Best Executive Coaches in Minneapolis

Minneapolis Executive Coaching Services

Minneapolis is a city where innovation, creativity, and leadership converge. From Fortune 500 giants like Target and 3M to thriving mid-sized companies and emerging startups, the Twin Cities are home to leaders who care deeply about people, culture, and purpose. Yet even the most successful executives recognize that great leadership requires continuous growth—and that’s where executive coaching comes in.

Executive coaches across Minneapolis–St. Paul–Bloomington help business leaders navigate complexity, inspire teams, and build organizations where people and culture thrive. These professionals understand the unique dynamics of the region—its emphasis on inclusivity, Scandinavian practicality, and Midwestern work ethic—and tailor their coaching accordingly.

At Digital Reference, our mission is to highlight the best in leadership and human development. Our editorial team spent weeks researching, interviewing, and evaluating dozens of local executive coaches to curate this list. We examined their methodologies, credentials, client success stories, and unique approaches to leadership and culture. Some are freelancers running solo practices; others are part of coaching firms or serve as HR consultants for mission-driven organizations.

Each coach featured here represents excellence in executive development, leadership transformation, and organizational effectiveness—and each brings something distinctive to the Minneapolis business community.

Whether you’re a CEO looking for clarity, an HR leader cultivating better culture, or an emerging executive finding your authentic voice, this guide is your map to the city’s most trusted coaching experts.

The Minneapolis Approach to Executive Coaching

The Minneapolis–St. Paul area is known for blending compassion with performance. The HR industry here prioritizes empathy, inclusion, and continuous learning, values that are deeply embedded in local coaching practices.

Our featured professionals are distinguished not just by their credentials, but by how they listen, challenge assumptions, and connect leadership to purpose. At Digital Reference, our methodology focuses on:

• Depth of Practice – years of experience and tangible results.
  
  
• Credentialed Expertise – ICF accreditation, academic training, or relevant certifications.
  
  
• Cultural Insight – coaches who understand the Midwest’s leadership DNA.
  
  
• Client Impact – testimonials, long-term transformations, and cultural shifts.
  
  

Let’s meet the remarkable individuals shaping leadership in the Twin Cities.

🌟 Meet Minneapolis' Executive Coaches Making things Happen

♦️ Jill Quigley

Executive Coach | Culture-Builder | Learning Experience Designer
LinkedIn

Jill Quigley has spent her career helping leaders build cultures that truly last. Her background in learning experience design allows her to bring creativity and empathy to every engagement. Jill’s coaching combines human-centered design thinking with practical leadership development frameworks—making her a favorite among HR directors and people leaders across the Minneapolis area.

🔹 Specialties: Leadership resilience, culture design, and team learning frameworks
🔹 Approach: Blends neuroscience-based learning and reflective coaching
🔹 Clients say: Jill helps them rediscover meaning in their leadership while keeping strategic goals in focus

Her coaching ethos—focused on curiosity, courage, and continuous learning—reflects Minneapolis’s own values of collaboration and purpose-driven growth.

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♦️ Nikki Shultz

Executive Coach ICF PCC | Team Development | Leadership Experiences | Speaker
LinkedIn | Website

A Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coaching Federation, Nikki Shultz is known for helping leaders move from “good” to “genuine.” Her company, Courageous Roots, captures her philosophy perfectly: growth takes courage, vulnerability, and action.

🔹 Experience: 20+ years working with corporate teams, executives, and leadership programs
🔹 Known for: Courage-based coaching and team development experiences
🔹 Approach: Focuses on authenticity, communication, and relational intelligence

Nikki’s workshops are highly interactive, often blending storytelling with powerful inquiry. Her work exemplifies Minneapolis’s reputation for building leaders who lead with integrity and empathy.

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♦️ Claire Williams

Executive Coach | Writer | Speaker
LinkedIn | Website | The People Side | Center for Coaching in Orgs

Claire Williams brings an unparalleled mix of executive coaching, writing, and organizational development expertise. A published writer and speaker, she partners with leaders who seek not just performance—but purpose.

