About the Founder

Hi, i’m kristen.

Mom of two. Executive leader. Behavior analyst. Coach. Culture fixer. Compliance geek. And relentless advocate for doing what’s right even when it’s uncomfortable.
 
I created Level Up Leadership because after nearly 20 years in pediatric behavioral health, I’ve seen too many passionate, brilliant professionals get promoted without preparation or burned out without support. I’ve lived both. So I built the thing I wish I’d had when I was first learning to lead.
 
Some of my hardest lessons came from feedback, the kind that makes your stomach drop before it makes you better. Early in my career, I thought being competent meant never being corrected. I was wrong. Feedback taught me that growth and discomfort are the same thing and that the best leaders don’t just tolerate feedback, they seek it, apply it, and model it.
 
I’ve spent my career bringing people, systems, and strategy into alignment – bridging gaps between departments and building shared language, goals, and values that drive outcomes, operational efficiency, and fiscal responsibility.
When teams are connected and clear, organizations perform better for their people and the communities they serve.
 
Now, I help leaders clarify their purpose, communicate with precision, build feedback-rich cultures, and stop winging it. Feedback isn’t just part of leadership, it is leadership.
 
At Level Up Leadership, we believe growth is a choice and leveling up isn’t a one-time event, it’s a lifelong habit. Every conversation, every challenge, every bit of feedback is a chance to raise the bar – for yourself, your team, and the future you’re building.
kristen with kids

core values

Integrity Over Convenience
We do what’s right, even when it’s harder. Shortcuts may save time, but integrity creates trust and trust builds legacy.

Lead with Authenticity and Courage
We believe honesty and boldness build trust. Real leadership requires vulnerability, decisiveness, and a willingness to show up, fully human.

Direct and Compassionate
We say what needs to be said, with humanity. Clarity is kindness, and accountability is care. We balance truth with tact, always in service of growth.

Feedback is an Investment
We grow by giving, receiving, and applying. Feedback isn’t criticism, it’s currency. It’s how we build competence, confidence, and connection.

Be the Bridge
We connect teams and ideas to move forward together. Silos are for grain, not people. We create alignment across roles, departments, and perspectives.

Always Level Up
We know “good enough” isn’t good enough.
Excellence comes from raising the bar again and again with curiosity, courage, and consistency.

Look Around the Corner
We anticipate, adapt, and solve before problems hit. Proactive leaders don’t just react – they plan, prevent, and prepare their teams for what’s next.

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“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

– Aristotle

"The best way to predict the future is to create it."

– Peter Drucker

“People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."

– Theodore Roosevelt

specialties

Leaning into feedback –
giving it, receiving it, operationalizing it

Hard conversations that most people avoid
but your culture and leadership team desperately need

Problem-solving that bridges industry quality, operational realities, and leadership accountability

Strategic development that aligns
values, behavior, and business

coffee cup and computer