MEET YOUR HOST
Nyna Caputi
Founder and CEO of The Expat Woman, LinkedIn Expert
Nyna is the Founder and Host of The Expat Woman Summit and also the Founder and CEO of The Expat Woman, a global platform focused on connecting, supporting and empowering women who have moved abroad or plan to relocate. She is also a LinkedIn coach, consultant, and trainer and was recognized as one of the top 15 LinkedIn coaches in San Francisco. She runs a membership for women who want to learn how to strategically leverage LinkedIn. She is also a speaker, event host, podcast guests and YouTuber.
Country of Origin: India. Currently Resides in: U.S.A.
MEET YOUR SPEAKERS
Tanja Saarinen Chávez
Intercultural Communication Coach
Tanja, the founder of Numinos Coaching, is a certified coach helping people communicate and collaborate better across cultures. With a Master’s in Business Administration, specializing in leadership, she’s passionate about guiding others to reach their full potential.
Having lived in seven countries and visited over 45 places, Tanja knows the importance of understanding different cultures. She uses this knowledge to help expats and organizations develop the intercultural communication skills needed in today’s diverse world.
Tanja’s solution-focused coaching approach encourages expats to explore and implement solutions using their strengths rather than dwelling on challenges. By fostering a forward-thinking mindset, she helps expats overcome obstacles and create a positive and fulfilling life abroad.
Country of Origin: Finland. Currently Resides in: Chihuahua, Mexico
Patricia Brooks
Expat Empowerment Coach
Patricia Brooks, founder of The Courage Catalyst, is an Expat Empowerment Coach helping women move abroad confidently and sustainably. Leaving her job at 51, Patricia moved to the south of France and embraced a life aligned with her values. Author of two books, she’s completing her third while scaling The Carefree Expat Incubator, a group coaching and mentoring program to empower single women pursuing life abroad. Drawing from seven years in France, Patricia understands the ups and downs of life overseas so she’s designed her program to cultivate resilience and self-belief. Balancing her roles, she enjoys playing the flute, hiking in the Pyrenees, and tackling a third language, Spanish.
Country of Origin: U.S.A. Currently Resides in: France
Megan Norton
Intercultural and TCK Trainer
Megan Norton is an author, Third Culture Kid (TCK) consultant, intercultural trainer, podcast host of A Culture Story, and writer at adultthirdculturekid.com. Growing up as a U.S. diplomat dependent, she lived in 6 countries and has lived in 4 more countries as an Adult Third Culture Kid, in addition to 5 U.S. States. Her expertise as an intercultural trainer combined with her experience in international education enables her to design socio-emotional and educational programming tailored to globally mobile families and youth. She frequently leads both in person and virtual TCK Transitions Seminars, university retreats and Intercultural Dialogue groups for a variety of international entities. Her book, Belonging Beyond Borders: How Adult Third Culture Kids Can Cultivate a Sense of Belonging, equips and empowers globally mobile youth to recognize their cultural competencies and apply them in various contexts.
Country of Origin: NA. Currently Resides in: U.S.A.
Solveiga Jaskunas
HR Consultant/Career Coach
Solveiga Jaskunas is a seasoned HR professional with over fourteen years of experience in nonprofit and for-profit organizations. She holds dual master’s degrees, in Industrial Psychology and Human Resources Management, as well as PHR and SHRM-CP certifications. As an immigrant to the United States, she overcame language barriers and numerous rejections before climbing the HR ladder to senior leadership roles. Her journey motivated her to mentor fellow immigrants and to start her own consultancy, which focuses on professional coaching, outplacement services, and diversity training. A graduate of DC SHRM’s Senior Leadership program, Solveiga’s passion lies in coaching immigrant professionals and in helping employers to make their workplaces more inclusive. She has also dedicated her time to aiding refugees, homeless children, and at-risk youth. Her story has reached a broader audience through speaking engagements, in which she has shared her personal journey, offering hope and encouragement to other immigrant professionals. Solveiga was recently featured in Security Magazine, as one of three leaders with distinct LinkedIn communication styles. For more information about Solveiga,
Country of Origin: Lithuania. Currently Resides in: U.S.A.
Hedi Kovacs-Resnik
Executive Coach
I was raised in Hungary, in the ex-Soviet bloc, where my parents’ foresight led me to learn English, a rare choice in a system where Russian was the dominant foreign language.
By 18, not only had I mastered English, but French as well.
