Senior Consultant / Executive Coach
William Makell is an accomplished speaker, trainer, and International Coaching Federation credentialed executive leadership coach with demonstrated success across the military, government, and corporate industries. Leveraging extensive experience in program management for military organizations, he is a valuable resource for companies requiring enhanced skills with leading workforce recruiting & retention, diversity & inclusion strategic development, workplace culture improvement and leveraging technology. He is equally skilled at coaching and training for clients seeking assistance with personal and professional development and has presented at national conferences across the country.
Throughout his career, William has held several executive leadership positions; CEO of a private company, Deputy Director of Health, Safety & Work-Life; Director, SAPR Military Campaign Office; and Chief, Office of Diversity & Inclusion with the U.S. Coast Guard. He’s been responsible for advising three different Commandants [CEOs] of the Coast Guard on cultural and gender issues and leading a team that drastically reduced sexual assault against women by 33% over a two-year period. He also proved instrumental in providing diversity strategy training and enhancing diversity leadership skill sets across the Coast Guard.
After 33 years of military service as an officer and decorated Coast Guard helicopter pilot saving mariners in distress at sea, William now thrives on utilizing his skills helping leaders create sense out of uncertainty in their lives and business to achieve targeted results. He is especially capable in assisting executives after leading more than 1,400 employees, managing budgets up to $415 million, ensuring medical readiness of 42,000 people, and innovative re-engineering projects saving millions of taxpayer dollars.
William relates to leaders at all levels and has worked with organizations across the country to include Guardian Quest, The Wynne Resort & Casino, NASA, Central Intelligence Agency, BAE Systems, Sodexo, colleges, churches and non-profits. People have stated “He has the unique ability to connect on a level that instantly changes people’s lives! And, the best thing is that William comes from the heart and truly cares about making a positive difference in the lives of others!” His motto, “You can fly higher than you ever dreamed possible” is a testament to his belief and real-life example of resilience and perseverance as he triumphed over several remarkable challenges to attain the highest levels of leadership.
William holds a BS in Mathematics and Computer Science from the United States Coast Guard Academy, as well as an MS in Computer Information Systems from the University of Phoenix. He also possesses an Executive Certificate in Diversity Strategy and Leadership Coaching certification from Georgetown University, is a Certified Prosci Change Management Practitioner, and a Certified Diversity Professional (CDP) with Diversity Training University International. Finally, William is a Legion of Merit medal recipient and has been recognized with two national awards: the BEYA Career Achievement for the Government Sector and the prestigious Stars & Stripes award honoring senior African American executive leaders in the military.
