“Humble, honest, strong.”
Dr. Dea is a humble, honest, strong leader. Her innate ability to build relationships through trust develops strong teams and partnerships. She doesn’t shy away from straight talk and people speak to her with honesty, because she is trustworthy. She acts in the best interest of the goal versus her own agenda. Dr. Dea has an impressive and proven track record in executive coaching and building sustainable programs/strategies to scale.
M.I., director of international operations
“She forced me to be honest which enabled me to be an Authentic Leader”
I was at an exciting tipping point in my life, transitioning from being a professional athlete to the boardroom as a National COO. Dr. Dea helped me leverage what I knew from the field and put it into a corporate business context. Afterall, people are people, regardless of the arena. She never really gave me the answers, but her listening, deep insights and experience of not only people, but business, enabled the right questions. She forced me to be honest with myself and look into my own strengths, ideas, capabilities as well as areas where improvement was needed, which has now positioned me as an authentic leader running a strong business.
S. J., Former Professional Athlete & now, National CEO"
“Straight forward style produced growth and results”
Deanna operates from a place of integrity and is an exceptional executive coach. Her coaching from the heart, coupled with her extensive senior level leadership experience and wealth of learned knowledge drives growth and leadership/personal development.
Her straight forward coaching style enables clarity and produces results by quickly identifying opportunities and ultimately decisive decision making. Deanna’s coaching style is both flexible and functional, depending on the situation. Deanna is a pleasure to work with.
G.D., National COO
“Uncover, Understand and Realize”
Initially I contacted Dr. Dea to be a keynote speaker, little did I know at that time what a blessing she would be beyond the keynote. Dr. Dea's energy is contagious and exhilarating. Her wisdom is far beyond her chronological years. She has a strong understanding of people and their emotions. I have seen her with clients in workshops, as well as have experienced her in my own life, her sharp perception of what is really happening in peoples' minds. Myself and others walked away from the workshop with a sense of calm confidence, as well as, a reassurance that I/we were indeed a strong person capable of making anything possible. Dr. Dea is assertive, positive, sensitive, nurturing, poised, confident, uplifting and energetic, which leaves one feeling eager to get on with their life, empowered, and strengthened by the way Dr. Dea helps to uncover, understand and realize their true potential.
Director of Leadership & Learning / Non-Profit
Dr. Dea is a rare and authentic executive coach & leader. She leads leaders.
P.F., CEO International Business
Dr. Dea is a transforming leader. She was key in positioning our business to become a modern, relevant business, while establishing new partnerships for the times ahead.
C.R., Commissioner & Director / Government & Private top 10 University
Dr. Dea is a superb keynote speaker! In a sea of talks built on shouting and flashiness, Dr. Dea’s subtle and nuanced performance is a gift to any audience. She effortlessly had me on the edge of my seat and captivated the room. By including personal stories and getting vulnerable with the audience, she drew us in, yet her evidence-based expertise with mind, body, and heart wellness is concrete and actionable. A truly multi-genre expert, Dr. Dea’s performance is equally powerful for business leaders, schools, women’s groups, and wellness conferences.
S.M., Organizational Anthropologist & Innovator & Speaker / Culture guru
I have been a part of Dr. Dea’s Global Leadership work and in parallel worked with her as an executive coach. She worked with several C-Suite individuals. I have never come across anyone with interpersonal skills like hers. Deanna creates true bonds to people at all levels by being authentic, reliable and full of integrity. She wasn’t afraid to challenge me, she has an intuition that narrows in to my blind spots. She challenges as hard as she cares. That is why she is hired.
P.B., International COO & Attorney / Healthcare
Dr. Dea is an authentic leader. I have the utmost respect for her professional integrity and the way she leads from her place of truth. She is thoughtful and intelligent, bringing great insights and compassion to all her work and is a natural communicator and collaborator. Her passion for coaching and desire to support people to become the best version of themselves shines through every connection and relationship. I am privileged to know Dr. Dea as a fantastic coach and consider her a great friend.
