Meet the Coaches
Every coach at Kessel Strategies brings decades of leadership and nonprofit experience to the table and reflects the diverse challenges our clients encounter today.
Get to know their leadership traits and perspectives below and reach out if you’d like to learn more or schedule an introductory call.
Joel Kessel
Joel has spent his entire career developing strategies that help move organizations forward. When he recognized the strategy wasn’t the major barrier to success but rather a leader’s courage to lead it, Kessel Strategies made its own strategic shift from communication and strategy work to leadership coaching.
Joel brings his unique experiences and lens to each coaching engagement – from the perspective of employee to member of the c-suite, as a board member, a donor and volunteer, and lastly as a communications consultant on the role of strategic messaging. Knowing these audiences firsthand and how the delivery of messages can make or break any strategy is what makes Joel a sought-after coach for any purpose-driven leader or organization.
Today Joel’s strategic insights and empathetic ear are what matter most to the leaders he coaches. They quickly discover the difference between talking about purpose and knowing how to confidently lead with it.
Debbi Embry
As a former chief executive guiding nonprofit organizations, and a leader appointed to guide strategic partnerships for government entities, Debbi brings more than two decades of high-stakes experience in roles tasked with achieving results. Debbi’s interests and areas of expertise are intentionally niche – focused on current or aspiring nonprofit and government leaders – with the ability to parlay her deep learnings, insights and strategies to help mold better leaders in these sectors.
Effectively engaging diverse stakeholders (and the lessons learned) while also helping leaders navigate and access hard-to-reach populations is a cornerstone of Debbi’s coaching work. Her firsthand experience in change management, culture and values-driven assessments, policy design and processes, talent strategies, and learning and development, work together to help elevate leaders and realize the potential across teams and the organization.
Debbi also has deep affection and empathy for female leaders who are juggling professional leadership responsibilities with personal demands of motherhood. Having lived it herself, she believes in empowering women and helping them recognize their “both/and” opportunity to model what true leadership looks like.
Kay Carlson
As an accomplished executive leader, Kay’s career involves leading three different nonprofits during the past 25+ years – navigating economic downturns, covid, and massive organizational challenges. Her track record speaks for itself: turning a floundering organization with a $350K deficit into a thriving, focused entity with a $2M operating budget; successfully leading a five-year, $6.2M capital campaign; establishing a $300K reserve fund; and raising $1.35M toward an endowment fund to support organizational leadership. She has effectively proven her skills in recalibrating strategic processes, operations, talent, board engagement, and leadership management expectations by applying her unique lens and experiences with proven methodologies to get results for the nonprofit.
What makes Kay an in-demand coach is her ability to listen, empathize, collaborate as a strategic thought partner, and translate her knowledge into meaningful, actionable steps. Her personal experience of walking in the leader’s shoes is the validating credential that counts.
Kay believes no challenge is too daunting and leans in when waves of doubt cause others to pull back. Perhaps that explains her lifelong love of sailing, which led her to earn a U.S. Coast Guard Captain’s License. She also jumped at the opportunity to fly in – and drive – the Goodyear Blimp. Fun and fearless – that’s Kay’s way to lead.
Scott Morgan
Scott brings a rare combination of expertise, blending 15 years in the corporate IT sector with 20 years in nonprofit leadership. This rich dual experience gives him a unique ability to understand both strategic business execution and mission-driven leadership, making him an invaluable partner for leaders seeking to navigate diverse challenges.
With a proven track record of integrating corporate discipline with nonprofit purpose, Scott helps clients achieve impactful results. His coaching is rooted in curiosity, empathy, active listening, and compassion, creating a safe and supportive space for leaders to explore innovative ideas. Scott’s adaptable approach empowers leaders to unlock their full potential with confidence and achieve meaningful, lasting success.
As a precursor to a successful professional career, Scott earned a fine arts degree in music and still writes and produces music today as a serious hobby. He compares the improvisational nature of jazz music to leadership, saying, “Leadership, like jazz, is an art with countless approaches to navigating challenges—but with creativity and adaptability, you can always find a solution.”
Katy Walsh
Katy has held many titles in her career leading people and organizations forward: chief communicator, chief advancement officer, professor, author, and executive coach to name a few. Yet how she shows up resembles a trusted Chief of Staff – wielding knowledge and insights that c-suites and boards rely on, while also creating pathways and coaching people on how best to produce positive, purpose-driven outcomes.
Her approach to coaching is rooted in understanding team dynamics with intentionality on team building and relationship management. Katy believes her experiences navigating change, dwindling resources, toxic cultures, and dysfunctional team dynamics – things that can undermine any strategy and its implementation – are invaluable in helping today’s leaders avoid similar pitfalls and thrive. “I’m the kind of seasoned professional you want in your foxhole when times are tough. But I also have a caring ear, remain calm in a crisis, and add levity with my humor. Our mission-driven work together is to bring out the best in people and teams to fulfill a bigger purpose.”
A self-proclaimed student for life who is always looking to learn and grow, Katy’s curiosity can lead to unexpected experiences. When an actor friend needed help producing his play, naturally she wanted to help fundraise. While she didn’t know much about theatre at the time, another friend knew her skills as a writer and suggested she start reviewing theatre on a blog. Sixteen years later, Katy has reviewed more than 1,500 shows and is recognized as a prominent theatre reviewer in Chicago.
Eric Johnson (CFRE)
Eric understands firsthand the immense pressures that nonprofit leaders face as they strive to balance expectations with successful growth. After inheriting a ministry on the brink of insolvency, Eric led his faith-based nonprofit through a strategic visioning, planning, and rebranding process that changed its trajectory. Over the last eight years, under Eric’s leadership, his congregation has grown modestly, while its financials have increased by more than 150 percent. Those learnings led to a coaching practice that Eric brings to faith-based and purpose-driven nonprofits in need of clarity, strategic planning, and a return to financial growth.
Drawing on his past experience in the banking industry, Eric helps nonprofits navigate the uncertainties of today’s financial landscape, from the initial philanthropic request to the thoughtful stewardship of all resources entrusted to them. Gaining clarity through practical and actionable steps enables delivering on the mission, and ultimately affords continued giving and growth.
In addition to his roles in nonprofit leadership, ministry, and consulting, Eric is also humbly living out a childhood dream. When he was five years old he told his mom he wanted to be a game show host when he grew up. While the hosting gig is pub trivia once a week at a local bar, it’s still a dream fulfilled, and one that he can proudly say: “Look, Mom, I made it!”
