Jessica Nowaski

Jessica Nowaski is a seasoned law enforcement and coaching professional. Renowned for her leadership coaching, team building, facilitation, and public speaking, she was highly sought after within and outside her department. Her ability to inspire and develop leaders at all levels has been instrumental in fostering a culture of excellence and resilience. Jessica’s expertise in team building has enhanced collaboration and morale, while her facilitation skills have ensured effective communication and problem-solving across diverse groups.

During her distinguished 26-year career with the Mountain View Police Department, she led all facets of operations and administrative functions, ultimately serving as the Deputy Police Chief. Jessica demonstrated exceptional leadership and strategic vision, overseeing critical areas such as operational command, incident management, and personnel development.

Jessica has proven leadership experience in Operational Command and Administration, Incident and Crisis Management, Organizational and Professional Development, Leadership and Managerial Coaching, Strategic Planning, Workshop Development and Delivery, Organizational Learning and Research, Facilitation and Presentation, Public Speaking, and Personnel Investigations.

In 2018, Jessica founded Athena Leadership Coaching, dedicated to empowering law enforcement professionals nationwide. She partners with personnel at all levels to tackle leadership challenges, uncover internal blocks, and enhance leadership strengths. Her workshops are creative, inspiring, and customized to client needs.

She has served on the Women Leaders in Law Enforcement Symposium planning committee (2013-2019) and presented at conferences like the California Police Chiefs Association Training Symposium and the International Leadership Association. She holds a B.A. in Criminal Justice Administration from Sonoma State University and an M.A. in Leadership with a focus on coaching and facilitation from St. Mary’s College of California. Jessica received a certification at the Harvard Kennedy School for Senior Executive in State and Local Government. She is a trained professional coach through the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC) and a member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF).  Jessica also teaches the Personal and Professional Growth for the Management course for the California Police Officers Standards and Training. She is proud of her research on managerial coaching, which she has presented at the Columbia University Coaching Conference and the International Leadership Association.