Meet our team
Founder
Anna Baréz-Brown
Meet Anna Baréz-Brown, a trailblazer in the realm of gender equality and empowerment.
In 2013, Anna fearlessly co-founded Shine for Women with Caroline Whaley, an organization dedicated to accelerating gender equality. Her impactful work has resonated globally, reaching tens of thousands of women and men across five continents within the corporate world.
Anna's passion lies in redefining collaboration, trust, and flexibility in the workplace for the benefit of all ages and genders.
As a CTI leadership coach, Neuro-Linguistic Master Practitioner, and qualified Organisational Relationship Systems Coach, Anna brings a wealth of expertise to her mission. Her academic background in Business and Sustainability from EBS in London adds a strategic layer to her approach. Fluent in four languages, Anna's diverse linguistic skills underscore her global perspective.
Anna's professional journey began as a trainee at Axel Springer Verlag, evolving to pivotal roles in digital start-ups at Bertelsmann. In her corporate zenith, she served as the European Sales Director, overseeing 12 countries and leading 85 employees. Her coaching business, initiated in 2001, shifted focus to gender equality in 2008, marking a dedicated commitment to driving positive change.
Anna is a loving spouse to Chris, an author and visionary force in the world of business transformation and energy infusion. Together, they navigate the enriching journey of parenthood with two children, accompanied by two furry friends. Nestled in her Dorset office with a captivating sea view, Anna continues to shape the narrative of gender equality with resilience, innovation, and a touch of sea breeze.
Co-Founder of Shine For Women, Trusted Advisor and Leader
Cal Whaley
Caroline co-founded Shine For Women in 2013. Before establishing Shine For Women with Anna, she built her career in the adventure travel industry before joining Nike in 1996 where she spent 14 years in senior global brand marketing and GM roles in UK, Europe, North America and Latin America. Following this, Caroline spent three years with the Nike Foundation, leading public-private sector partnerships and creating new brands to inspire, empower and shift social norms for millions of teenage girls living in Africa as the fastest route to eradicating global poverty. Caroline is also a qualified Organisational Relationships Systems Coach and has an MBA (Distinction) from Lancaster University. When not traveling extensively for work and pleasure, Caroline can be found running through Dorset with her spaniel or sailing with her husband, Tim.
Trusted advisor, Positive Force for good & Learning Guru
Chris Baréz-Brown
With his humour, charisma and expertise, Chris inspires people to embrace their natural human design and use their energy to achieve their goals in work and life. Chris has a unique approach that challenges both people and businesses to embed a more human and energetic culture at the heart of all they do. Chris is clear that we aren’t designed for business and advocates for a more human-centric approach that puts people first. Whilst Chris’ day job sees him running Upping Your Elvis, delivering keynote speeches and transformative programmes to clients such as Nike, Coca-Cola and Unilever, and leading his mental health tech start up, Talk It Out; we are very lucky that he continually offers us an ear, pearls of wisdom and a fresh perspective. Chris and Anna work closely together whilst also delivering distinctly different approaches. Combining their skills, experience and talents leads to tremendous results and occasional marriage counselling.
Trusted advisor & Energiser
Jim Lusty
Jim Lusty’s larger-than-life impact comes from a boundless energy and positivity. It’s hard not to smile when he enters the room. Behind this playful approach is a track record of challenging and growing organisations, helping them to accomplish and embed creative cultures. Jim provides excellent counsel when we are designing new programmes at Shine. Always challenging us to ensure we remain focused on client objectives whilst keeping the energy vibrant. Jim helps people learn how to embrace experimentation and be more creative and energetic every day, making their work more human and fun, all whilst driving bottom-line results.
Strategic advisor
Ross Faulkner
Meet Ross! We are so lucky to be able to borrow Ross’ brain from time to time to help us scan the horizon and think more broadly in our communication and content. His marketing expertise is second to none and having him close by at Upping Your Elvis keeps us on our toes in making sure we’re delivering fresh, engaging and impactful communications. Ross has over 20 years of experience leading and growing businesses in the media and advertising industry, and he’s picked up a few awards for doing this along the way!
HR and Finance manager
Daisy Spencer
Meet Daisy, the brains behind all things HR and Finance at Upping Your Elvis and Shine. After graduating, Daisy's work journey began with the exhilarating pulse of London corporate life. However, the green space and tranquillity of Devon called and she now enjoys the balance of rural life and a busy schedule. When she's not crunching numbers or streamlining processes, Daisy is a master juggler of responsibilities. From overseeing a recent house-build with her husband to running around after two children and tending to their smallholding's animals. Daisy also loves to run, read, garden and grow! She also makes fabulous mince-pies.
