Kerry Searle Grannis

Leadership & Performance Coach
Non-Profit Executive
Ph.D.

Kerry Searle Grannis brings curiosity, empathy, and rich professional experience to her coaching practice, where she finds deep satisfaction in helping individuals and teams discover what helps them thrive and what holds them back. Kerry sees coaching as a natural step in a career spent helping people run their organizations more effectively, more efficiently, and more humanely. Kerry is a graduate of Brown University’s Leadership & Performance Coaching program.

A proud generalist, Kerry has twenty-five years of experience at mission-driven organizations in higher education, public policy and research, and social services, where she leads people and teams to better achieve their missions by shifting their cultures and improving business processes.

At the University of Virginia, she serves as Chief of Staff and Associate Dean for the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, where she leads operations of the Dean’s Office, serves as a senior advisor to the Dean, and oversees Staff Affairs. Prior to UVA, Kerry spent more than a decade at the Brookings Institution, where she focused on strategic operations, culture-building, and internal communications as VP of Institutional Affairs & Deputy Executive Vice President. She has also served as the inaugural executive director of the Falls Church Homeless Shelter and the president of the Falls Church Presbyterian Church corporation.

Kerry holds a Ph.D. in American Literature, and early in her career, taught literature and composition at The George Washington University and Northern Virginia Community College. Kerry is an avid reader and an aspiring writer.

Working with Kerry

  • “Working with Kerry taught me how to move forward with complex projects involving a wide array of actors across my university.  As an academic in a senior leadership role, she gave me vital insights into aspects of my job that I had never been taught to navigate.   Through her coaching I discovered ways to become more productive and more satisfied with my life as a whole."

    — China Scherz, Professor, University of Notre Dame

  • "Kerry Grannis is one of those rare people who combines a brilliant analytical mind with deep emotional intelligence. She excels as both a listener and advisor, providing valuable guidance to tackle management challenges and foster leadership growth. I attribute much of my professional development to Kerry's influence."

    — Ted Gayer, President, The Niskanen Center

  • "Talking to Kerry feels like chatting with a smart, insightful, warm friend. She puts you at ease right away; she’s open and nonjudgmental, while gently pushing you to challenge yourself by thinking in new and creative ways."

    — Stephanie Cencula, Associate Director, The Brookings Institution

  • “I was able to break out of my usual patterns of thought and see new approaches that I had never seen before. I learned something new about myself and found a kinder and broader perspective with which to approach myself and any professional challenges that come my way. This self growth and discovery was beyond anything I thought possible when we first began.”

    - Maureen H., Public Policy Communications