— About Clarity Central
Professor. Trainer.
Master Communicator.
Built on three decades of applied mastery — by practitioners, not curriculum designers.
Founder & Principal
Michael Foley
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Michael Foley is the founder and CEO of Clarity Central, Inc. and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Leadership Development and Communications at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. His "zero fluff" approach is highly engaging for even the toughest audiences — and has made it routine, over nearly three decades, to hear: "This was the best training I have ever attended."
Prior to Clarity Central, Michael excelled in business development for General Electric — an experience that gave him firsthand knowledge of what it takes to differentiate oneself in a competitive marketplace. Michael holds a BS in Engineering, an MA in Human Development, an MBA, and a certificate in executive coaching. He is a contributor to the Harvard Business Review, and in 2014 was recognized by the National Speakers Association as an NSA-Certified Speaking Professional — the highest international recognition for professional speakers.
The Team
Four Practitioners, One Standard
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Every Clarity Central facilitator brings practitioner-level expertise — not a license to deliver someone else's curriculum.
Scott Nelson
Corporate Trainer & Executive Coach
Before joining the Clarity Central team he worked as a conflict resolution mediator at Mayo Clinic.
Scott started his career as a sales manager while also training and speaking on the topic of influential communication.
He is also a firefighter with Excelsior Fire District and a leadership development instructor for the Minnesota Board of Firefighter Training and Education.
Miki Huntington
Corporate Trainer & Executive Coach
Prior to her work at Clarity Central, Miki served in the U.S. Army for 25 years as a helicopter pilot and Foreign Area Officer (FAO). She has a BA in Political Science from UCLA, an MA in International Relations/Asian Studies from the University of Washington, and a Post-Master's Certificate in College Teaching from Capella University.
Miki is also credentialed by the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC) as a Certified Professional Coach (CPC).
Mark Ourada
Corporate Trainer & Executive Coach
He is recognized for developing leaders, building high-performing teams, and fostering coaching-based cultures that improve engagement and results. He brings deep experience in strategic alignment, organizational transformation, and cross-functional collaboration, supported by board experience and executive education at Kellogg.
What participants say
What to Expect
"This was the best training I have ever attended." — heard consistently, for 29 years.
We have partnered with Clarity Central for many years; their workshops are truly outstanding and align with our cultural values. Presentations that Deliver® is consistently one of the most popular workshops among our global community.
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Robbin Romano
Global Talent Development Manager · Ecolab
My job involves daily presentations and constant selling. When I worked with Mike, I expected marginal improvements. Instead, I made major strides after just two days of training. I have received multiple compliments about my new found energy and succinctness.
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Marc Teillon
Senior Vice President · Vista Equity Partners
Collaborating on the Spot was a very pragmatic educational experience and exceeded our expectations. Even in a fully virtual session, we had total engagement and everyone walked away feeling like they had enhanced their leadership skills.
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Shannon Ward
Vice President, People · Beyond
Client Success
What Clients are Saying
We have partnered with Clarity Central for many years; their workshops are truly outstanding and align with our cultural values. Presentations that Deliver® is consistently one of the most popular workshops among our global community.
Robbin Romano
Global Talent Development Manager · Ecolab
My job involves daily presentations and constant selling. When I worked with Mike, I expected marginal improvements. Instead, I made major strides after just two days of training. I’ve received multiple compliments about my new found energy and succinctness.
Marc Teillon
Senior Vice President · Vista Equity Partners
Collaborating on the Spot was a very pragmatic educational experience and exceeded our expectations. Even in a fully virtual session, we had total engagement and everyone walked away feeling like they had enhanced their leadership skills.
Shannon Ward
Vice President, People · Beyond
Ready to work with the Clarity Central Team?
Every engagement begins with a conversation about your specific situation, your audience, and your goals.