Executive Coaches
Strategic leaders build high performing teams.
Develop your strategic leadership skills by exploring opportunities, practicing proven strategies, and defining a plan for tangible outcomes. A Talent Praxis leadership coach is a partner to help leaders consider new approaches to leadership challenges or opportunities and build high-performing teams.
We help leaders to:
Set and achieve impactful goals
Manage their team for high-performance
Nurture strong relationships
Work and lead intentionally
Executive Coaches
At Talent Praxis, we partner with a very select group of experienced coaches, certified with the International Coaching Federation (ICF), and experts in talent development, leadership, and people management.
All executive coaches are ICF Professional Certified Coaches (PCC) with a master’s or doctoral degree in relevant fields, and 5+ years of experience:
Working one-on-one coaching leaders across a variety of industries
Working internally in talent development, HR, or L&D
Working in a management or leadership position
We believe management and leadership are ongoing practices, not skills to learn or master once. As a leadership coach, our role is to act as a partner, believe in the capability and skills of our clients, and help them build sustainable practices as managers and leaders to achieve their goals.
If you are interested in coaching with Talent Praxis please email us at hello@talentpraxis.com with the subject line: interested in coaching opportunity.
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Chelsea Seid, MBA, PCC
Chelsea Seid is an ICF PCC coach focused on helping people turn ideas into actions. Chelsea has 15 years of management, leadership, and talent development experience. She also co-founded and ran a venture-backed scalable coaching startup for five years. In addition to coaching Chelsea trains in management and leadership tools, consults in behavioral competencies, and mentors startup founders and coaches.
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Shonna Amos, MA, CPC, PCC
Shonna is on a mission to help leaders Explore What's Possible™️ for their personal and professional lives. She has led leadership development, talent management, and coaching programs supporting leaders' ability to connect with their strengths and lead with authenticity. Shonna is a certified DiSC facilitator, a certified ICF PCC coach, and serves on the Board of Directors for the ICF Michigan Chapter leading their community outreach efforts.
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Dawn DeFrancesco, PhD, PCC
Dr. Dawn DeFrancesco is a PCC coach specializing in holistic leadership development to support individuals, groups, and teams to achieve peak performance in work and life. Dawn is also a certified team coach, Mentor Coach, Master Nutrition Consultant, and earned a PhD in Training and Performance Improvement. Dawn is also certified in the following assessments: Hogan® Assessment Tool, Workplace Big 5, FIRO-B, PerSight, Influence Style Indicator™, and CCL Benchmarks 360. You can learn more about Dawn at It's a New Dawn Coaching & Consulting.
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Radha Mehrotra, MSc, PCC
Radha Mehrotra is a PCC coach and a facilitator who brings in a unique integrated style in her work that helps leaders address challenges around stress, emotional well- being, resilience and leading teams effectively with a human centered approach. She combines evidence-based tools from Psychology & Neuroscience and works with groups, teams and individuals. She is also certified on DISC, MBTI® & the Hogan® Assessment Tool.
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Reginald G. Jackson, Sr. MBA, PCC
Reginald is a Marine Corps veteran and served on active duty for more than 20 years. His military experience is the foundation of his leadership development expertise and marks the genesis of his commitment to coaching. Since retiring from the Marines in 2007, he has held various leadership positions in the public and private sectors as an IT consultant, project manager, facilitator, and leadership coach. Along with coaching emerging leaders, managers, and executives, Reginald also serves as a coach trainer, workshop facilitator, mentor coach, coach supervisor, and conference speaker/presenter.
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Jaclyn Cook, PCC
Jaclyn Cook is an ICF PCC coach who focuses on transformational coaching for leaders and managers. With 1,500+ coaching hours, she has seen clients gain confidence, reduce stress, and live out their unique purpose. She specializes in manager development, leadership, and productivity centered around defining and achieving specific goals. Jaclyn has coached 200+ managers and emerging leaders across 60+ companies from a variety of industries including technology, insurance, legal, and marketing.
