Meet Michelle Fischthal
Coach, consultant, and higher education leader supporting thoughtful change, emerging technology, and equity-focused transformation.
I'm Dr. Michelle Fischthal, a coach, consultant, and higher education leader who partners with individuals and organizations navigating complexity, change, and transition. Through reflective coaching, collaborative consulting, and facilitated conversations, I create space to think clearly, surface what's getting in the way, and move forward with greater intention and confidence.
My work is grounded in the belief that meaningful change—whether personal or institutional—requires time to pause, reflect, and learn. I bring a systems perspective shaped by decades in higher education leadership, alongside a human-centered approach informed by Gestalt principles of awareness, patterns, and wholeness.
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Experience & Engagements
Professional Foundations
- International Coaching Federation (ICF) member
- 25+ years in higher education leadership and organizational strategy
- Strategic planning, leadership development, and institutional change
- Equity-centered innovation and emerging technology integration
- Experienced facilitator and national presenter
- Data governance, research, and organizational infrastructure
- Cross-sector and intersegmental collaboration
Select Keynotes & Presentations
- Better Together: California Convening on AI in Higher Education 2026 – Keynote Panelist: Institutional Readiness for AI
- ACCA 50th Anniversary Conference – Keynote Panelist: The Future of Education
- Engage Summit 2025 – Keynote: Integrating AI with Purpose and a Plan
- EDUCAUSE Annual Conference 2025 – Panelist: Institutional AI Readiness & Implementation
- CAIR Annual Conference 2025 – Ethical Foundations for Generative AI in Higher Education
- AI Futures Summit 2025 – Human-Centered AI & Institutional Transformation
- ASU+GSV 2025 – Panelist: The Equitable AI Alliance
- Digital Universities US 2024 – Bias in Data & Student Success
Educational Credentials
“Whether working one-on-one, with leadership teams, or in learning communities, my goal is the same: to create space for thoughtful reflection, shared learning, and meaningful forward movement. I work best with people and organizations ready to pause, ask better questions, and engage change with intention.”
— Michelle Fischthal