About
Leadership Development That Starts From Within
Elevate & Lead partners with leaders who want to grow with intention, confidence, and impact.
We believe leadership is not about having all the answers—it’s about self‑awareness, emotional intelligence, and the ability to inspire others through how you show up every day. Our work is grounded in the belief that meaningful, sustainable leadership growth happens from the inside out.
We support leaders navigating growth, change, and complexity—helping them elevate performance while staying aligned with their values.
Our Approach
At Elevate & Lead, coaching is thoughtful, personalized, and practical. Rather than offering one‑size‑fits‑all solutions, we meet each leader where they are.
Our approach blends professional coaching standards, emotional intelligence science, and real‑world leadership experience to create insight that translates into intentional action.
We focus on:
- Building self‑awareness and emotional intelligence
- Strengthening leadership presence and decision‑making
- Supporting sustainable behavior change
- Developing leaders people genuinely want to follow
Meet the Founder
Elevate & Lead was founded by Barbara Casados, an ICF‑ACC credentialed Executive Coach, accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF)—the global gold standard for professional coaching.
ICF‑credentialed coaches are trained to partner with leaders through deep listening, powerful questions, and meaningful accountability. This foundation ensures every coaching engagement is ethical, professional, and leader‑centered—supporting clarity and growth without judgment or prescription.
Barbara brings more than 20 years of leadership experience, including a decade in the corporate sector and 15 years as CEO of a national nonprofit. Throughout her career, she has led high‑performing teams, scaled organizational impact, and supported leaders navigating growth, complexity, and change.
Her background spans strategic leadership, marketing, sales coaching, leadership development, change management, and executive communication. These experiences shape a coaching approach that is practical, grounded, and results‑oriented—helping leaders strengthen how they show up and lead with intention.
Our Coaching Credentials
ICF‑Credentialed Executive Coaching
Our coaching practice aligns with the International Coaching Federation’s core competencies, emphasizing trust, partnership, and intentional development. Coaching is not about advice—it’s about creating the space for leaders to think deeply, gain clarity, and grow with purpose.
EQ‑i Certified Practitioners
All Elevate & Lead coaches are EQ‑i certified practitioners, trained to administer and interpret the EQ‑i 2.0® emotional intelligence assessment. Emotional intelligence plays a critical role in leadership effectiveness—impacting communication, resilience, decision‑making, and relationships..
Leadership & Performance Expertise
Leadership & Performance Expertise
Our coaching is informed by certifications that support a whole‑leader approach to growth.
Credentials include:
- Certified Facilitator, Fierce Conversations®
- Certified Trainer, CVI / Create Value Skills®
- NASM‑CPT, Certified Personal Trainer
- NASM‑CNC, Certified Nutrition Coach
These credentials strengthen our ability to support sustainable leader
Our coaching is informed by certifications that support a whole‑leader approach to growth.
Credentials include:
- Certified Facilitator, Fierce Conversations®
- Certified Trainer, CVI / Create Value Skills®
- NASM‑CPT, Certified Personal Trainer
- NASM‑CNC, Certified Nutrition Coach
These credentials strengthen our ability to support sustainable leadership performance; recognizing that energy, resilience, communication, and habits all influence how leaders show up and lead.