About Be a Better Boss

“Bonita is an exceptional manager, leader, and coach.”
I am honored to receive such feedback, and I want to help you receive the same.

My unique Consult & Coach Approach™ is tailored to your specific needs. We’ll use a combination of consulting and coaching to examine your specific challenges, discover new insights, and develop a personalized plan.

I’ll be your trusted partner as we co-create a space for you to:

  • See Your Strengths Clearly, Understanding How to Best Align With Your Professional and Personal Goals
  • Level Up Your Leadership Mindset
  • Identify Areas for Action and Adopt Techniques for Accountability
  • Improve Your Relationships at Work and at Home
  • Increase Employee Retention and Your Business’s Bottom Line
  • Unlock Your Full Leadership Potential
  • Be a Better Boss
A woman in black dress standing on top of a table.

About Bonita

Be a Better Boss is led by Bonita Harriston. Originally from Baltimore City, Maryland, USA, she is a proud global citizen and avid traveler. She holds a BS in International Relations and Russian Language and completed graduate work in Communications at Johns Hopkins. She is currently pursuing a Master's in Industrial-Organizational Psychology through Harvard Continuing Education. She is a United States Marine Corps veteran, where she served as a Linguist and Analyst.

Bonita has extensive education and training in multiple languages, holds an active Project Management Professional Certification (PMP), and is a Certified Professional through the Society for Human Resources (SHRM-CP). Bonita earned the professional designation of Certified Coach from the Coach Training Alliance in 2013 and is accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

Bonita has managed small and large teams alike throughout her career, growing from team lead to the Executive Suite. She now coaches and consults in public and private sectors around the globe. Her clients represent diverse industries, including retailers, hospitality, education, travel, health, consumer interests, and government services.

Bonita’s professional management journey began as the youngest General Manager in the history of the Baltimore Hostel (Hostelling International, USA), a non-profit dedicated to supporting affordable travel. In a historic building in a scrappy part of town, Bonita increased volunteer and community engagement, built reciprocal relationships with businesses across downtown Baltimore, and advocated for the mission of the organization: to foster a deeper understanding of people, places, and the world around. She invested in the growth and development of the hostel staff, creating a pipeline of talented and engaged employees.

Serving in the United States Marine Corps provided exposure to a very special and unique leadership style. Observing the traditional command and control style of military leadership, Bonita learned many valuable lessons-- some easier than others. She artfully navigated a system that was often uninviting to women, forging a path that challenged the status quo and encouraged increased inclusion. Bonita demonstrates the USMC values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment every single day. She volunteers 100+ hours per year to Veteran organizations.

Upon Honorable Discharge from the USMC, Bonita entered the Intelligence Community as a civilian and made waves as a young, energetic leader in a space that was often stuffy and regimented. Seeking ways to innovate in an environment that was required following antiquated policies, she established new relationships across government agencies, created cross-functional synergies, and even found new ways to engage external vendors using creative ways to secure valuable training resources. An award-winning linguist, Bonita often reached proficiency milestones ahead of schedule and dedicated time to helping others grow their language skills.

Shifting from intelligence services to a diplomatic focus, Bonita spent nearly a decade supporting the mission of the U.S. Department of State. As a Program Manager and people leader, she led multiple efforts within the Bureau of Consular Affairs, including Information Technology teams, Communications and Outreach, and Asset Management/Procurement. Additionally, Bonita supported the Nuclear Risk Reduction Center, representing the United States at key diplomatic events at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

Bonita was proud to support the Mobile Government Project (mGov), mandated by the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Serving as the Principal Management Consultant to the project, Bonita created and delivered Management Training to thousands of government leaders across the entire United Arab Emirates. This ambitious effort was implemented as part of the UAE’s transition to a Smart Government. The initiative “prompted government entities to consider updating strategies and plans and to put more effort toward modernizing capabilities and services” (Read more here). Bonita’s development and delivery of this key management training directly supported Smart Government's goals of increasing collaboration amongst the diverse UAE stakeholders, providing technical guidance and support to government entities, and providing training and awareness to government staff.

Bonita has more than 15 years of experience supporting government contracts, with specialized experience in customer management. During her tenure at Metis Solutions (Amentum), she served as the Vice President of Operations with a $75M+ portfolio, including 350+ personnel embedded across agencies within the Department of Defense, the US Armed Forces, and other key institutions. Her contracts span diverse target areas, including Military and Civilian Training and Development, Administrative and Logistics Services, Financial Crimes Enforcement, and Intelligence Analysis. She is highly skilled in conflict resolution, workforce management, and relationship building across all levels of government leadership.

Serving leaders at all levels within organizations, Bonita inspires everyone to Be Better. Whether new to management or well-established in the C-Suite, Bonita supports leaders as they evaluate their strengths, look for growth opportunities, seek clarity on goals, and learn new ways to support the people they lead. Through a unique Consult and Coach Approach™, Bonita guides clients on a journey to discover what motivates them and their teams, identifying clear and clever ways to increase productivity, deepen employee job satisfaction, increase retention, and positively impact the business bottom line.

Read More about Bonita Here

My Philosophy

At all levels of leadership, there’s an opportunity to BE BETTER. The most astute leaders understand that their success begins and ends with their teams - both as individual contributors and through their collective efforts. And to get the most from your teams, you must first understand yourself as a leader.

Growing from a young general manager within a global non-profit to senior executive roles in organizations in the United States and abroad, I made my share of mistakes - and learned something from each. Each step of the way, I evaluated my management decisions and shaped my leadership approach.

With 25+ years in management roles, including operations, HR, technology, training, and development, I’ve honed my management style, leading to happier, more productive teams, increased retention, and a significant positive impact on the business bottom line, reflected in revenue. I work hard to bring out the best in leaders and their teams. Now I help other leaders and organizations do the same.

Over the course of our engagement, I’ll serve as your advocate, cheerleader, and accountability partner. Let’s become partners on your leadership journey, discovering how to grow beyond your job title and be a better boss.

A group of people sitting around a table.
A woman sitting at a table with her hands crossed.

Giving Back

Each year, I dedicate 100+ volunteer hours to causes close to my heart. Working with organizations such as FourBlock and Veterati, I mentor US military men and women as they transition to the civilian workforce. I provide assistance in areas such as interviewing, resumes, networking, certifications, and general transition support in both professional and personal endeavors.