Find a Certified CLCI Coach

My work is shaped by years of partnering with executives and leadership teams through growth, disruption, and recovery. I combine proven leadership frameworks with a human-centered coaching approach, helping leaders restore credibility, repair relationships, and move forward with clarity and confidence—especially when the path isn’t straightforward.

I have over two decades of experience in the healthcare sector, serving as a field paramedic and firefighter, as well as an instructor teaching EMTs & Paramedics. I’ve walked in the shoes of those who dedicate their lives to helping others. I know firsthand the relentless stress, overwhelming demands, and emotional toll that come with serving on the front lines. Like many in this profession, I’ve felt the weight of burnout and the challenge of finding balance while constantly putting others first, which ultimately leads to first responders leaving the profession. 
 
☀️ 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐈 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐋𝐋𝐂
My mission is simple: As a Certified Professional Life Coach, I combine my real-life experience and coaching services to help First Responders, Firefighters, Paramedics, and Healthcare Professionals reduce their stress, reclaim their resilience, and empower them to navigate the overwhelming challenges of life and work. With our proven 1 on 1 coaching and programs, you go from stress, overwhelm, and near burnout to transformational and life-changing breakthroughs! Self-care is not selfish! It is time to take care of you!

I am a senior cybersecurity leader, military officer, and organizational leadership expert who has spent my career navigating high pressure environments where clarity, resilience, and disciplined decision making are non negotiable. My path has taken me through the energy sector, government operations, and the United States Army.

I built my expertise by leading teams, managing complex programs, and solving problems that demanded both technical knowledge and strong leadership. Along the way, I earned a PhD in Organizational Leadership, an Executive MBA, and more than a dozen advanced certifications in cybersecurity, governance, coaching, and program management. My academic and practical experience allow me to understand leadership from every angle, from individual behavior to team dynamics to enterprise strategy.

I have been the only woman in the room, the only Black professional at the table, and the person expected to deliver under pressure with no margin for error. My story is shaped by real-world experiences that forced me to communicate with confidence, influence senior leaders, manage conflict, and develop a leadership style grounded in discipline, empathy, and strategic thinking.

I became an executive coach because I understand how much leadership growth accelerates when people have a trusted partner who challenges them to rise to their potential. I help clients gain clarity, master executive presence, make stronger decisions, and move with confidence in rooms where expectations are high and excuses carry no weight.

My mission is simple. I help leaders elevate their thinking, strengthen their voice, and operate with the competence and influence required at the top levels of their field.

I’m a certified professional life coach and founder of Tenacious Living, a practice supporting women through meaningful life transitions since 2019. My work is shaped by years of experience guiding individuals through periods of uncertainty, change, and identity shifts — including recovery from major life events — and helping them reconnect with clarity, inner authority, and a sense of direction.

My coaching is grounded in awareness and guided exploration. I create a calm, supportive space where clients can slow down, notice the beliefs and patterns shaping their choices, and begin to see themselves and their situation more clearly. From that place of awareness, aligned decisions and sustainable change naturally emerge.

I work best with people who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or at a crossroads — those who sense there is a next chapter calling, but aren’t sure how to access it yet. Rather than fixing or pushing, my role is to help you uncover what’s already present, so you can move forward with confidence, clarity, and integrity.

Dr. Dee, The Grief & Loss Expert™, is a nationally recognized authority in grief, leadership restoration, and transformational growth—trusted by entrepreneurs, executives, and faith leaders seeking to rise after seasons of pressure, purpose-fatigue, and hidden emotional weight. Through her proprietary signature frameworks, high-impact coaching programs, keynote speaking, books, and media platforms, she helps leaders turn pain into power, rebuilding their confidence, clarity, and capacity to lead with wisdom and emotional strength.

A seasoned executive leader, Certified Master Life, Grief & Executive Coach, Postsecondary Educator, and nationally recognized Grief Recovery Expert, Dr. Dee brings more than 30 years of experience across nonprofit leadership, government, academia, and ministry. Her deep expertise in trauma-informed practice, organizational strategy, and leadership development has made her a trusted advisor to entrepreneurs, high-performing executives, mission-driven founders, faith-based leaders, and Fortune 500 teams.

Her proprietary frameworks—including the LifeQuake Framework™, G3 Framework™, and the FPS: Freedom Positioning System®—equip leaders to break through emotional barriers, navigate transition, and lead with authenticity, resilience, and spiritual clarity. She has developed trauma-informed SEL curricula, academic programs, and leadership training models that are used nationwide in universities, classrooms, and organizational leadership settings.

A prolific scholar and author, Dr. Dee has written eleven (11) books on healing, restoration, leadership, and grief—resources now used by educators, entrepreneurs, faith communities, and organizations committed to emotional wellness, purpose-driven leadership, and whole-life transformation.

