Best Executive Coaches in St. Louis

Best Executive Coaching Services in St. Louis

When people think of St. Louis, they often picture the Gateway Arch, a symbol of vision and possibility. That same pioneering spirit also defines the city’s leadership and HR community as a hub for collaboration, innovation, and transformation. With major employers like Boeing, Edward Jones, Centene, and Washington University, the St. Louis area has long been a powerhouse of business and social progress. Behind the city’s growing ecosystem of purpose-driven organizations are the coaches and consultants helping leaders grow with confidence and clarity.

At Digital Reference, we understand that finding the right executive coach isn’t just about credentials; it’s about alignment, philosophy, and results. That’s why our selection process is rigorous. We evaluate hundreds of professionals through research, reputation, verified outcomes, and client feedback to identify the most trusted voices in leadership development. Each coach below is based in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area and brings a distinct mix of expertise, empathy, and executive insight.

🌟 Meet St. Louis' Executive Coaches Making things Happen

🔶 Carol (Lahay) Morgan Wirth

Founder, Wirth Leadership
🔗 LinkedIn

Carol Morgan Wirth is widely recognized across St. Louis as a transformational leadership coach who blends insight, integrity, and practical wisdom. At Wirth Leadership, she helps senior leaders and teams clarify their values, sharpen their influence, and align performance with purpose. Carol’s approach draws from decades in organizational leadership, with a deep understanding of how trust and authenticity transform workplace culture.

She’s known for helping executives navigate inflection points the moments when organizations are ready for change but unsure how to move forward. Carol’s facilitative coaching style encourages self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and collective accountability, leading to lasting results.

💡 Key strengths:
🔵 Expert in executive presence and emotional intelligence coaching.
🔵 Proven facilitator for high-trust leadership teams navigating change.
🔵 Skilled in aligning organizational culture with strategic vision.
🔵 Dedicated to ethical leadership and value-based performance.

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🔶 Rachel Lugge

Certified Executive Coach & Consultant, Founder at Crux Coaching
🔗 LinkedIn

Rachel Lugge brings more than two decades of experience in executive coaching, organizational development, and HR transformation. Known for her strategic insight and down-to-earth style, Rachel partners with business leaders to enhance performance, resilience, and engagement. Her clients describe her as both a thought partner and a challenger, someone who listens deeply and helps uncover blind spots that inhibit growth.

Rachel’s coaching often centers on the “human side” of business transformation. She emphasizes trust-building, communication, and the ability to lead with empathy in complex environments. In the St. Louis community, she’s known for her commitment to developing leaders who don’t just meet metrics but inspire their people.

💡 Key strengths:
🔵 Expertise in organizational culture and leadership alignment.
🔵 Passion for coaching leaders through career transitions.
🔵 Focus on empathy-based leadership and emotional awareness.
🔵 Proven record of helping executives strengthen team cohesion.

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🔶 Michela Henke-Cilenti

Founder & Leadership Coach, Michela Henke-Cilenti Coaching
🔗 LinkedIn

Michela Henke-Cilenti is a St. Louis–based leadership coach with a global outlook. Drawing on years of international experience, she blends business acumen with behavioral science to help leaders operate with greater agility and clarity. Her practice centers around authentic leadership guiding clients to align who they are with how they lead.

Michela’s unique background includes work in corporate HR and cross-cultural leadership, equipping her with a nuanced understanding of what drives performance across diverse organizations. Clients praise her for her intuitive ability to identify patterns, challenge assumptions, and encourage bold, sustainable action.

💡 Key strengths:
🔵 Specializes in authentic and cross-cultural leadership development.
🔵 Deep background in HR and organizational transformation.
🔵 Strong focus on self-awareness and identity in leadership.
🔵 Known for helping leaders find clarity in complexity.

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🔶 Lauren Cohen

Founder, Cohen Leadership Group
🔗 LinkedIn

Lauren Cohen is a leadership strategist and executive coach dedicated to helping organizations cultivate emotionally intelligent leaders. Through her work at Cohen Leadership Group, Lauren partners with both corporate and nonprofit leaders across the St. Louis region to strengthen culture and communication. Her clients range from C-suite executives to emerging leaders seeking to expand their impact and confidence.

