2023 NOW Conference Coaches

Sonia Saini (she/her)

Sonia is a certified ICF PCC & certified ALCN NLP Somatic Coach. As a transformational Executive & Life Coach, Sonia has transformed client lives globally across Australia, China, India, France, South Africa, Mauritius, Mexico, and North America - coast to coast. As a World Business Executive Summit (WBECs) facilitator, Sonia continues to work with individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds, ages, and stages of life. As an ALCN Associate Coach, she coaches students enrolled in the program from all over the world. Sonia’s coaching sessions are penetrating laser focus,...

Srisesha Varikheti (he/him)

Srisesha is a national award-winning author. His book A.L.L.I.E.D - Accelerated Learning Lesson In Education Development has reached over 80,000 individuals, including teachers and students, with a rating of 4.5 on Amazon and Goodreads. With ACC certification, he has spent more than 3500+ hours providing coaching to not-for-profit leaders, teachers, and youth from the economically weaker section of society. Further, he has worked closely with the Indian government to implement his leadership coaching program for school leaders, which is now being implemented in 5 states in...

Stacy Poe (she/her)

I am an IFC Certified Life Coach who has over 30 years of experience in higher education as a student affairs professional, including experience in career development. I have vast and varied experience coaching diverse populations. My approach to coaching follows the ICF coaching and ethical standards that require that the coachee be the leader in the coaching session. My gifts of intuition, powerful questioning, respectful curiosity, and exceptional listening skills have led me to create safe and meaningful spaces for my coachees. I promise to ask you questions no one else will.

Terra Phair (she/her)

As a professional in business operations, facilities management, and hospitality, I have worked with some of the top companies in their respective industries, including: Harpo Studios - The Oprah Winfrey Show, Omnicom Corporation, Jones Lang LaSalle, and McDonald's Corporation. For the past 1.5 years I have been working to develop my business, TAP Career Solutions, which focuses on Career Coaching and Business Consulting. I work with clients on a 1:1, team, and consulting basis and am certified through the Life Purpose Institute, an ICF-accredited organization. I have completed the...

Tomeka Casanova

Tomeka Casanova is a Behavioral Health Product Manager For Cigna. Tomeka’s background is in Organizational Healthcare Psychology, specifically focusing on behavioral modification. In her spare time, Tomeka volunteers as a Certified Coach through Cigna’s Coaching Center of Excellence. She has been coaching for a number of years and has a unique ability to meet her clients where they are in their journey.

Tomeka's approach is solution focused and she's able to formulate questions to assist her clients in taking the leap of faith. Tomeka enjoys podcasting in her spare time, honing in...

Vaneese Johnson (she/her)

Vaneese Johnson, The Boldness Coach™, is a certified Executive Coach, Brand Strategist, Author, Global Speaker, and an award-winning Small Business Consultant with more than 25 years of experience. Known as a truth-teller and transformation instigator, Vaneese is an expert at helping professionals claim their boldness to create unimagined success. She combines her extensive coaching, professional development, and entrepreneurial experience with her proprietary success fundamentals of Becoming Out Loud Daily (BOLD), Building in their Genius (BIG), and Branded and Distinctive (BAD) to give...

Vivan Padua (she/siya)

I am a Filipina ICF Professional Certified Coach and Financial Fitness Coach with 13 years and 2,500+ hours of experience, who uses a mindful, holistic, and healing approach in coaching to help People of Color achieve what they want in life, career, relationships, money, financial wellness, work/life balance and stress management. I am honored to partner with my clients as they walk in their journey to achieve their goals.

Yanira Guzman (she/her/ella)

As the founder of The Career Gem, a full-service career coaching business, I have over 15 years of guiding others to achieve their career aspirations. As a first-generation college graduate, I help ambitious Latinas position themselves for their next career role, resulting in increased income benefiting themselves, their families, and their communities.

With a background in nonprofit leadership development, customer-training for a top 50 Forbes tech company, complemented by 8+ years of teaching in California’s public elementary schools, in both urban and affluent...

Yazil Navarro (she/her/ella)

Yazi is a people development coach with a passion for delivering effective learning solutions with a spirited energy. In her current position as Learning and Talent Development Programs Manager, she is a thought leader in employee engagement and learning. Drawing on her unique background in leadership, development and analysis of financial industries and organizations, career coaching, education, and personality and human-centered assessments, she has a profound understanding of how to unlock the best in people, helping organizations to elevate their potential. Yazil is a seasoned...

Ying Kuah (she/her)

Ying Kuah is program manager, instructor, instructional designer, and coach who is passionate about helping people grow, both personally and professionally, through fun and interactive workshops, e-Learning, and 1-on-1 coaching. In her current role in People & Culture, UC Berkeley, Ying helped hundreds of people managers and HR professionals to grow to be a better communicator, consultant, change manager, trainer/facilitator, and coach through engaging workshops. Ying also co-founded...