My story
Hi! My name is AJ. I am a trained social-personality psychologist, a certified professional executive & leadership coach, a published author, a podcaster and one of only 34 people around the world who are advanced certified practitioners of professional development tools. I am also a spouse, a parent to a neurodiverse child, and a two-time Traumatic Brain Injury survivor turned Warrior and Advocate.
As an award-winning Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belongingness & Leadership strategist, consultant, trainer and transformational coach,
I help high performers with big dreams exponentially increase their leadership presence, income and social impact while permanently eliminating the misery of being overworked and under appreciated. I also help businesses build DEI & B principles into the foundation of their cultures and all of their business development goals so they can cut costs and increase profits.
I am the Founder & CEO of AJ Rao, a boutique firm whose motto is Making the Invisible Visible for Better Equity and Belongingness. I am also the creator of the Culturally Competent Conversations for Equity and Belongingness (C3EB) Summit & Brand.
how I got started
After my 2nd Traumatic Brain Injury where I had to completely rebuild my whole life and identity, I realized how much society marginalizes those of us who are different in any way and renders us invisible. Then, we internalize those messages and render ourselves invisible and powerless too. I was able to very effectively catapult from this powerlessness and invisibility into leadership using the framework and system I had built. Thats when I knew I had to use it to help as many marginalized people as I can achieve the same in their own ways!
What I love most about working in Southeast Michigan
Diversity, innovation, and the go-getter spirit! SE Michigan is a region that is bursting with diverse talent who are all ripe to Reclaim Their Inner Power for their own advancement, but also, and more importantly, to make a positive impact on their local communities. After living all over the country, I can truly say there’s no other vibe like this anywhere else!
Connect with me about the National Association of Asian American Professionals and New Leaders Council-Detroit.
Want to be featured as a Detroit area professional to help others get connected? Click here to apply.