Lauren’s approach is research-driven and results-focused, integrating psychology, leadership science, and practical management tools. She is particularly skilled at navigating interpersonal challenges, helping teams build trust and alignment during times of rapid growth or change.

💡 Key strengths:
🔵 Deep expertise in emotional intelligence and communication strategy.
🔵 Strong background in team alignment and conflict resolution.
🔵 Known for practical tools that foster collaboration and accountability.
🔵 Empowers leaders to create cultures of feedback and learning.

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🔶Liesel Duhon

Executive Coach & Talent Development Consultant, Founder at Cohen Leadership Group
🔗 LinkedIn

Liesel Duhon brings a mix of strategic HR experience and personal development insight to her executive coaching practice. With a career spanning talent management, leadership development, and human capital consulting, she’s worked with leaders across industries to refine their influence and drive organizational excellence.

Liesel’s approach emphasizes self-leadership, the discipline and mindset required to manage oneself before leading others. Her coaching often explores how habits, thought patterns, and emotional intelligence shape a leader’s effectiveness. In St. Louis, she’s known for her steady, grounded style and her ability to help leaders find confidence in uncertainty.

💡 Key strengths:
🔵 Expertise in leadership assessment and development strategy.
🔵 Focus on behavioral change and performance accountability.
🔵 Skilled in executive presence and strategic communication.
🔵 Advocates for mindfulness and resilience in leadership.

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🔶 Creed Branson

Executive Coach & Founder at Creed Branson the clarity coach
🔗 LinkedIn

Creed Branson is a trusted executive coach and organizational strategist with more than 25 years of experience leading people development initiatives across the Midwest. As founder of Branson Leadership Group, Creed partners with senior executives, boards, and leadership teams to strengthen decision-making and long-term strategy.

His approach integrates leadership science, coaching psychology, and systems thinking, enabling leaders to move from reactive management to proactive influence. Known for his candor and calm presence, Creed helps clients see the bigger picture, identifying how personal behaviors ripple through an organization’s culture and results.

Creed also supports regional nonprofits and civic leaders, emphasizing ethical leadership, inclusion, and community impact, values that reflect the collaborative spirit of St. Louis.

💡 Key strengths:
🔹 Deep expertise in leadership psychology and organizational systems.
🔹 Strong background in executive transition and board effectiveness.
🔹 Trusted advisor for senior leaders navigating complexity.
🔹 Committed to cultivating inclusive, values-driven workplaces.

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🔶 Ellen Moran, Ph.D.

 Business Psychologist, Executive Coach, Speaker, and Founder of Leadership Dialogues LLC
🔗 LinkedIn

Dr. Ellen Moran blends academic depth with executive pragmatism. As a leadership psychologist and certified executive coach, she brings over 30 years of experience supporting senior leaders across industries. Her firm, Leadership Dialogues, is known for helping executives improve communication, decision-making, and emotional intelligence through evidence-based coaching.

Ellen’s method is highly reflective, rooted in organizational psychology and adult learning theory, but also deeply practical. Clients value her clarity and warmth as she helps them identify their leadership blind spots, reframe challenges, and strengthen confidence.

In St. Louis, Ellen is particularly respected for her contribution to leadership education and for mentoring emerging coaches in the region’s growing talent ecosystem.

💡 Key strengths:
🔹 Background in executive psychology and adult learning.
🔹 Expertise in leadership assessment and feedback processes.
🔹 Focus on authenticity, resilience, and emotional agility.
🔹 Proven impact on senior-level communication and trust-building.

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🔶 Dr. Tonya Rivers

Executive Coach & Consultant / CEO & FOUNDER at Purposed2Lead
🔗 LinkedIn

Dr. Tonya Rivers stands out as a visionary leadership coach who combines organizational strategy with personal empowerment. Her background in education, HR leadership, and executive development informs her multidimensional approach — she coaches the whole leader, integrating professional goals with personal purpose.

Dr. Rivers partners with executives and high-potential leaders to build confidence, clarity, and influence. Her clients often describe her as “a mirror and a motivator”, she reflects truth with compassion and empowers action with accountability.

