Coach / Facilitator

Marissa Johnson

Marissa cuts through the noise to help her clients get to the core of their challenge, see different perspectives, and make the changes that matter. Marissa builds strong, trusting relationships with executives and offers direct, constructive feedback to help them view their leadership approach from new perspectives. She works with leaders to accentuate their strengths, change behaviors that aren’t working, and help clarify their authentic leadership style to increase their effectiveness.

Clients appreciate Marissa’s ability to:
  • Meet them where they are, without judgment, and help them see what’s possible
  • Sort through complex situations quickly to bring clarity and identify concrete next steps
  • Ask thought-provoking and challenging questions to see new perspectives and different paths forward
  • Design custom micro experiments to boost learning within their existing schedule

Areas of expertise:

  • Technical people who appreciate a more direct approach to feedback and coaching
  • Leaders who are new to a company or team
  • Managers who are taking on much bigger leadership roles
  • Building high-performing teams
  • 360 assessments and development plans for high-potential leaders or those needing support in their current role
  • Leaders of startups or scale-ups with expanding scope and quick decision-making expectations within a high-pressure environment

Bio

Marissa has been coaching globally since 2014 and has worked with individuals across functions and industries, including Tech, Healthcare, Non-profit, BioTech, Education, Consulting, and more. She spent the early part of her career working with donors and nonprofits for a community foundation, and then, post-MBA, Marissa specialized in leadership development and talent management. She’s worked in senior roles for small corporations and Fortune 100 companies, including a decade of working with leaders at Google.

In 2024, Marissa launched her own coaching and consulting company to focus on the work she does best: helping executives succeed in big roles and manage through unforeseen challenges. Marissa helps clients increase their self-awareness, improve their management and communication skills, and empowers them to lead with authenticity to increase their effectiveness.

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Client List

Client Testimonials

Marissa will listen carefully, sift through my mental clutter, and put the most important thing at the center of the discussion. And we’ve established so much trust together over the years that we can truly talk about the hardest things.
Noah Levin
VP, Product
Marissa helped me work through hurdles in my own leadership journey and also helped me think more holistically about work and life, as well as how to manage the stress of major changes on both fronts. Marissa has a wonderful blend of compassion, directness and accessibility- I was surprised at how easily I could be my most vulnerable self with her, while also brainstorming practical approaches to help me be a better leader in my career.
Director in Philanthropy
Marissa helped me kick off my entrepreneurial journey with a clear sense of my values, my managerial style and my strengths. Marissa's clear insights and experiment-driven approach helped me build Jack on top of the strongest foundation possible.
Janvi Jhaveri
CEO and Founder Jack Strategy- Innovation and Strategy Consultancy
I’ve had the benefit of Marissa’s wisdom, business acumen and systemic thinking over multiple years. Her strengths as a coach and consultant have enriched my leadership skills and improved velocity and outcomes for my organization.
Lindsay MacLean
Vice President, Employee & Workplace experience
Marissa is a rare gem. She has a brilliant strategic mind that helps leaders deeply understand what is best for their organizations in the long-term and she can easily pivot to developing impactful tactics that can be used immediately. If you are a people-centered leader, Marissa's capabilities as an organizational designer, facilitator and thought-partner will help you bring your team from good to great.
Courtney Bass Sherizen
Chief People Officer