Hi, I’m MICA CROUSE.
Working locally and remotely from the ancestral lands of the Eastern Cherokee in Asheville, North Carolina, I’m a partner, student, changemaker, mentor, strategist and mother dedicated to helping protect people and our planet. After working across public and private sectors for two decades, I am thrilled to put my passion, skills, education and experience to good use by helping others.
Real Talk.
I also suffered from burnout. Even though I was incredibly honored to work with communities, policymakers, advocates and companies to create positive impact, unsustainable work expectations brought on by myself and others left me mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted. Before starting my own business, I sought coaching support and took a much-needed career pause to recenter, rejuvenate and recalibrate.
While always a work in progress, coming out on the other side is my driving force. Working to address issues like systemic racism and the climate crisis requires ALL hands on deck, and one of my goals is to help people live out their purpose in a way that inspires them to keep fighting the good fight.
As the founder of Big Mountain Impact, Mica Crouse helps leaders and organizations live out their purpose. She is an award-winning social impact and sustainability communications consultant and certified professional coach focused on advancing a just, regenerative future. Drawing on two decades of public and private sector experience and an MBA from Columbia Business School, Mica specializes in developing intentional leaders, cohesive teams and integrated communications strategies that connect with people’s values and inspire action. She helps organizations define their social purpose and communicate it authentically, leaders align action with values to drive impact and teams build trust, cultivate curiosity and foster connection.
Most recently, Mica led and served as an ESG and sustainability subject matter expert for a range of clients, including PepsiCo, LEGO, Wells Fargo, Allstate, Dow, Sierra Nevada, Ferrero and Berry Global, at global PR agency Golin. Previously, she directed Walmart’s sustainability communications efforts after leading marketing communication strategies for Environmental Defense Fund’s Clean Energy and Global Clean Air programs for nearly a decade. Throughout her career, Mica has advocated for and communicated about issues related to climate, energy, air, transportation, waste, water, nature, food, finance, public health, human and animal rights, environmental justice, racial equity and upward mobility.
While strategic communications, thought leadership, social purpose, team coaching and leadership development are Mica’s focus areas, she has comprehensive experience with team and campaign management, stakeholder engagement, media relations, content marketing, public affairs, issues management, message development, internal communications, ESG certifications and impact reporting. With a proven track record of placement in a wide variety of media, such as the NYT, WSJ, Guardian, WashPo, FastCo, NPR, TIME, Vox, USA Today, Axios and Grist, she has spoken and provided leadership coaching at GreenBiz, guest lectured at Columbia Business School and coached more than 20 professionals in the impact sector.
In addition to an MBA focused on Social Enterprise, Mica holds a BA in Psychology from Southern Methodist University, ICF-accredited Certified Professional Coach certification from the Center for Coaching Certification and ICF-accredited High Performance Team Coaching certification from Erickson Coaching International. She has served on the Texas League of Conservation Voters, SXSW Eco Advisory and Explore Austin Boards and received the Austin Under 40 Award for Energy, Mobility & Transportation in 2019. Mica currently serves on the Blue Horizons Project Community Council to support the City of Asheville’s equitable transition to 100% clean energy.