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Shayna Steinfeld Sevett, TCC, Early-Career Coach
Shayna has spent her career working across the entire talent lifecycle, from early career to the C-Suite, focusing on crafting and nurturing impactful teams. She brings a background in education to her work in People & Talent, where she's spent the last decade focusing on shaping overall HR, Recruiting, and DEI strategy. As a coach, Shayna believes that the foundation of professional growth is built on a bedrock of genuine curiosity and self-discovery. Working with her will push the boundaries of what's possible while remaining grounded in the values that truly matter to you.
What our clients think...
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"I've learned that I do have the skills/tools and traits within myself to be an effective leader, which is something that I did not always believe beforehand. Now I feel more empowered to take on leadership roles in areas that I was less confortable with before, knowing that I can handle it."
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"I wasn't sure what to expect from executive coaching, but Talent Praxis made the steps clear and the process easy. I enjoyed my time with my coach and found her guidance insightful and helpful. I learned more about myself and about ways to become a better leader. I highly recommend taking the opportunity to grow through coaching with Talent Praxis."
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"Loved that my coach shared resources about the topics discussed during our sessions. This was very valuable as I could go into what other successful leaders have implemented and accomplished when dealing with similar cases as the ones discussed during my coaching sessions."
Detailed Bios
Chelsea Seid, MBA, PCC
Pronouns: She/Her
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Preferred working hours: 9:30a-4pET
Founder, Chief Coach and Consultant Talent Praxis LLC
Co-founder, Chief Strategic Officer Trio Coaching Academy
About Chelsea:
I value having fun, exploring new things, accepting and loving community, getting outside, and focusing on what matters. In work I am focused on helping leaders, companies, entrepreneurs, and coaches turn ideas into practices to achieve their goals.
Why Coaching
I have the unique background of exclusively working for or on c-suite and leadership teams in a variety of industries, with services and products, both B2B and B2C. I have worked at 100+ year organizations in 5 different countries and also companies growing rapidly based in the US. I am very skilled at systems thinking and problem-solving and prefer working hands-on in a person-to-person collaborative environment. My strong drive and ambition to work with others to solve complex problems naturally drew me to the powerful partnership of coaching and my unique experience in c-suite across a variety of industries suited me well for leadership coaching.
I find leadership coaching endlessly fulfilling and exciting because of the nuance and complexity of leadership. Specifically the unique challenges and opportunities when leading people who are multi-faceted with lives and needs while also driving towards the goals and KPIs of the business.
Working with Chelsea
My style as a coach is a unique balance. I am 60% directive and 40% partnering. I like to create an environment to ask thought-provoking open questions for my clients to dive deep into their goals and own self-awareness, but am also comfortable being more directive and hands-on if it serves the topic at hand.
My communication style is direct and challenging while also being fun, working to find the light in difficult situations to search for opportunities over problems. I often say people are weird and always changing. Leadership is a practice of awareness and experimentation to observe progress toward goals not a skill for mastery.
Together we will explore to discover opportunities and develop tangible next steps and impactful changes so you can observe progress toward your goals.
