Michelle Daniel, MD, MPHE

“Working with Cindy has been nothing short of transformative—professionally, personally, and spiritually. Her coaching is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced: rooted in deep self-inquiry, anchored in authenticity, and framed by practices that genuinely shift how you lead, live, and relate.

We began with the Enneagram—I'm a 3 with a 2 wing—and through that lens, I began to see myself, my habits, and my blind spots more clearly. But the real transformation came when I started to apply her tools—the MORF and Camera-to-Action processes—to real-life leadership challenges. One of the most difficult involved a brilliant but deeply hostile faculty colleague. Though I had the authority to terminate, Cindy helped me chart a different path—one grounded in compassion and clarity. What could have been a painful ending became a meaningful resolution for us and also for the entire team.

And then came the Buddha. In the early days of the pandemic—amid the grief of a student suicide, the the murder of George Floyd, and widespread unrest—I awoke one morning to find that a cherished Buddha statue in my backyard had been beheaded. I was shaken deeply – only someone who had been to my house and knew that I had that statue could have sent such a hateful message.

That moment became the unlikely start of a sacred, multi-year contemplative journey. Cindy invited me, along with two treasured colleagues, into a Koan Circle to engage in a different kind of meditation practice that helped us hold difficult realities. For the next five years we gathered—like the ancients—to sit with impossible questions, not to solve them, but to let them work on us. That practice taught me to trust in the universe’s unfolding, to lead from a place of not-knowing, and to appreciate the mystery when the world doesn’t make sense.

Another enduring gift of this work was learning to tell my own personal story. As part of our dean’s team graduation process, we crafted TED-style autobiographies—unearthing childhood moments and life-defining experiences that shaped how we show up as leaders. I still draw from that well nearly every day—whether speaking with students, guiding colleagues, or sharing my journey in public spaces.

Cindy didn’t just help me lead more effectively—she helped me lead by bringing forth my authentic self. And that has made all the difference.”

— Michelle Daniel, MD, MPHE, Vice Dean for Medical Education, University of California, San Diego