Faculty & Staff

Founder and President

Dr. Pamela Larde, a professor, coach, award-winning author, and business owner, is committed to engaging in the work of advancing the reach and commitment of the coaching profession to serve and build up heart-centered leaders around the world.

As a dedicated member of the global community, Dr. Larde is committed to taking the lead in addressing compelling social issues through the her role as founder of the Academy of Creative Coaching and director of education for the Institute of Coaching, an affiliate of McLean/Harvard Medical School.

In 2013, she founded the Academy of Creative Coaching to serve individuals and organizations across the globe wishing to elevate their skills and credibility around coaching, leadership, and cultural competency. The Academy of Creative Coaching is currently among the first of black female owned ICF ACTP accredited coaching schools in the world. Through this lens, Dr. Larde and her team are intentional about integrating values of belonging, human dignity, justice and care for the whole person into every fiber of the organization.

Dr. Larde is a certified coach and received training in suicide prevention, motivational interviewing, and substance abuse counseling. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism, a master’s degree in College Student Affairs, and a Ph.D. in Leadership for the Advancement of Learning and Service. Her research focuses on race and gender dynamics, self-motivation, joy resilience, and posttraumatic growth. She has written three books, has contributed chapters to scholarly publications, and presents her research extensively for national and international audiences. Recent publications and presentations can be found here.

Chief Operating Officer and Mastermind Trainer

Jay Hurt is the “coach’s coach.”  As an author, international speaker, mastermind facilitator, and relationship coach, Jay offers a unique and strategic approach to relationship and communication.  He is a strong proponent of both professional and personal development, as well as being passionate about creating frameworks and principles for coaches in order to help them become more effective communicators and leaders.

Jay’s background, values and beliefs have led him to focus on the importance of good communication in both business and personal relationships.  This is reflected in his frequent teaching, speaking and writing.

Jay has a special commitment to see African American couples thrive and live out Godly principles in both the context of dating and marriage.  A significant aspect of his coaching and counseling is committed to helping couples thrive and to face the challenges that many African American couples face.

He is the author of The 9 Tenets of a Successful Relationship and his newly released book Before You Jump the Broom.  He is a frequent speaker and facilitator of mastermind groups.

Chief Marketing Officer

Lee Ashby Watts is owner of Ashby & Watts consulting and chief marketing officer at Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP.

She is passionate about helping professionals establish clarity and connection in their marketing, branding, and leadership. She is a blog contributor for Forbes Magazine and is a frequent speaker at conferences. Her workbook, “Still God’s Girl” is for those seeking clarity and personal branding after life change. Many of her clients are from the Christian community, as she has engaged with approximately 10 pastors, ministers, and leaders for marketing and branding.

She is a former board member for Legal Marketing Association Southeast, former VP of Public Relations for Toastmasters, served on the marketing and PR committee for the Partnership Against Domestic Violence, as well as a board member at Morehouse School of Medicine.

Director of Faculty Training and Development, Faculty and Mentor Coach

Dan Sheedy is a Senior Executive Coach and Trainer with Novateur Partners. With more than 25 years of extensive business management, career transition and wellness experience, Dan partners with high performing, high potential clients across geographies and industries.

He is both a skilled executive coach and an expert in helping professionals become more physically healthy so they can perform at the highest levels. Dan’s previous roles have included portfolio management for JP Morgan Investment Management and Sanford C. Bernstein, marketing and structured products development with GWG Life and Vida Capital.

Dan delivers dynamic and Co-Active coaching. Specific areas that Dan has delivered the greatest client results have been in career transition, workplace communications, the style impact of individuals in workplace interactions (on seniors, subordinates, peers) and employee wellness and motivation. Dan developed these areas of expertise as a direct result of his personal experience as a corporate leader and his transformation from a traumatic accident to an ultra-distance runner. He uses these experiences to inspire individuals and to provide individuals and corporations with tools to rise to the next level.

