auburn rutledge
I’m a creative leader, strategist, and coach who helps organizations and leaders design human-first strategies, systems, and experiences.
I have a passion for:
Building inclusive, psychologically safe teams where people are empowered to grow and lead.
Coaching new & emerging leaders to find their strengths, uncover their voice, and define their brand.
Designing organizational culture and employee experiences with a focus on inclusivity and belonging.
Program & operations management—for internal teams, with particulr love for customer experience (CX) teams.
Translating complex systems into clear, actionable strategy and telling stories that move people toward action
Coaching individuals looking to uncover their passions, and embed authenticity and purposefulness into their lives
Creating equitable frameworks that center marginalized voices and drive sustainable impact
When we build ecosystems of care, belonging, creative expression, and connection for our people,
they create extraordinary things.
Over the past decade plus, I’ve led teams across global organizations like Electronic Arts and Expedia Group, as well as smaller organizations and start-ups across industries, helping individuals and programs thrive through inclusive, human-centered leadership and systems that encourage human connection.
My work is rooted in creating conditions where people can bring their whole selves. I guide teams and individuals to uncover their strengths, lead with authenticity, tell their stories, and build cultures that center psychological safety, accountability, and belonging—because that’s where creativity and innovation flourish.
I’m passionate about storytelling as a catalyst for change, whether that’s an organization reimagining its culture, a nonprofit amplifying its mission, or a future leader finding their voice.
As a Black, mixed-race, queer, neurodivergent, and disabled person, I’ve spent my life learning to move through and reimagine systems not designed for me. That perspective shapes everything I do: I build environments that empower others to be seen, to be bold, and to belong.
professional focuses & skillsets
Below are a summary of my key skills, developed through 15+ years of experience across a multitude of organizations and industries, as well as continuing education and training.
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Design thinking
Systems thinking & design
Creative storytelling
Equity, diversity, inclusion & belonging
Intersectional thinking
Creative ideation, brainstorming & facilitation
Emergent strategy & theory of change
Crafting non-hierarchical structures
Building impact networks
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Team Management (individual contributors & managers of teams)
Recruitment, Hiring & Onboarding
Training & Curriculum Development
Career Development
Performance Reviews & 1-on-1s
Coaching
Mentorship
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Team Operations & Infrastructure
Project & Portfolio Management
Performance Analysis & Recommendations
KPI Management
Processes, SOPs, and Best Practice Development & Implementation
Goal & OKR Development & Management
Budget, P&L & Forecasting
Resource Management
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Account & Relationship Management
Client Health & Satisfaction
CX Strategy Design
Customer Journeys & Lifecycle Management
Workshops
Revenue, Renewal & Retention
Strategic Campaigns
Escalations Management & Executive Escalations
Sales, Product, and Marketing Partnerships
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Microsoft Office Suite
Google Workspace
Collaboration tools (Slack, Zoom, Microsoft Teams)
Salesforce
Google Analytics
Tableau
Adobe Creative Suite
Visual workspaces (Miro, Mural)
Project Management tools (Asana, Wrike, Trello, Smartsheet, Notion, Airtable)
Jira & JaaS
values & approach
As a leader, I lead with empathy, clarity, and accountability. I bring strategic clarity, creative vision, and human-centered leadership to every collaboration. Whether I’m helping an organization evolve, guiding a leader in transition, or coaching a team toward new heights, my work is rooted in connection, curiosity, and inclusion.
Liberatory Mindset
Power with, not power over. Leadership as shared agency and collective ownership.
Connection as change. Building relationships rooted in care, equity and accountability.
Emergence and experimentation. Creating conditions where new systems, stories and structures can rise.
Creative Systems Thinking
I approach problem-solving and solution design through a creative lens: embracing storytelling, deep listening, human-centered design, and co-creation.
I use this perspective to identify patterns, imagine new futures, and build structures where teams flourish.
Imagination-led work is as much play as it is powerful.
Inclusive & Relational Leadership
I believe everyone deserves to be honored for who they are. I create spaces of trust, curiosity and courage, where diverse perspectives aren’t just welcomed but essential.
Informed by my own intersectional identity, I’m committed to cultures where everyone—including those from historically marginalized communities—are seen, heard and empowered.
Our best work is created in diverse environments fueled by a sense of belonging.
The future of leadership is creative, collective, and deeply human.
My work lives at the intersection of creativity, equity, and transformation. I partner with individuals and organizations to design cultures where people feel safe to take risks, collaborate deeply, and lead with authenticity.
I blend strategic clarity with liberatory practice—helping people and organizations imagine new possibilities, develop theories of change and design adaptive strategies to reach this vision, and build the frameworks that bring them to life.
Whether you’re an individual leader in transition, a team seeking cohesion, or an organization ready for cultural transformation, I bring a blend of strategy, imagination, authenticity and empathy to help you move forward with clarity and purpose.
Let’s imagine the future we want, and build it together.