Meet Jonathan Bonanno, PhD (C), MS
I/O Psychologist. Founder. Executive Advisor.
I work with capable leaders who are carrying more than anyone sees.
How I Work
I’m Jonathan Bonanno, founder and creator of Chief Psycho.
I’m an Industrial/Organizational (I/O) psychologist, founder, and the host of The Chief Psycho Podcast. I work with founders and senior leaders responsible for people, direction, and decisions that carry real weight.
I don’t approach leadership as a performance or motivation problem. I focus on how responsibility is structured, where pressure accumulates, and whether leaders have the capacity to meet what the system demands.
The work is direct, grounded, and built to hold up under pressure.
The Work
Building without psychological insight creates speed without sustainability. Psychology without operational reality becomes abstract. My work sits in the space where both are required.
Leadership Capacity Development
Executive Advisory
Role & Organizational Design
This Is For
For:
- Founders
- C-Suite Executives
- Senior Leaders
Not For:
- Coaches or Solopreneurs
- Motivational quick fixes
- "Pick your brain" support
Where this Work Lives
ZIA is where this psychodynamic approach is built into programs and systems for leaders operating at scale. The podcast is where these ideas are explored in conversation, through the lived experience of people who take responsibility seriously and aim to leave things better than they found them.
ZIA
A people-first integration firm transforming businesses through strategic talent mapping, hybrid talent integration, and organizational alignment.
The Chief Psycho Podcast
Unfiltered conversations with bold leaders and the voices you don’t hear enough of.
Testimonials
Slide 1 of 18
Thanks for a great webinar tonight! The information can truly be translated to any field!
Jonathan M.
When Jonathan speaks - the audience is locked in. Phones are down and the eyes are all on him. He is incredible!
Loren K.
Jonathan’s keynote is truly captivating.
Claudia L.
Jonathan, your presence with us last night was truly exceptional. Your message landed with depth, clarity, and immediate relevance — so many takeaways paired with thoughtful implementation guidance. I’m incredibly grateful for Sean introducing us. And this says it all — a note from one of our members who joined via Zoom: “Thank you for always including me! Tonight’s session was exactly what I needed. I left work having just witnessed two of my team members finally open up about long-standing frustrations they’ve been holding back. Your message helped me realize how vital it is to create space for those conversations."
Ashley C.
Jonathan is remarkable in his delivery, approach, and attention to both the big picture and the details! Highly recommend.
Sarah C.
Jonathan operates by his commitment to leaving people better than he found them! You are too good at your trait!
Ashley A.H.
Jonathan is talented! I appreciate the value and great energy he brought. I'm so thankful for his insight and the team loved the process! Jonathan was able to tap into deep rooted disconnects with the team. He has ways of getting honest feedback. Slowing us down and getting us to articulate the issue while staying focused on mending the connection. It's worthwhile to connect with your team at this level and really understand how they are perceiving the information presented. We did a bunch of personality tests. Individual and team tests. The results helped us communicate and understand each other better. That understanding makes for a more meaningful and impactful work environment. I'm forever grateful!
Michelle B.
Jonathan helped us lead a complete transformation of our team that I did not think was possible! I truly do not know where we'd be without him. We are a cohesive team with purpose and positive forward motion thanks to the lessons learned from him! I just cannot thank you enough for your wisdom and guidance, thank you so much, Jonathan! 20/10 recommend!
Erin S.
Loved my experience working with Chief Psycho [formerly Cultura]! Jonathan - thank you for your linguistic jujitsu on my team's brain! 👊🏼🙌🏼
Dr. Sean
I was very pleased to come across Jonathan and his company Chief Psycho [formerly Cultura]. As the office manager of a growing dental practice, I am always looking to partner with others that can assist us in developing our office’s culture. Jonathan brought his enthusiasm, leadership skills, and coaching expertise during our weekly calls. He even came out to our office and did a staff-building exercise with our team. Even with over 20 years of experience in the field myself, I can’t say enough how helpful Jonathan’s coaching was!
Diane T.
Thanks for the training! My team and I are excited to take the ideas you shared with us and incorporate them into our regular meetings.
Dr. Ryan
The team at Chief Psycho [formerly Cultura] is experienced, and insightful, and they really care. I highly recommend working with them!
Dr. AJ
Jonathan has a true entrepreneurial spirit and has a lot of knowledge of different businesses. He was able to assist our team in figuring out our next steps and helped us take action in areas that needed work. He truly cares about all of his clients and I highly recommend him!