Dan’s education includes a Master of Business Administration in Management from Golden Gate University and a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Auburn University. Dan is a member of the International Coach Federation and is a trained co-active coach through the Coaches Training Institute (CTI). Additionally, he certified in the CCL-360 Benchmark assessment, and holds the credentials of Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) and Fitness Nutrition Specialist (FNS) through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).

Operations Coordinator

Fatimah has worked for some of the most sought after firms in the country with a focus on customer experience and operations support. Her drive and passion for business services have led to the creation of Solid Virtual Business Solutions, a company that provides business process outsourcing solutions.

Her professional mantra is “Choosing to specialize in a field means that you are completely devoted to it; that you will protect it as if it were your own.”

Faculty and Mentor Coach

For over 25 years, Dr. Green Fareed’s expertise has been in the areas of human and organizational systems development in both non-profit and for-profit organizations. Her primary focus is supporting the personal and professional development of African American women leaders within organizations as well as in communities. To expand her work with Black women leaders, she conducts action research on culturally based health and wellness issues related to Black women.

Through her Organizational Development and systems consulting, Dr. Green Fareed supports organizations to develop anti-racist, equity centered environments that expands personal, interpersonal, and organizational effectiveness.

Dr. Green Fareed earned a doctorate in Human & Organizational Systems from Fielding Graduate University. She completed coaching certifications from the Evidence Based Coaching Program at Fielding, Board Certified Career Coach from the Center for Credentialing & Education, and Trauma Informed Coach from Moving the Human Spirit. She holds the Professional Certified Coach (PCC) level credential from the International Coach Federation (ICF) and has provided coach education for over 15 years.

She holds certifications in Diversity Facilitation from NTL Institute, Race Relations Group Facilitation from Stir Fry Consulting. Charlyn completed certificates at Fielding in: Transformative Learning for Social Justice; Dialogue, Deliberation, and Public Engagement, a dialogic process for leading groups through collaborative decision-making. Charlyn is a native of Philadelphia and lives in the Atlanta, GA area.

www.charlyngreenfareed.com

Faculty and HR Expert

Lawrence Henderson has been a comfort disrupting Certified Leadership & Organizational development Coach, Trainer, and Speaker for over 15 years, working to deliver social/culturally aware programs that shift the fabric of an organization. Lawrence started his career as an impactful leader through service to his country in the U.S. Army.

Now as the Founder and Senior Learning Partner of Business Operational Support Services, LLC, he stands in a position to help people connect to the best versions of themselves. He has an unquenchable desire to help bridge the gap for others in their pursuit of God’s purpose in their lives by speaking on the TED stage, facilitating workshops, seminars, and small groups that provide people with the tools to lead today and well into the future.

As an authentic voice to live a life of humility, openness, and transparency, Lawrence models the way as a volunteer in several nonprofits and professional organizations throughout the Greater Atlanta area to be the change needed in and around the community.

Faculty and Higher Education Leadership/Cultural Humility Expert

Dr. Joel Pérez is owner of Apoyo Coaching and Consulting, LLC and an Associate Certified Coach with the International Coach Federation (ICF). He specializes in career transitions, career coaching, identity-conscious leadership coaching and professionals that want to develop their cultural humility. He has a certification in the MBTI, Qualified Administrator for the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), Gallup Strengths Certified Coach and is a certified coach through the Academy of Creative Coaching. He has over 20 years of experience in higher education, serving in various key leadership roles.

Joel currently serves as the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Los Angeles Chapter of the International Coaching Federation, where he is leading inclusion efforts. He recently served as the Interim Executive Director for the Immigration Resource Center of San Gabriel Valley, which provides low-cost immigration legal services, educational events, and connection to local community resources.

