about me
tracy j edmondsCoach. Speaker. DEI Strategist.
MY STORY
MY JOURNEY MAKES ME UNIQUE
Over 35 years ago, I made a decision that would change my life. I accepted an entry level position at a small mutual insurance company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. I was unmarried, no children and my father gave me the sage advice, “If you play your cards right, Tray, you’ll retire from that place.”
Well, I played my cards right and I retired from that place, a Fortune 30 national insurer – one of few Black female executives, well-respected and battle-tested, a proven authentic leader.
The woman who walked out those doors for the last time in August of 2019 was a far cry from the young woman who had walked in 31 years prior. I was forever changed.
During those 31 years, I took a journey.
…From front-line employee to executive leader.
…From being led to leading hundreds to leading Diversity for an enterprise of 65,000+ employees.
…From mentally healthy, to struggling through each day, to mentally strong and self-aware.
…From one-on-one’s with my manager to one-on-one’s with the CEO and presentations to the Board.
…From college drop-out to BS, Accounting, to an MBA.
…From unmarried, no children to married with 5 children.
During that journey, I learned a lot.
I know what it’s like to constantly climb. I know what it’s like to be “the only”. I know what it’s like to be an executive who is driving change uphill.
I know what it’s like to take on a new leadership role and not know where the hell to get started. I know what it’s like to have goals that seem impossible to achieve. I know what it’s like to have accountability, responsibility, and little authority to make change happen.
I know what it’s like to pivot and restart your career. I know what it’s like to receive “constructive” feedback that you can’t make sense of. I know what it’s like to be both tenured and brand new.
I know what it’s like to make a point in a meeting, it not be heard, then stolen and repeated by a male colleague. I know what it’s like to be paid less than your white, male, less experienced peer. I know what it’s like to be unsupported by your female peers.
I know what it’s like to struggle mentally and hide it while you still try to get the job done. I know what it’s like to surrender to mental illness and to step away from your career to rebuild yourself. I know what it’s like to walk away from everything you’ve known to create something unknown.
Yes, I changed and grew and evolved. But some things never changed.
…My commitment to coaching – especially women like me.
…My passion for bringing diversity, equity, and inclusion to the work experience for ALL people.
…My fight for anyone who is struggling.
And I never take myself too seriously!
I’ve been there. I know what it’s like.
I know how to succeed despite the challenges.
I’m here for you – Women, Leaders, Change-Makers.
Let’s get after it.
TESTIMONIALS
PEOPLE I’VE WORKED WITH
to
helping executives define their Leadership Brand,
to
DEI coaching and consulting,
to
speaking on stage or in podcasts…
I love it all!
NEHA KANTAMNENI, MBA CANDIDATE, THE WHARTON SCHOOL
Tracy’s coaching helped me develop confidence and tools to advocate for myself effectively. She was instrumental in assisting me in my decision to pursue my MBA.
Her coaching helped me objectively evaluate the decision and provided me a blueprint to follow to secure endorsement from management. Tracy offers a wealth of coaching experience and knowledge to those she coaches.
NATALIE COOPER, STAFF VP, OPERATIONS & EXECUTION
Tracy is an authentic and thought-provoking speaker! Her conversations resonate with audiences of all tenure and business level experience.
She captivates, motivates and challenges one to be their best selves, while understanding/accepting their areas of opportunities.
Every time I’ve had the opportunity to hear her speak, I’m prepared to take my journey to the next level. Tracy has my highest recommendation!
MICAELA ISLER, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BUSINESS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEES
Tracy J. Edmonds is remarkable, simply put. In just 6 short weeks, she guided our organization through an extensive process as we began our journey to amplify the power of diversity, equity, and inclusion across the PAC profession and within the communities with which we engage and serve.
With Tracy’s strong leadership, incredible expertise and drive to keep us moving, she guided our Board leadership and DEI Task Force to chart the course forward to ensure that NABPAC remains the premiere association empowering a diverse business PAC and political affairs community.
What took her 6 weeks to accomplish would have taken us 6 months! And while she is so good at what she does, she is also genuine and very fun to work with.
Get In Touch
Click here to purchase Tracy's powerful book