About Linda

We all have a story and this is mine, in a nutshell:    I was raised as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and was an unquestioning true believer who knocked on doors from the time I was nine years old.  Like most Witnesses,  I was discouraged from pursuing higher education or a career, or even voting. My friendships were limited to the community and I was not allowed to participate in after-school sports.

One day in my early thirties, I knocked on a door and it was answered by one of my most respected co-workers. To our mutual consternation I launched into my usual spiel, and for the first time it sounded harsh and hollow.  For months I tried to overcome the doubts that sprang from that encounter, knowing they could upend my ‘safe’ existence.   Witnesses who become unbelievers risk being “disfellowshipped,” (the Witness term for ex-communication) and their family and community is asked to shun them.  

I wrote about the experience in my upcoming memoir, Cast Out: How I Lost My Religion and Found Spiritual Grace. When I left the religion in 1995, my parents, siblings, and members of that community cut off all contact with me, which was tragic and heartbreaking for everyone.  Alas, the religion demands this of all true believers. 

It was tough going for a long while, but I was determined to make this harsh experience the springboard to a life of joy and purpose.  David Whyte says:  "The world was made to be free in."   So I pursued an education and career in the corporate world and held a variety of leadership positions in financial services. I cultivated an amazing and diverse community of friends and discovered the true expression of unconditional love.  With curiosity, patience and an open heart, I've embraced an authentic and eclectic spirituality that is inclusive of many religious traditions.

In 2003, after twenty years in the corporate world, I founded an executive coaching firm, with the intent to help executives develop their leadership presence and shape their work into a reflection of their values and purpose. That work often focuses on the role of courage and the power of love and forgiveness for people in transitions out of religions, communities or careers that no longer serve them.

My coaches training came from New Ventures West, which is accredited by the International Coaching Federation, and I've since had a great experience serving on their certification committee and adjunct faculty, mentoring future coaches. Over the years it has been my privilege to coach and consult with hundreds of people, including executives and teams from: Agilent, CNET, Hilton Hotels, IBM, JP Morgan Chase, KPMG, MasterCard International, Nasdaq, Sun Microsystems, Yahoo, Washington Mutual, and Visa among others.

Home is the San Francisco Bay area where I live with two cats.  I have two step-children by my late husband, Bob Curtis. Will and Christine live in Los Angeles and I am constantly impressed by who they are in the world, pursuing their respective careers as a professional musician and a high school teacher.    They are an important part of my ever-expanding, global 'soul family.'