About Us

Blue Cardinal was inspired by a sports mom who spent hours in the gym, on the field, and in convention centers watching the highs of winning and the spiral of emotion when something wasn’t clicking – both on her children’s teams and others. Seeing the impact of communication and leadership when combined with a resilient attitude and growth mindset seemed to be the special sauce necessary for a team to have a positive experience – if not always a win.

Conversations with other sports parents confirmed the need for training on resiliency, adaptability, communication, and leadership. Time spent asking questions of coaches reinforced the need for concrete practices and methods that would apply to young athletes in this formative stage of their athletic careers.

A team of former athletes, coaches, and trainers was assembled to represent diverse aspects of training, athletics, psychology, and instructional design to synthesize the methods used by Blue Cardinal for teams of all types to build critical skills that take them beyond the court or field and into the professional world.

Blue Cardinal Coaching & Development is dedicated to empowering your team to build the resilience needed for continuous improvement, ensuring success not only in sports but in every aspect of life.

Bekah Ashley, Founder

Bekah Ashley is an accomplished executive coach and facilitator with over 20 years of experience in guiding high-performing leaders to achieve their full potential. With a degree in communications and experience practicing law, Bekah combines her facilitation and advocacy skills with her passion for personal development to assist others in reaching their goals.

Having led multiple individuals and teams through complex transformational changes, Bekah excels in coaching leaders of all levels on strategic thinking, emotional intelligence, and sustainable leadership practices. She has also worked with a number of teams and athletes on communication skills, resilience, and on court/field leadership. Her clients describe her as an insightful, empathetic, and results-oriented coach who can navigate the intricacies of team dynamics with ease.

Bekah’s coaching philosophy is centered around empowering clients to cultivate self-awareness, develop strong communication skills, and harness their unique strengths. She leverages a range of methodologies, from 360-degree feedback assessments to behavioral coaching techniques, to deliver tailored coaching solutions that drive impactful results. A strong proponent of interactive learning, Bekah enjoys hands-on learning that challenges the participants to think beyond the screen and develop muscle memory that will allow them to easily implement the new skills.

When not working with clients, Bekah is an avid reader, a proud supporter of local high school, collegiate, and professional athletic teams, and enjoys mentoring young professionals.

Kelli Szczepanski, Co-founder

Kelli grew up playing softball and went on to play at the collegiate level. Her experience in a team sport set the foundation for a career in leadership and coaching roles.

Described as someone who is passionate about helping others achieve their goals, she has managed teams of administrative professionals and has also coached softball at the high school level. As both a coach and a supervisor, she has been described as approachable and collaborative in problem solving and is devoted to utilizing empathy and inclusivity in her leadership style.

She has a Master’s Degree in Organizational Development and Human Resources and specializes in employee engagement, process improvement and change management. She holds a Six Sigma Green Belt and has multiple years of experience helping teams map processes and analyze areas of improvement. Her emphasis on emotional intelligence aides in helping leaders understand how small changes can lead to significant improvements within their team’s dynamics.

When not working with clients, Kelli enjoys photography, outdoor activities. She supports the growth and participation of females athletes by means of the Coach Frank Foundation, a nonprofit organization located in metro Detroit.

Our Consultants

Blue Cardinal Coaching & Development is a team of diverse individuals who provide a vast array of experience on and off the field. Well versed in growth mindset, resiliency, leadership, and communication skills, the BCCD team brings over 50 years of combined experience to your team – whether you lead young athletes or seasoned professionals, we have solutions to meet your needs

**Michele Flanagan**

Michele Flanagan is a Masters Prepared Mental Health Clinical Counselor. She has over 30 years of experience providing services to individuals and families diagnosed with Major Mental Health disorders including Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Eating Disorders and many more. She has significant experience working with individuals struggling with trauma and performance anxiety including athletes transitioning between levels of play.

She has coached soccer, track, basketball, and cheerleading for 20 years.

**Carmeda Stokes**

Carmeda Stokes has over 25 years of experience providing guidance and consultative services in areas including leadership development, employee engagement, change management, team building, and culture change.

She has a BA in Organizational Studies, MA in Adult Instruction & Performance Technology and her PhD in Curriculum Design & Instruction. She is a certified executive coach and is trained in group and team coaching.

A dedicated lifelong learner, her professional passion is enabling individuals, teams, and organizations to define their goals and achieve them by developing their potential to grow and transform.

Erin M. Larowe, MBA, is a distinguished executive and coach with over 20 years of experience in strategic marketing communications, change management, implementation science and team building within complex organizations. Erin’s expertise in organizational behavior and relationship management has allowed her to create and nurture high-performing teams, fostering a collaborative environment that drives optimized business processes and enhanced organizational effectiveness.

With a successful career in communications and master’s in business administration, Erin’s commitment to talent development, innovative problem-solving, and effective collaboration solidifies her reputation as a trusted and influential executive coach.