Learn more about how Culture of Civility International can enrich your leaders, transform your workplace, and help your business thrive
About Us
About Cheryl Cofield, Founder, CEO & The Courage Whisperer
Cheryl Cofield is a corporate leadership trainer, master storyteller, executive coach, race dialogue teacher, and Certified Dare to Lead™ Facilitator (Brené Brown Education & Research Group).
She mixes a deep reservoir of professional expertise with complex soft-skills to assist executives and managers in developing self-awareness and authenticity, deepening emotional literacy, building courage, navigating difficult conversations in the workplace, and evoking powerful transformation.
With over 30 years of experience, Cheryl has managed complex human capital portfolios for Fortune 100 corporations, served as a civil rights, employment, and trial attorney for a myriad of local and national governmental entities, as a dean of inclusive leadership, chief dialogue officer, and curator of storytelling integration in Higher Education administrations, and most recently as head of inclusive excellence for an International Humanitarian organization.
Cheryl is the founder and CEO of three boutique consultancies: Culture of Civility International, a leadership development and courage building firm with more than 20 programs, serving clients in more than 20 countries; Story Masters International, an emerging storytelling agency focused on preserving social justice, identity, and healing stories; and Sisters Rising Bravely, a women empowerment program dedicated to building courage and self-efficacy in women.
Known as The Courage Whisperer™, Cheryl’s superpower is how she masterfully holds space for courageous conversations and transforms people and workplaces in the process.
Credentials
- BA, English Literature, Ohio University
- Doctor of Jurisprudence, University of Cincinnati College of Law
- Graduate Studies, Power & Influence, Harvard University
- International Coach Federation, Associate Certified Coach,
- Co-Active Training Institute, Certified Professional Co-Active Coach
- Institute for Social & Emotional Intelligence, Emotional Intelligence Coach
- Brené Brown Education & Research Group, Certified Dare to Lead™ Facilitator
- Fierce Conversations, Certified Fierce Conversations® Facilitator
- Franklin Covey, Certified Speed of Trust® Facilitator
- National Coalition Building Institute, Prejudice Reduction Facilitator
- YWCA Racial Justice Program, Race Dialogue Facilitator
- University of Michigan, Effective Intergroup Dialogue Facilitation
- The Moth, Director’s Circle and National Grand Slam Judge
- National Storytelling Network, Board of Directors
- Healing Story Alliance, Executive Committee
- Narativ Inc., Storytelling & Story Listening Certification
- (Story Training) Doug Stevenson, Storytelling Theater
- (Story Training) Doug Lipman, The Storytelling Coach
- (Story Training) Dr. Bertice Berry, Finding Your Authentic Voice
- (Story Training) John Roedel, The Unafraid Storyteller
Making An Impact
Founded in 2013, Culture of Civility International helps organizations transcend outdated cultures, and strive for elevated culture that bring strategy to life, and enable organizations to thrive.
Our award-winning programs enable organizations to build environments where employees won’t fear admitting mistakes, asking for help, and/or speaking up to challenge the status quo. We help leaders abandon “power over” mindsets to harness the skills needed to humanize workplace connections and lead more powerfully.
"In the past, jobs were about muscles. Now they’re about brains; but in the future, they’ll be about the heart."
~Minouche Shafik, London School of Economics
Our Guiding Values
Courage
The quality of mind or spirit that enables people to act to face difficulty even in the midst of fear.
Grace
Non-judgmental mindset that avoids blaming and shaming, and allows for generous assumptions and meeting others where they are.
Transformation
Creating significant shifts in individuals and/or within organizational structures to evoke sustainable culture change.
“Meaningful connection is the lifeblood of effective leadership.”
~ Cheryl Cofield
