Kathi McMullan has always been fascinated by what makes people tick-and what helps them grow. That curiosity has shaped her entire career, from her early days supporting leadership development in large organizations to the global adventure that took her to London and across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Those years abroad gave her a front-row seat to the beauty (and sometimes chaos) of cultural differences, and they forever changed the way she thinks about leadership and connection.

Kathi has spent more than 20 years helping organizations create healthier, more human workplaces. She's worked in industries as varied as technology, fintech, manufacturing, energy, and healthcare, but her focus has always been the same: helping people feel understood, included, and equipped to thrive. Whether developing leaders, navigating change, or improving employee experience, she has a talent for turning complex ideas into clear, meaningful conversations.

If her chapter reveals anything, it's that Kathi doesn't just teach leadership-she lives it. Her own journey has included uncomfortable insights, big moments of clarity, and the kind of learning that only shows up when you're willing to look inward. She writes the way she leads: with openness, humor, and a genuine belief that people flourish when they're encouraged to bring their full selves to the work they do.

Kathi holds a master's degree in Learning and Organizational Change from Northwestern University and graduated summa cum laude from Oglethorpe University. But she'll tell you her most meaningful education has come from the leaders she's coached, the teams she's supported, and the countless conversations that have deepened her understanding of what it really means to lead well.

Today, Kathi continues to champion the idea at the heart of her book chapter: leadership feels different-and far more joyful-when it starts with self-awareness, curiosity, and the courage to lead in a way that's true to who you are.