A woman with short, gray-streaked dark hair and red lipstick, wearing a black top, silver hoop earrings, and a necklace, standing with her hand resting on her chin in front of a stone wall and a window with metal bars.

Hi, I'm Mariana.

I help leaders operate from values they actually choose, not the ones they inherited.

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I’m Mariana Ortega, a first-generation professional, leadership mindset coach, and founder of Elite Capabilities.  My coaching style encourages leaders new and experienced to shed the disempowering beliefs holding them back and cultivate an empowered leadership mindset, with identified behaviors that are aligned with their values as well as their goals. 

Here’s the truth: you don’t need to know everything, you don’t need to be perfect, and you don’t need to become someone you’re not to lead well.

I guide my clients to use introspection and meaning-making to operate from three elite capabilities of human-centered leadership: demonstrating courage of character in crisis, leading with curiosity through intellectual humility, and taking action with alignment and clarity of core values.

My insight comes from 20+ years leading organizational learning and development inside global brands. As Vice President of Talent Development at a leading edtech company, I significantly boosted digital learning engagement of 1500 employees by introducing accessible AI learning by creating AI-powered micro-learning modules, delivered org-wide via Slack. As Director of Organizational Learning and Development at Sony Music Entertainment, I led leadership development for 2,800+ employees through the pandemic across the Americas and created their first guide on effective remote leadership for teams. As Global Director of Learning and Development at Godiva Chocolatier, I helped shape and launch the company's new global Values & Behaviors framework for 4,000+ employees worldwide. Earlier in my career, I led leadership development as Director of Learning at Ralph Lauren and supported professional development for leaders at Victoria's Secret.

A big part of my identity is having achieved my career navigating corporate as first-generation professional. My attempts to decode the unwritten rules and unspoken expectations of white-collar office culture while coming from working-class roots definitely informed my perspective and gives me a unique lens on the challenges many of us encounter, even after we’re well into our careers and moving toward and through the higher levels of leadership. There are so many of us out there and we’re often left to struggle in silence. It’s one of the main reasons why many of my clients across industries are drawn to work with me from every career stage, individual contributors to CEOs.

I have an MA in Adult Learning and am proud to hold the ACC badge from the International Coaching Federation. I’m certified in the intensive diagnostic tool Trimetrix HD, which I regularly use with clients and organizations, and am also certified in a range of methodologies, including trauma-informed. I use these and other tools to coach senior executives, mid-level leaders, high potential talent, and first-generation professionals from organizations such as Comcast, Sony Music Entertainment, Turner Construction, and CVS.

I’m here to help you cultivate a mindset rooted in the truly elite capabilities of leadership: courage, curiosity, and clarity of core values. The work we’ll do together lives in the human space that career, life, and traditional leadership development too often leave behind.

If you want to check out my published work on human-centered leadership you can find them at the links below:



ABOUT ME

Disruptive Leadership (Routledge, 2026)
Brilliant Leadership (Routledge, 2024)

What people are saying

  • "I highly recommend Mariana to any executive that needs a fresh set of eyes on how to ignite passion and performance."

    “Mariana has been coaching me since 2019. I had some leadership challenges stemming from me being a young CEO leading a multigenerational team. She helped me to work on human-centered leadership principles and feedback best practices to authentically connect with my employees. Through Mariana’s coaching, I became a more effective communicator with the capacity to build deeper trust and tailor feedback in a developmental way. Since I started working with Mariana, my business has scaled over 200%. I highly recommend Mariana to any executive that needs a fresh set of eyes on how to ignite passion and performance through a human-centered approach.”

    — Allison W., Founder and CEO (E-Commerce)

  • "I am truly grateful for her support."

    “Mariana’s unique blend of human-centric intuition and strong coaching technique has helped me identify my values, strengths, and opportunities. Mariana’s commitment to understanding my unique circumstances has encouraged me to see things from new perspectives. Her dedication, invaluable guidance, and belief in my abilities have helped me grow immensely. I am truly grateful for her support.”

