Michelle Cogan

Background

About Michelle Cogan

I'm an HR leader, executive coach, change practitioner, and culture builder with nearly two decades of experience helping organizations grow through their people. I thrive at the intersection of empathy and results. I care deeply about people and the environments they work in, and I’m equally competitive about business success. To me, those go hand in hand: when people are supported, challenged, and clear on expectations, performance follows. I specialize in succession planning, leadership development, performance management, and large-scale organizational change. I’ve built executive coaching into succession pipelines, modernized performance with OKRs that achieved 90% adoption, and kept engagement scores in the top quartile year over year. I’ve guided transformations—ERP rollouts, structural shifts, and culture programs—by combining empathy with edge, making sure the business comes out stronger while trust stays intact. Along the way, I’ve worked across construction, consulting, and engineering, learning how to navigate complexity, align leaders, and design programs people actually use. Whether it’s a simple dashboard that flags retention risks or a playbook that makes feedback easier, I focus on tools that stick. And outside of work? I’m usually with my family, being cheered on (or out-cheered) by my Taylor Swift–obsessed daughter, coaching my son through sports and school, or hunting down the next great Italian meal. Credentials: CHRL | PROSCI Change Practitioner | ACC Executive Coach | Hogan Certified