At the conclusion of a graduate degree at the University of Maryland, poised to begin a career in academia, Paulette Carnicelli Pidcock listened to herself closely and made a courageous choice to alter her path forward. What followed was decades of important, powerful work in the nation’s capital and far beyond.

People, Policy, and Purpose

For 35 years Paulette navigated the complex and vibrant world of Washington, D.C. as a Government Relations Executive for three multi-billion-dollar energy and utility holding companies (PPL, PG&E, and Baltimore Gas & Electric). Throughout all this experience, she studied and developed elite skills and knowledge essential to the highest levels of corporate and governmental leadership.

Over time, Paulette was moved to dedicate the skills and knowledge gained through her lobbying years—listening, trust, and the genuine connections that result from both—to a broader leadership endeavor. In 2014 this brought her to her own entrepreneurial venture, Pidcock Coaching Partners, and to the Society of International Business Fellows (SIBF), where her vision and dedication would find its most powerful expression. She earned the acclaimed Leadership Coaching Certificate from Georgetown University, more recently became certified in the highly respected Emotional Intelligence assessment EQ-i 2.0, and has committed herself to a broad and purposeful life that positions her to give back as a leadership coach and to make a difference in the lives of those striving to become authentic, resilient, values-based leaders themselves.

Domestic and International Leadership Development Facilitation

Since becoming a member of SIBF in 2014, Paulette has been an integral part of the facilitator corps for the international leadership programs as part of the South East Asia Leadership Academy (SEALA), the Central Eurasia Leadership Alliance (CELA), and the Middle East Leadership Academy (MELA), as well as with the domestic SIBF Leadership Academies. At the core of this work for Paulette is the privilege and opportunity to volunteer her time, effort, and support several times a year to help current and future professional and political leaders grow and develop.

Women in Government Relations

Paulette has also long worked to expand and enrich possibilities for women in leadership positions. This began with her work helping to build the Washington, D.C. organization Women in Government Relations. She served as its president in the early eighties and has recently returned as a resource to offer Leadership Development and Executive Coaching.

Institute for Women in Leadership (IWiL)

Paulette is also currently further developing a program begun in 2015 and that already proudly commends 74 women who have completed it. Designed for mid-to-executive-level leaders in the public and private sectors, the Institute for Women in Leadership (IWiL) will create an experiential and safe environment for powerful women to connect with peers while further developing their leadership competencies.

Living with Purpose and Adventure

Paulette’s global interests and awareness are rooted in experience as she has traveled extensively throughout the United States, Europe, South America, and, more recently, South East Asia, Central Eurasia, and the Middle East. Much of this has been the result of her transformative decision to more directly live her purpose via SIBF and IWiL, to dedicate herself to the development of new, resilient leaders for the challenging and changing world. Beyond this powerful work, trips have included numerous family excursions and particularly special mother-daughter adventures hiking the Inca Trail, crossing the equator while enjoying the Galapagos Archipelago, and hiking to the top of Lion’s Head Mountain, Cape Town. Paulette has studied Italian in Sicily, Florence, and Lucca to learn first-hand the language and culture of her Italian heritage.

An Eye Toward Creativity

Such extensive travel, especially to the dramatic landscapes of the Middle East, South East Asia, and Central Eurasia, have also presented Paulette with many opportunities to explore and pursue her passion for personal growth through photography. Her profound experience of cultural differences, devout religions, and the ancient beauty of many countries, combined with the work required to capture thoughtful photographs—respectful watching and listening, wordless attention paid to the physical world—all strongly inform and complement her leadership work.