Episode 18: From Public Service to Paris: Gena Chieco on Redefining Success and Self-Love
You’ve heard of Eat, Pray, Love... but what about Eat, Pray, Self-Love?
In this inspiring episode of Careers & Coffee Talk, I sit down with Gena Chieco, a former Obama Administration advisor turned executive coach now living in Paris, to talk about the courage it takes to walk away from the life you’ve built in order to find the one that truly fits.
From public service to Paris, Gena shares how her so-called “midlife awakening” led her to leave law, take a travel sabbatical, and rebuild her sense of identity outside of work. Together, we explore what it means to embrace your authentic self, release perfectionism and people-pleasing, and find purpose through compassion, connection, and conscious leadership.
Whether you’re navigating burnout, craving a pivot, or simply wondering what’s next, this conversation will remind you that it’s never too late to rewrite your story.
About Gena Chieco
Gena is a Life & Executive Coach who inspires clients to maximize their potential by cultivating a growth mindset and accessing their inner wisdom and strengths. Earlier in her career, Gena had the privilege of serving the Obama Administration during both terms as a right-hand to principals at the highest levels of the Federal Government, which gave her in-depth experience in the art of leadership. She then joined the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and served as Counsel to the Director and head of the Executive Secretariat.
Gena moved to Los Angeles in 2017 to join a cleantech startup as General Counsel & Chief of Staff to the CEO and later launched an LA Chief of Staff peer group with 100+ members. The next year, in what would come to be appreciated as a midlife awakening, Gena left the startup to embark on an extended travel sabbatical and enrolled in the Martha Beck Institute coach training program. The experience illuminated that Gena has always been a coach in spirit—whether inspiring team members to elevate their performance or serving as a confidante to leaders—and led her to launch Gena Chieco Coaching in 2019.
Gena’s passion is in serving as a guide for personal and professional transformation, helping clients navigate change, face fears with compassion, align with their inner compass, maximize leadership potential, and embrace purpose to boost energy, well-being, and sense of self. Gena also brings to her coaching practice a unique background comprising 15+ years of experience encompassing policy development, practicing law, operations, strategic planning, workforce development, recruiting, and strategic communications. With 1500+ hours of individual and group coaching experience, including serving as a Founding Guide for CHIEF since 2020, and leading workshops and an annual Provence retreat, Gena brings a wealth of expertise to every engagement. (ICF PCC certification in process.)
Outside of work, you can find Gena nomading through France, where she is currently based; gardening; running, hiking, and biking; writing, reading, and creating; and cultivating community. Photos on this site are from her travels in Oaxaca, Prague, Croatia, Italy, and Provence.
https://substack.com/@moonlightmusing