Karen Clarke

If there were an Olympic event for turning “I can’t” into “Watch me!”, Kip Clarke would have more gold than Michael Phelps. An award-winning academic, elite athlete, and community firestarter, she’s spent 35+ years helping people smash limits, rewrite their stories, and create lives that feel every bit as good as they look.

As an academic and innovative curriculum project leader, Kip shaped the minds (and futures) of over 15,000 students—so many that she still gets grateful messages years later. Her Masters and PhD research in adult learning, motivation, and identity means she knows exactly why humans get stuck… and how to get them unstuck, fast. Known for her counter-intuitive wisdom and laugh-out-loud truth bombs, she can turn a lightbulb moment into a full-on fireworks display.

A lifelong athlete, Kip has competed internationally in three sports—and once staged an epic comeback after a major health challenge left her sidelined for two years. With grit, laser focus, and a dash of stubborn joy, she fought her way back to elite competition, proving her favorite point: setbacks are just setups for comebacks.

Her leadership extends far beyond coaching. Several years ago, Kip co-founded a charity that’s raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for school breakfast and music programs in underserved communities, she helped launch a West Coast chapter of 100 Women Who Care, and she actively supports global causes such as Women for Women International and the Malala Fund.

Today, Kip’s mission is laser-focused: guiding high-achieving women through the Success-Fulfillment Paradox—that growing emptiness that can shadow even the most impressive careers. Her clients come to her wondering why they feel so unfulfilled inside; they come away with renewed vigour and a clear path forward that aligns with what’s most important to them. In short, they get back to achieving Big Things, but in a new way that light them up from the inside out.

Kip’s superpower? Flipping stale success stories into wildly aligned adventures, turning “shoulds” into champagne moments, and dismantling self-doubt with laughter, sharp strategy, and—if necessary—a tennis serve you really don’t want to return.