My entry into the workforce coincided with the post-curtain surge of multinationals needing English speakers, which swiftly propelled me to National Sales Manager for an American firm at 28.
Relocating to Slovenia for family, I didn’t miss a beat, leading as General Manager and then as an HR Business Partner for the European branch, headquartered in Germany, of the same company.
Today, I teach Leadership Behaviours to graduate students of Economics and support women leaders as an Executive Coach.
I live my daily life in three languages: I speak Hungarian with my family, English at work, and Slovene in my local community.
I’m looking forward to sharing my journey with you, hoping it will inspire and resonate with your own experiences.
Country of Origin: Hungary. Currently Resides in: Slovenia
Arlette Chatlein
Expat Partner Coach
Born in Curaçao, I moved to The Netherlands when I was 19 years old. Little did I know that it would only be my first expatriation. I am a certified coach with 20+ years of experience of multicultural expat life in Africa, Asia, Europe and South-America.
I work with expat partners who struggle with building and maintaining authentic relationships in their new home and the previous ones.
From my own experience of 20+ years of global transitions, I know how difficult (re)connecting to yourself and others can be during a transition.
Through my coaching programs I help them go from feeling isolated and lost to feeling grounded, more confident, and able to create and maintain deeper relationships.
Country of Origin: Curaçao. Currently Resides in: São Paulo, Brazil
Thais Silva
Expat Career & Life Coach
Thais Silva is a Brazilian Expat Life & Career Coach currently based in Prague.
Having navigated the challenges of living abroad for over 13 years, she understands the emotional rollercoaster that comes with relocation.
Drawing from her personal struggles, she has specialized in helping courageous Expats to get access to exciting life & career opportunities, build meaningful connections, and thrive in a foreign country.
Thais has designed the “Empowered Expat Journey”, a 1:1 transformative coaching program that takes clients on a 3-step journey to “Rediscover” their true selves, “Recreate” life and career goals, and finally “Realize” – making their aspirations come alive, leading to authentic connections in unfamiliar terrains.
Country of Origin: Brazil. Currently Resides in: Prague, Czech Republic
Heather Courtney
Founder of Black in Portugal
Heather Courtney Proctor is a United States Navy Disabled Veteran, filmmaker, and mom. She is the founder of The Lisboa Melanin Collective, which was created in 2021 to help bridge the gap between black and brown women and local Portuguese residents in the Lisbon area while supporting local and black-owned businesses. Through this collective, more organic relationships and connections have been formed. She is the founder and curator of Black in Portugal, based in Lisbon, officially launched in 2022. Black in Portugal focuses on assisting black expats from all over in visiting, relocating, and transitioning to Portugal, creating a wide variety of 75+ events that have brought together over 3500 attendees representing 44+ countries around the world. Heather has resided in Portugal for 2.5 years. She has also been featured in Travel Noire, Conde Nast Traveler, and People of Lisbon, to name a few.
Country of Origin: U.S.A. Currently Resides in: Lisbon, Portugal
Amélie Papin
Certified Professional Coach for Expats & Repats
Amélie is a certified professional coach for expats and repats. As a seasoned expat-repat, she understands the challenges of relocation, and what’s it’s like to be on a journey of self-discovery, fulfillment and belonging.
Through personalized 1:1 and group coaching, she fosters a supportive space for individuals to feel grounded and at home. With a focus on strengthening mental fitness, clients are empowered to own their narrative, overcome negative self-talk, and navigate expatriation and repatriation challenges with confidence and reduced stress, while taking care of their well-being.
Born in France with Swiss heritage, raised in the US, Hong Kong, and Switzerland, educated in France and Spain, and having worked in China for 12 years, Amélie’s diverse journey informs her understanding of cross-cultural transitions. She is currently living in France, where she has repatriated for the fourth time.
Country of Origin: U.S.A. Currently Resides in: Bordeaux (France)
Amy Amann
Leadership and Career Coach
I am a leadership and career coach and I help international professionals thrive and create a successful career outside their home country. I work with them to become valuable contributors to their organizations, lead global teams, create great workplaces. They are savvy and competent international corporate navigators and enjoy a fulfilling career.
With over 20 years of my own global experience in corporate HR and Talent Development, I’ve coached, trained, and mentored individuals and teams to navigate the complexities of global organizations. As someone who has enjoyed my own career working in different cultures and languages, I understand first-hand the challenges, but also the benefits of this unique position. I help people understand the rules of success and unleash their own potential, no matter where they’re from or living and working.
