Prior to creating a coaching practice exclusively for mothers in transition, Ilene counseled and advised students and alumni in higher education for 15 years.  Her final position at the University of California as Director of Alumni Relations for Boalt School of Law, served as the inspiration for Ilene’s first off-ramp experience.  As Director, Ilene took a professional step up in administration, while at the same time taking a step away from the work she loved – counseling and advising.  Before off-ramping became “off-ramping”, Ilene decided to take time off from work to gain clarity on her next career move.  

During this time, she watched her sister and girlfriends as they began having children and they tried to blend their two worlds – work and home.  Just as “off-ramp/on-ramp” was not yet coined, neither was the concept of flexibility in the workplace.  Whether by choice, or not, these professional women stepped off the career track and into the home full-time – often experiencing a bumpy transition.  Realizing that this pioneering group of off-rampers had a specific set of needs and concerns, Ilene decided to return to school in 1997 to enhance her counseling skills with a graduate degree in Life Transitions Counseling.  It was clear that mothers in transition, in and out of the home, were her desired specialty.

Prior to starting a private practice, Ilene worked as a career counselor.  With the birth of her first daughter, she off-ramped for her second time and continued her leave through the birth of her second daughter.   As her youngest approached a year, she began her practice with a focus on mothers wanting to maintain their identity, health and wellness while nurturing a family.

In addition to her private practice, Ilene regularly gives workshops and lectures around the Bay Area.   She holds a BA in Social Sciences from the University of California at Berkeley and a Masters in Life Transitions Counseling from the University of San Francisco.