Kara has coached thousands of partners, associates, and senior legal professionals across the Am Law 200. In non-legal industries, she has supported senior business professionals and C-suite executives. Through her empathetic coaching approach, Kara fosters trust, encourages collaboration, and instills accountability. She believes, with the support of a trusted thought partner, anyone can reach their full potential.
Kara empowers highly successful professionals to become the most impactful versions of themselves by coaching on key areas, including business development, team management, leadership, time management, effective communication, and well-being. She also designs and leads training and group coaching programs. These programs foster growth, inclusion, and success within teams, with a particular focus on developing and retaining female and diverse associates and partners.
Having graduated from the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching, Kara is credentialed as a PCC (Professional Certified Coach) by the International Coaching Federation and is certified to administer the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI®) and the Energy Leadership Index. Kara is also certified in Mental Health First Aid and has completed MBSR (mindfulness-based stress reduction) coursework at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
Kara spent 10 years practicing law, as a litigator specializing in employment and labor, and family law. Kara’s passion for coaching and lawyer development led her to become the Director of Recruiting and Professional Development at Young Conaway, before joining Volta. In that role, she spearheaded the firm’s professional development strategy, driving growth initiatives and overseeing key areas such as performance evaluations, mentoring, and talent selection.
Kara is passionate about education and serves as a lead trainer and mentor coach in the ICF-accredited Volta Coach Training (VCT) program, where she guides aspiring coaches toward certification. For five years, she has actively contributed to curriculum development, mentored participants through the journey, and applied her deep expertise in ICF core competencies to ensure the program upholds its rigorous standards. She is also an adjunct professor at Temple University Beasley School of Law, where she teaches an experiential program focused on transactional practice skills for law students. She has served three terms as a Trustee at a progressive school and is a Trustee at her son’s Quaker school.
Kara is involved with the Washington Leadership Institute, LCLD (Leadership Council on Legal Diversity), NALP (National Association for Law Placement) and the PDC (Professional Development Consortium). Kara is a regular speaker at conferences and other panels delivering powerful and engaging content that inspires connection and lasting change.
Kara graduated from Lafayette College with a B.A. in English Literature with honors and was awarded a National Endowment for the Humanities grant for her research and thesis. She received her J.D. cum laude from Temple University’s Beasley School of Law.