At The Launchpad Collective, we specialize in transforming aspirations into achievements. Our dedicated team of experts provides personalized career coaching, essential tools, and real-time feedback to guide emerging
The LaunchPad Collective was conceived over a glass of wine as a group of professional colleagues, all parents of young adults, shared insights into the challenges their children encountered in the dynamic job market. Some group members, who also mentored new graduates through various non-profits, decided to conduct interviews with families and graduates to identify common problems. They found many shared issues, leading to the formation of the LaunchPad Collective, which provides professional coaching and support to America's young professionals and future leaders.
Amanda is a serial entrepreneur with extensive experience in founding and leading various technology companies. She has held senior leadership, advisory, and executive board positions in a range of organizations, from early-stage startups to multinational public companies and various non-profits. Her expertise spans sectors including healthcare, technology, analytics, and real estate, all complemented by a strong background in public speaking and professional training.
Mentoring young people has always been a passion for Amanda. She has been involved in formal mentoring programs and dedicated countless hours to helping family members, neighbors, and acquaintances enhance their interview skills, networking strategies, and resume crafting. In her executive roles, Amanda has directly overseen the hiring and training of interns and new graduates.
Patti is an accomplished technology sales professional with a focus on enabling technology transformation and business innovation for large enterprise clients. Her career is marked by consistently surpassing business and revenue targets across various sales and leadership roles. With decades of experience in business development and strategic sales, Patti has made significant contributions at globally renowned companies such as IBM, Microsoft, and Amazon Web Services.
Her expertise extends to resume building and customization, interview techniques, salary negotiation, and roles within sales and technology.
Marya is a seasoned marketing and business development strategist with over 30 years of experience working across the private sector, state and local government, and non-profit organizations. Her expertise encompasses strategic planning, leadership development, operational excellence, and relationship marketing. She excels in forging strong partnerships with her clients to identify new opportunities and strengthen core competencies.
Committed to driving value through collaboration and shared outcomes, Marya embodies key leadership qualities such as inspiration, accountability, courage, and respect. These principles guide her approach, making her an invaluable partner in any business endeavor.
With over 25 years of experience in the high-tech and data analytics sectors, she has held multiple executive leadership positions at IBM, including WW Director of Storage Operations and Sales Director of Life Sciences. Additionally, she served as SVP at a healthcare analytics startup, where she refined her abilities in team leadership and business expansion. Her leadership experience includes successfully managing organizations with more than 500 employees, encompassing all aspects of people management from hiring to firing.
Currently, she is actively engaged in the real estate market, working as a broker and investor. She utilizes her extensive business acumen and leadership skills to navigate the complexities of real estate investments and brokerage, continuing to drive success and growth in a new arena.
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Sharmila is a tech-professional turned education advocate who began her career as a sales and marketing leader in the wireless industry. She held roles at Fortune 500 companies Baxter Healthcare and Coca-Cola, where she recognized the burgeoning potential of wireless technology and envisioned herself at the forefront of this revolution.
Sharmila's switch from the tech industry to education was sparked by her children's experiences in school, where she noticed substantial disparities in educational opportunities. Motivated to effect change, she applied her business skills to advocate for educational equity, striving to ensure equal chances for all students. For the past 15 years, she has been committed to enhancing the Pre-K through high school education system, utilizing her business acumen to improve organizational efficiency in educational settings. As her children embark on their careers, Sharmila continues to mentor young adults, providing empathetic support to help them through pivotal transitions.
Sharmila is a tech-professional turned education advocate. Early in her career she was a sales and marketing leader in the wireless industry. Having spent summers during undergrad and graduate school interning at Fortune 500 companies Baxter Healthcare and Coca-Cola, she realized that the future was in wireless technology and wanted to be a part of that revolution.
Upon watching her children enter the school system, she saw that there was a lot of work and advocacy to be done in education to ensure that all children had equitable opportunities to lead successful lives beyond high school. Shifting from the tech world to education, Sharmila found what she was looking for; a purpose driven focus utilizing her business skills to transform educational opportunities for those who did not have a voice in the system.
She has spent the last 15 years working in the Pre-K through high school space, applying her business acumen acquired early in her career to help provide organizational structure to education organizations.
Watching her own children launch, Sharmila is committed to ensuring that young professionals have the skills and tools to begin their journey, through empathetic guidance and support needed to navigate this uncertain time. She absolutely loves connecting with people and providing a listening ear to those who want it.
Jen brings over 30 years of expertise in team leadership, client service, strategy, program design, and execution across tech, consumer products, and mission-based philanthropy. Her professional and volunteer endeavors in education have primarily focused on enhancing student success and supporting equitable graduation rates. Currently, she dedicates her efforts to providing direct support to educational leaders and investors aimed at improving student outcomes.
Her firsthand experiences helping her own children transition into the workforce have deepened her understanding of the challenges and excitement in integrating new employees into organizations. Recognizing the need for educational reform, Jen shifted her focus from tech to education, dedicating the last 15 years to enhancing structures within educational institutions. Committed to supporting young professionals, she provides empathetic guidance and thrives on making meaningful connections to help others navigate their paths.