“I believe inclusive leaders are purposeful, empowering, and experts in unleashing the creativity of diverse minds by fostering a respectful and trusting culture – with their energy, intelligence, growth mindsets, and anchored with their integrity and values. They create a sanctuary of inclusion while simultaneously building an incubator for creativity.”
Sophia has 20 years of experience in corporate finance, accounting, strategy, organizational, and entrepreneurial leadership for multi-billion brands at Procter and Gamble and Kraft Heinz, as a people + business + organization development and transformation leader. She has coached and mentored leaders for 15 years as a corporate leader, and now as a professional executive coach, while also spending 20% of her time giving back as a board member and leader in multiple nonprofit organizations.
Coaching Highlights
Sophia’s coaching style is positive and compassionate. She believes that trust means providing consistency over time, and she works to earn and maintain the trust of her clients, to best support their leadership journeys. She also provides optional free assessments with dashboard support to her clients in four areas: behavior (DISC, Enneagram, 16-Types), Culture (Culture Pulse, Motivating Values), Productivity (Energy Rhythm), and Strengths (VIA).
Past clients have described Sophia as an objective and candid trusted partner who is able to create space with her clients in co-creating solutions that are practical and effective, leveraging both her business experience and vast knowledge in many leadership and management topics.
Work Experience
CEO, Illuminate U Coaching, LLC. (Certified Minority Business Enterprise [MBE])
Vice President of Finance Transformation (1,500 Finance employees), Kraft Heinz
Vice President and Business Unit CFO ($5 Billion in Sales), Kraft Heinz
Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Finance, Walker & Company Brands Company (PG Subsidiary)
Finance Director, Procter & Gamble
Experienced Restaurant Entrepreneur
Certifications and Education
Certified Professional Diversity Coach from Coach Diversity Institute
Non-profit Leadership Executive Certificate with focuses on Leadership Decision-Making, Behavioral Science, and Mobilizing the Board, from Harvard Kennedy School
Diversity & Inclusion Executive Certificate, from Cornell University
Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Certified Finance Manager (CFM), Certified in Strategy and Competitive Analysis (CSCA) from the Institute of Management Accountants
Stakeholders-Centered Coach (MGSCC) from Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder-Centered Coaching Center
Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credentialing in progress from International Coach Federation
Certified in DISC, Enneagram, and 16-Types Trainer and Coach from Cloverleaf
Certified Trainer and Coach for 4 Stages of Psychological Safety from LeaderFactor
Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance and Strategy from Purdue University
Bachelor’s Degree Majoring in Accounting from Clayton State University