Elise Harlow

Elise Harlow is a strategic operations and communications leader with extensive experience in business development, organizational growth, and mergers and acquisitions. Most recently, she served as her company’s youngest-ever Vice President for a national education organization, helping lead its growth from 9 to 77 locations and from 200 to more than 1,600 employees. She led 19 acquisitions across 10 states, navigating complex state, county, and local regulations while honoring the individuality and culture of each organization.

Elise earned her BA from Pepperdine University and her MA in Communication Management from the University of Southern California, where she was inducted into Phi Kappa Phi for graduating in the top 10% of her class. She is also a Certified Coach and Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt.

Elise graduated from the Severn Leadership Group as a Fellow and has applied SLG’s principles, including while leading teams and navigating significant shifts in strategic priorities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Elise is a novelist whose book, When Bone Melts, was named a 2025 Independent Press Award Distinguished Favorite in Historical Fiction and reached number 6 in World War II Historical Fiction New Releases on Amazon. She lives in Florida with her husband and their two children.