Joel earned a B.S. in Business Administration from Biola University, an M. Ed. in College Student Affairs from Azusa Pacific University, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Claremont Graduate University. Joel has been married over 23 years and has four children, and he enjoys cheering on the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Facilitator

With over 37 years of experience as an educator, coach, and leader in diverse roles and settings, Tim brings an insight and expertise on how to encourage and support others in reaching their goals and living out their purpose. He has served as a teacher, counselor,
principal, director, coach, and state consultant over his career.

His work has been across elementary, middle, and high school as well as adjunct teaching at the collegiate level. This past year he developed and led an educational leadership development program serving experienced and emerging school administrators. He has a BA in Mathematics, a MA in School Counseling, and ED. D in Educational Leadership, all from Western Kentucky University.

He has been certified as a secondary education teacher, school counselor, K-12 Principal, and Superintendent. He is a PCC certified life coach with the International Coach Federation. He has been married to Ellen for 35 years and they have three adult children.

Faculty and Organizational Change Expert

Michael Wright, JD, PCC is a coach, strategic advisor, and former international human rights attorney with over 20 years’ experience. He presently works with Kirkland & Ellis, the world’s number one law firm, leading efforts on diversity, employee engagement,
and well-being.

Michael started his career as a trusted advisor on cutting edge change initiatives at the American Psychological Association, Harvard University’s Center for Business and Government, and the United Nations (UN). At the UN, he worked on a core team of experts supporting the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative on Business and Human Rights, an appointee of the late Secretary-General Kofi Annan. During this time, he supported the creation of the first-ever United Nations Human Rights Guiding Principles for Business, which are now used by private, government, and nonprofit sectors globally.

After many years serving senior leaders inside organizations, he started an executive coaching practice where he broadened his reach, working with individuals in industries ranging from pharma to tech to health and wellness. He is certified by the International Coach Federation, has trained and led teams of coaches, and has written on the topic, including as a contributing author to the coaching textbook, Coaching for Transformation: Pathways to Ignite Personal & Social Change.

Michael’s deep passion is advancing structural and organizational change by supporting the individual change required to make it a reality. He engages clients with a lightness of heart and is inspired by the ability of language and design to amplify impact. His work is also informed by his roots as a first-generation college student and member of the Nanticoke Indian Tribe and LGBTQ+ community.

Michael holds a Bachelor’s in Social Work, a Juris Doctorate, and served for five years as a post-doctoral fellow at Harvard University researching, writing, and presenting globally on corporate social responsibility.

Faculty and Cultural Competency/Agile/Conflict Resolution Expert

Pernethia (Penny) Arrington is president and owner of Vision Speaks Coaching, a company inspired by Habakkuk 2:2-3.   She is a highly accomplished leader with a notable, multi-discipline career spanning more than 15 years who extended her reach by starting Vision Speaks Coaching, a company that specializes in coaching excellence as a lifestyle. Her clients’ transitional experiences are based on the pillars of Excellence, Empowerment, Education and Exuberant Energy.

Turning dreams into reality, aligning resources to needs, inspiring quick results and joy during the journey is Pernethia’s specialty for individual, group and team visions. Corporate professionals, business owners, community leaders and cross-generational prospects engage “Coach Penny”, as she is known, as a trusted advisor to guide them through the process from vision to success. As a business professional and innovator, Coach Penny leverages creative coaching techniques, pragmatic strategies, crucial conversations, and collaboration to assist clients in clearly defining goals and plans to get the best results while unleashing their power to be their best selves.

Pernethia is a highly accomplished PMI, SAFe©, ACC certified Project Management Professional/Coach. She has extensive experience and has a knack for turning grey content into something tangible and brings experience as a corporate executive, certified coach, accredited project management professional, program management, previous executive director of a youth mentoring organization.

In addition to life coaching, Pernethia’s span of coaching specializations includes soft-skill, vision and strategy development as well as leadership, relationship, career, transition and peak performance mastery. She has a proven ability to quickly assess, learn, apply knowledge and lead change.  In 2015 she joined ACC as an instructor as one of the experts in conflict resolution, crucial conversations, positive psychology, agile coaching and cultural competence and humility. Most recently she has been participatory on various panels on the topics of healing and diversity and inclusion. She is a Certified Creative Coach, a product of the training provided by Academy of Creative Coaching (ACC).

