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Best Executive Coaches in Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor Executive Coaching Services
Ann Arbor, Michigan—a city known for its intellectual pulse, creative energy, and deep-rooted connection to innovation. From the University of Michigan’s thought leadership to the thriving tech startups and Fortune 500 firms nearby, Ann Arbor has become a vibrant hub where business strategy meets human development. In this evolving ecosystem, executive coaching plays an essential role—transforming leaders, strengthening company cultures, and bridging the gap between performance and purpose.
At Digital Reference, we believe that the right executive coach doesn’t just refine leadership skills—they redefine how organizations think about growth. Our mission is to help professionals connect with top-tier consultants who embody integrity, innovation, and measurable impact.
To create this curated list of Ann Arbor’s best executive coaches, our team spent weeks researching, interviewing, and evaluating coaches across the area. We assessed professional credentials, client testimonials, methodologies, thought leadership contributions, and unique areas of specialization. Whether these professionals operate solo practices, lead executive education programs, or serve within prominent consulting firms, they share one defining trait — they transform leadership from the inside out.
If you’d like to understand more about how we evaluate consultants, you can explore our insights on Digital Reference’s Methodology for Selecting Industry Experts — it explains how we vet thought leaders and help connect professionals with consultants who genuinely make an impact.
How Ann Arbor Shapes the Future of Leadership Through Executive Coaching
Ann Arbor’s professional landscape is different. It’s not just corporate—it’s collaborative, research-driven, and deeply human-centered. With the University of Michigan at its core, the city fosters a constant exchange of ideas between academia and business, technology and psychology, and research and practice. It’s an environment where leadership isn’t merely about metrics but about meaning—and executive coaches here understand that better than anyone else.
Many of Ann Arbor’s top coaches combine organizational psychology, performance science, and behavioral strategy, offering leaders the tools they need to lead authentically and adapt in real time. This blend of academia and empathy is exactly why Ann Arbor stands out and why this list represents the most effective voices in executive coaching today.
Our Methodology: The Digital Reference Approach to Identifying Executive Coaches
Before diving into the list, here’s a bit about our selection framework. Digital Reference’s evaluation model is built on five pillars:
- Expertise and Credentials – Professional certifications, education, and recognized achievements.
- Client Impact—How effectively a coach’s methods drive behavioral change and measurable growth.
- Innovation and Thought Leadership – Articles, speaking engagements, or published works that influence the industry.
- Ethical Practice—A commitment to confidentiality, integrity, and people-first leadership.
- Community Engagement – Contributions to the Ann Arbor and greater Michigan leadership ecosystem.
Through this lens, we’ve identified Ann Arbor’s standout executive coaches who embody these principles and more.
🌟 Meet Ann Arbor’s Leading Executive Coaches
Below are some of the most influential executive coaches in the Ann Arbor area—professionals who are redefining leadership with authenticity, purpose, and measurable results.
♦️ Pete Thomas
Vistage Michigan Chair and Executive Coach
As a Vistage Chair, Pete Thomas is part of a global network dedicated to helping CEOs and business leaders thrive through community, accountability, and strategic insight. His approach emphasizes peer learning, ensuring that leadership growth doesn’t happen in isolation.
✨ Highlights:
🚀 Leads CEO roundtables fostering collaborative intelligence
📈 Focuses on strategic leadership and organizational growth
💬 Renowned for mentorship that drives executive-level clarity
🧠 Skilled at integrating data-informed decision-making with empathy
Pete’s work exemplifies Ann Arbor’s entrepreneurial spirit—blending business acumen with human connection.
♦️ Cory Dunham
Executive Leadership Coach | Keynote Speaker
Cory Dunham’s name is synonymous with energy, empathy, and transformation. With a background in executive leadership and motivational speaking, Cory has carved a reputation as a go-to partner for leaders seeking clarity, confidence, and high-impact communication skills.
What sets Cory apart is his ability to bridge corporate strategy with personal authenticity. His clients—ranging from mid-size business leaders to senior executives—consistently praise his structured, actionable frameworks that promote emotional intelligence and accountability.
✨ Highlights:
💡 Expert in performance leadership and team dynamics
🎤 Recognized keynote speaker across Michigan and the Midwest
🌱 Focused on resilient leadership and workplace well-being
🤝 Known for transforming leadership mindsets through hands-on, empathetic coaching
Cory’s presence in Ann Arbor represents the spirit of the city—intellectually driven and community-centered, yet agile and modern.
♦️ Curtis McFall
Camp Owner | Speaker | Nature-Based Executive Coach
Curtis McFall offers something refreshingly unique—nature-based executive coaching. His approach combines the restorative principles of the outdoors with leadership psychology, providing a powerful balance of mindfulness and management science.
In a world increasingly defined by digital overload, Curtis helps executives unplug—literally and mentally—to rediscover purpose and perspective.
✨ Highlights:
🌳 Uses nature immersion as a transformative coaching tool
💬 Delivers engaging talks on leadership authenticity and balance
🧭 Specializes in stress management for high-performing professionals
🌿 Advocates for wellness-centered leadership practices
Curtis’s coaching reflects Ann Arbor’s connection to both innovation and nature—a perfect harmony of intellectual rigor and human restoration.
