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The Women Leaders Association, a national organization for women professionals with 43,000 members and more than 130 regional chapters, has announced the addition of Rev. M. Olivia Kincaid Haney as the newest Coaching Partner for its Richmond chapter. The appointment expands the chapter's Coaching Partners roster, providing Richmond-area members with a second vetted coach, each bringing distinct specialties to the program.
The Coaching Partners program was developed to address a challenge frequently cited by members: while coaching is a valuable investment for professional women, finding a qualified coach can be difficult due to unregulated titles and varying quality. The Women Leaders Association addresses this by carefully vetting each Coaching Partner for recognized certifications, verifiable experience, and strong client reviews. As a result, members can book consultations with confidence, knowing that each coach has undergone a thorough screening process.
Haney describes her coaching approach as a partnership that encourages clients to discover new ways to approach work, family, and life. She emphasizes creativity, imagination, and hope, aiming to support leaders in making their work both sustainable and fulfilling. Haney's journey into coaching began when she was asked by a colleague to provide guidance during a challenging interim ministry, prompting her to develop her skills to help leaders become more innovative and resilient.
"What I enjoy about coaching is walking beside you as you discover new ways to approach work, family and life," said Haney. "A friend once asked me to walk beside her while she served a congregation in conflict. She wanted someone who could listen and offer a different way forward. That is still what I do. I am honored to bring it to the Women Leaders Association's Richmond members."
Haney is a Presbyterian minister and former Mid-Council Leader, with experience both seeking and providing leadership support. Her practice has focused on ministerial leadership, working with ordained and lay pastors, church staff, and boards. She notes that the core questions she addresses—how to lead a divided group, make tough decisions, and maintain fulfilling work—are common to any leader carrying responsibility for others.
Haney holds a degree in history and religion from Mary Baldwin College and a Master of Divinity from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. She is an ordained minister, an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coaching Federation, and holds certifications from Auburn Seminary and in Forgiveness Coaching. Her experience includes serving in small churches and presbyteries in transitional roles and being an active member of various presbyteries and synods.
With Haney joining Whitney Newcomb on the Richmond Coaching Partners roster, members now have access to two proven coaches with complementary strengths. Richmond-area members can view Haney's full profile, including her focus areas and background, or schedule a free 30-minute conversation through her profile page.
"Our vetting always asks the same three questions — credentials, experience, results — and Olivia answers them from a place most coaches never stand," said Lydia Price, 2026 Volunteer Chair of the Women Leaders Association. "She is an ICF-credentialed coach who has spent her career as both the leader asking for help and the leader called in to give it, which is exactly the perspective a woman carrying responsibility for other people needs across the table. Adding that to our Richmond roster gives members a real choice."
The Richmond expansion is part of a broader national rollout, as the association continues to extend the Coaching Partners program across its network of more than 130 chapters, pairing each city's members with coaches selected for their market.
The Coaching Partners program supports the association's mission to provide professional women with both transparency and support for career advancement. The Women Leaders Association has invested in closing the information gap around workplace equity, producing resources such as the Glass Ceiling Score project, which uses data to evaluate how fairly major U.S. employers promote women. Chapters also publish Best Women Employers rankings, compensation studies, and annual Top 50 Women Leaders awards. Coaching Partners adds a personalized dimension, helping members take action based on these insights.
Members can learn more about upcoming events at the Events Near You page, view local employer rankings on the Best Employers Near You page, or visit the Richmond chapter website for additional information.
About Women Leaders Association
The Women Leaders Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to the development and advancement of women in the corporate sector. With 43,000 members and more than 130 chapters, it is the largest publisher and events organization serving women professionals, producing conferences, leadership programs, original research, and daily publications for members. The association also recognizes top businesswomen, publishes Glass Ceiling Score rankings, and highlights leading employers for women in each city.
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Media Contact:
Lydia Price
Richmond Women Leaders Association
Service@WomanLeaders.org
