Today we’d like to introduce you to Barbara Ellen Leicht.
Hi Barbara Ellen, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Absolutely, thanks very much for asking! I am a Former Teacher Forever Educator, Trauma Survivor turned Thriver, and Mindset Career Coach. Growing-up, we did not have much money, at least not at first. I loved growing-up in the city of Rochester, NY for my first 10.5 years–the Beechwood Neighborhood specifically. However, it was not lost on me that my family was discriminated against, by the private school I went to, due to our Socio-Economic Status (SES). We paid 50% tuition. Very distinctly, I recall <i>not</i> being called on to answer questions, being told to sit on my hands when I did have questions, and being left behind while most of my peers attended a “smart” school program, mid-day. Yet at the same time, I landed within advanced level subjects such as spelling, reading, and math as soon as we transitioned to a new school district. You see, once my mom graduated with her Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering, we moved to the suburbs, and over time, we did incur more wealth. At that time (1995), I was headed into the 5th grade.
To be clear: this wasn’t a question of higher-standards in private school v. lower, in public school. In fact, by the year I graduated high school, our public school district was nationally ranked. The classist discrimination I faced within the 1st 10.5 years of my life was palpable, and it was due to our then-lower SES. It was so detrimental that, in spite of the many academic accolades I earned from the 5th grade and on, I never realized I was intelligent until my late-twenties. For instance: in spite of graduating high school with a semester of college credits (due to the number of high-scoring AP’s I took), as well as landing admittance to Teachers College Columbia University following undergrad (with a graduate school scholarship), it genuinely didn’t register that I am smart. That’s how detrimental the classist discrimination I faced from nearly every adult in my life–save for my family—was, for the first 10.5 years of my life.
That being said, I actually chose not to graduate from Teachers College (TC). In-spite of having over a 4.0 GPA at the time, I fell ill within my 2nd term (2008). I needed to take a break. While I still had 4 years to complete my Master’s in Education (MSEd) at TC, I realized something when moving home from Manhattan to Rochester, NY: I wanted to teach in Rochester. However, I wasn’t student-teaching in Rochester. To note, there are about 6 local–and high-quality–educational graduate programs within the Greater Rochester Area. Realistically speaking, I had stiff-competition. Therefore, I decided to try something new: I decided to try a smaller graduate school. Undergrad, I attended and lived at University of Pittsburgh–which is huge. Likewise, living in Manhattan and attending a graduate school of Columbia University, was the epitome of big-city living. One of the best decisions of my adult life was calling-up Nazareth University (then Nazareth College) to understand how to reapply for their MSEd Program. It turns out that that due to the timeframe, they simply counted my declination as a deferral. Moreover, this program hosts an Inclusive Education certification, which I wasn’t currently obtaining at Teachers College. This meant so much to me. If I was going to be a classroom teacher, I was going to speak to and reach every-type-of learner: not just the advanced or traditional learners. Truly, if the incredibly innovative and experiential-based curriculum at Naz wasn’t as strong as it is: I would have finished my graduate degree at TC. But it was. Fast forward about 13 years following graduation: and I am now on the Nazareth Alumni Advisory Board as Chair of their Career & Professional Development committee.
While I began my career back in 2008 as a 7-12 ELA (English Language Arts) Inclusive Adolescent Teacher, I realized I had to career pivot soon after graduating with my Master’s. That’s because, at the time, the teaching market in Rochester, NY was saturated. I was happy to long-term sub. But, my invisible disabilities require me to have health benefits. Simply put: I could not survive on long-term subbing alone.
Cue one of the biggest identity crises of my career. I remember standing between the living room and dining room with my then-roommate, who comes from a teacher-family and who was also studying to be a teacher. I couldn’t believe that I, too, could not teach. And then it hit me: like a flash-of-inspiration atop my crown chakra. I can be a Forever Educator. No matter what I did following teaching, I would bring an element of education and Universal Design Learning (UDL). And I did just that!
In 2012, I landed my first role as a Career Advisor with New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL). In 2014, I transitioned to the non-profit-side of business and by 2015, I was a certified Career Coach. In spite of being hospitalized 3 times between 2015-2017–due to my invisible disabilities and a debilitating misdiagnosis–I was still able to career advance. By 2018, in addition to being a Career Coach, I became a Program Coordinator and essentially a team lead. In 2021, I advanced into higher education and by 2022, I completed a Career Coaching course through New York University’s (NYU’s) School of Professional Studies. Come August 2023, I was fortunate to found my own career coaching practice, BE Career Development. Upon launching our website on October 30, 2023–about 2 weeks following my marriage–I’m fortunate to say I’ve enjoyed a successful 1st year, which includes Corporate Speaking + Training. Genuinely, my clients land within a fraction-of-the-time it typically takes. Since 2012, drawing for my own personal experiences with invisible disabilities, I’ve practiced as a Mindset Career Coach. This means I intentionally take a strengths-based, holistic approach to career development.
The thing is: even within my own successful practice, something was missing.
