Anna Stuart

Anna’s super power is her ability to size up a situation, call a spade a spade, and move things forward in a positive direction without breaking a sweat. I have such respect for this and I have benefited greatly from her perspective and wisdom as a coach.

I had the good fortune to develop a coaching relationship with Anna. As a new president, there was a great deal I didn’t know and much that was unforeseen. Anna was so very helpful in terms of strategic advice and emotional support as I navigated between challenges — large and small. She listened carefully to the nuance of my particular context and offered sage advice in a caring and respectful manner. She is very very good at what she does and I recommend her highly.

Anna is wise and supportive — her knowledge of professional relationships and people in general ensures that she offers the best advice for candidates in any industry and market. She has been able to help me navigate tricky professional questions with grace and helps me do so with integrity. I know that with Anna, she is ultimately always looking out for what is best for me. Anna has been a great help for me in my career and I consistently rely on her as a resource!

What sets Anna apart is her empathy and personal connection. She really gets to know her clients. With her extensive experience in a variety of settings, she brings a balanced and thoughtful perspective in her advice and counsel. That’s been my experience with Anna, who I consider a consummate professional, and a trusted and valued guide in my career planning.

Anna Stuart made a profound impact on my life. She oriented me to life in a new city and in my new leadership position she was a safe and wise person with whom I could have critical conversations, develop vision that was consistent with our mission, and through subsequent strategic planning she provided support as needed. Because Anna is so intelligent and has such deep experience, she can size up situations accurately and provide invaluable coaching, especially when challenging and time-sensitive issues arise.

Anna Stuart served as my professional mentor for five years. Anna taught me how to effectively lead a group through complex decision-making processes and facilitate difficult conversations in such a way that they lead to productive outcomes. More importantly, she helped me develop the confidence to use my voice to provide honest and forthright advice to senior leaders, something that is essential to me in my current role. Anna has a unique ability to quickly grasp the heart of a complex issue and then ask the questions that facilitate a path forward. She’s forthright and empathetic, she will tell you the truth even when it’s tough, that honesty helped me grow as a professional and as a person. Importantly, she never loses her sense of humor which I find to be an essential quality in a coach and mentor.

Anna was exactly the coach I needed when I was at a delicate place in my career. Her thorough understanding of university systems meant she could efficiently ask the right questions and she was able to brainstorm effectively with me about a range of options. She insightfully brought up important points that I hadn’t even considered, and really expanded my thinking process beyond where it could have been. She is entirely responsible for the excellent results that I ended up with!

Anna Stuart is the consummate professional. I had the privilege of working with Anna over a three-year period as an interview candidate. In my experience, Anna is knowledgeable, smart, engaging, approachable and timely. She is able to offer excellent advice and provide critical feedback in a friendly, yet direct manner. I learned I could trust Anna for an honest and straightforward opinion - rare in the recruitment industry. Anna always managed to prioritize the best interests for my career and her client - a very, very tricky balance. Moreover, Anna keenly understands the various layers and political agendas at play within a search process while managing to work very effectively to deliver impressive outcomes. I sought out Anna's opinion on searches that she wasn't formally involved in as she always offered an insightful perspective. I also asked Anna to offer an expert opinion on a number of panel presentations that I organized - Anna always jumped at the opportunity to volunteer and her impactful comments were always well received by audiences. Perhaps most importantly, I enjoyed working with Anna.