Deb Ingersoll
A trusted guide in times of transition
Most of my work starts the same way. Something isn't working, and no one can say exactly what.
What shows up first is usually personal. Someone is struggling, a team has gone quiet, a leader has lost the room. That is where the trouble becomes visible. It’s usually deeper than that.
So we look at what surrounds the situation. Whether people still feel they belong, whether what they do still matters, and what is keeping that in place. It is harder to name than a broken process, and harder to change. We start there, then do the work with the people who will live with whatever changes.
I have been through seven transitions of my own. Countries left, careers ended, restructures survived, corporate work traded for humanitarian, then for social impact and civil society. Each time without knowing how it would resolve. I learned that uncertainty is somewhere you can dwell, adapt, and eventually do well. That is what I bring to other people's.
Thirty years across NGOs, non-profits, social impact organizations, and companies. Master's degree, ICF PCC coach, faculty at Awaken Coach Institute.
Ways to work with me
Facilitation
Getting the thing said in the room, rather than in the corridor afterward. I design and hold the session so a group can think together, including what it has been avoiding, and leave with something it actually agreed to.
Strategy, change, and culture
Organizational strategy, change management, organizational development, and culture work. I facilitate what's meant to come next and help build the plan that makes it stick.
Coaching
For those in transition, or who sense one coming, ready to step outside the roles they've been living in. Everyone around you has a stake in what you decide. I don't. That is what makes this different.
How I Show Up
I bring my superpowers.
My belief that diversity strengthens us, collaboration fuels transformation, and our unique strengths can create a more inclusive, just, and connected world is ever-present in everything I do.
Today, I channel everything I’ve learned into facilitation, coaching, and strategic advising—creating spaces where leaders and teams can navigate complexity with clarity, courage, and connection.
I believe in curating life-first experiences—ones that prioritize people and the planet over profit, exploration over perfection, and connection over convention.
I don’t have all the answers, but I know the right conversations can unlock them. Whether I’m facilitating a leadership retreat, guiding a team through a complex transition, or sparking deep dialogue, I create spaces where clarity, trust, and bold thinking thrive.
We all have superpowers. They’re the sparks that light up the world. ✨ Imagine the magic we can create when we bring them together!
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Evoke Curiosity
Play fuels innovation, learning, and sustainable problem-solving. By embracing curiosity, we build inclusive, equitable systems.
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Create Safety & Belonging
Deep listening fosters open dialogue, healing, and connection. A culture of trust is essential for anti-racism and equity.
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Foster Interconnectedness
Deep listening fosters open dialogue, healing, and connection. A culture of trust is essential for anti-racism and equity.
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Lead with Courage
Integrity, empathy, and respect drive impactful outcomes. Bold leadership ensures just and equitable practices for all.
My Training
I’m a lifelong learner - the more I know, the more curious I become. Here’s a snapshot of what has shaped my practice so far.
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M.A., Digital Management (Distinction), Hyper Island and Teesside University, 2023
Thesis: Cultures (th)at Work: A Systems Approach to Creating and Sustaining Organizational Cultures
Strategic Marketing, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota
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International Coaching Federation (ICF) Professional Coach, 2025
LEGO® Serious Play® Certification – 2024
Systems Mapping – The UnSchool of Disruptive Design, 2024
Group Coaching Certification – Awaken Coach Institute, 2023
International Coaching Federation (ICF) Accredited Coach, 2022
Dare to Lead™ Facilitator Training, Brené Brown via Awaken Coach Institute, 2021
Design Thinking Facilitation Mastery – Design Thinkers Academy, 2019
…and more!
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As Kelly Diels says, “Footnotes are a feminist practice.” I honor all the teachers, mentors, and organizations that have shaped me and informed my tenets and specific practices in business. Specifically,
Andrea Leda: bravercoach.com
Humentum: Humentum.org
Rachel Rodgers: helloseven.co/townhall-2
Kelly Diels: www.kellydiels.com
Christi Byerly: AwakenCoachInstitute.com
Liz Wiseman: TheWisemanGroup.com
Kirsty Lewis: SchoolofFacilitation.com
Bob Ramstorf: aka my dad
I also acknowledge the ancestral and unceded lands where I live and work and honor the Indigenous communities who stewarded these spaces long before me.