Successful leadership

AND personal wellness

for

K12 Administrators

You are a smart, motivated, ambitious  leader who has achieved success...
...and it can be stressful!

You are not alone.

Education leaders across the US experience high levels of stress from internal and external pressures.

Superintendents, school principals and district leaders often feel isolated in their jobs and alone in their stress.

I can relate.

I know the demands of K12 education leadership and the challenges you face each day. I’ve been in your position - literally. I’m an award-winning K12 administrator who understands the pressure of the job and the struggle to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

You are in the right place.

Working with a coach as you navigate leadership challenges is a game changer. I can help you identify stressors, dig into core issues, find relief from stress, and shift the way you meet challenges. You can be successful in your leadership role without sacrificing personal health and wellbeing.

Unique Challenges

Education leaders deal with challenges unlike any other profession.

  • High Public Profile

  • Media Scrutiny

  • Politics

  • Culture Wars

  • Special Interest and Advocacy Groups

  • Sweeping Mandates

  • Diminishing Resources

  • Inadequate Funding

  • Staff Shortages

K12 education administrators are responsible for growing and caring for an entire community of children. They experience a level of accountability and public scrutiny that far exceed what most executives in the private sector encounter.

Your job is uniquely challenging.

Succeeding in it can take a personal toll.

Is stress affecting your physical and mental health? Are you sleep deprived? Is it impossible to find time for exercise? Do you sometimes feel like your brain is in an anxiety storm? Are you overwhelmed? Do you worry that your coping mechanisms might be adding to your stress rather than helping?

Is stress affecting personal relationships? Do you find yourself irritated with your spouse, partner, children, friends? Are you too exhausted to spend quality time with those you love? 

Is stress affecting your work relationships? Do you struggle to engage effectively with your supervisors? Are the teams you lead feeling stressed? Are you challenged by difficult relationships? Do you struggle with conflict? Are the demands of the community and interest groups overwhelming?

Is stress affecting your productivity? Does imposter syndrome shake your confidence? Is time management a challenge? Do you have decision-making fatigue? Is your to-do list out of control? Are you buried under a mountain of emails?

Is stress affecting your capacity to serve? Is it becoming harder to take care of the people around you? Are you unable to share your stress to others? Is handling stress a point of pride or even a source of motivation for you? Does it feel like admitting stress would perceived as weakness? Are you on your own to figure out how to deal with your stress? Is it too risky to access the health and wellness programs in your district? 

Are you alone in your stress? Do you feel isolated? Do you experience overwhelm?

Chronic stress can wreak havoc on your mind and body

The long-term activation of the stress response system and

too much exposure to cortisol and other stress hormones can disrupt almost all the body's processes.

This puts you at higher risk of many health problems, including:

  • Anxiety.

  • Depression.

  • Digestive problems.

  • Headaches.

  • Muscle tension and pain.

  • Heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure and stroke.

  • Sleep problems.

  • Weight gain.

  • Problems with memory and focus. (Mayo Clinic)


Let me introduce myself

I’m Dr. Karen Gaborik. As a K12 administrator, I had experiences similar to yours. I understand your leadership challenges.

I served 26 years in a public school district as a superintendent, assistant superintendent, high school principal, assistant principal, and teacher. Each time I leveled up, I encountered new challenges and new pressures.

Which was awesome! I loved problem-solving, working with people, building teams, creating connections, serving my community, and growing in my profession. I had lots of support for the technical aspects of my job through colleagues, mentors, and professional organizations.

What surprised me were the unique challenges with each high-profile position and the difficulty of maintaining work-life balance. With each promotion came more responsibility, higher expectations and increased visibility. As the demands increased, so did my work hours. Sometimes it felt almost impossible to be successful in my leadership role without sacrificing my personal health and wellness.

Finally I got a coach. I found somebody I could trust who “had no skin in the game.” They understood my administrative role, helped me navigate significant leadership challenges, shared strategies to manage stress, and supported my mental health and physical wellness.

Finding the right coach made all the difference!

Team Coaching

Does your team need support?

Is your team….

  • Transitioning to New Leadership

  • Onboarding New Members

  • Trying to Establish Trust

  • Managing Conflict

  • Working to Improve Engagement

  • Merging Teams

  • Improving Relationships With Other Teams

  • Navigating Organizational Change

  • Taking On New Projects/Initiatives/Mandates

  • Addressing Burnout

    I can help your team meet these challenges!

I partner with teams and leaders to achieve the following outcomes:

  • Determine how the team is currently functioning and what they would like to achieve.

  • Identify internal and external pressures and stressors.

  • Consider the team’s role within the larger context of the community, district, department, and/or school.

  • Understand where the team fits within the guiding principals and strategy of the district.

  • Build a foundation of trust.

  • Increase awareness of individual traits and behaviors that impact team dynamics.

  • Ensure the team knows how to engage in healthy debate and deal with internal conflict.

  • Increase alignment, commitment and accountability.

I provide simultaneous coaching support with the team and individual members to

improve overall team effectiveness.

1:1 Coaching

I work with superintendents, school principals, and district leaders.

I know the demands of your position. I understand what it’s like to struggle with work-life balance.

My 1:1 coaching is designed to help you with leadership challenges, difficult relationships, communication demands, time management, team leadership, middle management constraints, and personal wellness.

Together we identify current stressors, external pressures, internal behavior patterns, staff/team perceptions, areas of strength and growth, and mindset barriers.

You’ll make shifts in your thinking and practice so you can successfully meet the challenges of your role without sacrificing personal health and wellness

colleague / partner coaching

Work-based partnerships can be challenging!


Are you in a work-based relationship that is new or difficult? I can help you build an effective partnership.

