President

Katie Kanowsky, PCC

Katie Kanowsky is a dynamic educator, business consultant, and focus coach. She combines her expertise as a coach and cognitive scientist to help clients find their strengths and passion, then integrates them to create the life and work they love. Her passion is to help children and teens in the public education system learn to harness this information in their formative years instead of after having chosen a life path. Her mission is to create a sustainable psychological support system within the public education system that serves all individuals at the school site, helping them grow into their unique potential. She earned her BS in Organizational Behavior and Leadership at the University of the Pacific, completed coach training through University California, Davis, and holds multiple certifications in the coaching field, including Values2Wellbeing, HeartMath, and Sovereign Mind.

Email: katie.kanowsky(at)icfsacramento.org

President Elect

Carrie Chown, PCC

Carrie Chown is an ICF Professional Certified Coach and the current Director of Finance for ICF Sacramento. She has a private coaching practice working with people at midlife who are ready to claim their truth and redesign their lives. In addition to traditional coaching methods, she offers unique combinations of coaching with Reiki energy work and coaching through mountain biking experiences to help her clients find balance on all levels.

Carrie is also a faculty member for the Life Purpose Institute. She holds a B.S. from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and brings 20 years of project, people, and financial management experience into her coaching and teaching.

Email: carrie.chown(at)icfsacramento.org

Past President

Lisa Laughter, ACC, CPC

Introducing Lisa Laughter, an accomplished ICF ACC coach who is passionate about empowering individuals to lead joyful and intentional lives. With over 20 years of experience in higher education as a student services professional, Lisa has dedicated her career to supporting others on their personal and professional journeys.

As a dynamic speaker and coach, Lisa founded her own coaching and speaking business, where she partners with clients in a transformative process of self-discovery. Through her work, she emphasizes the importance of self-love, connection, and compassion, empowering individuals to embrace their true potential and live fulfilling lives.

With a captivating presence and a knack for connecting with audiences, Lisa is a sought-after speaker in various settings. Her engaging style and insightful messages resonate deeply, inspiring others to cultivate gratitude, find balance, and live with intention. She brings humor and authenticity to her presentations, creating an uplifting and memorable experience for her listeners.

Outside of her professional endeavors, Lisa finds joy in being a devoted soccer mom to her 15-year-old daughter. She also nurtures her love for the outdoors through activities like hiking and kayaking. In her leisure time, she immerses herself in reading, unleashes her creativity through dance and arts and crafts, and embraces personal growth experiences as a lifelong learner.

Lisa Laughter's vibrant energy, empathy, and expertise as a coach and speaker make her a beacon of inspiration. Her ability to connect with others, coupled with her passion for empowering individuals, has touched the lives of many, making her a trusted guide on the path to personal fulfillment and happiness.

Email: lisa.laughter(at)icfsacramento.org

Director of Finance

Kimmie Opoku, PCC

As an experienced executive career coach and Civil Rights manager with the State of California, I am passionate about helping individuals overcome personal and professional challenges. Throughout my professional journey, I've collaborated closely with career executives and CEOs while shepherding large exposure projects and state initiatives.

My work spans both the private and public sectors, where I focus on empowering people to achieve their goals and reach new heights. I bring expertise in DEIB initiatives, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) compliance, and career development strategies, offering personalized guidance to help clients navigate life’s complexities.

I offer group session’s that support individuals to gain clarity and build resilience. Additionally, through tailored coaching sessions, I support clients in finding confidence and success in their careers and lives.

My life motto is : All is well!


Email: kimmie.opoku(at)icfsacramento.org

Director of Credentialing

Venus Tayco, ACC

My coaching journey began informally over 25 years as a Human Resources leader working in global high tech, software, education, and manufacturing industries. In 2020, I shifted my focus to my favorite aspect of HR: developing leaders and organizations. I’m passionate about leveraging the power of coaching to help leaders at all levels elevate themselves and their teams, with a focus on aligning values, building trust, expanding influence, and overcoming obstacles to success.

My interest in joining the ICF Board comes from a desire to deepen my connection within the Sacramento coaching community. The Director of Credentialing role especially resonates with me since, having recently completed my first credential renewal, I've gained valuable insights into the process. I'm eager to share this knowledge with my coaching colleagues providing clarity and guidance on their credentialing journey to support their professional growth.

I hold a BA in Human Development. I am an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) through the ICF and hold a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification. I am a Certified EQ-i 2.0 (Emotional Intelligence) Assessor through MHS and also serve on the Executive Committee of Provisors Sacramento 3.

I am married to Patrick and a mom to Logan who is 16. We love spending time boating on the lake, attending sporting events and taking road trips. I am also a singer, and on the weekends, you might find me on stage at a local winery, brewery or restaurant performing live music.

You can learn more about Venus’ professional background on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/venustayco/


Email: venus.tayco(at)icfsacramento.org

Director of Strategic Partnerships

Anh Dang, ACC

Anh is a hardware design engineer turned life and career coach. She specializes in helping STEM professionals and tech leaders who feel burnt out or unfulfilled design a career they love. She guides her clients through meaningful changes that align with their authentic strengths, core values, and desired lifestyle. As a performance mindset coach, she helps highly successful clients get out of their heads, fine-tune their skills, and become the best at what they do.

Anh holds two degrees from UC Davis: a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering and a Professional Coaching for Life and Work Certificate.

She is passionate about becoming the Director of Strategic Partnerships to promote and integrate professional coaching across industries as a driver of well-being, growth, and innovation. Her vision is to connect with current and potential partners, making it easier for them to learn about coaching and access a database of world-class coaches.

Anh enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and chocolate Labradoodle, cooking, reading philosophy and self-help books, and watching Formula 1.

