Los Angeles is a city where innovation and influence intersect, creating a vibrant and competitive business environment. As leaders navigate the complexities of industries ranging from entertainment to technology, the demand for executive coaching has surged. In fact, there were over 1.5 million online searches each month in 2024 by individuals seeking management or executive coaching services, underscoring the growing recognition of coaching’s value in leadership development. Loeb Leadership
In 2025, executive coaching in Los Angeles is characterized by several key trends:LinkedIn
- Emphasis on Emotional Intelligence (EQ): Coaches are focusing on enhancing leaders’ self-awareness and empathy to improve decision-making and team dynamics. Connective Consulting Group+1Forbes+1
- Integration of AI and Data Analytics: The use of technology in coaching is providing data-driven insights, allowing for more personalized and effective leadership development strategies. LinkedIn
These trends highlight the evolving nature of executive coaching in Los Angeles, where coaches are not only adapting to the changing business landscape but also driving transformation within it. The following list features 15 executive coaches who are at the forefront of these developments, providing the guidance and expertise that leaders need to thrive in today’s dynamic environment.
How We Chose These Coaches In Los Angeles
This list isn’t pay-to-play. It wasn’t compiled through nominations, submissions, or follower counts. It’s based on publicly available information, evaluated with intention.
We looked for:
- Demonstrated expertise: Clear evidence of active coaching work through LinkedIn, thought leadership, media presence, or educational content
- A defined coaching focus: From founder advising to DEI leadership to organizational development
- Credibility indicators: Relevant certifications, consistent client work, and recognition within or beyond their industry
- Professional presence: Clarity of message, consistency across platforms, and a visible commitment to the craft
This is not an exhaustive list. It’s a curated reflection of coaches who are actively shaping the leadership landscape in Los Angeles—with insight, integrity, and real-world results.
What Makes A Standout Executive Coach In 2025
In Los Angeles, leadership isn’t one-size-fits-all, and great coaching reflects that.
This city demands more than frameworks or goal-setting routines. Leaders here are navigating high visibility, rapid pivots, cultural influence, and often, dual roles as both visionary and operator. The best coaches meet that complexity with clarity and depth.
The standout coaches on this list:
- Ground their work in context, not generic playbooks
- Navigate both strategic leadership and personal evolution
- Work across industries—from entertainment and wellness to tech and social impact
- Prioritize presence, adaptability, and trust over one-size-fits-all models
This isn’t about performance polish—it’s about transformational substance. These coaches help leaders do the actual work beneath the role: building confidence, communication, resilience, and self-awareness in a way that lasts.
What’s unique about coaching in LA?
Leadership in Los Angeles is rarely confined to a boardroom. It shows up on stages, in studios, at startups, and across social platforms. Influence matters here, but so does intention.
The best LA-based coaches understand the nuance of ambition in this city. They work with leaders navigating public visibility, creative expression, cultural impact, and business scale—sometimes all at once. Their clients don’t just need strategy. They need space, clarity, and someone who can challenge without scripting the outcome.
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The 16 Best Executive Coaches In Los Angeles
These coaches don’t just coach leaders—they help shape culture, guide reinvention, and build clarity in some of LA’s most complex, high-visibility environments. From entertainment and tech to mission-driven startups, their impact runs deeper than titles. Each one brings a distinct blend of insight, presence, and practical wisdom to the table.
John Mattone
Focus Areas: Executive coaching, leadership development, Intelligent Leadership® framework
Certifications / Background: Recognized as the world’s #1 executive coach by Globalgurus.org in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, and 2025; developer of the Intelligent Leadership® Executive Coaching Certification Program
Client Types or Industries: CEOs, senior executives, and organizations across various industries
Notable Media / Content: Author of multiple bestselling books on leadership; featured in podcasts and media outlets discussing leadership and coaching
Donna Schilder
Focus Areas: Executive coaching, leadership development, career coaching
Certifications / Background: Master Certified Coach (MCC) through the International Coach Federation (ICF); over 10,000 hours of coaching experience
Client Types or Industries: Executives and leaders across various sectors, including aerospace, automotive, banking, healthcare, and higher education
Notable Media / Content: Founder of Glacier Point Solutions; featured in various coaching and leadership publications
Rosalene Glickman, Ph.D.
Focus Areas: Executive coaching, leadership development, optimization strategies
Certifications / Background: Ph.D. in Psychology; over 30,000 hours of executive coaching; author of Optimal Thinking; former UCLA instructor; founder and CEO of The World Academy of Personal Development, Inc.
