Rachel

Alvarez-Reyes

I have worked in the international development sector for more than 25 years, initially as a consultant, but over the past 8 years, primarily as a coach and facilitator. I combine deep understanding of the challenges facing those who work in the humanitarian and development fields, with the important role coaching can play in bringing about change from within, liberating peoples’ potential and increasing their impact in the world. I am driven by a desire to support clients to deepen their self-awareness, connecting all parts of themselves to find purpose, meaning and passion in their lives so that they can truly be the change they wish to see in the world.

Experience & Credentials

PhD in Geography and International Development

BA in Geography and Development Studies

MA in Development Studies

Certificate in Professional Coaching Skills

Certified Professional Executive Coach

Trained Systemic Team Coach

Accredited to use Team Connect 360

Envisia Learning
Trained to use Innate, Career Profile Inventory, NeuroTeamView, Resilience Inventory, Momentor, OFactor, Talent Accelerator

Specific experience includes:

Coaching senior leaders (RRs and DRRs) within UNDP

Coaching senior executives within the FAO on their Executive Coaching Programme

Coaching women leaders within the UNDP on their Women’s Development Programme

Developing and facilitating learning experiences, team away days etc.

Coaching new recruits to UNICEF as part of their Junior Professional Officer programme

Coaching young activists and campaigners for UpRising on their leadership programmes

Why

You are full of strengths as a coach. You allowed me to feel comfortable and think aloud about my work, my areas of possible improvement, my hidden talents. The way you drove the coaching without letting me think you were driving was extremely powerful. You gave me a coaching that went well beyond my expectations because you allowed me to take a step back and think broadly about my work, my future expectations, how to take smart risks by adding new abilities, and making my work more colorful.

Rodrigo, FAO executive Programme, 2019

My Story

What ignited my passion was learning of all the historic and current injustices that keep many in the developing world living in poverty. I wanted to make a difference and be part of the solution.

I was first exposed to the world of international development during my first degree, when I took an elective course in development studies. From that moment I was hooked and switched degree to make development studies my honours subject.

Searching for a deeper understanding of why things were as they were took me first on an academic path, before seeking a more applied contribution to the sector through consultancy work.

After working for consulting firms for more than ten years, I realised that I had lost some of the passion that initially drove me to work in this sector. I could see the dysfunction, the fact that many programmes simply did not achieve their potential, and that somehow the incentives in the sector were undermining achieving this potential. I decided to leave and carve out a different path, undertaking coach training both as a journey to personal growth and to finding that path.

Coach training proved to be the start of a huge transformational journey and I began to see how this powerful approach could be used as a way of supporting those working in the international development sector to find their purpose, work according to their values and bring their best self to the work they do.

My approach to coaching builds very much on my attitude to consulting: that the client has the knowledge and insight to bring about effective change in their life and work and the role of the coach/consultant is to unlock this knowledge and facilitate a process of change. I do not pretend to have all the answers and remain open and curious to the big questions that shape our world and our place in it.

My approach combines strong empathy and active listening with the ability to provide feedback and challenge where needed. This creates an environment where clients feel supported and ‘heard’ as well as motivated and stretched to move forward in areas where they seek change.