Michael May is a Certified Master Life Coaching Professional (MLCP) and founder of Strategic Life Coaching for Men, where he provides executive leadership development and professional life coaching for men in Nashville and Middle Tennessee. Online sessions are available nationwide.
Michael’s coaching is grounded in the belief that you cannot lead well externally if you are divided internally. His work helps you examine the meaning you assign to difficult situations, separate facts from assumptions, understand how thoughts and emotions shape your responses, and move toward rational, responsible action.
Michael’s military and civilian careers placed him in positions of significant responsibility across every organizational tier, from entry-level management and supervision to executive-level leadership. As the 6th State Command Chief for the Indiana Air National Guard, U.S. Air Force, he served as the senior enlisted leader to nearly 2,000 personnel and advised commanders and senior staff on force-wide mission readiness, effectiveness, and leadership development. He also served as the principal liaison between the enlisted force, the Adjutant General, and the Assistant Adjutant General.
In his civilian career, Michael served as Deputy Executive Director for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), where he provided strategic leadership and vision to strengthen organizational systems, fiscal stability, operational performance, stakeholder relationships, and leadership development.
After retiring from state government in 2021 and military service in 2022, Michael transitioned into the coaching work that would become Strategic Life Coaching for Men. With extensive experience leading, mentoring, and coaching both men and women, he recognized a gap in today’s coaching environment for addressing the internal strain many men carry.
We are often expected to be strong, steady, responsible, and successful while quietly managing the weight that comes with those expectations. Strategic Life Coaching for Men gives you a focused coaching space to think critically, examine what is really happening, strengthen self-command, and pursue a more meaningful level of success.
Michael also works alongside his wife, Amanda May, M.S., through Nashville Relationship Experts, their marriage and relationship coaching practice. Together, they support couples navigating disconnection, conflict, serious relationship challenges, betrayal, communication breakdown, and the difficult process of rebuilding trust and connection. That work gives Michael deeper insight into how private strain affects close relationships, decision-making, emotional control, and personal responsibility.
Clients have described Michael’s work as “life changing” and a “game changer,” and his calm presence, honesty, and relatable style make him a trusted guide for those ready to grow, strengthen, and rebuild.
Michael is a graduate of both the Tennessee Government Executive Institute and the Tennessee Government Management Institute through the UT Naifeh Center for Effective Leadership. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology/Chemistry from Middle Tennessee State University and Associate of Applied Science degrees in Human Resources Management and Munitions Systems Technology from the United States Air Force.