“Our chief want in life is somebody who will make us do what we can.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

 
Dr. Kelly Gesmundo Clarke, Founder and Lead Coach and Consultant, has worked in various senior executive roles over twenty years leading change and resiliency efforts. She has extensive experience in leading agencies through adaptive change, transition and undesired and unexpected disruption. Her work has been recognized at the state and national level.

She holds a doctorate in Organization Development and Change from Bowling Green State University and an MSC in Sociology, with distinction, from the London School of Economics and has been recognized as a Distinguished Leader by the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. She has certifications in board governance and leadership decision science from the Harvard Kennedy School and certifications in Positive Leadership, Leading High Performing Teams, and Strategic Leadership from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. Kelly holds a professional coach certification via the College for Executive Coaching, a post-graduate institute for Executive Coaching with a curriculum grounded in Positive Psychology. Kelly is an experienced facilitator and spent part of her career in an internal Management, Analysis, and Planning leadership role with the City of Chicago and launched a boutique consulting firm in Chicago focused on helping her clients improve agency performance, turn around challenged business functions, complete bold strategic plans and build a positive culture. Kelly has served in public service in London, England, Chicago, and Michigan leading social impact initiatives at the local and state level. She currently leads coaching, learning, and leadership development efforts at IFF, a mission driven lender, developer and consulting practice serving communities across the midwest including Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City, Indianapolis, Cleveland, and Milwaukee. Kelly recently completed original research to discover what was enabling for exemplary leadership during COVID19. She interviewed 17 leaders nominated by followers as exemplary in a range of industries.
 
 
 
Why Great Lakes?

A full life is complex and messy. It includes beauty and challenge. Times of calm and also times of uncertainty and disruption.   

The Great Lakes region is rich with beauty and resources, at the same time it has weathered difficult times and has experienced depletion and strain. Within this context, there is an inherent resilience of the area. Creativity, resourcefulness, and regeneration are defining characteristics.

The goal of Great Lake Coaching and Consulting is to help clients access their innate strengths, build resilience, and create conditions that will allow them, their teams, and organizations to thrive.