Our Instructors

GOPU SHRESTHA

Agile Transformation Consultant | Leadership Coach | Author

About

Gopu Shrestha helps organizations and leaders navigate Agile transformation and build integrity-centered leadership in complex, high-stakes environments. With over a decade of experience guiding enterprise teams through transformation, he specializes in helping companies adopt and improve their use of Agile processes to build high-performance development organizations.

As the author of Strategic Honesty: How to Be Good and Rich and Unlocking Integrity-Centered Leadership, Gopu brings a unique perspective shaped by his personal journey from poverty in Nepal to professional success in the United States. His approach combines iterative Agile discipline with emotional intelligence frameworks and integrity-centered decision-making, helping leaders make hard calls under pressure while maintaining trust and reputation.

What I Do

I work with organizations across Fortune 100 enterprises, regulated industries, and government agencies on:

•       Agile Transformation: Leading SAFe Release Train implementations, coaching teams on flow optimization and sustainable delivery, and establishing governance-aligned execution in compliance-aware environments

•       Leadership Development: Executive coaching using Strategic Honesty frameworks to navigate ethical dilemmas, build psychological safety, and develop authentic leadership

•       Team Coaching: Facilitating PI Planning, retrospectives, and continuous improvement cycles while coaching on backlog hygiene, WIP discipline, and Definition of Done

Experience

Currently serving as Senior Scrum Master at a Global Systemically Important Bank (G-SIB) and one of the largest financial institutions in the United States. I lead five Agile teams through enterprise-scale transformation initiatives. Previous consulting engagements include Mayo Clinic, Best Buy, state and federal government agencies, and Blue Cross Blue Shield subsidiaries.

Recent results include:

•       20% improvement in team productivity through a continuous improvement culture

•       40% reduction in time-to-market through iterative delivery and feedback loops

•       30% reduction in lead time through CI/CD automation strategies

Background

I hold three master's degrees (Software Engineering, Business Administration, and Management) and maintain multiple professional certifications, including PMP, PMI-ACP, PSM I & II, ICP-ACC, and CSD. My career spans technical development, project management, and enterprise transformation, giving me a comprehensive understanding of both the technical and human sides of organizational change.

As a Distinguished Toastmaster and former District Director of Toastmasters International District 106, I've developed deep expertise in communication, facilitation, and leadership development. I'm also President of the Association of Nepalis in Minnesota and a frequent speaker to businesses, community organizations, and nonprofits.

My Approach

I believe Agile transformation requires more than teaching ceremonies and frameworks. It requires creating the conditions for teams to self-organize, building psychological safety, and helping leaders make the mindset shifts necessary for sustainable change. My coaching style is pragmatic and results-driven, focused on meeting organizations where they are and crafting solutions that work in their specific context—whether that's a heavily regulated banking environment, a healthcare setting, or a government agency.

Strategic Honesty—the principle that integrity is a strategic advantage rather than a limitation—guides my work. This means helping leaders navigate the real pressures they face: tight deadlines, competing priorities, compliance requirements, and difficult decisions where the "right" answer isn't always clear. I provide practical frameworks and mentor-style coaching to help leaders and teams find their way through complexity while maintaining trust and delivering results.

Who I Work With

I work best with:

•       Organizations navigating Agile transformation in regulated industries

•       Leaders facing high-pressure decisions where integrity and results must coexist

•       Teams seeking to improve flow, predictability, and sustainable delivery pace

•       Executives building cultures of psychological safety and authentic leadership

Connect

For consulting, coaching, or speaking engagements:

Website: www.strategichonesty.com

Email: tm.gopu.shrestha@gmail.com