🔹 Philosophy: “Leadership is an inside-out process.”
🔹 Affiliations: The People Side, Center for Coaching in Organizations
🔹 Areas of impact: Emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and leadership storytelling

Claire’s coaching integrates psychology, mindfulness, and reflective writing—helping clients craft leadership narratives that resonate deeply with their teams. In Minneapolis’s collaborative ecosystem, her presence as both a thinker and practitioner stands out.

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♦️ Jodee McCallum

Fractional People & Culture Leader | Executive Coach | Consultant
LinkedIn | Website

With over two decades in People & Culture leadership, Jodee McCallum supports mission-driven organizations to align people, strategy, and purpose. Her firm, Mindful Executive Strategies, focuses on creating balanced, intentional workplaces.

🔹 Approach: Integrates mindfulness, strategy alignment, and executive coaching
🔹 Clients: Nonprofits, healthcare leaders, and progressive enterprises
🔹 Signature strength: Connecting culture change with executive accountability

Her clients describe her as a “calm force for clarity”—a hallmark of the thoughtful and community-oriented Minneapolis leadership ethos.

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♦️ Cindy Edwards, MA.

Owner | Coach | Trainer | Executive Coach
LinkedIn | Website

Cindy Edwards has been helping leaders and professionals “find their fit” for over 20 years. Through her company, To Find Your Fit, Cindy provides executive coaching and career transition support with compassion and structure.

🔹 Focus areas: Career clarity, leadership confidence, and transition strategy
🔹 Methodology: Uses assessment tools, structured reflection, and goal-setting frameworks
🔹 What sets her apart: A rare combination of business pragmatism and personal empathy

Her background in HR and adult learning allows her to connect leadership development with organizational needs—a key reason she’s a trusted partner in Minneapolis’s HR circles.

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♦️ Rita Webster

Executive Coach for Women Leaders ✦ Systemic Team Coach ✦ Speaker ✦ Trainer ✦ Facilitator
LinkedIn | Website

Dr. Rita Webster has devoted her career to helping women in leadership break barriers, build confidence, and lead with vision. As founder of Wise Leader Coaching, Rita combines academic insight with real-world leadership coaching.

🔹 Expertise: Women’s leadership, systemic team coaching, and organizational psychology
🔹 Experience: Ph.D. in leadership and decades of work with executive teams
🔹 Programs: Group coaching cohorts and corporate workshops on inclusion and resilience

Her research-backed, heart-centered approach embodies Minneapolis’s progressive spirit—where empowerment meets intellect.

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♦️ Kelly Klein

Corporate Board Director | ICF & Board Certified Executive Coach | Strategic Leadership Advisor | Accomplished Technology & Operations Executive
LinkedIn | Website

Kelly Klein’s blend of corporate board experience and executive coaching mastery makes her one of the Twin Cities’ most respected advisors. Her firm, Klein Partners, works with senior executives navigating transformation and high-stakes decisions.

🔹 Core strengths: Strategic leadership, executive presence, and board governance
🔹 Background: Tech and operations executive turned leadership coach
🔹 Value: Helps leaders clarify purpose and influence across global teams

Kelly’s ability to bridge corporate governance and human development is unmatched—she’s not just a coach but a strategic confidante to many Minneapolis executives.

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♦️ Michelle Stimpson

Executive Coach | Life Coach | Leading Women Through Positive Change Since 2003
LinkedIn | LifeShine Coaching | The People Side

With over two decades of coaching experience, Michelle Stimpson has guided hundreds of women leaders toward more meaningful success. Through LifeShine Coaching, she helps clients embrace growth, confidence, and balance.

🔹 Experience: Over 20 years in professional coaching and leadership development
🔹 Style: Gentle yet challenging, deeply personalized, and values-based
🔹 Community involvement: Collaborates with The People Side to elevate women’s leadership

Michelle embodies the compassionate professionalism that defines Minneapolis—where coaching isn’t transactional, but transformational.

