ABOUT ME
I'm Grace Simmons - speaker, leadership development consultant, executive coach, and podcast host. I believe sustainable success requires both professional excellence and emotional wellness.
For 7+ years, I managed leadership development programs for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, serving 6,000+ employees with a $335K annual budget. I designed initiatives that increased engagement by 18%, delivered 175+ coaching sessions with 92% satisfaction, and learned that the most successful leaders are those who master both strategy and emotional intelligence.
In 2021, I founded The Amethyst Palaver Hut to bring this integrated approach to organizations and individuals. I earned certifications in EQi 2.0/360, Gallup Strengths Coaching, Mental Health First Aid, and Master Mindset Life Coaching - not just to add letters after my name, but to deepen my ability to create transformation.
Today, I serve three communities: corporate leaders seeking to build emotionally intelligent teams, women ready to step into their main character era, and audiences hungry for practical wisdom on leadership and resilience. Whether I'm keynoting at a conference, consulting with an executive team, or coaching a client through life transition, my commitment is the same: helping people unlock their full potential with clarity, compassion, and practical strategies.
I’m a certified Confidence Life Coach, Emotional Intelligence Coach, and Gallup Global Strengths Coach—with tools rooted in cognitive behavioral coaching and a whole lot of grace.
The amethyst palaver hut story
The Amethyst Palaver Hut was born from a Liberian tradition and a deep belief: that women who carry the weight of others deserve a sacred space of their own.
In West African cultures—especially Liberia—the palaver hut is a meeting place where issues are brought forward, heard by elders, and resolved with care and community. The structure is simple but meaningful: open, honest, and always welcoming. It’s a place to be seen and supported.
I created The Amethyst Palaver Hut for women who are often the first to show up for others but the last to receive support themselves—professional caregivers, nurturers, leaders, and do-it-all women who are now emotionally exhausted, disconnected, and burned out.
As someone who has lived that story, I know what it’s like to look capable on the outside while feeling stretched thin inside. I also know this: you don’t have to keep holding everything alone.
I was coaching long before I had the title. As a transportation officer in the U.S. Army Reserves, I witnessed firsthand how difficult it was for reservists to navigate dual identities—soldiers on the weekend, civilians during the week. Many felt overlooked or underestimated, both in uniform and out of it. That quiet frustration often spilled into their personal lives, affecting their confidence, relationships, and sense of direction.
Later, in my work in leadership development and emotional intelligence training, I began to see the same patterns among professionals: capable people carrying invisible burdens, questioning their worth, and trying to lead while feeling unseen. That’s when I realized—my calling has always been the same: to help people reconnect with their strength.
To deepen that work, I became a certified Confidence Life Coach, Emotional Intelligence Life Coach, and Gallup Global Strengths Coach, trained in the CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) coaching framework. My work is practical, yet faith-rooted - blending science, compassion, and spiritual insight.
Whether you join us for a retreat, book a clarity session, or tune into the Random and Wonderful podcast, everything I create at The Amethyst Palaver Hut is designed to offer restoration and reconnection—so you can feel bold, freed, and self-assured from the inside out.
This is more than a business.
This is a sacred space for renewal, clarity, and community.
You belong here.
MY COACHING METHOD
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REFLECT
We start by exploring the thoughts, patterns, and beliefs that have shaped how you see yourself—especially in moments of burnout, loss, or transition. You’ll gain clarity and compassion for where you are now.
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REFRAME
Using tools from Cognitive Behavioral Coaching, we’ll challenge the inner critic, shift limiting beliefs, and replace them with truth-rooted, strength-focused perspectives grounded in faith and emotional intelligence.
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Rise
With renewed confidence and practical strategies, you’ll create intentional goals and take bold steps forward—toward joy, purpose, and the version of yourself you’ve always known was there.
QUESTIONS? LET’S CHAT.
HAVE QUESTIONS OR JUST WANT TO CHAT? BOOK A FREE CONSULTATION WITH ME.