Dr. Cynthia Bentzen-Mercer is a globally recognized human capital strategist, USA Today bestselling author, and board-certified executive coach with more than 30 years of experience transforming how organizations invest in their people. As the founder and CEO of Bentzen Performance Partners, co-founder of The Zeal of the Heel, and creator of the 7 Minute Pivot, she partners with executives and leadership teams across public, private, nonprofit, and multi-industry sectors to align talent strategy with business growth. Her groundbreaking Human Capital Investment Strategy (HCIS) framework aligns talent strategy with business growth, leads cultural transformations, and positions transforms people into a company’s most enduring competitive advantage.

Cynthia’s expertise sits at the intersection of business outcomes and human-centered leadership. She is known for guiding companies through cultural transformations, helping CEOs and boards unlock untapped value through intentional investments in talent. Her strategic yet deeply human approach has earned her recognition in Improving HR, The Empathy Advantage, and Success Without Compromise, as well as speaking engagements on global stages and features in prominent podcasts such as Daring to Leap and This Is Women’s Work.

As an executive coach, Cynthia works with high-capacity leaders to reconnect with purpose, reclaim their voice, and lead with clarity and alignment. Her 7 Minute Pivot strategy helps high-achieving women navigate periods of career restlessness or stagnation, supporting them to define what’s next, reignite their ambition, and move forward with confidence and intention. Her coaching style is both rigorous and empathetic, helping individuals uncover overlooked strengths and move from burnout to breakthrough.

Cynthia holds a Ph.D. in social psychology, an MBA, the Board Certified Coach designation, and the SPHR credential. She has been honored as a St. Louis YWCA Leader of Distinction, one of Ingram’s “50 Missourians You Should Know,” and among Becker’s “143 Women Leaders of Hospital and Health Systems to Know.” She is the author of Human Capital Investment Strategy and the USA Today bestseller Now, Near, Next, along with the Intentional ALLYship Companion Guide, which are widely used by organizations committed to advancing women’s leadership.