Dr. Jennifer Sparks Taylor
Senior Coach
Dr. Jennifer Sparks Taylor is an executive coach, leadership strategist, and organizational development leader with over 25 years of experience helping executives and managers unlock their full potential. She is the Director of the Center for Effective Organizations at the USC Marshall School of Business, an executive coach with Geffner Group, and the Founder of Sparks Ideas, a consultancy focused on leadership development and organizational effectiveness.
Jennifer has experience designing custom coaching and leadership development programs for public agencies, professional services firms and higher education. She specializes in leadership transitions, executive and manager coaching, management skills development, and navigating complex workplace challenges. Her coaching integrates reflective leadership, emotional intelligence, communication strategies, and systems thinking to drive measurable results. She is certified in coaching based on International Coaching Federation (ICF) standards, reinforcing her expertise in structured, high-impact coaching methodologies.
Jennifer holds a Doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership from the USC Rossier School of Education and an undergraduate degree in Marketing, Finance, and Entrepreneurship from the USC Marshall School of Business. Her research explores leader reflection and its impact on individuals, teams, and organizations.
Samples of Experience:
Center for Effective Organizations (CEO), USC Marshall School of Business Government agency individual leadership coaching; 2022-2024
Sparks Ideas, Inc., Professional services firm, “Leap to Leadership” – Leader to Partner coaching; 2024-2025
Sparks Ideas, Inc., Financial services firm, “Leap to Manager” – early career development coaching; 2024-2025
Sparks Ideas, Inc. Education, “Leap to Manager” – early career development coaching; 2024-2025
Sparks Ideas, Inc. Professional services firm, Executive transition – senior executive career planning; 2025