Elise Foster

Early in her career, Elise Foster was focused on engineering, managing high-profile global projects to tackle complex challenges. However, she soon found her true calling in addressing a different kind of challenge—developing human potential and organizational effectiveness. Today, Foster is a renowned leadership coach and the co-author of "The Multiplier Effect: Tapping the Genius Inside Our Schools," helping leaders to amplify their impact and achieve greater success.

With her extensive experience spanning over 15 years, Foster has delivered engaging and impactful workshops and keynotes for both educational and business contexts. She has coached more than 25 corporate leaders and 200 full-time MBA students, primarily from diverse sectors such as biotechnology, energy, and higher education, through her roles at notable institutions including Cummins, Inc., Harvard University, and Indiana University (Kelley School of Business). Foster is known for her ability to empower senior leaders to leverage their intelligence in ways that enhance the capabilities of everyone around them.

Foster's academic background includes bachelor's and master’s degrees in engineering from Virginia Tech and a master’s in education from Harvard University. She continues to contribute to academic and professional communities as an advisory board member for the Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Diversity at Virginia Tech and actively participates in her local Harvard Club's Schools Committee. Her past roles have demonstrated her commitment to community and educational initiatives, including leadership positions in her daughter’s Girl Scout Troop and involvement with the Lilly Endowment Scholarship Selection Committee for Bartholomew County, Indiana.

Her client engagements have been broad and international, featuring organizations like Roche Diagnostics, eBay/Paypal, and Gwinnett County Public Schools, with her influence reaching audiences in the US, Europe, and Asia. Through these interactions, Foster not only shares her expertise but also continuously enriches her own understanding of global leadership challenges.