María Clara "Lala" García
Developing people.Building leaders.Expanding possibilities.
For more than 35 years, I have dedicated my work to helping people discover their potential, lead with purpose and turn possibility into action.
Executive Coach · Leadership & Human Development · Entrepreneur
- 35+
- Years developing leaders
- COLOMBIA + USA
- A life and career across borders
- ICF
- Professional Member
A Life Dedicated to Human Potential
I began in education, and I never really left it. For more than three decades I worked inside schools as an educator and academic leader, convinced that a classroom is not only a place to transmit knowledge — it is a place where people learn who they are and what they are capable of.
That conviction pulled me toward leadership. I founded and directed programs that trained young people in diplomacy, negotiation, debate, critical thinking and global citizenship. I watched what happens when someone is placed in front of a real challenge, given real responsibility, and trusted to rise to it.
Coaching came next, and gave that intuition a discipline. Working one to one with people in moments of decision, transition and growth taught me how much of leadership is internal: self-awareness, purpose, the courage to choose.
Entrepreneurship was the natural consequence. If exposure to new contexts transforms people, then someone had to design those contexts deliberately. That is where Visionarium came from — and where the work I am building today continues.
Expanding vision expands possibility.
How I Work With People
I accompany individuals and leaders through processes of self-awareness, purpose, decision-making and growth. Four areas shape that work.
- 01
Executive & Leadership Coaching
Leadership development, self-awareness, decision-making and directive capacity — including the communication, influence and negotiation skills leadership demands in practice.
- 02
Purpose & Personal Leadership
Building purpose, identifying strengths, and aligning values, decisions and action so that leadership is exercised consciously and authentically.
- 03
Transitions & Growth
Accompaniment through change, growth and personal or professional redefinition — the moments where the next step is not yet obvious.
- 04
Mentoring & Strategic Perspective
Experience-based accompaniment that widens perspective, opens new contexts and helps turn potential into concrete action.
Founder & CEO
A Vision Brought to Life
Visionarium is the creation in which more than three decades of my work take form. It is an international platform of leadership and learning experiences that connects participants with leaders, entrepreneurs, organizations and institutions — turning cities and the people who shape them into a place of learning.
It exists because of something I learned slowly and then could not unlearn: people do not change most when they are told something new. They change when they are placed somewhere new. Visionarium is the deliberate design of that exposure.
From its founding I have led its strategic vision, its conceptualization, the design of its experiences, its alliances and mentor networks, and the direct accompaniment of its participants.
The evolution from transmitting knowledge to creating contexts capable of transforming perspectives, decisions and possibilities.
What I'm Building
New ideas. New collaborations. New possibilities.
Co-Founder & CEO
Strategic consulting for individuals and organizations turning ideas into clear, structured and actionable projects.
Clarity. Strategy. Direction.
Explore FRAME
Co-Founder
Vision2ai brings together human potential, innovation and artificial intelligence to explore and develop new possibilities at the intersection of people and technology.
People. Innovation. Intelligence.
Explore Vision2aiA Journey of Leadership & Learning
One continuous line, from the classroom to the ventures I lead today.
- 01
Education
- Marymount School Barranquilla
- Colegio Nueva Granada, Bogotá
- Educator · Academic & administrative leadership
- 02
Leadership
- BAMUN / COLMUN — Founder & Director
- UNACOLOMBIA — Institutional leadership
- Global citizenship & experiential learning
- 03
Coaching
- University of Miami — Executive Coaching
- International Coaching Federation — Professional Member
- 04
Entrepreneurship
- Visionarium — Founder & CEO
- 05
Today
- Executive coaching & mentoring
- Visionarium
- FRAME
- Vision2ai
Credentials & Expertise
- Executive CoachingUniversity of Miami
- Professional MemberInternational Coaching Federation
- Master in EducationUniversidad del Norte
- Specialization in Childhood EducationUniversidad del Norte
- B.A. in EnglishUniversidad del Atlántico
- The Reading & Writing ProjectColumbia University
Expertise
Executive Coaching · Leadership Development · Human Development · Mentoring · Strategic Thinking · Purpose · Communication · Negotiation · Networking · Experiential Learning · Innovation · Artificial Intelligence
What I Believe
When a person expands the way they see the world, they also expand what they believe is possible to do in it.
Potential is rarely missing. What is usually missing is the context in which a person can recognize it.
Leadership worth the name is conscious and authentic, and it is oriented toward impact rather than position.
Development is not only a matter of knowledge. It is a matter of perspective, purpose and the decisions that follow from both.
A Few Things You May Want to Know
Who is María Clara "Lala" García?
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I am an Executive Coach, entrepreneur, educator and mentor. For more than 35 years I have worked on developing leaders and human potential between Colombia and the United States. I am Founder & CEO of Visionarium, Co-Founder & CEO of FRAME, and Co-Founder of Vision2ai.
What do you do?
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I work with individuals and leaders through executive coaching and mentoring, accompanying processes of self-awareness, purpose, decision-making, communication and personal and professional growth. I also founded and lead Visionarium, an international leadership and experiential learning platform.
What does executive coaching look like in your work?
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It centres on leadership development, self-awareness, decision-making and directive capacity, alongside purpose and personal leadership, transitions and growth, and mentoring that widens strategic perspective.
What is your professional background?
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I spent more than three decades in education as an educator and academic and administrative leader at Marymount School Barranquilla and Colegio Nueva Granada in Bogotá. I founded and directed BAMUN and COLMUN, held institutional leadership within the United Nations Association of Colombia (UNACOLOMBIA), and later trained in executive coaching at the University of Miami.
Are you a member of the International Coaching Federation?
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Yes. I have been a Professional Member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF) since 2022, and completed executive coaching training at the University of Miami's Division of Continuing & International Education.
What is Visionarium?
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Visionarium is the international platform of leadership and learning experiences I founded. It connects participants with leaders, entrepreneurs, organizations and institutions, using exposure to new contexts and perspectives as a catalyst for transformation.
What are FRAME and Vision2ai?
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FRAME is a strategic consulting firm specialized in Idea & Project Development, where I am Co-Founder & CEO. Vision2ai brings together human potential, innovation and artificial intelligence to explore and develop new possibilities at the intersection of people and technology, and I am Co-Founder.
Where are you based?
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My life and career span Colombia and the United States, with a professional presence between Miami, Florida and Barranquilla, Colombia.
Executive CV
For a detailed overview of my professional experience, education and credentials, download my Executive CV.
Let's Talk.
Meaningful opportunities often begin with a conversation.