Michelle Somerday, Ph.D., is an executive coach and leadership development consultant and the founder of Neo-Strategic, LLC. She is educated as an engineer and scientist and began her career in academia, reflecting her innate belief in the inherent and diverse capabilities of each individual and a passion for helping people realize their strengths. She transitioned to the corporate world and understands first-hand what is required to be successful both individually and as part of a team, and how to be an effective leader.
In her 20+ years of experience, she has held senior leadership positions and addressed many organizational needs including program management, strategy planning and implementation, and business development. She led a multi-organizational team to develop the technical and business case for $200M in new federal government IT systems, proposed solutions to operational issues of the 2008 Olympics and presented them in Beijing to Chinese government officials, and was instrumental in securing new contracts worth over $1.5B. She is an experienced speaker and lecturer who has taught at the graduate level and given invited talks at international conferences.
Michelle’s clients are experienced professionals who are motivated to strengthen the leadership and team-building skills needed to excel in a business environment. She credits her analytical background for her ability to help clients bring structure to nebulous issues, clarify the factors underlying individual behavior and organizational dynamics, and devise goal-oriented development plans that bring about tangible results. Her clients come from organizations such as Amazon, Apple, AstraZeneca, Genentech/Roche, Capital One, Deltek, Hewlett-Packard, Ascensus, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Administrative Offices of the U.S. Courts.
She is Adjunct Faculty for the Duke University Master of Engineering Management program and an executive coach for the University of Virginia Darden School Foundation Executive Education & Lifelong Learning programs. She developed and facilitated custom leadership classes and provided executive coaching for the University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business Office of Executive Programs.
Michelle’s former life as a researcher is demonstrated in her preference for evidence-based approaches to leadership, and this is a hallmark of her blog and speaking engagements. She writes, presents, and creates and facilitates classes on all things related to leadership and is particularly interested in Women Leaders in STEM Fields and The Mindful Leader. Her writing has been featured in the Human Capital blog of the Association for Talent Development.
Michelle has an Executive Certificate in Leadership Coaching from Georgetown University and is a Professional Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation. She has a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Virginia, a M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Florida, and a B.S.E. in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science from Duke University.