ABOUT GRAYDIN
We believe every student deserves an educator that can coach.
We exist to empower educators to coach the next generation of leaders and thinkers.
Who We Are
Our Story
Graydin was born out of a deep desire to improve the lives of young people. In 2008, while on a coaching course in London, McKenzie and Quinn had an instantaneous connection. The now co-founders of Graydin swapped stories of how coaching changed their lives. They spent the next few years coaching hundreds of young people, and in 2011, it became evident: if they shifted their focus towards educators, culture and leadership, they could inevitably support the lives of young people globally. And, so, Graydin was born.
Our Mission
We are driven to create a global community of schools with coaching at its heart, working exclusively with those who have a passion and vision to embed coaching in their education environment. We train educators in coaching skills—a transformative tool that unlocks every person’s natural ability—and provide them with the resources to train their entire school community and beyond. We envision a world where every educator can coach.
Our Model
Our Start With Heart model was developed specifically for educational settings to support the distinct needs of educators, students and parents. With a common language that a seven-year-old or a 107-year-old can use, our model and coaching skills can be applied at every level to fulfil the potential of teachers, students and institutions.
Our Founders & Lead Facilitators
MCKENZIE CERRI
CO-FOUNDER, FACILITATOR & COACH
McKenzie is one of our co-founders. She is the lead director of the UK office and their team of associate coaches and trainers. She has been coaching and studying coaching for more than 15 years, with extensive experience delivering coach-training and coaching to teachers, students, parents and executives. She is a Co-active Coach, NLP Coach Practitioner, PPC certified by the ICF and a Mythogenic Facilitator. Inspired by the impact coaching had made during her formative years, combined with a desire to enhance the lives of young people, McKenzie and Quinn Simpson partnered to form Graydin.
QUINN SIMPSON
CO-FOUNDER, FACILITATOR & COACH
Quinn is one of our co-founders and lead director of the US office and a small team of associate coaches and trainers. She is an expert in motivating and inspiring others to coach and be coach-like in education and business and excels in the areas of leadership, sales, strategy development and project management. Quinn has run hundreds of workshops on coaching training, leadership and communication, as well as providing one-to-one coaching to over 500 clients. She is a certified Co-active Coach and NLP Coach Practitioner, PCC Certified by the ICF and also co-founded Akosia, a small charity that uses coaching as a facilitation technique in filmmaking projects for underprivileged children and women.
Our Team
AMY CUSACK
OPERATIONS MANAGER
Amy supports the Graydin team and our clients in various aspects of administration. She started her career working for the Canadian Department of National Defence and has since gone on to work in several sectors, providing business and administrative support. Throughout these various roles, Amy has maintained a passion for fostering positive relationships with clients and being a part of innovative teams. When she isn't working, Amy is likely chasing after her toddler or indulging in some retail therapy.
CHristine gordon manley
editorial
Christine brings her storytelling and wordsmithing skills to Graydin as part of the editorial team. Christine is a freelance editor with a unique ability and passion for reading a piece of writing through various lenses in order to connect the writer’s message to what the reader needs to hear. She has been helping academics, researchers, educators, small businesses and authors share their message with the world for over fifteen years. She is also a published author. Christine holds a Master of Arts in Women’s History, an honours bachelor of arts in English Literature and has also completed numerous editing and communication courses. Christine draws on empathy and heart to guide writers from start to finish.
Helen Thompson
Design
Helen brings her keen eye and creative vision to the Graydin team as a designer. Helen is a freelance graphic designer and enjoys helping her clients bring their ideas to life through clear and compelling visual design. Helen applies years of experience from agency and in-house work to her current clients across a range of industries. She is passionate about layout design, strategic color use and solving creative problems through effective visuals. When not designing, Helen loves to be outside, preferably with a good book in hand.
OUR NETWORK OF COACHES & FACILITATORS
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Facilitator
Rachel is a trainer, supervisor and certified ICF ACC coach with over ten years’ experience of coaching individuals and groups and delivering courses. Her expertise is in leadership development, sales and account/project management, and she has been trained in the Neuroscience of Coaching and Mindfulness. She is a Certified Co-Active Coach (CPCC) trained by The Coaches Training Institute (CTI) and a graduate of their Leadership Programme. She came from a background in youth coaching, focusing on career development and rehabilitation in the criminal justice system. For seven years, she worked internationally as a CTI Program Advisor and Coach for the UK, USA and Singapore and now manages CTI’s Corporate Department, bringing coaching and leadership training and development into companies and organisations around the world.
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Coach
Faye, also known as The ‘What If’ Coach, is on a mission to support individuals and groups to go from feeling overwhelmed and frustrated, to feeling inspired and ready to indulge in the ‘what if…’ of life. Faye has experience training educators in coaching skills, delivering coaching programmes to undergraduate students and facilitating workshops to support professionals develop their leadership skills. To deepen her skillset, Faye is also studying BSc (Hons) Psychology at London South Bank University and is delighted she is able to merge coaching skills and psychological tools to further support the growth of others potential.
