BetterUp Elevates Commitment to Coaching Excellence with New Visionary Leadership
AUSTIN, TX — January 30, 2025 — BetterUp, the human transformation company and inventor of virtual coaching, today announced Michael ‘Woody’ Woodward, PhD as its new Chief Coaching Officer. In this role, Dr. Woodward will lead BetterUp’s efforts to enhance coaching excellence and drive innovation across the human transformation platform. With his guidance, BetterUp will continue setting the global standard for coaching quality, ensuring meaningful growth for individuals and organizations worldwide.
A visionary in the field of coaching for more than 15 years, Dr. Woodward's career blends deep academic expertise with practical impact. Woodward contributed to this specialized industry of coaching as a coach, educator, and author. Woodward is credited with founding the first Masters-level program in Executive Coaching accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) in the U.S. at New York University. This program focused on putting principles into practice by blending coaching and organizational consulting to harness coaching for workforce transformation. He recently co-authored The Digital Coaching Revolution, a groundbreaking book that explores the integration of technology and coaching to drive personal and organizational transformation. He holds a PhD in industrial and organizational psychology and has worked with global Fortune 500 organizations to enhance leadership capacity and performance. His thought leadership has been featured on platforms like The TODAY Show and Forbes, and his innovative work continues to shape the future of coaching.
“Dr. Woodward joins us at a time when organizations need transformational support more than ever. As we deepen our global enterprise partnerships and strengthen our extraordinary Coach community, his leadership will be invaluable in helping individuals and organizations reach their full potential, ” said Eddie Medina, Co-Founder and COO of BetterUp. “His visionary approach blends evidence-based coaching with cutting-edge innovation, shaping the coaching profession. The caliber of his expertise and wisdom as a practitioner will ensure that we can continue bringing the power of coaching to the people we serve at scale – all while bringing coaching into the future.”
“I have witnessed firsthand BetterUp’s commitment to its Coaches, Members, and Customers. As I’ve engaged with them over the years, they’ve invested in continuous innovation that defines the coaching industry,” said Dr. Michael Woodward, Chief Coaching Officer at BetterUp. “The alignment of values in advocating for and elevating the field of coaching resonates deeply with me. I am eager to build on this foundation and work directly with our world-class Coaches to create meaningful and impactful experiences for BetterUp users all over the world.”
Continued Commitment to the Coaching Community
BetterUp’s impact is grounded in the strength of its Coach community, a network of 4,000+ expert Coaches dedicated to delivering transformative experiences. BetterUp has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to innovation and professional growth for coaching as an industry and a craft. In 2024, BetterUp expanded its learning opportunities for Coaches, doubling its ICF-accredited course offerings and enabling them to earn over 50 Continuing Coach Education (CCE) credits, supporting them in maintaining ICF credentials at no cost. A highlight of these initiatives includes a Master Session Series focusing on the practical applications of AI to enhance coaching practices.
BetterUp also recently acquired Heyday, a pioneering startup that harnesses AI to elevate and streamline the experience for Coaches. With this acquisition, BetterUp is creating first-of-its-kind, fully integrated AI-first tools to amplify the impact of coaching.
To build stronger connections and provide personalized support for Coaches, BetterUp expanded its virtual and in-person programs focused on peer learning and open dialogue. These sessions reached Coaches in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia – including a convening of 200+ Coaches in Philadelphia, featuring BetterUp Science Board Member, world-renowned psychologist and a pioneer in the field of positive psychology Dr. Martin Seligman. BetterUp continues to work hand-in-hand with Dr. Seligman to bring a rigorous scientific approach to its Coach community through BetterUp University, a learning community designed to advance the field of coaching. BetterUp University aims to engage and enhance the skills of BetterUp’s network of Coaches while expanding access for new Coaches through technology, innovation, data-driven insights, and opportunities for growth.
Driving Global Transformation
Dr. Woodward’s leadership will amplify BetterUp’s mission to help people everywhere live their lives with greater clarity, purpose and passion. His extensive expertise as a leader and practitioner in the coaching industry for global organizations, coupled with BetterUp’s worldwide impact and dedication to supporting its Coach community, positions the company to drive the next wave of innovation in coaching and deliver transformative experiences at scale.
For more information, visit BetterUp.com.