Our Story

Coach to Lead was founded in 2018 by Dr. Denise Snowden to help leaders achieve their vision through practical, personalized support. Having served on the faculty at The Ohio State University and partnered with organizations nationwide for nearly 30 years, Denise saw firsthand how complex and context-specific leadership challenges can stifle both individual growth and innovative organizational change. Coach to Lead was created in response to these realities.

We anchor our work in the core values of commitment, collaboration, and care. By combining clarity with a human-centered, iterative approach, we help leaders and teams navigate change with confidence. Whether guiding a school district through strategic planning or helping an executive refine leadership practices or a team strengthen its culture, Coach to Lead focuses on delivering high-quality leadership development that sparks growth and impact.

Our philosophy blends the practical and the transformative: leadership requires both managing complexity and growing the human capacity to respond. We believe that growth is essential, self-awareness is transformative, and reflective practice drives sustainable change. Guided by our values of commitment, collaboration, and care, we partner with leaders to help them Lead from the Inside Out.

Coach to Lead by the Numbers

25+ years of designing, researching, and leading adult learning and leadership development.
700+ facilitation and speaking engagements.
10,000+ employees impacted in organizations we've supported.

250,000+ stakeholders impacted through facilitated strategic planning and organizational design initiatives.
100% client satisfaction record - consistently meeting or exceeding expectations.

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Denise A. Snowden, Ph.D.

Meet the Founder & CEO

Meet Dr. Denise Snowden is a leadership strategist and educator with nearly 30 years of experience helping leaders strengthen their organizations from the inside out. As the founder of Coach to Lead, she has dedicated her career to supporting executives, teams, and boards in navigating complex challenges, aligning vision with action, and achieving meaningful results.

Denise’s journey began in the classroom, where she achieved National Board Certification - the most rigorous credential for educators - and saw firsthand how leadership transforms lives. She later advanced into executive leadership roles in nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, where she designed large-scale learning systems, led national initiatives, and championed equity and social impact.

A former faculty member at The Ohio State University, Denise has also prepared future leaders through graduate-level teaching and mentorship. She holds a Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Leadership, with expertise in strategic change, educational psychology, executive coaching, and collaborative leadership development.

Her portfolio spans both education and business. Denise has partnered with mission-driven organizations in states including Ohio, Texas, Oklahoma, Virginia, and Colorado. Her work has also connected her with nationally recognized organizations such as the U.S. Department of Education, KnowledgeWorks, Battelle for Kids, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

At Coach to Lead, Denise brings together technical expertise and human-centered leadership. Her approach blends research-based insights with practical strategies that empower leaders to build resilient teams, drive innovation, and create lasting impact in schools, organizations, and communities.

For more detailed information about Denise's experiences, visit her LinkedIn page.