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Coach
Janelle is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC), trained by the Coaches Training Institute (CTI), and an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coach Federation (ICF). Her passion is to serve those who serve others and to bring connection and creativity together. She coaches privately as well for The Nest in Calgary and Okotoks, Canada. In addition to coaching, her professional career is in the non-profit world in project management and consulting. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce with a major in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Janelle’s energy, ability to see patterns, and fun with metaphors help clients engage and see things in a new way while having some laughs.
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Facilitator
Sonal Sodha is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) trained by the Coaches Training Institute (CTI) and a graduate of CTI’s Co-Active Leadership Program. She holds the Professional Certified Coach (PCC) designation from the International Coach Federation (ICF). From Toronto, she runs a private coaching practice with a focus on personal leadership. Sonal also creates and facilitates workshops on leadership and self-development. She began her career in healthcare as a pharmacist and holds an International MBA from the Schulich School of Business in Toronto. Prior to starting her coaching business, Sonal spent over 14 years in sales, marketing and medical roles at Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca and Bayer. She is a charismatic leader known for her playful energy, wild curiosity and ability to connect with people.
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Coach
Tivo Rojas-Cheatham is a high-performance and learning coach as well as an education and curriculum design consultant. He is committed to teaching young people how to empower themselves and teachers how to become catalysts of great student learners. He has been a manager of a Farmworker youth mentoring program and has worked with elementary teachers and graduate-level faculty and teachers. He has a Master of Public Health (MPH) with a focus on health education methods and is trained in embodied coaching, leadership and experiential learning.
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Facilitator
Seema Sodha is an experienced coach and Leadership Trainer who brings her passion, energy and wisdom to organisations around the world. Seema spent the first 10 years of her career in the healthcare industry. Through her roles in sales, management and training, she helped hundreds of ambitious leaders to become more effective. In 2011, inspired by Steve Job’s Stanford speech, she started her own company dedicated to coaching and training. Seema has a BSc. in Psychology and Business and is a sponge for the latest developments in neuroscience and coaching. She is a certified Co-Active coach, trained by the Coaches Training Institute; a Professional Certified Coach, accredited by the International Coaching Federation (indicating at least 500 hours of coaching) and a Certified Practitioner of the Leadership Circle Profile 360. Today, Seema’s on a mission to raise human connection and consciousness. She believes ‘coaching skills’ are the essential colour on today’s leadership colour palette. By bringing coach-like conversations to the educational system, Seema envisions that students’ brains will become more open to learning, visioning, growth and positive change.
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Coach
Dan MacCombie is an entrepreneur, facilitator, and coach, trained and certified through Elevate. Dan has a private coaching practice based in New York, focused on personal and leadership growth. He also coaches and facilitates men’s retreats through EVRYMAN. Dan's background crosses industries, roles and continents: he is an Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) at an impact investment fund called Dev Equity, was the co-founder and co-CEO of RUNA, an Amazonian tea company he started in college, and he’s a board member and advisor to a number of private companies and non-profit organisations. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from Brown University. Dan uses a strategic mindset, eye for results, authentic connection and emotional and somatic understanding to support clients in seeing and achieving their greatest dreams and goals.
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Coach
Megan is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) through the International Coach Federation (ICF), with over a decade of experience. Her focus areas include career development, leadership and entrepreneurship. She coaches individuals and groups and facilitates workshops. Prior to becoming a coach, Megan worked in digital project management. Outside of coaching, Megan volunteers with Parent Gym, running skills and confidence workshops to help parents support the wellbeing of their children. She is also a qualified Personal Trainer, earned a certificate in Web Design and Technology from San Francisco State University and holds a degree in Psychology from Clark University, Massachusetts.
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Facilitator
Jocelyn is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC), Registered Health Coach (RHC) (March 2021 completion) and holds the Professional Certified Coach (PCC) designation via the International Coaches Federation.
Jocelyn takes a holistic approach to understanding her clients in order to support them in achieving optimal health and wellness for maximum life experience. She is fiercely passionate, soulfully deep, highly intuitive and committed to her clients being true to their uniqueness for ultimate joy, fulfillment and contribution in all areas of their life.
Specifically, she works with leaders to develop a deeper relationship with themselves, in order to impact the quality of their relationships in every area of their life. This results in exponential growth in leadership capabilities and confidence in her clients to pursue their unlimited potential.
The Triathlete in Jocelyn knows that physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing and alignment results in optimal performance. She knows first-hand that when her clients shift their mindset and perspective, they are able to excel and reach beyond what they imagined possible.
Jocelyn uses a coach approach daily to empower her three children to be independent and unique individuals and is thrilled to work closely with those educating our youth and citizens of the future.
She has experience coaching Leaders, Executive Directors, teens, teams and groups in areas including finance, education, wellness and life and is fiercely committed to every individual to live in optimal health.
Monthly Practice Drop-Ins
Our founders McKenzie and Quinn host a monthly virtual coaching group where you can get to know them, bring your questions, and meet other educators passionate about coaching.