Islam S.
I can't thank you enough for the help and guidance you give me. You have made such a significant impact in my world.
Glenda A.
Jonathan worked with my company and I would highly advise him to work with yours too. He had a chance to work closely with my VP of operations and helped her to work closely with her entire team and had nothing but great things to say. Also an awesome podcast host!
Elijah D.
I had the pleasure of working for Jonathan to develop the Operations, Implementation, and Human Resource arms of a startup organization for 2020. I can say without a doubt that he is one of my favorite leaders that I have had the opportunity to work with within my career. Jonathan's focus is on setting up systems and processes after gathering data and what is rare is he is masterful at including the care and feeding of the culture at the same time. He never dropped his focus on team members' empowerment and their experience of being heard and supported as we worked through the fast paces and chaos of a startup company during a pandemic. Jonathan's thoughtful approach to operations allowed the space for creative solutions that enabled the company to grow exponentially in a very quick time frame. I look at the quality of a leader by answering one question - would I be willing to work with them again - in the case of Jonathan Bonanno, the answer is an unequivocal and resounding YES!
Amayea M.
Jonathan is extremely intelligent and organized. There has never been a time that I asked for something to be done, that was not taken care of in an expedient and accurate manner. He created systems for the continuous training of team members. Jonathan handled all business, operation, and HR issues - all while providing concierge service. Jonathan dealt with Vendors and coordinated all our team meetings. Jonathan is capable of multitasking on a high level. He worked and completed his master’s degree while supporting my practice, plus he is co-owner of several businesses, and now he is working on his Ph.D.! Jonathan will excel at any position he would like to.
Dr. Carol
I have been in dentistry for over 20 years and as a hygienist since 2001, working in large corporate offices to small, million-dollar, cosmetic offices. Jonathan Bonanno by far was the best, most helpful, and most innovative leader I’ve ever worked with. He not only handled managing the office well, but motivated, led, and encouraged us all as a team to get to the next level. He had fresh ideas, listened, multi-tasked like no other, and always followed through in a timely matter with answers to questions and implementing changes needed. Jonathan’s experiences with processes, IT skills, directing operations, management skills, system checks and balances, customer service, and intellectual thinking that he brought to our office were like no other! It was not only a pleasure but a great opportunity to work with him. I not only highly recommend him but encourage anyone to take the opportunity to work with him to raise their company’s value!
Gina R.
Thanks for a great webinar tonight! The information can truly be translated to any field!
Jonathan M.
When Jonathan speaks - the audience is locked in. Phones are down and the eyes are all on him. He is incredible!
Loren K.
Jonathan’s keynote is truly captivating.
Claudia L.
Jonathan, your presence with us last night was truly exceptional. Your message landed with depth, clarity, and immediate relevance — so many takeaways paired with thoughtful implementation guidance. I’m incredibly grateful for Sean introducing us. And this says it all — a note from one of our members who joined via Zoom: “Thank you for always including me! Tonight’s session was exactly what I needed. I left work having just witnessed two of my team members finally open up about long-standing frustrations they’ve been holding back. Your message helped me realize how vital it is to create space for those conversations."
Ashley C.
Jonathan is remarkable in his delivery, approach, and attention to both the big picture and the details! Highly recommend.
Sarah C.
Jonathan operates by his commitment to leaving people better than he found them! You are too good at your trait!
Ashley A.H.
Jonathan is talented! I appreciate the value and great energy he brought. I'm so thankful for his insight and the team loved the process! Jonathan was able to tap into deep rooted disconnects with the team. He has ways of getting honest feedback. Slowing us down and getting us to articulate the issue while staying focused on mending the connection. It's worthwhile to connect with your team at this level and really understand how they are perceiving the information presented. We did a bunch of personality tests. Individual and team tests. The results helped us communicate and understand each other better. That understanding makes for a more meaningful and impactful work environment. I'm forever grateful!
Michelle B.
Jonathan helped us lead a complete transformation of our team that I did not think was possible! I truly do not know where we'd be without him. We are a cohesive team with purpose and positive forward motion thanks to the lessons learned from him! I just cannot thank you enough for your wisdom and guidance, thank you so much, Jonathan! 20/10 recommend!
Erin S.
