Whitney Owen, MPA, PMP
Whitney Owen is the Executive Director of University Business Consulting (UBC) at George Mason University. UBC is an internal management consulting practice created to assist Mason’s senior leaders in identifying and capitalizing on opportunities for innovation; planned and structured growth; and increased effectiveness and efficiency, all in pursuit of the university's overarching strategic goals. Whitney was the lead project manager for Mason’s Safe Return to Campus effort during the COVID-19 crisis, ensuring that critical voices across Mason came together to plan for public health and operational needs on tight timelines. She is currently overseeing the implementation of Mason’s FY23-FY27 Strategic Plan. Prior to joining Mason, Whitney was the Director of the Health & Human Services Market at LMI, where she led a $40M portfolio and a 150-person team supporting healthcare clients across the federal government. In her free time, Whitney enjoys watching her boys play baseball, volunteering with local organizations, and playing with her family’s black lab puppy, Peyton.
Coaching Approach and Style
Whitney partners with her coaching clients to understand their personal goals for coaching engagements to ensure that they achieve their desired outcomes. She is known for her ability to listen and ask impactful questions to help the individual open his or her aperture to consider new possibilities or ways of thinking. Thanks to her project management background, Whitney is also especially skilled at helping coaching clients define their action items and accountability steps at the end of each session to help them drive towards new results and accomplish the change they hope to achieve.
Relevant Experience
Whitney has coached clients looking to achieve greater work/life balance in their current position, and she has helped clients transition to new leadership roles and organizations. Her areas of expertise include:
- Senior and emerging leaders
- Change management and communications
- Stakeholder facilitation and consensus building
- Effective team building/team dynamics
- Program/project management
Education and Professional Affiliations
Whitney holds a Master of Public Administration from The George Washington University and a B.S. in International Affairs with a Minor in Public Policy from Georgia Tech. Her professional affiliations include the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and the Project Management Institute (PMI).
Credentials
Whitney is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) through the Project Management Institute. She is certified in Leadership Coaching for Organizational Well-Being through George Mason University and is currently working towards her Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential through the International Coaching Federation.