Mikaela is on this planet to be a guide, coach, teacher and partner to fierce and compassionate people, groups and organizations who have chosen to advance missions that matter and seek leadership skills and tested practices to do so.

Mikaela helps clients go where it can be hard to go alone, illuminating the path from awareness to diagnosis to action — first seeing the intractable challenges in new and productive ways, and then mobilizing peers as partners with new tools to collectively address identified challenges.

For 30+ years, Mikaela has founded, led in and consulted to mission-based organizations — small local nonprofits, public schools, large national affiliate organizations, government, philanthropy and organized labor. In 2023, she founded Lumin/Us Leadership, an integrated coaching and consulting practice guiding mission-driven leaders and teams in wholehearted and adaptive growth and transformation. Lumin/Us helps leaders to achieve impact without burnout.

Over her career, her leadership roles have included founder of and partner in several coaching and consulting groups; executive director and c-suite team member; elementary school classroom teacher and school founder; adjunct graduate school professor and senior policy advisor.

Mikaela graduated from Boston University and Harvard University’s Kennedy School where she focused on leadership and adult development. In addition, she received her coaching certification from Georgetown University, and has completed training with The Strozzi Institute, The Embody Lab, Interaction Institute for Social Change, People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond, Race Matters, The Racial Equity Institute, and Rockwood Leadership Institute. She is always learning and integrating new approaches in her practice, as she encourages her clients to do.

She lives in Washington DC with her husband and two boys.