Krista Vaught
Career design coach for higher education professionals and executive assistants
| Hourly rate range | $125 to $175 an hour |
|---|---|
| Focus areas | Career changeCareer clarity and purposePromotions and advancementJob searchPurpose and directionLife transitionsWork-life balance |
| Works with | Professionals and Neurodivergent adults |
| Also coaches | Life coach |
| Based in | Tennessee, United States |
| Credentials | Designing Your Life certified coach; Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach; ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC); Doctorate (Dr.) |
| Practice | Career Design Coaching with Dr. Krista Vaught |
Krista Vaught is a career and life design coach. She helps higher education professionals and executive assistants find their strengths, decide what work they want, and plan how to get there. She uses design thinking and holds Designing Your Life, Gallup Strengths, and ICF ACC credentials. Her clients include staff who feel stuck in dead end roles and people who want to leave higher ed or stay in a new role. She also coaches highly sensitive people.
What Krista helps with
Krista helps people who feel stuck in their work and want a clear next step. She focuses on strengths, values, and a plan built in small actions.
- Feeling stuck in a dead end higher education role
- Deciding whether to leave higher ed or stay
- Naming strengths and skills clearly
- Seeing how skills transfer to a new field
- Moving forward without a big risky leap
- Job searches that bring interviews but no offers
- Fitting work into life so there is energy for outside interests
Who Krista works with
Krista works mostly with higher education staff who feel stuck or undervalued in their roles. Some want to leave higher ed. Others love it and want a different role. She also works with executive assistants, administrative professionals, early career professionals, highly sensitive people, and neurodivergent people.
How Krista works
Krista uses the design thinking process and mindsets. Clients name their strengths and values first. Then they come up with ideas for their future and test them. Last, they build a plan of small actions to move toward the path they choose. She asks clients to pause the job search cycle before applying to more roles.
Background and qualifications
Krista holds a doctorate and is a certified Designing Your Life coach, a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, and an ICF Associate Certified Coach. She has made several career pivots herself. She has also felt stuck on a plateau in higher education, applying to jobs on campus and losing out to internal candidates. That experience shapes her coaching for higher ed staff.
Krista Vaught pricing
Programs and services
- One-on-one career design coaching
- Higher ed career coaching
- Interest form and intro chat
Krista Vaught reviews
The CoachVouch take
She has lived the higher education plateau herself and uses design thinking to help staff choose their next step.
Best for higher education staff who feel stuck and want a clear plan for what to do next.
Common questions
How much does Krista Vaught charge?
Coaching with Krista runs $125 to $175 an hour. Message Krista from this page for an exact quote.
What does Krista Vaught help with?
Krista Vaught helps with feeling stuck in a dead end higher education role, deciding whether to leave higher ed or stay, naming strengths and skills clearly and seeing how skills transfer to a new field.
Is Krista Vaught certified?
Krista Vaught lists: Designing Your Life certified coach; Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach; ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC); Doctorate (Dr.).
Does Krista Vaught only work with people who want to leave higher education?
No. Some clients want to leave higher ed and others want to stay but change roles. She helps both groups.
What is Krista Vaught's coaching method?
She uses the design thinking process. Clients define strengths, test ideas for their future, and make a plan to move forward.
How do I contact Krista Vaught?
Send Krista a message from this page. It's free and takes a minute.
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Last updated September 2026. Request a correction.