For over 10 years I've worked inside the hiring process — at companies like Toast, Santander Bank, and across industries including Finance, Hospitality, IT and Health Care. I've reviewed thousands of resumes, interviewed hundreds of candidates, and advised managers on what it takes to build great teams.

So when I tell you I know what's holding you back — I mean it.

I didn't start here.

I came to this country with nothing. My first job was washing dishes. From there I worked my way through banking, discovered a passion for people and talent, and eventually built a career in HR and recruiting — climbing from individual contributor to Talent Acquisition Director. Along the way I earned my MBA from University of New Hampshire, not because it was easy, but because I refused to put a ceiling on myself.

That journey taught me that your starting point has nothing to do with where you can go.

But my transformation wasn't only professional.

At my heaviest I was carrying weight — literally and emotionally. Through years of personal work, therapy, and commitment to my own health, I lost 200 pounds. I rebuilt my relationship with my body, with food, and with myself. I did the hard work on my relationships too — learning what I needed, what I deserved, and how to show up differently.

I'm not sharing this to impress you. I'm sharing it because I want you to know: I have never asked a client to do something I haven't done myself.

This is why I coach the whole person.

Career breakthroughs and life breakthroughs are rarely separate. When clients come to me stuck in their job search, we often uncover something deeper — self-worth, fear of visibility, patterns that follow them from one chapter to the next. I'm equipped to support you across career, health, and life because I've navigated all three — not just professionally, but personally.

And yes — my last name has a story.

Tolo is a name I chose for myself. After two marriages and two last name changes, I shortened my maiden name, Tolokonniova, to Tolo. It's the name I came back to when I was ready to start a new chapter on my own terms. I share that because it's exactly the kind of moment my clients come to me with — a turning point, a reinvention, a decision to finally put themselves first.

I get it. I've lived it.

One more thing.

I recently made the decision to pursue licensure in mental health counseling — because coaching has shown me how much more is possible when you can support someone fully. I'm not there yet, and I'm transparent about that. Right now I offer coaching — career, life, and health. But everything I do is rooted in the belief that people are capable of profound change, and that the right support at the right moment can make all the difference.

If you're ready to have the conversation that changes things — I'm here.