About Judah

My Personal Journey

Choice is everything.  Whether we fly, flail, or fall depends entirely on where we place our focus and what we choose moment by moment. 

When we are grounded in who we are, and what we value, and are clear about our intentions and desired impacts, our positive potential for leading ourselves and others grows exponentially. When we are not, we risk making choices that take us down paths that can hinder or harm us and others.

I know this firsthand because I have walked through the fire many times and gained hard-won wisdom through my own personal and professional journey of flying and falling.

As an overachieving perfectionist, my inner drive has been valuable for moving forward, making things happen, and carving out success. But it has been accompanied by great costs and many tough lessons along the way.

From burnout in high school to (over)working 80-hour weeks at global consulting firms, I have learned (and relearned) over 30+ years the detrimental impact of wrongly prioritizing certain values over others (at times, not my own).

After many years driving and striving, a critical awakening came in the thick of my intense focus on career-building that led to a series of realizations, reprioritizations, and new choices for changing the game entirely.

After a late night prepping for a 2-day team development retreat I was leading for a CEO and his leadership team, I woke to find the left side of my face completely paralyzed. Not a stroke, but Bell’s Palsy: a condition where swelling in a cranial nerve cuts off communication between the brain and facial muscles. I finished the event and then flew home to start the process of reevaluating my life and my choices.

My body was forcing me to literally face the truth about how unsustainable living like this was. I realized my dedication to my work had led me to neglect myself – my needs, my core values, and my physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.

By recognizing the impact of my choices and the importance of saying no, I was able to jump off the hamster wheel so I could say yes to me and design my life and career on my own terms. I flipped the script by reimagining a personal and professional life that could both align with my purpose and values and also support my well-being.

I first committed fully to extreme self-care and a daily meditation and reflection ritual I still practice today. I then left behind the unhealthy work situation (and mindset) that fostered my poor choices and pivoted to my private coaching and consulting practice and grad school teaching – where I focus on helping others grow into the humans and leaders they want to be in life and work.

On my way to finding flight, I had to flail and fall many times. The wisdom gained from these experiences has not only been critical to my own success, but has directly translated into the work I do in partnership with my clients and students – to guide them through (or around) the fire. 

If you are ready to find your own path to flight, I’m here to help. Let’s connect to explore how we can work together to help you grow into who you want to be in life and work.

Education & Certifications

Judah earned an Master of Science in Learning and Organizational Change and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Organization Behavior from Northwestern University, where he also received a certificate in Learning & Development.  He has graduate-level training in counseling and organizational psychology from Adler School of Professional Psychology, and advanced coaching training in a variety of methodologies from a number of schools.  He is certified to deliver multiple assessment instruments, including tools focused on 360 degree feedback, emotional intelligence, personality, communication, conflict, among others.

As a life-long learner, Judah continually builds and grows his skill sets and toolbox by exploring and practicing new innovative approaches to further hone his craft.  He has training as a meditation teacher/coach, participated in extensive programs focused on generative leadership, developmental coaching, and the neuroscience of change, and continues to read, listen, study, and practice every day.  He embodies this work and walks his talk.