So I think what I will do is tell you a little about me and my ideas about life, and that will give you a sense of who I am and maybe pique your curiosity a little - either about me or about yourself. And if you want to know more than you find here, well, you can always ask!

I began my professional career in Community Psychology. After a short stint away from higher education, I returned to the world of Student Affairs. I have held numerous positions on 4 different campuses in Virginia, Wisconsin, and Washington, DC. I enjoyed my work on university and college campuses because I was able to be myself—creative, spontaneous, out-of-the-ordinary, quirky, and funny—all while helping others discover their own paths in life. During my time on college campuses, I learned a great deal about politics, decision making, organizational culture, and bureaucracy within large organizations. But I think most importantly, I learned a great deal about myself, including my true values, desires, and what I want out of life.

In the spring of 2003, after 15 years of university life, I decided that it was time for me to venture out on my own. So, capitalizing on my knowledge, skills, strengths, drive, and spirit, I decided to build a coaching practice. In many ways, my practice is an outgrowth of the personal fitness and training business that I had been running on a part-time basis for several years prior. My two businesses allow me the opportunity to work with the mind, body, and soul. In fact, several of my local clients hire me both as a coach and as a personal trainer. I can’t think of a more holistic or fulfilling way to work with someone. In designing my training business and my coaching practice, I knew that I would have to stay true to my mission in life:

I will live my life honestly—with myself and others. I will seek to enjoy all that life has to offer and will return to life what I have to offer. I will respect the Earth and her beauty. I will always continue to learn. I will laugh everyday and not take life as something serious. I will be playful in all of my endeavors and will strive to be creative in all that I do. I will seek to step out of the box and offer a different perspective to the world. I will love earnestly and without regret or remorse. I will enjoy my own self, and will seek to develop my awareness and spirit, and take them to new heights, that are free from all boundaries. (1995)

In my personal life, I have much to be thankful for, particularly my family and friends. I am the oldest of 6 children; four of my siblings are the result of blended families. I grew up in southeastern Virginia, and spent much of my time outdoors, particularly on the beaches in the area. I grew up a swimmer, and spent my summers through college as a life guard and swim coach. Most of my family continues to live in southern Virginia, although my brother David, the other entrepreneur in the family, lives in Blacksburg, VA.

In addition to being a swimmer, I grew up dancing—ballet, jazz, and modern dance. In graduate school, I discovered competitive ballroom dancing, and spent several years traveling the country competing. For me dancing was not just an athletic activity, it was an artistic endeavor. But it has not been the only way for me to unleash my creative and artistic side. Both art and music have played key roles in that respect. I am an avid photographer, and also enjoy painting, mostly abstract works. I have been singing since I was 12. I have been fortunate enough to perform with many different ensembles and choirs throughout my life, including the Madison Symphony, and most recently The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC and an all male chamber choir, The Rock Creek Singers. My love of music has taken me to Rome where I performed in the Vatican, St. Peter’s Square, and before the Roman Consulate, and has given me the chance to sing in Carnegie Hall, Boston’s Symphony Hall, and the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.

When I am not writing, taking pictures, dancing, or singing, you can find me doing any number of other things: hiking, blading, biking, running, weight training, sailing, rowing, reading, fighting with wizards, orcs and other beasts on any number of computer games, playing with Zoe and Claire, my Russian Blue cats, or spending time with my wonderful friends.

While I consider all of the above the more interesting aspects of my life, below you will find specific, and possibly relevant, information about my professional life (i.e. my resume).

EDUCATION
Ph.D. University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis, January 2005
Supporting Areas: Counseling Psychology; Student Affairs Administration; Organizational Theory & Behavior

Dissertation: When Hope & Fear Collide: Expectations and Experiences of Doctoral Students in the Natural Sciences.

MBA University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
Management & Human Resources, May 1999

M.Ed. College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA
Counseling Psychology, August 1991
Master’s Thesis: Counseling Gay Males with AIDS: Psychosocial Perspectives.

B.A. University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
Major: Psychology; Minor: Classics, May 1989

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Interim Chair, Graduate Programs, College of Business and Information Technology
Argosy University, Washington, DC

Assistant Dean, McDonough School of Business
Georgetown University, Washington, DC

Assistant Dean, School of Education
Trinity College, Washington, DC

Assistant Coordinator, Conflict Management Services
Madison Area Technical College, Madison WI

Senior Counselor, Counseling Services
Madison Area Technical College, Madison WI

Counselor
University Counseling Center, University of Virginia

Student Activities Director
University Union, University of Virginia

CONSULTING EXPERIENCE

Georgetown University Career Education Center, Washington, DC

Elder Law & Estate Planning, Inc., Washington, DC

Madison Area Technical College, Madison, WI

University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension, Madison, WI

North Farm Cooperative, Madison, WI

Wisconsin Council on Children and Families, Madison, WI

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS
Publications
Golde, C.M. & Robinson, C.S. Waffling and flailing: Undergraduates in pursuit of a Ph.D. Unpublished Manuscript.

Robinson, C.S. (1994). Counseling Gay Males with AIDS: Psychosocial Perspectives. Journal of Gay and Lesbian Social Services, 1, 15-32.

Presentations
Mentoring at the Crossroads: Creating Dynamic Followers, International Leadership Association Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, November 2006.

Leadership Coaching: Evoking Excellence in Others, American College Personnel Association Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA, April 2004.

Job Search Strategies for Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Individuals, American College Personnel Association Annual Conference, Long Beach, CA, March 2002.

Waffling & Flailing: Undergraduates in Pursuit of a Ph.D., with Chris Golde, Association for the Study of Higher Education Annual Conference, San Antonio, TX, November 1999.

Managing the Stress of Organizational Change, Wisconsin College Personnel Association Annual Conference, Wisconsin Dells, WI, October 1998.

Facilitating Communication Between Faculty Members and Students with Disabilities, with Pam Chrostowski & Marilyn Fayram, American College Personnel Association Annual Conference, St. Louis, MO, March 1998.

Hidden From View: Gays, Lesbians, & Bisexuals on the College Campus, Invited Speaker, Wisconsin Vocational Association Annual Conference, Madison, WI, April 1997.

Career Counseling with Gay, Lesbian, & Bisexual Students, Wisconsin College Personnel Association Annual Conference, Milwaukee, WI, October 1996.

Opening the Doors to Understanding: GLB Issues on the College Campus, Statewide Equity and Multiculturalism Annual Conference, Milwaukee, WI, November 1995.

Counselors’ and Clients’ Perceptions of Important Events in Career Counseling, American Counseling Association Annual Conference, Minneapolis, MN, April 1994.

HONORS & AWARDS
Wisconsin College Personnel Association Dissertation Research Grant Recipient
Spencer Foundation Research Training Fellowship
Lincoln-Lane Fellowship, University of Virginia
Presidential Scholarship, College of William & Mary
Phi Delta Kappa, Honor Society in Education
Chi Sigma Iota, Honor Society in Counseling

MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS
Academy of Management
Association for the Study of Higher Education
American Educational Research Association
American College Personnel Association
---Wisconsin State Division President 1999-2000
---Standing Committee for LGBT Awareness Directorate Board 2000-02
Wisconsin College Personnel Association
---Executive Board Member 1995-2000
International Association of Coaching
International Coach Federation
International Leadership Association