Hi, I’m Laura.

And I know what it takes to navigate difference and lead effectively.

 
 

I add my own lyrics to songs (especially when I don’t know the words), greet babies and dogs on the street, and never need a reason to celebrate.

 
 
 
 
 

I'm also Black, female, and ADHD, and while those things don't define me, they've shaped how I understand power dynamics, belonging, and what it actually takes to lead when you're different from everyone else in the room.

I spent years trying to minimize these aspects of my identity to fit in, only to learn they were essential to how I lead - and to the work I now do with clients.

 

“Laura brings her full self to the table and allows you to do the same.”

Product Leader

 

My unique combination of 16+ years of coaching, business, and HR experience along with my lived experience as a “first and only” has strengthened my vision - to remind those who have questioned if they belong in leadership, that they belong.

 

I've spent 16+ years building talent functions and coaching leaders across Deloitte, Citigroup, and Flatiron Health (through its $1.9B acquisition by Roche).

At Deloitte, I consulted with financial services organizations on change management and DEI strategy. At Citi, I worked with the Chief Diversity Officer to implement a metrics-driven approach to diversity firm-wide and designed Citi's first leadership development program for Black rising leaders. At Flatiron, I built the company's first leadership development program, talent management process, and executive coaching practice.

Now, through Anavah Leadership, I work with leaders and founding teams at high-growth companies navigating the conflicts that come with building differently.

 
 
 
 
 

My work focuses on two areas: coaching individual leaders of diverse backgrounds as they scale their impact, and working with founding teams and leadership teams to navigate conflict rooted in identity, power, and difference.

I'm drawn to this work because I've lived it - the tension between being yourself and being effective, the unspoken dynamics that derail teams, the complexity of leading when difference is in the room.

 
 
 

My vision has become more nuanced over time, but my why remains the same—I want you to silence the voice that says “no you can’t” and listen to the often quieter voice that says “yes you can.”

 

“Her presence and commitment marked a key turning point in the evolution of our company. Laura is a game-changer.” 

Co-Founder, Mandela

My Experience

  • Integral Coaching Certification

  • Advanced Coaching Diploma

  • Hogan Assessment Certification (HPI, HDS, MVPI)

  • Leadership Circle Certification

  • Affiliate Member

  • Associate Certified Coach Accreditation

  • Director of Talent Management, Coaching, and Executive Development

  • VP of Talent + Diversity

  • Consultant

  • Advisor

  • BA, Psychology

  • MBA

 

Anavah Coaching in practice

My approach combines strategic insight with deep attention to what's happening beneath the surface - both for individual leaders and teams.

 
 
 
 

For executive coaching:

I integrate somatic practices, immunity to change frameworks, and adult developmental psychology to help leaders understand not just what they need to do differently, but what's getting in the way of doing it. This work goes beyond skill-building to address the beliefs, patterns, and physical habits that shape how you show up under pressure.

For leadership team work:

I focus on surfacing the identity-based dynamics that traditional team effectiveness models miss - who has voice and who doesn't, where psychological safety breaks down based on difference, and how power operates in the room. This gives teams language for what they're experiencing and concrete ways to navigate it.

Whether working 1:1 or with teams, my approach is grounded in 16+ years of building DEI functions and talent strategies at scale, combined with coaching methodologies that create real, lasting change.

Ready to navigate difference instead of avoiding it?

Let’s start building different