About
Operator by trade. Builder by hand.
I ran HR three times and have coached 2,300+ leaders since 2016. Now I build and ship AI systems myself, and I own the adoption that decides whether people use them. That combination is the whole point of my work.
The short version
I studied anthropology and neuroscience at Penn and earned my J.D. at Cardozo School of Law. Early in my career I consulted on finance systems inside Goldman Sachs, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Fortress Investment Group, and helped build health tech startups.
In 2016 I started coaching leaders through career moves and the conversations that decide pay. I was a Master Coach on The Muse, its top tier, with 30+ five-star reviews across 134 client engagements by 2021. I've coached 2,300+ leaders since 2016.
From 2020 to 2023 I held CHRO and CLO roles at Healthflex, Elite Healthcare Consultants and TM Forum. I rebuilt HR and learning through hypergrowth, and I learned what a decision-maker needs to see to say yes.
Then I rebuilt my practice around building AI myself. I've shipped 8 AI products, from a donor CRM to an HR compliance engine, and worked as a contract AI model trainer on OpenAI, Meta and Microsoft projects. Today I run PortLev, where I take AI from pilot to P&L for PE-backed and mid-market companies, and I publish the AI Build Gap research.
I'm based in New York and offline every Shabbat.
For the record
Credentials
- HR leadership
- 3x CHRO and CLO · SHRM-SCP
- Coaching
- Since 2016 · 2,300+ leaders · Master Coach, The Muse (as of 2021)
- AI
- Founder, PortLev · 8 AI products shipped · Contract AI model trainer on OpenAI, Meta and Microsoft projects
- Recognition
- #6 Global HR Thought Leader, Thinkers360
- Taught at
- Wharton CHRO Program (guest lecturer) · Columbia · Penn · NYU
- Member of
- Forbes Coaches Council · Fast Company Executive Board · Newsweek Expert Forum
- Education
- B.A., University of Pennsylvania · J.D., Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
Two houses
This site is for people. PortLev is for companies.
Here, I work with individuals: leaders getting paid for their AI skills, experts productizing what they know and operators taking the AI seat. When a company or a portfolio needs AI across its workforce, that's PortLev, my firm, and its AI Operating Partner engagement.