Karianne Michelle is an executive well-being strategist, leadership advisor, and strategic communications leader with more than 20 years of experience helping organizations strengthen leadership effectiveness, workplace culture, and organizational performance. She is known for integrating executive development, communication strategy, and human-centered leadership practices to help organizations build more resilient, connected, and high-performing teams. Her philosophy is grounded in a simple belief: organizations perform at their best when leaders have the capacity, clarity, and self-awareness to lead sustainably.

Karianne works at the intersection of leadership, communication, culture, and well-being – helping executive teams navigate growth, transformation, and organizational complexity while strengthening engagement, adaptability, and long-term performance. Her work blends strategic business insight with whole-person leadership development, supporting organizations as they improve communication, deepen team trust, and create cultures that enable both people and business outcomes to thrive.

As Founder and Chief Strategist of Lofti, Karianne has supported more than 10,000 executives, founders, and leadership teams across the United States, Europe, and Africa through executive retreats, leadership facilitation, workplace well-being strategy, and immersive professional development experiences. What began as a strategic communications consultancy evolved into a leadership and organizational well-being platform focused on helping companies improve resilience, psychological safety, authentic communication, and sustainable performance.

Through Lofti, Karianne has partnered with organizations including Berkshire Hathaway, Boston Consulting Group, The Carter Center, Water.org, General Assembly, Ragan Communications, Yelp, Comcast Professional Women’s Network, Keller Williams, Novant Health, RUTH (part of Edelman network), Baker Hughes, Zebra Technologies, and Advocate Health. Her work includes executive facilitation, leadership communications coaching, workplace well-being programming, retreat design, culture transformation initiatives, and team development experiences that strengthen both organizational alignment and individual performance.

Before founding Lofti, Karianne spent nearly two decades leading integrated communications, executive messaging, and growth strategy initiatives for global brands and agencies. She advised Fortune 500 organizations and executive leadership teams across Technology, Healthcare, Consumer Products, Professional Services, and Social Impact sectors, including State Farm, Hewlett-Packard, Abbott, Procter & Gamble, GE, Motorola Solutions, EssilorLuxottica, and The American Medical Association. Her experience leading high-performing teams, managing complex stakeholder environments, and guiding executive communications strategy continues to inform her work with leadership teams today.

During her time as Vice President, Digital at Weber Shandwick, Karianne led one of the agency’s largest global client relationships while helping drive sustained double-digit growth for the Chicago office. She advised senior executives on digital strategy, integrated communications, organizational messaging, and thought leadership while overseeing large cross-functional agency teams and complex transformation initiatives.

Karianne’s work increasingly focuses on the future of leadership and workplace performance – particularly the connection between executive well-being, communication, belonging, adaptability, and organizational resilience. She combines business strategy with evidence-informed well-being practices to help leaders strengthen presence, emotional intelligence, and decision-making during periods of growth and change. Her training and certifications include Motivational Interviewing, Yoga Instruction, iRest Yoga Nidra Meditation, Qigong, Reiki Master Teacher Training, and sound-based well-being facilitation.

Karianne currently serves as a sound bath artist and contemplative instuctor for the University of Virginia Contemplative Sciences Center, Executive Wellness Coach for the Ragan Communications Leadership Council, and Well-being Expert for the Oprah Daily Insiders Network.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Luther College and has completed advanced certifications in Motivational Interviewing, Yoga Instruction, iRest Yoga Nidra Meditation, Qigong, Reiki Master Teacher Training, and executive well-being facilitation.

Lofti, Founder & Chief Strategist

WELL Training U.S., Executive Well-Being Strategist and Leadership Advisor

LEFF, Vice President, Content Marketing

myWHY Agency, Vice President, Client Strategy & Chief Wellness Officer

Weber Shandwick, Vice President, Digital

WPP (formerly Blast Radius), Account Director

Slack and Company, Account Supervisor

gyro (A Merkle Company), Account Supervisor and Senior Account Executive

General Assembly, Global Workshop Instructor, Speaker & Professional Brand Coach

University of Virginia, Darden School of Business – iLabs Incubator, Mentor

1871, Mentor and Keynote Speaker

Lyric Opera of Chicago Guild, Board of Directors

Chicago Fringe Opera, Founding Board Member

University of Virginia Contemplative Sciences Center, Sound Bath Artist and Contemplative Instructor

Ragan Communications Leadership Council, Executive Wellness Coach

Luther College, Bachelor of Arts (BA), Music

Motivational Interviewing Certification, Psychwire

Yoga Teacher Certification (200-Hour), Yoga Alliance

Yoga Nidra Meditation Instruction (Level 1), iRest® Institute

Dragon and Tiger Qigong Teacher, Energy Arts

Usui and Holy Fire Reiki Master Teacher Trainer, The International Center for Reiki Training

Well-being Expert, Oprah Daily Insiders Network

Retreat Facilitator, Miraval Resorts (Hyatt)