Cassie Briggs, PhD

Career Coach

Conservation Biology | Genomics | Ecology | Animal Behavior

My Coaching Approach

As a systems thinker, I enjoy helping clients connect seemingly unrelated or disjointed pieces of their career journey into a cohesive and compelling story, what I call a professional brand. Many clients come to me feeling pulled in multiple directions or unsure how their experiences fit together. I enjoy helping them step back, identify the common threads, and build a clearer understanding of who they are and the value they bring.

Many people become constrained by the career paths that are most visible or familiar to them. I enjoy helping clients explore opportunities they may not even know exist. Sometimes that exploration uncovers an even better fit. Other times, it provides the clarity and confidence they needed to fully commit to the path they were already considering.

I have a knack for identifying transferable skills, interests, and experiences and helping clients see how they can be applied across a wide range of roles, disciplines, and sectors. I especially love when we take this a step further and translate those insights into compelling resumes, cover letters, and interview responses that clearly communicate their value to employers.

I am deeply optimistic about people's futures. Not because I believe everything works out perfectly, but because I have seen how much can change when someone gains clarity about who they are and starts taking intentional action. At the same time, I don't ignore reality. Funding disappears. Industries change. Family responsibilities evolve. Life happens. My goal is to help clients identify opportunities that are both exciting and realistic within the context of their current circumstances.

About Me

I've always been someone with a wide range of interests. I was a science nerd, multi-sport athlete, and clarinet player in the marching band all at the same time. Despite that breadth of interests, I became hyperfocused on a single career destination: biology professor. I moved straight through my bachelor's degree, master's degree, and PhD without a break and landed my dream job immediately after graduation.

That hyperfocus eventually came back to bite me. As my family grew, I could no longer justify a 90-minute commute to campus, which led to a bit of an identity crisis. Who was I if I wasn't a professor?

After hiring a coach of my own to help me answer that question, I discovered something unexpected: I was made for career coaching and built for entrepreneurship. Coaching allows me to continue serving the population I care most deeply about, students and professionals in science and medicine, while entrepreneurship gives me the opportunity to tap into a wider range of interests and learn something new every day.

I wake up excited to work and that's the feeling I strive to help every client find. Not necessarily the exact career I have, but a career that aligns with who they are, supports the life they want to build, and leaves them excited about what's next.

When I'm not coaching, you'll usually find me playing volleyball, horseback riding, camping, or trying to convince my husband and two boys to go on another National Park adventure.

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▶️ Watch my interview on the Diverse Routes Podcast, where I share my STEM career path and how it shaped my approach to career coaching. If my journey or approach aligns with the kind of support you’re looking for, I’d love to meet you!

  • International Coaching Federation—ACC: Credential-holders are trained (60+ hours) and experienced (100+ hours) coaches. They have demonstrated knowledge and emerging proficiency in the application of the ICF Core Competencies, Code of Ethics, and definition of coaching. Earners show a commitment to high ethical standards and have demonstrated, through rigorous assessment, professional competence in their work with clients.

  • Based upon demonstrated attainment of the highest standards and qualifications within the resume writing and career coaching industry, Dr. Cassie M. Briggs has earned the Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC) credential, a certification of the Professional Association of Résumé Writers & Career Coaches (PARW/CC).