Engagement Coach Training
Lead Instructors
Every lead instructor for this program must be ICF certified and pass an application, interview, and audition process. A sample of lead instructors is included below – one internal lead instructor and one external lead instructor:
Jen Lara, Internal Lead Instructor at AACC
Jen Lara is a Professor of Education and the Director of The Center for Faculty and Staff Development at Anne Arundel Community College. A graduate of Michigan State University, University of Colorado and Johns Hopkins University, Jen's career highlights include attending the White House Summit on Community Colleges, winning a NISOD award of excellence and serving on the 21st Century Commission on the Future of Community Colleges. Jen is a certified Co-Active coach through the Coaches Training Institute and has earned her ACC coach certification through the International Coach Federation. Jen’s ultimate dream is to train others to show up more “coach-like” in the world using the Engagement Coach Model she and a colleague developed.
Before her tenure at Anne Arundel Community College, Jen taught in adventure and traditional education environments with K-12 students in suburban Denver, on the Navajo Nation, in Quito, Ecuador, in inner-city Baltimore and on ropes courses in North Carolina and Arizona. In addition to her current position at Anne Arundel Community College, Jen maintains a teaching, learning and lifestyle blog at www.upcyclededucation.com and edupreneurs at www.hellostrategies.com. When not tethered to her laptop, Jen enjoys her family, spending time in the outdoors, and dividing her time between Maryland and Colorado.
Sue Abuelsamid, External Lead instructor
Sue is a professional coach, writer, leader, and educator. Sue works with leaders from board rooms and classrooms and she is driven to help people get curious, with the goal of building better relationships, communities, and businesses, and a better world. With over 20 years of experience in education and business she has devoted her life to understanding and cultivating authentic and powerful leadership and she strives to create an atmosphere that is transformative, engaging, and fun.
Sue attended Queen’s University and the University of Toronto. She holds a Bachelor of Education and is certified by the Coaches Training Institute (CPCC) and the International Coaches Federation (PCC) and is a graduate of the Co-Active Leadership program. She is also certified in the Leadership Circle 360 Profile assessment. Sue has partnered successfully with such organizations as Shell Canada, The Calgary Public School Board, Anne Arundel Community College, and The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. She is the founder and principle at Constant Journey Coaching and the Curiosity Project and runs women’s leadership retreats in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota. She has lived and worked in many parts of Canada, as well as Mexico and Ecuador. Whenever possible Sue can be found in the outdoors playing enjoying time with dog Bodhi.
What participants have said:
I am happy to report that I am bringing coaching everywhere! I am redesigning relationships with the people and things in my life so that they serve me better. I regularly use words (stake, structure, values, designed relationships, intuition, metaphors, stretching....) in my conversations with others and my classes of students. THANK you both for this opportunity to learn coaching.
Courtney Sabol, Assistant Professor, TEACH Institute, Anne Arundel Community College