Kara Jay
Visionary Leader, speaker, Coach, and Community Builder
Transforming lives and communities through leadership, coaching, and innovation.
Hey, it's nice to meet you, I'm Kara James
I am a community-centered leader, nonprofit founder, and coach with a heart for helping people step into their fullest potential. Through my journey as the founder of F.L.Y. Girl Institute, I’ve dedicated myself to creating opportunities that uplift young people and strengthen entire communities.
During my sabbatical, I launched Radical Freedom Dreamer, a coaching practice rooted in healing, clarity, and liberation, where I walk alongside leaders and visionaries as they reimagine their lives and work.
As the co-founder of DreamSuite, I also innovate at the intersection of leadership and technology, equipping changemakers with tools to design bold futures.
At my core, I am a dreamer, a doer, and a connector; passionate about guiding others to believe bigger, build stronger, and live freer.
10+
Years of Experience
10+
Awards
300+
Mentored
How I can HELP
Empowering
Black Girls
Creating opportunities for black girls to thrive through leadership and mentorship.
Coaching for Freedom
Guiding leaders and dreamers to embrace healing, purpose, and transformation.
Innovation for
Bold Leadership
Equipping changemakers with tools that merge human insight with technology.
Inspiring Voices, Lasting Impact
Delivering talks that ignite courage, vision, and radical imagination.
fly girl institute
Kara James is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of FLY Girl Institute (formerly The F.I.N.D. Design), a nonprofit founded in 2010 with a mission to empower Black girls and other girls of color to heal, grow, and thrive. For over a decade, F.L.Y. Girl Institute has created safe spaces, long-term mentorships, and healing-centered programs that address systemic inequities and personal trauma while celebrating joy, resilience, and leadership.
Through initiatives like the F.L.Y. Girls program, I’m Bossy Summer Camp, and restorative mental health projects, FGI has impacted hundreds of young people and families in Nashville and beyond. Their work has led to higher school engagement, improved mental health awareness, and stronger community connections.
You can be part of this impact by supporting the mission, whether through giving, volunteering, or joining leadership as a board member. Together, we can continue to build communities where girls are seen, heard, and valued.
radical freedom dreamer
During her sabbatical, Kara James founded Radical Freedom Dreamer, a coaching practice created to help leaders and visionaries pause, breathe, and rediscover who they are at their core. As a coach, Kara walks alongside people who are seeking clarity, healing, and liberation from the systems and beliefs that hold them back.
Radical Freedom Dreamer is rooted in the idea that true transformation happens when we dream beyond limits when we give ourselves permission to step into freedom, align with our values, and reimagine our lives and leadership. Through one-on-one coaching, group sessions, and reflective practices, Kara creates a supportive space for clients to find courage, joy, and radical hope.
If you’re ready to step into a new chapter, Kara can help you embrace freedom and lead with authenticity.
dreamsuite
Kara is the co-founder and visionary behind DreamSuite, a platform built to support mission-driven leaders with systems that carry the load behind the scenes. DreamSuite empowers changemakers to replace burnout with breathing room by automating critical operations, streamlining processes, and restoring clarity to their leadership.
From volunteer management, donor journey automation, program workflows, to communications and data tracking; DreamSuite helps organizations scale sustainably, aligning technology with mission and values.
If you’re ready to lead with ease instead of exhaustion, DreamSuite can help you reclaim time, reduce overwhelm, and lead with impact, not just activity.
Leading With Vision, Together
Kara and Misty join forces in DreamSuite as Liberation Architects, co-founders who’ve walked both the nonprofit trenches and entrepreneurial frontlines. Kara builds systems that lighten the load and restore clarity; Misty holds space for leaders to slow down, reconnect with their mission, and lead with ease.
Together, they help changemakers replace burnout with breathing room, chaos with structure, and overwhelm with momentum. Their combined experience ensures that this isn’t top-down coaching, it’s side-by-side partnership rooted in lived experience and deep empathy.
Invite Kara to Speak
Kara speaks on leadership, liberation, and reimagining systems bringing authenticity, vulnerability, and vision to every stage.
Whether it’s a keynote, panel, or workshop, she crafts talks that resonate deeply, spark transformation, and leave audiences moved to act.
Happy Clients
Read what clients have to say about me
Kara coached me through one of the hardest seasons of my life. When I came to her, I had lost my voice and my sense of purpose. She walked with me through the process of rediscovering both. I became a better teacher, a better leader, and a better version of myself. I even started traveling as a way to take care of myself. Her coaching is not surface level. It reaches the places that actually need healing.
My life changed as a result of coaching with Coach Kara Jay. She held me accountable in ways I didn’t even know I needed. The transformation far exceeded my expectations. I walked in stuck and overwhelmed, and I walked out with clarity, a plan, and the confidence to execute it. Kara doesn’t just coach you through the moment. She equips you for the journey ahead
M. Baugh
Teacher, Metro Nashville Public Schools
I was in a dark place in my leadership. Burned out, overwhelmed, and unsure if I could keep going. Kara helped me create a plan for my life that pulled me out of that space. She didn’t just give me strategies. She helped me reclaim my power. I walked away transformed, clear, and ready to lead from a place of strength instead of survival.
R. Holman
Co-founder and Executive Director, Alexandria, VA
FAQs
Find answers to commonly asked questions about Kara James and her services.
Who can benefit from working with Kara?
Whether you’re a nonprofit leader, social entrepreneur, organizational founder, or visionary individual feeling stuck or burnt out, Kara can support you to gain clarity, build capacity, and lead with intention.
What is Radical Freedom Dreamer (RFD)?
Radical Freedom Dreamer is Kara’s coaching and consulting initiative rooted in healing, clarity, and bold vision. It guides leaders and changemakers to reimagine their lives and leadership beyond limiting systems.
How can I support or get involved with F.L.Y. Girl Institute?
You can support through donating, volunteering, or serving as a board member. Your involvement helps expand our programs and deepen impact for youth, families, and communities.
What is DreamSuite and how does it support my mission?
Answer: DreamSuite is a platform and infrastructure ecosystem co-founded by Kara that builds automated systems to streamline operations, reduce manual work, and restore clarity so leaders can focus on impact.
How does Kara’s partnership with Misty work in DreamSuite?
Together, Kara and Misty act as “Liberation Architects”, Kara leads the systems & operational vision, while Misty supports leaders to slow down, reconnect, and lead with ease. Their collaboration ensures that structural and soulful work happens in harmony.
How long does coaching last / what does it look like?
Engagements vary depending on your goals. Some clients work with Kara in shorter, targeted blocks; others opt for long-term coaching (several months to a year) that includes strategy, systems-building, and accountability.
Can I invite Kara as a speaker? What topics does she cover?
Yes! Kara offers keynotes, panels, and workshops on leadership, liberation, reimagining systems, radical dreaming, and more. You can request topics, availability, and a customized quote via the site’s speaking section.
Schedule a Call Today
Begin your journey towards a happier and more fulfilling life by taking the first step today.
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