LEADERSHIP & CAREER COACHING
Mission
Curious Ground LLC provides leadership and career coaching and consulting for executives and professionals navigating change with greater clarity, confidence, and purpose.
Tricia Jefferson, Esq.
Founder | Leadership & Career Coach
For more than 25 years, I've worked alongside leaders, attorneys, policy makers, community advocates, small business owners and others navigating complexity, uncertainty, and change.
Throughout my career—as an attorney, manager, and leader in the federal government and nonprofit sectors—I discovered that meaningful transformation rarely comes from having all the answers. It comes from asking better questions.
That realization led me to professional coaching. And through my coaching, I have had my own self-discovery. Coaching is also good for the coach. While I partner with you on your journey, I am also learning how to be more resilient, intentional and courageous.
Today I help professionals discover greater clarity, align decisions with their values, and move confidently toward what's next.
Ways We Can Work Together
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Find Direction
Gain clarity about what's next and develop a thoughtful strategy for achieving your professional goals.
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Lead with Purpose
Strengthen your emotional agility, communicate authentically, and lead in a way that reflects your values.
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Cultivate Your Influence
Build trust, deepen relationships, and expand your ability to inspire, collaborate, and create meaningful impact.
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Navigate Change
Whether you're facing a transition, a difficult decision, or a new opportunity, develop the clarity and resilience to move forward with intention.
MY APPROACH
Decades of Legal Experience + Coaching Mindset.
Every person already possesses more wisdom, resilience, and capability than they often recognize.
Coaching isn't about advice.
It's about creating the conditions where insight emerges, confidence grows, and intentional action follows.
I ask thoughtful questions, listen deeply, and cultivate awareness so that you can discover solutions that genuinely fit your life and leadership.
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"Working with Tricia was a fantastic experience. Her insightful feedback and strategic guidance helped me refine my skills in areas I needed support and boosted my confidence. I came away feeling sharper, more prepared and truly grateful for the direction and focus she took at each session."
Jessica K. Snyder, Analyst, Environmental Protection Agency
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I'll admit I've never been crazy about the idea of coaching, but when I connected with Tricia she was an active listener, asked great questions, and helped me crystallize (and provide accountability for!) a plan for some of the challenges I was facing with scaling my firm. Highly recommend!
Allison Clements, Principal, 804 Advisory
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"I went to Tricia with a difficult dynamic at work, which initially seemed to have no recourse. Rather than just telling me what to do, Tricia listened with keen insight and guided me through an exploration of my agency in the situation and my opportunities to effect change. My workplace didn't change overnight, but how I showed up in it did — and that made all the difference."
Heather Barlow, Audubon
My Story
Drawing on more than 25 years of legal and leadership experience across the federal government and nonprofit sectors, I bring a unique blend of leadership, empathy, strategic collaboration and coaching. I have experienced career pivots big and small on my journey to becoming a leadership and career coach.
Over the course of my career, I have litigated high-impact cases at the U.S. Department of Justice and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law on behalf of underrepresented communities to ensure voting rights and equity in higher education funding. I also advocated for equal opportunities in federal contracting for small businesses and secured 100 million dollars in recovery aid for small businesses in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. At the Environmental Protection Agency, I led an office through a presidential transition, guided teams in adapting to evolving policy priorities while ensuring high-quality legal counsel and effective client service. My EPA tenure also included advising senior leaders on longstanding environmental issues in underrepresented communities and environmental protection and meaningful engagement with Tribal Nations in Indian Country.
In addition to my work as an attorney, I developed and led initiatives to further equity and inclusion in the workplace. This experience deeply resonated with me, as I worked to facilitate growth, insight and transformation in others.
I recently had my own career pivot after retiring early from the federal government in 2025 and obtaining a Professional Certificate, Leadership Coaching for Organizational Performance, from the International Coaching Federation (ICF) Accredited Coaching Education Program at American University. Prior to that, I completed the Diversity and Inclusion certificate program at Cornell University. Outside of coaching, I enjoy reading, sampling new restaurants with my husband, going to movies and museums, and attending my kids’ baseball, basketball and soccer games. Originally from Jamaica, Washington DC has been my home for the last 28 years.
LET’S CHAT