A woman smiling outdoors near a waterfall, wearing a patterned sweater and a smartwatch.

Alice Chen

A dark silhouette of a bird in flight against a black background.

Twenty years of navigating complexity — with leaders, organizations, and teams across sectors and stages.

Teacher. Arts Coordinator. Grant Writer. Learning Designer. Team Lead.

I came to human development in my twenties and found my way to coaching and consulting n my early thirties through a winding path. Each leg of my journey has added something to how I understand leadership — and what it actually takes to navigate complexity with both clarity and humanity.

I've navigated significant personal complexity alongside my professional work. The kind of crossroads that require you to find your way without a map.

It's made me a better navigator. And a more honest one.

I founded Wayfinding Wisdom in 2016 — rooted in the belief that the most complex challenges of our time require wisdom, not just intelligence.

In the years since, that conviction has been tested and deepened across a wide range of contexts: leadership development work spanning state governments, organizations navigating IPOs and systems overhauls, teams in the middle of crisis, learning and development initiatives, and everything in between.

A person's hand with red nail polish reaching into water during sunset, with their reflection visible on the water's surface.

My understanding of leadership continues to evolve.

I don't believe you can guide others through complexity if you've stopped being curious about it yourself.

The organizations and individuals I'm drawn to share that orientation. They're mission-driven, love to learn, sense that the conventional approaches aren't adequate for what they're trying to do, and actively looking for a different way. They're the paradigm shifters and possibility makers — and working alongside them is where this practice comes most alive.

A group of people standing on a rocky landscape with mist in the background and cloudy sky overhead.
A black silhouette of the state of Florida with a large dark blue feather across it.

My approach draws on…

Organizational and adult development, systems theory, Polynesian wayfinding traditions, design thinking, mindfulness, emergent strategy, somatics, art and theatre — in whatever combination the moment calls for.

Credentials & Training

Education

B.A. — Wellesley College

History, Geology & Theatre

Summa Cum Laude

M.Ed.T. — University of Hawaii

Elementary Education

Certifications

Energy Leadership Index

Master Practitioner

StrengthsFinder

Yoga Teacher Certification

Coaching

PCC — International Coaching Federation

Coach Training — iPEC

ICF-Approved Mentor Coach

Mentoring coaches since 2006

Affilitations

International Coaching Federation

ICF Mentor Coach

Continued Professional Development

Growth Edge Coaching · Adult Development & Maturity Coaching · Coaching for Equity · Polarity Wisdom · Emergent Learning · Immunity to Change · Adaptive Leadership · Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness · The Neuroscience of Change

The Wayfinding Collective

Wayfinding Wisdom is Alice's practice and a growing collaborative.
The work is shaped by a small circle of trusted partners.

  • Woman with long dark hair, glasses, and a striped blue shirt smiling at the camera.

    Gienni Vieira

    COMMUNITY MANAGER

  • A woman with long dark hair smiling outdoors, wearing a blue jacket and a patterned blouse, with a blurred natural background of greenery and mountains.

    Tiffany Chang

    COACH

Ready to find your way?

Whether you're an individual leader, an organization at an inflection point, a coach developing your practice, or a team ready to work differently — every relationship begins with a conversation.

Book a Discovery Call
Book a Discovery Call