2024 NOW Conference Coaches

Katherine Abad (she/her)

UCSB, Talent Acquisition Supervisor

As a proud Communication alumna with over a decade at UC Santa Barbara, I serve as Talent Acquisition Supervisor in HR, leading a team of three recruiters. With experience in coaching and program development, I’ve helped individuals across diverse departments grow their careers. I am passionate about creating inclusive spaces, advocating for transgender individuals in the non-profit sector, and guiding teams on progressive policies.

My coaching approach focuses on empowering individuals through connection and actionable career development plans. I incorporate...

Joyce Talag

Joyful Transformations LLC, Life and Leadership Coach

Joyce Talag is a transformation partner for mid-career professionals who are seeking to break free from burnout, design purposeful careers, and thrive in life while making an impact. As a solo parent and immigrant who pivoted careers in her 30s, Joyce deeply understands the stress and anxiety that come with change and the cultural nuances that shape our responses. She integrates a holistic, culturally-attuned style with evidence-based methods, including strengths-based psychology, cognitive behavioral techniques, and vertical leadership development.

With over 3,500 coaching...

Jill Wilk

Jill Wilk Consulting, Executive & Career Coach

As a certified executive and career coach, Jill brings over 25 years of corporate senior HR leadership and recruitment expertise across multiple industries, helping clients achieve clarity, focus, and solution strategies. With a lens towards navigating the human resources and recruitment process landscape, Jill focuses on strategies for client professional growth, job advancement, and career transition.

She has held internal director-level positions and external consultant engagements, providing coaching support, performance improvement strategies and focus on...

Geoff Mendal

Geoff Mendal Consulting, Leadership and Career Coach

Geoff is an ICF-accredited leadership coach and former software engineering manager with over 35 years of experience in the tech industry. His extensive career includes roles at companies like Microsoft and Google, as well as co-founding two successful Silicon Valley startups. Geoff's expertise spans backend engineering, infrastructure, and leadership development. Geoff's coaching focuses on helping individual contributors and managers reach their full potential.

Geoff was a researcher in Stanford University Computer Engineering. At Microsoft and Google, he helped solve some...

Foteini Kyziridi

Skepsis Coaching, Executive and Career Coach

As a certified ICF and Co-Active coach my role is to create a safe space where my clients can express their needs and aspirations, reflect, set goals for themselves and find solutions.

With a MSc on Leadership and Change Management, experience working in F500 companies and having lived, worked and studied in five countries, I have learned that change is the only constant - and navigating it is a muscle we can train.

Fiona Bhattacharya

FGB Consulting, Executive Coach

Fiona Gomes Bhattacharya, PCC — Executive Coach, Mentor Coach, Certified in Hogan Assessments, DISC, and Gallup Strengths

Fiona Gomes Bhattacharya is a seasoned Executive and Leadership Coach, credentialed by the International Coach Federation as a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and Advanced Team Coach since 2023. With over 25 years of corporate experience in Talent & HR and more than 8 years of coaching, leadership development, and facilitation, Fiona brings practical, real-world insights to her practice.

Having lived and...

Farhana Currimbhoy

Currimbhoy Coaching & Consulting, Executive Coach

Hi, I’m Farhana, and I would be thrilled to be your coach! My purpose comes to life when I support clients like you — whether it’s for professional or personal development, setting meaningful goals, gaining clarity or addressing the challenges that stand in the way of your full potential.

My coaching style blends 25+ years of executive experience—coaching leaders and building diverse, collaborative teams in both corporate and nonprofit settings—with a deep understanding of neuroscience and human behavior. Witnessing how people can feel genuinely excited to come to work deepens...

Erika Reynolds

UC Davis, Associate Director

Erika has over 20 years of experience leading, training, and coaching high performing teams and individuals to successfully manage large scale transition and change. Erika has coached a wide range of leaders from high achieving university students to executive directors, and she is passionate about helping teams perform more effectively and efficiently by leveraging each person’s unique talents to maximize the impact of the team and organization.

Erika’s goal is to help individuals and teams reach their goals with more ease and less stress to mitigate burnout and...

Emma Pineda Fortin

Guerrera de la Luz Coaching, Somatic Leadership Coach

Emma is a somatic coach, specializing in working with multicultural leaders and entrepreneurs so that they can lead with confidence and ease. She holds a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Tulane University. Her experience ranges from software consultant to COO of a mission-driven e-commerce startup. She is certified by the International Coaching Federation as an Associate Certified Coach, trained at InviteChange and the Somatic Wilderness Institute. Her coaching specializes in working with multicultural leaders in both group and 1:1 coaching settings. As a somatic leadership coach,...

Donna Vivar

UC Berkeley, Senior Advisor on Equity and Belonging

I currently serve as the Senior Advisor on Equity and Belonging in the Division of Student Affairs at UC Berkeley. With 20+ years in higher education, I am a dedicated professional who leads by serving students, staff, and faculty from an equity, inclusion, and belonging lens.

In my coaching practice, I consider the whole person, who holds various identities within larger societal contexts and structures. In partnership with each coachee, a space is created for reflection using a blend of asset framing, micro affirmations, motivational interviewing, sharing of lived...