About Me

Hi! I’m Dr. Tess Hobson—leadership coach, educator, and fierce advocate for leaders who don’t fit the mold.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been drawn to people’s stories. Not just the polished parts, but the behind-the-scenes chapters that shape identity, purpose, and courage. My life’s work has centered around one mission: help people lead from the truth of who they are, not who the world tells them to be.

A mentor once told me, “Stand strong in the gifts you have to offer the world, and use them to serve others.” That’s exactly what brought me into this work.
My gifts of a calm presence, nonjudgmental listening, deep empathy, and the ability to ask the questions that unlock clarity are the foundation of how I coach and why clients trust me.

For two years, I served as an executive leadership coach with the Federal Executive Institute, supporting senior leaders across the federal government from NASA and the Department of Defense to Health and Human Services, NOAA, the Air Force, and the National Security Agency. Most recently, I completed advanced certification through Learning Journeys as a Narrative Coach Practitioner, deepening my ability to help leaders transform their internal stories into sources of power.

Today, my coaching focuses on women and emerging leaders who I affectionately call “unicorn leaders”—the ones who have always led differently, felt different, or been told they are different. Not because they lack ability, but because they lead with empathy, insight, intuition, and emotional intelligence in environments that often reward the opposite. These leaders are talented, impactful, and deeply committed, but their confidence doesn’t always match their capability.

Through my coaching, I help emerging and mid-level women leaders overcome self-doubt so they can step into bigger roles, lead with poise, and confidently deliver high-impact results.

I help these talented leaders:

• untangle self-doubt at its root

• own their unique leadership identity

• communicate with presence and authority

• navigate power dynamics without losing themselves

• and lead with a confidence grounded in story, integrity, and purpose

If you’ve ever felt like you’re almost the leader you want to be, but something is holding you back beneath the surface, I’d be honored to walk with you. You don’t need to become someone else. You just need to step more fully into who you already are.