About SPG
Consulting. Coaching. Mentoring.
You've built a career on being capable. But capable doesn't mean you have to do it alone.
I work with women in the STEM sector: scientists, leaders, and technical professionals across Australia and New Zealand. Women who are brilliant at what they do but are navigating something hard.
A career crossroads. A toxic environment. A leadership role that doesn't yet feel like theirs. The exhaustion of holding everything together for too long.
Through coaching, mentoring, and consulting, I help you find clarity, rebuild confidence, and move forward in a way that actually feels like you.
"Asking for help isn't weakness. It's your superpower."
My Story
I thought strength meant doing it all myself. Until it broke me.
For a long time, I believed that being capable meant coping. Getting on with it. Not making a fuss. Like many women, particularly those in science and leadership, I felt an unspoken pressure to be strong, independent, and endlessly competent. The one who just figures it out.
From the outside, it looked like I had things under control. Inside, it often felt like my ducks were over-caffeinated, under-supervised, and one poor decision away from complete chaos. I'd look around and wonder how everyone else made it seem so easy, and why holding everything together felt so hard for me.
So I did what many of us do. I kept going.
My Career in Life Sciences
For nearly two decades, I worked at the sharp end of the life sciences industry across Australia and New Zealand, moving from my roots as a research scientist into commercial roles in sales, marketing, technical support, and team leadership.
As a Program Director, I was responsible for a high-end portfolio of instruments and reagents in cell biology. I understood the science. I understood the commercial pressure. I understood what it meant to lead teams through complexity, champion products you believe in, and navigate organisations that don't always make it easy.
I juggled the work, the expectations, the relationships, the mental load. I told myself I just needed to try harder, be better, stay tougher. I didn't ask for help. I didn't slow down. I smiled, said I was fine, and kept showing up.
Until I couldn't.
When It All Fell Apart
A toxic workplace (years of gaslighting, undermining, and quiet erosion) stripped away my confidence, my career certainty, and my sense of who I was. On the surface I functioned. Inside, I was empty. And for the first time in my life, the strategies that had always worked stopped working.
Asking for help wasn't easy. But it changed everything.
I opened up to friends, family, colleagues, and professionals. I talked about my fears, my hopes, and what I wanted my life to actually feel like. Slowly, I rebuilt. I found my confidence again. My curiosity. My spark.
I found me. A new version, but still me.
Why I Coach
That experience reshaped how I understand strength, resilience, and support. It also reshaped my work.
Today, my work is about creating space: calm, grounded, human space where people can slow down and be honest about what they're carrying. My approach is reflective, relational, and grounded in proven positive psychology. I bring deep listening, thoughtful questioning, and respect for the fact that change is rarely tidy or linear.
I work with individuals who are capable, conscientious, and often exhausted from holding it all together. People navigating career transitions, difficult environments, or leadership challenges they didn't feel prepared for. People who look fine on the outside but are one more meeting, one more experiment, one more "can you just..." away from falling apart.
Coaching with me isn’t about fixing you, because you’re not broken. It's about helping you reconnect with clarity, confidence, and self-trust, so your next steps feel aligned and sustainable.
If you’ve been keeping things afloat because you had to, and if you’re wondering what might be possible with real support, you’re very welcome here.
Qualifications & Training
My qualifications span science, business, and human behaviour because great coaching draws on all three.
Academic & Professional
PhD, Human Biology / Microbiology - University of New England
MBA, International - Deakin University
Coaching & Leadership
Diploma of Professional Coaching - Australian Institute of Professional Coaches
Certificate, Mastering Sales - Northwestern University
Mindreading for Managers - Ignite Global
Emotional Intelligence - Red Sky Learning
Presentation Skills - Red Sky Learning
Work with me
Services & Programs
Whether you're navigating a career crossroads, stepping into leadership, or rebuilding after a difficult experience:
I offer three ways we can work together.
Consulting
Consulting & Capability Development
I help science-led organisations, particularly those in the STEM sector, deliver complex work effectively and build the leadership capability to do it sustainably.
I work closely with individuals and teams to build clarity, confidence, and cohesion, while ensuring complex projects stay on track and achieve meaningful results. My approach blends scientific rigour with human insight. I listen carefully, ask the right questions, and co-design solutions that are practical, grounded, and aligned with your goals.
The result: organisations that translate technical excellence into real-world impact.
Coaching
Coaching for Clarity &
Confidence
Coaching gives you a dedicated space to pause, think clearly, and reconnect with what matters most. It's where real change happens.
I work with individuals navigating career transitions, uncertainty, toxic environments, or the quiet erosion of confidence that comes from doing too much for too long. Together, we explore what's getting in the way, uncover your strengths, and identify practical next steps so you can move forward with intention and self-assurance.
My approach is relational, psychologically informed, and grounded in lived experience, including my own. I know what it feels like to sit in that chair. That's not a small thing.
Coaching is for you if you're ready to stop just coping and start choosing.
Mentoring
For New Leaders & Rising Professionals
Stepping into a leadership role, or a commercial role for the first time, can feel equal parts exciting and overwhelming. Most people are expected to figure it out as they go. You don't have to.
I provide mentoring and development support for new leaders, managers, and scientists making the move into commercial STEM fields. Drawing on nearly two decades of experience across sales, marketing, technical support, and program management in ANZ, I help you build the skills, confidence, and clarity to lead effectively and authentically.
