Lee Ann Wurster-Naefe

Lee Ann Wurster-Naefe is a seasoned leader and ICF-certified professional coach (PCC) with 30+ years of experience as an entrepreneur and business owner, corporate human resources manager, organizational consultant and educator.   With a background in Organization Development and work experience in business, academia and the federal government, she is skilled in working with leaders on a wide variety of challenges including navigating change and complexity, building high-performance teams and leadership development. As a human resources leader, 70% of her direct reports were promoted into senior and executive level positions.   

Lee Ann served as Program Director for the Executive Certificate in Leadership Coaching at Georgetown University’s Institute for Transformational Leadership.  Setting the strategic direction for this internationally acclaimed ICF coach education and training program, she led a faculty of 70+ coaches and directed the expansion to four yearly six-month cohorts.  Since joining the faculty in 2003, she served in a variety of roles including cohort co-director, learning circle advisor and instructor.  She also created and led the Leadership Presence course in the coaching program and the Executive Certificate in Transformational Leadership. 

At the same time, Lee Ann launched her own coaching and consulting practice in 2003, after 16 years in corporate human resources where she directed regional office and field staff in talent recruitment and development, employee relations, performance management and benefits administration.  As an educator, she designs and facilitates workshops, retreats and training classes on topics such as Presence Under Pressure, Emotional Intelligence, Building and Sustaining High Powered Teams and Coaching Skills for Managers.  She currently co-leads the Women in Leadership series at the National Institutes for Health.  She also instructs in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Senior Officer Workshop series. 

Lee Ann is a practical coach.  She enjoys taking key management and leadership theories, concepts and tools and making tactical application for leaders.  She believes that change and transformation require awareness, engagement and practice with both the mind and body – giving leaders access to intellectual, emotional and physical intelligence.  She brings a sense of humor, candor and authentic presence to the work of leadership, and helps individuals and teams take new actions to achieve their vision and results.

Education and Certifications

• Certificate in Executive Leadership Coaching, Georgetown University
• Certificate in Organization Development, Georgetown University
• Certified Somatic Coach, The Strozzi Institute
• MBA, Frostburg State University
• BA, St. Mary’s College of Maryland
• Certified in the Leadership Circle 360 Profile and Culture Survey; The Right Conversation – A Team Effectiveness Tool; MBTI
• Credentialed facilitator in The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team and DISC

Contributing author, On Becoming a Leadership Coach