Loved my experience working with Chief Psycho [formerly Cultura]! Jonathan - thank you for your linguistic jujitsu on my team's brain! 👊🏼🙌🏼
Dr. Sean
I was very pleased to come across Jonathan and his company Chief Psycho [formerly Cultura]. As the office manager of a growing dental practice, I am always looking to partner with others that can assist us in developing our office’s culture. Jonathan brought his enthusiasm, leadership skills, and coaching expertise during our weekly calls. He even came out to our office and did a staff-building exercise with our team. Even with over 20 years of experience in the field myself, I can’t say enough how helpful Jonathan’s coaching was!
Diane T.
Thanks for the training! My team and I are excited to take the ideas you shared with us and incorporate them into our regular meetings.
Dr. Ryan
The team at Chief Psycho [formerly Cultura] is experienced, and insightful, and they really care. I highly recommend working with them!
Dr. AJ
Jonathan has a true entrepreneurial spirit and has a lot of knowledge of different businesses. He was able to assist our team in figuring out our next steps and helped us take action in areas that needed work. He truly cares about all of his clients and I highly recommend him!
Islam S.
I can't thank you enough for the help and guidance you give me. You have made such a significant impact in my world.
Glenda A.
Jonathan worked with my company and I would highly advise him to work with yours too. He had a chance to work closely with my VP of operations and helped her to work closely with her entire team and had nothing but great things to say. Also an awesome podcast host!
Elijah D.
I had the pleasure of working for Jonathan to develop the Operations, Implementation, and Human Resource arms of a startup organization for 2020. I can say without a doubt that he is one of my favorite leaders that I have had the opportunity to work with within my career. Jonathan's focus is on setting up systems and processes after gathering data and what is rare is he is masterful at including the care and feeding of the culture at the same time. He never dropped his focus on team members' empowerment and their experience of being heard and supported as we worked through the fast paces and chaos of a startup company during a pandemic. Jonathan's thoughtful approach to operations allowed the space for creative solutions that enabled the company to grow exponentially in a very quick time frame. I look at the quality of a leader by answering one question - would I be willing to work with them again - in the case of Jonathan Bonanno, the answer is an unequivocal and resounding YES!
Amayea M.
Jonathan is extremely intelligent and organized. There has never been a time that I asked for something to be done, that was not taken care of in an expedient and accurate manner. He created systems for the continuous training of team members. Jonathan handled all business, operation, and HR issues - all while providing concierge service. Jonathan dealt with Vendors and coordinated all our team meetings. Jonathan is capable of multitasking on a high level. He worked and completed his master’s degree while supporting my practice, plus he is co-owner of several businesses, and now he is working on his Ph.D.! Jonathan will excel at any position he would like to.
Dr. Carol
I have been in dentistry for over 20 years and as a hygienist since 2001, working in large corporate offices to small, million-dollar, cosmetic offices. Jonathan Bonanno by far was the best, most helpful, and most innovative leader I’ve ever worked with. He not only handled managing the office well, but motivated, led, and encouraged us all as a team to get to the next level. He had fresh ideas, listened, multi-tasked like no other, and always followed through in a timely matter with answers to questions and implementing changes needed. Jonathan’s experiences with processes, IT skills, directing operations, management skills, system checks and balances, customer service, and intellectual thinking that he brought to our office were like no other! It was not only a pleasure but a great opportunity to work with him. I not only highly recommend him but encourage anyone to take the opportunity to work with him to raise their company’s value!
Gina R.
Thanks for a great webinar tonight! The information can truly be translated to any field!
Jonathan M.
When Jonathan speaks - the audience is locked in. Phones are down and the eyes are all on him. He is incredible!
Loren K.
Jonathan’s keynote is truly captivating.
Claudia L.
Jonathan, your presence with us last night was truly exceptional. Your message landed with depth, clarity, and immediate relevance — so many takeaways paired with thoughtful implementation guidance. I’m incredibly grateful for Sean introducing us. And this says it all — a note from one of our members who joined via Zoom: “Thank you for always including me! Tonight’s session was exactly what I needed. I left work having just witnessed two of my team members finally open up about long-standing frustrations they’ve been holding back. Your message helped me realize how vital it is to create space for those conversations."
Ashley C.
Jonathan is remarkable in his delivery, approach, and attention to both the big picture and the details! Highly recommend.
Sarah C.
Jonathan operates by his commitment to leaving people better than he found them! You are too good at your trait!
