Carissa’s career spans 20 years in nonprofit, academic, and corporate leadership roles, all focused on coaching and training high-impact leaders. She developed programs for government, business, and educational nonprofit leaders to improve their communication skills and create a strong organizational culture. She was a trainer and manager of EDTech’s national team of coaches specializing in e-learning and cost-effective degree completion.

In 2017 she founded Courageous Leaders, a coaching and training organization specializing in leadership and career development, helping impact-minded professionals identify their personal brand and expand their leadership opportunities. She is the current President of the San Antonio Chapter of the International Coach Federation and also serves as the Southwest regional trainer for Center for Coaching Excellence, training managers and leaders in the conversational coaching skills that produce high-performing teams.

Carissa holds degrees in English and Christian Education, and a Master’s in Counseling. She is an ICF Professional Certified Coach and completed additional certifications in emotional intelligence, career management, and neuroscience, all part of her mission to equip leaders of vision, courage, and significant impact.

Leadership Coaching

• Leadership Development – Helping high-potential employees identify and deploy their leadership brand for maximum effectiveness
• Life Map© – Creating a meaningful career and life aligned with one’s values and goals
• Communication Dynamics – Becoming the leader others want to follow

Organizational Training

• Conversation Matters!©
• Strengths-Based Leadership
• Increasing Team Capacity and Resilience