Melissa F.

About Melissa F.

Leadership rarely breaks down because people lack values. It breaks down when pressure rises, trust erodes, decisions become reactive, and people lose the space to think clearly. I help mission-driven leaders, senior executives, and teams build the clarity, resilience, and behavioral discipline needed to lead well in complex environments. I am the Founder and CEO of Tenzen Coaching & Consulting, where I lead a team of strategic partners and certified coaches supporting leaders and organizations through executive coaching, facilitation, leadership development, and organizational strategy. I bring more than 25 years of senior public-sector leadership experience, including service as a senior U.S. diplomat with the U.S. Agency for International Development. I have worked across cultures, institutions, crises, and high-stakes systems where trust, judgment, communication, and adaptive leadership were essential to results. That experience now informs my work as an executive and leadership coach and shapes how Tenzen partners with clients. We support leaders and teams navigating executive transition, increased organizational visibility, stakeholder pressure, culture change, team dynamics, and the challenge of staying values-aligned while leading in demanding environments. Our work is practical, culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and behavior-change focused. We help clients: • Strengthen executive presence and influence • Move from insight to sustained behavior change • Navigate complexity without losing alignment with their values • Build resilient, inclusive, high-trust teams with stronger communication and decision-making • Lead change with or without formal authority Our trauma-informed approach is not clinical therapy. It informs how we design coaching and facilitation spaces that support psychological safety, resilience, clearer thinking, and clear decision-making under sustained pressure. I hold the Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credential from the International Coaching Federation, a globally recognized credential that reflects advanced coaching experience, mentor coaching, assessment, and demonstrated competency in ethical coaching practice. I am multilingual in Spanish, Haitian Creole, and French. At Tenzen, we believe leadership development should not be performative. It should change how people think, decide, communicate, collaborate, and lead - especially when the stakes are high. If that is the work you are doing, let’s talk. thrivewithtenzen.com

Experience

1. CEO & Executive Coach Leadership Development, Coaching, & Consulting Engagements

   Tenzen Coaching & Consulting

   Sep 2024 — Present

   Provide executive coaching, career strategy, and leadership development to mission-driven professionals across corporate, nonprofit, and global development sectors. • Design and facilitate tailored coaching engagements that elevate leadership capacity, enhance clarity in decision-making, and expand organizational influence. • Partner with organizations to strengthen team dynamics, develop human-centered leaders, and implement strategic growth initiatives aligned with values and mission. • Coach hybrid and distributed teams to improve communication, rebuild trust, and foster inclusive, high-performing cultures. • Serve as a thought partner and accountability coach for executives navigating transitions, scaling leadership impact, and leading through change. • Deliver coaching services as part of the Humanitarian Coaching Network, supporting global leaders advancing equity, sustainability, and social impact.

Education

• University of Florida

  Master of Arts - MA, Political Science - International Development and Public Administration