Early Foundations
Lena’s story is deeply connected to her heritage. Her ancestors are from Stromboli, a small island in Italy, and she grew up in a traditional Italian family within a multi-generational household, living alongside parents, siblings, grandparents, and extended family.
Growing up in a dual-language home shaped Lena’s strong respect for people, relationships, and community — values that continue to influence her approach to coaching and consulting today.
After finishing high school, Lena pursued business studies at RMIT University, supported by her family’s strong belief in education and hard work. This became the foundation for her professional career.
Stepping out - On Her Own
After an extensive career within major organisations and executive search firms, Lena founded Lena Coates & Associates in 2018 to offer a more personalised and commercially grounded approach to career strategy.
Lena works exclusively one-on-one with her clients, tailoring every session to their unique circumstances, goals, and challenges. She does not offer group sessions — a deliberate point of difference — recognising that no two careers are the same and that meaningful progress requires individual focus and depth.
Having “walked the talk” across corporate environments and senior-level recruitment, Lena brings a level of insight that goes beyond theory. Her coaching is grounded in proven methodologies and real-world experience, enabling clients to navigate complexity with confidence.
Her approach combines structured frameworks with practical, strategic guidance, ensuring every conversation delivers clarity, direction, and decisive next steps.
Corporate & Executive Career
Lena went on to build a successful corporate, recruitment, and executive search career working with leading organisations including:
• Sportscraft Group of Companies
• PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
• PB Oil
• Financial Recruitment Group - Executive Search
• Finance Executive Women (FEW) - Mentoring and Guidance
At Finance Executive Women, Lena worked in a senior executive capacity supporting the progression of women through coaching and mentoring — experience that continues to influence her work today.
Community & Giving Back
Lena is deeply connected to her community and her Italian heritage. She currently serves as Vice-President of the Kastellorizian Association of Victoria and sits on philanthropy boards including the Societe Isole Eolie. She also participates in community initiatives through Probus and Rotary International, and previously served on the committee of Cabrini Italians of Melbourne.
Passionate about giving back, Lena regularly provides pro-bono career guidance to individuals facing challenging circumstances.
Our Team
Lena Coates
FounderWith a clear vision for building something meaningful, Lena brings a blend of big-picture thinking and hands-on experience shaped by decades in corporate environments and executive search.
She brings her authentic style and direct approach to every interaction ensuring clients receive honest, outcomes-driven guidance.
Having “walked the talk,” Lena combines lived experience with proven methodologies to support clients setting the tone for trust, clarity, and confident decision-making.
AssociateBrad Collins
Focused and highly skilled, Brad is an NLP Master Practitioner, as well as a qualified CPA and CFP. He delivers tailored VAK and MBTI evaluations, drawing on frameworks he has specifically designed to provide deeper insight into how individuals think, process information, and make decisions.
He provides specialised insights through comprehensive reports delivered to clients in both written and verbal formats, ensuring clarity, understanding, and practical application.
Reach Out
Interested in working together? Fill out some info and Lena be in touch shortly.