Meet the Coach
ALFRED PILONG
Executive Coach & Advisor
Al Pilong is a seasoned executive leader with over three decades of experience driving excellence across the healthcare industry. A former CEO of multiple major health systems, he has led thousands of people through large-scale transformation in some of the most complex environments in healthcare. His expertise in executive leadership, strategic planning, and talent development makes him a powerful coach for C-suite executives navigating high-stakes decisions and leadership challenges.
A Certified Executive Coach and Board Certified Healthcare Executive, Al combines strategic and clinical expertise to help leaders navigate complexity, build high-performing teams, and create lasting impact. Based in Richmond, VA, with his wife, he is a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. At CxO Coaching, he draws on his real-world executive experience to help leaders build resilience, refine their vision, and lead with clarity, confidence, and purpose.
FUNCTIONAL EXPTERTISE
Executive Leadership
Operations
Strategy & Corporate Development
COACHING AREAS
Behavioral Coaching
Executive Coaching
Leadership Development
Transition Coaching
Executive Presence
COACHING APPROACH
Al’s approach begins with understanding the client’s reasons for seeking coaching and clarifying the goals, intent, and desired outcomes of the engagement. He takes time to fully grasp the challenges at hand, listening deeply to uncover the background and context that shape the client’s situation. In sessions, Al uses active inquiry to draw out ideas and solutions from the client, encouraging them to leverage their own experience, insight, and resources. While he offers advice when requested, his priority is empowering leaders to discover and own their solutions, fostering lasting growth and self-reliance.
"God gave us two ears and one mouth so that we would listen twice as much as we speak." – Al Pilong
CLIENT FEEDBACK
“Al possesses a unique talent for recognizing and nurturing leaders, empowering individuals to reach their full potential. Al’s style, characterized by open communication, trust and collaboration, fostered a culture of teamwork and brought out the best in each of us.”
— Julie Hixson Suijk, CHRO, Novant Health UVA Health
Healthcare leadership today means navigating relentless change while staying grounded in purpose. From transforming care models to managing workforce pressures and financial realities, you’re asked to lead with clarity, compassion, and resilience—all at once. Coaching offers the space to think strategically, lead decisively, and grow sustainably. Whether you’re stepping into a new role, leading through complexity, or shaping the future of your organization, coaching helps you lead with impact when it matters most.
Al Pilong – Healthcare Executive Coach & System-Level Leadership Advisor