At Ellevest, we know working with a coach can be a total game changer when it comes to helping you hit your money and career goals. So we built our coaching service to be inclusive — by offering more affordable options and having coaches who reflect our community.
Oh, and those coaches? They’re awesome. They have years of experience helping women go after their goals, and they truly want you to succeed. Meet them all below.
Ellevest career coaches
Gala Jackson, CELDC, CCTDC, CLC (she/her)
Gala Jackson is Ellevest’s director of coaching and lead executive career coach. She’s committed to helping people tap into their strengths and advance their careers with courage, clarity, and confidence. With a master's degree in educational leadership, Gala is certified as an executive leadership and career coach, career and talent development coach, and life coach. She’s also a TEDx speaker and yoga instructor. When she’s not traveling to reach her goal of visiting all 50 states, you can find Gala at home in Atlanta. She’s also a self-proclaimed office supply snob — ask her about all things planners and productivity.
By Gala: “5 Things You Can Do For Your Career This Year,” “Imposter Syndrome Is Real. Here’s How to Manage It.,” “The Truth About Navigating a Career Transition,” and more.
Ana-Maria Alba-Bohorquez (she/her)
Ana-Maria brings ten years of professional experience as a recruitment leader across the financial, technology and pharmaceutical industries. She loves helping people find their “why” by tapping into their intuition and making career and life decisions that are aligned with who they are at their core. She completed her coach training through the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC) and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in social-organization psychology at Columbia University, Teachers College. When she’s not jogging in Central Park, you can find Ana-Maria at any NYC music venue catching a live show or playing board games with her friends and family.
LaToia Burkley, CPDC, ACC (she/her)
As a certified coach, LaToia is laser-focused on leadership development, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. She helps women align their values with their professional goals, identify and remove career roadblocks, and drive inclusive leadership in the workplace. Previously, LaToia spent more than 15 years in HR and business operations at digital media, technology, and telecommunications companies. She has a certificate in HR management from Kennesaw State University, is a certified professional diversity coach with specialization in DEI coaching for executive management through the Coach Diversity Institute, and holds an Associate Certified Coach credential from the International Coaching Federation. In her free time, LaToia serves in a faith-based volunteer ministry, teaches Portuguese, and loves to travel.
Wendy Friend (she/her)
Wendy has more than two decades of experience coaching professionals who want to be intentional and impactful in their careers. Whether she’s working with emerging or established leaders, Wendy is known for asking the right questions and her results-oriented approach. She has a master’s degree in education from Northeastern University, completed her coach training through the Coaches Training Institute (CTI), and is certified in the Hogan and Leadership Versatility Index assessments. With a thriving daily wellness practice, Wendy is happiest surrounded by family and friends.
Niteesha Gupte (she/her)
Having spent 15 years as a lawyer, Niteesha brings a unique perspective to career coaching — and knows how easy it is to let someone else define success for you. That’s why she’s passionate about helping women be more intentional about their career decisions and define success on their own terms. In addition to her law degree, Niteesha holds a master’s in public health with a focus on behavioral science, and she’s a certified coach through the Institute of Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC). After her morning meditation and a strong cup of coffee (no sugar, a drop of milk), Niteesha likes to daydream about her next food adventure.
Chelsea Johns, PCC (she/her)
Chelsea has spent the last ten years working in corporate staffing, collaborating with internal recruiters and hiring managers to help attract and retain talent, expand diversity and inclusion efforts, and enhance interview and onboarding experiences. She’s passionate about helping women achieve their career goals and maximize their personal and professional potential. Chelsea has a bachelor’s in business management from Gettysburg College and completed her coach training through the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC). She’s also an Professional Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation (ICF).
Ashley King, PCC (she/her)
Ashley loves working with women who want to align their professional life with their values. Before she became a career coach, she worked in recruiting, which gave her a first-hand view of the challenges women face at work — and an inside look at how to address them. Today, she loves to collaborate with people as they identify barriers, define success, and work toward purpose, healthy rhythms, and fulfillment. Ashley has bachelor’s degrees in print journalism and communication from Jacksonville State University. She’s a certified coach through both the Institute of Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC) and the International Coach Federation. Ashley spends her walking breaks with her goldendoodle, Crosby, as she binges all things true crime.
Lisa Specter, PCC, CPCC, MILR (she/her)
Lisa Specter is a leadership and career coach with a passion for helping others to feel more empowered in their careers — and in life. She partners with her clients to help create clarity on where they are today, establish a vision for the future, and commit to action plans in order to achieve their goals. Lisa holds a master’s degree in industrial and labor relations from Cornell University and spent more than 15 years in corporate human resources leadership roles in diverse Fortune 100 organizations before pivoting to coaching. She’s a credentialed coach through the International Coaching Federation and Co-Active Training Institute (CTI). A devoted yogi, Lisa is based in New Jersey, where she loves to spend time with family and friends (preferably at the beach).
Ellevest money coaches
Good to know: All of the Ellevest coaches who help people hit their financial goals are money coaches, and all of our money coaches are trained and qualified to provide financial advice. But many of our money coaches have also undergone the rigorous process of becoming CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals (aka CFP® pros) — which is why you might sometimes hear us refer to those coaches as financial planners.
Rachel Sanborn Lawrence, CFP® (she/her)
Rachel is Ellevest’s lead financial planner. She loves helping women and allies tackle their money goals and is thrilled to share easy-to-understand, realistic, and life-changing financial help (plus a few terrible puns) via coaching and workshops. Rachel’s a CFP® professional with a bachelor’s degree in finance from Bentley College, a master’s degree in financial planning, and nearly 20 years of experience in personal finance. When she’s not helping members plan and manage their money, you can find Rachel playing basketball with her husband and kids, reading several books at once, or surfing the New Hampshire coastline. She’s an Enneagram type 7.
