Kate Herbert
About Kate

Twenty years
inside the
machine.

Executive coach, AdTech operator, and the person in the room who has actually done what you’re trying to do.

My Story

Not a coach who
never led.

I spent over two decades inside some of the most demanding organizations in AdTech and tech. DoubleClick. Google. Twitter’s MoPub. Criteo. Oracle Advertising. I built teams, ran partnerships, drove revenue, and navigated the kind of organizational complexity that can’t be taught in a classroom.

I loved it. I was good at it. And eventually, I realized the work I found most meaningful wasn’t the strategy decks or the quarterly targets. It was the people — the executive who needed someone to think alongside, not just report to.

So I made a deliberate choice. I became a founding coach at The Forem, earned my iPEC certification, became an ELI Practitioner, and added a Human-Centered AI Leadership certification because the leaders I work with are navigating a world where that fluency matters.

My clients are founders, C-suite leaders, and senior operators. They need a thinking partner who has been in their rooms, who can tell the difference between a real obstacle and a story they’re telling themselves, and who won’t let them off the hook. That’s what I do.

Coaching Philosophy

The work only works
if it’s honest.

Operator First

My coaching is grounded in lived experience. I’ve managed large teams, built partnerships, survived acquisitions, and led through ambiguity. That’s the lens I bring to every conversation.

Energy-Based Method

iPEC’s Core Energy methodology goes deeper than behavior. We work at the level of the beliefs, assumptions, and interpretations shaping how you lead — not just what you do.

No Comfortable Lies

The most valuable thing a coach can offer is honesty. I won’t tell you what you want to hear. I’ll help you see what’s actually happening and what to do about it.

Adaptability is the highest
form of intelligence.

Knowledge matters, but the ability to learn, unlearn, and change course matters more.

The rigid cling to what was.

The adaptable respond to what is, and prepare for what’s next.

Evolution favors beings who quickly adapt to uncertainty.

Certifications & Education

Certified. Experienced.
Committed.

Coaching

iPEC Certified Professional Coach (CPC)

One of the most comprehensive ICF-accredited coaching programs available, focused on transformational coaching through Core Energy methodology.

Assessment

Energy Leadership Index (ELI) Practitioner

Certified to administer and debrief the ELI, a proprietary assessment measuring how an individual shows up energetically and responds under stress.

Leadership & AI

Human-Centered AI Leadership

Specialized certification in leading through the AI era, with a focus on human-centered design principles and the leadership competencies required as AI reshapes industries.

Education

B.S. Psychology, UC Davis

An undergraduate foundation in human behavior, cognition, and motivation that has informed every stage of a career built on understanding people, teams, and organizations.

Career

Where I’ve been.

2020 — Present

Executive Coach & Consultant

Founding Coach, The Forem · Advisor, OhHello.ai & MLtwist

Independent executive coaching practice for founders and C-suite leaders. iPEC-certified, ELI Practitioner, Human-Centered AI Leadership certified.

2017 — 2020

Oracle Advertising

Senior Revenue & Operations Leader

Strategic partnerships, product strategy, and commercialization for Oracle’s advertising data and identity solutions.

2014 — 2017

Criteo

Strategic Partnerships & Business Development

Built and scaled strategic publisher and technology partnerships across North America during a period of rapid growth.

2010 — 2014

Twitter / MoPub

Revenue & Partnerships

Revenue and partnerships at MoPub, the mobile ad exchange acquired by Twitter. Supply-side partnerships and platform commercialization.

2000 — 2010

DoubleClick / Google

Operations & Business Development Leader

A decade at DoubleClick through its acquisition by Google in 2008. Led large operational and professional services teams, architected agency connectivity solutions.

Featured

In the press.

O
OhHello
Advisor Interview · 2025

From Google to Twitter to Oracle, Kate Herbert has seen firsthand what it takes to scale teams, launch platforms, and keep things moving when the pace never slows. With over two decades in ad tech, she’s built global partnerships, led go-to-market strategy, and turned big, messy problems into momentum.

“Kate is proof that great leadership isn’t doing it all — it’s helping others thrive.”

Q
What’s a face-palm moment from your career that you can laugh about now, and what did it teach you?

“When I was at Google launching the Ad Exchange, I was managing global teams across three continents and basically running on caffeine and adrenaline. My mentor, Christina Wire, looked at me after our first meeting and said, ‘You need to drop everything and hire managers. You’re the bottleneck.’

It was such a wake-up call. I thought being a great leader meant doing everything. Turns out, it meant building systems that can run without me, and then trusting the people I hired to run them.”

Q
If you could trade jobs for one month into something totally outside your lane, what would you do and why?

“I’d step into Joanna Peña-Bickley’s world. She’s a design engineer who fuses creativity and technology to invent experiences that feel almost…magical; she calls it “Cognitive Experience Design.”

After my years in ad tech and AI commercialization, what Joanna’s doing is a beautiful reminder that those same tools can be used to enhance empathy, cognition, and well-being…building technology that feels human.”

Q
Why OhHello?

“What excites me most is how OhHello is reimagining mentorship for the modern world — combining human connection with smart matching and scalable technology, so mentorship isn’t something that happens once in a blue moon.

As someone who’s both mentored and been mentored throughout my career, I’ve seen how one conversation can change the trajectory of someone’s path. Being part of a platform that democratizes that kind of access feels deeply meaningful.”

Client Stories

What clients say.

Kate isn’t a ‘checklist’ coach; she is a high-level strategist who focuses on driving tangible breakthroughs. She helped me stop running away from a situation and start running towards a career that would leave me fulfilled.
Daria da Silveira
Managing Director, Publisher Partnerships · Firsthand
What Kate helped me unlock was far more valuable than career clarity: the ability to recognize and articulate the true worth of my skills. Her approach seamlessly blends strategic thinking with tactical guidance.
Jill Casey
AI Monetization & Sales Leader · Microsoft
Kate helped me build confidence, clarify my goals, and navigate a career transition with much less overwhelm. She brings deep empathy and real corporate experience, creating a space where growth feels both comfortable and achievable.
Rosana Snyder
Talent Management · E.W. Scripps
She helped me recognize strengths I had overlooked and encouraged me to truly trust my own skills. With her guidance I found myself approaching every situation with more confidence and clarity.
Sophie LaVallee
Audio Investment Associate Director · Horizon Media
Get Started

Ready to do the real work?

A 30-minute discovery call. No pitch, no pressure.
Just an honest conversation about where you are and where you’re trying to go.

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