Sasha F. | Leland

Sasha F.

5.0

(5)

Coaching First-Gen & Diverse Professionals to Redefine Identity & Success

26 followers

Studied at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School

Works at Nurimas Coaching

Available Monday at 2:00 PM UTC

Protected by the Leland Experience Guarantee

Available Monday at 2:00 PM UTC

Questions? Start chatting with this coach before you get started.

Sasha's Coaching Offerings

Reclaim Your Energy & Self-Trust with Life Performance Coaching

$727.503h of coaching

Custom hourly · $250/hr

Get help with Goal Setting, Communication Skills, and .

Sasha also coaches for Law School, Legal Practice, Leadership Coaching, and Executive Coaching. View all.

Sasha’s free events

Live interactive sessions you can join for free.

When Capable People Feel Disconnected

Jan 8 at 5:00 PM UTC

Sasha’s Life Coaching Qualifications

Coaches professionally

Experience level: Manager

20+ people coached for Life Coaching

With 20+ years of professional experience across law, education, and intercultural leadership, I help clients bridge the space between identity and direction, especially those who have achieved success on paper but still feel disconnected from themselves or uncertain about their next step. Many of my clients come to me feeling torn between cultures, family expectations, or competing versions of success. They’re often high-achievers who’ve lost sight of what fulfillment actually feels like, or who’ve outgrown environments that no longer reflect who they’ve become. Through coaching, we name those quiet tensions and turn them into insight, purpose, and movement. I draw on training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Positive Intelligence (PQ), and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and from my own ecosystem reframing model to help clients realign how they think, feel, and act so that their choices reflect their truth, not just their obligations. This process builds clarity, confidence, and calm authority—the kind that allows you to lead your life with integrity, honor your roots without being defined by them, and grow into a version of success that feels like home.

Sasha can help with:

Goal Setting

Communication Skills

Personal Growth

Resilience

Mindfulness

Work-Life Balance

Stress Management

Self-Reflection

Sasha also coaches for Law School, Legal Practice, Leadership Coaching, and Executive Coaching. View all.

About Sasha

As a daughter of immigrants, I've spent years navigating elite spaces where I was often the only woman of color in the room. I know firsthand how pressure, belonging, and expectation shape the way first-generation and underrepresented people move through high-stakes environments. Over the past decade, I’ve completed more than 1,200 hours of coaching across law and education and designed learning programs reaching over one million learners worldwide. Most of the people who come to me are high-achieving, capable, and outwardly successful—but inwardly second-guessing themselves, carrying too much, or feeling disconnected from the path they’re on. My work helps clients slow the internal noise, rebuild trust in their own judgment, and make choices they can actually stand behind. I specialize in supporting first-gen and multicultural professionals who are navigating intense pressure, career inflection points, or the quiet burnout that comes from always being “the responsible one.” My background across law, science, and education shapes a coaching style that’s grounded, practical, and deeply human. Coaching with me isn’t about hype or fixing yourself—it’s about clarity, steadiness, and moving forward in ways that finally feel like your own. Outside of coaching, I write speculative fiction, play the violin and gayageum, and spend time hiking Korean mountain trails—places that remind me that growth doesn’t have to come at the expense of grounding.

Why do I coach?

I coach because many capable people don’t fail; they lose trust in themselves. I know this from experience. As a former Big Law attorney and the daughter of immigrants, I spent years in high-pressure, elite environments where performance was rewarded and self-doubt was quietly normalized. On paper, everything looked right. Internally, the constant pressure to get it “right” made it easy to second-guess decisions I once made with confidence. I’ve seen the same pattern play out across law, education, and leadership: capable, high-achieving people start overthinking, hesitating, and carrying more than they should, especially when they’ve been taught to be responsible, adaptable, and “the strong one.” Coaching helps reverse that. My work is about helping clients slow the noise, hear themselves again, and make choices they can actually stand behind — not because they look impressive, but because they feel true. At its core, my coaching helps people rebuild trust in their own judgment and move forward in ways that fit their values, limits, and reality. Whether I’m working with law students, attorneys, or professionals in other fields, the goal is the same: success that isn’t just impressive, but livable. Coaching with me is practical, honest, and collaborative. We name what’s not working, let go of what no longer fits, and build momentum without burning yourself out.

Work Experience

Corporate Trainer (Legal & Business) | Coach | Author

스피쿠스

August 2014 - Present

• Developed and delivered training that has reached over 1 million learners worldwide, strengthening global communication, leadership, and negotiation skills for professionals across industries. • Designed and delivered executive and professional development coaching for business leaders, lawyers, and corporate teams, focusing on resilience, intercultural communication, negotiation, and leadership presence. • Defined curriculum and authored 8 textbooks, 4 flagship business English courses, and 700+ learning assets on legal and business English, U.S. energy policy, and global current affairs, driving company revenue growth and expanding market share in Korea and abroad. • Trained early-career lawyers and executives in persuasive communication, cross-cultural leadership, and presentation strategy—many of whom have since become partners or senior leaders in their fields. • Researched and advised on converting learning assets into blended-learning course modules, improving engagement and scalability. • Organized and facilitated workshops on presentation, negotiation, and professional communication tailored to Korean corporate executives, attorneys, and global professionals. • Led webinars on leveraging AI tools and cultural intelligence to enhance workplace productivity, communication, and team cohesion. • Authored and trained professionals from leading organizations, including Bae, Kim, & Lee; Samsung; Hyundai; SK Telecom; and Lotte, strengthening global communication capacity within Korea’s corporate sector.

