From feeling sidelined in government to leading high-stakes climate initiatives in 25 cities, Irene Nielson used coaching to build confidence, communicate her value, and embrace a visible, non-traditional leadership style.

From Government Service to a Career Crossroads

Irene spent nearly 14 years at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, creating and leading innovative climate programs. When key initiatives were halted during a change in administration and her portfolio contracts ended, she moved internally to a regulatory role in the Clean Air Act Program.

Although the position offered valuable learning opportunities, it was underfunded and no longer aligned with her aspirations. Irene wanted to move beyond maintaining the status quo and instead shape ambitious, localized climate action.

Working with Maya to Clarify Her North Star and Ambitions

Irene engaged in coaching with Maya to gain creative control over her career and to redefine her future. Through this process, she articulated her motivations in plain language and reconnected with her passion for community-based climate work.

Prepared and confident about what she could bring to the table, Irene pursued and secured the position of City Strategist with the Bloomberg-funded American Cities Climate Challenge just one year before the start of the pandemic. She continued receiving coaching to support her in navigating a fast-paced, high-pressure start-up environment.

Irene’s Coaching Breakthroughs

1. Articulating wins instead of focusing on gaps: Irene learned to shift her attention from what she didn’t know to what she was doing right. This reframing helped her see progress and build confidence at a time when she was learning new skills and navigating a steep learning curve.
2. Planting the seed for promotion and a broader game plan: Irene began thinking ahead about promotion early in her new role. She developed a wider game plan — how to build relationships, position her work, and communicate her abilities — and adapted to a very different organizational culture in a proactive, engaging way.
3. Stepping up into open ambition and strategic leadership: Through coaching, Irene embraced being openly ambitious. When her supportive boss left and was not replaced, she stepped up to fill the leadership gap, making judgment calls, sharing strategic insights, and creating direction and clarity for her staff during a critical time. She has grown into a more strategic thinker who contributes decisively.
4. Speaking up early: Maya helped Irene move past her fear of being wrong, which had previously held her back in meetings. She became intentional about contributing earlier and recognized the professional value she brings as a trained facilitator and mediator.
5. Getting comfortable outside the comfort zone: Irene has learned to challenge herself beyond her comfort zone, understanding that growth can feel uncomfortable until it becomes second nature. With coaching, she now feels confident about stepping up at pivotal moments as her institution reorganizes and reformulates its strategy. She has a clearer sense of what she brings to the table.

“Maya taught me to own my non-traditional leadership style, to be willing to stick my neck out and take up space. I am small and look younger than I am, which can be a professional liability. She taught me to go for it regardless, that baggage is not unique to me, it’s in society all around me. She helped me unpack some of the professional hang-ups so common for women and told me that I could get past whatever I was letting hold me back.”

What Irene is Doing Now

Irene Nielson now serves as the Director of Climate Funding Impact in the Green Finance & Economic Development team at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

In this role, she focuses on connecting communities to funding opportunities, advancing building decarbonization, and bridging city, state, and federal resources to drive equitable climate action. She continues to champion environmental justice and works with mayors and city leaders across the country to integrate ambitious climate policies in their communities.