Ashley A.H.
Jonathan is talented! I appreciate the value and great energy he brought. I'm so thankful for his insight and the team loved the process! Jonathan was able to tap into deep rooted disconnects with the team. He has ways of getting honest feedback. Slowing us down and getting us to articulate the issue while staying focused on mending the connection. It's worthwhile to connect with your team at this level and really understand how they are perceiving the information presented. We did a bunch of personality tests. Individual and team tests. The results helped us communicate and understand each other better. That understanding makes for a more meaningful and impactful work environment. I'm forever grateful!
Michelle B.
Jonathan helped us lead a complete transformation of our team that I did not think was possible! I truly do not know where we'd be without him. We are a cohesive team with purpose and positive forward motion thanks to the lessons learned from him! I just cannot thank you enough for your wisdom and guidance, thank you so much, Jonathan! 20/10 recommend!
Erin S.
Loved my experience working with Chief Psycho [formerly Cultura]! Jonathan - thank you for your linguistic jujitsu on my team's brain! 👊🏼🙌🏼
Dr. Sean
I was very pleased to come across Jonathan and his company Chief Psycho [formerly Cultura]. As the office manager of a growing dental practice, I am always looking to partner with others that can assist us in developing our office’s culture. Jonathan brought his enthusiasm, leadership skills, and coaching expertise during our weekly calls. He even came out to our office and did a staff-building exercise with our team. Even with over 20 years of experience in the field myself, I can’t say enough how helpful Jonathan’s coaching was!
Diane T.
Thanks for the training! My team and I are excited to take the ideas you shared with us and incorporate them into our regular meetings.
Dr. Ryan
The team at Chief Psycho [formerly Cultura] is experienced, and insightful, and they really care. I highly recommend working with them!
Dr. AJ
Jonathan has a true entrepreneurial spirit and has a lot of knowledge of different businesses. He was able to assist our team in figuring out our next steps and helped us take action in areas that needed work. He truly cares about all of his clients and I highly recommend him!
Islam S.
I can't thank you enough for the help and guidance you give me. You have made such a significant impact in my world.
Glenda A.
Jonathan worked with my company and I would highly advise him to work with yours too. He had a chance to work closely with my VP of operations and helped her to work closely with her entire team and had nothing but great things to say. Also an awesome podcast host!
Elijah D.
I had the pleasure of working for Jonathan to develop the Operations, Implementation, and Human Resource arms of a startup organization for 2020. I can say without a doubt that he is one of my favorite leaders that I have had the opportunity to work with within my career. Jonathan's focus is on setting up systems and processes after gathering data and what is rare is he is masterful at including the care and feeding of the culture at the same time. He never dropped his focus on team members' empowerment and their experience of being heard and supported as we worked through the fast paces and chaos of a startup company during a pandemic. Jonathan's thoughtful approach to operations allowed the space for creative solutions that enabled the company to grow exponentially in a very quick time frame. I look at the quality of a leader by answering one question - would I be willing to work with them again - in the case of Jonathan Bonanno, the answer is an unequivocal and resounding YES!
Amayea M.
Jonathan is extremely intelligent and organized. There has never been a time that I asked for something to be done, that was not taken care of in an expedient and accurate manner. He created systems for the continuous training of team members. Jonathan handled all business, operation, and HR issues - all while providing concierge service. Jonathan dealt with Vendors and coordinated all our team meetings. Jonathan is capable of multitasking on a high level. He worked and completed his master’s degree while supporting my practice, plus he is co-owner of several businesses, and now he is working on his Ph.D.! Jonathan will excel at any position he would like to.
Dr. Carol
I have been in dentistry for over 20 years and as a hygienist since 2001, working in large corporate offices to small, million-dollar, cosmetic offices. Jonathan Bonanno by far was the best, most helpful, and most innovative leader I’ve ever worked with. He not only handled managing the office well, but motivated, led, and encouraged us all as a team to get to the next level. He had fresh ideas, listened, multi-tasked like no other, and always followed through in a timely matter with answers to questions and implementing changes needed. Jonathan’s experiences with processes, IT skills, directing operations, management skills, system checks and balances, customer service, and intellectual thinking that he brought to our office were like no other! It was not only a pleasure but a great opportunity to work with him. I not only highly recommend him but encourage anyone to take the opportunity to work with him to raise their company’s value!
Gina R.