TEDx speaker · Leadership for audit, finance & technical experts

Brilliant at the work. Now be heard as a leader.

I help auditors, finance professionals, and technical experts become leaders executives listen to, so the people who guard the truth in organizations are finally heard.

Watch my TEDx talk: Dethroned or Reclaimed?
Trusted by
  • Guardian Life
  • CalCPA
  • IIA Greece
  • IIA Trinidad & Tobago
  • TGS
  • TEDx

As seen in Bloom, BronxNet, Fintech TV, Hustle Magazine, Pod617 and WSB.

The problem

You were promoted for your expertise. No one taught you how to lead.

And as AI takes over the technical work that got you here, the skills that matter most are the ones you were never trained in: influence, judgment, and the courage to deliver hard truths to executives.

  • Not in the room

    Decisions get made without you, even when you saw the risk first.

  • Findings that go nowhere

    Your work is right, but it isn't heard, trusted, or acted on.

  • Carrying it all alone

    High performance without leadership tools leads straight to burnout.

The solution

Leadership MEQ™

A practical framework built from two decades of executive audit leadership, for professionals whose job is to tell the truth and be believed.

  1. Mindset

    See yourself as a leader and strategic advisor, not a back-office checker.

  2. Emotional Intelligence

    Read the room, handle pressure, and deliver hard news so people listen.

  3. Qualities

    Build the executive presence and trust that turn expertise into influence.

Ways to work together

Choose where to start.

For conferences & events

Keynotes

Talks that give audit, finance, and technical audiences tools they use the next morning.

See keynotes

For organizations

Team Programs

Leadership MEQ workshops and programs for audit, finance, and technical teams.

Explore programs

For individuals

Executive Coaching

One-on-one coaching for rising leaders stepping into bigger rooms, or launching a business of their own.

Explore coaching

For women leaders

Leadership Retreats

Intimate weekends for five women outside Richmond, Virginia, plus journeys to Morocco and Belize.

See retreats

Want to start on your own? Online courses with CPE credit.

Explore courses, summits, and free tools
Dr. Sabine Charles in a cream blazer, smiling warmly

My story

I was five years old when someone took my jump rope.

My grandmother told me that if I didn't get it back, she'd give me something to really cry about. So I marched across that Brooklyn courtyard and got my rope back.

That was my first leadership lesson: don't let anyone take what is yours, not your rope, not your voice. It carried me through failing an exam ten times, to a doctorate and twenty years leading audit. Now I help others reclaim theirs.

Testimonials

What leaders say.

My team's engagement jumped by 30%, and I was promoted to Director within 90 days.
Joanna A.Leadership MEQ graduate
On choosing Dr. Sabine as her coach after hearing her speak: “it is one of the best professional decisions I have made.”
Precious O., CPA, MScCoaching client
I learned how to lead people, not just projects.
MichaelLeadership MEQ graduate
Sabine, it was great to spend time with you and the excellent group you assembled. I appreciate the variety of strategies you shared.
Seth M.Workshop participant
You are a force to be reckoned with! Congrats on your great new book, Sabine!
AlexandriaReader
Invest in yourself, join to learn more ways to sharpen your skills, differentiate yourself from others, and excel in your career! You won't regret the time or expense.
Larry H.Program participant

Think Technical.
Speak Business.

Free guide

The 5 Conversations Every Technical Professional Must Master

Scripts and frameworks for delivering findings, pushing back on executives, and earning a seat at the table.

You'll also get the weekly Leadership MEQ note. Unsubscribe anytime.

The book

Leadership MEQ™

The no-fluff guide to leading with Emotional Intelligence, influence, and executive presence, written for auditors, accounting professionals, and managers.

Cover of Leadership MEQ by Dr. Sabine Charles
Dr. Sabine Charles in a white suit, speaking with a headset microphone

Ready to build leaders who are heard?

Book a complimentary 20-minute meeting to talk about your event, team, or goals.