Marie Hansen, JD, PhD, SHRM-SCP, PCC
President, Believe Coaching and Consulting
I guide higher‑ed leaders to grow with clarity, confidence, and intention, equipping them with the insight and tools needed to achieve meaningful, measurable success throughout the evolving circumstances of their careers, their institutions, and those they lead.
Dr. Marie Hansen is a nationally recognized executive coach and organizational strategist who helps leaders elevate performance, strengthen teams, and achieve sustainable results. With more than 25 years in higher education—including 13 years as Dean of a multi‑school college of business—she brings deep experience supporting faculty, staff, and leaders at every level. Her background includes supervising over 100 faculty and professional staff, leading strategic planning and corporate partnership initiatives, developing leadership training programs, and securing grants and fundraising support. She has also taught in business, criminal justice, law, and organizational behavior.
A PCC‑credentialed coach, Marie works with emerging and seasoned leaders to expand self‑awareness, set meaningful career goals, and achieve measurable success. Her coaching integrates social and emotional intelligence, positive psychology, and mindfulness—an approach shaped by her doctoral research on imposter syndrome among women in mid‑level leadership roles. She helps clients strengthen resiliency, interpersonal effectiveness, conflict resolution, influencing skills, trust‑building, and change leadership.
Marie’s clients value her strategic mindset, steady presence, and ability to turn challenges into opportunities for growth. She has coached leaders across higher education, healthcare, government, insurance, banking, hospitality, and nonprofit sectors.
She holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership, a J.D., and executive education through Harvard’s MLE Program. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, golfing, and doting on her two Ragdoll cats.
Testimonial
“I have had the pleasure and honor to have been working with Marie for over two years. Marie’s extensive experience as a higher education leader as well as her particular skills (her ability to listen, ask all the right questions, knowledge of relevant resources, caring and concern for whom she is working with), in my opinion, set her far apart from other coaches that I have worked with in the past. Had it not been for Marie, for example, I would not have endeavored or succeeded in navigating a particularly challenging work situation, that ultimately allowed me to significantly build my confidence, grow, and prepared me for even greater leadership roles in higher education.” – Michaela Zint, Associate Dean, School for Environment & Sustainability, University of Michigan.