Meet the founder
Rooted | A Life of Purposeful Leadership
I'm Mona Khalil, a coach, strategist, poet, and builder of inclusive ecosystems. My journey has taken me across continents and industries. At the heart of it all is the study of self — a practice rooted in awareness that fuels personal growth, values alignment, and meaningful change.
Name Dipped in Mango | Identity, Heritage & Expression
My coaching and consulting business, Name Dipped In Mango, comes from a line in my poetry. The name reflects my connection to heritage, identity, and storytelling. Mangoes are rooted in my lineage. My father is Egyptian, and my mother is Guyanese. Across cultures, mangoes symbolize love, transformation, and abundance. Like the mango, we each carry seeds of our ancestors shaped by our origins and learn to thrive wherever we're planted. This name honors that global connection and invites others to reclaim their narratives, embrace their roots, and step into their fullest expression.
Nonprofit Leadership | A Journey of Service, Evolution & Impact
I'm a first-generation college graduate with a B.A. in International Studies from the University of California, San Diego. After graduation, I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco, focusing on youth and community development. Years later, I became the East Bay Director for the Northern California Peace Corps Association.
While working full-time, I pursued a professional certificate in Nonprofit Management from Cal State Northridge early in my career. In that role, I taught myself, implemented an agency-wide performance management system, and led change management efforts that supported organizational growth.
Poetry & Publication | Expression as Healing and Liberation
During my two years in Morocco, I embraced journaling as a sanctuary to process my thoughts and emotions. It helped me discover myself as my own best friend. Poetry soon became a creative outlet for emotional expression and clarity. Since returning to the United States, pen and paper remain my refuge. In May 2017, I published my first book, I Write Letters in My Thoughts.
"Author Mona Khalil offers a collection of reflective poetry rooted in love and telling the story of her life, from childhood through present day. I Write Letters in my Thoughts is a synoptic view into one person's journey through love, life, and ultimately towards liberation."
— Alejandro Villalpando, Ph.D.
Journaling | A Practice of Reflection, Courage & Studying Yourself
Journaling has been a part of my life for over 20 years. It began as a private practice — a safe space to explore my thoughts and feelings as a whole person, not just as the world wanted to experience me. It's become a steady, transformative tool that anchors me in reflection, courage, and self-trust.
Journaling isn't about perfection or performance. It's a space to validate your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. No two entries are the same because you're constantly evolving and viewing your life through new perspectives.
Cross-Sector Leadership | Advancing Equity, Innovation & Talent Development
My experience spans the nonprofit, research, tech, design, and education sectors. As a Senior Consultant, I supported management consulting, talent development, and diversity and inclusion work with C-suite executives. I was the lead instructor for the Social Media Marketing module in the Women of Color Entrepreneurs Leadership Program at Bellarmine University.
At LinkedIn, I was a Senior Program Manager in Talent Development and served on the San Francisco Culture InDay Committee. At Tesla, I worked in Global Business Operations, founded and led the Intersectionality Employee Resource Group, and advised the Tesla Diversity Leadership Council.
Transformational Leadership | Cultivating Wisdom, Strategy & Empowerment
I graduated from an ICF-accredited professional coaching program with the Hudson Institute of Coaching and earned my Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential through the International Coaching Federation.
I also hold an Executive MBA from Saint Mary's College of California, where I served as a Class Representative and a member of the Graduate Business School Student Advisory Board.
I completed the Inner MBA program in Mindful Business, a partnership with NYU, LinkedIn, Sounds True, and Wisdom 2.0, focusing on conscious leadership rooted in compassion and community. I also completed the Stanford Advanced Project Management Program.