M.B., International Director/ Marketing
Dr. Dea is a talented leader with tremendous vision. She is an excellent coach who has proven her ability to build relationships, teams and a culture of innovation focused on making positive results. I highly recommend Dr. Dea for coaching, developing a culture of positive growth and leadership development.
C.R. PhD, Entrepreneur and Chief Futurist / Business
Dr. Dea is one of those rare Executive Coaches who brings genuine authenticity, intellectual rigor, and results to everyone she works with. Through her ability to create meaningful, authentic coaching relationships, she is able to influence and motivate others that move people into action. Dr. Dea is courageous in her application of both compassion and challenge. She strives for excellence in everything she does and makes everyone she works with, a better version of themselves.
M.B., Chief Enterprise Strategist / Business
Being coached by Dr. Dea was incredibly insightful. She was able to see past my story I had created for myself and called me out on it. Dr. Dea brings all of her tools as coach and as a PhD Psychologist to my sessions. It's like personal training for the soul. It's not always easy, but it's incredibly rewarding. I would recommend Dr. D to be anyone's personal coach all day long.
U.M., Entrepreneur / Fashion
I have the great fortune of calling Dr. Dea my friend and my coach. She possesses all the attributes one desires in a friend – warmth, caring, honesty, loyalty. Those same attributes were important when I asked Dr. Dea if she would consider being my coach. I also needed something more – someone that would not let me get away with anything less than absolute honesty with me. Dr. Dea helps me understand my values and how they impact my response to life situations. She is brutally honest and helps me be brutally honest with myself. She is encouraging, inspiring and makes me a better player in this game of life. I am grateful that Dr. Dea agreed to be my coach. I am blessed that she is my friend.
J.W., Sr. Exec. / Financial
“Dr. Dea has taught me - there is no dress rehearsal to my beautiful life as it unfolds and evolves. Because of her ability to ‘meet me where I was at’, I trusted, gave her my truth to which she challenged me in a strong, but loving way. I now live open and ready for whatever the Universe sends me and am 100% responsible for what I put out to the Universe.”
S.R., International Sr. Exec. / Healthcare
Dr. Dea you have taught me the difference between BEING and DOING, COPING and HEALING, and the POWER of HUMILITY.
K.B., / Professor
“She is brutally honest and helps me be brutally honest with myself”
“I came to see my worth through the eyes of my truest self and soul, versus through accomplishments, achievements and other people’s opinions (which is something I always craved).”
L.A., / Author
“I am much better and more equipped to take on coaching others”
Dr. Dea is very knowledgeable and has a wealth of experience. Not only did she teach me/the students how to be a better Executive coach, she was also there to share in our passions and successes, but also in building back up from our setbacks and failures as we ventured out into the field. Her experience and knowledge has been extremely valuable to my growth. I/we are much better and more equipped to take on coaching, with her guidance, feedback and insights she provided. With utmost respect and sincerity.
MBA student
“Encouraging, inspiring and makes me a better player in this game of life”
"I have the great fortune of calling Dr. Dea my coach. She possesses all of the attributes that I need in a coach, warmth, caring, honesty, and loyalty. On the other side of that, she is someone that does not let me get away with anything less than absolute honesty with myself. Dr. Dea helps me understand my values and thoughts and how they impact my response to life situations. She is brutally honest and helps me be a better player in this game of life.
L.N., / Pharmacological
"When dealing with life and the unexpected bumps or even thrills, Dr. Dea has been a solid source through her coaching. There are times when I do not want to hear the truth, but she will subtly and kindly point out facets of my life I have easily overlooked. I have never once felt ridiculed or embarrassed. There is not a subject out of her realm. She consistently makes me feel at ease, and oftentimes, eager for my next coaching session. In helping me look deeper into myself, she also has the gift to make me feel special and she is truly elated when I do well. Dr. Dea is top-notch and consider yourself lucky if she has crossed your path on your life journey."
