Led by Rachael Barron, the Effective Students® team is a group of successful professionals, educators and counselors imparting skills to a generation of students. The Effective Student™ Method is designed to help students strengthen executive function skills and build confidence for academic success. Each coach brings a unique set of study tools for students, leveraging their personal experience. Students and coaches build a trusting relationship that prepare them to navigate challenges, self advocate and chart their own path forward.
Learn More About Our Trusted
Executive Function Coaches for College Students
Rachael Barron
Founder, Principal Executive Function Coach & Author of The Effective Student™ Curriculum
Effective StudentsMeet Rachael.
A graduate of Emory University, Rachael has spent her professional career coaching and solving complex educational problems. From applying problem solving and vision casting skills in the business environment through applying these principles to the education realm, she excels at helping individual students and families find educational success. Prior to founding Effective Students, Rachael solved complex educational problems in her role as an educational advocate mastering the maze of finding solutions for families within Georgia’s public and private schools, helping the most difficult learners find success.
Rachael now spends all of her time working with children, young adults, and families who are focused on achieving success in their school environment and acquiring a set of self-management skills that last a lifetime.
Catherine Sherrard Ed.D.
Executive Function Coach
Effective StudentsMeet Catherine.
Dr. Sherrard comes to the Effective Students team in Louisville following 25 years of experience
in higher education including roles in admissions, student life, and most recently as the chief
academic officer at a large campus within a statewide community college system. Her career in
education includes a number of community initiatives focused on student success and credential
completion.
As a lifelong Kentuckian, Catherine earned her Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice from
Kentucky Wesleyan College and Master of Science in justice administration from the University
of Louisville. She spent her early career working in local government at a criminal justice
planning agency. She earned her Doctor of Education in leadership education from Spalding
University.
As the mother of two boys, a young adult with Down syndrome and a soon-to-be college
freshman, Catherine has a passion for working with students of all ages and abilities. She and her
husband own two assisted living homes in the Greater Louisville area. In her free time, she
enjoys traveling with her family and close friends.
Natalie Williams
Executive Function Coach
“Every child deserves a champion, an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection, and insists they become the best they can possibly be.”
Meet Natalie.
A compassionate educator and executive function coach, Natalie R. Williams brings over 20 years of experience supporting students in building the skills and confidence they need to thrive academically and personally.
Natalie’s coaching style is rooted in empathy, structure, and empowerment. She partners with students to help them develop essential executive function skills such as time management, organization, goal setting, and emotional regulation. Her work is guided by the belief that every student deserves to feel capable, supported, and equipped to take ownership of their learning journey.
With a background in workforce development, leadership training, and classroom instruction, Natalie understands the challenges students face as they transition through middle school, high school, and into college. She integrates academic strategies with self-care principles, helping students build habits that support both academic success and personal well-being.
Natalie holds a Master of Public Administration and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Strayer University. She is a Certified Executive & Life Coach (ICF-accredited), a Georgia-certified educator, and the author of The CORE Method: Guide to Purpose-Driven Results.
While she delivers coaching using the Effective StudentTM Method, her approach is best summarized by the adjacent quote from educator Rita Pierson:
When she’s not coaching, Natalie enjoys mentoring youth, writing, and spending time with her family. She is passionate about helping students discover their strengths and build the tools to succeed both in school and in life.
“Maureen has been a very big help with my son’s college courses. My son has a tendency to start off doing well then loses his momentum and focus mid way through the semester. Maureen has a way of knowing how to connect with him. Her approach is calm, caring, straightforward, and effective in knowing how to strategically help plan for what tasks to help in achieving his goals. She has been a great asset for him and his adapted way of learning since his injury. ”
Lazuli Cristol
Executive Function Coach
Effective StudentsMeet Lazuli.
Lazuli grew up in Virginia and earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Virginia. She has a background empowering middle school students from underserved communities, supporting college students navigating mental health challenges, and volunteering with Holocaust survivors.
Lazuli is pursuing her long-term goal of becoming a Marriage and Family Therapist as a graduate student at Lewis & Clark, which shapes her holistic and empathetic coaching style.
Lazuli loves exploring PDX, discovering new restaurants, and diving into mystery novels.
Talandra Echols
Executive Function Coach
Effective StudentsMeet Talandra.
Talandra comes to Effective Students with a history of impacting her community working with youth and young adults, with an emphasis on planning, focus, self-control, awareness, and flexibility in addition to technical and soft skills. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Clark Atlanta University in Marketing. With experience in the business world in retail, technology, management and nonprofit leadership, she understands what is expected of students in the long term. Her experience as an innovator coupled with relatability to students enables her to lead them in solving the challenges they face academically helping them develop confidence to self-advocate and direct their own learning.
Talandra specializes in working with student athletes in middle and high school as well as students with ASD transitioning to adulthood. She has been a part of the Effective Students curriculum and has helped develop many added components which include designing units, student competitions hosting the Grit and Growth Mindset Sessions.
Talandra enjoys spending quality time with her daughter, a former Tennessee Lady Vols basketball player (Class of 2020), semi-retired professional athlete, and entrepreneur. In her free time, she loves dining out, relaxing, traveling, and sharing laughter with close friends and family.
Leighann Mattson
Executive Function Coach
Effective StudentsMeet Leighann. Leighann is originally from Indianapolis, IN and comes to Effective Students with 9 years of education experience. Education and athletics have been an important part of her life from an early age. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Ball State University, where she was also a Division 1 swimmer.
Following her bachelor’s degree, Leighann earned her master’s degree in elementary education from Johns Hopkins University. Throughout her teaching career, she has moved to a few different places, due to her passion for travel and new experiences. She has lived and taught in New Orleans, LA, Bangkok, Thailand, and Memphis, TN. While working as an educator, she also founded a swim team at a school she was teaching at, where she took on the role as head coach. Leighann is happy to now be in Charlotte, NC and is excited to be on the Effective Students team. She is passionate about teaching the whole child and wants to set students up with valuable skills that can help them in school and beyond.
In her free time, Leighann enjoys working out, trying new restaurants, and traveling.
“Maureen has been a very big help with my son’s college courses. My son has a tendency to start off doing well then loses his momentum and focus mid way through the semester. Maureen has a way of knowing how to connect with him. Her approach is calm, caring, straightforward, and effective in knowing how to strategically help plan for what tasks to help in achieving his goals. She has been a great asset for him and his adapted way of learning since his injury. ”
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