ or visit: https://www.annmariecano.com.