Samina Hooda

Samina Hooda is passionate about learning and applying best practices in neuroplasticity and emotional intelligence to facilitate a growth mindset within people and teams.

She is an ICF (International Coaching Federation) certified coach and has enjoyed leading talent development initiatives in the oil and gas, healthcare, and community development arenas for the last fifteen plus years.

As a talent director at MedSynergies (now Optum-UnitedHealth), Samina led the launch of their corporate academy for the leadership development of high-potentials and hired veterans.

Thereafter, she co-founded a consulting firm which worked with the US Department of Labor to create an apprenticeship program, supporting healthcare-experienced veterans’ transition into corporate careers.

Samina’s bachelor’s degree in Architecture and master’s degree in Applied Technology and Performance Improvement affords her a keen appreciation of diversity and human potential. She also has a graduate certificate in Professional and Executive Coaching.

She has served as a board member of World Affairs Council of Dallas-Fort Worth and currently serves as a national volunteer lead at the Aga Khan Council.  

Samina is also a visual artist and lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband. She loves traveling with their two sons and melting into a love puddle around their Havanese pup.

“What I appreciate about the book, ‘The Catalyst Effect’, is that the authors have used real-life examples of catalytic behaviors as exhibited by a wide range of effective leaders. The resulting set of competencies and assessments become powerful tools for reflection and offer robust opportunities to explore and elevate self-leadership and enhance team performance.”