Based on Bill George's Authentic Leadership Course at Harvard Business School

Michelle is a renowned mindful leadership expert who works with executives and teams worldwide. She has been recognized as "Woman of The Year," "Top Corporate Leader," and among the "12 Powerful Women in the Mindfulness Movement."

As a former corporate/technology attorney turned business leader, Michelle now serves as CEO & Founder of Lucenscia (pronounced loo-SENSE-see-ah) with her heart and work focusing on leadership development at the pivotal intersection of presence, emotional intelligence, mindfulness, unconscious bias, authenticity, and compassion - all nestled on a foundation of neuroscience and taught through an equity lens.

She is a powerful bridge-builder and trusted advisor to leaders across diverse industry sectors, including in her capacity as lead designer and facilitator for the United Nations Foundation-lululemon's international Peace on Purpose Program, leadership development for the U.S. Customs & Border Protection Agency, and faculty and Senior Fellow for the True North Leadership program at 1440. Michelle also serves on the Boards of The Francine LeFrak Foundation Center for Wellbeing at Barnard College, Sojourner's, and the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute.

Michelle's work has been featured in the DQ Institute in association with the World Economic Forum, the United Nations Global Engagement Summit, and Mindful Magazine, as well as the Huff Post, Thrive Global and the meditation apps Wisdom Labs' Wise@Work, Insight Timer, and Breethe. She also recently was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. As a first-year legislator, Michelle was recognized as "Legislator of the Year," and founded the bi-partisan Technology & Innovation Caucus. Michelle lives in Northern Virginia with her family and is a graduate of Barnard College and The George Washington University School of Law.
 

Gayle Ober is a philanthropic and non-profit consultant and co-principal of Minnesota-based Red Oaks Philanthropic Consulting. Her 38 years of experience in the philanthropic and non-profit sectors make it possible for her to provide an array of advisory services including full-service family philanthropic advising; organizational set-up and management; strategic donor-advised funds consulting; strategic planning; board development and governance; next-generation training; and organizational integration, mergers and closings.

From 2010-2021 Gayle served as the president of the George Family Foundation, a private family foundation with funding priorities in integrative medicine and health, authentic leadership, spirituality and the community. In her role, Gayle oversaw all actions and activities of the Foundation, including strategic planning; grant-making; finances and investments; and community outreach. Since 2013, she has been a member of the Sawmill Holdings, Inc. board of directors, a Minneapolis-based family office and financial services company with assets exceeding $3 billion. 

Previous work experience includes serving as the Director of Classical Music Programming for American Public Media/Minnesota Public Radio; Director of Arts, Culture and Entertainment for the City of Saint Paul; and Executive Director of the Dale Warland Singers.  

Gayle has taught at the graduate-level in the University of Minnesota's Arts & Cultural Leadership Program and continues as member of the program's faculty advisory council. Her community service spans more than 38 years with current board assignments that include the Penny George Institute Foundation at Allina Health (board chair) and the national advisory council of Chanticleer, America's premier male vocal ensemble which is based in San Francisco.

Gayle holds a Master of Arts degree in nonprofit management from Hamline University and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Minnesota.