Background

Joel is an executive coach and leadership trainer with over 25 years of experience. He has trained and coached clients on six continents at companies from the Fortune 50 to non-profits, as well as through his work with the executive education programs of Harvard Business School, Columbia, the Kellogg School of Management, Duke, and other institutions of higher education.

Joel works with leaders to improve their executive presence, shift ineffective behaviors, build confidence, increase emotional intelligence, inspire action and organizational change, improve individual and team relationships, approach difficult conversations, foster team development, and achieve emotional stability and work-life balance.

As a senior affiliate of a successful executive training and coaching firm since 1994, Joel has been instrumental in the formation of the company’s core philosophies and approach to behavioral change as a program designer, leadership trainer, and executive coach.

He has served as coach and leadership trainer for Google, the Boston Consulting Group, American Express, Procter & Gamble, Bain Capital, Johnson & Johnson, Booz Allen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Deloitte & Touche, the Federal Reserve, General Electric, The Hearst Corporation, Merrill Lynch, Praxair, Prudential, Eversource, Société Générale, UBS, and many other organizations.

Joel leverages his unique background in business, the arts, and human behavior to deliver powerful insights for his clients.

Prior to his work in executive coaching, Joel was the sole proprietor of a successful software consulting firm, working on the trading desks of several of Wall Street’s most prominent investment banks.

A conservatory-trained theater artist, Joel has directed and performed in professional productions throughout North America. He has an exceptional ability to help clients communicate with clarity, warmth, and passion—to tell a compelling story with maximum impact.

Joel also has an extensive background in psychology and human behavior. He holds a master’s degree in education from Lesley University, and has trained extensively in human development, relationships, and communication. He has worked internationally with challenging populations including prison inmates, traumatized survivors of disaster, and individuals with severe personality disorders—and has taught hundreds of mental health workers in the US and abroad.  Joel is also a long-time practitioner and teacher of meditation, helping clients achieve calm and non-reactivity, even under extreme stress.

Joel graduated from Columbia University with a degree in Literature and Writing, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa.