Dr Marisa Leask
About me
In 2023, I found myself standing at a crossroads, prompting a critical decision about the direction of my life’s next chapter, leading me to resign from my job and embark on the journey of entrepreneurship, affording me the autonomy to leverage my skills on my own terms.
My path has been marked by diverse experiences, starting in cutting-edge microchip manufacturing, then moving through various industries in both large and small companies. Navigating the delicate balance of motherhood while maintaining a fulfilling career, I opted for roles offering flexibility to accommodate my family commitments.
My passion for education, particularly in literacy and critical thinking, led me back to university as my children entered adulthood, where I found immense personal fulfilment as a student and researcher. However, a professional shift beckoned, and I re-entered the corporate environment with the onset of the pandemic. The continuous changes in my environment that I had no control over prompted a period of reflection and reassessment of my aspirations and values.
Embracing change and guided by unwavering support from my family, particularly my husband, I embarked on a new chapter outside of corporate. Although a path with its own challenges, a course of action that resonates deeply with who I am.
Experience & Knowledge
My corporate experience comes from working closely with leadership teams operationally and strategically in both international and local companies as a Human Resources manager. The main sectors I have worked in are pharmaceutical, food industry and professional services.
Committed to continuous learning, I bring a multidisciplinary perspective that integrates insights from psychology, change theory, human resources, and education. I am a certified practitioner in personality, aptitude and strengths assessments and I have also completed specialized training in narrative career coaching and organizational career guidance.
For my doctorate, I used implementation science as the conceptual framework and Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model as the theoretical framework to develop a comprehensive framework for the implementation of evidence-based interventions. This framework is designed to encompass individual and collective behaviour change, promoting the sustained implementation of interventions with a nuanced understanding of diverse contexts.
My approach….
I use an integrated approach grounded in evidence-based practices, allowing me flexibility in assisting clients to identify and work towards a goal or new insight.
Who am I….
Personally, my life has not been moving towards a specific destination but a journey where sometimes it has been easy for me to keep to the itinerary I set and other times, I wander off exploring different things. What I have learnt is the importance of self-care. So, I try and go on weekly walks to connect with nature. Walking among trees brings tranquillity and peace to my soul, hence all the tree pictures on my website.
As a manager, I draw upon diverse experiences in corporate settings, particularly within professional services, pharmaceuticals and the food industry, working closely with leadership teams operationally and strategically in both international and local companies as a Human Resources Manager.
As a researcher, I have studied second language acquisition and developing critical thinking skills in learners in less-resourced schools. I have presented on research ethics and written a chapter for a book.
Academically, I bring a multidisciplinary perspective that integrates insights from psychology, change theory, human resources, and education. I am a certified practitioner in personality, aptitude and strengths assessments and I have also completed specialized training in narrative career coaching and organizational career guidance. For my doctorate, I designed a framework for intervention implementation that considers individual and collective behaviour change that is sustainable in diverse contexts.
As a coach and consultant, I bring all of the above but more importantly, I will bring curiosity, attentive listening, challenging perspectives, and collaborative partnership, guiding clients through periods of change towards purposeful choices.