Together we focus on practical tools for decision-making, communication, and team dynamics, while building the self-awareness and resilience to grow into the leader you want to be.
Pricing
Coaching Packages
Not sure where to start? Every journey is different. Here's how we can work together:
The Launchpad
3 Sessions- A focused starting point to gain clarity, identify your goals, and take your first steps forward with confidence.
Poised & Powerful
6 Sessions- Build momentum and make meaningful progress. Ideal for navigating a specific challenge or transition with depth and support.
The Breakthrough
10 Sessions- Deep, sustained work for lasting transformation. For those ready to go all in on rebuilding their confidence, career, and sense of self.
New Manager Mentorship
3 Month Program- A structured 3-month mentoring experience for scientists stepping into management for the first time. Build practical leadership skills, confidence, and clarity as you navigate the transition from technical expert to people leader.
Strategy Session
1 Session- A focused 60-90 minute session for those at a crossroads or facing a specific challenge. You’ll leave with clarity, perspective, and a clear sense of your next step — no ongoing commitment required.
All prices in AUD. Single sessions available but packages are recommended for deeper, sustained progress.
Not sure which option is right for you? Let’s have a conversation with no commitment required
"I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship."
— Louisa May Alcott, Little Women —
Want to know more?
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens in a discovery call?
A discovery call is a free, no-obligation 20–30 minute conversation where we get to know each other. You can share what’s going on for you, ask any questions about how I work, and we can explore which service might be the right fit. There’s no pressure. It’s simply a chance to see whether we’re a good match before any commitment is made.
How does coaching work? What does a session look like?
Each session is a dedicated space for you to think clearly, honestly, and without interruption. We might explore what’s getting in the way, unpack a specific challenge, or work through a decision you’ve been carrying. I use deep listening, thoughtful questioning, and a relational approach grounded in positive psychology. Sessions are conversational rather than prescriptive. I’m not here to tell you what to do, but to help you find clarity and confidence in your own thinking. Most clients leave a session feeling lighter and more focused than when they arrived.
What’s the difference between coaching and mentoring?
Coaching is about helping you unlock your own thinking. It’s exploratory, forward-focused, and led by you. Mentoring draws more directly on my own experience. As someone who has spent nearly two decades in commercial life sciences roles across Australia and New Zealand, moving from research scientist through to senior management, I can offer practical guidance, share what I’ve learned, and help you navigate situations I’ve been through myself. In practice, most of my work blends both, depending on what you need.
How do I know which package is right for me?
That’s exactly what the discovery call is for. As a rough guide: the Strategy Session suits those facing a specific decision or crossroads and wanting a focused, one-off conversation. The Launchpad is ideal if you want to explore coaching with a clear starting point. Poised & Powerful works well for navigating a particular challenge or transition with real depth. The Breakthrough is for those ready to do sustained work on confidence, career, and sense of self. The New Manager Mentorship is specifically designed for scientists stepping into leadership for the first time. If you’re unsure, just reach out and we’ll figure it out together.
Who do you typically work with?
My clients are primarily scientists, technical professionals, and leaders working in the life sciences sector across Australia and New Zealand, in both commercial and academic settings. Many are mid to senior career professionals navigating a transition, stepping into leadership, or rebuilding after a difficult experience. I work with both women and men, though much of my work is shaped by the particular pressures women in STEM face.
What makes your approach different from other coaches?
I bring something most coaches can’t: I’ve actually done the work my clients are navigating. I spent nearly two decades at the sharp end of the life sciences industry in sales, marketing, technical support, and program management before retraining as a coach. I hold a PhD in Human Biology/Microbiology, an MBA, and a Diploma of Professional Coaching. I also know what it feels like to lose your footing professionally and have to rebuild from the inside out. That lived experience shapes everything about how I work. It means I can meet you where you are, without judgment, and with genuine understanding of the world you’re operating in.
Do you only work with scientists?
Not exclusively, but the life sciences sector is where my expertise and passion sit. If you work in a science-led environment, whether in research, commercial, technical, or leadership roles, you’ll likely find my background and approach particularly relevant. If you’re unsure whether I’m the right fit, a discovery call is the best way to find out.
Do you work with men as well as women?
Yes. While much of my work is informed by the experiences of women in STEM, I work with both women and men. The challenges of career transition, leadership development, and rebuilding confidence are not exclusive to any gender.
Where are sessions held? Are they online or in person?
I offer both online and in-person sessions, so we can work in whatever format suits you best. Online sessions are conducted via video call and work just as effectively as face-to-face. Many clients actually prefer the flexibility. In-person availability depends on location, so get in touch to discuss what’s possible.
What if I need to reschedule or cancel a session?
Life happens, and I want our work together to be as flexible as possible. Sessions can be rescheduled by either party to a mutually suitable alternative date and time at no additional cost, provided at least 24 hours notice is given. Sessions cancelled by the client with less than 24 hours notice will be charged at the usual session fee.
Can my employer pay for coaching?
Absolutely, and it’s worth asking. Many organisations, particularly in the life sciences sector, have professional development budgets that can be used for coaching and mentoring. If your employer is funding your sessions, I’m happy to provide invoicing and any supporting documentation you might need. Get in touch and we can work out the practicalities together.
Do you offer corporate or group programs?
Group programs are currently in development. If you’re interested in a cohort-based experience for new managers or emerging leaders in your organisation, I’d love to hear from you. Get in touch to register your interest and be the first to know when these become available.
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