The Name --> Stella Nera
Italian for Black Star
A hotel and restaurant in Prague. A dinner shared with my brothers and niece Isabel. A bottle of wine. A waiter. A cave-like room. No one else. All the elements, the voices, the laughter, the food, ALL the things, that create a moment.
In systems work - we also look at what's being created and trying to emerge. What forces support or hinder that emergence. What are the intangible parts between the individual things.
And then there was a hallway, and in the wall an engraved description of this magical esoteric symbol: The Black Star. A symbol of tension and good fortune. The black hole -- a force that consumes all, and the star -- the purest form of light and profound newness and opportunity. It is a reminder that whether in darkness or light, it represents, and contains, all. It is an invitation to explore our authentic selves. Yes, plural. It was my ultimate inspiration for this business. For my work. For the life I curate. And for the gift I give and receive from doing this work.
Why Italian? My why (below) has a lot to do with my father, and my own journey. The Italian is for my Sicilian mother, who understood that tension of the Black Star more than most.
Grazie mille 🖤
My Why: story and start to Stella Nera
​I like to think my interest in understanding people began at the age of 6. In 1980, my family moved to Warsaw, Poland as my father accepted a teaching position at the University of Warsaw. I was only 6, but old enough to sense the significance of the large red suitcase that sat packed in our closet; we were living in a foreign country, on the brink of war, and needed to be ready to leave at a moment's notice.
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Throughout my education, I remained fascinated by people. Trained as a behavioral psychologist with a M.Ed., I taught children with special needs, primarily those who were neurodivergent. I worked in both public and private sectors, and started a small tutoring business catered to the unique needs of students searching for extra support.
While I loved teaching, my curiosity about the business world resulted in a transition out of the classroom. I became a senior leader for a large educational and travel company, ultimately working both in the US and Europe. I excelled in leading and coaching teams, and my focus on individual growth and team dynamics ensured a positive impact on the bottom line. Over the years, my curiosity continued to grow, and I began specializing in external workshops, panel discussions, and investing more deeply in my coaching practice and speaking opportunities.
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At the end of 2022, my focus shifted again. After spending seven years living in Europe, I returned to my home-state of Ohio to help care for my father. It was a significant personal change, but it also created an opportunity—the time and clarity needed to start my own business, Stella Nera Coaching.
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Ann Wagner
Sitting in the fire with you and your team, bravely creating space for change.
Coaching, but not like you've seen before:
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Systems Coaching Expertise: focus on both individual growth and organizational dynamics, offering a holistic approach.
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Diverse Certifications: combining psychological insights with practical assessments tools, change theory, and systems work.
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Global Perspective: experience working with international teams as a senior leader adds a multicultural dimension to your coaching.
What makes this different:
A SYSTEMS LENS FOR REAL GROWTH
Growth does not happen in isolation. We are always in relationship — with ourselves, our families, our teams, and our organizations — AND, clarity changes everything.
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This is not advice.
This is structured, reflective partnership that elevates emotional and social intelligence, strategic thinking, and a deep analysis of how relational dynamics impact performance, drive behaviors, and highlight alignment.
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THE DIFFERENCE ALSO LIES IN ME
My brain, my passion, my intuition, my journey.
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Training, research, skills, lived roles make up 50% of what matters. It's half -- so it matters a great deal. The other 50% is personal; its the lived experiences, the energy, the insight, the decisions, the journey that has brought me here today. It also matters.