ABOUT KATE
From the Trenches to Indigo Leadership
I'm an executive coach and former VP of Marketing with over 20 years of experience scaling teams, navigating growth, and driving strategy inside high-pressure corporate environments.
A major chapter of that journey was more than a decade at athenahealth, a $2B healthcare technology leader, where I grew from a manager into executive leadership. Along the way, I led dedicated marketing business segments and oversaw central functions across corporate brand, digital experience, content, creative services, and paid media, steering teams through two private equity acquisitions, massive restructurings, and constant organizational shifts.
Managing through that level of scale gave me a deep, realistic understanding of how leadership challenges evolve at every stage of growth. I know what it takes to drive hard business performance when the stakes are high, and I know how easily alignment, trust, and momentum can break down when teams are under intense pressure.
MY WHY
Why I Created Indigo Leadership
Throughout my career, the most rewarding moments were never just hitting revenue targets. They were spotting potential in people before they saw it in themselves, helping leaders navigate imposter syndrome, and building environments of high trust where teams could perform at their absolute peak.
I created Indigo Leadership to give senior leaders and executive teams the dedicated space, perspective, and support I wished I'd had during my own climb.
Today, I work primarily with Marketing executives and high-growth leadership teams navigating complexity, scale, and organizational change. As a Certified Executive Coach (CEC) with formal training through the International Coaching Federation (ICF), I combine rigorous coaching methodology with two decades of battle-tested operational experience.
“You have incredible business acumen and can cut through the mumbo jumbo to get to the core of a thing very quickly. You hold high standards and humanity at the same time. It's a very rare thing.”
Executive Director, Marketing (Former Direct Report)
MY APPROACH
Kickass Business Acumen Meets Real Humanity
Leadership isn't about having all the answers. It's about having the courage to look at what's getting in the way, address difficult conversations, and create clarity when the path forward isn't obvious.
Clients and former team members often describe my style as “direct but kind.” I'm known for cutting through the mumbo jumbo, getting to the core of a problem quickly, and keeping us focused on solutions. But I do it while holding space for genuine humanity.
When we work together, you can expect:
01
A Strategic Sparring Partner
Real-world business perspective to help you make sharper decisions, navigate complex dynamics, and stay accountable for results.
02
Uncomfortable but Liberating Clarity
A safe, candid sounding board to challenge your assumptions, address blind spots, and unlock your true potential.
The strongest leaders bring out the best in others while driving business results. Developing that capability is the core of what I do.
03
High Trust & Psychological Safety
A space where you can drop the posture of having to know everything, build real confidence, and learn to empower your team to take ownership.
PERSONAL
Beyond the Work
I'm a Boston girl, born and raised in a big, blue-collar Irish-American family. Hard work, showing up for people, and having a good sense of humor were baked in from day one. In my family, if you had an embarrassing story, it was absolutely worth telling as long as it made people laugh, so I still don't take myself too seriously.
I went to Boston Latin School (where I learned how to conjugate Latin verbs, a skill that has proven useful in exactly zero adult situations), earned my undergraduate degree at Boston College, and received my MBA from Simmons School of Management.
Today, I live just outside Boston with my husband (an Irishman from Kilkenny), our two teenagers, Niamh (pronounced Neeve, because the Irish love keeping everyone on their toes) and Aidan, and our Cavapoo, Roxy. When I'm not coaching, you'll usually find me out for a walk in the woods (unless it's cold; I genuinely hate winter), driving my kids around like a glorified Uber driver, or unwinding with podcasts like The Mindset Mentor and The Mel Robbins Podcast. I'm also Level 2 Reiki certified and currently learning to play Mahjong with friends, which remains very much a work in progress.
What people I've worked with say
“When something's not working, you tell it like it is, and we're all better marketers and leaders for it. You make people feel deeply confident and capable, even when dealing with imposter syndrome.”
Marketing Executive Team Member (Former Peer)
“Her absolute focus on delivering against business targets and her ability to marshal her team and cross-functional marketing resources around those commitments make her an incredible asset.”
Chief Marketing Officer
“You care about the work and the company, but you care most about the people, and that feels good and comes through. The result is that people then want to care even more about the work.”
Marketing Director (Former Direct Report)