Executive coaching for empathetic leaders who are done over-preparing and ready to trust their expertise.
You are really good at what you do.
You've built a career on being thorough and reliable. In conversations, you're clear, in your element.
But then there are the other moments.
The meeting where leadership shuts down ideas.
The presentation where your heart races.
The moment your point gets talked over, only to watch someone with more authority say the same thing and get acknowledged for it.
You're confident in your expertise. But around dominant leaders, you shrink.
You second-guess. The clarity you had disappears.
You've probably started avoiding opportunities you know would advance your career. You make excuses, delegate, don't pursue visibility.
Because the gap between your expertise and ability to articulate it feels too wide.
You defer to authority even though you have the expertise. It's not impostor syndrome. The system rewards dominance, even when depth matters more.
You over-prepare, terrified of being caught without an answer. You practice over and over. But when you speak, it doesn't land.
The physical symptoms are real: heart racing, chest tightness, difficulty breathing. Your body responds to the threat of dominance in the room.
So sometimes you stay silent. You shut down around senior leaders.
You’re missing out on opportunities to grow your career. You watch colleagues with half your expertise get promoted because they perform confidence better.
People tell you to "speak up more." But that's not a tool. That's just asking you to be different.
This isn't a communication issue. You communicate perfectly when you're comfortable.
This work isn't about perfecting your voice. It's about liberating it.
In personalized private coaching, we build and ingrain practical tools designed to unlock your authentic authority so you lead without losing yourself.
“The single best professional development training I have taken part in.”
Private coaching gives you a personalized path to lead without losing yourself
Most communication training teaches you to perform confidence. I teach you how to get present. How to anchor your attention in your body instead of your anxiety. How to use your empathy as a focusing tool instead of a distraction. How to express your expertise without performing.
Presence, not perfection.
That's the shift.
We'll work together across three pathways, customized entirely to you:
Embody Confidence
Practical tools tailored to your nervous system and your high-stakes moments. We'll practice breathwork, physical anchors, and grounding techniques in real-time during sessions.
Own Your Expertise
Flexible frameworks designed for your communication challenges. You'll prepare without over-preparing because the process fits how you actually think and speak.
Leverage Your Empathy
Strategies for your specific situations—from interviews to challenging conversations—so you channel empathy as a focusing tool, not a distraction.
After every session, you get a clear recap with customized frameworks. Between sessions, you can message me for support before your biggest moments.
The result is a personalized playbook you can adapt for any communication moment—so you stop over-preparing and start leading with authentic authority.
This isn't generic coaching. This is a partnership designed to grow with your leadership.
“After working with Lee, so many doors and opportunities opened up for me. I wish I could go back and tell my younger self to jump on the chance to work with them earlier."
— Chief Wellness Officer
How does private coaching work?
You leave with tools you can actually use
We meet every other week for 75 minutes on Zoom. We practice in real-time—not theory, not talk therapy, not watching videos. You leave each session with frameworks you can use immediately.
You get support when it matters most
Between sessions, you can message me for support when the big moments come up. You don't have to wait two weeks to get support for the presentation that's happening tomorrow.
You always know what to focus on
After each session, you get a clear recap so you know exactly what to focus on. No guessing. No wondering if you're doing it right. We build your personal Presence Playbook so you know what tools to use in all of your different situations.
You build muscle memory in real rooms
Monthly, you’re welcome to practice with my other clients in a group space. You need to build muscle memory for presence in rooms where the stakes feel high. The best way to do that is in a supported, confidential space with leaders working on this too.
“Within three sessions of working with Lee, I saw and experienced significant growth. Lee’s theoretically, empirically, and practically supported methods have helped arm me with tools to strengthen, empower, and trust in my distinctive voice.”
“Working with Lee is a game changer. They personalize the learning plan based on your unique skills and challenges and iterate to adapt as you grow. There’s no shortage of other professional development opportunities but they don’t even come close to delivering the same value of time spent with Lee. ”
“I love the community you’ve built, it’s so helpful to apply what I’ve learned in our 1:1 sessions - thank you!”
package options
Executive Package
THREE MONTHS
Express yourself at the executive level with communication that commands the room.
75-minute private sessions every other week for 3 months
Unlimited messaging support between sessions
Your own Presence Playbook personalized for your voice and vision
Monthly group practice in a supported space
$1,700/month
Expert Package
SIX MONTHS
Excel at executive level, then build thought leadership and personal brand.