L.T., / Accountant
"When I was in a crisis time in my life, Dr. Dea was there to help me gather my strength, think about the future and how I wanted it to be - then develop, with me, a concrete plan to work toward that future. She helped me along the way and was there for support and encouragement when I needed it. Her professional skill and her warm, personal manner provided the environment I needed to begin to heal and move forward. I will always be grateful to God that Dr. Dea was there when I needed her most."
C.F., / Professor
“A better me over and over again”
"Dr. Dea supervised me during my mental health practicum while in graduate school. She amazed me with her knowledge and kindness. She guided her clients to success with respect and intellect. I was able to witness her ability to coach others to their own personal best and form relationships with people from all walks of life. I participated as an instructor in a strengthening families program. It was such an honor to again be present as Dr. Dea encouraged both clients and instructors to find their way to betterment with her special brand of consideration and enthusiasm. Everyone left each meeting feeling fulfilled and inspired. When my child was diagnosed with a chronic disease, Dr. Dea stood by me during my darkest hours and helped me find strength within, to move forward. She has helped me to become a better me over and over again. The amount of respect, admiration and adoration I have for her can't be measured. She is truly one of a kind."
T.P., / Mental Health Practitioner & Educator
“Someone I would let in”
"Going into my first meeting with Dr. Dea, I didn't have a very open mind. I usually don't let people in my life because that gives them the power to potentially hurt me. Dr. Dea was someone my mom knew, and so automatically I thought it was going to be horrible considering me and my mom are in conflict, alot. From the first day I met her though, I knew she was someone that I would want to keep in my life. I felt safe around her and comfortable telling her my secrets that no one else knew. Like I said I don't let people in my life very often because my fear of others hurting me overpowers any good that could potentially come from a relationship, but Dr. D was someone I let in. We don't see each other as often anymore, but she is someone I love and care deeply about, even if I am not so good at expressing it. I know she is always there for me whenever I need her and she is just a phone call away. Whenever we talk it is like we never stopped, she still remembers details from a long time ago and that helps a lot with everything. I hope to never lose her in my life because she has become a friend to me."
Academically gifted student / attempted suicide
"I really looked forward to those calls to help me move forward with my life"
I was referred to Dr. Dea by a good friend that used her coaching sessions to help him through some difficult times. I was going through some issues several years later and just wasn’t comfortable talking to someone about my life changes. One of the big reasons I didn’t want to work with Dr. Dea, because she was not local to where I lived and I felt I needed someone I could sit across from to get the full experience of a coaching session. However, I finally got to a point in my life that I needed someone and someone good because I didn’t want to waste my time and I wasn’t inclined to talk easily about my feelings/situation so decided to give her a try based on my friend’s experience of her. I thought, “What the heck, the first call was free and I didn’t have anything to lose but an hour of my life! If we don't connect, then nothing is lost.” We scheduled our initial call and wow, I really connected with her listening skills and professionalism. I really looked forward to those calls to help me move forward with my life. I received a lot of great coaching and yes she gave homework in between sessions that helped me get on track!
It’s now been over 8 years and I just referred my adult daughter to her who is having issues (the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree)! I know that Dr. Dea can get her back on track.
