The Whole Leader Lab Difference
Leaders today face immense pressure, often at the cost of their well-being.
Whole Leader Lab exists to change that by equipping leaders with the mindset, skills, and support they need to thrive while growing others along the way.
Our work is grounded in:
- Authenticity & Legacy – The mark you leave as a leader is not just in what you achieve, but in how you grow and empower those around you.
- Resilience & Stamina – High-impact leadership requires sustaining your energy, managing stress, and building a culture of trust and accountability.
- Thinking, Feeling, and Doing – Great leadership integrates strategy, emotional intelligence, and action.
- Building Leadership Pipelines – Strong leaders develop strong teams that can execute with clarity and confidence.
Whole Leader Lab partners with mission-driven leaders who seek to:
- Lead with authenticity while managing complexity.
- Build resilient, high-performing teams that drive impact.
- Develop strategies to sustain leadership energy and well-being.
- Expand their emotional intelligence to navigate challenges effectively.
- Create a legacy not just of results, but of partnership, service and growth of others.
Whole Leader Lab is growing into a full-scale leadership development firm, expanding its team and offerings to serve more leaders. If you're looking for a partner in your leadership journey, let's connect.
Meet Our Founder, Paula R. Shannon
Bold Leadership. Deep Care. Sustainable Impact.
Paula R. Shannon is an executive coach, leadership strategist, and former senior education leader with nearly three decades of experience leading large-scale organizations, high-performing teams, and transformational change. As the founder of Whole Leader Lab, Paula partners with mission-driven leaders who refuse to choose between high expectations and deep care—leaders who want to achieve results without sacrificing themselves in the process.
Paula spent much of her career leading at the highest levels of urban public education and focused upon organizational strategy, and leadership development. She served as Deputy Superintendent of Tulsa Public Schools, a PK-12 system with 34,000 students, 90 campuses, and 6,000 employees. As a key member of the executive cabinet managing a $500M+ annual budget, she oversaw district-wide strategy, school leadership, talent development, and major cross-sector initiatives. She previously held cabinet-level leadership roles in Providence Public Schools and Syracuse City Schools, spearheading academic innovation, organizational transformation, and leadership pipeline development.
She knows firsthand what it means to lead under pressure:
- Managing large, complex teams while fostering a culture of trust and collaboration
- Navigating organizational change, conflict, and high-stakes decision-making
- Balancing leadership ambition with personal sustainability
- Bridging divides across stakeholders to create aligned, mission-driven action
At Whole Leader Lab, she works with executives, senior leaders, and rising change-makers across education, philanthropy, nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations.
Her expertise includes:
✔ Executive Coaching – Helping leaders gain clarity, confidence, and strategic direction
✔ Team Development – Strengthening leadership teams to enhance collaboration, trust, and performance
✔ Organizational Strategy & Change Management – Supporting leaders in driving aligned, sustainable impact
✔ Emotional Intelligence & Leadership Resilience – Equipping leaders with practical tools to sustain their energy and decision-making under pressure
Certifications & Partnerships