Country of Origin: Germany, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and global. Currently Resides in: U.S.A.
Deema Ghata-Aura
Executive Coach for Expat Leaders
I’m Deema Ghata-Aura, an Executive Coach dedicated to guiding global leaders through the intricate challenges of corporate and expat life. Having relocated six times across 3 continents in the past 17 years, I intimately understand the mix of opportunity and complexity that accompanies a global experience. My family’s history of new beginnings in India and East Africa, resonates deeply with my own journey, born and raised in the North of England.
With a background in the corporate world, I understand how expat life in a multinational company, despite its allure, can evoke feelings of isolation, dissatisfaction and confusion. That’s why I’m here — to be my client’s compass, confident and coach. I offer more than just strategies. In 2023 90% of my expat clients were promoted or moved onto bigger challenges. They call me their “Secret Weapon ” and because I believe lasting change starts on the inside, 100% felt more satisfied and happier in their lives.
Country of Origin: United Kingdom Currently Resides in: Dubai, U.A.E.
Isabelle Peyrichoux
Leadership and Purposeful Career Coach
Isabelle Peyrichoux is a Transformational Leadership and Purposeful Career Coach with over 10 years of experience empowering leaders to create purposeful work and grow in their leadership and careers. A French native with 20+ years as an expat in the US, Canada, the UK, and Switzerland, Isabelle excels in compassionate leadership and career coaching. Leveraging self-discovery tools like MBTI, Enneagram, and StrengthsFinder, she guides clients in identifying values, strengths, leadership styles, and purpose. With exceptional empathy and intuitive listening, Isabelle helps leaders overcome internal roadblocks and embrace their innate brilliance.
Having supported 200+ clients, including managers from Google, Meta, LinkedIn, and others, she draws from a decade in the tech industry prior to coaching. A compelling speaker, she has presented about the Enneagram and Psychological Types at Global Conferences in the US, Australia, and Europe.
She is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and France.
Country of Origin: France. Currently Resides in: El Cerrito, U.S.A.
Daniela Draugelis
Cultural Intelligence (CQ) Trainer & Consultant
DANIELA DRAUGELIS is an intercultural expert and founder of Cultural Pathways. Specializing in Cultural Intelligence (CQ®) and fostering a global mindset, she empowers leaders to excel in multicultural environments. With over 15 years of experience in international marketing and business development, Daniela has collaborated with diverse organizations, from Fortune 500s to tech startups and nonprofits. Her extensive global experience, having lived in countries like Indonesia, China, Argentina, the US and Pakistan, provides her with deep cultural insights and a keen ability to help clients understand how to navigate cultural complexities. Today, she guides executives and leaders of multinational organizations from cultural awareness to mastery, and is committed to transforming cultural diversity into a catalyst for innovation and growth.
Daniela holds an MBA from the Catholic University of Argentina (UCA) and certifications from the Cultural Intelligence Center, The Interchange Institute and Purdue University.
Country of Origin: Argentina. Currently Resides in: Islamabad, Pakistan
Iliana Quinonez
IQ Accelerate, Founder and CEO
Iliana Quinonez has over 20 years of experience as an IT Executive at large Enterprise Software companies and High-Tech Startups including Salesforce, BEA Systems, SAP, Informix Software and others. She is also the Founder of IQ Accelerate, a firm focused on startup advising and professional coaching services. Originally from Mexico City, she has worked in three different continents and is a passionate advocate for Equality, Diversity & Inclusion in the workplace (including experience as a Latinx ERG Leader at Salesforce). Iliana holds an MSc in Information Systems from the London School of Economics, a BSc in Computer Science from Universidad Iberoamerica (Mexico) and is a Certified Beyond Barriers Coach. She lives in San Francisco, California with her husband and their two daughters.
Country of Origin: Mexico. Currently Resides in: San Francisco, CA.