J.Sr. Exec. / Financial Industry
“After my coaching session with Dr. Dea yesterday something shifted in me. During a hearty in depth discussion on the value of self she asked me to rate my health on a scale of 1 to 10. I have a lot of knowledge and wisdom about the mind, body, and soul and how important it is to be mindful and present in taking care to remain healthy. The “some-timers” disease and the pressing disease were dragging me down mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I was out of balance. By that I mean “if” I had the time to be mindful and tend to my spiritual, emotional, and physical needs I then felt better. Usually it took not feeling well, a weight loss challenge, a family wedding or a trip to press the urgency in paying attention to myself. God calls us to be fruitful in our lives. He wants that balance for us. We are called to be the branches, he the vine dresser, and Jesus the vine. Looking back I felt at times the fruit I was producing was plastic fruit being duck taped to the branch. I believed on that scale of 1 to 10, I was a healthy 6. Deanna challenged me with her thought that I was at number 2. I was baffled. After I took a long hard look and challenged her number, I had to get honest with myself. I was struck upside the head with a 2 x 4. There is no doubt that God had his hand in bringing Dr. Dea into my life as my coach. Her unconditional love, heartfelt encouragement, truth, wisdom, and knowledge from her life have been fruitful in mine. Because my branch was lovingly cut back and made smaller in a raw and truthful way….I can now see just what kind of beautiful luscious fruit my life’s journey has the potential to produce. I am not perfect but I am becoming more mindful and aware of making authentic choices to care for myself. I can then love, lead, and be fruitful in my marriage, as a mother, friend, sister, coworker, and daughter. I am still on the journey. Dr. Dea has given me the encouragement to nurture those seeds that God has planted in me. I am more aware of making intentional choices every minute.”
G.M., / Banker & Entrepreneur
“A couple of years ago I embarked on a life journey, not really realizing at the time where it would bring me. My investing in a leadership coach taught me that in order to lead others and to achieve my full potential in life, that I first needed to lead myself - and in order to do that, I needed to fully BE myself. Dr. Dea helped me to navigate through some difficult work and personal circumstances, which gave me clarity and solace, when at times I questioned if my reactions/feelings were “normal” and to realize that I wasn’t going mad. I think when you work with a coach like Dr. Dea, you become known and understood at a deeper level. She will probe you, push the limits with you, expose your blind spots, challenge you and channel your focus so you can see the wood from the trees and appreciate them both. The work has enabled me to take some bold steps, to work on a life by design, rather than default, to challenge the status quo, to question how I was showing up and to be responsible for the qualities of me that I was bringing to every situation; I now speak up for myself.
S.R., CEO / Healthcare
I understand through coaching with Dr. Dea what my top 3 core values are and how to act from that place, especially through navigation of a trying challenge. I feel strong and present, which comes off as confident in my leadership of others. Coaching has enabled me to have the ability to learn that we are only human and that those trying times when you are at the edge of your comfort zones, are the times in which you grow the most - if you stand up, show up and play full out. I now realize that my life is a journey, not a destination. That growth, development, learning, exposure, vulnerability can be utilized through an appropriate coach like Dr. Dea. I am grateful and thankful for the discipline it has shown me, for challenging me to be accountable to myself as the pilot and driver on my journey of life, rather than a passenger.
D.S., Attorney
Dr. Dea possesses a rare mix of qualities that make her an invaluable asset. She applies her gifts from a place of practical experience, heartfelt care and academic achievement in a blend that is both edifying and encouraging.
M.G., Entrepreneur/construction & management
Dr. Dea is a very good person to have in your corner. As a president of a non-profit organization, I needed help thinking outside the box. She got me to move beyond my traditional ways of working and innovatively worked with me to come up with a true win-win solution. She is very accommodating and extends every courtesy. She is very professional, very comfortable in working with community groups and it was truly great to work with her.
T.S., President/non-profit
Dr. Dea is a very focused leader, coach, speaker who is able to think outside the box to work with all types of personalities and issues. She understands political climates and is excellent at collaborating to meet the needs of all organisations involved. Dr. Dea is the type of leader and coach that is able to bring people to a new level that allows them to achieve their best!
C.B., Professor /Nutrition
Dr. Deanna Vansickel, is a powerhouse in global leadership development. With her unparalleled expertise in crafting and executing global leadership programs for multinationals, coupled with her adeptness in collaborating with top-tier C-suite executives, Dr. Dea brings a rare blend of strategic insight and hands-on guidance to her clients. Her mastery of diverse leadership assessments and methodologies is truly remarkable. What sets her apart is not just her professional acumen but also her genuine warmth and no-nonsense approach in helping clients achieve their desired outcomes. If you're seeking transformative leadership coaching, Deanna is unequivocally the one to turn to. She's one of my top choices for executive referrals, and for good reason!