As part of the St. Louis coaching community, Tonya also contributes to initiatives focused on diversity, equity, and leadership inclusion, helping organizations strengthen belonging through leadership practices.

💡 Key strengths:
🔹 Skilled in executive communication and confidence coaching.
🔹 Expert in organizational change and cultural transformation.
🔹 Deep commitment to leadership equity and inclusion.
🔹 Known for energizing, purpose-centered coaching engagements.

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🔶 Tammy Gocial, Ph.D.

Executive & Leadership Coach, Founder at Gocial Leadership Advisors (GoLead!)
🔗 LinkedIn

Dr. Tammy Gocial brings a rare combination of academic leadership experience and organizational insight to her coaching practice. Having served in senior academic roles for over two decades, Tammy helps university leaders, administrators, and nonprofit executives navigate the challenges of growth, change, and shared governance.

Her coaching philosophy emphasizes integrity, reflection, and relational awareness. Tammy helps leaders clarify their guiding principles and translate those into practical leadership behavior. Clients appreciate her patience and perceptive questioning, which open the door to deeper learning and lasting transformation.

💡 Key strengths:
🔹 Expertise in academic and mission-driven leadership.
🔹 Skilled facilitator for reflective, values-based growth.
🔹 Strong background in performance coaching and feedback models.
🔹 Known for guiding leaders through transitions and complexity

🌆 The St. Louis Leadership Landscape

St. Louis is a city with a longstanding culture of community leadership. From the city’s corporate boardrooms to its thriving nonprofit sector, the emphasis on integrity, inclusivity, and innovation runs deep. The coaching ecosystem here reflects that—a blend of academic expertise, business savvy, and heart-centered human development.

The region’s economic fabric—aerospace, healthcare, education, finance, and civic innovation—requires leaders who can bridge strategy and empathy. That’s why executive coaches in St. Louis play such an essential role. They don’t just improve leadership performance; they help shape cultures of learning, trust, and accountability across entire organizations.

Many of the city’s top coaches are also facilitators, educators, and HR advisors. They work hand-in-hand with CHROs, talent development teams, and DEI leaders to design coaching cultures that endure. This integrated approach has made St. Louis a Midwestern hub for leadership excellence, comparable in depth and sophistication to larger markets like Chicago or Dallas.

🔍 Why St. Louis Leaders Choose Executive Coaching

Local executives increasingly view coaching as a strategic investment, not a luxury. From start-ups in the Cortex Innovation District to legacy firms in Clayton and Chesterfield, leaders are realizing that clarity, communication, and self-awareness are competitive advantages.

St. Louis coaches often emphasize three shared principles:

1. Purpose Alignment—ensuring leaders and teams operate from shared values.
   
   
2. Relational Intelligence—elevating emotional and interpersonal awareness.
   
   
3. Sustainable Growth—translating insights into long-term behavioral change.
   
   

The best coaching engagements in St. Louis are collaborative partnerships built on trust. Coaches here tend to be analytical and compassionate, balancing structure with warmth and data with humanity.

💬 Digital Reference Insight

At Digital Reference, our mission is to highlight professionals who embody excellence in coaching, consulting, and human leadership. Each coach featured here represents not just personal mastery, but also a contribution to the broader St. Louis ecosystem of growth and innovation.

If you’re exploring coaching for yourself or your organization, start with reflection:

• What kind of leader do you want to become?
• What values guide your growth?
• What kind of partnership will challenge and sustain you?

Whether you’re a CEO refining vision, a senior manager developing confidence, or an HR leader building a coaching culture, the right partnership can shift everything.

👉 Learn more through related resources from Digital Reference:

• Best HR Strategy Consulting Services in the USA
• How to Hire a Human Resource Consultant: A Complete Guide for Growing Businesses
• The Ultimate Guide to Video Resumes

🌟 Closing Reflection

St. Louis continues to thrive as a center for thoughtful, values-based leadership. The coaches featured here reflect what makes this city special—its blend of humility, courage, and commitment to community. Their work helps leaders move beyond short-term success toward enduring impact.

That spirit is what defines St. Louis’s best coaches—and what drives the future of leadership across every industry.