Propeller, a Portland-based management consulting firm, has promoted Maura Koehler-Hanlon to Portland Managing Director.
"The cornerstone of Maura’s leadership is an anchoring belief in making a positive impact,” said AJ Oberland, former Portland Managing Director and new Vice President of Operations at Propeller. "Maura’s exceptional leadership skills focus not only on the success of Propeller’s business but also on the experience of the clients and team members with whom she collaborates in pursuit of that impact. Her ability to rally her team makes her the ideal choice to lead our Portland office. Under her guidance, our home office will continue to thrive, further enhancing our reputation in the market.”
Maura joined Propeller as a consultant in 2017 and quickly proved her capabilities, earning a promotion to Director in 2021 and becoming the first Senior Director in Portland. During her tenure, she has contributed to Propeller's growth by driving exceptional business results for clients and Propeller. She helped to deepen key relationships across the Portland community and has been a leader in helping Propeller expand its operating model as it grows.
As Managing Director, Maura will be responsible for the Portland office’s core business, fostering a positive organizational culture, and managing the client portfolio and local directors.
Maura is a fifth-generation Oregonian and places a high value on community, family, and creating transformational, positive change where you live, work, and play. Her penchant for “always making an impact” is the thread through her leadership positions.
We sat down with Maura to learn more about her journey to Managing Director, the challenges businesses face today, and what she’s most excited to tackle in her role.
# 1. What’s your favorite ethos and why?
I hold a deep connection to all our ethos statements, each resonating with me in different ways. Interestingly, the one initially the most challenging for me to grasp has evolved into my personal favorite: "Be humble yet smart enough to have an ego."
Working with Propeller employees is unique – it just *feels* different. This feeling has been there every day for me working at Propeller, and our clients often share that same sentiment.
I've come to realize that this intangible feeling is rooted in that ethos – Propeller is a collective of intelligent, passionate, engaged, and driven individuals who approach each challenge without the presumption of having all the answers or pushing an agenda. Instead, we bring our expertise, maintain humility, co-create, and remain open to learning. That combination is total magic in my book.
# 2. What are you most excited about in your new role? What are your expectations for yourself?
I'm thrilled about the opportunity to expand our impact. If you look back at my career, it's been all about building partnerships and creating structures that empower people to do their best work. Through client engagements, my contributions within Propeller, and my past career in corporate responsibility — my favorite challenge has always been finding ways to make things work more effectively through people.
In essence, that's precisely what the Managing Director role entails – the challenge of enhancing the effectiveness of each Propeller employee and client, individually and collectively.
I'm stepping into a team that's already strong, thanks to our exceptional team of leaders, internal colleagues, and consultants in Portland who consistently deliver outstanding service to our clients. My primary expectation for myself in this role is to support and foster every client's and employee's continued success.
# 3. What’s your approach to leadership? How do you motivate and inspire?
My leadership approach is firmly rooted in service orientation and the pursuit of collective excellence. And what I mean by each of those is:
- Service orientation involves a deep commitment to doing what's best for both people and the business, considering the situational reality. I prioritize active listening and understanding before making decisions, always considering the human impact of each choice. I bring transparency, intention, honesty, and authenticity to each interaction. And I aim to not just direct but roll up my sleeves and work alongside the team to reach our goals.
- Collective excellence is about recognizing that we thrive as a team when we have a clear, shared objective and leverage everyone’s individual strengths to achieve it. I lead with the belief that our collective strength is maximized through collaboration and mutual support.
# 4. What have you been hearing from clients lately? What challenges are they facing?
This year, many of our clients have faced a challenging business environment marked by a significant degree of uncertainty and constraints – all while wanting to innovate and grow.
In response to these challenges, we've observed a notable emphasis on operational excellence and efficiency. Clients are exploring how their teams can achieve more with less and thinking about how they can structure their teams to be more nimble.
We’ve also seen a growing push towards integrating technology in ways that optimize key processes and create opportunities to leverage automation and AI.
Throughout these changes, there’s also a focus on how to get teams ready to embrace these innovations and adapt swiftly as the business evolves. In our Portland market, there's a trend towards reintroducing in-person connections as part of the strategy to prepare teams' adaptability and reinforce the need for effective teamwork.
# 5. What’s one important lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?
My first manager was a powerhouse leader - full of advice but more-so amazing to watch in action. His background is in sales, but I never saw him give a “sales pitch.” Instead, he always sat side by side with potential clients, asked questions, built connections, shared expertise, and solved problems.
What I took away from his mentorship was the art of meeting people where they're at. He taught me the importance of slowing down, listening actively, and engaging with others before making assumptions. Whether offering support to someone in a difficult situation or helping a partner understand a complex problem from various angles, this approach of understanding and empathy has been invaluable in my professional journey.
# 6. What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Outside of work, I am a mom of two kids (ages 7 and 4), so I spend a lot of my time exploring and creating with them – or just trying to keep up with their energy!
I am passionate about giving back and making a positive impact in our community. I am a part of the collective women’s giving group Ninety-Nine Girlfriends and serve as the vice-chair of the board for Path Home – a nonprofit that empowers families in Portland to get back in housing and stay there.
I also am a constant creator. I am a quilter and photographer and I am always starting a new craft project. And I love to cook (and eat across Portland’s great culinary landscape!).
