Biography
Dr. Claire Wu is a leadership and executive coach, and a scholar in leadership and creativity. She's also an assistant professor of management (PhD, SHRM-CP) at the University of Wisconsin Parkside, honored with the distinguish Early Career Excellence Award, the sole recipient campus-wide, which has propelled her toward an impending application for early tenure as an Associate Professor of Management. Claire has taught MBA-level leadership skill courses and HR training to over 2000 professionals.
In her coaching practice, Claire is passionate about helping people enjoy fulfilling lives at work and home. She focuses on self-awareness, overcoming limits, broadening perspectives, and building resilience. Claire's expertise is sought after by a diverse clientele, including faculty members, higher education administrators, physicians, and managers, particularly those facing career transitions, navigating the complexities of academia, pursuing higher education leadership roles, or striving for work/life balance—especially for minority leaders. Claire employs a broad array of evidence-based tools to support her clients on their unique journeys.
Claire's coaching is rooted in rigorous training from the Coactive Institute and the Case Western University Executive Coaching Program. Claire also holds a PhD in Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management from the University of Illinois Chicago and an MS in HR from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She was also a Chicago Metropolitan Exchange Scholar at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Before academia, she worked full-time in the Office of Minority Student Affairs at UIUC.
What sets Claire apart as a coach is her personal journey, which has equipped her to empathize with a wide range of challenges. From growing up with a mother grappling with severe mental illness to navigating life as an immigrant and a first-generation college student, Claire leverages her own life lessons to connect with and provide support to her clients.
Outside of her professional pursuits, Claire finds fulfillment in her role as a wife and a mother. She and her husband, along with their son, Adam, call Wisconsin home, where they embrace life's joys and adventures together.