Leadership in Practice

Laura Fitzgerald’s leadership practice is grounded in coaching, collaboration, and the development of people and organizations. Across higher education and professional coaching, she has designed leadership development experiences, guided emerging leaders, strengthened organizational systems, and created opportunities for individuals and teams to translate reflection into meaningful action.

Her approach connects theory with practice, drawing upon more than a decade of professional experience and doctoral research focused on coaching and leadership development.

Leadership Development

The Leadership Lab

At St. John Fisher University, Laura created the Leadership Lab, a comprehensive leadership development initiative designed to provide students with intentional opportunities to build confidence, strengthen leadership skills, and apply learning through practice. Through workshops, coaching, and experiential learning, she supported emerging student leaders across campus and facilitated more than 50 leadership development programs annually.

Her approach emphasized reflection, self-awareness, collaboration, and the practical application of leadership concepts, creating opportunities for students to develop skills they could carry into their academic, professional, and personal lives.

Student Government Leadership & Coaching

Laura’s work with student government leaders integrates advising, coaching, and leadership development to help students navigate complex decisions, strengthen their confidence, and lead more effectively. As advisor to the Student Government Association at St. John Fisher University, she supported student leaders in governance, organizational decision-making, collaboration, and the development of sustainable leadership practices.

This work also became the foundation of Laura’s doctoral research, which explored the use of coaching and the GROW Model with undergraduate student government leaders. Her research reinforced the value of intentional coaching as a tool for developing self-awareness, reflection, decision-making, and leadership capacity.

Organizational Leadership & Student Success

Laura’s leadership in higher education spans student engagement, orientation, student governance, campus traditions, and leadership development. At St. John Fisher University, she led a broad portfolio of programs and initiatives designed to strengthen the student experience while advancing institutional priorities.

Through strategic planning, staff supervision, cross-campus collaboration, and continuous improvement, Laura helped expand student involvement and build sustainable systems that supported student success. Her portfolio included oversight of more than 70 student organizations, major transition and engagement programs, and approximately $230,000 in annual budgets.

Professional Coaching & ICF Leadership

Laura extends her commitment to leadership development through professional coaching and service with the International Coaching Federation (ICF). As President-Elect of the ICF Upstate New York Charter Chapter, she contributes to chapter governance, strategic planning, board development, member engagement, and initiatives that strengthen the professional coaching community across the region.

As a leadership coach, Laura partners with individuals to deepen self-awareness, navigate challenges, clarify goals, and translate insight into meaningful action. Her coaching approach is grounded in curiosity, reflection, and evidence-based practice, connecting coaching with her broader commitment to developing people, leaders, and organizations.

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