Email: anh.dang(at)icfsacramento.org

Director of DEI

Koi Rivers, ACC

After 20 years of leading global marketing and communications for Fortune 500 companies, Koi Rivers took her curiosity for people and purpose and became an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) through the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

Founder and Chief Strategist of Movemeant coaching and consultancy, Koi coaches emerging, high-potential, and high-performing leaders, and consults with organizations on leadership development, team culture, and strategic marketing execution.

An honoree of the Sacramento Business Journal’s 2017 40 Under 40 for business and leadership, Koi served as a Board Director for several non-profits, where she applied her commitment to diversity and equity through arts education and mental health resources. She’s the current President of the Sacramento chapter of Mocha Moms, Inc.

Koi has a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Communications from CSU, Sacramento, holds certification in DEI leadership, and is completing training to become a Certified Yoga Teacher.

Email: koi.rivers(at)icfsacramento.org

Director of Communications

Perrine Rambeau

From work burnout to traveling the world, sailing across oceans, hiking the Pacific Crest Trail or cycling the Alps on a solar ebike, Perrine found in herself the space where everything is possible and helps her clients find it too.

She is a courage coach for entrepreneurs, writers, adventurers as well as homebodies who want to make a change, big or small.

Perrine has a 15 year background in business, marketing and communications (Kedge Business School Bordeaux, France and FH Münster, Germany).

She coaches in English, French, German and Spanish.

Email: perrine.rambeau(at)icfsacramento.org

Director of Membership

Tina Shaw, PCC

Tina has been coaching leaders and teams for more than 10 years. She came to coaching after experiencing a profound transformation in her own life after working with a coach and wanted to support others in the same way. Tina believes in giving back to the communities she belongs to and has demonstrated that through 15 years of Board experience between ICF Sacramento and ATD Sacramento. She also volunteers with Braver Angels, an organization dedicated to bridging the political divides in our communities, workplaces, and families. Tina is running for Director of Membership so that she can use her strengths to connect with members, to appreciate their strengths, and to invite them to contribute those to our coaching community. When not coaching or training, Tina enjoys working on DIY projects with her handy husband, Jeff, and walking her Morkie (Maltese-Yorkie) Bailey while listening to audiobooks and podcasts on neuroscience, leadership, positive psychology and diversity and inclusion topics.

Email: tina.shaw(at)icfsacramento.org

Director of Administration/Secretary

Tracy Kreiss

Tracy Kreiss is a highly experienced leadership coach with 25 years of expertise in organizational development, leadership training, and professional education. Throughout her career, she has helped thousands of leaders develop the skills needed to increase their impact and manage successful teams.

Her mission is to facilitate conscious leadership through whole systems thinking applied to self, business, society, and the planet. In 2020 she founded TransitionMuse where she helps world changing visionaries play bigger through a process of exploration, self-awareness, design, and creation. Since that time, she has also led ICF Sacramento Chapter’s Ignite Pro Bono Coaching Program, a platform that aligns perfectly with her passion for empowering change-makers and fostering a supportive community for coaches. The Ignite Program partners with community organizations and institutions working towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, reflecting Tracy's deep commitment to global impact.

Tracy is a Professional Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation. She earned her professional coaching certificate through the University of California, Davis and teaching credential through the University of California, Irvine. She also holds a degree in Organizational Learning and Development from Southern Illinois University.


Email: tracy.kreiss(at)icfsacramento.org

Director of Special Events         

Michael Lorenzen

Coaching Experience: Having just completed my ICF exam in September, I feel like a bit of a rookie but I’ve been doing leadership and career coaching for 12 years now in higher education, mostly with student-athletes and coaches

My Why: my mission has always been to “be an important and positive influence in the lives of young people”. I’ve expanded on that as I’ve gotten older and have found great joy in sharing life journeys with all different types of folks. Seeing and hearing the “ah ha” when someone makes a discovery for themselves or implements something we’ve discussed feels like the perfect intersection of my mission, my passion, and my skills

Professional Background: My academic degrees include: BA (international relations), MA (international finance and management), MTS (theological studies), and EdD (leadership). My professional experience includes counterterrorism work in the intelligence community, management consulting for Bain and Company, and 20+ years of gymnastics coaching at the Olympic and NCAA levels. The last decade has been filled with senior administrative roles in the athletic departments at Georgetown and UC Davis.

Interest in the Board: I have been negligent in my service work since the pandemic and want to start doing more. I’m also excited about all of the folks I’ve met through my ICF studies and would be eager to grow my community in the field. I’m also hoping the pivot to full time coaching at some point and love learning about the journeys of different coaches.

Hobbies/Interests: CrossFit (coach, athlete, and judge for a long time), pickleball, travel, our three dogs, #vanlife

Email: michael.lorenzen(at)icfsacramento.org

Director of Program Development

Jeff Heiser, ACC

Jeff Heiser, ACC, dedicates himself to coaching leaders in higher education and non-profits to uncover their strengths, rediscover their purpose, and achieve their goals. With over 20 years of leadership in non-profits, municipal government, and higher education, he's passionate about helping others define their goals, find their passions, and maximize their potential.

He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Cultural Anthropology and a Masters Degree in Recreation Management with a specialization in Non-Profit Management. Jeff is an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the ICC and a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach.

He’s interested in serving as the Program Director, for ICF Sacramento, contributing his experience on professional development committees within national associations to get more involved in the local coaching community. Jeff and his wife, parents to three children, spend their weekends at various youth/school sporting events, band performances, and camps.

Their favorite activities include camping on the coast and mountains, skiing, hiking, and surfing. To stay active, he participates in a masters swim team and runs multiple times a week.

Email: jeff.heiser(at)icfsacramento.org