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The Expertise Powering Bright Morning

Elena Aguilar is a pioneering voice in Transformational Coaching, leadership development, adult learning, and emotional resilience. Her work synthesizes decades of experience, research, and practice into actionable frameworks that help individuals and organizations thrive.

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Elena's Extensive Experience

Thought Leadership

Academic and Professional Training

Recognitions and Affiliations

Practical Expertise

Elena's Extensive Experience

  • Brings over 30 years of experience as a teacher, coach, school leader, and transformational facilitator—specializing in building resilient, equity-driven organizations and thriving adult learning communities
  • Founder and CEO of Bright Morning Consulting, a leading organization dedicated to catalyzing personal, organizational, and systemic transformation
  • Co-founder of Kenya Big Picture Learning, a nonprofit expanding educational opportunities and reimagining pathways to success for young people
  • Has directly taught, coached, and inspired tens of thousands of educators, leaders, and changemakers—equipping them to lead conversations that spark deep connection, lasting growth, and a more just and equitable world

Elena’s extensive experience ensures that Bright Morning’s methods are not just aspirational—they are actionable, grounded, and proven to create transformational change.

  • Brings over 30 years of experience as a teacher, coach, school leader, and transformational facilitator—specializing in building resilient, equity-driven organizations and thriving adult learning communities
  • Founder and CEO of Bright Morning Consulting, a leading organization dedicated to catalyzing personal, organizational, and systemic transformation
  • Co-founder of Kenya Big Picture Learning, a nonprofit expanding educational opportunities and reimagining pathways to success for young people
  • Has directly taught, coached, and inspired tens of thousands of educators, leaders, and changemakers—equipping them to lead conversations that spark deep connection, lasting growth, and a more just and equitable world

Elena’s extensive experience ensures that Bright Morning’s methods are not just aspirational—they are actionable, grounded, and proven to create transformational change.

Thought Leadership

  • Author of eight highly acclaimed books, widely adopted in leadership development programs, coaching certifications, and graduate-level courses across the country:
    • The Art of Coaching (2013)
    • The Art of Coaching Teams (2016)
    • Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators (2018)
    • The Onward Workbook (2018)
    • Coaching for Equity (2020)
    • The Art of Coaching Workbook (2020)
    • The PD Book: 7 Habits That Transform Professional Development (2022)
    • Arise: The Art of Transformational Coaching (2024)
  • Host of The Bright Morning Podcast, with over 1 million downloads—where she shares real conversations, practical strategies, and transformational tools for coaches and leaders
  • Frequent contributor to Edutopia, Educational Leadership (ASCD), and EdWeek Teacher, where she shares insights on Transformational Coaching, leadership, resilience, and equity

Elena’s books, articles, and podcast episodes are not simply reflections of experience—they are evidence-based, practitioner-tested frameworks that synthesize research from adult learning theory, emotional intelligence, systems change, positive psychology, and neuroscience.

  • Author of eight highly acclaimed books, widely adopted in leadership development programs, coaching certifications, and graduate-level courses across the country:
    • The Art of Coaching (2013)
    • The Art of Coaching Teams (2016)
    • Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators (2018)
    • The Onward Workbook (2018)
    • Coaching for Equity (2020)
    • The Art of Coaching Workbook (2020)
    • The PD Book: 7 Habits That Transform Professional Development (2022)
    • Arise: The Art of Transformational Coaching (2024)
  • Host of The Bright Morning Podcast, with over 1 million downloads—where she shares real conversations, practical strategies, and transformational tools for coaches and leaders
  • Frequent contributor to Edutopia, Educational Leadership (ASCD), and EdWeek Teacher, where she shares insights on Transformational Coaching, leadership, resilience, and equity

Elena’s books, articles, and podcast episodes are not simply reflections of experience—they are evidence-based, practitioner-tested frameworks that synthesize research from adult learning theory, emotional intelligence, systems change, positive psychology, and neuroscience.

Academic and Professional Training

  • M.A. in Anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley—focused on understanding human behavior, culture, and systems of change
  • B.A. in History and Latin American Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz—grounding her work in historical context, critical analysis, and cross-cultural understanding
  • Certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher—deepening her integration of emotional resilience, self-awareness, and well-being into leadership and coaching practices

Elena’s academic foundation provides a rigorous lens for understanding individual and systemic change—a lens that informs every aspect of her coaching and leadership work.

