Elena has trained thousands of educators across the United States and abroad in transformational coaching and team development. She is a regular contributor for Edutopia and EdWeek Teacher and has published two highly acclaimed books: The Art of Coaching, (2013) and The Art of Coaching Teams, (2016) Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators (2018) and the Onward Workbook.

Elena's expertise derives from twenty years as a classroom teacher, instructional coach and leadership coach working in diverse school environments. In her role as a consultant, she has partnered with leaders in public and private organizations across the United States and abroad. She holds a B.A. in history and Latin American Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and an M.A. in Anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley. She received her teaching credential from California State University, Hayward, and she also holds an administrative services credential. Elena lives in Oakland, California, with her husband, son, and two cats. When she's not coaching or writing she enjoys traveling abroad, photographing birds, hiking, drinking coffee and reading fiction.