Meet the Team

At Thriving Changes, we empower leaders and teams with a purpose and a drive to achieve their goals by clarifying their values, vision, mission, strategy and partner with them to build an actionable plan. If desired, we support them through the process.

Based in Barrington, Illinois, we are dedicated to supporting leaders and team worldwide – from discovery to achieving goals.

Our Values:

  • Service

  • Inclusivity

  • Creativity

  • Excellence

  • Learning

Reena Suri

Value-based Leadership Strategist | Master Facilitator | Keynote Speaker

Reena Suri is a values-based leadership strategist and master facilitator who integrates applied neuroscience and neuroplasticity to help leaders and teams build thriving, purpose-driven cultures that achieve lasting impact. With a background in psychology, business, and applied neuroscience—and a deeply transformative personal journey—Reena empowers individuals to lead with clarity, courage, and integrity.

Her work is fueled by a passionate curiosity about the intersection of leadership, organizational culture, and applied neuroscience. She believes that neurocognitive traits like self-awareness, emotional regulation, and moral reasoning can be consciously developed to shape high-integrity leadership—leadership that drives meaningful, long-term success. For organizations seeking to remain innovative, human-centered, and resilient, values-based leadership isn’t just a strategy—it’s a necessity.

Reena’s path to this work is profoundly personal. For nearly two decades, she struggled to find fulfillment, facing repeated professional setbacks and self-doubt. It was through therapy and coaching that she began to integrate the science of behavior change with the art of human transformation. Her past failures became a catalyst for growth, igniting a mission to help others thrive from the inside out.

Reena’s Educational & Professional Experience Include:

  • Undergraduate degree in psychology, MBA with a certification in Leadership, and applying for a Doctoral PhD program in Applied Neuroscience.

  • Coach training programs through Accomplishment Coaching and The John Maxwell Team. 

  • Expertise in Value-based Leadership, Organizational Culture and Result-Oriented Strategies.

Kristin Sneeringer

Strategist & Coaching Lead

Founder of Sculpt Your Sunshine Coaching, Kristin is an economist, business strategist, and Ontological Behavioral Coach who specializes in supporting professionals, executives, and teams to unlock their full potential by aligning their inner nature with their outward actions. With expertise in applied behavioral psychology, applied neuroplasticity, as well as economics and operational design and efficiency, Kristin supports clients overcome mindset and environmental barriers like but not limited to organizational roadblocks, career transitions, internal barriers and many more.

As a Strategist, Kristin has been instrumental in shaping the foundation of Thriving Changes, offering her insight to align the organization's mission with its operations. In her role as Coaching Lead, she designs and delivers transformational coaching experiences for both individuals and teams. 

Kristin’s Educational & Professional Experience Include:

  • Undergraduate degree Economics and Marketing, MBA in International Marketing & Finance. 

  • Certification in Business Architecture, optimizing structures, processes, and culture.

  • Coach training program through Accomplishment Coaching.     

  • Her work experience spans various facets of finance, operations and international business both domestically and internationally. 

Natalie K.

Creative Consultant

Natalie is a photographer and stop-motion artist with a passion for capturing elopements and intimate weddings. She documents love stories for couples who choose to celebrate in ways that feel true to them—whether through bold adventures or quiet, meaningful moments.

After navigating several career transitions in corporate marketing, Natalie turned to coaching to reconnect with her core values, clarify her mission and purpose, and define her goals. That transformative journey helped her craft a vision of success on her own terms—along with a clear, actionable path and ongoing accountability to make it real. The result? Natalie Nancy Photo. Today, she brings creativity, intention, and authenticity to every celebration she captures.

Natalie’s Educational and Professional Experience Include:

  • Background in corporate marketing, brand storytelling, and visual content creation.

  • Founder of Natalie Nancy Photo, specializing in elopements and intimate wedding photography.

  • Experience in guiding clients through personal branding and creative direction.

Joanna C.

Visual Artist & Virtual Assistant

Jo is a painter and virtual assistant with a deep appreciation for storytelling, creativity, and organization. Growing up in a reclusive environment, she found solace in drawing, reading, and writing—immersing herself in fictional worlds that shaped her introspective and nostalgic artistic style. Today, she channels that same passion for creativity into her professional work, where design and strategy intersect.

For the past three years, Jo has helped speakers and coaches turn their expertise into impactful courses. She supports early-stage entrepreneurs in building their online presence through funnel and automation, as well as social media and podcast production.

Jo’s Educational and Professional Experience Include:

  • Graduated with academic distinction in Multimedia Arts.

  • Three years of experience in course creation for the coaching industry.

  • Background in funnel building, automation, and digital setup for emerging speakers and coaches, as well as experience in social media management and podcast production.

What People Are Saying

“I have had the pleasure of working with Reena since 2018 as she served as a speaker, instructor and career coach with Career Transitions Center. She has a warm and engaging style and developed relationships with a wide array of clients from diverse backgrounds and unique challenges.

Reena’s dedication lies in her mission to improve the quality of one’s life through resilience training and assessing and articulating their value as professionals. She is sure to enlighten and empower clients through her insightful training and development offerings.”

- Nadia Whiteside, MA, CMCS Former Program & Coaching Director at Career Transitions Center of Chicago

“I had the pleasure of working with Reena Suri while I was a client at CTC, during a very challenging time.

We had only one in-person meeting before Covid changed everything, and all services were switched to online Zoom meetings and over the phone conversations. We easily and quickly developed a good phone rapport, full of support and open communication. She made me feel comfortable taking chances and exploring new opportunities, while suggesting I find what makes me truly happy.

I started a practice of reading and writing, every day, and found my inner creative again. I explored my love of photography and started to share my art with the world. I had buried those parts of me during previous jobs, but Reena encouraged me to see that I could still be a creator while working any job. Establishing boundaries for myself with my new job was easy because of the work I accomplished with Reena. I previously struggled with a work/life balance but now, I work the schedule I want, I’ve learned how to say “No”, and I take real pride in what I do. Working in the hospitality industry, my daily goals are to create the best possible experience for my guests and I do this by being authentically me.

Reena was instrumental in helping me make these connections in forming a better work/life balance for myself. Through our many insightful discussions, she challenged me to think differently about myself and my connections to the world.”

— Adria Neapolitan

“Reena Suri is a diamond of a person! She has been such a great addition to our faculty line-up here at North Park University.

Reena’s talent, education, and life experience create a unique and passionate style of leadership that any organization would be lacking if they did not work with her. I cannot recommend her enough for your consultation needs; she will exceed your expectations like she has ours!”

- Daniel White Hodge, PhD, Professor of Communication Arts & Chair of the Communication Arts Department-North Park University Chicago