Years of Leadership Coaching: Six years formally coaching leaders 1:1, 125+ leaders and executives
Demographics of past clients:
Industries: tech, startups, professional services, finance, architecture, consulting, toy manufacturing, car manufacturing
Companies:
Majority: SMB 500-5,000 FTE, US Based
Some: small 2-300FTE and some enterprise
Department:
Variety: Sales, Marketing, Finance, Production, Engineering, Design, Product Management, Customer Success, Client Management, Operations
Level:
Certifications:
ICF PCC
ICF PCC Marker Assessor Training in progress
ICF ACC BARS Assessor Training in progress
Completed the PQ Coaching Grant Program
Affiliations:
ICF Member
ICF Georgia Chapter Member
Other relevant experience or ventures:
15 years of experience managing and leading teams; leading business operations and strategy; and leading HR, talent development, and talent acquisition across a variety of industries
Founded 3 companies: a boutique coaching company, a coach training academy, and a venture-backed startup; also served on the leadership team of two other venture-backed startups
Five years of experience as a co-founder of a venture-backed startup building scalable coaching processes, platforms, and curriculum for managers and leaders
Six years of experience partnering with 30+ companies to create custom coaching programs
Six years of experience mentoring and training other coaches
One year of experience formally mentoring coaches following ICF PCC competencies
One year experience as Adjunct Faculty and Mentor Coach, Health and Human Performance Professional Skills Course, Pacific College of Health and Science
Dawn DeFrancesco, PhD, PCC
Pronouns: She/Her
Location: San Diego, California
Preferred working hours: 9a-3pPT
Founder and CEO It’s a New Dawn Coaching & Consulting
Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer Trio Coaching Academy
About Dawn:
My values are to:
Live autonomously
Act with accountability
Lead with kindness
Value friendships
Strive for happiness
Why Coaching
One of my favorite movies sums up my “why” of coaching. In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy is searching to find her way home. After much inner work, and of course, conquering the Wicked Witch of the West, Glinda tells Dorothy, “You don't need to be helped any longer. You've always had the power to go back to Kansas.” When asked why Glinda didn’t tell Dorothy from the beginning, she says, “Because she wouldn't have believed me. She had to learn it for herself.” Though not quite a coach, Glinda exemplifies the coaching principle that each person is naturally creative, resourceful, and whole. I coach because I truly believe in each person’s ability to create their own definition of and path to success. My magic wand is my ability to provide you with the space and support you need to find the inner power you’ve always had.
I choose to coach leaders because one leader’s impact can trickle down to an entire organization, a community, and ultimately the world we all live in. Through my knowledge of working and communication styles, my coaching philosophy is driven by the platinum rule: “Do unto others, wherever possible, as they would want to be done to them.”
Working with Dawn
My coaching approach is based on my personal values of autonomy, accountability, trust, and kindness. With this approach, you can expect that you will always have the choice to create your personalized path to success and determine the specific accountability measures needed to achieve your goals. I may challenge your ways of thinking and invite you to explore different perspectives with the intent of creating new insights and “AH-HA!” moments. This is all done within a judgment-free space where you can feel safe to explore new ideas and options; a space where failure doesn't exist and learning opportunities thrive.
My communication style is direct but empathetic. When appropriate, I like to infuse a bit of humor into my conversations. Coaching is serious stuff, but the journey should be fun!
Having a Ph.D. in Training and Performance Improvement, I approach situations from a holistic view and assume there’s never just one “right” answer. I have also worked in a variety of industries, from utilities to finance to tech to startups, and have a unique perspective and vast knowledge of what makes people and processes successful…or not. Through coaching, I am able to tap into these experiences to relate to my clients’ situations and be a thought partner in exploring alternative solutions.
I’m trained in a multitude of assessments that allow me to truly understand my client’s style of working and communicating. I can help clients tap into their own strengths to achieve personal goals, recognize when they might have an overplayed strength that creates an obstacle to progress, and identify the strengths of others to create highly functioning teams.
Years of Leadership Coaching: Six
Demographics of past clients:
Certifications:
ICF PCC
Team Coaching (Solutions Academy)
PhD Training and Performance Improvement
Master Nutrition Consultant (AFPA)
Hogan
Workplace Big 5
FIRO-B
Persight
Influence Style Indicator
CCL Benchmarks 360
ICF PCC Marker Assessor Training
ICF ACC BARS Assessor Training
Completed the PQ Coaching Grant Program
Affiliations:
ICF member
ICF San Diego Chapter member
Other relevant experience or ventures:
CEO and Co-Founder of Trio Coaching Academy, a coach training program aligned to ICF standards and competencies
CEO and Founder of It’s a New Dawn Coaching
Coaching experience with a variety of organizations:
SAP
Center for Creative Leadership
Arootah
Omada Health
Mentor coach for ICF ACC/PCC level coaches
20+ years of experience in developing and implementing learning and performance improvement solutions across many diverse environments, including the roles of:
Radha Mehrotra, MSc, PCC
Pronouns: She/Her
Location: Waxhaw, North Carolina
Preferred working hours: 9a-4pET
Positive Synaptic Leadership – Founder/CEO
About Radha:
My mission is to empower leaders and their teams to flourish by integrating evidence-based tools and practices from various disciplines, fueled by my lifelong curiosity and commitment to human growth and potential.