 I coach partnerships that include…

  • Superintendents

  • School Boards / Presidents

  • District Directors

  • Contract Service Executives

  • Principals

  • Assistant Principals

  • Unions

  • Teachers

  • Support Staff

  • Community Leaders

  • Advocacy Groups

  • Parents Groups

  • Student Groups


keynotes and workshops

I love to deliver engaging, interactive, inspiring keynotes, sessions, and workshops!

Here are a few recent topics:

  • Amplify Your Intuition: Trust Your Brain AND Your Body in Decision-Making

  • Stress Management or Self Care: What’s The Difference?

  • Boundaries and Self Care

  • Boundaries and Intuitive Decision-Making

  • Authentic Leadership: How To Do The Work

  • What Is Authenticity In Leadership?

    Looking for something specific?

  • Let’s explore a customized experience for your event.

Testimonials

  • Luke Meinert

    “Karen is a change maker with an uncanny ability to create and mold high-functioning teams. She gets proven results by clearly communicating expectations and trusting her team to work through established processes. Even though Karen is a powerhouse, she remains humble and approachable and is always willing to roll up her sleeves and help. She is forever loved by those that have had the pleasure of working for and alongside her.”

    - Luke Meinert
    Assistant Superintendent Fairbanks North Star Borough School District

  • Bridget Weiss

    "Karen is a leader who leads with fortitude and commitment. In the 13 years I have known Karen, she always strives to make those around her better. She is an innovative problem solver who is highly convicted to doing what is best for students and adults.

    If you want a speaker who engages participants, Karen is that person. Her credibility shines through as she presents from her heart and from the breadth of her experiences. Karen is a thoughtful speaker who understands her audience and hits the mark on their needs."

    - Bridget Weiss
    Superintendent, Juneau Borough School District, Alaska

  • Derek Coryell

    “In my 22 years working as a special educator, I have never encountered a stronger or more dynamic leader than Karen (or Dr. Gaborik)

    In the midst of running a large and complex organization, Karen never lost sight of my department's needs and more importantly the needs of our students with disabilities.

    Karen's ability to shift and adapt during the Covid crisis was remarkable. In the midst of much fear, uncertainty and anger, she handled the situation with grace, kindness and strong leadership.

    I cannot be more thankful for my time with Karen. I grew as a leader and continue to use what I learned from her every day.”

    - Derek Coryell
    Assistant Director of Special Education, Yukon-Koyukuk School District, Alaska | Executive Director of Special Education, Fairbanks North Star Borough School District

  • Sandi Ryan

    “As the Fairbanks Education Association President, I worked with Karen on many labor-management concerns. We were able to bring our School District and our Association together to jointly find the best solutions to an array of problems, including maintaining the collaboration during negotiations. Her leadership provided clear directions for employees in the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District. I appreciate Dr. Gaborik for her honesty and dedication to educational success.”

    - Sandi Ryan
    Fairbanks Education Association President

  • Heather Rauenhorst

    “Karen has a gift for intuitively recognizing and developing the potential of others. Working with her led me to explore, develop, and achieve a career vision in alignment with my core purpose and values. One of the things I appreciated most about Karen's mentorship was the way she consistently demonstrated her belief in me, which enabled me to trust myself and my own inner voice. I highly recommend her!”

    - Heather Rauenhorst,
    Founder & Director of Raven House Enterprises, Co-owner of Beacon Hill Farms,
    Executive Director Communications, Development & Engagement for the Fairbanks NSB School District (ret.)

  • Jerry Covey

    “I’ve observed Karen’s performance as a district superintendent and state education leader for almost a decade. I can’t think of anyone better prepared to engage, coach, and consult with leaders.

    Karen captures her audience and leaves them energized. Her authentic presentation style and motivating ideas cause her audience to engage, reflect on the past, observe the present, and think about how they can positively impact the future. Karen is insightful, challenging, reassuring, and motivating.

    If you are looking for a speaker and consultant that can effectively speak to authentic leadership, finding new ways to open doors, and building an inclusive team that can create and sustain change, I highly recommend that you hire Karen Gaborik! “

    Jerry Covey
    JSC Consulting,, Commissioner of Education, Alaska (ret.)

  • Kate LaPlaunt

    "In a world that has created shortcuts for social engagement through emails, texts, and virtual meetings, Karen's leadership style reminds us to slow down and invest in real connections with each other. By getting to know each other, we bring out the best in each other and offer support where we are weak. The result is that in times of pressure, our team was able to move fast and with confidence because trust already existed."

    "I can not imagine continuing my leadership journey without the mentorship and coaching that Karen has so generously provided. She recognizes what works for high achieving leaders, and delivers it with humor, empathy, and an invitation to deeply reflect with the safety of a friend."

    ~ Kate LaPlaunt,
    Assistant Superintendent, Fairbanks North Star Borough School District

  • Shaun Kraska

    “Karen Gaborik leads by creating powerful teams built on trust, empathy and compassion. Being a part of her leadership team was such a powerful experience for me; after retiring, I found myself searching for something similar everywhere I looked. Working with Karen as part of a functioning team meant everyone was grounded in the same positive mindset, moving in the same direction, and focusing on the same goals. Our team’s enthusiasm and commitment continued even when the work in front of us seemed unsurmountable. Karen established a team with transparency, honest conversations, and a supportive and non-competitive environment where each of us supported one another. It is amazing how a shift in team culture can make huge changes in the workplace, but that’s exactly what Karen accomplished – created a shift in culture – and it was the best work experience I have ever been a part of in over thirty years.”

    -Shaun Kraska, Assistant Superintendent Fairbanks North Star Borough School District (ret.)