a)plan coaching

Cynthia Chavez

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Specializes in:

  • Executive and Leadership Development, including BIPOC
  • Career and Life Transitions
  • Organizational Development and Strategic Planning
  • Personal Wellbeing and Transformation

With over 25 years of leadership and organizational development experience, Cynthia is frequently sought out for 1:1 coaching from seasoned and emerging leaders of color, women, those with disabilities and others committed to values-driven and life altering impact for themselves and those they serve.

Leaders who seek her transformational coaching typically struggle with interpersonal conflict, self-doubt, overwhelm, or disappointment with results. Cynthia co-creates the space with her clients to unleash their inherent gifts to achieve results, and lead authentically with renewed courage and confidence.  

Her clients draw on her cross-sector experiences in public statewide policy making, philanthropy, and social sector leadership development. As founder and former Executive Director of Oakland-based LeaderSpring Center, Cynthia and her team provided capacity building to over 200 social impact leaders and their organizations. What began as a place-based leadership program in one city, soon garnered national recognition for its program results.  

Under her leadership, LeaderSpring launched a consulting group, generating earned revenue that reduced reliance on LeaderSpring’s philanthropic funding from 90% to 40%; and extended its program reach statewide.

As a former professional staff member of W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Cynthia spearheaded a national initiative that, decades later, annually generates roughly $400 million in philanthropy by, among, and for communities of color, women, the LGBTQ+ community, and others.  Cynthia loves living in the SF Bay Area with her life partner Jairo Guiza, both proud parents of their daughter, Camila, who strives to achieve a work/life balance while on fire to change the world.

Education & Credentials

  • MA, Stanford University 
  • BA, Pomona College
  • Certified Coach, International Coaching Federation
  • Institute for Coaching Mastery (pending)
  • Center for Creative Leadership
  • Gallup Strengths-Based Leadership Program
  • Rockwood Leadership Institute

Clients that have benefited from Cynthia’s support include: Bay Area Hispano Institute for Advancement; Coach to Discover, Inc; David & Lucile Packard Foundation; Law Offices of Fellom & Solorio; LeaderSpring Center; Resilience Initiative of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors; Third Sector New England, Partners in Social Change; Two Feathers Native American Family Services, and the W. K. Kellogg Foundation.  

Client Testimonials

“As a founding partner, I sought Cynthia’s coaching to support me psychologically and practically in a 50% buyout of our law firm. She was an active listener, and asked the right questions. Cynthia guided me through challenging negotiations that involved large sums of money, which in part, was a key step to our continued high quality legal representation to immigrants. I strongly recommend Cynthia as a seasoned and trusted coach.”

Paula J. Solorio, Managing Law Partner, Fellom & Solorio of San Francisco, CA

“In my last tenure as ED, I faced an existential crisis with board leaders at a standstill and communications almost completely broken. After just weeks of Cynthia’s coaching, I gained the skills and confidence to bring difficult but needed changes. Cynthia’s encouragement of me as a young leader was incredibly helpful, along with stories of her own lived experiences at breaking cycles of power towards shared leadership. Two years later, Havenly is thriving with a highly functioning board and staff, stable funding, and a new shared leadership model. Thank you, Cynthia, for inspiring us to heal and move forward in those challenging times.“

Caterina Passoni, Founder and Former Executive Director, Havenly of New Haven, CT

“Cynthia helped me lay out a career planning roadmap that boldly and holistically weaves both my work and personal goals. I hope to work with Cynthia again, and highly recommend her to anyone seeking a coach who listens, synthesizes information, and holds you accountable for your own success. Her extensive social sector background, honesty, and solutions-oriented approach make buying into coaching easy!“

Kim D. Jones, Executive Director, Montgomery County Black Collective of Rockville, MD

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