Zsuzsa Horvath, PhD, ACC, is a certified coach and an educator. She completed the ICF accredited Professional Coach Certification Program at the Duquesne University Palumbo Donahue School of Business and has a background in executive, leadership, career, and life coaching. In addition to working with clients through her company, Horvath Coaching, LLC, Zsuzsa currently serves as a coach in several university-based professional programs. She serves as an external coach in the College of Charleston Executive Coaching Program for MBA Students guiding students planning an executive role in their career. In addition, she is an external coach in the University of Pittsburgh Biomedical Masters Program (BMP) and supports students in their professional and career development in this twelve-month graduate studies program as they prepare for medical school, dental school, physician assistant school, or a PhD program.

In her role as an Associate Professor and the Director of Academic Career Advancement at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, Zsuzsa serves as the founding director of Academic Career Track certificate program, in which she offers individual and group coaching to the participating dental students as they enter the profession in a private practice, group practice, or additional specialty training. Additionally, she offers coaching to faculty as part of the school’s mentoring program. She has received several awards for creating innovative academic programs and curricular activities, including the highest award in dental education, the American Dental Education Association’s William J. Gies Award for Outstanding Vision; the 2020 Provost’s Award for Diversity in the Curriculum; and the 2021 Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award.  

As a coach working with early career young professionals, Zsuzsa assists her student- and faculty-clients to (1) take their first steps to author their lives; (2) start developing their professional identity; (3) find what motivates them, drives their energy, enthusiasm, and passion; and (4) think about ways of self-actualization. She connects her work with her clients to their vision to facilitate openness, excitement and creativity and helps them see and explore possibilities. Additionally, she also oversees Pitt Dental Medicine’s faculty development program. In that capacity, she offers professional development and serves as an internal coach within the faculty mentoring program.

Zsuzsa’s goal is to support her clients to reach their full potential and guide them through sustainable behavior change based on principles of Intentional Change Theory.