About Monica
How Construction Leadership and Recovery Wisdom Created a New Approach
For 20 years, I built a career in construction, not by playing the corporate game, but by being the person people actually trusted. I was the one who employees came to when they couldn’t talk to their manager. I shaped talent strategy, developed leadership programs, built people systems across billions in projects and thousands of employees. My real credibility came from being real. On paper, I had it all figured out.
But behind the success? Burnout. Addiction. Pretending I was ‘fine’ while falling apart. I sacrificed myself and my boundaries for a way of working that demanded everything, and I gave it. I knew I wasn’t alone.
My turning point came through my own recovery journey. As I rebuilt my life with intentionality and authenticity, I realized the tools and frameworks that were helping me heal could transform workplaces too. My lived experience with recovery wasn't separate from my professional expertise in organizational development; it was the missing piece that made my approach uniquely powerful.
2022
By 2022, I had risen to Regional Talent Partner, leading talent development for $4 billion region and 2,600 admin and craft employees across multiple offices. I was scaling leadership programs, designing succession planning, and tackling retention challenges. But I kept seeing the same patterns: good people burning out, talented leaders leaving, and organizations treating symptoms instead of root causes.
The construction industry's "tough it out" mentality was creating environments where burnout was normalized and asking for help was seen as weakness. I recognized this as a design flaw, not a character flaw. I had lived through both sides, the struggle and the recovery, and had spent years learning how to build resilience at scale.
2025
In 2025, I made the decision to launch Copper Penny Coaching. The name reflects my core belief that small, often overlooked moments and changes can transform into something valuable over time, just like how a copper penny develops its distinctive patina through exposure to the elements.
Copper Penny Coaching was born from the recognition that recovery wisdom and organizational excellence belong together. My unique combination of lived experience and professional expertise fills a gap that traditional consultants and wellness programs can't touch. I speak the language of both the boardroom and the jobsite, understanding that real change happens when you address systems, not just symptoms.
Professional Credentials
-
20+ years of construction industry experience
-
Prosci Certified Change Practitioner
-
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Practitioner
-
Enneagram in Business – Team Transformation Certified
-
Certificate in Nonprofit Management