♦️ Robert Pasick
Psychologist | Founder of LeadersConnect | Author | Lecturer
Dr. Robert “Dr. Rob” Pasick stands as one of Ann Arbor’s most respected voices in psychology and leadership. With over four decades of experience, he’s helped executives at the University of Michigan, Fortune 500 companies, and nonprofits navigate emotional intelligence, succession planning, and organizational change.
✨ Highlights:
📚 Author of 10+ leadership and psychology books
🎓 Lecturer at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business
🌟 Founder of LeadersConnect, a professional community uniting Ann Arbor’s top minds
🧩 Integrates clinical psychology into leadership development frameworks
Dr. Pasick’s evidence-based, emotionally intelligent approach reflects the academic depth and human warmth that define Ann Arbor’s coaching community.
♦️ Paula Di Rita Wishart
Executive Leadership Coach
Paula Wishart is known for empowering leaders to lead with vision, empathy, and self-awareness. With extensive experience in higher education leadership, Paula combines strategic insight with coaching psychology to help professionals find clarity in complexity.
✨ Highlights:
🎯 Specializes in career transitions and leadership identity
🧭 Certified in executive development and career strategy
💡 Known for deep listening and adaptive guidance
🤝 A champion of inclusive leadership frameworks
Her coaching philosophy mirrors Ann Arbor’s intellectual compassion—structured yet empathetic, forward-thinking yet grounded.
♦️ Leo L. Rodriguez-Moran
Leadership Development • Executive Coaching
Leo Moran brings a social work background into the executive realm, creating a distinct coaching style rooted in human connection and systemic awareness. His clients benefit from his deep understanding of behavioral health, empathy-driven leadership, and inclusive organizational design.
✨ Highlights:
💬 Expertise in emotional intelligence and team trust
🧠 Combines leadership psychology with strategic consulting
🌎 Advocates for diversity and emotional safety in leadership
Leo’s holistic approach reinforces Ann Arbor’s ethos: leadership as both art and empathy.
♦️ Gene Mage
Managing Director of Custom Programs | Head of Executive Coaching, Michigan Ross Executive Education
Gene Mage leads with precision and purpose. As Managing Director of Custom Programs and Head of Executive Coaching at Michigan Ross Executive Education, Gene brings decades of experience helping senior leaders refine their strategic agility and personal influence. His approach blends data-driven leadership frameworks with authentic human connection, making him one of the region’s most sought-after educators in organizational transformation.
✨ Highlights:
🎓 Leads customized executive programs for global corporations
📘 Expert in leadership performance and applied learning
🌍 Partnered with international clients to strengthen global leadership cultures
💼 Known for transformative feedback models that enhance leadership clarity
Gene’s work is a cornerstone of Ann Arbor’s reputation for executive education excellence, embodying Michigan Ross’s commitment to real-world leadership outcomes.
♦️ John Baldoni
Keynote Presenter | Communications Advisor | Award-Winning Author | Executive Coach
🔗LinkedIn | Website | 100 Coaches
A name synonymous with leadership excellence, John Baldoni is internationally recognized for his work in executive coaching, communication strategy, and thought leadership. With 15 books and multiple global speaking engagements, Baldoni’s insights have shaped leaders from Fortune 500 companies to nonprofits seeking meaningful impact.
✨ Highlights:
🏆 Author of 15 leadership books and 3 poetry collections
🌐 Member of Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Coaches network
🎤 Frequent keynote speaker on leadership, communication, and purpose
🧠 Recognized by Inc. and Thinkers50 for thought leadership in leadership communication
Baldoni’s philosophy—“leadership is a purpose practiced”—aligns perfectly with Ann Arbor’s balance of intellectual depth and humanity. His teaching style reflects the bridge between art and management, which defines the area’s coaching community.
♦️ Silke Janz
Executive Coach (ICF-Certified PCC) | Team Coaching | Leadership Development
🔗LinkedIn | Three Birches Coaching
Silke Janz offers an approach rooted in curiosity, clarity, and courage. As an ICF-certified Professional Certified Coach (PCC), she brings rigor and professionalism to every engagement. Her firm, Three Birches Coaching, focuses on helping leaders cultivate psychological safety and team synergy.
✨ Highlights:
🌿 ICF-Certified PCC Executive Coach with a people-first approach
🧩 Specializes in team dynamics and conflict resolution
💬 Advocates for authentic leadership communication
🧭 Integrates mindfulness and resilience-building into coaching
Silke’s global perspective and methodical coaching style make her a cornerstone of Ann Arbor’s collaborative leadership culture.
♦️ Surry Scheerer
Executive Leadership Coach | University of Michigan Ross School of Business
Dr. Surry Scheerer is a fixture in the Ann Arbor coaching landscape, combining a psychological foundation with organizational leadership expertise. At the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, Surry works with executives, faculty, and MBA students alike to unlock self-awareness and performance excellence.
