Our Clients & Impact

Jeni was a phenomenal HR BP for my business unit. The business unit was a multi-billion dollar business with close to a 1000 employees. Her background in psychology, combined with her significant HR experience enable exceptional talent development, work force planning and performance management strategies. I am extremely grateful to JENI’s contributions supporting me as the business unit leader, and her coaching and insight was always first class. We went through a significant organization change during our work together. Jeni led our change management efforts and also brought to bear helpful effective teaming tools that we leveraged both on the senior team as well as deeper in the business unit, all of which accelerated the strategic impact of our work.

I've had the pleasure of working closely with Jeni and can confidently say she brings exceptional value as a trusted partner. Her ability to offer clear, actionable coaching has made her an invaluable resource to both individuals and teams navigating complex change. Jeni stands out not just for what she does—but how she does it: with clarity, empathy, and a sharp instinct for what's needed in the moment. Her communication and facilitation skills are top-tier—whether leading a workshop, steering a strategic conversation, or guiding leadership alignment, she delivers with polish, purpose, and precision. What I admire most is her innovative mindset toward talent practices. She challenges legacy thinking in thoughtful, pragmatic ways that create measurable impact on culture, engagement, and performance. I always walk away from a conversation with Jeni sharper than when I entered it. She's one of those rare people who blends strategic thinking, people-centered insight, and operational follow-through—making her a powerful force for transformation.

I have worked closely with Jeni for 5 years. She brings deep experience and expertise to her craft as a practitioner and designer in the leadership development space as well as broader experience in talent management, including executive onboarding and integration and succession management. She is masterful in her work with executive and senior leaders where her expertise covers assessment, targeted development and coaching. Jeni's approach has always been pragmatic, relevant and targeted to the individual and organization's needs. Her work is results-focused, action-oriented and innovative. Jeni is passionate about her work, about having an impact and making a difference. She is highly collaborative, thrives at leading teams to build and implement solutions in the talent management and leadership development space, and has fun while she is doing this work. Not only is she committed to the development of her clients, but she is also committed to developing her colleagues and herself - her passion for excellence and making everyone around her better every day is infectious.

We hired Jennifer to help with one of our emerging executives and she did amazing work - not just with him but with his manager and whole team. There was a marked difference in that function and the executive was promoted! She was a pleasure to work with and was an excellent coach.

Jeni worked with one of our Vice Presidents providing comprehensive development coaching. This was her first time working with our company and she made a point of learning Merrimack's culture, people processes, and business context. What impressed me the most however was Jeni's approach to working with me as the HR Business Partner. She frequently checked-in with me to ensure that our two efforts were aligned with the coachee and evolving business needs. During our conversations Jeni always maintained confidentiality for the coachee while also fully engaging me in the development process. Shortly after the coaching engagement was completed the Vice President Jeni worked with was selected for a larger role within Merrimack. I attribute a portion of the Vice President's success to the effective coaching she received from Jeni!

Jeni has consistently provided some of the most insightful career advice I've experienced. Her thoughtful perspective during critical junctures in my life path have resulted in pragmatic solutions to challenging decisions. Her approach is personal, direct, and emotionally cognizant in ways that have positively molded my career. I've often thought back to our conversations during key moments and have found her advice to be prescient in so many ways, from leadership to mentorship to interpersonal relationships, and strongly recommend her expertise.

Results are what separate Jeni Harnden-Koehler from the rest of the pack. Of course, she is credentialed, experienced, smart, and humanistic, but what stands out for me is how she resolves different viewpoints and needs in the C-suite to get things done. I saw her build tools, relationships, and success where others failed. Now that you have found Jeni, call her to discuss your challenge. You will be glad you did.

I have known and worked closely with Jeni for several years. She brings a wealth of experience and know how in both leadership development and talent management. She has the ability to set strategic direction through credible thought leadership, partner collaboratively with other subject matter experts and consult to leaders regarding key transition, development and performance issues. Not only is she deep in areas like individual leadership assessment, she is also capable of catalyzing culture change at the organizational level.

I have known and worked with Jeni for many years, in her capacity as organizational consultant and executive development expert and practitioner. Jeni is passionate, thoughtful, and unusually skillful, leveraging a subtle mix of research, influence and analysis in her work with groups and individuals. When corporate clients ask me for a list of highly effective consultants and executive coaches from which to draw, I find it difficult to create one unless I have unflagging confidence in the names that I share. Jeni is on that short list, without question.

When organizations struggle to identify and develop leaders, they need proven experience and expertise to develop solutions that integrate with their values and systems. Having worked alongside Jeni Harnden-Koehler for several years, I can state unequivocally that she is one of the most gifted talent development professionals with whom I have worked. Her inquisitive, open style enables her to generate novel solutions that expand beyond working assumptions. This creativity is also balanced by a pragmatic, no-nonsense approach that resonates with leaders and organizations. I have observed firsthand her amazing acumen in translating feedback results into actionable, real-world development plans that really advance individuals’ capabilities. Jeni is also skilled in helping organizations develop integrated practices that move learning from an ‘event’ to a ‘process’ – into the day-to-day business of the organization. Most importantly, Jeni’s personal and professional integrity are the foundations of her success, and a key reason I value and respect her as a colleague. I recommend organizations and individuals engage Jeni when they need a fresh perspective and proven results in their talent practices.

I’ve worked with Jeni both as a colleague and a consultant. The company I was working for had an established Leadership Development Program. Jeni was able to enhance our work by adding an action learning component. This piece truly differentiated the program and gave us the framework to demonstrate business impact. Jeni brought expertise, enthusiasm, and a focused discipline to the program. She was able to coach participants and guide them in the learning process. Jeni has the unique ability of applying her broad expertise and know-how to create actionable and measurable outcomes.

Working with Jeni was a truly rewarding experience. She brings a thoughtful, steady presence to every conversation and has a unique ability to ask the kind of questions that help you step back, reflect, and see challenges from new and valuable perspectives. Our discussions often led me to reframe issues in ways that made decision-making clearer and more strategic. Jeni is especially skilled at encouraging you to consider how others may be experiencing a situation, which was incredibly helpful in navigating complex relationships and team dynamics. She also understands the personal factors that often influence professional choices and helps you bring those into view without overcomplicating the process. If you’re looking for a coach who is insightful, supportive, and grounded in real-world experience, Jeni is an exceptional partner.