    — Rich F., Executive Director (Media)

  • "(Mariana's) unwavering support has made a transformative impact on my leadership journey."

    “From our very first session, Mariana’s genuine interest in my development was evident. She created a safe and supportive environment where I felt comfortable discussing my goals, fears, and aspirations. Her thoughtful questions and perceptive feedback have consistently guided me towards new perspectives and actionable strategies. Overall, Mariana’s coaching expertise, empathy, and unwavering support have made a transformative impact on my leadership journey. I highly recommend her to anyone seeking to elevate their leadership skills and personal development.”

    — Michelle D., Director (Media)

  • "If you come to Mariana for coaching you WILL grow as an individual."

    “Mariana’s coaching helped me to gain clarity on my next career steps. She listened deeply and empathetically, acknowledging and reflecting back my concerns. She gently guided me to identify what was blocking me from moving forward, encouraging insight and valuable reflection. Her style is deeply rooted in empathy, leadership, and personal empowerment. She’ll help you challenge your conventional thinking and break free from limiting beliefs. If you come to Mariana for coaching you WILL grow as an individual.”

    — Katrina V., Healthcare Professional

  • "I would highly recommend Mariana to anyone considering a leadership coach."

    “Mariana’s industry experience combined with her extraordinary empathy creates a space where you can grow and learn on many levels. She has an uncanny ability to find themes that promotes both reflection and action. I would highly recommend Mariana to anyone considering a leadership coach.”

    — Teresa R., COO (Healthcare)

  • "I uncovered strengths I didn’t know I had."

    “As a first-generation professional, I often find myself unsure of how to best position myself for success. Mariana’s deep understanding of the complexities of the workplace, combined with her empathetic approach, allowed me to uncover strengths I didn’t know I had. She took the time to understand my long-term goals and coached me on charting a path to achieve them. I would highly recommend Mariana to anyone seeking a coach who, like me, is the first in their family to embark on this journey".”

    — Elizabeth A., Marketing (Entertainment)

  • "She really helped me to a place where I’m more confident in my decision-making."

    “Mariana is an absolute gem and helped me so much in understanding my personal identity and how it relates to my professional life. She really helped me to a place where I’m more confident in my decision-making and professional endeavors. She always made sure to approach each challenge with empathy and respect. I would absolutely be coached by Mariana again.”

    — Chloe F., Teacher (Education)

  • "I am in awe of her ability to listen and point things out from a different perspective."

    “I enjoyed these sessions immensely and learned a lot about communication skills. I am in awe of her ability to listen and point things out from a different perspective. This coaching is very useful for any industry professional.”

    — Rosa A., Professional Musician (Entertainment)

  • "She helps a leader identify and focus on practical actions they can take."

    “Mariana has an incredible ability to connect similar challenges through multiple sessions that help a leader identify and focus on practical actions they can take.”

    — Erin F., CFO (Healthcare)

  • "Everything I gained from our coaching has allowed me to continue excelling in my career."

    “I couldn’t be more grateful for my experience with Mariana. I came into coaching overwhelmed as I tried to navigate the highly complex dynamics of corporate. I’m a neurodiverse, first-generation professional woman and I was seeking a coach who would understand me both personally and professionally. Through her coaching, I was able to set and define clear goals, identify my ‘why’, and reframe my disempowering beliefs to confidently distinguish what I could bring to the table. Everything I gained from our coaching has allowed me to continue excelling in my career.”

    — D. Gregory, Talent Development & DEIA Specialist (Media)

  • "I walked away with clearer direction, a strategy for next steps, and as a true believer in the value of effective coaching."

    “This was such an empowering experience! I had some major decisions to make after a recent layoff and through my conversations with Mariana, I was able to evaluate my current efforts, identify crucial skills aligned to my goals, focus on my interests, and define my own core values. I walked away with clearer direction, a strategy for next steps, and as a true believer in the value of effective coaching.”

    — Danielle W., HR Professional (EdTech)