EA to Founder
Fiona Harker
Fiona has a breadth of experience working alongside CEO’s and founders in a multitude of public and private sector organisations including Education, Banking and Rural Estate Management. Whilst recent years have been spent in Devon Fiona’s career has seen her overseeing projects in Australia, South Africa and the Caribbean. Fiona’s calm approach to every project thrown her way keeps organisations on track to deliver. Fiona’s interest in the human element of every organisation dovetails perfectly with the ethos of Shine and everything our clients aim to achieve.
Leader
MANDY AYRES
Mandy has extensive experience of working in the Public, Charitable and Corporate sectors, including for Nike where she led teams on both the Brand and Corporate sides of the organisation. She is passionate about coaching leaders through career transitions, which is what she also does for elite athletes.
What other people say
“Working with Mandy has been truly transformational for me, I have found my inner confidence and belief that if I consciously live the way I want to and I am true to myself, life is so much more fun! Having someone to lean in with has been amazing and discovering the power of being myself always. Coaching is the greatest gift I have given myself in a long time.”
Leader
Maria Banks
Maria has over 12 years’ experience in developing and implementing highly successful change management and performance management strategies in the European energy trading sector. During this time she was responsible for setting up satellite offices in six European capitals which led to the delivery of cultural diversity workshops at the HQ. She subsequently has spent a further 15 years as a CTI Certified Leadership Coach and workshop leader. She’s most proud of being a single mum in her late twenties and taking full responsibility of her two boys, 4 & 6 years old at the time.
What other people say
“There is vitality in Maria that people find infectious. She’s extremely intuitive and ‘tuned in’; a natural optimist but a realist at the same time. Blessed with a warm heart, a positive attitude and with an enthusiastic drive to deliver in a demanding environment, Maria’s style is impactful, powerful and shifting.”
Leader
Anne Marie Gonzales Desai
Anne-Marie holds a Master Certified Coach credential, the highest level of achievement in coaching. She is also a NeuroLeadership coach and with her expertise in Neuroscience, HeartBrain Coherence and Breath work she helps executives and teams cultivate an optimal mental, emotional and physiological state in the midst of disruption. She is a passionate advocate of women’s empowerment and has been working with the EU for 15 years to get women to the top. Prior to starting her own business, she was a senior project manager in the IT industry. Anne-Marie is fluent in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish.
What other people say
“After each coaching session with Anne-Marie I feel recharged, emotionally lighter and mentally fitter to navigate complexity.”
Leader
Abigail Hall
Following a successful career in communications, including running her own PR agency for the last 15 years, Abigail trained as a Leadership Coach. So, having connected businesses and non-profits to their core values and vision during this time, she now does so for individuals and teams as well.She loves to see and accept where people are in the moment, and reconnecting them to their essence and purpose. She’s a mask-buster and truth-seeker, without taking herself too seriously. Abigail is fiercely proud of her two rebellious daughters, who are now teaching her a thing or two! Abigail is fluent in English and Dutch.
What other people say
“A free spirit who embodies sheer womanhood, models grace and elegance, while at the same time takes no bullshit.“
Leader
Lisa Jacobs
Lisa (MA, CPPC) is an executive and leadership development coach. She has over 30 years experience working in finance, advertising, entrepreneurship and mindfulness facilitation. She inspires people to create conscious choices resulting in empowered action and change. She is passionate about courageous leadership and believes that mindfulness connects us to our leader within. Lisa resides in NYC and is a proud mom of three adult children and an 11 year old lab. She’s a passionate yogi, adventurer and visionary.
What other people say
“Lisa has a smile that lights up a room and an infectious laugh. She definitely sees life through the lens of ‘the glass half full’.
Leader
Catherine Le Liboux
Catherine is an ICF Certified Coach specialising in personal leadership and mental fitness. After 17 years working for global advertising and technology businesses, she now combines her international corporate experience with transformational coaching to empower business leaders and founders to lead from within and create more impact in their outer world. Catherine grew up in Indonesia, studied in the US and TheNetherlands, and has worked in Germany, France and Singapore. She is especiallypassionate about supporting purpose-driven companies and under-represented individuals. Catherine speaks English, French and Indonesian.
What other people say
“Catherine is an authentic, compassionate leader and coach, helping me to find clarity and direction regarding my business.”
Leader
Lil Lusty
Lil spent the initial part of her career in commercial roles, before her fascination with how people dynamics affect the working environment led her to move to the world-renowned innovation consultancy WhatIf!. Her speciality was in working with organisations to understand and then transform their innovation strategy and capability.Lil’s enthusiasm for transforming organisations and individuals has the power to soften even the most hardened cynics. She’s in her element when creating meaningful experiences that set clients up for sustainable success. She is straight forward, pragmatic, collaborative and personable. She uses her business head and her heart in equal measure, and is most proud of being a mum, wife, sister and daughter.
What other people say
“Lil is an outstanding facilitator. We got deep very quickly and then focused on addressing my fears with practical strategies. AMAZING!!!”
