A Year in Review

Last year I set the intention that 2022 would be my year of doing something new. A year ago I had no idea what that would look like, but as I reflect on my year, new is definitely a theme. This year I examined my values, looked deeply at myself, and used my past experiences to refine who I am as a leader and person. I am so excited for you to read this year’s Year in Review. My life transformed in only 12 months.

In January, I launched clairerg.net and The Positive Coach Blog. My website started off as a project to take my mind off of my stressful job, but it has become a place where I can document my life’s work of uplifting girls and women. My platform focuses on sharing my experiences coaching students in leadership, and life skills, while focusing on building confidence and prioritizing mental health. I love having an outlet for my writing and I even had a few articles published in local magazines and newspapers.

My custom fitted golf clubs came in February! We played a lot of golf this year all over the world. We played our home course in HMB weekly and my game has improved. I am excited to keep up with this hobby.

In March, I leaped into the unknown and placed an ad in the HMB Review for a Summer Leadership Seminar. I called it Coastside Leadership Academy and wasn’t sure if anyone would sign up, but I felt like I had more to give than in my current role. Later that month, Lindsay decided to join me as a business partner. After seeing the ad, someone asked us what we planned to do after summer camp was over. The truth was, we hadn’t thought that far ahead yet, but after some reflection, we decided that the Coastside needed an alternative program for high school girls and we would lead it. CLA was born.

For my birthday in April, we rented a house in Big Sur and Lindsay and Matt came too. The coastline was beautiful and we enjoyed some time away. Lindsay and I worked on our vision for CLA in the mornings while Syd surfed, and then we golfed in the afternoon. It was the perfect place to balance a vacation while being inspired by nature to create our passion project.

In May, we officially announced Coastside Leadership Academy in the HMB Review and launched our website and social media accounts. We spent a lot of time on what I call our “press tour” getting the word out about forming our inaugural cohort of homeschool students in the fall. We had articles in multiple newspapers, parent magazines, and we were even on the radio!


June marked the end of an era for me and my family at Mercy. Cassian graduated from Mercy and my family and I proudly watched them cross the stage. After graduation, I ended my 6th year as Mercy’s the Asst. Head of School for Student Life, a role I took great pride in. I realized that in order to grow I needed to venture out on my own. Writing this reflection has helped me reframe the grief I have felt the past few months of losing a cherished community. The grief has been heavy and lonely at times, but now I feel the grace in letting go. I am grateful for all the lessons I learned about leading a school during my time as an administrator. The confidence I gained at Mercy is a gift I use everyday.


Lindsay and I hosted 3 weeks of Coastside Leadership Academy summer camp in July! Each week was full of girls eager to be outside, connecting with themselves, and nature. Our first camp experience was magical in Moss Beach. We spent time in the forest, journaled, talked about leadership at the beach, surfed, and met some really cool students. We felt that our camp experience was proof that Coastside Leadership Academy would be successful and it made us ever more excited for our cohort in the fall.

Syd and I flew 15 hours and woke up in Fiji on August 1st. Our two week trip was remote and restful, exactly what we needed. Syd surfed everyday while I read, meditated, did yoga, and wrote on the beach. The coral was the most beautiful we had ever seen, and we have snorkeled all over the world. Our trip to Fiji is one I will never forget and I can’t wait to go back.

On September 6th, Coastside Leadership Academy met in my driveway for the first day of our inaugural cohort. We have five students and get to reimagine the high school experience with them everyday. It is so fun to be outside, off of technology, learning from park rangers and people we meet in our community. Our students say that “everyday feels like a field trip” and it is cool to see the skills they are developing. The first semester flew by and I am excited for CLA’s growth.


I was completely immersed in our coastal community in October. Lindsay and I hosted booths at the local farmers’ market and Make it Main Street. We also did presentations for teens and their parents at the Burlingame Library. Our goal was to get our names out there and information about CLA to families who might be interested. At all our events we heard people say “I read about you!” and that was rewarding to know my “marketing strategy” is working. It was also really fun to talk to people and share our mission with others. I learned that all connections are good connections at community events.


In November, we celebrated a quiet Thanksgiving with my family. Cassian was home from their first semester at SCAD and it was cool to hear about art school. They even came to CLA and gave an art lesson.

For the holidays in December, Syd and I traveled to Portugal. We got to see Vanessa for the first time in about 4 years and did sightseeing together. Syd and I drove all over the country, looking for waves, and climbing the stairs of ancient castles. Portugal is pretty similar to California, but with cobblestone streets, much older history, and saltier fish. It was a fun trip and now we are home to celebrate New Years. 

At the end of 2022, I am feeling really proud. Venturing out and doing new things is hard and scary. There have been days full of questioning and fear. Why did I think quitting my secure job to start a totally out of the box high school program for girls was a good idea? The only fitting word I can think of as an answer is faith. Not the religious kind, but a deep knowing and belief in myself that when I have an idea or a vision, surround myself with supportive people, trust my process, I can make things happen. And I have done exactly that! It is amazing what can happen in only 12 months. Thank you for the support!

Through all this reflection, I haven’t given much thought to 2023 yet. My plan is to focus on healing and continue to build CLA into something even more awesome than it already is. I am excited to see what other opportunities and adventures arise. 

Happy New Year, everyone. Wishing you health and happiness in 2023!