I am a coach, mentor, teacher and parent with over 20 years experience in mentoring, coaching, teaching, training and leadership. I spent over 20 years as a climate scientist and 4 years as the Dean for Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Reading before leaving in 2019 to pursue an ambition to work more broadly in coaching and diversity and inclusion consultancy.
SendThemSoaring is the home of my coaching practice, through which I support and enable people to achieve their potential and thrive in life. Supporting and enabling is a core value that has underpinned all the roles I have held as lecturer, mentor, PhD supervisor, line manager, Head of Department and Dean for Diversity and Inclusion. The name reflects my ambition for my clients and my background as an atmospheric scientist.
“Let’s go fly a kite, up to the highest height. Let’s go fly a kite and send them soaring… up through the atmosphere, up where the air is clear. Oh let’s go fly a kite… ”
(Songwriters Richard Sherman / Robert Sherman Let’s go Fly a Kite lyrics , Copyright Walt Disney Music Company)
Whilst coaches do not have to have experienced similar situations to those challenging their clients, my experience in academia, science, research, teaching and part-time working mean that I understand especially well the context and system in which academics, educators and scientists work. I qualified from Henley Business School with a Professional Certificate in Coaching in January 2020 and have been an Accredited Foundation Coach with the Association for Coaching since January 2021. I have over 250 hours of formal coaching experience and many more hours of informal experience. My clients typically work on career development and change, work-life balance, leadership and difficult conversations in coaching.
Ellie Highwood - Leadership, Career and Personal Development Coach 