I began working with Marina Lee at a pivotal point in my career as I was transitioning from consulting toward an academic faculty position. As an international professional, I was uncertain about how to communicate my value across different audiences, position my experience for a research-oriented leadership role, and navigate the unspoken norms of U.S. professional and academic culture.

Through this work, I gained a clearer and more confident framework for presenting myself in both written materials and real-time conversations. The process helped me move beyond simply listing my credentials and instead communicate a coherent vision, the value of my experience, and the unique perspective I bring.

I now feel better equipped to advocate for myself in high-stakes settings, including negotiations and leadership conversations, with greater clarity and less second-guessing. One of my most important insights was recognizing that my combined consulting and academic background is not a gap to minimize or over-explain. It is a strength that I can lead with.

Yi Wang,

Sustainability Engineer and Postdoctoral Researcher

Raleigh, North Carolina

Every time we met, Ms. Lee would provide materials ahead of time to help me get familiar with the terms and context and patiently answered questions during our meetings. With her professional knowledge and familiarity with Asian culture, the conversation is always enjoyable and right to the target. Also, she would write a summary after our conversations and followed up proactively to make sure the process moved along smoothly and timely.

I came to Ms. Lee unsure if my difficulty with English was real or if other gaps were stopping my progress. From the first session, my gaps were identified and a clear plan for my evolution was created. I learned that one key difficulty is the same as in my native language: I think faster than I speak, so sometimes I do not explain clearly even when I know the subject very well. She taught me to speak more slowly and give myself time to self-analyze, which increased my confidence and reduced the need to repeat myself. Ms. Lee is very professional, experienced, and respectful. She explains in an easy way and shares a methodology that helps me continue to evolve on my own, even outside the coaching. I have already recommended this coaching to many friends and colleagues in our multinational and multicultural company, where many arrive with low confidence in a corporate and executive environment and want to improve their understanding and speaking of English.