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♦️ Kathryn Senn

Certified Executive Coach | Founder, Living Leadership LLC | ACC Accredited by ICF
LinkedIn | Website

Kathryn Senn, founder of Living Leadership LLC, helps leaders live their leadership values daily. Her coaching encourages reflection, accountability, and growth through curiosity.

🔹 Specialties: Executive performance, emotional intelligence, and communication clarity
🔹 Approach: Combines behavioral science and mindfulness
🔹 Clients: Executives and high-potential leaders across industries

Her ICF-accredited coaching practice reflects the Twin Cities’ growing appetite for leadership that integrates authenticity with performance.

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♦️ Jim Earley

Executive / Leadership Coach — Coach to purpose-driven leaders aiming for both financial and personal success
LinkedIn | Website

Jim Earley calls himself a “trailblazer”—and it fits. His firm, Trailblazer Coaching, supports leaders who want to build thriving careers without losing themselves in the process.

🔹 Approach: Purpose-driven coaching grounded in neuroscience and systems thinking
🔹 Focus: Leadership alignment, work-life integration, and high-performance habits
🔹 Unique touch: Blends humor, humility, and deep insight

Jim’s background in corporate leadership adds credibility and relatability. He’s part of the new wave of Minneapolis coaches who see leadership as both a craft and a calling.

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♦️ Kris Indahl

Executive Coach | Grief Educator | Grief Coach
LinkedIn | Website | Center for Coaching in Orgs | The Bailey Group

Few coaches combine professional excellence with human compassion like Kris Indahl. As a grief educator and executive coach, Kris helps leaders navigate loss, transition, and transformation with grace.

🔹 Expertise: Executive development, grief-informed coaching, emotional leadership
🔹 Philosophy: “Growth and grief are often intertwined—leaders must learn to hold both.”
🔹 Partnerships: Collaborates with The Bailey Group and the Center for Coaching in Organizations

In a city that values heart as much as results, Kris brings a much-needed voice of empathy and strength to leadership development.

Why Executive Coaching Matters in the Twin Cities

The Minneapolis leadership landscape is evolving. As organizations become more diverse, remote, and digitally connected, the demand for emotionally intelligent and adaptable leaders grows.

Executive coaches like the ones above are not only shaping individual careers—they’re shaping the city’s business culture. From med-tech to nonprofits, retail to tech startups, the coaching movement reflects the Twin Cities’ reputation for innovation with a conscience.

For HR professionals, this trend also signals a shift: leadership development is no longer optional—it’s strategic. And executive coaching is one of the most effective and personalized tools in that evolution.

If you’re considering how to integrate coaching into your company’s HR strategy, explore our resource on Leadership Development and People Strategy for practical guidance.

At Digital Reference, we believe in bridging digital strategy with human leadership. Our platform connects organizations with trusted consultants, coaches, and thought leaders across industries.

Through our curated guides—like this one on the Best Executive Coaches in Minneapolis—we help HR and business leaders discover the right partnerships to elevate culture and performance.

Our editorial process involves extensive research, peer feedback, and credibility checks to ensure that every coach featured meets high standards of excellence. We’re not just curating names; we’re building a community of leadership innovators.

Ready to learn more or explore featuring your own firm or consultancy? Visit our Contact Page to connect with our editorial and partnerships team.

Final Thoughts - Choosing the Right Minneapolis-based Executive Coach for Your Needs

The Minneapolis–St. Paul region has always been known for its thoughtful leadership, community spirit, and commitment to growth. These executive coaches embody those qualities—and through their work, they continue to shape the region’s leadership identity.

As organizations face rapid digital and cultural change, one truth remains: leadership is personal. Coaching provides the space for that transformation to happen—with empathy, strategy, and purpose.

At Digital Reference, we’re proud to spotlight the professionals driving that change. Because when leaders grow, so does the city around them.