Client Types or Industries: CEOs, senior executives, and teams across industries including entertainment, consumer products, healthcare, energy, and government
Notable Media / Content: Author of the international bestseller Optimal Thinking; featured by Bloomberg, Fox News, CBS Weekend Magazine, and The New York Times
Dr. Thuy Sindell
Focus Areas: Executive coaching, leadership development, organizational psychology
Certifications / Background: Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology from Alliant International University
Client Types or Industries: Technology, insurance, startups, Fortune 500 companies
Notable Media / Content: Author of “Hidden Strengths,” “The End of Work as You Know It,” “Job Spa,” and “Sink or Swim”; contributor to Huffington Post and Psychology Today
Susan Inouye
Focus Areas: Transformational change, millennial engagement, leadership development
Certifications / Background: Bestselling author of Leadership’s Perfect Storm: What Millennials Are Teaching Us about Possibilities, Passion, and Purpose
Client Types or Industries: Over 600 businesses across 40 industries, including small businesses and Fortune 500 companies
Notable Media / Content: Co-founder of Sawubona Leadership; featured in various leadership podcasts and interviews
Carrie Gormley
Focus Areas: Executive coaching, leadership development, career transitions, emotional intelligence
Certifications / Background: Professional Certified Coach (PCC) accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF); Certified Hudson Institute Coach; Hogan Certified Coach
Client Types or Industries: High-achieving female leaders, C-suite executives, emerging leaders, creative executives
Notable Media / Content: Author of “Rethinking Imposter Syndrome” on LinkedIn
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Dave Shaw
Focus Areas: Executive coaching, leadership development, emotional intelligence
Certifications / Background: Professional Certified Coach (PCC) accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF); coaching accreditation from the Hudson Institute; certified in Hogan and Workplace Big Five profile assessments; over 25 years of operational leadership experience
Client Types or Industries: Executives and leaders across various sectors, including entertainment and marketing
Notable Media / Content: Featured in various leadership and coaching platforms
Dean Hallett
Focus Areas: Executive coaching, leadership development, organizational transformation
Certifications / Background: Former CFO and EVP of Operations at 20th Century Fox; extensive experience in leadership roles within the entertainment industry
Client Types or Industries: Entertainment, media, corporate leadership across various sectors
Notable Media / Content: Author of “The Missing Piece: Transforming Leadership with a High-Performance Mindset”; featured in Exeleon Magazine for empowering transformative leadership
Colleen Campbell, Ph.D.
Focus Areas: Executive coaching, career development, leadership transformation
Certifications / Background: Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology; over 20 years of experience in career and executive coaching
Client Types or Industries: Executives, emerging leaders, entrepreneurs across various sectors
Notable Media / Content: Author of “Career Compass: A Guided Journal for Discovering a Fulfilling Career Path and Designing a Life You Love”; featured in Women’s Health Magazine
Jerry Fu
Focus Areas: Conflict resolution, leadership development, cultural competence, career coaching
Certifications / Background: PharmD; Associate Certified Coach (ACC) through the International Coaching Federation; certified in Emotional Intelligence (EQ-i 2.0/EQ 360), Talent Optimization, and Designing Your Life
Client Types or Industries: Asian-American professionals, emerging leaders, healthcare and pharmacy professionals, nonprofit leaders
Notable Media / Content: Co-author of Secrets of Next-Level Entrepreneurs; featured on platforms such as All Ears English, Business RadioX, and The Ultimate Coach Podcast
Vanya Koonce, PCC
Focus Areas: Executive coaching, leadership development, team development, agile transformation
Certifications / Background: Professional Certified Coach (PCC) accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF); Master’s Degree in Organizational Psychology; Certified Scrum Master; Soft Skills Trainer; Mentor Coach Practitioner; qualification in Human Resources Development from UCLA
Client Types or Industries: Entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, teams across various industries
Notable Media / Content: Featured in Trusted Magazine’s Q&A on agile transformation and leadership coaching
Leslie Pogue, CPC
Focus Areas: Workplace development, personal coaching, mental wellness
Certifications / Background: Certified Professional Coach (CPC); Master of Arts in Psychology from Pepperdine University; pursuing MLS/MDR at Pepperdine Caruso Law
Client Types or Industries: Government agencies, corporate teams, individuals seeking personal development
Notable Media / Content: Author of 28 Days to Happy and The Positive Side of the Bad Stuff; host of “The Habit of Happy” podcast; member of the National Speakers Association
Drew McCrary
Focus Areas: Executive coaching, leadership development, personal growth
Certifications / Background: ICF-certified coach; Internal Family Systems (IFS) informed; M.A. in Organizational Behavior and Leadership
Client Types or Industries: Corporate executives, emerging leaders, individuals seeking personal development
Notable Media / Content: Founder of Growth In Sight; featured on Terawatt as an executive coach and leadership facilitator
James Wright
Focus Areas: Diversity and inclusion strategy, talent acquisition, leadership development
Certifications / Background: PHR, SHRM-CP, CDR; former senior leader in Inclusion and Diversity at Apple Inc.; roles at LinkedIn, NBCUniversal, AOL, and MCI
Client Types or Industries: Technology, media, telecommunications
Notable Media / Content: Featured in The Washington Post and SHRM articles; keynote speaker at SHRM Diversity & Inclusion Conferences
Margaret Meloni
Focus Areas: Project management, leadership development, conflict resolution
Certifications / Background: Project Management Professional (PMP); MBA in Information Technology from California State University, Long Beach; Ph.D. in Religious Studies from University of the West
Client Types or Industries: IT professionals, project managers, corporate executives
Notable Media / Content: Author of “Carpooling with Death” and “Sitting with Death”; featured instructor on Coursera; recipient of UCLA Extension’s Distinguished Instructor Award
The Future of Coaching in LA Is Creative, Contextual, and Credible
In a city that thrives on storytelling and scale, coaching is becoming more essential—and more nuanced.
These 30 professionals represent the kind of coaching that lasts. Not trend-driven. Not performance for performance’s sake. Just deep, human work that helps leaders show up with clarity, courage, and integrity.
We’re proud to recognize them—and to keep learning from the ways they’re evolving leadership in Los Angeles.
FAQs
Why wasn’t I featured?
This is a curated list, not an exhaustive one. If you or someone you know is doing great work in coaching, reach out—we’re always listening.
How were these coaches selected?
All featured coaches were chosen based on publicly available content, professional credibility, and a clear coaching focus. No nominations or paid placements.
Is this a Cloverleaf partner list?
No. This list reflects our broader respect for the coaching profession. These coaches are not affiliated or sponsored—we’re simply highlighting great work where we see it.