Why Coaching
There’s something extraordinary about the human connection in a coaching session, often referred to in neuroscience as brain synchrony. I believe this connection is so powerful that it creates a space for profound transformations. This is one of the many aspects of coaching that fascinates me. It’s a practice that fosters higher self-awareness, autonomy, increased self-reflection, better performance, and confidence in clients through their dialogue with a coach. One of the most rewarding parts of this work is seeing my clients feel empowered and resourceful as they pursue their goals in life and at work.
Working with Radha
I bring a strong foundation of empathy, compassion, and trust to my work. Each session is tailored to meet the unique needs and preferences of my clients, and I have consistently received feedback on my calm demeanor and attentive listening skills. My coaching methodology is grounded in evidence-based practices, drawing from Positive Psychology, Coaching Psychology, and Neuroscience. With extensive experience in Learning & Development and Leadership across various industries, I possess a deep understanding of diverse Leadership Frameworks and Principles. My approach is centered on a Whole Being perspective, fostering a humanistic and supportive environment for leaders during our sessions.
Years of Leadership Coaching: 20
Demographics of past clients:
Individual contributors
Supervisor
Manager
Sr. Manager
Director
Sr. Director
VP
SVP
C-Suite
Education
MSc. Psychology & Neuroscience of Mental Health – King’s College (London)
MSc Applied Positive Psychology & Organizations & Leadership (University of East London) - Pursuing
Applied Psychology (Honors) - Delhi University
Certifications
ICF Certified Coach (PCC)
Applied Positive Psychology Coach (Institute of Positive Psychology)
Neurodiversity in Coaching: Context & Skills for Effective Practice – (Animas Centre for Coaching)
Neuroscience Coach Certified – (Think Brain)
Team and Group Certified Coach (Essentials & Advanced)
Diploma in Coaching Supervision
PCC Marker Certified – ICF
Integrated Somatic Trauma Therapy Certified (The Embody Lab)
Certified Global Practitioner and Coach on the Hogan® Assessment Tool
Certified Global MBTI® Step I & Step II Practitioner
Certified Global Administrator on Thomas Personal Profile Analysis (PPA) by Thomas
International (DISC)
Certified NLP Master Practitioner- The Society of Neuro- Linguistic Programming® Dr. Richard
Dale Carnegie Certified Trainer
Trainings
Neuroscience of Change – Coaches Rising
Power of Embodied Presence – Coaches Rising
Neuroscience Academy
Other Relevant Experience or Ventures:
With over 24 years of extensive global experience in Leadership, Facilitation and Coaching, I have successfully led the Learning & Development function across various industries. I have managed teams and overseen the strategy, design, and delivery of people development interventions and training programs.
In addition to my corporate experience, I spent several years as a Learning & Development consultant, partnering with clients on Organization Development and Learning & Development initiatives. This work included Assessment Centers, Psychometric Assessments, Facilitation, Customized Workshops, and Coaching.
Founder and CEO of Positive Synaptic Leadership, a unique coaching and consulting company that blends Positive Psychology and Neuroscience. We specialize in providing insights into the psychology and biology of human behavior, equipping leaders with practical tools for transformative, long-lasting change, combined with effective leadership frameworks
Adjunct Faculty for Coaching for a University Led Coach Certification Program
Coach Mentor for ACC/PCC Coaches
Shonna Amos, MA, CPC, PCC
Pronouns: She/Her
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Preferred working hours: 8a-5pET
Founder EWP Coaching and Consulting
About Shonna:
I’m on a mission to help professionals in and outside of organizations Explore What’s Possible®️ for their personal and professional lives. I am an ICF-certified PCC executive coach with over 15 years of leadership development and talent management experience and have supported leaders at all levels through tailored coaching, workshops, and consulting.
