FOUNDER

Dr. Natascha F. Saunders

Founder & CEO | The Youth Career Coach™
Leadership Trainer | Career Strategist | Educator | Speaker

Dr. Natascha F. Saunders—known widely as “Tascha”—is the visionary Founder and CEO of The Youth Career Coach™, a nationally recognized company dedicated to empowering students with the clarity, confidence, and coaching needed to build purpose-driven careers. Since officially incorporating in August 2009, The Youth Career Coach™ has become a trusted brand in student career readiness, leadership development, and education-to-workforce programming.

Dr. Saunders has personally designed and led hundreds of customized programs under The Youth Career Coach™ umbrella, delivering impactful workshops and coaching sessions across the U.S. and abroad. Through high-impact content, tools, and training, her work has influenced thousands of students—from high school to graduate school and beyond—as well as the educators, parents, and professionals who support them.

In fact, the origins of The Youth Career Coach™, date back to 2005, when Dr. Saunders earned the title of Miss Black Rhode Island USA and launched a platform focused on youth career development—starting with speaking engagements in schools throughout Rhode Island. From Paul Cuffee Elementary School to Ivy League universities, her passion and expertise have driven over 15+ years of national and global impact.

Today, The Youth Career Coach™, is more than just a coaching company—it is a movement rooted in equity, empowerment, and education. The firm trains counselors and educators through the Certified Student Career Coach (CSCC) program, licenses career curriculum for use in schools and nonprofits, and builds strategic partnerships to expand career access for underrepresented youth.

Dr. Saunders’ original M.I.C.R.O.© Personal Branding Assessment and coaching frameworks are at the heart of The Youth Career Coach™, a unique model. Her materials have been used to facilitate programs in over 100+ institutions and organizations, including Harvard University, PwC, MIT Sloan, Year-Up, Howard University, TRIO Programs, and Boston Public Schools.

Through The Youth Career Coach™, she has:

• Coached thousands of students, with many securing scholarships over $100,000+ and earning six-figure job offers.
• Spoke to audiences as large as 1,000+ at national and international conferences and youth summits.
• Served clients in over 100 countries and trained 100+ educators and career coaches to expand the mission.
   

A sought-after educator and consultant, Dr. Saunders has also held faculty appointments in leadership, communication, and organizational behavior at institutions such as Northeastern University, Trinity Washington University, and Cambridge College.

Her leadership has shaped programming across government, corporate, nonprofit, and educational sectors—all while ensuring The Youth Career Coach™ remains at the forefront of career development innovation for youth and first-generation professionals.

Current Leadership & Affiliations

• Founder & CEO, The Youth Career Coach™
• Program Director, Certified Student Career Coach (CSCC), PARWCC
• Visiting Scholar, Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute, Rutgers University
• Associate Director & Career Coach, Harvard Kennedy School
   

Impact & Recognition

• Featured in: The New York Times, Working Mother, AFRO News, WHUR, CKNW, CityLine, Boston Voyager, and more
• Goodwill Ambassador to The Gambia, West Africa
• Honored with a Senate Citation from the Rhode Island Institute for Labor Studies
• Harvard University Woman of the Year (WECAN)
• Northeastern University Teaching Excellence Nominee
• Certified in Federal Career Advising
• Author: Obama and Black Loyalty – Chapter on Black Youth & Unemployment
• Contributing Author: Parents Guide to Starting the Career Conversation (Inside Jobs)
   

Academic Background & Credentials

• Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership, Northeastern University
• MBA in Global Business, Johnson & Wales University
• MS in Corporate & Organizational Leadership, Northeastern University
• BA, University of Massachusetts Amherst
• Certified Career Coach, PARW/CC
• Executive Education: Harvard Kennedy School, MIT Sloan, Stanford GSB
• Mediation Training, Harvard Law School HMP Program
• FBI Boston Citizens Academy Graduate

Published Research

Dr. Saunders’ doctoral dissertation, Krumboltz, Career Decision Making, and METCO: A Portraiture Study Among Alumni, explores how the METCO program has shaped the career trajectories of its graduates. Notably, The Youth Career Coach™ is referenced and cited as a key example of culturally relevant career support and student coaching. The study offers actionable insights for educators, policymakers, and career practitioners aiming to close equity gaps and improve outcomes for historically underserved students.