Founder & Coach

Nurimas Coaching

August 2013 - Present

• Drawing on 20+ years of professional experience across law, education, publishing, and energy, I help clients build clarity, confidence, and coherence across their academic, professional, and personal growth journeys. • Specialize in supporting first-generation, multicultural, and diverse professionals, integrating tools from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Positive Intelligence (PQ), and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) to strengthen mindset, communication, and resilience. • Currently completing ICF-accredited PCC credential training and advanced certification in NLP and PQ, further deepening evidence-based and reflective coaching practices. • Conducted 300+ hours of career and leadership coaching for professionals navigating transitions across law, business, and education. • Guided attorneys through career pivots in labor & employment, intellectual property, M&A, and government roles, focusing on strategic positioning, confidence, and authentic career narratives. • Delivered 350+ hours of academic coaching for aspiring law students, including LSAT prep, law school admissions essays, transfer applications, and advising nontraditional candidates pursuing law later in life. • Improved executive presence skills, including negotiation skills and intercultural communication through customized leadership development training for professionals at Google (U.S. & Japan), Amazon, Daimler, Carrefour, Biomérieux, IBM, Philip Morris, Crédit Agricole, and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). • Delivered 400+ hours of academic and career coaching beyond law-specific contexts, including study skills, accountability systems, and professional communication. • Facilitated 200+ hours of admissions coaching, including law school and graduate applications, personal statements, and scholarship essays. • Integrated identity, resilience, and purpose coaching to help clients align personal values with career goals in high-pressure environments. • Guided students and professionals in habit-building, emotional regulation, and self-advocacy, improving confidence, focus, and long-term performance.

Manager

Johns Hopkins University

May 2016 - August 2025

• Streamlined student evaluation workflows by implementing SharePoint and Power Automate, improving document delivery by 98% and freeing leadership time for coaching. • Built trust and retention across a remote team of 30+ instructors through goal-setting meetings and tailored course placement recommendations. • Fostered belonging among 100+ ELA instructors by hosting town halls, crafting newsletters, and leading transparent internal communications. • Mentored instructors in culturally responsive pedagogy and engagement strategies, improving instructional consistency across 18 online ELA courses. • Supervised curriculum development for grades 4–9 (1,000+ students annually), focusing on critical reading, vocabulary, and writing, guided by literacy research and student data. • Resolved 20+ parent/instructor escalations through restorative communication; reduced repeat academic integrity issues to under 10% per year. • Designed and delivered 100+ hours of professional development and onboarding for new and transitioning instructors, with coaching on feedback, rapport-building, and online methodology. • Led the creation of a centralized SharePoint curriculum hub, gaining stakeholder buy-in and training colleagues for cross-team collaboration. • Acted as change champion during departmental restructuring, leading town halls and sustaining team morale through clear, timely communication. • Recognized in all evaluation cycles for adaptive leadership, empathy, and responsiveness; consistently met 100% of performance benchmarks. • Instructed 8 courses (grades 2 to 9) in literary analysis, critical reading and thinking, creative and analytical writing, and publishing; met or exceeded parent and student satisfaction expectations in 25+ sessions.

Attorney: M&A and Sovereign Wealth Investments

Jones Day

August 2008 - June 2013

• Paris (1L summer) and New York (2L summer and Associate) offices • Spearheaded and supported transactional matters for sovereign wealth funds, public, and private companies in M&A and direct investments valued between $200 million and $2 billion, directly contributing to successful closings. • Drafted, reviewed, and negotiated a wide range of agreements, including merger, stock/asset purchase, co-investment, stockholder, escrow, and ancillary documents, ensuring compliance and alignment with deal strategy. • Coordinated due diligence, prepared detailed memoranda, and managed closing and post-closing processes, supervising junior associates and liaising with local counsel across jurisdictions. • Prepared SEC and NYSE filings—including proxy statements and Schedule 13D statements—and advised on tender-offer processes and securities-offering compliance, securing timely regulatory approvals. • Conducted legal research and drafted pleadings in connection with the Chrysler bankruptcy, contributing to high-visibility litigation efforts. • Mentored junior associates and co-led a mentorship program for 20+ underrepresented high-school students, introducing them to legal careers. • Provided pro bono representation in asylum cases and coordinated community service initiatives for the firm’s New York office.