Some careers follow a straight line. Mine did not, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I spent over 30 years in the fleet management industry, beginning as an executive assistant at Emkay Fleet Management and ultimately rising to Chief Client Officer at Wheels, a $10 billion enterprise where I led 300+ people, managed a $53 million budget, and helped shape one of the most consequential mergers in industry history: the combination of Wheels, LeasePlan USA, and Donlen.

That journey, unconventional, challenging, and deeply human, is exactly what I bring to the leaders and organizations I work with today.

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WHAT I'VE DONE

At Wheels

I built and led a client organization that achieved industry-leading retention rates and consistent year-over-year revenue growth. I held senior roles including SVP of Sales and Client Relations before being named Chief Client Officer in 2023. I navigated large-scale mergers, led teams through significant organizational change, and never stopped investing in the people around me, or myself.

At AFLA

At the Automotive Fleet and Leasing Association, I served in multiple leadership capacities, including Secretary, Vice President, and President in 2021. I was also the first person from an affiliate to join NAFA and earn the CAFM certification, and I served on the board of Women in Fleet Management (WIFM).

Fleet Hall of Fame — 2025

In 2025, I was inducted into the Fleet Hall of Fame at the AFLA Annual Conference in Marco Island, Florida, one of the most meaningful recognitions of my career. I framed my acceptance speech as a love letter to an industry that shaped me.

“We grow the most when we are tested, challenged, and still persevere. When we are brave enough to say yes when opportunities present themselves and follow where our hearts take us.”

— Laura Jozwiak, Fleet Hall of Fame Acceptance Speech, AFLA 2025

WHERE I AM NOW

In 2025, I founded Everest Leadership Advisors, a boutique executive coaching, leadership consulting, and keynote speaking firm built on everything I’ve learned over three decades of leading people, driving growth, and navigating complexity.

I currently serve on the boards of Auto Driveaway Transport Logistics and Intrinsic Schools, and hold a Fractional Growth Advisor role with ThoughtLine Technologies.

I am a Certified Forté Practitioner, using communication and behavioral analytics as a foundation for the coaching work I do with leaders at every level.

MY APPROACH

I lead with empathy and accountability in equal measure. I believe the best leaders are the ones who are self-aware enough to know their blind spots, brave enough to address them, and generous enough to invest in the people around them.

My coaching and consulting work is grounded in real experience, not theory. I have sat in the rooms where hard decisions get made. I have led through mergers, through crises, and through the quiet, grinding work of building something that lasts. That perspective is what I bring to every engagement.

CREDENTIALS AT A GLANCE

•       🏆  2025 Fleet Hall of Fame Inductee — Automotive Fleet / AFLA

•       🎤  Former President, AFLA — 2021

•       🏛️  Board Member — Auto Driveaway Transport Logistics

•       🏛️  Board Member — Intrinsic Schools

•       📊  Certified Forté Practitioner

•       📍  Based in the Chicago area — Serving clients nationally

Ready to work together? Whether you’re exploring executive coaching, looking for a keynote speaker, or want to talk through a consulting engagement. I’d love to connect!

Contact Laura → laura@everestleadershipadvisors.com

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