Why Coaching
Coaching lights me up because it’s all about empowering clients to achieve their existing goals—and uncovering aspirations they may not have yet recognized. I’m fully invested in walking alongside my clients, respecting that it’s their journey. They’re leading the way, and I’m here to shine a light on their path. Ultimately, coaching allows me to witness transformation and growth, and that’s what truly fuels my passion.
Working with Shonna
My coaching style is grounded in active listening and empathy, with a strong focus on forward movement. Many clients express how quickly they feel comfortable and able to open up and be honest with me. I don’t take that trust lightly, nor do I take it for granted. Creating a safe space where clients can show up authentically is essential to the work we do together.
I support both individuals and groups, inside and outside organizations, in professional and personal exploration, as well as leadership development. My approach goes beyond theory and mantras by putting strategic steps into action to drive meaningful, actionable change. Above all, I prioritize my clients, ensuring they have a supportive and open space to dive deep and explore.
Years of Leadership Coaching: 10+ years (If this is a statement you’d like to add, it’s 6 affiliated with ICF vs. 5)
Demographics of past clients:
Locations: Global (organizations that have global presence and some that have US only or single-state presence)
Industries: Commercial and consumer automotive, manufacturing (apparel, candy, auto suppliers), insurance, non-profit, professional services/consulting, university, food service, elementary education.
Company size: 16 - 160,000 employees (in the latter, I serviced one US function/BU within that org)
Departments: HR, Engineering, Quality, Finance, Supply Chain, International Markets, Electrification, Customer Service, Category Management, Marketing, Sales, Operations, Legal, Manufacturing/Production, Demand Planning, R&D, (and others)
Level: Most- Individual contributor, Supervisor, Manager, Sr. Manager, Director, Sr. Director, (a few VP, SVP, and C-Suite clients)
Certifications and Education:
CPC Certification
ICF PCC Credential
BA in Human Resource Management
MA in Training and Development
Goldman Sachs BIB Certification
Neuroleadership Institute Brain-Based Coaching Certification
Certified DiSC vendor partner and practitioner
CARES Certified DEIB practitioner
John Maxwell Leadership
Korn Ferry and Center for Creative Leadership’s 360 products
Center for Leadership Studies Situational Leadership Model
Affiliations:
Board of Directors- ICF Michigan
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Southfield Alumnae Chapter
Other relevant experience or ventures:
Jaclyn Cook, PCC
Certifications and Education:
Professional Certified Coach (PCC), International Coach Federation
Western Seminary, Certificate in Transformational Coaching
California State University, Fresno, Bachelor of Science, Business Administration - Finance
Prior industry experience in learning and development, finance, project management, and technology.
10 years of people management experience
Pronouns: She/Her
Location: Austin, Texas
Preferred working hours: 9a-5p CT
About Jaclyn
My passion is to help people flourish, I focus on transformational coaching across life and work.
Why Coaching
I believe there is power in clarified goals, thoughtful exploration, and personal reflection as a method for growth. I meet my clients where they are and partner with them to grow into the leaders and people they hope to become.
Working with Jaclyn
In coaching sessions, I partner with clients to define a focus and intention, celebrate wins, reflect on learnings, and take action to make progress toward their unique goals.
I’ll guide each session through powerful coaching questions that draw out new thoughts and insights to help clients discover a path forward. I’ll incorporate tools and frameworks that support the area of focus to partner toward application. Through the power of coaching clients have greater confidence and experience personal growth that aligns with their unique purpose. I do this by pausing to acknowledge progress, engaging learnings with curiosity, and inviting clients to take action.
