Meet Dr. Marie Cosgrove
In an era defined by volatility, disruption, and relentless pressure, Dr. Marie Cosgrove has emerged as a steadying force for leaders navigating uncertainty. Known globally as The Resilience Architect, Dr. Cosgrove is a keynote speaker, entrepreneur, author, and executive strategist who helps leaders remain decisive when circumstances shift beneath them.
Her work sits at the intersection of leadership, human behavior, and high-stakes decision-making—grounded not in theory, but in lived, pressure-tested experience. From boardrooms and healthcare systems to global stages, Dr. Cosgrove equips executives with practical frameworks to lead under pressure. She does not offer motivation for the moment; she delivers structure for what comes next. Her philosophy is clear: Resilience is not a feeling; it is a framework.
The Ground Will Move: Clarity Over Confidence
For Marie Cosgrove, resilience was survival before it was strategy. Through lived experience, she learned that clarity, not confidence, is what holds when circumstances collapse. That principle would later become foundational to her executive leadership philosophy and the Built to Rise™ frameworks she now teaches leaders operating in volatile, high-stakes environments.
Today, Dr. Cosgrove is recognized globally as The Resilience Architect, a keynote speaker, entrepreneur, author, and executive strategist whose credibility is built through pressure-tested leadership in regulated and mission-critical environments. Her work equips leaders to make disciplined decisions when uncertainty is unavoidable and the cost of error is high.
Early Foundations: Values-Driven Leadership Under Pressure
Raised in Texas by a single mother navigating serious mental illness, Dr. Marie Cosgrove learned early how to master chaos and lead with empathy. Stability was never assumed, requiring clarity, emotional regulation, and responsibility long before adulthood. These formative years established a values-driven leadership compass grounded in integrity, accountability, and responsibility principles that continue to guide her executive decision-making.
Dr. Marie reflects, “Life was not stable, quiet, or easy. But it taught me how to read a room, stay calm in chaos, and lead with empathy.” Those formative experiences shaped how she observes people, processes pressure, and responds when circumstances shift without warning.
Enterprise Leadership at USAA
Dr. Cosgrove’s trajectory expanded at USAA, where she managed marketing for Alliance Services and oversaw national partner programs including Sprint, ADT, and FedEx. Operating within a high-trust, high-governance environment sharpened her ability to navigate complex stakeholder systems, make disciplined decisions under scrutiny, and uphold reputation as non-negotiable. This experience reinforced her philosophy that leadership is not about ego or titles, it is about accountability, clarity, and execution under pressure.
A Career-Defining Strategic Pivot
One of the most pivotal moments in Dr. Cosgrove’s career came when she was dismissed from a medical technology company despite outperforming expectations. Rather than retreating, she conducted a strategic risk assessment and negotiated the acquisition of the very company that had let her go, turning a professional setback into a decisive executive advantage.
This experience reframed how she understood adversity and reinforced a core principle of her leadership philosophy. It later became a cornerstone of her future work.
“Setbacks are not stop signs,” Marie shares. “They are often turning points.”
Leadership in Regulated Environments: Global Expansion
As President and CEO of balanceback, Dr. Cosgrove guided the company through the rigorous demands of FDA Class II clearances and ISO 13485 compliance, transforming it from a niche provider into a global leader in vestibular and neurological diagnostics.
Key Achievements under her tenure:
- Scientific Authority: Secured FDA clearance for a sophisticated Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) diagnostic test, now used by world-renowned institutions such as the Mayo Clinic.
- Market Transformation: Transitioned the company from a domestic operation to a global enterprise, holding multiple patents on FDA-cleared medical devices.
- High-Stakes Adoption: Secured major contracts with the U.S. Military, VA hospitals, and prestigious academic centers including Yale and Dartmouth.
Marie shares, “Leadership is about responsibility, not ego. People matter more than titles.”
From Executive Leadership to Global Impact
Dr. Cosgrove now brings this operational discipline to the global stage through her frameworks, Built to Rise™ and The Resilience Code. She translates her lived experience into structured guidance for modern leaders by:
- Keynotes & Advisory: Speaking to audiences ranging from intimate boardrooms to arenas of 35,000+.
- Published Authority: Author of Greater Fortune and the forthcoming The Resilience Code.
- The Mission: Helping organizations build resilience before crisis demands it—equipping leaders to act decisively when the ground moves.
Media, Recognition, and Authority
Dr. Cosgrove’s work has been featured across major national and international media platforms, including the BBC, FOX television and radio, Yahoo Finance, Telemundo, CBS, NBC, Newsy, iHeartRadio, and international radio outlets across Europe. Her book Greater Fortune: Essential Lessons from the Entrepreneur Who Bought the Company That Fired Her received critical acclaim from Publishers Weekly and endorsements from global thought leaders.
She has been named one of the Top 100 Women Entrepreneurs by Global Woman Magazine and has received numerous leadership, speaking, and humanitarian honors, including the Black Belt Speaker Award, international civility and leadership awards from iChange Nations, the Distinguished Leadership Award, and the Culture Award presented by John Maxwell. These recognitions reflect a career defined not only by achievement, but by sustained impact and ethical leadership.
Vision for the Future: Building Leaders Before Crisis Hits
Looking ahead, Dr. Cosgrove’s vision is clear: to help organizations build resilience before crisis demands it. She is expanding her work with corporate leadership teams, executive conferences, and institutions navigating uncertainty at scale.
Her current focus includes leadership under pressure, decision-making in volatile environments, and integrating emotional resilience as a measurable leadership advantage. Through new content, programs, and global partnerships, she continues to refine the frameworks that helped her survive and lead through the most demanding chapters of her life. “Strong leaders create strong teams,” Dr. Marie reflects. “Strong teams change outcomes.”
Empowering Lessons from the Path of Dr. Marie Cosgrove
- “Resilience is not about pushing harder, it’s about standing smarter.”
- “Setbacks are not stop signs, they are turning points.”
- “Clarity matters more than confidence when conditions collapse.”
- “Leadership is responsibility, not ego.”
Editorial Note: A Blueprint for Leadership Under Pressure
Dr. Marie Cosgrove’s journey offers more than inspiration, it offers instruction. In a world where uncertainty is inevitable, her work challenges leaders to prepare before the ground moves. Her story reminds us that resilience is not accidental; it is built deliberately, tested honestly, and applied when it matters most.