Jovelle Fernandez
OB Gyn | Oncologist | Author | Healthcare Industry Executive
Jovelle is a multi-awarded woman healthcare executive, author of the book “The Expat” and founding member and COO of a startup biotech Immunorock, Co. Ltd. She is a board-certified physician with a specialty in Obstetrics-Gynecology and subspecialties in Oncology, Endocrinology, and Infertility. Her executive career in life sciences spanned various countries of increasing leadership, and she led, managed, and developed individuals involved in the healthcare business. Her expertise has been sought after in the industry, with various speaking engagements, panelist at international meetings including the World Economic Forum 4th Industrial Revolution. The book that she authored which is available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover formats on Amazon and Barnes and Noble contains powerful life lessons as an expat living and working in 5 countries and traveling in 50 of them. Profit from her book sales will go to charity since she conducts annual medical missions and feeding programs for the poor and the needy in the Philippines. She is a visiting professor in Japan and is currently involved with developing a drug that can be orally taken to treat various types of cancer.
Country of Origin: Philippines. Currently Resides in: U.S.A.
Navine Eldesouki
Founder of Coffee With An Expat
Navine Eldesouki, a woman who embarked on a unique journey spanning over 24 years and across eight diverse countries. Mama to 4 fabulous TCK’s (and a cat!), wife to a remarkable and ambitious man, and Founder of Coffee With An Expat, a platform representing her journey – a vibrant community for expat women that represents culture and diversity.
Our lives are travel maps of images and experiences, a crisscross of cultures redefining our personal and collective identity. Hers is a journey of traversing the world in search of adventure, establishing homes, raising children, cultivating a marriage and finding inspiration in the music of foreign languages, the beauty of geography and the stories of its people. Navine brought all these experiences home, emptied her suitcase full of ideas and started cultivating everything she had seen and learned to create a platform both supportive and empowering, dedicated to all the women she met along her journey, those she is yet to meet and those she won’t.
Country of Origin: Australian / Egyptian. Currently Resides in: Dubai, U.A.E.
Kerline Hilaire
Co-CEO – Raise Faith Company
Kerline Hilaire currently is the Co-CEO of Raise Faith. Raise Faith is a faith-based company designed to encourage the entire family through merchandise like t-shirts hoddies, and so much more.
Previously, Kerline worked in the Diversity Equity and Inclusion department at a financial company in Boston. She plans on working towards expanding her business in the upcoming years.
Kerline serves on the Big Sister Boston Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as a board member, an organization focused to ignite girl’s passion and power to succeed throughout positive mentoring relationships with women and enrichment programs that support healthy development.
Kerline earned her Bachelor of Business Management and concentrated in Finance at the University of Massachusetts in Boston. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and leading a women’s ministry with her best friend. The ministry is called L.I.F.E which stands for ladies in faith encouraged. This platform helps women from all walks of life to feel supported and encouraged. They discuss various topics from marriage, infertility, parenting 101, and so much more.
Country of Origin: N/A. Currently Resides in: U.S.A.
Janeen Sonsie
Empowerment Coach
Janeen Sonsie lives for adventure and thrives on change. She’s an explorer at heart, driving her career as an international speaker and intuitive transformational coach.
Living her dream life in France, the entrepreneurial Australian has built a community of like-minded expat women to help each other grow and thrive.
Janeen devoted decades to corporate life in sales and marketing, but everything changed in 2017 when a psychic urged her to live her most fulfilling life. Life in Melbourne had been stressful, so she chose a different path.
With minimal French language skills, Janeen built a new life on the Côte d’Azur, turning frustration and loneliness into an inspirational story of adventure and achievement. She created the facebook group Expat Women in France, offering a supportive community for like-minded ladies seeking community, connection and growth. Now she’s inspiring professional in technology women to break through their barriers to be all they can be.
Country of Origin: Australia. Currently Resides in: Vence France.
Charlotte Van Horn
Founder and CEO
CHARLOTTE VAN HORN is Founder and CEO of Black Expats in Panama® (BEIP) and affectionately referred to as “Harriet” by many. She assists African Americans relocating to Panama. BEIP is the largest Black Expat Community in Panama. The now famous monthly BEIP Cultural Relocation Tour showcases living options in and around Panama City and Coronado area, shares Afro Panamanian culture/history and provides access to relevant professionals. She has been recognized by prominent Members of the Afro Panamanian community for her contributions to individuals, businesses and organizations.
She holds four US and International registered Trademarks.
Charlotte hosts a weekly show on BLAXIT RADIO and a Podcast “The Black Expat Journey.” She was a professional standup comedian for several years, so she naturally brings humor and laughter to any platform.
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Charlotte is a rising star with a bright future. She is walking in her purpose and bringing so many others along for the journey.
Country of Origin: U.S.A. Currently Resides in: Panama City, Panama.