Years of Leadership Coaching: 7+
Demographics of past clients:
Shayna Steinfeld Sevett, TCC
Certifications:
Trio Coaching Certificate
Completed all educational and mentor coaching hours required to apply for the ICF Level 1 credential and in the process of completing ACC coaching hours
Diversity and Inclusion Certificate, Cornell University
Other relevant experience or ventures:
Education: BA, University of California, Berkeley
10 years in Talent Management, including startups, Pinterest, and Roblox
Years of 1:1 leadership coaching: 7 years informally
Demographics of past clients: Early career (college & new grads), mid-level career (8-15 years experience), executive-level (Senior Director and Above)
Pronouns: She/Her
Location: San Francisco, California
Preferred working hours: Mornings, Evenings, Weekends, 12-1pmPT
About Shayna:
My mission is to empower all professionals, from early career to C-Suite, to build a life they love. My focus is on crafting and nurturing lifelong learners who find a way to say yes.
Why Coaching
I believe that the foundation of professional growth is built on a bedrock of genuine curiosity and self-discovery. Our work together will push the boundaries of what's possible while remaining grounded in the values that truly matter to you.
Working with Shayna
Like many professionals, I tried on several hats before finding a career path that clicked. I’ve worked at summer camps, schools, coffee shops, and a warehouse in downtown LA before finding my path; I’m all too familiar with how confusing it can be to find your true north. As a coach, I help navigate, but my clients are always in the driver’s seat. And of course, like any good road trip, we’ll be sure to have some fun along the way.
Working with me is as much about the journey as it is about the destination, but navigating a professional environment for the first time may feel disorienting. As a coach, I’ll help you feel inspired, through your own development, to build a career, and a life, you love.
Years of Leadership Coaching: Six years formally coaching leaders 1:1, 125+ leaders and executives
Demographics of past clients:
Industries: tech, startups, professional services, finance, architecture, consulting, toy manufacturing, car manufacturing
Companies:
Majority: SMB 500-5,000 FTE, US Based
Some: small 2-300FTE and some enterprise
Department:
Variety: Sales, Marketing, Finance, Production, Engineering, Design, Product Management, Customer Success, Client Management, Operations
Level:
Reginald G. Jackson, Sr. MBA, PCC
Certifications:
Professional Certified Coach (PCC) International Coaching Federation (ICF)
European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) Global Individual Coach/Mentor Supervisor accreditation (ESIA)
EMCC Global Individual Coach/Mentor accreditation (EIA)
EQ-i 2.0 and EQ 360
The Hogan
FIRO-B and FIRO Business
WorkPlace Big Five
Benchmarks for Managers (360)
Strength Deployment Inventory 2.0
Other relevant experience or ventures:
40+ years of leadership training and development
Eight (8) years coach trainer and mentor coach
Three (3) years coach supervisor
Doctoral student in Industrial & Organizational Psychology specializing in Evidence-Based Coaching, Walden University 2025 (anticipated)
Master of Philosophy, Walden University
Master of Business Administration – Project Management, University of Phoenix
Bachelor of Science in Computer Networking, Strayer University
European Mentoring and Coaching Council
Americas Coaching Supervision Network
Listed in ICF Mentor Coach Database
Background in IT Project Management and Systems Change Management
Pronouns: He/Him
Location: Washington, DC metro area
Preferred working hours: 8:00am - 4:30pm EST
About Reggie:
I am known for effectively navigating customer relations in high-tempo operations environments while maintaining high-performing teams in support of those environments .
Why Coaching
Coaching is the one modality that has the ability to initiate change and transformation and extends itself far beyond the boundaries of the individual, creating a positive impact and work, at home, and in their community.
Working with Reggie
I help my clients turn chaos into clarity with systems and process.
I co-create a safe, trusting atmosphere that fosters courage and vulnerability. This encourages a willingness to step outside your comfort zone and expand your worldview. I listen intently, remain present, and ask thought-provoking questions that encourage reflection and discovery.
Understanding the intersection of resource management and organizational demands is important in my work and affords me the opportunity to share this experience with my clients. Through intuitive discovery, I am able to create partnership and alignment.
Years of Leadership Coaching: Eleven (11) years formally coaching leaders 1:1
Demographics of past clients: