I work with higher education leaders to be courageous, confident, successful leaders. Throughout her 40-year career in higher education, Dr. Karen Whitney has held a variety of executive and leadership positions with increasing levels of responsibility, beginning as a Director to Associate Vice President, Vice Chancellor, President, and Chancellor. Karen is a nationally recognized organizational and leadership development writer, speaker, consultant and advisor. She holds a doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin in Higher Education Administration and is a certified coach through the Center for Executive Coaching. Today, Karen’s work revolves around advising and consulting with higher education leaders with stints in serving as an interim executive leader herself. Karen has been a leadership coach to Presidents, Provosts, VPs and Deans since 2018. As a consultant, she specializes in the area of interim or transitional leadership. She works with boards, system heads and campus CEOS to select the very best interim leadership solutions often needed at the most crucial times. Karen’s approach to leadership coaching is to combine a proven track-record of higher education leadership with a variety of engagement approaches, including advising, coaching, facilitating, and training. Drawing on her vast experience at every level of leadership, she […]
Steve Riccio is a leadership coach, educator, and organizational development consultant who helps leaders and teams perform with greater clarity, effectiveness, and purpose. Drawing from more than 25 years of experience across higher education and organizational consulting, Steve partners with leaders at all levels—from emerging managers to senior executives—to navigate workplace challenges, strengthen relationships, and lead with confidence. Known for his thoughtful presence and practical approach, Steve creates coaching partnerships grounded in trust, accountability, and meaningful reflection. Clients describe him as both empathetic and appropriately challenging, helping them uncover blind spots, think strategically, and take intentional action. He believes one of the greatest gifts a leader can offer is attentive listening. Steve has accumulated more than 1,300 hours of leadership coaching experience working with individuals and teams on communication, organizational effectiveness, conflict management, leadership transition, and team development. While every leader’s journey is unique, Steve emphasizes three core principles that consistently drive leadership success: Engage in productive conflict through respect and candor Prioritize strategic thinking over constant operational urgency Develop employees through coaching rather than problem-solving for them Steve also works with clients to build self-awareness and self-care practices that support resilience, sound decision-making, and long-term effectiveness. He believes leaders […]
