About Me
I'm Amy Centers, PhD, PCC, an executive coach and creator of BQ® (Brain State Intelligence), a practical framework for understanding how our brains respond to different demands and making smarter choices about how we work.
For more than 20 years, I've worked with leaders and organizations navigating complexity, rapid change, and increasing demands. My work draws on organizational development, neuroscience, and behavior change to help people lead effectively and create workplaces that support human performance.
I've partnered with more than 100 organizations, including Fortune 500 companies, global NGOs, and growing technology firms, across leadership development, workforce transformation, and executive coaching.
I founded SmartWorks Lab to bring this work together, combining research, practical tools, and real-world experience to help leaders and organizations navigate change and make better use of their cognitive capacity.
I believe our ability to think well is one of our most valuable resources. Understanding how to support that capacity is essential to better leadership, stronger organizations, and sustainable performance.
Your Best Thinking, When It Matters Most.
Beyond the Bio
I’ve been to all seven continents, taken the polar plunge in both the Arctic and Antarctic, and once got chased by an unhappy baboon while climbing Kilimanjaro. A resilient animal lover, I volunteer my time giving belly rubs to an African porcupine, back rubs to a lemur, and banana peels to a slightly homicidal warthog. I also won a home gym on The Price is Right during COVID, which might be my finest athletic achievement…
These moments—curious, ridiculous, and surprisingly grounding—shape how I work: with humor, humility, and a deep respect for what it takes to lead well in wild environments (natural or organizational). I believe leadership, like life, is an adventure, and we’re better when we show up for it fully human.