✨ Highlights:
🎓 Executive coach and leadership consultant at Michigan Ross
💼 Deep expertise in change management and leadership transitions
🧠 Integrates positive psychology and behavioral coaching
🤝 Known for her warm yet analytical approach to leadership transformation
Her influence extends beyond the campus—shaping leadership practices across the Midwest through her workshops and mentoring.
♦️ Scott Haber
Executive Coach | Former Engineer & Founder
Scott Haber blends the analytical mindset of an engineer with the emotional intelligence of a coach. After a successful career as a founder and product leader, he now helps executives master the intersection of technical excellence and human connection.
✨ Highlights:
🧩 Expert in tech leadership and executive transitions
💡 Helps engineers and founders evolve into inspired people leaders
🔧 Known for clarity-driven coaching and scalable systems thinking
🧘 Encourages mindfulness as a leadership strength
Scott’s practical yet introspective coaching philosophy mirrors Ann Arbor’s mix of technology and humanism, empowering technical professionals to lead authentically.
♦️ Tim Furlong
Executive Coaching & Leadership Development for Next-Level Performance
🔗LinkedIn | MyQuarterTurns | Simmons Group
Tim Furlong has spent decades helping leaders find their next level of performance. Through his company MyQuarterTurns, he combines engaging keynote presentations with personal coaching that drives clarity, confidence, and action.
✨ Highlights:
🎤 Renowned keynote speaker and leadership coach
🚀 Works with organizations across industries—from healthcare to tech
🧭 Creator of the “Quarter Turns” philosophy—small adjustments, major results
🧠 Brings energy, humor, and accountability to every coaching engagement
Tim’s pragmatic, energetic style makes him one of the most relatable coaches in the region—a perfect embodiment of Ann Arbor’s approachable leadership culture.
♦️ Donald Levitt
Senior-Level Executive Coach | Leadership Development & Family Business Consultant
Dr. Donald Levitt blends psychological insight with decades of business consulting experience. Specializing in family business leadership and succession planning, he’s helped numerous Michigan firms navigate the complexities of intergenerational leadership.
✨ Highlights:
🧠 Expertise in family-owned business consulting
📊 Facilitates executive transitions and strategic alignment
💬 Known for his empathetic and evidence-based coaching
💼 Former business owner, bringing real-world understanding to his clients
Donald’s ability to balance emotional dynamics and business imperatives makes him a standout in Michigan’s executive coaching scene.
♦️ Kathleen Macdonald
Executive Coach | Ross Leaders Academy | The MacD Group
🔗LinkedIn | Michigan Ross | MacD Group
Kathleen Macdonald’s coaching style is rooted in curiosity and courage. She has helped countless professionals at the Ross Leaders Academy develop the emotional agility and influence needed for senior leadership roles.
✨ Highlights:
🎓 Executive Coach for Ross Leaders Academy
💼 Founder of The MacD Group, focusing on leadership excellence
💬 Guides professionals through career growth, resilience, and impact
🌟 Dedicated to empowering women in leadership
Kathleen’s presence in Ann Arbor’s coaching ecosystem reflects the city’s progressive, learning-driven approach to leadership development.
♦️ Kevin Davis
Partner & Executive Coach, Phoenix Performance Partners
🔗LinkedIn | Phoenix Performance
Kevin Davis combines behavioral science and strategic business insight. As a partner at Phoenix Performance Partners, Kevin helps organizations align leadership behavior with strategic objectives—improving both performance and workplace culture.
✨ Highlights:
🔥 Expert in executive alignment and culture transformation
🧭 Guides leaders through goal-setting and accountability systems
💼 Experienced in team coaching for organizational synergy
🌱 Promotes sustainable leadership habits that create lasting change
Kevin’s data-informed, results-oriented coaching approach reinforces Ann Arbor’s balance of business discipline and human growth.
Ann Arbor’s Executive Coaching Landscape: A Living Laboratory of Leadership
What makes Ann Arbor’s coaching community exceptional is how seamlessly it blends science, heart, and community. Coaches here don’t just work with individuals—they shape ecosystems of trust, inclusion, and innovation across Michigan and beyond.
From the high-tech corridors of downtown Ann Arbor to the classrooms of the University of Michigan, leadership here is about connection and experimentation. It’s a city where executive coaches are more than mentors—they’re collaborators in growth, helping leaders see around corners and elevate the people around them.
For readers interested in learning how coaching can be integrated into broader HR and talent strategies, check out Digital Reference’s HR Innovation Resource—a practical guide for building resilient, future-ready leadership pipelines.
The Digital Reference Difference
At Digital Reference, we exist to connect professionals and organizations with the right experts—those who bring substance, empathy, and measurable results. Our selection process for featured coaches involves extensive research, transparent evaluation, and a commitment to showcasing diverse, inclusive voices in leadership.
What sets our platform apart is our digital-first, research-backed approach. We don’t just highlight names—we help HR teams and executives find their fit, backed by data and storytelling.
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If you’d like to explore our broader network of thought leaders and professional services, visit Digital Reference to see how we’re transforming the way organizations connect with expertise.
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