Pernethia’s educational background is equally as impressive, having a Phi Beta Sigma Honors designation with a  Bachelor of Science in Math, Minor in Spanish and Africana studies from Rutgers University, a Masters in Information Systems from Stevens Institute of Technology, a PMP from the Project Management Institute, SAFE agile (SA, POPM, SM) and Creative Professional Coach Certifications from Scaled Agile and Academy of Creative Coaching respectively.

Faculty and Diversity & Inclusion Expert

Carla Fullwood is a an expert in diversity and inclusion, social justice, and women’s studies. She received training through the Social Justice Training Institute and facilitates classes, trainings, and workshops for community, corporate, and educational audiences.

With a strong background in higher education, she has taken on roles in new student orientation, admissions, housing and residence life, campus programming, student development, and multicultural affairs. Though her work in higher education, Ms. Fullwood has lead initiatives in social justice education programming and student dialogue. Her professional interests include developing and facilitating anti-bias and social justice trainings, intercultural competency development, intergroup dialogues, supporting students of color, and supporting first-generation and low-income college students.

Ms. Fullwood has a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication and media from the State University of New York at New Paltz and a Master of Arts degree in student affairs administration in higher education from Ball State University. She is pursuing a Ph.D. in the educational leadership and cultural foundations program at UNCG.

Faculty and Trauma Informed Coaching Expert

Arnitta is a Licensed Professional Counselor, International Speaker, Certified Professional Coach, Educator, and Advocate with experience in clinical practice, corrections, and higher education instruction. She has taught psychology courses at several Milwaukee area colleges and universities including Marquette University and Milwaukee Area Technical College.

Arnitta was previously the Sisters Program Director at the Benedict Center.  Under her leadership, the Sisters Program opened a second drop-in center, and increased the entire program’s capacity to serve women in the street-based sex trade and sex trafficking.  Arnitta managed the program’s direct services and advocacy for women, while working in partnership to affect systemic change to create more equitable and effective ways to help women in the sex trade.  In 2019, Arnitta joined the Office of Violence Prevention (OVP) in the City of Milwaukee Health Department as the ReCAST Program Manager leading OVP’s efforts to promote healing, resilience, and increase the mental health and well-being of youth and families at risk for exposure to trauma.

Arnitta is the owner of Rapha Wellness Institute, LLC, providing consulting, training, and speaking services. She also serves as an Executive Board Member for the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault (WCASA).  Arnitta lives by her personal philosophy that all people deserve to be seen, heard, valued, loved and afforded the opportunities to heal and live well.

Faculty and Implicit Bias/Trauma Informed Coaching Expert

Dr. Jillian Whatley received her B.S in Education from Miles College Birmingham, Al. She continued her education at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville where she received her M.S. in Education, and Gallaudet University in Washington, DC to obtain an M.A in Developmental Psychology and a Specialist degree in School Psychologist, both with an emphasis in deafness.
Dr. Whatley received her Ph.D. from Mercer University in Atlanta, GA. Dr. Whatley’s dissertation was entitled Implicit Bias as a Contributing Factor to Disproportionality of African Americans in Special Education: The Promise of a Bias Literacy Intervention, which was published in 2018.

Dr. Whatley is the former Coordinator of Psychological Services and Behavior Programs for Atlanta Public Schools and the former Executive Director of Student Support Services in Clarke County Public Schools in Athens, GA. Dr. Whatley recently joined International Center for Leadership in Education- a division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt as Director of Professional
Learning for the Southeastern Region. Dr. Whatley recently completed the AASA Urban Superintendent Program at Howard University. Dr. Whatley is an adjunct at Georgia State University in the Education Department, and instructor and Implicit Bias Expert for the Academy of Creative Coaching.

