Marissa Q. Paine

our Founder

After an insightful career journey that included twenty-seven jobs in twenty-years (and no, she’s not a millenial), Marissa finally found the work she was born to do: helping leaders, teams and organizations make Shift happen.

Marissa Q. Paine is hopelessly addicted to helping accomplished leaders make the shifts they need to create the life and business results their hearts truly desire but their heads struggle to make happen.

Once settling for a status quo existence and living well beneath her true potential, Marissa has transformed her own life and business many times.

She’s Shifted from secretary to CEO, from separated and seeking divorce to celebrating twenty-five+ years of marriage and from being overworked and unfulfilled to doing her life’s work: facilitating transformational shifts for individuals and organizations.

A proud social worker by trade and expert in intra- and interpersonal relationships, Marissa’s clients include service-based business owners, nonprofit CEOs and other executive leaders; plus couples, business partners, management teams, boards of directors and beyond.

Marissa holds a masters degree in social work from Washington University in St. Louis and a professional certified coach (PCC) credential from the International Coach Federation.

Prior to starting her company in 2012, Marissa worked in the strategic staffing, global diversity and public affairs division of a Fortune 500 agriculture company before settling into a fifteen year career in the nonprofit sector. Marissa served as chief executive in both large and small nonprofits and advised numerous boards of directors as the interim CEO responsible for managing organizational turnaround and transition.

A lifetime learner and champion for racial justice and inclusion, Marissa has additional training and certifications in building cohesive teams, organization and relationship systems coaching, governance training, social and emotional intelligence, change management and facilitation.

Marissa’s Fun Facts

When she is not working, Marissa enjoys traveling, spa days, patronizing the performing arts (music, theater and comedy) and spending time with her family. Marissa and her husband, James have three adult children and newfound energy thanks to their amazing five-year old niece, compassionately known as TeeTee Baby.

  • Never outgrew sleeping with a stuffed animal. Her current sleep partner, “Hip Hop”, is missing an ear but has been with her for thirty years
  • Is notorious for outbursts of random singing, movie scene quotes and laughing at her own jokes
  • Still eats children’s cereals (Cap’n Crunch, Fruit Loops & Lucky Charms) for breakfast, lunch or dinner

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