For the last 28 years Dr. Kathleen McMahon has served in senior leadership roles at numerous diverse institutions of higher education across the U.S., both public and private, and large and small. In each position she built new teams, reorganized divisions, and hired and developed talented staff. Her broad institutional experience gives her a deep understanding of organizational/work culture, unique strategic and operational dynamics, as well as leadership challenges and opportunities. She is a skilled anthropologist who learns quickly about a system and gleans what is needed to help it succeed. Given her experience serving on cabinets, she understands what the various senior roles require across an institution to effect strategic change and success.
She has had extensive experience in navigating and managing campus climate and culture issues, and is uniquely familiar with the empathy and support that leaders require when confronting issues of equity and inclusion. She brings seasoned experience in strategic plan development and implementation, conflict resolution, facilitating respectful, diverse and inclusive campus conversations, and leading through sensitive campus crises.
Kathleen is a credentialed Associate Certified Coach (ACC) through the International Coaching Federation (ICF). She was drawn to understanding how people make meaning in their lives and studied philosophy at the University of New Hampshire where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa. She earned her master’s in clinical social work from Boston College, where she learned to honor the value of a person’s life circumstances and how that impacts their outlook and sense of agency. Her doctorate is from UCLA in Educational Leadership, where she conducted research on women’s leadership development, which has remained an area of focus and interest. Kathleen obtained her coaching certification from The Fielding Graduate University in Evidence Based Coaching. She is certified in the Center for Creative Leadership 360 Assessment suite.
Her approach is developmental, transformational, involves coaching the whole person, and is informed by adult development theory, somatics (the mind-body connection), and Internal Family Systems (IFS). She is known as an empathic, warm and direct coach. Her gifts include having a curious, compassionate mindset, and the ability to help people delve more deeply to create profound and meaningful change. As a leadership coach, she also incorporates systems thinking and complex change theory.
Kathleen is an avid runner, loves horseback riding and hiking, and has raised two college-aged children.