75-minute private sessions every other week for 6 months
Unlimited messaging support between sessions
Your own Presence Playbook personalized for your voice and vision
Monthly group practice in a supported space
$1,600/month
I reserve discounts for people working in non-profits, teaching, and government and limited pay-what-you-wish spots for those working in social justice or who have lost their livelihood in this moment.
Interested in this work? Submit an application and I’ll be in touch to schedule a chat on Zoom so we can get to know each other.
Hi, I'm Lee Bonvissuto
I’ve helped thousands of empathetic, capable leaders step into authentic authority and lead without losing ourselves.
I never saw myself as an expert, either.
I was confident doing the work. But the moment I had to talk about myself, I'd freeze.
Then I realized: perfectionism was making it impossible for me to be present. The moment I stopped trying to "fix" my voice, I could speak fully and freely.
This work isn't about performing confidence. It's about trusting yourself enough to express what you know—even when the power dynamics feel stacked against you.
AS SEEN IN
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"Working with Lee is a game changer. They personalize the learning plan based on your unique skills and challenges and iterate to adapt as you grow. There's no shortage of other professional development opportunities but they don't even come close to delivering the same value of time spent with Lee."
UX Director, Salesforce
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"During individual coaching, I have become clearer on who I am and what my purpose is - and how to communicate the impact I can have on my clients. This work was highly personalized and worth every penny. I came away with tangible outcomes. I highly recommend Lee and look forward to working with them again."
Alex Hurworth, UX Leader and Coach
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"I found myself feeling more comfortable and confident in situations that used to intimidate me."
Chief Wellness Officer
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"Working with Lee was transformative. They helped me acknowledge the deeper issues underneath my speaking anxiety while also offering easy and actionable tips to speak with more confidence and clarity. Lee is an incredible resource and I’m so grateful for our time together, highly recommend them!"
Susanna Maffeo, Product Manager
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“I thought I had to change who I was to garner respect in corporate culture, but Lee gave me the toolkit to craft my own personal communication style that is uniquely mine. I am more confident and sure of myself and able to connect with others in ways I never imagined possible..”
Ops Leader
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“Our work together went way beyond the voice to embody the whole picture of my communication message unfolding. It was incredibly supportive, knowing I could turn to Lee for guidance on all facets of communication to deliver my most authentic voice in all forms.”
Physician
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"Lee is kind, flexible to work in the way that is best for you and has an endless toolkit that they share to make you feel more comfortable, confident, and in control of your communication. I cannot recommend working with them enough!"
Katie Oberwager
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"There is something special about how Lee humanizes our feelings and struggles with communication. It isn't about learning the rules. A lot of it was unlearning those rules and understanding who those rules were made for. I learned to let go of those values and practices of patriarchy and white supremacy that make me feel less significant and less worthy to be heard."
Toya Northington, Artist + Activist
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"Within just a few weeks, my speaking nerves dramatically diminished and I felt more confident presenting to clients and speaking off the cuff. Lee arms you with tangible speaking tools, which I found so helpful, and also creates opportunities to practice and get more comfortable. They’re a master at helping people who struggle to speak confidently find their voice. I can't recommend them or this work enough."
Alex Honeysett, CEO at Human at the Helm
What Shifts When You Trust Your Voice
More Respect & Authority
Stop proving yourself and start being recognized as the leader you already are. Your expertise lands because you show up grounded, not performative.
Promotions & Career Growth
Step into senior leadership by confidently articulating your value and vision in the rooms where decisions happen—no games, just grounded presence.
Ease Instead of Exhaustion
Stop over-preparing, over-thinking, and over-performing. Show up to meetings and presentations with clarity and calm, not dread.
“Thank you for making me aware that is not me, but the anxiety I struggle with. The older I get, the better it gets.”
— Private Coaching Client
You stop performing and over-preparing. You speak truth clearly when put on the spot. You speak up for yourself and others more. You stop deferring to authority and start trusting your expertise.
The world needs people who can articulate what matters, who can use their voices to actually do something.
Not next year. Right now.
“I work in a fast-paced environment. The ability to quickly distill multiple concepts and convey complicated messages competently, concisely, and confidently is expected and essential.
Time and time again, I noticed myself falling short of this obligation.
I explored different communication coach options, and for several reasons, Lee was the best fit for me.
Within three sessions of working with Lee, I saw and experienced significant growth.
