Coach | Facilitator | Consultant
ELEVATING GROWTH | INSPIRING LEADERSHIP
Career Coaching, Coaching Supervision, Consultancy, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Coaching, Early Career Coaching, Executive Coaching, Facilitation, Leadership Coaching, Mentoring, Mindset Coaching, Organization Development, Team Coaching
Interested?I focus on building authentic connections with education and youth-serving professionals that foster growth, collaboration, leadership, and strategic problem solving. Through human-centered coaching, facilitation, and consultation services, I empower individuals, teams, and organizations to align their actions with their values, strengthen their learning systems, and embrace change. My purpose, and joy, is to offer support to those shaping the next generation—whether through individual coaching, inspired facilitation or team-focused solutions.
Together, we can unlock new possibilities, foster innovation, and build lasting success.
BRAVO Core Values and Service Journey Themes
Building Community
Reflecting Authenticity
Amplifying Leadership
Valuing Growth
Opening Possibilities
This comprehensive model is designed based on my nearly three decades of expertise and core values about what it takes to achieve growth, leadership excellence, and transformative outcomes as an education or youth-serving professional. It serves as a roadmap for selecting services that are impactful, relevant, and tailored to any client's unique context. This model provides both flexibility and clarity, allowing my clients to focus on specific themes of development while ensuring alignment with their values and objectives.
Building Community
Strong, connected communities serve as the foundation for meaningful growth and shared success. An emphasis is placed on fostering trust, mutual support, and collaboration while honoring the cultural identities, values, and lived experiences of all community members. By integrating culturally responsive practices and a mindset of inclusivity, individuals and teams are supported in creating environments where diverse voices are celebrated, equitable opportunities are prioritized, and authentic relationships flourish.
- Team Collaboration Coaching: Strengthen culturally aware and inclusive team dynamics to foster trust and cooperation.
- Community Engagement Facilitation: Lead interactive experiences to promote cultural humility, build relationships, and enhance cross-cultural understanding.
-
Human-Centered Planning Consultation: Create strategic frameworks aligned with culturally responsive principles to enhance community impact.
Reflecting Authenticity
Authenticity serves as the cornerstone of meaningful career success and a thriving organization. Developing authenticity involves embracing one's true self, aligning personal and professional paths with core values, and fostering mindsets that support values-driven decision-making while respecting diverse perspectives. Tailored career coaching empowers clients to navigate transitions, overcome barriers, and make purposeful decisions rooted in self-awareness. Transparency, value alignment, and purposeful action guide individuals in creating environments where authenticity thrives.
- Career Alignment Coaching: Provide personalized guidance to clarify career goals, navigate transitions, and align professional decisions with authentic values and strengths.
- Authenticity-Focused Facilitation: Lead professional development workshops centered on authenticity in career planning, fostering values-driven decision-making, and aligning actions with core values.
-
Values-Driven Consulting: Offer expertise to align organizational practices with frameworks that emphasize authentic and purposeful decision-making.
Amplifying Leadership
Leadership involves empowering others and fostering meaningful change, extending beyond holding a position of authority. Focus is placed on developing servant and coaching leadership styles that prioritize the growth, well-being, and empowerment of individuals and teams. These approaches enable leaders to create cultures of trust, collaboration, and shared purpose, amplifying their impact and inspiring others to reach their full potential.
- Empowerment-Focused Coaching: Strengthen servant and coaching leadership skills to inspire trust and collaboration within teams.
- Leadership Development Facilitation: Conduct workshops centered on fostering shared responsibility, servant leadership techniques, and leading change practices.
-
Strategic Leadership Advising: Provide guidance to align organizational objectives with leadership practices that promote service, mentorship, and growth.
Valuing Growth
Growth is a lifelong journey fueled by curiosity, reflection, and deliberate action. Grounded in principles of adult learning theory, adults thrive in environments where learning is relevant, self-directed, and collaborative. Professional learning systems of support are integrated to create sustainable, personalized pathways for continuous development. This holistic approach empowers individuals and organizations to adapt to change, unlock potential, and achieve meaningful, long-term growth.
