About Allyson Carter
A steady partner who’s sat in your seat.
Leadership and executive coach for HR, Talent, and L&D leaders navigating what's next.
I didn’t start my career as a coach. I spent 20+ years leading talent, learning, and change work inside organizations—where the stakes are real, the pace is fast, and you’re expected to be the steady one for everyone else.
Why I work with high-performing leaders
I know what it feels like to carry the weight of organizational change. I know the pressure of high-stakes leadership. And I know the moment when you realize you’ve been so busy growing your team that you’ve stalled your own growth.
In 2025, I fully stepped into this practice—but it wasn’t a snap decision. It was a move I had been intentionally designing for years.
Since the early 2020s, I’ve been training with CTI and working with clients alongside my corporate role. But to make the final leap, I did exactly what I ask my clients to do: I hired my own coach. I navigated the fear, the planning, and the identity shift to build the next chapter of my career on my own terms.
I founded Coach for Growth because I know this process works. I am the partner I wish I’d had earlier: steady, experienced, and focused entirely on helping you design what’s next—with clarity, confidence, and momentum.
Co-Active Coaching & Positive Intelligence®
My coaching is not about advice from a textbook. It is about helping you clear the mental clutter so you can make decisions that stick.
My approach combines two frameworks. The Co-Active model works with the whole person: not just the leader, but the human balancing work, life, identity, and purpose.
Positive Intelligence® (PQ®) builds the mental fitness to catch self-sabotaging patterns early and respond with clarity instead of reaction, especially under pressure.
Beyond the Resume
Growth is in my DNA. I come from a family of teachers, and I learned early how much the right support can change someone’s trajectory.
I’m based in the Chicago suburbs with my husband, Jim, our two daughters, and an energetic dog. Off the clock, you’ll find me outside whenever I can—Lake Michigan bike rides, sunsets, and cheering on Penn State football (and my daughters' water polo teams).