Maven Member Spotlight is a weekly series by Indy Maven highlighting a member of our community. Want to be featured? Join us!
Nora Elder is a facilitator, coach, writer and speaker who is passionate about helping people self-advocate and take up their space in the world. With an approach rooted in curiosity, empathy, and strategic thinking, she guides people to connect with and love their realest selves. She has over ten years’ experience in the field of HR and leadership, and many of those were spent as a certified instructional designer creating and facilitating fun, meaningful, and transformative leadership training experiences. She is also a certified EQ coach and experienced speaker. Her approach combines all of that experience with practical skills and creative approaches, offering a space to think big while making tangible progress. When she’s not coaching or leading workshops, you’ll probably find her reading, writing, hiking, crafting, or hanging out with her husband and rescued family: Henry, Emmie, Chester, and Sketti (two dogs, a cat, and a leopard gecko).
My Maven Superpower is…Question-asking!
Best book I’ve read lately is…Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert.
Self-care habit I swear by…Walking! I joke that I’m a professional walker…I walk my dogs every day, and I take walks with my coaching clients too. I firmly believe that getting outside, looking at birds, and moving your body are better for you that multivitamins!
My first job was…Working as a safety guard and skate rental girl at an ice rink!
The best career advice I can offer is…You’re not for everyone, so focus on being for YOU.
A purchase I’ve been loving lately is…Travel-size decanters for my perfumes! I love to smell good, especially on the go, and I don’t like having to leave my favorites behind because they’re too big.
I feel most confident when…I’m in a flowy outfit, smelling good, and making connections with interesting people.
My favorite local restaurant dish is…This is and will always be a bucket of wings from Keystone Sports Review–half spicy BBQ and half spicy garlic. Always with bleu cheese.
The thing I’ve been binging lately is…Couple’s Therapy on Showtime! OMG!!! Orna is a GENIUS!
A fun fact about me is…I took hula hooping for PE credit in college. Yes, I can still do some of the tricks.
The skill I most want to learn is…Sewing! I’d love to learn how to alter, and then eventually sew from scratch, my own clothes.
A Maven you should know is…Andee Simpson! She’s such a creative, community-minded angel of a human!
My favorite nonprofit to support is…Lucci’s House Bully Rescue.
What have you achieved recently that you’d like to celebrate with our community?…My first paid speaking gig (hopefully of many)!! Woohoo!
What’s next for you? What can we expect to see over the next few years?…Regular workshops and speaking gigs, as well as more corporate partnerships geared toward helping employees self-advocate effectively at work!
I feel most myself when…When I’m on a morning hike with my dogs! I do my best thinking when I’m in motion out in nature, and I feel no pressure to be “on.” I love being with the pups because they’re so present and in-the-moment, and they help me forget about looking cool and just BE.
My “must-have” product is…The roll-on oil of Maison Louis Marie scent no. 4: Bois de Balincourt! It smells SO GOOD, lasts forever, and one little bottle goes a long way!
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