Dr. Whatley is the proud mother of a beautiful and intelligent daughter. She enjoys dancing, reading and traveling. Dr. Whatley is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and Junior League of Gwinnett/ North Fulton. Dr. Whatley is the 2021 recipient of the Jack and Jill of America – Stone Mountain Chapter Shero award for the community work in eliminating racial barriers in Gwinnett and Dekalb County Georgia. Dr. Whatley is an alumnae of Leadership Athens Class of 2022.

Midwest Regional Director/Mastermind Facilitator

Johonna Duckworth is a Life Stylist who is passionate about empowering women to look and feel good by living an authentic life.

She has been an expert Wardrobe Consultant and Life coach for over 12 years, for private and corporate clients. She loves fashion, styling and the cathartic process of helping women acknowledge their inner unique beauty as well as receiving the tools to know how to dress well for any occasion.

Being a Life Stylist means that the services she provides are not aesthetic only, but for the “entire woman”. It is Johonna’s purpose to assist her clients in feeling fabulous and confident from the inside and out.

Facilitator

A national and international consultant, facilitator, trainer and coach. Author of Wanna Start a Riot? Change. Affirmations, Confirmations, and Prayers (2013); Results Driven Organizations: The 4 Keys to a High-Performance Workplace (2019); and Results Driven Playbook for Success: A Strategic Thinking Guide and Journal (2020).

She brings over 20 years of strategy, training, and development from various environments to the table. She works with government and mid- market organizations providing all things personal, professional and leadership development; Her areas of expertise include assessments, coaching, training, and speaking to large audiences.  

Dr. Taunya is witty, engaging and thoroughly enjoys the process of transferring knowledge and collaborating with a variety of clients to equip them with the tools needed to provide quality services and lead during evolving times. Her MOVEMENT is to resolve organizational pain points by developing human capital globally using the Results Driven Philosophy.

Dr. Lowe also works with a small client base of individuals as their guide for mindset, business development, strategy, and accountability.  Dr. Lowe brings a wealth of knowledge from various perspectives. Her background spans many disciplines, which include nonprofit organizations, corporate, government, and academia.

Facilitator

Melissa Hankins, MD is a Harvard-trained psychiatrist, certified executive coach, and trauma- informed Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT Tapping) practitioner. She is committed to helping others understand the impacts that early childhood experiences (including experiences that may or may not be considered traumatic in the traditional sense) have in the shaping of their thought and behavior patterns and the subsequent results in their adult lives. She is also dedicated to teaching them how to shift these patterns to create more desirable outcomes in their professional and personal lives.

Dr Hankins is the founder and CEO of Melissa Hankins Coaching, where she coaches physicians and other high-performers who may “look great on the outside” but are struggling on the inside. Her clients typically struggle with burnout, perfectionism, workaholism, and “trying to do all the things” and feeling completely overwhelmed in the process while doing their best not to show it. She supports her clients in identifying and releasing the limiting beliefs and patterns of behavior that no longer serve them, helping them rediscover and reconnect to their authentic self as they move forward to create the life and lifestyle they truly desire to live, both inside and outside of work.

Dr Melissa Hankins received her undergraduate degree from Harvard University, then went on to attend Boston University School of Medicine for medical school. She attended Harvard Longwood Psychiatry Residency Program in Boston MA to complete her psychiatry residency, and went on to work in various clinical settings, holding roles as leader for outpatient teams and Medical Director of an Adult Partial Hospital. In addition, Dr Hankins was appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts to the Board of Registration of Medicine, an appointment she held for two terms.

Dr Hankins obtained her executive coach certification from the Graduate Executive Coaching Program led by Dr Lew Stern at William James College in Boston MA. She has received extensive training (including that which focuses on trauma) over the past decade in Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT Tapping), and is completing her certification through EFT International, the largest accredited EFT organization in the world.

