Ailish Breen

Ailish is an insightful coach with a warm and pragmatic approach, supporting early and mid-career professionals to navigate career decisions, build authentic leadership presence, and create fulfilling, values-led careers – as well as supporting all levels of leaders with navigating EDI in their organisations.  Clients describe coaching with Ailish as like having a trusted ally who inspires and challenges you to do your best thinking and gain your best results.​

With a background in LGBTQIA+ policy, human rights, and inclusion consulting, Ailish brings a deep understanding of identity, systemic barriers and organisational dynamics, offering a supportive space for leaders seeking to expand their confidence with EDI and for diverse and for underrepresented talent to thrive.​

As a coach, Ailish empowers people to deepen their self-knowledge and access the best version of themselves to move forward with greater confidence and ease. Their coaching style is open and direct which they combine with compassion, empathy and plenty of humour. Their favourite moment working with clients is when they see clients begin to believe that they are powerful and resourceful in their own right. ​​ They love working with ERG members, leaders, LGBTQ+ people, neurodivergent people, and anyone who wants to think about what a balanced and purposeful work life looks like!

Ailish has coached and developed more than 100 professionals across a wide range of sectors, supporting people to navigate career transitions, step into leadership, strengthen their influence, and build fulfilling, sustainable careers.

They have designed and delivered leadership development programmes for complex, global organisations, facilitating workshops, coaching circles and one-to-one coaching for leaders at all levels. Their work spans topics including authentic leadership, career development, inclusive leadership, coaching skills, psychological safety, visibility, resilience and leading change.

Clients consistently describe Ailish’s coaching as one of the standout elements of leadership programmes, praising their ability to create psychological safety while offering thoughtful challenge, practical insight and lasting impact. They are known for asking incisive questions that help people see themselves and their situations differently, leading to meaningful and sustainable change.

Before moving into coaching, Ailish worked in senior equality, inclusion and public policy roles, including advising the Minister for Women and Equalities, working at the Equality and Human Rights Commission, and leading inclusion within one of Europe’s largest conservation charities. This combination of coaching expertise and systems-level understanding enables them to support both individual growth and organisational change.