About Michelle
Michelle Friedman is a certified executive coach, organizational consultant, facilitator and speaker with an expertise in women’s career paths. She is the Founder of Advancing Women’s Careers, LLC, a coaching and consulting firm based outside of NYC, which is dedicated to strengthening the pipeline of female leaders in demanding industries. Her clients, located throughout the U.S., Canada, Asia and Australia, are professional women at various levels of organizations, and the companies that employ them.
Michelle’s work is grounded in the conviction that building a strong pipeline of female leaders requires a multi-faceted and systems-based approach, combining individual action and organizational change. Her work has been covered in publications such as The New York Times, Fortune, Harvard Business Review and CNN/Money.
Michelle has worked with clients in a variety of organizations, including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan, Citigroup, The Wharton School, Credit Suisse, GE Finance, various private equity firms and hedge funds, the National Center for the Arts (Canada) and the Department of Justice (Canada). She also helps to reintegrate professional women back into the workforce after pauses in their career path, and serves as a Special Advisor to iRelaunch.
Corporate Background
Previously, Michelle spent 12 years in the corporate banking and financial software industries in key relationship management and marketing roles. Her corporate experience allows her to relate to the challenges her clients face in fast-paced, demanding work environments.
Credentials & Education
Michelle is certified by the Coaches Training Institute, the largest in-person coach-training institute in the world. She is a member of the International Coach Federation, and holds their Professional Certified Coach (PCC) designation. She is also a certified practitioner of the Meyers-Briggs® Type Indicator (MBTI), the Strong Interest Inventory® and Hogan Assessments.
Michelle earned an M.A. in Organizational Psychology at Columbia University, with a concentration in Change Leadership. There she studied methodology designed to deepen individuals’ and organizations’ capacity for initiating, managing and sustaining workplace change efforts in increasingly complex and global environments. Previously, Michelle graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a B.S. in Marketing and concentration in Psychology.
Community Involvement
In addition to her professional work, Michelle is an active community volunteer. She dedicates time to her local school district, serves on the Board of the Greyston Foundation, and plays a leadership role in the Alumni Association for her Organizational Psychology Masters Program at Columbia University/Teachers College in NYC.
On a Personal Note
Michelle lives in Westchester County, NY with her husband, three school-aged boys and dog Lola. She loves being outside in all weather, and enjoys hiking and snowshoeing. She has also practiced yoga for more than 20 years.
