Stephanie Lucchesi is an executive leader, executive coach, and founder of Grounded Ambition, where she helps ambitious women grow extraordinary careers without losing themselves along the way.

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With more than 30 years of experience leading strategy, organizational transformation, and culture across global organizations, Stephanie has built a career centered on one belief: when people thrive, businesses thrive. As Vice President of Global People Strategy & Programs at Benefit Cosmetics, she leads the global teams responsible for Talent Acquisition, Learning & Development, Total Rewards, Employee Experience, Internal Communications, Corporate Social Responsibility, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and Workplace Experience. Throughout her career, she has helped shape high-performing cultures grounded in trust, transparency, belonging, and accountability.

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Her leadership story, however, began long before the executive boardroom. At nineteen years old, while attending California State University, Sacramento, Stephanie became a single mother. Navigating college, work, and motherhood simultaneously transformed her understanding of resilience, ambition, and what it truly means to lead. Those early experiences taught her that success should never require sacrificing your identity, your relationships, or your well-being—a philosophy that continues to guide both her leadership and her life.

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Over the course of her career, Stephanie has held leadership roles at Benefit Cosmetics, Ritual, Stitch Fix, RH, The Walt Disney Company, The Gymboree Corporation, partnering with leaders to navigate growth, transformation, and organizational change. Along the way, she became known for creating people-first strategies that strengthen culture, develop leaders, and foster environments where individuals and teams can do their best work.

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Service has always been a cornerstone of Stephanie's leadership. She has led corporate volunteerism, charitable giving, and community partnership initiatives that have mobilized thousands of employees to create lasting impact, and she continues that commitment today through nonprofit board service and community leadership.

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Grounded Ambition was born from the intersection of Stephanie's personal journey and executive experience. After decades of coaching leaders inside organizations, she recognized that many ambitious women—especially those stepping into leadership while navigating motherhood—were carrying invisible expectations that left them feeling stretched, disconnected, and uncertain that success was sustainable.

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Through executive coaching, speaking, and The Assembly—Grounded Ambition's community for ambitious women—Stephanie helps women redefine success on their own terms. Her work empowers emerging and established leaders to lead with confidence, establish healthy boundaries, embrace motherhood without losing their identity, and build careers that are both successful and deeply fulfilling.

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Above all, Stephanie is most proud to be Justin's mom. Watching her son grow into a successful musician and entrepreneur reminds her daily that the greatest measure of success isn't found in titles or achievements, but in the lives we help shape and the legacy we leave behind. That belief fuels everything she does: helping women build careers, lives, and leadership that feel as meaningful as they are successful.