Meet the Van Hooser Leadership Team
Leadership experience, practical expertise, and thoughtful client care
Our
Mission
WE EXIST TO HELP YOU SUPPORT YOUR CURRENT LEADERS AND EQUIP YOUR FUTURE LEADERS TO DEVELOP THE INTENTIONAL LEADERSHIP HABITS THAT DRIVE LASTING RESULTS.
We do this by building long-term relationships, serving as trusted advisors, and delivering customized leadership development based on experience, truth, practical application, and uncommon commonsense.
WE HAVE WORKED WITH CLIENTS IN MANY INDUSTRIES BUT SPECIALIZE IN SERVING:
-
BANKING & FINANCIAL SERVICES
-
FRANCHISE & CONSUMER PRODUCTS
-
INSURANCE
-
MANUFACTURING
-
BUILDING, ELECTRICAL, ENGINEERING, CONTRACTING
-
ENERGY, MINING, UTILITIES
-
AGRICULTURE & RELATED SERVICES
-
ASSOCIATIONS
LEAD INTENTIONALLY:
We are obsessed with advancing the cause of personal leadership. Everything we say, do, teach, and write is intended to prepare and empower individuals for their respective leadership journeys.
INTERACT HONESTLY:
Every meaningful relationship is rooted in the principles of honesty and integrity. We honor our relationships with clients and audiences by interacting with them in truthfulness and sincerity.
LISTEN
INTENTLY:
Hearing your stories is critical to our work. We succeed by investing substantial time in listening attentively to our customers, their goals, and their aspirations so we can forge solutions that support them.
COMMUNICATE COURAGEOUSLY:
Candid, objective, two-way communication aids the fine art of discovery, which ultimately leads to better decisions and on-target outcomes for our clients and for us.
EVOLVE CONSTANTLY:
We value the past, but we refuse to be constrained by it. As workplaces continue to change, we promise to identify, develop, and apply lessons learned from our collective experiences to address the present and future challenges our customers encounter.
LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY:
We unashamedly love the organizations and individuals we are privileged to work with. Though we’re all imperfect, we endeavor to see others not simply as they are today, but as who they will be with all the incredible potential they have to grow and achieve.
Meet
Team
Our
A Bit About Our Story
Alyson Van Hooser
CSP
President, CEO
Biography:
Alyson Van Hooser, CSP, is a leadership expert and author who helps leaders recognize and correct the misreads that weaken workplace relationships, trust, buy-in, and performance.
Her work begins with a practical truth: leaders cannot respond effectively until they accurately understand the people and situations in front of them. Leaders often respond to what they see without fully understanding what is driving it. When assumptions replace accuracy, even well-intentioned leaders can misinterpret resistance, disengagement, disagreement, or poor performance and choose a response that creates distance instead of progress.
Alyson equips leaders to look beyond visible behavior, question their initial assumptions, and understand the needs, experiences, and perspectives that may be shaping a person’s response. She then shows them how to adapt their communication and actions without sacrificing clarity, standards, or accountability. The result is stronger working relationships and better leadership decisions in the moments that matter.
Alyson’s perspective was shaped through leadership roles in retail, banking, and public service, then deepened through years of executive coaching and leadership development work across industries. Her ongoing work with leaders allows her to identify the patterns, risks, and opportunities they often sense but struggle to name, then translate those insights into practical action.
Across her work, Alyson reframes empathy as a leadership accuracy skill and influence as something earned through clear, intentional, trust-building action. Her human-centered approach helps leaders strengthen relationships, maintain accountability, and move work forward.
Through high-impact keynotes, comprehensive leadership training, books, and executive coaching, Alyson partners with organizations to strengthen leadership performance, deepen bench strength, improve engagement and retention, and build cultures where people choose to stay and contribute. Known for her high-energy presence onstage and her direct, practical approach in every setting, she gives leaders a clearer way to understand people, respond wisely, and achieve better results together.
Joe Van Hooser
COO
Biography:
With deep experience spanning 15 years in manufacturing, including leadership in the largest volume-producing bakery in North America, Joe Van Hooser has consistently demonstrated his ability to cultivate efficiency and excellence in both processes and people.
Having successfully led hundreds of employees, managed multi-million dollar projects, and guided manufacturing assets to achieve world-class standards, Joe’s proven track record and expertise align perfectly with the Van Hooser Leadership mission — to deliver customized leadership development based on real-world experience, truth, practical application, and uncommon commonsense.
What does that mean for our clients? Joe adds depth and practical operational perspective to the leadership training and executive coaching experiences we provide. As COO, he also helps ensure that Van Hooser Leadership delivers on its promises through thoughtful preparation, clear communication, dependable execution, and resources that help leaders apply what they learn.
Away from the office, as a husband and father of four, Joe can be found in the garage gym with his sons, cooking for his girls, or teaching at church. Through Joe’s combination of expertise and compassion, his work developing intentional, well-equipped leaders across the country is leaving the world a more focused, meaningful, and prosperous place.
Phillip Van Hooser
MBA, CSP, CPAE, Cavett Award Winner
Founder, Chair
Biography:
Phillip Van Hooser, CSP, CPAE, is a Hall of Fame leadership keynote speaker, executive coach, author, and Founder and Chair of Van Hooser Leadership. Across four decades of leadership and keynote experience, he has served more than 1,300 organizations with practical guidance for making better decisions, building trust, strengthening communication, and improving employee relationships.
Phillip’s approach is principled, practical, and grounded in real-life leadership experience. He is known for making complex leadership challenges clear, actionable, and immediately useful through relatable storytelling and commonsense solutions.
Through leadership keynotes, training, executive coaching, and books, Phillip helps leaders take greater personal responsibility, communicate more intentionally, and earn the trust necessary to lead effectively.
Phillip is a National Speakers Association Hall of Fame inductee, a Certified Speaking Professional, and a recipient of NSA’s Cavett Award.
PHILLIP HAS EARNED MANY CREDENTIALS AND AWARDS, INCLUDING:
Susan Van Hooser
CMO
Biography:
Susan Van Hooser serves as CMO of Van Hooser Leadership, bringing decades of experience to marketing, client relationships, and administrative operations. Her attention to detail, commitment to service, and thoughtful care help create the warm, consistent, and professional experience clients expect from Van Hooser Leadership.
Susan considers helping others a blessing. And those who have been served by her – clients, family, friends, or community members – know it’s a treat to be on the receiving end of her service. That’s leadership. And that’s why our team — and our clients — love Susan!
When not at work, Susan’s happy place is at the center of her loving — and LOUD — family! She is a mother to three (Joe, Sarah, and Sophie) and grandmother to nine super-active grandchildren. In the midst of the predictable bedlam, she still finds time to stay active, running her first race, a half-marathon, at 54.
When she’s not racing after grandkids or a new personal record, she loves discovering new diners and destinations with her husband, Phil, and watching their German Shorthaired Pointer, Sy point birds.
Abby Guess
VHLO Platform Manager
Biography:
Abby Guess’ unwavering commitment to excellence has been a cornerstone of her success. With a sharp eye for detail and a genuine passion for connecting with and serving others, she partners with our clients to ensure they maximize their experience and ROI on VHLO.
Whether you’re an individual contributor, a new manager, or a seasoned executive, Abby serves as an invaluable resource, dedicated to helping you thrive in your leadership journey.
Contact Us
GROW YOUR
EMPLOYEES
INTO LEADERS
The
6 Levels of Empowerment
Use this PRACTICAL GUIDE to understand how to increase responsibility, ownership, and decision-making capacity in the people you are developing.