Hello!
I’m Caroline Ouwerkerk – community-builder, collector of resources and ideas, and connector of dots (and people).
As a Gallup-certified CliftonStrengths leadership coach and facilitator, I work with mission-driven professionals and organizations to grow and support social impact leaders at all stages of their careers.
I collaborate with mission-driven companies and organizations to facilitate high-impact workshops that help participants leverage their strengths more effectively to drive powerful results. I offer private career coaching for social impact professionals and strengths-based leadership coaching for leaders at all levels. I am also the creator and facilitator of the Impact Leaders Incubator, a leadership development program and community for women in social impact. With deep experience in helping high-achievers navigate burnout and imposter syndrome, background as an adjunct professor of leadership at Johns Hopkins University, and a strong commitment to social impact work, I’ve coached clients on four continents at a range of leadership crossroads.
Prior to launching my coaching and facilitation practice, I spent nearly 15 years as a staff member, adjunct professor of leadership, and student at three of the nation’s top ten research universities. At Johns Hopkins University, I created social impact-focused leadership development programs and taught courses on leadership, social impact, and social entrepreneurship at the Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering. Prior to that, I served as the founding program director of the University of Chicago Urban Network, an interdisciplinary research initiative connecting faculty, students, and others working on urban issues.
I have an AB in History from the University of Chicago, and a Master’s in Higher Education Administration from the University of Pennsylvania, where my independent study focused on best practices of cohort-based leadership development programs. As a lifelong learner, in addition to training as a Clifton Strengths Coach, I also have a certificate in Creative Writing from the University of Chicago Graham School, a certificate from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business Executive Program for Emerging Leaders, and am a Certified Specialist of Wine by the Society of Wine Educators.
Curious about how to pronounce my last name? Think “Happy Hour-kerk” :)
Leveraging Strengths for Next-Level Results
I first discovered Strengths nearly fifteen years ago, and since then, I’ve been aligning my work to focus on what I do best – facilitating engaging workshops, building life-changing cohort experiences, and having powerful coaching conversations that get clients like you the results you’re after:
My top CliftonStrengths are:
Input
I love connecting people with resources, ideas, and each other. I am allergic to boring trainings and am constantly collecting new frameworks and approaches for making my work more engaging and effective
Learner
I am a deeply curious lifelong learner with a 7.5 year streak (and counting) learning Dutch on Duolingo. One of my favorite things about my work is that I’m always learning – about new industries, new trends, and new ways of working. I’m naturally drawn to curriculum development and careful sequencing of workshops and trainings to ensure we make progress.
Strategic
I am focused on solutions – one of my favorite phrases is “how might we?” and I’m always energized by generating creative approaches to reach goals. I’m an ardent advocate for adapting the plan based on changing circumstances, whether that’s pivoting in the moment during a live workshop or offering an alternative reframe in a coaching session.
Activator
I love to make things happen and get excited by taking projects from idea to execution. With a deep background in experiential learning, I believe clarity comes through action. I encourage active experimentation in workshops and with coaching clients, enabling participants to get a deeper understanding through immediate implementation.
Focus
You can do anything, but you can’t do everything, especially not all at once. So where do you start? Whether it’s developing an agenda for a corporate workshop or helping a coaching client at a crossroads make a decision, I specialize in helping clients focus on what will move the needle the most on the goals at hand.
Kind Words
“Working with Caroline is like getting that final burst of energy to get you across the finish line. Her ability to help unravel what feels like a complex issue into manageable pieces and parts to focus on, has helped me to develop tactics and opportunities to push through the obstacles I'm facing. An additional bonus of working with Caroline is her vast network of connections, resources, and reading recommendations to help you continue learning and moving forward.”
Lacey Gaitan
“As a coach and a colleague, Caroline asks fantastic questions and has a way of seeing things in your responses that you can't see on your own. Working with her has opened my eyes to what I can uniquely contribute to the social impact space and expanded what's possible in my business!”
JESSICA MARATI RADPARVAR
"Thank you so much for presenting at the Net Impact event today. I feel like I got so much clarity on my professional goals."
Emily Hollerbach, workshop participant
“Prior to meeting Caroline, I had never worked with a coach in a professional capacity and I didn't really know what it would do for me. Caroline was great to work with and she really expanded my mindset/thoughts on how to present myself for potential job opportunities. I especially liked her thoroughness in explaining my Clifton Strengths results and how to think about and use my strengths in different scenarios. Also during our call, Caroline provided links and resources for me to explore afterwards. I would definitely recommend working with Caroline!”
Lizbeth R.
My approach to coaching and facilitation
Stay Curious
We never know when a flash of insight will strike. I’m focused on asking powerful questions, considering possibilities, and assuming I can always learn more.
Focus on Strengths
We spend too much of our lives – in school and in life – trying to get better at things we don’t enjoy. Let’s focus instead on leveraging the unique contributions each of us brings and do more of what we’re good at and like doing.
Be bold
“Authenticity” feels a bit overused these days, but I’ve certainly realized that leaning into what sets you apart is the key to unlocking the next level of success. Whether it’s facilitating culture-shifting conversations between team members during a workshop or helping a client find fulfilling work while making space for all of her priorities, I’ve seen how valuable it is to embrace and leverage your unique combination of strengths, preferences, and interests.
Iterate
Clarity comes from taking action and “making the road by walking.” I have a deep background in facilitating experiential learning and have seen the transformation that can happen when we test things out to see what works. As a recovering overthinker, I’ve realized that the perfect is the enemy of the good.
Have fun
We’re doing world-changing work – it’s important to take it seriously, but for this work to be sustainable, we also need to find ways to enjoy the process. I strive to make every engagement delightful, whether it’s a workshop for 50 or an individual coaching session. I love what I do and want the folks I work with to look forward to the experience as well. We can take it seriously but have fun while doing it.
Focus on Impact
Social impact is at the core of everything I do. I’m passionate about working with mission-driven leaders and companies using business as a force for good.
Sound like a match?
