Recognized by Forbes as a member of the elite Forbes Coaches Council, I’ve spent over 25 years leading transformative growth experiences for CEOs, students, and adventurous professionals looking to break free from burnout, rediscover their passion, and live with purpose.
I’ve always been driven by the question: What holds us back from living our fullest, most authentic lives?
Whether it’s fear, self-doubt, or limiting beliefs, I’ve dedicated my life to helping others transcend these barriers and step into their full potential.
My approach combines cutting-edge neuroscience and psychology with experiential learning—drawing on decades of mountain guiding, leadership coaching, and personal adventure.
I didn’t start my journey knowing I’d end up here. Growing up near Manhattan, I chased the traditional definition of success: a career in finance, climbing the corporate ladder, and checking every box my parents and society told me mattered. But something was missing.
That realization led me to the mountains, where I felt alive and free.
My first job out of college was teaching mountaineering for Outward Bound, where I guided people through the physical and mental challenges of climbing in the Colorado Rockies. There, I discovered the power of experiential education and began developing what would later become the Empowered Mindset—a framework for overcoming fear, building confidence, and unlocking one’s potential.
Since then, I’ve guided aspiring adventurers in some of the world’s most challenging environments—Alaskan glaciers, Utah’s deserts, and the Mount Everest region of Nepal. I’ve also spent weeks living and meditating with Buddhist monks in remote Himalayan monasteries, shedding layers of fear, false identity, and limitations.
Co-organizing four solar service projects in the Himalayas, including village medical clinic, school, and 900-year-old monastery perched on the side of a 25,000ft sacred peak.
Seeing Buddhist monks flip a switch and experience electric light for the first time—replacing dangerous kerosene lamps—was life-changing for everyone involved. These experiences reaffirmed my belief that contribution is the greatest form of fulfillment.
Over the years, I’ve honed my expertise in leadership, group dynamics, and personal transformation in classrooms, mountains, and boardrooms. As a tenured Professor of Student Success, I spent 13 years exploring how to balance the science of success with the art of fulfillment.
I piloted a freshman experience course so successful it became mandatory for every new student because it raised our campus wide average GPA by over half a letter grade. That’s thousands of lives changed, which feels amazing.
In 2017, after thirteen years leading that program, I grew weary of the constraints of higher education and left my cozy position as a tenured Professor. Inspired by CEOs who’d heard about my results, I launched Ascent Empowerment and became an international executive coach.
In 2023 the prestigious Forbes Coaches Council invited me into their ranks, recognizing how I’d helped hundreds of smart ambitious professionals reignite their careers, overcome self-doubt, and create a deep sense of fulfillment.
It blends scientific research with real world experience tested in mountains and boardrooms so you can overcome the self-imposed limits holding you back from achieving your potential.
Whether we’re working one-on-one or in a workshop, my goal is to empower you to take action and implement the tools required for real, lasting change.
The mountains have taught me that fear and self-doubt are natural, but they’re not immovable.
Whether you’re scaling a literal peak or a metaphorical one at work or in your personal life, the greatest breakthroughs happen when you face the challenge head-on, summoning the most powerful version of yourself.
If you’re ready to reconnect to your passion and purpose, so you can finally unlock the potential you sense within, let’s work together.
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