Colleen Yamaguchi

Colleen is a certified executive coach, facilitator and lawyer, with 25+ years of experience in high stakes environments as a trusted advisor and thought partner. Having been a partner in two global law firms, Colleen draws on extensive experience working in demanding and complex environments. A strong collaborator, she led transaction teams and negotiated intricate multi-country deals, with a record of driving exceptional performance across gender, culture and function, developing others, and achieving consistent win-win success. She connects well with clients who are committed to developing authentic leadership practices that build capacity and create inclusive, high engagement cultures.

Passionate about leadership with diversity, equity and an inclusion lens, Colleen has served as Program Director for the Executive Development Institute (EDI), a non-profit organization that provides culturally tailored leadership development programs for multi-ethnic emerging and experienced leaders from Pacific Northwest companies. Participants focus on growing as authentic, effective and intentional leaders.  She has also served as interim Senior Director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion for the Department of Social and Health Services for Washington State, where she instituted a diversity leadership forum and led initiatives to build awareness around cultural humility.

With values of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) being important to greater financial success, innovation and engagement for organizations, Colleen’s focuses on leadership with a DEI edge, rather than DEI work that stands apart from leadership work.  She co-developed DEI Engagement Works™, which is an integrated approach for strengthening DEI awareness while building high engagement organizational cultures of trust, respect and belonging.

Clients describe Colleen’s style as insightful, engaging and trust-building.  She believes that powerful learning and development taps into the wisdom and passion of her clients.  As a facilitator, she designs and delivers customized interactive workshops blending leadership practices with the experience, curiosity and  talents of participants.  In her coaching and workshops, she focuses on aligning intent with impact, and developing awareness, skills and versatility for authentic and inclusive leadership. Her approach is results-oriented and balanced in challenging and supporting clients.

Education and Certifications:

• Juris Doctor, Georgetown University Law Center
• Master of Business Administration, University of Hawaii
• Bachelor of Business Administration (Accounting) University of Hawaii

Certified in the following:

• Individual and Organizational Systems Coach 2007, The Hudson Institute of Coaching
• Master Coach Program Completion 2018, The Hudson Institute of Coaching
• Professional Certified Coach, International Coach Federation
• Certified People Skills and Behavior Styles, The Effectiveness Institute
• Certified Influence Style Indicator The Center for Creative Leadership, Discovery Learning, Inc.
• Certified Benchmarks®, comprehensive suite 360-degree assessment tools, Discovery Learning Inc.
• Certified EQ in Action Profile, EQ Profile for  Teams, Learning in Action Technologies
• Certified Workplace Big Five 4.0 Profile, Paradigm Personality Labs
• Certified Positive Psychology Coach, Positive Acorn

Admitted to Practice Law: State of Washington