Kara exner, pcc

Kara Exner has a drive for developing potential in others.

With over 30 years of leadership and training experience, Kara coaches leaders to achieve their professional goals, works with teams to operate more effectively, and leads coaching training for leaders to be more coach-like in their approach. She’s been a Professional Coach since 2005. 

Kara has worked with clients and teams across all sectors including health care, government, and higher education; non-profit organizations; and industries such as oil & gas, mining, construction, airlines, and small business. 

Kara is a graduate of the Co-Active Training Institute and holds the designation of Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC). Additionally, she has earned the credential of Professional Certified Coach (PCC) from the International Coaching Federation.

She has a Master's degree in Adult and Continuing Education, and a B.A. Psychology from the University of Saskatchewan. Kara has done additional training in positive psychology coaching, organization & relationship systems coaching, and group coaching.  She is certified by TTI Success Insights in DISC personal profile to identify behavioural styles, and in 12 Driving Forces which identifies motivators. With these assessments, Kara has helped hundreds of individuals to better understand their own strengths and areas for development. 

In 2020 Kara published her first book: Be the Change(maker): Lessons from Those Who Are & A Catalyst for Those Who Will. The book is based on her interviews with nearly 50 people and she found that successful changemakers share common mindsets in how they perceive themselves, how they relate to others, and how they orient themselves to action.

Advancing the coaching profession is important to Kara to increase professional standards and promote professionalism of coaching world-wide. She served for four years (2022-2025) on the International Coaching Federation (ICF) Global Enterprise Board (Vice-Chair and Director); was Vice-Chair of the inaugural ICF Credentials and Standards Global Board (2020 & 2021); served a three-year term (2012-2014) on the ICF Global Board of Directors; and she served for several years on a variety of ICF committees and task forces including nominating, credentialing & accreditation, and membership & community.