As a sought-after speaker and thought leader, Dr. Dee’s influence spans national stages. Her honors include the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award (President Joseph Biden, 2023), TEDx Speaker, featured on the DocuSeries The Making of an Entrepreneur, recognition in Crain’s NY Notable Black Leaders and Executives (2024), PoliticsNY & AMNY Nonprofit Power Players (2023 & 2024), City & State Nonprofit Trailblazers 2024, Manhattan Power List 2024, Above & Beyond Gen X 2023, The Responsible 100 Award 2023, Fifty Over 50: Age Disrupters 2022, Queens Power Players 2024, and more. She holds dual doctorates: a Ph.D. in Philosophy (Walden University) and a Ph.D. in Religious Education (International Seminary).

Deeply rooted in her faith and community, Dr. Dee honors the legacy of her late parents, Rev. Robert and Bettye Brown, through her ministry, chaplaincy, civic involvement, and service on multiple educational and community boards. A proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, she embodies the union of scholarship, leadership, and spiritual restoration—guiding leaders to rise stronger, wiser, and whole.

Think about a great play. The third act isn't where the story winds down, it's where everything finally comes together. That's exactly where Carol's clients are standing: at the edge of their own next chapter, with decades of building already behind them.

Carol's own Third Act didn't start with a six-year plan. It started at 68, when she launched this business — later than most people expect, and exactly on time for her. With over 35 years in health and wellness behind her, and a foundation she was quietly building in her own mid-fifties long before she recognized it as one, Carol now works as a Third Act Transition Coach, helping women 50+ lean into reinvention with intention instead of uncertainty.

Two things make me an ideal coach.  1.  I've been a lifelong worker on my own self.  While I am not a finished product by any means (ask my wife!) I have grown a lot through my own experiences.  2.  I coached college sports for 30 years.  The different types of people and issues I've dealt can't really be learned in any other environment.  

As someone who grew up in a family where hard things were avoided instead of addressed, I know how easy it is to numb out, avoid conflict, and settle for surface-level connection. I made it my mission to help people change their legacy for future generations by recognizing unhealthy cycles, dealing with relational challenges, and taking ownership of their personal growth. 

No one’s future deserves to be defined by or limited by their past, and I'm here to help you make the most of yours.

What keeps you from sticking to that plan to improve your life: be it your work, productivity, executive functioning, diet, exercise, spending more quality time with family or friends, reading… whatever it is you keep dropping or not sticking to?
 ¿Lack of Discipline? Motivation? Willpower?
                             
Feeling too busy and rushed in the morning to exercise? Too occupied during the day and too tired to do it in the evening? 
Want to stop the mindless scrolling on the phone at night that keeps you from reading or falling asleep sooner? (It also disrupts your deep sleep!) Want to step it up at work but you're distracted or overwhelmed? 
Do you ditch the diet-plan and give in to your cravings? Again, and Again?
 

HERE'S THE THING:
No matter what change you want in any aspect of your life - your Habits drive you to your goals in Health· Career· Daily Work · even Relationships & Family!

Most people start with lofty goals & bold declarations of taking action! You get off to a good start - go full steam ahead & then… you burn out.

You go back to your old ways. WHY?  →because you started with way more than you’re used to.   
Even a seemingly uncomplicated new routine can be too much.

“Jumpstarts!!”

Lots of people think that a 3-5-day challenge will give jumpstart them with the “secret sauce tools”, motivation, and enlightenment for their solopreneurship. Or that a 

cleanse, detox, or fat-burning supplement will jumpstart them to permanent weight loss or better health. 

These are great joyous inspirations! But the problem lies in not keeping it up!!!  
Jump-starting is a buzzword & a false motivator because it is NOT A HABIT! 
And it rarely leads you to a habit.
If it’s a habit, you do it naturally.

Sit with me. Let's you and I go over what you want to improve or change. Share with me, and I'll share with you. Let's see how you can achieve this, for real and for good. How to get you on the right track, and stay on it.

https://calendly.com/ronnielolifecoach/let-s-chat
 

😊FunFact: 1st plane ride at 1 week old,& still love to travel! Love to cuddle with my husband & cats. 
 

So hey, Contact me, let's chat.  https://calendly.com/ronnielolifecoach/let-s-chat

Ronnie 🤍

If you've ever felt too screwed up, too far gone, and a total waste of space, I get it. I once believed that lie and traveled the hard road of healing. I am here to help you experience the life you don't think you can have. I know what it takes to overcome a life of negativity, deal with depression and anxiety, and discover your true identity to live fully a life that once felt ‘always out of reach.’ It is possible, and I'm here to help.

Using my life experience and professional training, I have concrete tools to equip and empower you grow in self awareness, identify what holds you back, and propel you forward to get where you want to be. As a Christ-follower, I am happy to offer a faith perspective for those who desire.

I earned a Master of Science degree in Counseling: College Student Development from Minnesota State University - Mankato and spent 8 years working with college students. I hold the ACC credential from the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and have additional certifications as a Master Mental Health Coach and 7 Types of Rest Certified Speaker and Trainer. 

Your story matters and I am here to help you rewrite your narrative. It is possible. It's my privilege to walk with you on your journey.