- Instructional Growth Coaching: Use evidence-based models to enhance educator and team practices in alignment with adult learning principles.
- Skill-Building Facilitation: Create interactive learning experiences to develop competencies, foster collaboration, and drive reflective growth.
- Developmental Planning Consulting: Design and implement systems to support professional learning aligned with organizational goals and sustainability.
Opening Possibilities
Every challenge presents an opportunity to innovate, adapt, and unlock new potential. Leveraging change theory and principles of improvement science empowers individuals and organizations to identify root causes, test innovative solutions, and implement sustainable changes. This approach encourages expansive thinking, iterative learning, and a mindset of curiosity and possibility, paving the way for transformative outcomes.
- Transformative Coaching: Support individuals and teams in applying change theory to overcome obstacles and unlock innovative solutions.
- Visionary Facilitation: Lead workshops focused on improvement science and iterative approaches to foster creative problem-solving and forward-thinking strategies.
- Opportunity-Driven Strategy Consulting: Partner with organizations to design adaptive plans that respond to challenges with innovation and resilience.
Selecting Services
Upon identifying my client needs and goals, a customized service Journey, a coordination of services in alignment with one or more of the BRAVO themes, will be proposed. Journeys may include singular or any combination of service types.
-
Coaching Services: Ideal for personalized guidance, skill development, and navigating transitions or challenges.
- Career Alignment Coaching, Empowerment-Focused Coaching, Instructional Coaching.
-
Facilitation Services: Designed for teams or groups to foster collaboration, shared learning, and skill-building, includes keynote engagements.
- Community Engagement Facilitation, Leadership Development Facilitation, Skill-Building Facilitation.
-
Consultation Services: Tailored to organizations seeking expert guidance on strategy, systems, or resource development.
- Human-Centered Strategic Planning, Leadership & School Improvement Advising, Professional Learning Planning & Alignment Consulting.
- Grant Development, Conference Proposal, and Resume/CV Writing Consultation.
Certification & Accreditation
Level 2 Certificate in Life, Leadership, & Executive Coach Program (ICF Accredited)
Currently Pursuing, The Institute for Coaching Excellence
Beyond Diversity 1
2019, Courageous Conversations
MTSS Systems Coaching Certification
2019, VDOE Office of School Improvement
Learning Forward Academy Graduate
2016, Learning Forward
Coaching Academy for School & System Leaders
2014, Suffolk Public Schools / Learning Forward
Currently Pursuing, The Institute for Coaching Excellence
Beyond Diversity 1
2019, Courageous Conversations
MTSS Systems Coaching Certification
2019, VDOE Office of School Improvement
Learning Forward Academy Graduate
2016, Learning Forward
Coaching Academy for School & System Leaders
2014, Suffolk Public Schools / Learning Forward
My Focus Areas include
Communication, Culture, Leadership, Managing People, Personal Effectiveness, Team
I have worked with clients at the following levels
C Suite, Director, Leader, Emerging Leader, Team Manager, Manager
My clients work in departments such as
Administration, Human Resources, Learning & Development
My clients work in the following industries
Consulting, Education / Academia, Humanitarian and Public Service, Not for Profit
My Clients
Barbara's [keynote] presentation was wonderful! She allowed our teachers to go down a Journey of Joy and at the same time showed how to teach a non-tech lesson using an index card in 60 minutes. I would highly recommend her to come and speak with your organization.
~ Coordinator of Curriculum & Instruction, Virginia School District, 2024
This session gave me a lot to think about with coaching. I feel empowered to be a better coach based on these strategies. Thank you!
Ms. Oden was well spoken, knowledgeable, and engaging. I walked away with new information I can immediately apply! Thank you!
Awesome, charismatic presenter! I appreciated the information and examples shared. I can't wait to spend some time processing the information and determine how I can work with others to apply this in my county.
