Who I Work With — Shaffer Coaching and Consulting

Helping people grow, lead, and make change

For people who want growth that lasts

Providing coaching, leadership development, and professional development for people who want support that is practical, reflective, and responsive to real-world demands.

Since 2013 academic clients have spanned public and private R1 research universities, small liberal arts colleges, medical centers, conservatories, and community colleges. Purpose-driven clients include national nonprofits, professional associations, leadership networks, as well as individual artists and activists across the country.

- Faculty navigating promotion, tenure, transition, burnout, leadership growth, or complex workplace dynamics.
- Professionals, non-profit leaders, job seekers looking for clarity, confidence, and direction.
- Department chairs, deans, directors, and administrative leaders seeking a trusted partner for leadership, communication, change, and strategy.
- Nonprofit directors, managers and team leaders navigating change, building stronger communication, collaboration, and culture.
- Colleges, universities, nonprofits, departments and teams investing in professional development, stronger leadership, and more welcoming workplace cultures.
- Nonprofits and purpose-driven organizations investing in leadership, workplace satisfaction, equity, and organizational effectiveness.
- Many people experience similar challenges but may suffer in a culture of isolation. Group coaching is a cost-effective opportunity to use coaching conversations to facilitate learning from the experiences of peers.
- Useful for teams or any group with a shared interest or shared goals. Groups such as faculty by rank, postdocs, graduate students, boards, community activists, collaborating artists.

Results

- Achieve Greater Clarity—Make decisions with greater confidence and direction.
- Increase Leadership Skills—Develop the self-awareness, communication, and people-management practices that effective leadership requires.
- Create the Culture—Build healthier cultures through better dialogue, stronger relationships, equitable systems and intentional accountability.
- Sustain Professional Growth—Create practical plans, new habits, and next steps that continue beyond the coaching engagement or workshop. Turn reflection into concrete action.
Every engagement is tailored to the goals, the context, and the culture of the people involved. Awareness, strategy, and momentum help move my clients from simply reacting to intentionally acting.

Not sure where you fit? Book a chat with Amanda.

Contact Amanda

What People Are Saying About Amanda

“Amanda has been instrumental in my professional development in academia. I don't know what I would have done without her. When I started as an Assistant Professor, I was lost and overwhelmed—floundering in a sea of endless tasks with no reprieve in sight. She helped me figure out how to develop systems and use tools to manage my time and ultimately my life. Once I shed the weight of overwhelm, I enjoyed my job much more.”

Assistant Professor, research intensive university

“Amanda is an outstanding executive coach. She is an avid listener, asks key questions and offers thoughtful advice. I love that she summarized our sessions with actionable next steps that were a springboard for action. It set us both up for success and propelled our next session. I very highly recommend Amanda as your career coach.”

–Lori Gross, former Global Brand Developer, Microsoft

“Working with Amanda was genuinely transformative. She helped me recognize what was holding me back from fully owning my skills and accomplishments, while also showing me that effective leadership does not require adopting someone else’s style. Through her thoughtful guidance, I learned how to lead more confidently and authentically in a way that reflects who I am.”

–Associate Dean, research intensive university

“Amanda is incredibly gifted at finding powerful solutions for complex problems. She does this with three rare skills: (1) her ability to truly listen to others, (2) her ability to interpret/assess what she hears with an accuracy that is simply astonishing, and (3) her ability to turn that assessment into a clear plan of action, with meaningful input from coworkers. I hired Amanda as a career coach and she helped me find simple, behavior-based solutions to problems that had been vexing my entire professional life. I use these solutions on a regular basis, now, and they have helped me to drastically improve my work life. I am now happier and more effective at my job.”

–Sheryl Banks, Marketing & Community Relations Manager

“My work with Amanda focused on my advancement and future career goals. I worked with her for about five and a half years, and I am now an associate professor at a new institution in my home state (which is where I wanted to be). I could not have done it without her. Seriously. I am so grateful to her, and always will be. I just hope my new institution will support me in pursuing continued professional coaching in the future.”

KJM, Ph.D., Associate Teaching Professor of Chemistry, Northeastern University at Oakland

“Amanda’s coaching extended well beyond our sessions. I continue to draw upon the insights and practical lessons she shared, and they have made me a more self-aware, confident, and effective leader. I would highly recommend Amanda to anyone seeking a coach who can help them recognize their strengths, move past self-imposed barriers, and grow into their own authentic approach to leadership.”

