May Samali

May Samali is Founder and CEO at Human Leadership Lab. As a speaker, facilitator, coach, researcher, investor and board director, she wears multiple hats to unlock leadership potential in organisations, teams and individuals.

Expertise in leadership, entrepreneurship and the future of work

May is a Fellow at the Institute of Coaching at Harvard Medical School and an Adjunct Senior Industry Fellow at RMIT University. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Inspirato (NASDAQ: ISPO), a One Planet Group company. In addition, May is a Venture Partner at 77 Partners and NextGen Venture Partners and sits on the advisory boards of John Monash Foundation’s Leadership Academy and Investible’s Climate Tech Fund.

May is a leading voice on leadership, entrepreneurship and the future of work. Her insights have been featured in reputable publications including Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, the Australian and Stanford Social Innovation Review.

Leadership and coach training from top institutions

May is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach and holds a Professional Certified Coach credential from the International Coaching Federation. She was recognised as one of the Top 15 Coaches in Sydney by Influence Digest in 2024. May’s work is grounded in frameworks from the Co-Active Training Institute, Conscious Leadership Group, Leadership Circle, Organisation and Relationship Systems Coaching and Positive Intelligence.

May has a Master in Public Policy from Harvard University where she studied as a Gleitsman Leadership Fellow and Australian John Monash Scholar. She also holds first class degrees in Law and Economics from the University of Sydney.

Building, operating and leading global teams

Previously, May served as CEO of Ventures at the High Resolves Group, where she led global cross-functional teams and technology ventures in the education sector. She was also the first employee at Urban Innovation Fund, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm. May’s early experiences as a people manager and startup investor sparked her fascination for developing leadership mindsets and skills in teams and individuals.

May’s journey as a dynamic professional, navigating career pivots across diverse industries and geographies, exemplifies adaptability, bravery, and compassion—the core principles that inspired the founding of Human Leadership Lab.