Hi, I am Leona
I am your strategic partner, coach and advisor, on a mission to empower women to lead with confidence, authenticity, and impact. I believe this is my calling and I bring to it a wealth of professional and personal experience. I have navigated several traumatic events including the Ethiopian revolution at the age of 9, the loss of my father at 19, two near-death accidents and an abusive marriage. These events have shaped my values and cultivated an inner strength that has enabled me to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles. With every victory, I gained the confidence that I could be and do more than I had previously imagined.
With over 25 years of experience as an organizational development professional and executive coach, I’ve dedicated my career to enhancing the performance and effectiveness of individual leaders, teams, and organizations. My approach involves designing and implementing tailored interventions, which may include coaching, training, speaking, strategic planning, and change management. Solutions are defined based on in-depth assessments. I am certified in Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and DiSC assessments and administer them both at individual and team levels. Additionally, as a Prosci Certified Change Manager, I excel in guiding leaders, teams, and organizations to successfully transition to their desired future state.
Having worked and lived across five continents, in countries such as Bangladesh, Ghana, Mexico, Peru, and Spain, I bring a rich cross-cultural perspective to my work. My certification in the Intercultural Development Inventory further supports my ability to enhance the cultural intelligence of individuals and teams. My list of prestigious clients includes the World Bank Group, the United Nations, the United States Agency for International Development, Georgetown University, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and a presidential candidate.
My primary motivation has always been a deep-seated interest in facilitating personal and professional growth. From an early age, I was driven to teach and inspire others, a zeal that my parents recognized and supported by providing me with a blackboard at the age of 8. Life has a way of shifting our focus. A pivotal moment occurred during the Ethiopian revolution when the harrowing images of famine deeply impacted me. At just nine years old, these scenes drove me to decide to become an agronomist, not out of personal interest but from a pressing need to address food insecurity. My first two college degrees were in agriculture. In my first job after college, I had the opportunity to rediscover my original passion through an assignment that required designing and delivering training. As a result, I decided to pursue a doctorate in human resource development.
Even before I formally embarked on my coaching career, I was frequently sought out by family, friends, and colleagues for advice on a wide range of personal and professional matters. This inclination for guiding and supporting others extended to interactions with strangers in various settings, who often confided in me about their lives. When I asked why they believed they could be open with me, they responded that my genuine empathy and desire to help led them to trust me. Coaching feels like coming home to me. It’s what I was born to do, blending my passion for helping others with my skills and personal experience.
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“Research has shown that firms with more women in senior positions are more profitable, more socially responsible, and provide safer, higher-quality customer experiences — among many other benefits.” (Post, Lokshin, & Boone, Harvard Business Review, 2021). However, according to a new report from S&P Global Market Intelligence, for the first time in nearly two decades, the percentage of women in the C-suite at publicly traded US companies has dropped. More specifically, in 2023, women held just 11.8% of the roughly 15,000 C-suite roles assessed, down from 12.2% the year before. It’s the first time women have lost C-suite seats since 2005, the year S&P started measuring the data.
As a certified and seasoned executive coach, change manager, and organizational development expert, I will work with you to determine the areas we need to focus on to help you (re)define your unique leadership brand, develop your personal leadership strategic plan, and enable you to lead with authenticity, confidence, and impact. Some of the challenges past clients have overcome through my coaching and advising include:
Whatever your challenge, I want to reassure you. You don’t have to walk alone. I will be your strategic partner, coach, and advisor. Using tailored strategies and programs, I specialize in empowering women leaders like you to overcome challenges, build confidence, excel in their careers, and live fulfilling lives.
The Center for Creative Leadership (2022) indicated that coaching was one of 3 strategies to propel more women into the C-Suite. A 2024 Forbes article added that “coaching enables retention and prioritizes the well-being of women in C-suite roles. Coaching should be part of every executive's role and compensation package. Not only is it a valuable benefit to the new executive, it is also a critical element to their success. By sponsoring an executive coach, an organization demonstrates its investment and commitment to that success.”
