Empowering Women Series
Close Up Radio Spotlights Julie Fotos Coaching
Part 1: Close Up Radio Spotlights Julie Fotos Coaching
New York, NY - In the world of corporate leadership, where time is the ultimate luxury and decision-making is clouded by complexity, Julie Fotos Coaching is a beacon of clarity and intentionality. Founded by seasoned leadership coach Julie Fotos, the firm works hard to empower leaders to operate as intentional architects of their lives and careers and transcend traditional boundaries of leadership.
Recognizing that male and female leaders face unique challenges and opportunities, Julie Fotos has crafted a distinctive coaching approach that cultivates the innate potential of female entrepreneurs and leaders. Yet she also extends her expertise to the male leaders who constitute a significant portion of the corporate decision-making spectrum, helping them to expand their range and impact as leaders.
Though she acknowledges the systemic discrepancies that result in fewer women at the helm, Julie believes true leadership is gender-neutral. “Women leaders, particularly entrepreneurs, often outperform their male counterparts in profitability and innovation,” Julie notes. “True leadership is about understanding and leveraging one’s unique gifts effectively with any group, in any setting. That includes managing reactive behaviors leaders are not always aware they have.”
Despite her focus on female empowerment, Julie’s coaching is remarkably inclusive. “I admire working women - especially mothers - because they juggle far more complexities than most realize,” Julie adds. “And I applaud men who are willing to navigate leadership with authenticity and vulnerability, because it is so important to let your followership see who you truly are.”
Julie’s methodology centers on the idea of personal leadership, a principle that defies the confines of the corner office and resonates in everyday choices in both business and personal life. Julie encourages her clients to break free from the cycle of endless meetings to make more intentional choices that align with their priorities.
“Leadership is not about titles, it’s about leading your own life, at home and at work, being intentional in the choices you make as you stand in your own personal power and authority” Julie explains. She likes to use sports analogies in her coaching. For example, like professional athletes undergo rigorous training, yet also allow for recovery – yet business leaders are expected to perform at peak levels despite taking sleep-depriving redeye flights, skipping meals, and lacking self-care. “Sometimes my job is to just hold the mirror up,” she sums up.
Corporate Culture and Leadership Transformation
Beyond one-on-one coaching, Julie delves into corporate environments, observing cultures, understanding operating systems and revealing unspoken agreements that shape workplace dynamics. Julie provides vital insights into how friction, confusion and underperformance often stem from lack of communication and ineffective leadership practices.
“My background in advertising taught me about human dynamics in high-pressure environments,” Julie shares. “Some teams flourish and others flounder, often due to systemic factors. Also, human beings are flawed, by design, so when you get a group of naturally flawed individuals together, there will be some pain unless there is leadership.”
Julie’s transition from a successful advertising career to leadership coaching was driven by a conscious shift toward realizing unfulfilled potential in herself and others. Her innate curiosity and passion led her to pursue multiple coaching certifications so she could have her own impact on leadership culture as an advisor and advocate.
Looking at 2025 and beyond, Julie recognizes the escalating challenges facing leaders, especially the ongoing issues encapsulated by VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity & Ambiguity). “In a rapidly changing world, adaptability and creativity is crucial,” Julie asserts. “With all the advancements of technology, leaders are being forced to deal with change at a faster speed, make decisions with incomplete or contradictory information, in unpredictable environments, and it is only accelerating.”
The Call for Leadership Evolution
Julie Fotos Coaching is a testament to the power of skilled coaching in sculpting the leaders of tomorrow. Julie’s journey from advertising executive to leadership coach reflects a deep understanding and appreciation of a person’s depth of courage and willingness to grow that infuses her coaching philosophy.
Her ideal clients range from seasoned executives to rising leaders that share a willingness to “unlearn” old ways of being and bring a growth mindset. Her strength-based coaching focuses on igniting sustainable change and realizing true potential.
As companies strive for greater engagement and productivity, the need for purposeful leadership has never been more pronounced. Julie Fotos Coaching takes leaders on transformative journeys, armed with the clarity and tools to effectively navigate and influence today’s complex world.
For more information about Julie Fotos, please visit https://www.juliecoaches.com/
Business Coach Christine Rose
Part 9: Close Up Radio Welcomes Back Business Coach Christine Rose
SEATTLE, WA - Christine Rose is an acclaimed speaker, bestselling author, and coach. As the world emerges from COVID 19 challenges and moves ahead, she is the perfect partner to map out strategies and cultivate skills that can make all the difference!
Christine coaches executives and workplaces, optimizing wealth and prosperity and ensuring greater diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as increasing psychological safety to help companies be innovative in today’s VUCA environment. Christine accomplishes her goals in many ways, most notably as the owner of Christine Rose Coaching and Consulting, a boutique coaching firm in the greater Seattle area. She has also earned a seat on the Forbes Coaches Council plus numerous other specialty certifications, including in the Taylor Protocols methodology, the Core Values Index.
