• Assortment of colorful round glass paperweights on a wood desk.

    WHY PAPERWEIGHT?

    I grew up with several now-ancestors who collected paperweights. After I inherited a few, I put the paperweights on my desk at work to bring order to piles of papers and files.

    My colleagues have often been drawn to the objects, picking them up and shifting them from one hand to the other. I revel in the sense of safety and groundedness they seem to feel from holding these beautiful, weighty objects. And I enjoy the sense of connection that comes from working with people who know they are welcome to touch the stuff on my desk.

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  • Assortment of colorful round glass paperweights on a wood desk.

    BEAUTY + HEFT

    Paperweights carry not only the heft to protect a stack of papers from a breeze coming through the window, but, for me, also hold the heft of history we have both shaped and weathered. And they do their jobs with joyful, often exuberant beauty. They aren’t there to blend in or hide, and they keep important ideas from blowing away.  

  • Assortment of colorful round glass paperweights on a wood desk.

    CLARITY + ORDER

    While many paperweights feature clear glass, the clarity I’m invoking comes from taking the exciting mess of life – ideas, possibilities, credentials, values – and organizing them in a realistic way. Many of us want to have every move perfectly filed, labeled, collated, and filtered. What we often need instead is to get our data, ideas, and decisions sufficiently under control to move forward. 

  • Assortment of colorful round glass paperweights on a wood desk.

    CHOICE + ACTION

    While paperweights are inanimate objects (and I love them for their steadfastness), our interactions with them are not. We choose which ones to collect, where to put them, what to put under which ones, and how they fit alongside the rest of the collection. This is analogous to so much of what I aim to do in my practice: support people in deciding what and how they will change, grow, and pursue what’s next.

About Diane Knoepke
Lead Coach and Consultant, Paperweight Advising
diane@paperweight-advising.com

Photo by Ngoc Nguyen.

I am deeply invested in, and committed to, learning with and from people, rejecting the status quo, and co-creating impact.

I help people drive change - for themselves, their teams, their organizations, and their communities. As a coach and advisor, I work with leaders at all levels to figure out what they want, see themselves clearly, and present their capabilities confidently. We figure out what problems folks want to solve next, then find the holes in organizations or markets that they are most interested in filling.

For more than two decades, I have focused on transforming organizations through my roles as a strategy consultant, team leader, and change manager. I have worked with teams from over 100 organizational clients across social, public, and private sectors. I have also coached hundreds of mid- to senior-level professionals along their career and leadership journeys.

I am on faculty in Northwestern University’s School of Education and Social Policy, co-teaching graduate-level courses including Developing for Career Advancement; Developing for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice; and Leading Global Change. I was named a 2025 Notable Leader in Philanthropy by Crain’s Chicago Business.

Credentials

  • Coaching Certificate, Executive Learning + Organizational Change, Northwestern University

  • MS, Learning and Organizational Change, Northwestern University

  • Certificate in Fundraising Management, DePaul University

  • BA, English, Northwestern University


Leadership and Affiliations

  • Board of Directors, Board Co-Chair, Chicago Women in Philanthropy

  • Board of Directors, Development Committee Chair, Springboard to Success

  • Member, Founding DEI Committee Co-Chair, Northwestern University Council of One Hundred

  • Member, South Side Giving Circle of the Chicago Foundation for Women

“After building a career as an ecologist with the Department of the Interior, I found myself unable to adapt to shifting administrative priorities and needed to make a difficult career transition last spring. Diane graciously guided me through this challenging period, helping me remain competitive in an exceptionally limited job market while striking the perfect balance between career guidance and practical assistance with application materials.

She met me exactly where I was, providing unwavering support and constructive feedback that made each conversation valuable and productive. She was also highly adaptable and even scheduled impromptu meetings for time-sensitive decisions. Thanks to Diane's guidance, I have found my footing again and am able to continue pursuing my passion for conservation and ecology.”

Agency of Natural Resources Lands Planner
Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation