2025 Executive Coaching Event
Join round-table discussions on topics such as embracing a career shift, the energy you bring to leadership, managing up, down, and sideways, how to say no to make room for bigger yeses, and more.
Attendees will choose three coaches or sessions to attend during the evening. Session selections will be sent in a separate email closer to the event date. These sessions are limited, so be sure to select yours as soon as possible. Attendees will have the opportunity to speak directly with coaches about their topics, lessons learned, and top tips for success!
This event offers a fantastic chance to connect with leaders, receive real-time feedback, and discuss relevant topics in a small group setting. Come prepared with your questions!
A very special thank you to our event sponsor, The Houston Constellation Group at Morgan Stanley, and our content partner, ICF Houston Charter Chapter, for generously supporting this event.
Event Details
Thursday, September 9, 2025, 5:30 – 8:00 p.m.
United Way of Greater Houston – 50 Waugh Drive Houston, TX 77007
Event Logistics
Attendees will choose three coaches/sessions to attend during the evening. Session details will be sent in a separate email closer to the event date. These sessions are limited, so be sure to select yours as soon as possible. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear directly from coaches about their topics, lessons learned, and top tips for success!
Meet Our Coaches
Melanie Rodriguez
About the Coach: As a people development specialist of over 20 years, Dr Melanie Rodriguez is CEO of Elevate Latinas, a leadership development and coaching firm focused on diversifying the corporate leadership pipeline. Melanie leads as an executive coach and consultant in the areas of inclusion, leadership development, employee resource group development, and organizational capability. Melanie also serves on several community boards, including the Secretary of ICF Houston. She and her wife, Cindy, have two amazing children, Arianna and Isaias.
Yvonne Rocha Contreras
We’ve all been there…..whether sparked by personal choice or imposed on us due to restructuring/downsizing/etc. Career shifts are a chance to realign with purpose. This framework empowers you to pause with intention, audit your strengths, and reimagine success on your own terms. Through strategic reflection, personal rebranding, and bold experimentation, you can transform uncertainty into clarity and reclaim ownership of your professional journey. It’s not about starting over—it’s about building forward with vision, intention, and grace!
About the Coach: Yvonne Rocha Contreras, an HR leader, excels at cultivating talent, fostering high-performance cultures, and building strong client relationships to align with business strategy. Her expertise in employee development, staffing, and performance management empowers both individuals and organizations to reach their full potential.
Demi Chan
Strategies for earning trust quickly and sustaining it over time. How to create meaningful connections instead of surface level contacts. Shifting mindset from “no” as failure to “no” as part of the journey. Personal stories of persistence in building a client base.
About the Coach: Demi Chan is a financial advisor and Senior Vice President at Morgan Stanley. She currently serves as a Board Member of Raise Up Families and Advisory Board Member of Women’s Masters Network. She is passionate about spreading financial wellness throughout different communities.
Demi graduated from the University of Texas with a B.A in Economics and received her MBA from the University of St. Thomas. She resides in Houston with her husband, John and daughter, Alana.
Robin Christian
Every leader has a unique “energy signature” — the attitude and presence they bring to each situation. That energy shapes how you think, feel, act, and impact others. In this interactive roundtable, we’ll explore the 7 levels of energy, the difference between catabolic (draining) and anabolic (fueling) energy, and how awareness can help you lead more intentionally. You’ll leave with fresh insights, practical tools, and a new lens for navigating challenges and opportunities.
About the Coach: Robin Christian is an executive coach and organizational development strategist with over 25 years of corporate leadership experience across diverse sectors, including energy, healthcare, and nonprofit. She partners with leaders to navigate complexity and cultivate high-performing cultures that deliver lasting results. An Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, Robin has delivered more than 2,500 hours of coaching engagements and holds additional certifications in DiSC, Birkman, and mediation. She holds Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Management and completed her coach training through the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC). Known for her authentic and curious approach, Robin believes that leadership is most powerful when it is intentional, values-driven, and aligned with purpose. She served as President of the ICF Houston Chapter from 2023–2025 and continues to support the coaching community.
