“Elissa is an intuitive and gifted facilitator and coach. To watch her work is like witnessing a gift.”
Team evolution &
Dare To Lead™
Elissa is a masterful OD practitioner! Elissa's facilitation skills are some of the best, if not the best, I've seen in my career. She is comfortable facilitating at all levels of the organization -- from technicians to executives. As she listens to the participants she is able to ask the right questions to guide the conversation, capturing the discussion in a creative and visually artistic way, and keeping the conversation on track and focused on the topic. Elissa is creative, funny, insightful and a great pleasure to work with -- but don't think working with Elissa is just fun and games. Elissa is willing to give tough feedback, is courageous in speaking up, and asking "why" as many times as needed to get to the root of the issue -- all while keeping people at the center of the equation. Elissa has a powerful strategic approach and is able to see where process is needed and build it from the ground up. Her approachable style, skill, talent and ability to be an insightful thought partner have resulted in Elissa being sought out and respected by people at all levels of the organization.
Robin Protsman, Sr. HR Business Partner, Genentech
Elissa is an insightful, collaborative change agent who relentlessly pursues strategies and interactions that challenge the status quo and create value for the organization. She creates a safe environment for honest dialogue and diversity of thought while employing humor and natural enthusiasm to break down barriers and motivate colleagues. Elissa is everything but a check-the-box leader. She has integrity, heart and is masterful at helping others tackle complex organizational challenges. Simply put, she gets shit done and exudes a contagious “can do” attitude along the way. She is a trusted and admired professional who sets a stellar example for others lucky enough to work with her.
Jeb Taylor, Sr. Manager, Genentech
Have you ever met someone that you felt would change the trajectory of your career by helping you find your purpose? I met Elissa through her work with Luminary as she facilitated Dare to Lead™ for our organization post-pandemic. I cannot recommend her enough as a coach, thought partner, and facilitator. The mentorship she has provided us will have a lasting impact on our org and a profound influence on me as a person. She is able to connect and empathize with people in all levels of the organization, building trust and developing individuals and teams along the way. I highly recommend Elissa for her ability to engage with people and create sustainable transformation.
Adam Hammond, Commercial Leader, UCB
Leadership evolution & Coaching
Through her coaching, Elissa has helped illuminate my path to overcoming long term roadblocks and becoming a more actualized version of myself. She does this through listening with compassion, asking thought provoking questions, and giving insights that have provided major "aha" moments for me. With the insights that Elissa has helped me discover, I'm able to bring awareness to long standing and, unproductive patterns; establish my own methods and habits to question old stories and assumptions; and ultimately find new ground where I feel more empowered and aligned with my core values and purpose. Elissa's leadership coaching has been a game-changer!
Evan Schmidt, Senior Director, Valley Vision
Elissa has been an invaluable leadership and workplace communications coach for me. She first helped me regarding how to hold productive conversations in a difficult workplace environment. Most recently, she has helped me successfully move into a new leadership position in which I was able to create positive relationships from the start with my superiors, my team, and my stakeholders. She is a gifted coach who, using a systems perspective, helps you think like a leader and focus on achieving business goals. On a personal level, she recognizes your strengths and guides you toward positive outcomes, while always keeping you focused on the bigger picture. I highly recommend Elissa for anyone looking to boost their career or their leadership and communication skills in the workplace.
Tom Hinds, Director of Strategic Planning and Communications, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine
I worked with Elissa for many years when she first moved from non-profit to corporate and was immediately struck by her passion, resiliency and true and genuine heart for her work. Elissa is an intuitive and gifted facilitator and coach. She has both the capacity and skill to deeply dive into a leader or team to understand what is really going on--what the opportunities are and what is in their way. With honesty and grace, she supports them through a process of discovery that leads to meaningful and sustainable action. I absolutely loved working with Elissa. To watch her work is like witnessing a gift.
Renee Dineen, Founder Deep Tissue Living
Design & Facilitation
Elissa Berrol combines humble inquiry, deep listening, creativity and laser focus to workshop planning and design consultation. We hired Elissa to present to a large crowd at our annual Women’s Leadership Conference. During the first meeting with Elissa, we were impressed by her ability to hear our ideas and hone in on the most salient parts to deeply understand the intent and outcomes for our conference. She asked powerful questions and brought in fresh ideas in an engaging manner to deliver a captivating and memorable session with a lasting impact for our women leaders. I highly recommend Elissa for any leadership development session. She is a creative, inspired professional who makes difficult concepts come alive and challenges people to think in new ways.
Swati Gothale, Principal, ZS Consulting
I was in search of a strong facilitator that could host a team building workshop, our first time hiring an external vendor. With the help of Elissa we received so much more. What I thought would be a simple introductory phone call resulted in a deep discussion about what our businesses issues were, and how those topics were halting our company from reaching some of our goals. After multiple conversations, and thorough preparation, Elissa helped me to articulate the true vision and values for this meeting and to reflect more broadly on our organization. Throughout the entire process I felt inspired and extremely supported. Elissa’s communication style is insightful, down-to-earth, and honest. Prior to Elissa's visit employees were hesitant that she would not understand our culture or that her workshop would feel impersonal. Of course, the moment Elissa arrived all worries vanished. Her upbeat personality, passion for her profession, and amazing sense of humor shined through. Elissa is a power house, and it was a privilege working with her.
Ariel Gallegos, HR Director, Chez Panisse
Elissa is one of the most creative and inspirational leaders I've had the pleasure to work with. I trust her judgement implicitly and rely on her to provide effective leadership development and training opportunities for my leadership team, extended leadership team and, of course myself. Quite simply, she is awesome!
Charles Calderaro III, Senior Vice President Global Manufacturing at BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.
“People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously.”