Leader
Anita Pool-Genes
Anita Pool-Genes is an award-winning business leader with over30 successful years in broadcast media sales. During her corporate career, she worked her way up from sales assistant to general sales manager with positions such as Director of Market Development. Her leadership skills, client-centric focus and experience of new business development, means that as a coach she drives others to achieve their goals. Out of 50 sales professionals, Anita was once voted #1 forNon-Traditional Revenue for a major national radio broadcast company. She’s been featured in Who’s Who in Black Chicago, 4th Edition, and voted the ChicagoDefender’s 2018 Woman of Excellence Honoree. Anita is passionate about serving, inspiring, and empowering others who are ready to transform to the next level of their lives and profession.
What other people say
“Don’t let that great smile and sweet voice fool you. Anita leverages her decades of professional excellence and experience to ask the simplest but most powerful questions to challenge your limiting beliefs. Before you know it, you are arriving where you said you wanted to be, dignity intact, and confidence considerably boosted.”
Leader
Franziska (Tita) Rizzolli
Tita is a dynamic and seasoned leadership coach and facilitator, seamlessly blending over two decades of corporate experience with the art of transformational coaching. Tita led business development for international media giants, technology companies, and nimble start-ups. Clients describe Tita as a vibrant and authentic guide with an ability to pose the right questions at the right moment. Her coaching style is direct, yet deeply empathetic, creating an environment where individuals are not just coached but inspired to embrace new challenges. Fluent in German, English andSpanish, Tita effortlessly bridges linguistic and cultural gaps, adding an extra layer of depth to her coaching engagements.
What other people say
"Tita's coaching has been a game-changer for me. Her bold and empathetic approach opened doors to new possibilities.Thanks to her guidance, I now lead a virtual team with 21 different nationalities, turning challenges into triumphs."
Leader
Richard Stokes
Richard has a proven track record working globally with big corporates, ambitious SMEs and motivated individuals – what they all have in common is a focus on their growth. He uses his +20 years of board-level business experience in the media and advertising industry to help clients to both clarify and achieve their goals and ambitions. His style is practical, positive and results-oriented.
What other people say
“Richard creates a very relaxed, open and safe space to work in. He has a way of putting you at ease and that really helps and enables you to feel free to speak, share and explore whatever you have gone to work through. I left feeling ready to make some immediate changes.”
Leader
Heather Symone
Heather is a Certified Life Coach who is also a graduate of The School of Womanly Arts, a program dedicated to women exploring their pleasure and radiance. She has taught English to students from over 50 countries for over 8 years and loves her many international connections. She’s a disciple, studying happiness, joy, peace, and fun. She’s most proud of being the Best “Auntie Mommy” to many young kings (her nephews) and twice winning Teacher of the Year. Heather is passionate about making coaching services available to more diverse communities and communities of colour.
What other people say
“Heather is deep, disciplined, and devoted. She’s thorough and committed and a great listener, plus she’s also extremely fun and sassy!”
Leader
Priyanka Tiku Gupta
Global in mindset, Indian by birth, Asian by environment, Priyanka has over twenty years’ experience in senior marketing and communication leadership roles. At the peak of her corporate career, her teams created award-winning, purposeful and innovative campaigns for some of the world’s best global brands in Asia such as Shell, Sony, Bayer, Allianz, Akzo Nobel, and Treasury Wine Estate. Having previously been through a Shine programme herself as a participant, and now fully trained as a coach, Priyanka is passionate about making a positive impact on people’s lives. Priyanka is currently based in Singapore and is fluent in English and Hindi.
What other people say
“Warm, empathetic, and a great listener who is curious and holds the space. Priyanka is focussed and determined to help others become happier and wiser."
Leader
Judy Jackson
Judy helps to build inclusive cultures within corporate spaces by supporting under-represented groups in their career growth, development, and well-being. She also works with leadership to provide the vision and strategy for building a culture where people can bring their whole selves to work and be respected for who they are. Earlier leadership roles include Global Head of Culture at WPP, GlobalChief Talent Officer at Wunderman Thompson, Chief Talent Officer at IPG Media brands, Digitas, and People leadership roles at Time Inc., ABC Disney, and Planned Parenthood of NYC. She has contributed to several articles and books on human resource management and has received several awards including Ad Color’s 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award and the 4A’s 2022 Gladiator Award. She serves on the board of directors for BRIDGE, an organisation dedicated to addressing the gap in Belonging, Representation, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity in the workplace. She is the co-founder of We All Rise Together, created to minimise the impact of the pandemic on communities most at risk. She is also the former president of BRAINY, an organisation committed to elevating people of colour in the communications industry.
What other people say
“Best known for her candid, straightforward approach and her unmistakable laugh, Judy is driven by bringing out the best in others while maintaining her authentic self. She is a well-respected thought leader in human resource management."