Professional Experience
Irvenia Waters brings to her coaching over two decades of experience guiding executives, teams and boards to think strategically, envision and assess alternatives, and develop the leadership capabilities and relationships needed to realize their vision. Her coaching approach promotes sustainable change by moving clients to action and revealing insights to shift the core thoughts and feelings that drive their actions.
Irvenia’s partnerships with clients are action-oriented and results-focused. Clients enjoy her genuine, lighthearted and steady manner and feel “supported, encouraged and strengthened” by their work together. Irvenia’s work is focused on having “a lasting impact on our understanding of ourselves as leaders.” A skilled strategist, Irvenia helps clients reduce clutter and complexity to reveal enlightening patterns and perspectives and focus on what is most important to them. Her fresh insights and out-of-the-box thinking help clients imagine new possibilities and make conscious choices among them.
Throughout her career, Irvenia has been a trusted advisor and thought partner to senior leaders, with internal and management consulting roles in the federal government, healthcare industry, and the nonprofit sector. She has also designed strategy planning and evaluation processes, facilitated board and team meetings, and conducted workshops on a variety of leadership topics. Irvenia consulted to healthcare clients to redesign operations and improve clinical resource management. She managed a consulting office as well as a large information resources staff, and led nonprofit boards.
She has coached leaders on-boarding to new roles and organizations as well as those seeking to augment performance in existing roles to meet new demands. She has worked with executives to enhance emotional intelligence, change behavior, build high performing relationships, and develop critical leadership capabilities.
Recent Coaching Assignments
- Vice President of a fast-growing technology company to enhance communication and time management skills
- Manager to develop ease in public speaking and incorporate time and work management practices to achieve better work-life balance
- Board Chair of an education organization to increase leadership effectiveness of self and Board and to plan for executive succession
- Sales professional to assess team leadership opportunities and capabilities and to increase engagement at work
- Founding executive of a highly regarded school to contemplate legacy and set priorities for final year before retirement
- Executive Director of a performing arts organization to increase leadership effectiveness and improve relationship with Board
- Executive Director of an educational opportunity organization to develop presence and leadership capabilities critical for ambitious growth strategies
- Head of an Independent School to increase leadership effectiveness, empower administrative team and manage relationship with Board
- School Administrator to develop team leadership and planning capabilities to perform an expanded role
- President of a small business to enhance emotional resilience in a challenging work environment
- Senior planning professional reentering the workforce after extended travel abroad
- Board Chair of a school to develop management skills and increase effectiveness in new role
- Head and Board Chair of an Independent School to support the first-time Head’s transition to a new institution, form their partnership and institute governance best practices
Education and Professional Affiliations
- Certified Professional Coach by Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching
- Associate Certified Coach, International Coach Federation
- Certified in Energy Leadership Index and EQ in Action Profile Assessments
- Certified in Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Step I and Step II Assessments
- MBA, University of California Berkeley, Haas School of Business
- MSPH, Health Policy and Administration, University of North Carolina
- AB, Duke University