Our Story and Mission
Real people connecting clients with coaches to empower leadership.
At Leadership Coach Directory, we believe that holding credentials from the International Coaching Federation (ICF) or the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) is the clearest evidence of a coach’s unwavering dedication to their clients’ success.
We built this platform to solve a two-sided challenge in the coaching industry.
For clients seeking guidance, the coaching landscape can be overwhelming. In an unregulated industry where anyone can claim the title, finding a truly qualified partner is difficult. We answer this challenge by providing a curated shortlist of highly qualified, experienced professionals. Our team manually verifies every single ICF and EMCC credential, and we intentionally cap our membership to represent only the top tier of certified coaches globally.
For exceptional coaches, building visibility and growing a practice can be a daunting challenge. We empower coaches to broaden their exposure and run their businesses on their own terms. We take zero commissions, allow coaches to dictate their own pricing, and never force communication through a proprietary platform.
Our vision is to be the premier global destination for HR leaders, C-suite executives, founders, and anyone striving for personal and professional growth. We are building a trusted space where clients can search for a coach based on nuanced criteria—such as communication style and specific expertise—and connect with the perfect partner, anywhere in the world.
Jonah Otis
Founder and CEO
Jonah Otis is the Founder and CEO of Leadership Coach Directory and a passionate advocate for maximizing talent and building future leaders. With over a decade of experience serving as a Senior Learning & Development Leader at global tech giants like PayPal and eBay, Jonah has dedicated his career to cultivating next-generation leaders, driving employee performance, and fostering inclusive workplace cultures.
During his tenure in enterprise leadership across IT, UX, and HR, Jonah partnered closely with C-suite executives and hired numerous executive coaches and facilitators. This firsthand experience gave him a deep appreciation for the transformative impact of exceptional coaching; and the rigorous effort required to earn top-tier industry credentials.
As a credentialed coach himself, holding a Professional Diploma in Coaching and Mentoring from Kingstown College as well as certifications in Gallup CliftonStrengths and Hogan Assessments, Jonah intimately understands the coaching landscape from both the client and practitioner perspectives. He founded Leadership Coach Directory to solve a critical industry gap: providing a trusted, curated space where leaders and organizations can easily connect with the top tier of globally certified coaches, while empowering those coaches to run their businesses on their own terms.
Alex Blair
Head of Operations
As Head of Operations, Alex Blair works closely with Jonah and Ocean to support all aspects of the business, including strategic planning, operations, marketing, communications, and platform growth. Alex helps oversee day-to-day operations, manages content and member onboarding, and contributes to the strategic decisions that shape the growth and success of the Leadership Coach Directory community.
Alex and Jonah first worked together at PayPal, where they developed a strong professional partnership grounded in collaboration, problem-solving, and a shared passion for accessibility and disability inclusion. Those shared values continue to guide their work at Leadership Coach Directory, where Alex is committed to creating exceptional experiences for members and helping leaders connect with outstanding coaches who can support their growth and development.
Ocean Celestino
Senior Web Developer
Ocean Celestino is a Senior Web Developer specializing in WordPress and full-stack PHP coding. She provides WordPress functionality, integration, development, and design for Leadership Coach Directory. Working closely with Jonah and Alex, Ocean ensures the website is secure through monitoring and improvements, striving to provide an exceptional experience for all visitors.
With a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and over 11 years of experience in web development and small business consulting, Ocean implements technical solutions for Leadership Coach Directory across all areas of the website. Creating a secure platform, she enables coaches to add listings that demonstrate their coaching practices and specialties while supporting a membership component for business growth.