In addition to individual and group coaching, Dr Hankins has led interactive workshops and spoken to healthcare organizations and corporations, including at Weill-Cornell Medical, Stanford Medical School, University of California-Davis, and Microsoft, as well as appeared on numerous podcasts discussing issues related to burnout, stress, trauma as physicians, perfectionism, emotional intelligence, and mindset.

Dr Melissa Hankins can be reached via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/melissahankinsmd , or email her at Hello@MelissaHankinsCoaching.com.

Coordinator of Online Learning

Tanya Pinto is happy to be joining the Academy of Creative Coaching as the Coordinator of Online Learning. She is a former middle school teacher, childcare provider and technical support specialist. Originally hailing from Brooklyn, New York, she is also the current Assistant Registrar at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School and lives in midtown. She enjoys using her education, administrative and technical skills to solve problems and ease workflow.

Tanya holds a Master’s degree in Public Affairs and Administration from the Metropolitan College of New York, a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education from Brooklyn College and an Associate’s degree in Liberal Arts from Kingsborough Community College.

Tanya enjoys watching movies, listening to music, reading, knitting, and enjoys the challenge of a jigsaw puzzle. She is also the proud pet mom to her fur baby, cat ‘Camisola’.

Facilitator

Tracy Asamoah, MD, ACC is a certified leadership coach, coach trainer, writer, and board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist. She’s spent her more than 20-year career cultivating her whole-person approach to helping people grow and change. She understands how the brain shapes human behavior, bringing neuroscience directly into the process of supporting her clients. After getting her initial leadership coach certification, Dr. Asamoah continued her professional development by focusing on the neuroscience of change and embodied awareness. She’s also a certified CCL 360 Assessment facilitator.

Dr. Asamoah has coached leaders in various roles, including deans, department chairs, medical directors, physicians, program directors, and executive directors in college, academic medicine, and non-profit settings. Dedicated to helping others thrive, Dr. Asamoah has leveraged her unique skills and expertise in coaching emerging leaders, leaders in transition, and those navigating crises such as institutional reorganizations. Dr. Asamoah’s medical training began at the UC, San Francisco, followed by a residency in general psychiatry and a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at the David Geffen UCLA School of Medicine.

When she’s not immersed in her professional pursuits, Dr. Asamoah enjoys hanging out with her husband, two daughters, and their pet bunny, Mylo, traveling, reading, and interior design.

Facilitator

Demetra Moore is the driving force behind Moore Out of Life, a boutique firm specializing in coaching and facilitation. The firm focuses on developing leaders at all levels. With extensive expertise in coaching, public speaking, authorship, and professional development training, Demetra is fervently committed to helping individuals uncover their authentic voices and inner strength for impactful decision-making.

At a remarkably young age of 25, Demetra ventured into entrepreneurship, embarking on a journey that exposed her to the complexities of leadership. Leveraging these experiences, she has crafted strategies that empower others to shift their focus from obstacles to opportunities, nurturing personal growth and transformation. Demetra excels at unlocking leadership potential within each person, fostering self-reflection and confidence-building skills through individual and group coaching, workshops, and an unwavering dedication to her mission of cultivating resilient decision-makers and confident leaders.

Boasting two decades of experience at LPL Financial, the largest independent broker-dealer in the United States, Demetra has earned widespread respect for assisting clients throughout the East Coast. She established Moore Out of Life as a platform for collaboration with small businesses and emerging leaders, offering services such as Executive Coaching and Leadership Development Training. Demetra has partnered with several coach training programs to expand her horizons in the education sector and facilitate training for organizations and professionals.

Demetra has garnered recognition in esteemed publications, including Connected Woman Magazine, The Huffington Post, Black Enterprise, Wealth Palace, HYPEHair Magazine, Enterprising Women, and Who’s on the Move.

Family is the bedrock of Demetra’s life. She has three sisters, one brother, six nephews, three nieces, and one great-niece. Despite their geographical distances, they remain a constant source of refuge and support for one another.