About Me
I am Dr. Kristina Hall-Michel (she/her). I am a coach, consultant, and scholar dedicated to helping professionals thrive in environments that were not designed with their full humanity in mind.
With over a decade of experience in higher education leadership, organizational development, and equity-centered practice, I have spent my career supporting individuals and institutions navigating burnout, identity strain, and the emotional toll of toxic workplace cultures. I currently serve as an Associate Director at the University of Massachusetts Boston and earned my PhD in Higher Education with research focused on racial battle fatigue and the hidden costs of being “hired for diversity”.
Through my dissertation—“Hired for Diversity and Onboarded for Assimilation: A Case Study of Racial Battle Fatigue among Student Affairs Practitioners of Color at Predominantly White Institutions”—I examined the impact of systemic inequities on professionals of color. Today, I bring those insights forward through coaching, consulting, and speaking that center healing, renewal, and possibility.
I bring a rare blend of scholarship, leadership experience, and coaching presence to my work. I have designed and facilitated leadership development programs, supervised and mentored teams, led inclusive excellence initiatives, and partnered with organizations to strengthen culture, performance, and belonging. My work is deeply informed by evidence, but always grounded in real-world application and care.
I am a coach (currently working on an ICF Associate Coach Certification) who believes that people are not broken, systems are. My approach is reflective, strategic, and affirming, helping clients name what’s happening, interrupt harmful patterns, and make intentional decisions rooted in their values and long-term well-being.
At its core, Dr. KHM Consulting exists to help people move from survival to sustainability, so they can lead, live, and work from a place of fullness rather than depletion.