You see, I am a Former Teacher, Forever Educator. My passion is working with students. Yet within my coaching practice, I refuse to charge students for my services: I simply know of too many free resources for students–who are often just getting started and lacking extra funds. Faced with a dilemma, I needed to pivot yet again. This time, back to Higher Ed. Especially in having seen my mother walk-the-stage when she obtained her Chemical Engineering degree–how empowering that was, and how that transformed our lives and SES overall—it was essential for me to find an institution of higher education that holistically supports their students. Ideally, adult-learners as well. I am honored and thrilled to say that in July 2024, I began with SUNY Empire State University as their Internship Coordinator. In addition to career advising and coaching students–many of whom are non-traditional learners or come from historically marginalized communities—I also manage the Internship Initiative. It’s a genuine joy and privilege to do this work. I am still managing my coaching practice part-time and, as you may have gleaned, I specialize in career pivots.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Absolutely not!!! Not at all. It has been incredibly hard, often debilitating, but always worth-it. As a Mindset Career Coach, who’s genuinely worked with 6,000+ people within Rochester, NY over the past 12 years, I can safely say: aligning with one’s work-life values is always worth it. Can the journey be confusing? Yes. Can it be unclear? Absolutely. Will one second-guess themself? Highly likely. And … when we continue to listen to our core selves–when we listen to the whisper’s of the universe as Jonathan Fields would say, specifically in our SPARKED podcast interview–we do find higher ground. We find a higher-sense-of-self and a higher purpose overall. As a career pivoter and Mindset Career Coach who specializes in career pivots, I can safely say it has always been worth the work.
At times, I’ve intentionally taken pay-cuts. Conversely, I have also obtained roles that pay about 45% higher. While I’ve navigated multiple debilitating invisible disabilities, I have also transformed these into superpowers.
One core piece of respect I ask for is this: if ever there comes a day that I fully name the traumas I’ve faced, I ask that people believe me. Many of the scenarios that have unfolded–including being assaulted within the hospital when I was there to heal–are truly hard to believe. Combine that with how thriving I am today: and I do worry people will doubt. But I have persevered, toiled, and strove for everything that I have. That means putting time and money into therapies (CBT, DBT, EMDR, Acupuncture, Integrative Medicine) even when I had very little of it. This also means I have privilege. And my privilege is a “both/and”: meaning I do have privilege, <i>and</i> I have also persevered immensely. When clients and students with whom I work land roles, I affirm: <i>You earned it and deserve it! </i>This is because they have.
I have, too.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about BE Career Development?
BE Career Development is a boutique career coaching practices that specializes in:
• Mindset Career Coaching
• 10 Core Job Search Best Practices
• 5 Secrets to Resume Writing Excellence
• Natural Networking
• Authentic + Strategic Interviewing
• Next Level Negotiating
Through Corporate Speaking + Training, Career Advising + Coaching, as well as Courses + Workshops, I leverage a highly customized, strengths-based, and inclusive approach to career development. That’s how we work better together, and we have fun doing so: for more fulfilling opportunities and communities. I truly believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to love their work, and that we do have the em<i>power</i>ment to design our own success. In fact, clients with whom I work tend to land their desired roles within a-fraction-of-the-time it typically takes! Additionally, within 2024 alone, I’ve helped clients negotiate a cumulative of $50k in increased-income.
That being said, because I also work full-time within higher ed, I am not currently accepting new coaching clients. However, I welcome interested folks to sign-up for my newsletter (on the homepage of my BE Career Development website). Also, I am very much booking Corporate Speaking + Training engagements!
My presentations are research-backed and empowerment-driven. Within my 1st year of business alone, I’ve been an accepted speaker for DisruptHR ROC, presented at the Pro-ROC Talent Acquisition Conference (which is our Rochester, NY local affiliate to the National Human Resources Association), delivered a Keynote for our local ACCES-VR NDEAM Awards, and facilitated a customized Corporate Training on Personal Branding. If interested to know more, you can find my features here:
• Home Publications: Women Run Issue, Interviewed for Print Publication – September 2024
• Bold Journey: Meet Barbara Ellen Leicht, Featured in Online Magazine – August 2024
• Sparked Podcast: How To Use Your Inner Whispers to Find Your Way, Interviewed by Jonathan Fields – August 2024
• Pro-ROC, National HR Association: Recruitment in the Realities of our Post-Covid World, Conference Speaker – June 2024
• DisruptHR Rochester: Employee Engagement + AI = a Win Win, Event Speaker – April 2024
Cheers to <b><i>be</i></b>ing your best <b><i>you</i></b>! ✨
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
On Friday the 13th of October, 2023, I married the love-of-my-life: Local Author (Small Town Romance & Sci-Fi, Mystery-Romance) and Hospital Hero (Supply Chain Coordinator), Dan Leicht. He is an incredible man. While we weren’t able to meet in-person until our 30’s—when covid ultimately drew-us together—our paths have crossed our entire lives!
In fact, I received art lessons as a little girl from Grandma Leicht, who Dan was very close with. All because my mom worked with—not 1, but—2 of Dan’s uncles! If not coincidental enough:
• I also played soccer against Dan’s older sister: undoubtedly, Dan has been to some of my soccer games and
• We both wrote for the same local publication, about 5 years prior to meeting. We’re even published in some of the same editions!
Wasn’t it the icing-on-the-cake when, on our first Christmas Day living together, Dan and I found out that our aunts roomed together in college and were best friends!
We are incredibly in-love and incredibly grateful for each other’s love. The best is yet to come!!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.becareerdevelopment.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/becareerdevelopment
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbaraellenleicht/
- Other: https://vimeo.com/956202123
Image Credits
Wedding Photos: Mindy Hulett Photo