Karen Atiles

Karen Atiles

she/her
Coach & Consultant
Location: Holly Springs, North Carolina, USA
Languages: English

About Karen

Karen Atiles is the CEO of Lifelong Development, LLC, a firm offering comprehensive organizational development and leadership consulting services to both public and private enterprises, while also fulfilling responsibilities as a defense contractor for the government. Renowned as an international speaker and ICF PCC Coach, Karen has graced numerous stages and panels, sharing her insights on a wide array of topics such as leadership, change management, conflict management and negotiation, resilience, and generational diversity. Additionally, over the past 4 years, Karen and her team have hosted a one-day personal growth and leadership development conference, called Live2Lead, enriching the local community with transformative insights and strategies.

Prior to her current endeavors, Karen dedicated 20 years to the U.S. Air Force, leaving a lasting mark on the lives of over 12,000 military and civilian personnel. Since retiring, she has developed two impactful programs:

  • The first one is for personal and leadership resilience, ensuring employee well-being, strengthened team cohesion, and improved organizational adaptability.
  • The second one is a leadership development program to bridge the gap between being a technical expert to moving into a leadership role.

Beyond her professional work, Karen extends her influence through leadership roles in various organizations, including serving on boards for the Apex Chamber of Commerce, where she guides the ambassador team, and the City Club Raleigh’s Board of Governors, where she assists in making decisions to best serve the Club and its members. In her personal life, Karen and her husband are dedicated to raising their two daughters as conscious influencers. They enjoy running 5Ks together each month to support local non-profits and have experienced the world together, visiting 46 countries to date.

Industry Experience

Government, Military, Medical, Commercial Cleaning, Accounting/Tax Preparation, Real Estate, Insurance and Finance, Chambers of Commerce, Associations, Construction and Maintenance, Food and Beverage, Universities/Colleges/Schools, Offices of Mental Health Practitioners, Hospitality, Electronics, and Technology

Degrees & Certifications

  • International Coaching Federation PCC Certification

Karen's Style

Collaborative

Client Testimonials

“We hired Karen to lead a group of our members through a significant governance change process. They were outstanding communicators and quickly understood our organization. Their skills at leading the group led to sixteen recommendations that, if adopted by our Board, would transform our organization. Through empowerment of the group members and a well written detailed report, the process produced great results.”

— Dave Philips
CEO, Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS

“Karen was my training coach and mentor for the Resilience Building Leadership Professional Program. Karen is patient, authentic, and so warm. She embodies what it means to be a true leader and a coach. I appreciate all your help and your confidence boost, Karen!”

— Jodi Shipley
Licensed Mental Health Counselor

“I highly recommend Coach Karen! Coach Karen has helped my business grow exponentially! With our weekly meetings we have focus, clarity and accountability. in 2016 we set very high goals for 2017, and we hit hem all! 2018 is turning out to be better then we ever could have imagined. That never happens without a Coach. It happened because we had a plan and implemented it. Please reach out to me if you have any questions about Karen or her services. I could not recommend Karen high enough!”

— Andrew Bateman
Independent Commercial Insurance Agent