Julie Flowers
Let’s be real—most of us are doing amazing work but not always getting the recognition we deserve. This session is your chance to flip that script. You’ll learn how to confidently own your worth, highlight your unique strengths, and communicate your impact in ways that get noticed, valued, and rewarded. Walk away with practical tools to elevate your voice, your presence, and your career—because your brilliance deserves the spotlight.
About the Coach: Julie Flowers is the Founder & CEO of Elevate YOU Coaching and a certified leadership coach who empowers seasoned career women to own their worth, value, and purpose. With nearly three decades as a global HR executive at Chevron, she brings deep expertise in leadership, talent, and culture—now serving as a dynamic speaker, board advisor, and coach. Julie also co-hosts the witty Savvy Sisters & Cocktail Conversations podcast, is a dynamic key-note speaker, and is a published international best-selling author with Six Figure Chicks.
April Roberts
About the Coach: April Roberts is a CEO Mentor, Aligned Energy Coach, and Spiritual Guide for high-performing women. A former financial advisor ranked in the top 1% nationally and a former business litigator, April now combines decades of business expertise with deep energetic and spiritual practices to help women scale their success without sacrificing themselves. She is the founder of The Vixen Founders Collective and The Aligned Feminine, and host of The Vixen Voice podcast—ranked in the top 3% globally. April is known for mentoring ambitious women to shift from hustle into alignment, creating businesses and lives that feel rich, radiant, and radically alive.
Frederick McClain
About the Coach: Frederick McClain is passionate about helping leaders and everyday people discover their strengths and grow with confidence. A U.S. Air Force veteran and leadership coach, he draws on more than 25 years of experience guiding others through change, building clarity, and developing strong communication. Frederick holds a Master’s in Organizational Leadership and is ICF certified, but what drives him most is creating safe, encouraging spaces where people feel empowered to step into their best selves. He especially enjoys working with those in transition—whether in leadership, career, or personal growth—helping them see new possibilities and move forward with purpose.
Pam Lyle
Stress – we all have experienced it. Sometimes stress is good, and sometimes it isn’t!
It would be great if we could simply avoid or eliminate stress in our lives, or at least anticipate it. But there will always be times when you are hit with those unpredictable or unavoidable stressors right out of the blue. How you respond to those stressors though, is up to you. There are many skills and techniques you can learn. Join our table talk to hear and learn from others. Don’t let stress manage you.
About the Coach: In addition to being the CFO at The Rose for 20 years, Pam is a coach with experience in personal and business coaching. In her coaching practice, she has worked with all levels of management and with individuals looking for more in their lives. Pam has 30 years of experience in the executive leadership role with for profit and nonprofit healthcare entities. She has served as the Assistant Controller for Bayshore Medical Center and CFO for Woman’s Hospital and The Rose. She has experience in leadership development, strategic planning, executive management and operations. While at The Rose, her love for the human capital side of the business was born and she was drawn to coaching. Whether it’s an individual wanting more out of life or a CEO who wants more out of their business, her approach is to help the client understand the values that drive them and the strengths that make them successful.
Kelly Hakes
About the Coach: As an ICF-certified executive and leadership development coach, Kelly guides leaders helping them build the confidence they need to harness their innate strengths and further develop them, nudging her clients outside their comfort zones – the place where personal growth occurs. Kelly brings over 30 years’ experience in international business and program development, and 20 years of healthcare industry experience, giving her hands-on experience and insight into what it takes to successfully navigate complex organizations.
Lisa Reyna
About the Coach: Lisa is a licensed psychotherapist, coach, and founder of the Leadership Happiness Institute. She is passionate about helping individuals and leaders strengthen their mental resilience and self-command so they can step into their full potential. To do this, she uses what’s called the science of happiness, also known as positive psychology.