FRED
VAN RIPER

Fred Van Riper is an executive coach who helps growth-oriented leaders expand their capacity, not through control but through connection. His work is grounded in the belief that true power comes from presence, alignment, and the courage to lead from within.

Fred’s path hasn’t been a straight line, and that’s exactly what makes his work resonate. Early on, he managed the oldest microbrewery in America, taught high school gym, served vegan food on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, worked for a nonprofit housing developer, sold life insurance, and volunteered with Habitat for Humanity. Each role offered a different vantage point on how people relate to meaning, effort, and one another.

He eventually built an 11-year career in commercial construction, managing multimillion-dollar projects for organizations like Turning Stone Resort & Casino, Syracuse University, Oswego Health, Trinity Health, and KeyBank. It was a high-stakes environment where leadership either created cohesion or chaos.

Those experiences, and the wide range of lives he lived before it, shaped his core perspective: effective leadership isn’t about control. It’s about alignment and leading in tune with what matters most. In a world full of noise, distraction, and pressure, attunement to yourself, to others, and to the moment is what makes leadership truly powerful.

Fred's work is grounded in this belief: You don’t need to become someone else to lead powerfully. You need to return to who you were before the world told you to prove your worth.

Fred has since coached founders, entrepreneurs, creatives, and everyday leaders through moments of realignment and transformation. His coaching helps clients clarify what matters most, release outdated strategies, and lead with more connection, courage, and clarity.

At the center of Fred’s life is his family: his wife Sara, and their two children, Aayla and Finian. They are the heartbeat of his work and a daily reminder that leadership starts at home.

"A seat at the table isn't something you earn by becoming someone else.

It's claimed when you learn to lead as the person you were always meant to be."

— Fred Van Riper

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