She also hosts virtual CEO Mastermind Groups for business owners with multi-million-dollar organizations, helping them take their companies to the next level.
Christine has been a steady advocate for levelling the playing field, addressing topics such as diversity, sexual harassment, and more open conversation. She was recognized for her multi-pronged efforts by the United Nations Council in striving to advance equality for women and girls. In an upcoming show, she will leverage the concept pass the mic, a collaborative opportunity that enables a person of color to share their voice, perspectives, and strategic concepts.
In other new shows, Christine will focus on more strategies for leaders, teams and customers; tactics that can optimize internal communications, problem-solving, productivity and the company’s overall success.
For more information about Christine and her business, visit www.christinerose.coach
Dr. Madelyn Blair
Part 8: CUTV News Radio Welcomes Back Dr. Madelyn Blair
Jefferson, MD -- Madelyn Blair is a woman with a PhD and long history of accomplishments including a consulting business offering advisory services to help businesses/their leaders perform at their best. She is also known for her abilities as a storyteller, infusing valuable lessons with humor and personal experience. This makes Dr. Blair very relatable as a speaker, workshop facilitator and author. Her writings have included several books including her latest titled 'Unlocked', which came out in October. She is also a regularly-featured blogger for Psychology Today online.
Perhaps more than anything else, Dr. Blair is recognized for her focus on resilience. Dr. Blair readily shares advice and tools with top businesses to help them become more resilient as an organization, as well as develop resilience in employees at every level.
In her latest book, ‘Unlocked: Discover How to Embrace the Unexpected’, Dr. Blair discusses what it feels like to deal with ambiguity and uncomfortable situations. She offers tips on how to have more confidence in tough circumstances and be more innovative. She colorfully relates the stories of people who found power in resilience, overcame challenges, reinvented their lives and discovered their greatest success.
In this part of her Women Making a Difference in America series Dr. Blair is going to examine life instances when resilience is demanded most. No-one, she says, could have predicted the impact the iPhone would have on our work and daily lives, or that Artificial Intelligence might soon make one’s career obsolete. As she shares her knowledge, techniques, and stories, we will all make a connection, and find a reason to be inspired.
For more information, please visit https://www.madelynblair.com/
Janet Harvey of inviteCHANGE
Part 5: Close Up Radio Welcomes Back Janet Harvey of inviteCHANGE
FREELAND, WA -- Janet Harvey is the founder and President of InviteCHANGE, a practice that guides us all on how to make a conscious decision to change, to live more coachlike every day, and to achieve a new level of wholeness. As the business name implies, Janet encourages us all to explore the potential for growth and change that cannot only impact businesses, but also help to create a better world overall.
In the Fall, Janet and her InviteCHANGE team (along with select partners in creating a better world) will hold a Be. Choose. Cause Global Leaders Conference; a social progress event driven by the vehicle of coaching. It will be a multi-pronged effort to map out global reform in health care, climate emergency, and human trafficking, and other key areas. And simultaneously guiding businesses on how to attract millennials and all workforce members who want their daily efforts to have true meaning and to be more engaged in philanthropy. This event will remotely take place from September 9 to 11.
Janet is a long-time member of, and has also held chair positions with the International Coaching Federation (ICF), which is recognized as the global standard for the industry. Many tools and programs now used in coaching were innovations that Janet devised, and she has also mentored many successful and well credentialed coaches.
Janet has been leading teams through transition and building excellence for over 30 years now. Realize that it starts with inviting the change into your life, work, and mindset.
To learn more about Janet Harvey and InviteCHANGE, visit https://www.invitechange.com
Close Up Radio Welcomes Back Integrative Health Coach Lenore Shepard of Coaching With Lenore
Part 1: Close Up Radio Welcomes Integrative Health Coach Lenore Shepard
Northampton, MA -- Lenore Shepard is a woman who has been many things in life, and they all share one underlying mission: empowering and helping people to live better, stronger, and more vibrant lives. Lenore began her professional life as a clinical social worker and was first exposed to professional coaching in 2005. Today she is a Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach and specializes in nutrition and dietary health, GI and digestive health, building stress resilience, as well as the intimate connection between digestive and mental health. This unique background, along with a trauma informed style, distinguishes Lenore’s practice, and her ability to connect with a culturally diverse population as well as different age groups.
Lenore has been on our radio program before and is appearing as part of the Empowering Women series. She feels her purpose has always been enmeshed with female empowerment—from supporting domestic violence survivors and nurturing their continued healing and sense of agency, to advising women on how to foster deeper self-compassion and prioritizing their self-care and wellness. She says a lot of folks with a history of trauma, women in particular, are more likely to carry stress in their stomach and abdominal area which can at times manifest in digestive distress; Therefore, focusing on healing the gut microbiome in order to extend longevity is a focal point in her wellness work.
