Christa Downey

Biography

Christa B. Downey is an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC) who has coached more than 300 founders, executives, and emerging leaders to develop clarity, align their teams, and make high-stakes strategic decisions with confidence. She has coached over 100 global leaders at Merck MSD and dozens of emerging and experienced leaders at Amazon. She currently serves as a team coach for the Johnson Executive MBA Program.

Christa served in leadership roles at Cornell University for over 20 years, most recently as the Director of Cornell’s Engineering Career Center and prior to that, as the director of the Arts & Sciences Center Center. She is active in the startup ecosystem through her work with Chloe Capital and Launch NY and is passionate about supporting startups through coaching, mentorship, programming, and investments.

She partners with high-achieving, purpose-driven people who are entering new, often unfamiliar spaces—and want to thrive once they are there. Clients value her deep listening, strategic thinking, and an ability to translate insight into clear frameworks that drive results and impact. Her work is grounded in the belief that diverse technical leadership is essential to solving complex global challenges.

She holds an M.S. in College Student Personnel from Miami University and a B.S. in Business Administration from Carnegie Mellon University.

Outside of work, Christa is a lifelong athlete and outdoor enthusiast. She completed an Ironman 70.3 and finds that triathlons, ice hockey, and time in the woods and on the water fuel the resilience, discipline, and perspective she brings to working alongside founders tackling complex, high-impact challenges.

You can learn more about Christa via her LinkedIn and can reach her at Christa@ChristaBDowneyCoaching.com.