Essey is an executive coach who specializes in diversity, equity and inclusion, change management and resilience. Rooted in her core values of compassion, courage, and wisdom, Essey helps mid-level and senior executive leaders navigate personal, organizational, environmental, and cultural shifts. She is certified by the International Coaching Federation and an Official Member of Forbes Coaches Council. Essey is recognized as a Certified Diversity Executive® by the Institute for Diversity Certification and authorized to administer various leadership assessment tools including the Intercultural Development Inventory and the Leadership Circle Profile. She is a member of the International Coaching Federation and the International Association of Facilitators. As a foundational principle to her approach, Essey marries leadership theory with real-life experiences and practical application. She has over 20 years of experience leading teams and initiatives, including her federal post as Regional Administrator at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She now directs Multicultural Coaching, a boutique coaching and consulting firm in the greater Washington D.C. area, where she offers individual, team, and group coaching; custom consulting; meeting design and facilitation; keynote addresses; leadership training; and policy research. She has conducted research in Kenya, Rwanda, and the United States and authored several reports and articles on immigrant integration. She has also created training and technical assistance tools to support youth development programs in Bangladesh, China, Kenya, Jordan, and Mali and human services programs across the United States. Essey is a former licensed therapist with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from James Madison University and a master’s degree in social work from Temple University.