Rebecca Braitling

“At the core, we all share a common need to feel valued, inspired, and connected. Oftentimes our clients feel the challenges they face at work are insurmountable. My goal is to help our clients breakthrough barriers and transform their awareness into action, empowering them to become the leader they aspire to be."

Rebecca Braitling is a Co-Founder of UpSpiral Leadership®. For almost 20 years, Rebecca has joyfully helped current and emerging people leaders make conscious and transformative change across their organization.

As a former Chief People Officer, Employee Relations Manager, Employment Lawyer, and Certified Energy Leadership Coach, Rebecca applies her vast knowledge and expertise to help individuals and teams achieve collective sustainable success. By creating a safe space to shift their mindset and leveraging cutting-edge research and tools, Rebecca inspires leaders to explore new ways to overcome the obstacles that are preventing their success. She is particularly known for helping leaders navigate complex workplace challenges such as interpersonal conflict, change management, and underperformance. Skilled at mediating conflict between individuals, Rebecca has a strong record of strengthening relationships and productivity through her guided communications and her creative, human-centered approach to problem-solving.

Based in New Jersey with her husband, two sons, and their beloved bullmastiff, Rebecca enjoys cheering on her kids at soccer games, writing poetry, and traveling to new destinations.

“The coaching sessions were non-judgmental and came from a spirit of support. Rebecca was great at relating different aspects of leadership to my individual work. The coaching sessions allowed me the opportunity to reflect on my work and personality and develop ideas to improve collaboration at my office.”  - Program Director, Non-Profit Youth Organization

“In undertaking a large project, I've used UpSpiral Leadership’s ‘5 Elements of Leading Change’ to assist in my communications and team dynamics, and have seen positive results.”

Areas Of Brilliance:

Leadership Coaching & Consulting for Current & Aspiring People Managers; Employee Relations; Human Resources; Leadership Development; Energy Leadership; Conflict Resolution; Courageous Civility; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging; Building Cultures of Trust, Empowerment & Accountability

Coaching Expertise:

  • Intentional Leadership

  • Leading & Managing Others

  • Navigating Conflict & Interpersonal Differences

Certifications:

  • Certified Professional Coach - IPEC

  • Energy Leadership Index – Master Practitioner

  • DiSC

  • Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

Awards:

  • 2024 OnCon Icon Top 50 HR Professionals

Education:

  • Seton Hall Law School, J.D., 2001

  • University of Wisconsin-Madison, B.A. in Sociology and Behavioral Sciences & Law, 1998

  • UCLA Women’s Executive Leadership Program, 2014

Prior Work Experience: 

  • UpSpiral Leadership, Founding Partner, April 2016 – Present

  • Stride Consulting, Chief People Officer, March 2021 - May 2024

  • Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Employee Relations Investigator, April – October 2016

  • Chubb Group of Insurance Companies,

    • Vice President, Employee Relations Manager, April 2014 – June 2016

    • Senior Employee Relations Specialist, April 2007 to April 2014

  • UBS Financial Services Inc., Associate Director, Human Resources Client Relationship Manager, October 2005 to April 2007

  • Legal Research & Writing Instructor, Seton Hall Law School, Spring 2006

  • Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C., Employment Law Attorney, December 2003 to October 2005

  • Connell Foley, Employment Law Attorney, July 2003 to December 2005

  • Supreme Court of New Jersey, Law Clerk, September 2002 to July 2003

  • Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division, Law Clerk, September 2001 to August 2002

Publications:

  • The Business of Belonging Report, 2022

  • Leading During Covid-19: Lessons Learned for a Better Future, 2020

  • Embracing the Shift Toward Collective Leadership, Insurance Business Magazine, 2017

  • Co-authored: The National Employment Law Institute, Who Is “Disabled” Under The ADA, Some Selected Cases and Comments (April 2005; March 2004)

  • Comment, Student-on-Student Sexual Harassment: Preventing a National Problem on a Local Level, 32 Seton Hall. L. Rev. 230 (2001), cited by the Supreme Court of New Jersey in L.W. v. Toms River Regional Schools Board of Education (Feb. 21, 2007)

Speaking Engagements: 

  • Keynote Speaker at the 2022 Westchester Human Resources Management Association annual conference, 2022

  • Workplace Wellness for Remote & Hybrid Teams presented by lulafit, 2022

  • Challenging Times Call for Changing Minds, UpSpiral Leadership Webinar Series, 2020

  • Leading with Courageous Civility, Women in Industry, Science & Engineering at Regeneron (WISER) at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals for International Women’s Day 2020

  • Leading with Courageous Civility, Brach Eichler Women’s Initiative for Success and Excellence (BEWISE), 2019

  • Leading with Courageous Civility, Garden State Society of Human Resources Management, 2019

  • Achieving Higher Performance through Collective Leadership, MSI Global Alliance, 2019

  • Leading Above the Line: Creating a Culture of Courageous Civility, The Diversity & Inclusion Festival of Insurance (Dive In), NYC 2018

  • Leading Above the Line: Creating a Culture of Courageous Civility, National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC), 2018

  • Career Management: The Power of Our Mindset, Zurich Women’s Innovation Network at Zurich Insurance, 2018

  • Boundary Spanning Leadership, The Diversity & Inclusion Festival of Insurance (Dive In), Chicago 2017

  • Boundary Spanning & Creative Leadership through Disruption- The Future of Leadership, Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF) 2017

Professional & Community Involvement:

  • Leadership Forum at Silver Bay, 100th Year Anniversary Committee Chair, 2018; Member since 2016

  • Abundance Coaching Circle, Founding Member since 2019

  • Diversity & Inclusion Festival of Insurance (Dive In), Co-Chair for NYC (2020), Committee Member (2018)

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