Associate Dean, research intensive university

“Since our last meeting, I’ve gotten three articles published (or at least accepted for publication) and I’ve secured a book contract for an anthology. I’m currently working on a proposal for my book and revising two more articles for publication. I’m hoping to be ready to stand for full professor in the fall, and after that, I feel that a lot of options will open up for me. I’m very grateful for having had the opportunity to work with you last year; it really helped jump start my research productivity and made me feel more optimistic about my career!

Associate Professor, research intensive state university

“Each time we meet, you say things that immediately resonate—sometimes I kick myself because the truth is so obvious after you point it out to me. And other times you teach me about ideas and strategies that are completely foreign, and so important and effective. I am so grateful to have you as a partner to help me see the path forward.”

Associate Professor, research intensive private university

“Having an external coach has helped me to move beyond the roadblocks and to achieve the goals I have set as a professor. My friends who are professors or family can offer terrific support; however, Amanda Shaffer has helped me to transform many issues because she brings such valued insight as a neutral observer of the situation. In that role, she has helped me sort through issues that can be changed from those that cannot. The result is that I am better able to distinguish between the two and act accordingly.”

Associate Professor, research intensive state university

“I want to express my sincere gratitude for your coaching. When I reflect over the past year, not only reached professional goals, but also got back into running shape by leaning into your advice to program my goals into my calendar. I am approaching the start of the semester with a sense of readiness because I prioritized my future self and my own goals over answering emails.”

Associate Professor, research intensive state university

“Amanda taught me how to present myself in a job interview. She asked me questions about my work experiences and attitudes, and helped me see how my interview approach could be radically improved. All the while she guided me to the point where I understood and then truly believed in my own value. In my next interview, I applied everything I learned from Amanda and landed the job. (I know—it sounds like a cheesy ad. But it’s true.) Amanda’s amazing gift is to show you how to bring out your best self and share it with others.”

Eric Broder, Editor-in-chief, Kovels’ Antiques and Collectibles

“I had to send a follow up email to thank you for the great training. I have gone to many classes for this type of training in my career and, until yours, they have consistently evoked the same “eye poking, can’t wait until it’s over” response from me. It was new and exciting to learn your strategies for working within the existing (though clearly unfair) power dynamics and then focusing on making a difference when you find yourself at a place to do so. In addition to your thought-provoking exercises and discussion, your acceptance of where everyone in the room was made this a tremendously useful day—it seemed like for all of us. So, thank you. I thought I would be struggling to stay awake and instead I was disappointed when 4 o’clock rolled around!”

Juli M., Leadership Retreat participant

“I really enjoyed the insightful and collaborative approach Amanda had. I would 100% absolutely recommend Amanda Shaffer. If you want to be an active learner and improve how you show up for your friends, family, co-workers and community, then I would say definitely hire Shaffer Coaching!”

Jennifer VanderArend, Lead, CREW Silicon Valley DEI Task Force

“Thank you for your coaching. You have made a big difference for me.”

Professor, research intensive university

“Thank you so much for the implicit bias workshop for our team! You are the perfect instructor for that topic. You made the information easy to understand, relatable and applicable. You created a very open and safe space for us to really get the most out of it. We all learned a lot. Please keep doing this amazing work!”

–Team leader, public university

“I highly recommend working with Amanda Shaffer. I can vouch for her insight, professionalism, and exceptional ability to uncover unconscious bias and provide guidance for a growth mindset.”

Molly Jans, Project Management, Fish Rock Management, LLC

“I was a little hesitant to try something as intimate as coaching over the phone or the internet, but Amanda is great at making a personal connection over digital media. She quickly offered me the right questions to help me approach a professional challenge with confidence and grace. I so trust her judgment and professionalism that I now refer my clients who need coaching services to her.”

M. Smith Consulting, MA

“Amanda provided career coaching during my job search. She helped me strategize and helped me become more self-aware and attentive to my language so I could improve my professional speaking skills as well as ways of communicating electronically. With Amanda’s coaching, I have achieved consistent results in the form of interviews and job offers.”