Brandon Johnson is a certified job and career transition coach who is passionate about helping BIPOC job seekers and leaders get the tools, skills, and confidence they need to succeed in their careers. Read more →

Naseem Kapdi is a reflective career coach who specializes in working with immigrants, first- and second-generation BIPOC, introverts, and creatives who feel stuck, burned out, or overwhelmed by career decisions and creative blocks.. Read more →

Valeria Lopez is a trilingual leadership and career coach who helps job seekers, career pivoters, and growth-minded professionals secure opportunities, advocate for themselves, and show up authentically at work. Read more →

Vince Zabala is a leadership coach with over 15 years of experience empowering diverse individuals to thrive. As a queer, Filipino American and neurodivergent person, Vince brings a unique, open, and rooted perspective to his transformational, strengths-based coaching practice. Read more →

Erica J. Gibson is from Atlanta, Georgia originally and moved up to New York to attend Adelphi University. She is a proud pacifist, believing whenever possible a path to peace must be taken or paved. She graduated from Adelphi University Summa Cum Laude with her B.A. in Psychology alongside a double concentration in Ethics, Law, & Justice and Criminal Justice.

Erica J. was a part of the Emerging Scholars research program at Adelphi, a prestigious organization for those researching in her field. There she created the research project “Why Do People Recidivate?”, alongside her advisor Dr. Moore, to work in stride with her career goals of becoming a incarcerated persons reform psychologist. She wants to restructure the current landscape of incarceration reform to help eliminate our national issue of recidivism.

Candice Garwood is a graduate of Adelphi University (International Studies - Business track), and an incoming Master of Management student at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She is passionate about entrepreneurship and inclusive economic development.

Candice has gained notable leadership skills through her on-campus and community involvement, her social enterprise, and past internships at organizations like the United Nations, the National Urban League, and New York Cares.

Director of Education & ECCC Director
Thea Charles, PCC, is a life and leadership coach, DEI consultant, and Hogan 360 certified practitioner. As an ICF Professional Certified Coach and former VP of DEI for ICF New England, Thea leads the Embrace Change Coaching Certification (ECCC) program with a structured yet flexible approach that fosters reflection, awareness, and lasting growth.

ECCC Curriculum Designer
Vince Zabala, PCC, is a transformational leadership coach and educator with over 15 years of experience empowering diverse individuals to thrive. As a queer, Filipino American and neurodivergent person, Vince brings a unique, open, and rooted perspective to his curriculum development work for Embrace Change and ECCC and coaching practice.