Caretha Coleman

Principal, Coleman Consulting

Caretha has significant early stage investment, organizational development and operational experience. As a principal of Coleman Consulting, Caretha focused her practice on working with start-ups and early stage ventures in the areas of strategy development, executive coaching and organizational effectiveness - Making Organizations Work as she puts it.

A respected professional in the Valley, Caretha's experience spans 30 years in the technology industry in companies such as Interval Research, where she was responsible for corporate administration, including the areas of finance and human resources. Prior to Interval, Caretha was vice president, human resources at Software Publishing Corporation, where her leadership was instrumental in pioneering one of the first successful desktop software businesses for almost 10 years. Caretha began her career in the Silicon Valley companies of Hewlett Packard and Spectra Physics.

Caretha was a founding member of The Angels' Forum, a unique 'angel' investment organization in Palo Alto where she served on the Advisory Committee and worked closely with entrepreneurs vetting their ideas and providing guidance and coaching. An advocate for women and minorities in business, Caretha demonstrates her commitment to mentoring young professionals and entrepreneurs across the country.

As a believer in philanthropy and an active leader in the community, Caretha's volunteer efforts in the non-profit world are numerous. Among these commitments, she has served as Board Chair of the East Palo Alto YMCA, where she recently led a capital campaign that resulted in successfully raising $17 million dollars to build a YMCA within the community. Caretha serves on the board of the Silicon Valley YMCA, the Center for Relationship Abuse Awareness, the advisory board of Facing History and Ourselves; and is also a member of the National Nominating Committee for YMCA USA. Caretha is a director of Catholic Healthcare West (CHW), an $8 billion not-for profit healthcare system whose mission focuses on quality healthcare delivery to the underserved. Caretha is an American Leadership Forum Fellow.

Caretha and her husband, Ken, have been married for 31 years and together have 6 children and 11 grandchildren.