Career Coaching Blog

I’m a lot like you. Curious. Intelligent. And sometimes being forced into situations that weren’t always to my choosing.

My story is one of many Fresh Starts. I’ve reinvented myself in new, unfamiliar locations time after time. All in the name of love and family. Yes, you guess it. I supported my husband in his career and became a trailing spouse.

The times have been exciting. Way back when, I majored in English/Education and received a masters in this field, while minoring in art. Writing is my passion. It’s a way to express myself. Art shows up in my hobbies and in my talent for using metaphors.

After completing university, I began an odyssey. Europe was a five year adventure. My husband and I taught our way across Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy.

When we sadly returned to the States (oh, how we missed that wonderful Italian cooking!) , I wondered, “What on earth am I going to do? Who am I anyway?” Probably questions you’ve asked yourself. So I studied with my mentor, Dr. Hilda Lee Dail in New York City, and learned how to use creativity as a foundation for crafting a career and a life.

In St. Louis, Missouri, I learned how to help people who had lost their jobs get redirected and reemployed when I worked in outplacement. I went on into business and co-authored Fired for Success: How to Turn Losing Your Job into An Opportunity of a Lifetime! (Warner Books) with Judith A. Dubin.

Along the way I managed to wear many hats. Conducted group programs, created and designed materials, and edited and managed a variety of corporate and popular web sites.

And then … I discovered … the emerging field of professional coaching. It lined up with what I had already been doing. But being a life-long eclectic learner, I chose to dive in fully. Trained in 1998, certified in 2000. Today, in addition to my coaching practice, I’m on the faculty of Coaches Training Institute as a Certification Pod Leader.

My Values

Like you, I value family, courage and creativity. I also believe in living life so that there aren’t any “Wish-I-did’s” when life ends, only “I’m-glad-I-did’s”. The reason I coach is because I want to help you live your dreams. As such, I’m dedicated to collaborating with my clients to enable them to be as fully expressed in their work and lives as they ever hope to be so that by the time their life is over, they are well used.

Training and Certifications

Of course you’re interested in my professional qualifications. Since I’m unendingly curious, (my mother said I used to fall asleep standing up so I wouldn’t miss anything), I’m forever extending my learning through books and training programs. Here is a partial list of programs that I’ve attended that impact my work:

• The Work of Byron Katie – attended several events including her weekend workshop. This simple, yet profound process is a key to busting beliefs.
• Co-Active Leadership year long training program – a profound, life changing experience that enabled me to learn how to express the fierce part of my soul.
• Real Love by Greg Baer – attended several training programs and believe his simple model of “empty and afraid” and “getting and protecting behaviors” are eye-opening and helpful in learning how to effectively interact with others.
• Best Year Yet^® - Became certified in this format that provides great structure for achieving annual goals.
• The Bigger Game– trained in the model and able to help individuals identify their bigger game.
• Creativity and Career – mentored by Dr. Hilda Lee Dail, author of The Lotus and the Pool utilizing the wisdom in of the unconscious mind in career development.
• Entrevis^® - 7 Entrepreneurial Skills – trained as a leader of this program that has now become the basis of A Better Way to Work^TM– offers a unique structure to help people realize their entrepreneurial dreams.

Additional affiliations include:

• Faculty member of The Coaches Training Institute (CTI) as a Certification Pod Leader and a Business Development Program Leader
• Collaborated with Coaching Toys founder, Marcy Nelson-Garrison on the Quick Apprenticeship Series for New Product Entrepreneurs^©
• Certified Best Year Yet^® Coach
• Certified Real Love^® Coach
• The ReFirement^® Group
• Coachville founding member
• Schools of Coachville
• International Coach Federation (ICF) member
• 24/7coaching.com member
• Minnesota Coaches Association member
• Lake Superior Coaches Association founding member
• CoachLink and The Coach Connection Coach.
• Columnist for Business North, Coaches Corner.

Television and Radio Appearances

Being an only child, I grew up with a lot of television - it was great entertainment for me and opened my eyes to the world around me. We also had a lot of radio in my house since my mother used WCBS in New York as her constant companion when she cooked and cleaned. How thrilling it was for me then to be a guest on The Sally Jessey Raphael Show when she started in St. Louis. Judy Dubin and I appeared to share our creative ideas about career change.

Later, when I was promoting Fired for Success I appeared on numerous radio and television shows, including New Dimensions Radio and Conversations with Jean Feraca. Jean had me on as a continuous guest for many years, before going to a new format of Here on Earth. Enjoying the medium of radio, I decided to try my hand at it myself, and hosted a show on called Conversations with Melanie Keveles on Wisconsin Public radio for several years. To this day, I love interviewing people and offer a service related to this talent. Contact me if you’d like to learn more about this.

My husband, Gary, who is a professor of criminal justice with a passion for restorative justice, is proud that an article about my work once showed up in the New York Times, his home town newspaper.

I’ve also been quoted in Teamworks! by Barbara Sher and Annie Gottlieb, as well as in an article in McCall’s magazine.

Does this sound like someone who has the experience you require? Someone with values similar to your?

Contact me today to start your new life.