Speaker: Elissa Kennedy, PCC
Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships, ICF Sacramento
Elissa Kennedy is an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC) serving as the Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships for the ICF Sacramento Chapter. In this role, she will nurture existing partnerships and cultivate values-aligned relationships with organizations, community leaders, and coaching professionals to expand access to high-quality coaching, strengthen the local coaching ecosystem, and increase opportunities for collaboration and sponsorship.
Elissa brings an interdisciplinary coaching approach grounded in adaptability and lifelong learning. Through a holistic lens, she integrates insights from mental fitness, positive psychology, neuroscience, systems thinking, and holistic well-being to support individuals and organizations navigating transitions in a rapidly changing professional landscape. Her work emphasizes future-proof skills, cross-cultural collaboration, and leadership practices that advance social equity, diversity, and inclusion.
She also serves as an Ambassador for the Science of Coaching Community of Practice with ICF Global, where she promotes the integration of research and evidence-based practices to advance coaching excellence and professional credibility.
In addition to her professional work, Elissa is an active community leader, known for building an inclusive local network that fosters connection, leadership development, and collaboration, particularly for women.
Outside of her professional work, Elissa enjoys time with her family, walks in nature, travel, gardening, and meaningful conversations with friends.
Elissa holds a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies from California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, with a focus on Creative Leadership Coaching for Community Wellness, and is an ICF Certified Master Coach with advanced training in executive and leadership coaching, organizational development, change management, mental fitness, and AI Coaching and AI Prompt Engineering.