They are both passionate and well-versed in their craft. They are flexible and cater their approach to you.
Lee's theoretically, empirically, and practically supported methods have helped arm me with tools to strengthen, empower, and trust in my distinctive voice.
I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked with them, and I look forward to their continued support in my communication journey.”
— U.S. Military Officer
What questions are coming up?
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I work with people across industries and seniority levels who want to leverage empathy to make an impact. I’ve worked with many physicians, software engineers, product managers, data science leaders, tech executives, nonprofit leaders, activists, engineering leaders, CEOs, and sales leaders.
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I’ll email you to set up a free call where we can get to know each other and see if I can support you.
After signing up, you’ll complete an intake form to help me design our process to meet your goals.
We meet every other week for a 75-minute private coaching session on Zoom.
After each session, I email you a recap and personalized plan so you have full clarity of what to work on between now and next time.
You’re encouraged to be in touch with me between our sessions so I can support you in real-time as you encounter roadblocks or questions.
Once a month, you’re invited to come and practice our work in an intimate, confidential group space with my other clients. Think of this as public speaking exposure therapy as you build muscle memory to bring this work into some of your more challenging rooms and Zooms.
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This work is personalized for your voice and daily moments. We build tools based on what already works for you, so it folds naturally into your communication. It works because it's yours.
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This will save you time. Instead of hours spent over-preparing, you'll have frameworks you can access in the moment.
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Our sessions go beyond theoretical. In each session, we are practicing and implementing tools so you feel prepared to bring this work into your biggest moments. Our sessions focus on getting you to your goals, whether we’re practicing tools for when you’re put on the spot or preparing for presentations or speaking engagements.
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The fear isn't the problem. The fear makes sense. You've been in rooms where dominant voices get heard and depth gets ignored. Your body is responding to that.
Overcoming fear isn't about "getting over it" or building false confidence. It's about building tools that help you stay present even when the fear shows up. Tools that replace over-preparation with focused presence. Tools that help you stop performing and start speaking like yourself.
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Public speaking anxiety isn't just nerves. It's often status anxiety. You're confident in your expertise, but around senior leaders or dominant personalities, you get quiet.
The physical symptoms are real: heart racing, chest tightness, difficulty breathing. Your body responds to the threat of dominance in the room.
The struggle isn't your voice. It's situational, systemic. You need personal, practical tools to help you regulate your nervous system and anchor your attention in the present moment.
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Yes, I work with corporate teams and occasionally launch my own group coaching programs:
Group Coaching: Click here to get on the waitlist to be updated the next time I launch a group option.
Corporate Training: I design and facilitate custom workshops virtually or in-person which can be adapted for any size group. Click here to learn more.
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This work opens opportunities for advancement and recognition. Most clients find it pays for itself through career growth.
I reserve limited pay-what-you-wish spots, with priority given to people working for social justice. Apply at this link.
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Your empathy is your strength. The tools we use work with your brain, not against it. We focus on consolidating your attention in the present moment.
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In our sessions, we build a foundation to support you across all of your communication, so it doesn’t matter if you don’t have specific speaking opportunities coming up.
We want to begin using the tools in spaces where you’re more comfortable so you can build your confidence. I simulate the intensity of putting you on the spot in our sessions (and our group space is a great place to practice these tools).
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I offer two coaching paths:
Executive (3 months): $1,700/month
Expert (6 months): $1,600/month
Both include bi-weekly private sessions, action plans, real-time support between sessions, and monthly group practice.
You can pay in full for 10% off and I offer additional discounts to teachers and those working for non-profits or advocacy. I also reserve a few pay-what-you-wish spots for those working in social justice or who have lost their livelihood.
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Executive presence is usually code for performing dominance. It's about projecting authority, commanding rooms, looking polished.
That's not what the world needs.
We don't need more dominant, disconnected leaders who struggle with actual connection. We need Empathetic Presence: people who can speak truth clearly, who use their empathy as a focusing tool, who align their voices with their values.
Empathetic Presence means you stop performing confidence and start embodying it. You stop deferring to authority and start trusting your expertise. You get out of your head and into the present moment.
Have more questions? Email me at Lee@presentvoices.com
“Lee helps you be *more* of yourself when speaking, not less. And, they give you brilliant tools to do so. One session with Lee will change how you show up and speak to any room - in person or virtual.”
— Christina Ferguson, Founder and Chief Storyteller, Parable