Who we are
Dana Charmaine Lewis, the Founder and CEO of Essential Leader. With over 30 years of experience, she specializes in motivating teams to achieve their highest potential. She holds licenses and certifications in Leadership Development, Executive Coaching, Behavior Analysis, Corporate Facilitation and Youth Mentorship. Furthermore, she is a "natural born" teacher, trainer, coach and motivational speaker. Throughout her career, she gained extensive experience working across diverse industries, providing consultation services to individuals at all levels, ranging from senior executives to front-end users. Her leadership experience encompasses a wide spectrum of fields including: startup businesses, program/project management, product development, IT, marketing, sales, web development, construction, government agencies, real estate and beyond.
Dana's passion for leadership stems from the profound appreciation she has for the skills, knowledge, and character that are essential for effective leadership. She has worked in many organizations that have failed due to poor leadership. Organizations across the country do not invest, nurture and provide the adequate on-going leadership development that “people” leaders need to be successful. This gap has led to the desire for Dana to pour into others. Hence, Essential Leader was founded.
Essential Leader provides high quality, client engaging, motivational, essential life application skills that lead to explosive growth and dynamic teams. Essential Leader has a track record of analyzing a team, identifying their strengths and opportunities, developing a strategy that aligns with each organization's goals, executing the plan with the leaders and their teams that have led to phenomenal results. She has worked in some of the most challenging environments and successfully transformed them into positive, thriving workplaces. Resulting in a connected, self-aware, engaged, and thriving team.
One client review said, “Give Dana a call for all of your leadership needs! I’ve had the opportunity to work with some amazing leaders throughout my career, but Dana is the absolute BEST of the BEST! I know, I would not be in the position I am doing what I love today and influencing other leaders the way I am without the leadership she poured into me!” - Lauren Bolten
Make the investment towards unlocking the "essential keys" to your highest potential!
Our Mission
At Essential Leader, our mission is to deliver transformative, high-impact leadership development that equips individuals and teams with essential life application skills. We partner with organizations to unlock their full potential by aligning strategy with strengths, fostering authentic connection, and cultivating dynamic, self-aware leaders who drive meaningful and sustainable growth.
VISION STATEMENT
We envision a world where every workplace is a thriving, empowered community—led by courageous, emotionally intelligent leaders who inspire collaboration, drive innovation, and create cultures rooted in trust, purpose, and growth.
— Essential Leader
The Experience
Attend each session with an open mind to receive new leadership approaches to improve your level of effectiveness and influence in your work environment.
Everyone has pain points when it comes to leadership. We’ll deliver conflict management and problem solving strategies.
As your Trainer & Coach the goal is for everyone to achieve professional wellness that includes effective leadership, communication, connection and self-awareness.
Essential Leader utilizes “life application” activities to apply the tools, techniques and strategies learned in each training or coaching sessions to build stronger teams that communicate effectively, work as one, and are high performers.