~ Attendee Session Feedback, Power of Coaching Conference, 2023 & 2024
Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication to the Academy. Your passion and experience are so important to the experience. It would not have been a success without you. I am so grateful to have you as Coach.
~ Director of Network & Academy, Learning Forward, 2023
Thank you for your committment in growing leaders. It is not lost on us how much time it takes to "lead leaders." You do it very well. God's blessings on you and your future endeavors.
~ Executive Director Library Media Services, Kentucky School District & Learning Forward Academy 2022 Graduate, 2023
~ Director of Network & Academy, Learning Forward, 2023
Thank you for your committment in growing leaders. It is not lost on us how much time it takes to "lead leaders." You do it very well. God's blessings on you and your future endeavors.
~ Executive Director Library Media Services, Kentucky School District & Learning Forward Academy 2022 Graduate, 2023
Thank you for always taking time and focus[ing] on the positive. You have been a blessing to us in the SPED department. I am grateful for your guidance and support. I could not do it without you.
~ Special Education Teacher, While Serving as Assistant Principal/LEA, Chesapeake Public Schools, 2022
You are a beautiful woman with many talents and I can't thank you enough for modeling & sharing them with me. I have learned so much from you and applaud you for being genuine and generous in everything you do.
~School Counselor, While serving as Assistant Principal/LEA, Chesapeake Public Schools, 2022
I'm certain I never told you enough how awesome you are as our PD Supervisor. I felt sure when we hired you (and do now) that you were absolutely the best person for the job. You have improved PD 500%. Thank you for what you do for SPS and for for me.
~ Chief of Human Resources & Former Supervisor, Suffolk Public Schools, 2018
Thank you so much for mentoring and coaching me through my first year as an Academic Coach. Words cannot express the gratitude I feel for your guidance and direction. SPS is blessed to have you.
~Academic (Instructional) Coach, Internal Coaching while serving as Supervisor of Professional Learning, Suffolk Public Schools, 2016
~School Counselor, While serving as Assistant Principal/LEA, Chesapeake Public Schools, 2022
I'm certain I never told you enough how awesome you are as our PD Supervisor. I felt sure when we hired you (and do now) that you were absolutely the best person for the job. You have improved PD 500%. Thank you for what you do for SPS and for for me.
~ Chief of Human Resources & Former Supervisor, Suffolk Public Schools, 2018
Thank you so much for mentoring and coaching me through my first year as an Academic Coach. Words cannot express the gratitude I feel for your guidance and direction. SPS is blessed to have you.
~Academic (Instructional) Coach, Internal Coaching while serving as Supervisor of Professional Learning, Suffolk Public Schools, 2016
Education
Master of Arts in Education and Human Development with Emphasis in Educational Leadership and Administration
2007, The George Washington University
Graduate Studies in Gifted Education Series
2006, The College of William and Mary
Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with Concentration in English
2000, The University of North Carolina at Wilmington
2007, The George Washington University
Graduate Studies in Gifted Education Series
2006, The College of William and Mary
Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with Concentration in English
2000, The University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Postgraduate Professional License, PGP - 0650356
Endorsements: PreK- 12 Supervision & Administration, Elementary PreK- 6,
Gifted Education, & English Education
2022 - 2032, Commonwealth of Virginia State Board of Education
Endorsements: PreK- 12 Supervision & Administration, Elementary PreK- 6,
Gifted Education, & English Education
2022 - 2032, Commonwealth of Virginia State Board of Education
Professional Experience
With nearly three decades of experience, Barbara Patterson Oden has served as a classroom teacher, literacy and gifted resource teacher, instructional coach, district supervisor of professional learning, elementary school administrator, adjunct collegiate faculty, and education non-profit manager of partnerships. As a contracted consultant for multiple organizations, she has shared her rich expertise with educational leaders across the nation. She has also served in executive leadership roles on the boards of several professional, community, and non-profit organizations in addition to participating in social action / legislative advocacy work at the local, state and national levels. As an award winning educator and leader, she is a sought-after presenter and professional learning facilitator, having delivered numerous conference presentations and several keynote engagements.