Hi, I’m Carley Dryden.
I bring my full self to my work as a coach and consultant. I am a proud multiracial Black woman, mom, wife, educator, equity practitioner and student advocate. I took a circuitous path to independent schools — from newspaper journalist and digital marketer to teacher and senior leader in independent schools.
At K-12 independent schools in Los Angeles, I’ve held senior leadership roles such as Dean of Faculty & Staff, Director of Equity and Inclusion, Director of Marketing and Communications, among others. I earned my Master’s in Independent School Leadership from Vanderbilt University and my Bachelor’s in Journalism from the University of Southern California.
I am fiercely authentic and transparent. I value being approachable and don’t tolerate pretension. With me, you'll always get real talk, candor and the humility of knowing how much I don't know. I honor that YOU are the authority of your own experience. If you want all of the gritty details about working with me, check out my professional “User Manual” here.
As a type-A overachiever and recovering valedictorian, I'm always battling between productivity and rest. My daughter has taught me to embrace the latter and lean into moments of peace and restoration as often as I can.