The Foundation of Coaching Names First Global Visionary Fellow

New York, NY (September 1, 2006) The Foundation of Coaching, an independent non-profit organization supporting coaching worldwide, announces the creation of a Global Visionary Fellows program that encourages creative thinking and bold action in coaching.

The Global Visionary Fellowship was created to honor those who have made a significant contribution to the coaching profession. The Global Visionary Fellow receives a grant to pursue a project that advances the impact of coaching in the world. A Fellowship is awarded annually.

This year’s award recipient is one of the early pioneers of coaching, Dr. Patrick Williams, who is often called the ambassador of life coaching. Pat is a licensed psychologist, an executive coach since 1990, and is the founder of the Institute for Life Coach Training. Dr. Williams is the department chair of the coaching psychology program at the International University of Professional Studies, Dean of the newly expanding UK College of Life Coaching for North America, and a curriculum consultant for the Coaching Certificate program at Fielding International University. He is co-author of Therapist as Life Coach: Transforming Your Practice and Total Life Coaching: 50+ Life Lessons, Skills, and Techniques to Enhance your Practice and Your Life.

Dr. Williams, as the Foundation’s first visionary honoree, plans to bring the Without Borders concept to coaching. This model, pioneered by Doctors Without Borders, won the Nobel Peace Prize for the international humanitarian mission of bringing help to people who need it, without regard to national borders.

Dr. Williams envisions partnering with successful international programs that already have a global infrastructure, such as Rotary International, to help advance his efforts. Rotary has been highly successful in helping to eradicate polio. Dr. Williams anticipates that community leaders might work with professional coaches to help them create solutions to local problems.

"Dr. Williams and his global vision were the inspiration for creating a Fellowship program," says Ruth Ann Harnisch, founder of The Foundation of Coaching. "Dr. Williams can bring the life-changing process of coaching to people around the world who don’t have access to it, and we believe that’s a visionary project that deserves support."