a)plan coaching
Fully Booked

Specializes in:

  • Leadership Development
  • Team Building
  • Effective Communication & Interpersonal Skills
  • Personal Growth

Susan has been coaching individual executives for 6 years; she’s been teaching leadership skills for 20 yrs.

She combines her analytical MBA training with an eye for human interactions and organizational systems. For years, as Ass’t Director of Admission at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, she evaluated people for their potential – now she coaches them to reach it. She continues to work at Stanford and has taught over 1000 professionals, in classes at Stanford Continuing Education, the skills of building trusted relationships – at work, with friends or family. She also works with global LEAD executives on the essentials of leading effective teams and creating lives of meaning and worth.

She is the mother to 4 grown children, lives in Menlo Park, CA and is known for her creative and fun approach to life.

She has a deep knowledge in these other areas, too:

• Meditation
• Parenting
• The Work of Byron Katie

Education & Credentials 


  • MBA, Stanford Graduate School of Business
  • B.A., Brown University, Psychology    
  • Certified Mediator
  • Staff – The School for the Work with Byron Katie
  • Theater Intensive – Shakespeare & Co
  • Pending certification in Japanese Psychology

Susan has worked with clients across multiple industries, including Stanford University, Google, Palantir Technologies, Thanx, private schools, small businesses, and the investment, health care and legal services sectors. 

Client Testimonials

“Working with Susan is transformational. Her proactive and holistic approach has been a welcome framework to support and navigate career transitions, the development of new presentation and negotiation skills, and carving out intentional practices from executive management to personal wellbeing for the long run. Susan’s versatility enables me to shift focus as I need in any given session and yet her instinct is spot on as she guides me to the big picture for grounding. An excellent listener, strategist and non-judgemental coach!”

Mila Z., Palantir Technologies

Working with Susan has changed my professional life.  She has an incredible seemingly effortless ability to perceive the critical elements of my interactions at work and set me on the right track, regardless of my own personal bias in the telling.  With her help I’ve done things professionally that I would not have attempted before and to replace anxiety about my interactions with confidence. I have worked with other coaches and therapists on the same issues –  none have come close.”

Don M., Silicon Valley CIO

“I loved working with Susan; she was invaluable in easing my transition from individual contributor to manager. She had a masterful ability to be analytical and strategic as well as empathic and kind. Listening carefully, she worked through my own confused thoughts to bring a clarity of purpose and direction that has proved invaluable. I would leave each session with an abundance of ideas, resources, and next steps to build my path forward. During this time, she would also frequently send me short notes and recommendations to keep me on track. Her presence at that critical time accelerated my mastery of this next phase of my life and I couldn’t be more grateful.”

Toni Bird, Director of Content, Stanford Graduate School of Business
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