Meet Dr. River
As the founder of Expand Flow Grow: Inner Leadership Solutions, I provide coaching, workshops, training, and transformative retreats to support emotional, mental, and energetic wholeness.
I am passionate about inspiring high-achieving women to lead from a centered place of wholeness–the inside out. Drawing on my research experience as a PhD in Adult Learning and Development, certified Emotional Intelligence Assessor and Coach, Emergent Learning Practitioner, Registered Yoga Teacher and Reiki Master, I help women evolve from grinding to thriving.
Inner leadership is about leading from the inside out, centering your whole self, and practicing radical courage to listen to and learn from the wisdom within. I believe that showing up as a great leader for others first requires showing up as a great leader for yourself.
The Expand Flow Grow approach developed not just from my 25 years in philanthropy, leadership, higher education, and learning and development. This work is personal. I learned to embrace all aspects of my life through the highs and lows of an expansive career, but also through navigating my own chronically suppressed emotions, mothering two visionary children, experiencing multiple traumatic losses, and traveling to nearly 30 countries.
I was born and raised in Michigan, began my adult life in the DC Metro area, currently reside in Fishers, IN, and am connected to my family roots in Mississippi. I also have the amazing privilege to be the mother of Noah Malone and Zion Malone.
Besides all that….I love dancing, traveling, finding the nearest ocean, laughing with my sister-friends, and getting on my yoga mat.
DEGREES and CERTIFICATIONS
Ph.D., Adult Learning and Development (concentration: Leadership Studies) – Lesley University
Non-Profit Management Certification – Indiana University Indianapolis
M.A., International Education (concentration: Counseling) – The George Washington University
B.A., English – Kalamazoo College
EQ Assessor
EQ Practitioner
International Association of Reiki Professionals
Yoga Alliance for 200RYT
At Expand Flow Grow, I understand the weight of your ambitions and the strength it takes to carry them. But what if I told you that within you lies the potential to transform that weight into something invaluable? Here, we embark on a journey of transformation, from leaden burdens to golden opportunities, guiding you to redefine your heavy and unlock the treasure trove of your inner gold.
Welcome to the sanctuary where high-achieving women transcend the superwoman syndrome and embrace the alchemy of inner leadership.
With a blend of one-on-one sessions, bespoke workshops, and immersive retreats, I tailor the approach to meet you where you are on your journey – in a process as profound as turning lead into gold.
What Do I Mean by “Pick Your Heavy”?
Lead, though common, symbolizes the weight of carrying others’ expectations, the heaviness of suppressing our true emotions, the exhaustion from relentless self-neglect, and the ceaseless quest for validation through external achievements. It’s a burden many choose without realizing there’s an alternative, thinking this is the only way to prove their worth.
Gold, on the other hand, represents the richness of living with internal alignment, the luster of setting boundaries that honor our well-being, and the priceless value of caring for ourselves first. It’s about the profound strength it takes to say no, to surface and navigate our deepest emotions, and to prioritize our needs—a choice that’s heavy with responsibility but lightened by its alignment with our true selves.
I invite you to pick your heavy.
Choose gold. Choose you. Choose the kind of leadership that changes worlds—starting with your own. Let Expand Flow Grow be your partner on this transformative journey.
Let’s connect.
The best way to stay connected is to sign up for my newsletter. You will be the first to know of any special webinars, workshops, or events I put together.