2025 NOW Conference Presenters

Finley Golightly

Finley Golightly (they/them) is the IT Support and Helpdesk Supervisor at UC Berkeley’s D-Lab and directly supervises the Undergraduate Technician (UTech) team. Finley received their BA in Applied Mathematics from UC Berkeley, and their experience as a student employee and first-gen college graduate shapes how they lead their students, prioritizing community and compassion. They are also passionate about leveraging data science and technology to solve real-world problems. Outside of work, Finley enjoys spending time with their cat, reading, and playing Dungeons and Dragons...

Jeanette Lindsay

Jeanette Lindsay, owner of Northdawn Coaching & Consulting, LLC, brings over 15 years of experience from Stanford University, where she served as Director, Talent Management and Organization Development. She created and facilitated the Owning Your Career@Stanford program and led various career development initiatives. Jeanette holds a BS in Business Administration from Cal Poly and a Masters in Organization Development and Change from Penn State University. As an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coaching Federation, she specializes in career...

Jeff Heiser

Jeff Heiser is a Senior Trainer and Strengths Coach for Workforce Development in the Division of Student Affairs at UC Davis. He holds an M.S. in non-profit management, is a Gallup-certified Strengths coach, an ACC with the ICF, and holds a Team Coaching certification. Jeff specializes in team coaching, facilitation, and creative brainstorming, helping teams enhance their impact and achieve results. Through team and leadership coaching, he is passionate about empowering individuals to discover and use their strengths for greater engagement and well-being at work and in life.

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Dr. Kathy James, PCC

Dr. Kathy A. James, an ICF Professional Certified Life Transformation Coach, is dedicated to helping individuals overcome obstacles, embrace change, and create purpose-filled lives. With over 40 years of experience in both the private and public sectors, she has inspired countless individuals to step boldly into their life’s purpose with clarity and confidence.

Dr. James specializes in leadership, life empowerment coaching, and practical solutions that empower individuals to navigate life’...

Kelly Johnson

Kelly is a certified Somatic Coach and Sr. Human Resources professional with over 25 years of experience spanning consulting, government, and private industry. She has led initiatives in talent acquisition, HR management, workforce development, DEI, and community engagement and outreach, bringing a unique blend of strategic insight and human connection to every role she undertakes.

Currently, Kelly serves as the Executive Chair for the Alameda County Workforce Development Board (ACWDB) and is a valued member of the MESA Industry Advisory Board. She...

Kimmie Opoku, PCC

Kimmie Opoku is a PCC-certified executive career coach, leadership consultant, and Civil Rights manager for the state of California. Kimmie is passionate about guiding professionals — especially women and individuals from diverse backgrounds — to step into their power as confident, purpose-driven leaders. With over 20 years of experience across both the private and public sectors, she supports her clients to navigate career transitions, sharpen their leadership skills, and build the confidence to lead authentically.

Her approach is rooted in...

Kris McGuigan

Kris is no stranger to courageous disruption. Early in her career, a supervisor coined the term “professional courage” to describe her direct and fearless approach to problem-solving. As a trailblazing entrepreneur, award-winning speaker, and author, Kris has consistently embraced new challenges with breathtaking audacity.

At the same time, she has fought to live authentically, combining her expertise with a fierce passion for igniting “ah-ha” moments of clarity and courage in others. In 2015, she left a successful corporate career to found Professional Courage, a premier career...

Liesel Mendoza

Liesel is passionate about helping people find meaningful work and become purpose-driven leaders. After 30 years in IT solving business challenges, she founded The Mentoring Club to connect aspiring and seasoned leaders worldwide. She believes meaningful work leads to success and happiness—and that mentors play a vital role in this journey. With a bold vision to provide mentorship for anyone, anywhere, The Mentoring Club now spans six continents, 50+ countries, and a thriving community of 500+ mentors and mentees, all dedicated to changing the world, one leader at a time.

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Meg Helf

Meg Helf, M.S., CMPC is a seasoned executive, performance and wellbeing coach. She is a certified master resilience instructor by the University of Pennsylvania and a psychological safety external practitioner by the Fearless Organization. Meg has over 16 years of experience working in both individual and group settings with elite, collegiate, and Olympic athletes and coaches, corporate leaders and teams, first responders, and the military. Meg has dedicated her life to inspiring individuals to cultivate authentic relationships, optimize their performances to their full...

Monica Phillips

With more than 20 years of experience leading strategic business teams, Monica Phillips supports leaders at all levels in creating thriving and inclusive workplaces by elevating leadership, mindfulness, and emotional well-being.

She is the founder of the Legal Academy on Equity and Inclusion, and she developed and runs a year-long General Counsel Boot Camp to advance women to the highest levels of leadership.

She has a master’s degree in international education, is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, and is a Professional...