Coaching staff bios

Talent Development staff are certified in Gallup’s strengths-based coaching as well as other methodologies and coach training programs. To see staff photos and read additional credentials, please visit Talent Development’s Meet Our Team page.

Marsha Benedetti: Marsha is a Gallup certified strengths coach dedicated to enhancing leadership and performance through a unique coaching approach. Having completed “The Conscious Coach,” an International Coaching Federation-approved program, Marsha employs a method that combines action, insight, and self-discovery to equip individuals for personal and professional growth. With a belief that people are inherently creative, resourceful, and whole, Marsha fosters a coaching environment where clients are seen as having all the answers within themselves. She champions her clients’ progress through a thought-provoking and creative process, utilizing powerful questions to unlock potential and drive transformation. In addition to her strengths-based approach, Marsha has completed the Positive Intelligence (PQ) Training coaching program. This training focuses on identifying and overcoming self-sabotaging behaviors and limiting beliefs, further empowering clients to achieve their goals. Whether working with leaders or individual contributors, Marsha views coaching as an interactive process that nurtures growth and development, ensuring each client can realize their full potential.

Michele Newhard, Ph.D.: Dr. Michele Newhard has coached more than 125 members of the CSU community and beyond. In addition to being a Gallup certified strengths coach, Michele is a certified life and mentor coach, having completed the International Coaching Federation’s accredited Rayner Institute Coach Training Program. As a scholar in the field of appreciative inquiry, she uses this approach as her primary coaching methodology, seeking to explore the client’s greatest hopes for themselves while anchoring in their strengths and best experiences. Additionally, she has completed the Positive Intelligence (PQ) Training coaching program which helps the client discover any self-sabotaging behavior or limiting beliefs that emerge. With years of experience studying various concepts from Positive Organizational Scholarship, Michele’s clients reap the benefit of this uplifting research. She teaches coach training for Talent Development, equipping learners with the coaching skillset and practice in courses such as Coaching Basics for the Workplace, Appreciative Coaching, and Strengths-Based Coaching. Her latest publication in the coaching field is “Applying Appreciative Inquiry as a Framework for Coaching,” published in 2023’s Building an Organizational Coaching Culture: Creating Effective Environments for Growth and Success in Organizations, edited by Behnam Bakhshendeh and William J. Rothwell and published by Routledge.

Evan C. Welch: As a Gallup certified strengths coach, Evan Welch partners with clients to uncover their distinctive leadership qualities and leverage their unique abilities. Having recently completed Immunity to Change (ITC) facilitator training, Evan supports clients in overcoming hidden obstacles that hinder personal and professional growth by offering practical, sustainable solutions to complex challenges. Evan believes that the best solutions inherently come from within and fosters a coaching environment that validates the experiences of his clients. He creates a space where clients feel they can show up as their true, authentic selves, guiding them through self-reflection activities to reveal powerful personal growth. In addition to experience in ITC and strengths-based coaching, Evan incorporates aspects of the Positive Intelligence (PQ) Training coaching program into his coaching practice. The PQ approach enables clients to identify, name, and address negative self-talk and beliefs that hinder their personal goals. Evan is passionate about walking alongside others to illuminate their abilities and shape individual growth journeys. He views learning as a lifelong process enriched by mutual exchange, rather than a solitary endeavor.