About Allison Brown (continued)
Like my parents, I attended college at the University of Georgia. My first job was in the consulting industry, traveling so much I earned nearly a million frequent flyer miles in four years. I developed a love of travel and appreciation for meeting new people. Professionally, I learned the importance of negotiation, analysis, presentation, efficiency, and good leadership. I was blessed to end my business career on the high note of executive management at a Fortune 100 corporation based in Atlanta.
What I offer as a coach to businesses and organizations is 25 years of insight to best practices in management and core operations across a variety of industries.
Perhaps it was a midlife crisis, perhaps it was divine intervention, but I stepped off the corporate ladder, relocated to North Carolina, and responded to the stirring to pursue ordination in church ministry. While working at a large church, I earned a master’s degree in Christian Education from Pfeiffer University and Wesley Theological Seminary.
What I offer as a coach for spiritual direction is ten years leading children, youth, and adult ministry with discipleship classes, Bible study small groups, prayer ministry, women’s retreats, and a corps of 300 church volunteers, along with the life-changing encounter of seminary and a trip to Israel, to assist others in spiritual growth.
I transitioned to work in local government for one of the state’s 16 area agencies on aging, administering grant programs that fund the agencies providing support services for older adults. I learned the processes, policies, and systems of senior centers, Meals on Wheels, adult day care, transportation, family caregiver support, in-home aide, and long-term care. My eyes were opened to an entirely new world of social workers, advocates, and healthcare practitioners, assisting older adults to live with dignity and independence. I learned that older people who have worked hard all their lives become vulnerable and need help in their elder years.
Intimate knowledge of the resources of the aging network is a key element of my expertise as an Aging Coach.
I made another career change to work with a regional non-profit hospice agency. I was challenged to combine ministry and aging network experience to help individuals and families come to grips with their mortality. I taught classes to address the myths of hospice care, to share the inspiration of a good death, to teach caregivers the primary importance of self-care, and to educate people about the importance of documenting their choices for care at the end of their lives. During this time, my father died of Alzheimer’s, and I became an educator for the Alzheimer’s Association. I presented grief training at state hospice conferences. Working with home care agencies, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes, I supported individuals and families in their final months and days of life. For families who are navigating the maze of long-term care and end-of-life care, my hospice and grief coaching offers not only industry expertise, but a heart of empathy for the shadowed path they walk.
I retired at the end of 2000 with a pledge to give myself a year to garden, golf, and play with the grandkids. Friends urged, “What are you going to do next?” I replied, “Nothing. At least for a year.”
Meanwhile, I listened to whispers of guidance, watched the currents swirling forward, and heeded requests from others for advice and guidance. It culminated in 2022 in my dream of helping others, using all the experiences of my life to connect with and support people who need a guiding mentor to coach them through transformation.
Here we are. NineWise Life & Leadership Coaching.