Hi! I'm Nia
I help mission-driven leaders thrive–
at work and in life.
Now, more than ever, mission-driven leaders need support to make an impact without losing themselves. I am an executive coach and strategist who specializes in helping leaders develop the stamina, strategy, and self-awareness to play the long game of systems change.
I know firsthand how hard it can be to stay grounded in joy and freedom while working on society’s toughest challenges. I work with clients to do good and be well.
Attorney by Training.
Advocate at Heart.
I was born in Trinidad and Tobago and moved to NYC when I was three years old. As a first-generation American and the child of West Indian immigrants, I had four career options– doctor, lawyer, engineer, or disgrace 🙃. I chose lawyer.
Though I knew I never wanted to litigate, I went to law school to learn the language of the law– I saw it as the foundation on which we build policy, on which we then build practice. I have always believed that systems could be different and as an advocate-at-heart/attorney-by-training, I committed my career to education law and policy.
Systems Change and Impact.
I have also always believed that everything is connected. From my interdisciplinary undergraduate and legal degrees to my career bridging different parts of the PK-16+ cradle-to-career pipeline, my superpower has always been the ability to connect seemingly disparate dots, to translate between worlds.

And so, I built a pretty successful career in systems change, ranging across school district policy, charter school accountability, community college transfer systems, postsecondary education federal policy, and civic leadership development, all to center Black and Brown learners in equitable ecosystems.
I got to make an impact, not just on systems, but on the people I got to work with– colleagues, mentees, direct reports. 
Joy and Freedom.
But all the while, I fought to live the life of joy and freedom I truly wanted.
And it was a fight. Grappling with imposter syndrome, trying to find work-life balance, managing up to toxic bosses, withstanding workplace bullying and abuse, recovering from burnout, maintaining my integrity and staying true to my values… it took a lot of personal work for me to keep doing the professional work I was so passionate about.
“What doh kill does fatten,” though. I learned how to thrive despite the challenges I faced. With the help of my own mentors, friends, a therapist, a coach, and a deep practice of self-reflection, I developed and refined the life and leadership skills I needed to flourish. I got clear on what drains me and what energizes me. I set healthy boundaries on my time and energy. I took risks and gave myself permission to trust my intuition. I let go of the mask I’d tried to wear as protection.
Build a new world.
Stay ready to live in it.
Now, I live out my personal motto every day– Build a new world and stay ready to live in it.
I coach and advise to help others find that same joy and freedom, for themselves and for the communities they serve.