Steven Gaultney brings a rare combination of executive storytelling expertise, deep interviewing skills, and a lifelong career in writing and the performing arts to his work with Briefcase Coach. He has supported more than 100 senior- and C-suite-level clients through career transitions, helping them translate complex, often difficult-to-articulate career experiences into compelling resumes and executive brands.
Steven is often tapped to work on some of our most complex client narratives. He has a particular talent for positioning executives whose impact extends far beyond traditional measures of leadership. Consulting leaders from firms such as Boston Consulting Group and Deloitte, as well as Chief Transformation Officers and Chiefs of Staff, can be challenging to capture on a resume: these executives frequently influence strategy, drive enterprise-wide change, and operate at the highest levels of an organization without directly owning a P&L or large teams. Steven understands how to identify and articulate that kind of influence, making the scope and value of their work visible and compelling to the market.
He is also Briefcase Coach’s go-to writer for executives in the sustainability and energy sectors, where industry expertise, cross-functional leadership, stakeholder influence, and complex subject matter often need to be distilled into a clear and differentiated executive narrative.
One of Steven’s greatest strengths is his ability to interview. He has a natural gift for putting people at ease and creating the kind of conversation that allows the best stories to emerge. He knows exactly what questions to ask—and, just as importantly, how to listen for the details, accomplishments, and moments of impact that clients may not recognize as noteworthy. His approach goes well beyond gathering information; he helps executives uncover the story behind their careers and understand what makes their leadership distinctive.
That storytelling instinct comes naturally. Steven is an internationally recognized playwright and writing coach whose work has been produced in New York, Singapore, Dubai, and Baku, Azerbaijan. He has mentored both aspiring and seasoned writers around the world, bringing the same principles of character, narrative, voice, and audience awareness to executive career storytelling.
His international theatre work has also included representing The Theatre of Others at COP28 and COP29, the annual United Nations Climate Conferences. There, he presented his site-specific play BRIGHT LIGHT BURNING, moderated post-performance discussions, and mentored student performers as part of the organization’s international collaboration.
Before joining Briefcase Coach, Steven spent a decade in theatre management at Theatre for a New Audience, the acclaimed Off-Broadway theatre company. He holds an MFA from Columbia University and is a graduate of Davidson College.
Whether he is working with a Chief Transformation Officer navigating a complex leadership story, a consulting executive seeking to translate advisory work into measurable impact, or a sustainability leader operating across industries and stakeholders, Steven brings the same fundamental skill: the ability to listen deeply, find the story, and make sure the right people see its value.