Lenore has returned to discuss her emphasis on Lifestyle Medicine and will clue listeners in on what that means, and how it is an emerging focus in medicine. Doctors are recognizing that our daily choices, behaviors, stress chemistry among other things have a profound impact on our health and lifespan. Thus, health coaches are well poised to partners with people to help initiate change in behavior and lifestyle habits in order to improve their lifespan. Lenore emphasizes and is deeply passionate about the mind- body-spirit connection that is essential to good health and a harmonious and balanced life. That is particularly true when it comes to the digestive system and how we can sometimes use food as a response to life’s stressors. The gut, she says, is like a second brain and listening to and trusting our intuition can help us deepen our connection with our body and our instincts.
Lenore works with women who want to improve their health and wellbeing and make self-care a priority; Through her compassionate, holistic, and trauma-informed background, she coaches, supports, educates and counsels them on their road to health. She can be contacted via her website: Coaching with Lenore.
Lenore also specializes in working with empaths, who in its broadest sense are people who are highly attuned to the emotions of others and at times take on those emotions as their own. “We feel different. We sense things and pick up on energies which can be bewildering and at times overwhelming. We need alone time for refueling and refilling our cup.” Growing up, Lenore was always labeled as being overly sensitive to touch, emotions, sounds and other things. “When I learned about what it means to be an empath and how we show up in the world, it was like coming home; I finally understood why I felt like an outsider so much of my life.”
Lenore has helpful tips and ideas to share that can enlighten and empower other women, families, and listeners in general. Finding your true voice, your deep-rooted soul purpose can be ever evolving.
Lenore will also talk about her new YouTube channel she co- launched called 2 Coaches, 1 Life: Igniting confidence, health and joy to make the most of this life. She and her co-host (Judy Fine), a vocal, performance and confidence coach, discuss topics including holistic health, fostering deeper self-confidence and self-compassion, as well as strategies for getting the most joy out of our lives. Lenore is also a Reiki practitioner and believes all forms of energy healing are a boon and wonderful accompaniment to whole health healing.
“Everyone wants to live better and extend our health span. Preventive health measures and shifting our perspective and behaviors are the path to achieving that goal. We know that up to about 80% of autoimmune diseases have a common denominator which is stress. We have the power to shift that dynamic and reshape our approach to treating disease and healing ourselves.”
Hear more such pearls of wisdom in Lenore’s podcasts--with Close Up host Jim, and also with her new coaching partner.
For more information about Lenore Shepard and her work, please visit www.coachingwithlenore.com or https://2coaches1life.com
Close Up Radio Spotlights Felice Tilin of GroupWorks Global Consulting LLC
Narberth, PA -- Felice J. Tilin, Ph.D. is an author, professor, executive coach and consultant. She is an Associate Adjunct Professor in the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania and is President of GroupWorks Global Consulting LLC, where she focuses on executive coaching, organizational change, and leadership development. She is the Executive Director of the Coaching Leader Program which takes a multi-model approach to executive coaching. Her firm partners with organizations worldwide to transform their teams and create an extraordinary level of collaboration that makes things truly happen for each concern.
Felice’s love for education has carried over to her current endeavors and she is co-facilitator of many of the GroupWorks Global programs. CLP (Coaching Leader Program) is a stellar program certified by the International Coach Federation to train executive coaches.
Take the Lead is oriented to students who train with her in the Coaching Leader Program. The Interprofessional Health Care Team is written for healthcare professionals and ways they can deliver more effective patient care by working as a team. The book also covers leadership models, personal growth, and change agent methodologies.
Today Felice is an organizational psychologist and a thought leader advocating for higher standards with teams, small groups, and emerging leadership talent. While education is still her first love, she uses unique coaching and decision-making strategies to empower those she works with.
For more information on Felice and her work, visit her website: www.groupworksglobal.com
Close Up Radio Spotlights Gay Life Coach Giselle Wallace
Arlington, TX – Giselle Wallace is a certified life coach and author who specializes in helping individuals in the LGBTQ community to lead an authentic life.
“My focus is assisting anyone who needs help navigating through life as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer,” says Giselle. “I'm a Certified Life Coach and Author to be there for people who don't know how to navigate through these challenges because this shouldn’t be something you have to go through alone.”
Giselle was inspired to become a life coach through her own spiritual journey and process of healing.
“Even as a child, I knew I was attracted to women. I just didn't have a name for it,” recalls Giselle. “It was my grandmother who revealed to me that I was gay, and she wasn't happy about it.”
As an African-American lesbian woman, Giselle says it was hard for her growing up because she wasn't accepted, even by those who loved her.
Giselle would eventually come out at the age of 26. “I'm a lesbian. It took me years to accept that word. It was an emotional, liberating moment for me,” says Giselle. Today, she says, “I’m living in peace and truth as a lesbian woman of color.”
She works with LGBTQ people who have an array of experiences, such as, a few of her clients were once open about being lesbian, gay, or bisexual but eventually went back in the closet.
Giselle also works with heterosexual people who have lesbian and gay parents.
Giselle is the author of She A Lesbian: Finding My Identity In Genesis. published in May of 2021.
For more information, visit www.gisellewallace.com