  • M.A. in Anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley—focused on understanding human behavior, culture, and systems of change
  • B.A. in History and Latin American Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz—grounding her work in historical context, critical analysis, and cross-cultural understanding
  • Certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher—deepening her integration of emotional resilience, self-awareness, and well-being into leadership and coaching practices

Elena’s academic foundation provides a rigorous lens for understanding individual and systemic change—a lens that informs every aspect of her coaching and leadership work.

Recognitions and Affiliations

  • Advisory board member of UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, a globally recognized leader in the science of well-being, emotional resilience, and compassion—an appointment that affirms Elena’s expertise at the intersection of emotional intelligence, transformational leadership, and adult learning
  • Through this role, she remains closely connected to the latest research on neuroscience, resilience, empathy, and human flourishing—insights woven directly into Bright Morning’s coaching and leadership frameworks

Through her affiliations, Elena remains deeply connected to the movements and ideas that are shaping a more resilient, compassionate, and equitable world.

  • Advisory board member of UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, a globally recognized leader in the science of well-being, emotional resilience, and compassion—an appointment that affirms Elena’s expertise at the intersection of emotional intelligence, transformational leadership, and adult learning
  • Through this role, she remains closely connected to the latest research on neuroscience, resilience, empathy, and human flourishing—insights woven directly into Bright Morning’s coaching and leadership frameworks

Through her affiliations, Elena remains deeply connected to the movements and ideas that are shaping a more resilient, compassionate, and equitable world.

Practical Expertise

  • Led district-wide instructional coaching initiatives and leadership development efforts in Oakland Unified School District, driving systemic improvement and cultivating resilient leadership pipelines
  • Partners with teachers, coaches, school leaders, and superintendents across urban, suburban, and rural contexts to build capacity, strengthen resilience, and advance equity-centered practices
  • Specializes in designing and facilitating systems for adult learning that foster emotionally resilient, equity-driven organizations capable of sustained transformational change

Elena’s practical expertise ensures that every framework, tool, and strategy shared by Bright Morning is field-tested, adaptive, and proven effective in real-world, diverse settings.

  • Led district-wide instructional coaching initiatives and leadership development efforts in Oakland Unified School District, driving systemic improvement and cultivating resilient leadership pipelines
  • Partners with teachers, coaches, school leaders, and superintendents across urban, suburban, and rural contexts to build capacity, strengthen resilience, and advance equity-centered practices
  • Specializes in designing and facilitating systems for adult learning that foster emotionally resilient, equity-driven organizations capable of sustained transformational change

Elena’s practical expertise ensures that every framework, tool, and strategy shared by Bright Morning is field-tested, adaptive, and proven effective in real-world, diverse settings.

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Our Approach and Learning Principles

At Bright Morning, our approach to transforming schools and our learning principles aren't just intuitively designed—they're grounded in decades of rigorous research. When you partner with us, you're investing in methods validated by educational science.

Coaching and Communities

Coaching and communities are essential for educator growth and resilience. Grounded in research from leadership development, adult learning, and organizational psychology, this work shows how connection and ongoing support drive impact—for individuals, teams, and entire systems.

Resilience

Our resilience work isn't just intuitive—it's grounded in rigorous research. Our Coaching for Resilience and Retention workshop and Book Studies draw from validated studies showing that resilience isn't just a personality trait—it's a capacity that can be developed through specific practices.

Coaching for Equity

At Bright Morning, our approach to Coaching for Equity isn't just inspirational—it's grounded in rigorous research. Our workshops and book studies draw from validated studies showing that when coaching centers equity, real transformation happens in classrooms, schools, and districts.

Teams Learning Library & PLC

Our Teams Learning Library and Professional Learning Community isn't just innovative—it's built on a foundation of rigorous research about how leaders learn, develop, and thrive. This unique approach combines micro-learning, just-in-time resources, and structured community support.

The PD Workshop

The PD Workshop is grounded in decades of research on how adults learn, how emotions influence cognition, and how effective facilitation leads to lasting change. Explore the key theories and frameworks that inform every aspect of this learning experience.

Transformation starts here

Start cultivating your skills to lead teams that transform schools and organizations into joyful, resilient, and equitable environments.

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