By Rachel: Explainer: “The “One-Number” Approach to Budgeting,” “What First-Time Homebuyers Need to Know,” “Here's What You Need to Know About Emergency Funds,” “What’s a Credit Score and How Is it Calculated?” and more.
Emilie Archambeault, CFP® (she/her)
Emilie is on a mission to make money management accessible to everyone. She’s a CFP® pro with 10+ years of experience helping people with their finances. Her past jobs also include working with people and small businesses on tax prep. When she's not taking calls with clients, Emilie is happiest packing her bags for a trip, listening to podcasts, and getting out in nature for a hike. She’s got zero fear of heights and is up for skydiving, parasailing, or hot air ballooning anytime.
Dr. Juliana DeSouza, CFP® (she/her)
Juliana is passionate about teaching, motivating, and helping others reach their financial goals, and she prides herself in her academic-based approach to guidance and planning. She’s a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ with more than ten years in the financial services industry. She also has a doctorate in business administration and has published original research on the factors that drive US stock market crashes. In a past life, Juliana was a news and weather reporter — she also once won an award for best on-air children’s radio show. Outside of work, you can find her spending quality time with her beautiful 25-year-old daughter and running around with her two adorable maltese.
Victoria Ferguson, CFP® (she/her)
Victoria is passionate about social equity, closing the wealth gap, and increasing access to personal finance education for communities that have not historically had it. She’s a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and was previously a financial advisor at a mid-sized financial services firm. She’s also a proud first-generation college graduate, having earned a degree in finance from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City (where she currently lives with her partner and long-haired tabby cat). When she’s not helping clients make smart money decisions, you can find her adventuring in the mountains or travelling somewhere new. Ask her about the time she performed with a Britney Spears impersonator at the Rio in Las Vegas!
By Victoria: “6 Smart Ways to Use Your Banking Accounts” and “10 Small Money Habits to Pick Up in 2022,” and “How to Prep Your Money for (a Mega) Wedding Season.”
Sofia Figueroa, CFP® (she/her)
Sofia believes that financial education is an essential part of any woman’s toolkit. She’s passionate about helping women define their money goals and create a plan to achieve them through coaching. Sofia is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Oklahoma. She brings several years of financial planning experience to her role at Ellevest. She’s currently based in Albuquerque, NM, where you can catch her taking a Peloton class, hitting the slopes, or cheering on her Oklahoma Sooners on a Saturday afternoon.
By Sofia: “6 Ways to Use Ellevest’s Roundup Option to Hit Your Money Goals Sooner,” “How to Cut Back to an Essentials-Only Budget,” “What Is Renters Insurance? (And How Do You Get It?),” “Do You Have to Buy a Home to Build Wealth?,” and more.
Rebecca Palmer, CFP® (she/her)
Rebecca believes that the financial services industry can have the biggest impact on the world by focusing on those who’ve been historically overlooked. She’s a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ who cut her teeth at a wealth management firm, primarily in the tech world of Silicon Valley. But when her first son was born, she started a non-profit that provided pro bono financial planning and education to a different group: young, everyday people in the early stages of their careers. She’s also authored books and courses on personal finance. Rebecca lives in Lake Tahoe, CA with her husband, two very busy little boys, and one very snuggly pup. She delights in keeping order, making copious lists, and periodically reorganizing all of the closets.
Rachel Rabinovich, CFP® (she/her)
Rachel, who has more than 16 years of experience in financial services along with a background in counseling and education, specializes in personal financial wellness and believes money coaching can be a positive and powerful tool for changing lives. She’s a CFP® professional and has an M.Ed in counseling psychology. Rachel is constantly inspired by her mom, who worked on the forefront of the women’s movement in the 1970s and who continues to be active in progressive politics. She lives south of Boston with her husband and two cats. She is also the proud mother of a strong, creative, and financially independent daughter. (Well, except her cellphone plan.)
By Rachel: “4 Steps to Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck,” “Tips to Keep Yourself from Overspending,” “What to Do if You Can’t Pay the Bills, and more.”
Jodi Rudd, CFP® (she/her)
Jodi’s years in financial planning have been driven by her passion for spreading financial literacy. She started her career in the medical field, but the challenges of navigating retirement plans and benefit choices made her realize just how little about personal finance is typically taught in schools. That started her down a path of learning and curiosity — and a new career as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional. Today, Jodi is a strong advocate for exposing kids to financial education from a young age and all through school. She lives in Wyoming with her husband and has two grown sons who taught her the value of adventure. She loves dark chocolate and may be the least flexible certified yoga teacher you’ve ever met.
Victoria Sado, CFP® (she/her)
Victoria is a huge believer in financial education, and that no amount of debt or other money-related hurdles are too difficult to overcome. She’s a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, and she has more than ten years’ experience in accounting and financial services, including the time she spent in tax planning for small business owners and financial planning for people who received large financial settlements. She loves any opportunity to meet new people and to get to know more about them, and during her free time, you can usually find her hiking, volunteering, traveling, enjoying a good book, or practicing the three (and counting!) other languages she speaks.
By Victoria: “Can You Invest to Pay Off Student Loans Faster?” and “3 Ways to Pay Your Tax Refund Forward ... To Yourself,” and “6 Fun Facts About Impact Investing.”
Louise Wen, CFP® (she/her)
Louise is passionate about helping people improve their financial health and well-being, especially those who’ve historically been underserved by the industry. As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, she’s worked with clients from all walks of life, from refugees to tech executives, and reached hundreds of thousands of others by teaching personal finance classes. Louise is a graduate of Wellesley College and currently lives in Northern California with her children and cats. Find her playing the ukulele, leading a guided meditation, or watching TV shows about tiny houses.
You can book a session with an Ellevest coach here.