Executive coaching and consulting that blends emotional intelligence and health metrics to support high-performing leaders from the inside out.

Sarah Kivel, MBA — executive leadership and performance coach helping high-achieving professionals build emotional intelligence, well-being, and sustainable success

About Sarah

As a leadership and performance coach with a background in international business, emotional intelligence, and athletics, I have coached leaders across industries—tech, finance, healthcare, hospitality, and sports. I am also a Professional Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation as well as a Goleman/BeyondEI Emotional Intelligence Meta Coach. In addition, I am a National Academy of Sports Medicine CPT.

I am also the founder of Kivél, a clothing brand that blends European luxury with California athletic elegance, and eiFOCUS®, a nonprofit organization that empowers female athletes and their coaches with emotional intelligence leadership.

My education includes an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley Haas School of Business, and an undergraduate degree from the University of California, Davis.

You can often find me outdoors—on my bike, skis, or hiking trail—with my husband TJ and our two Australian shepherds, Dani and Poppy.

Our Philosophy

Colorful poppies swaying by the shore of Lake Lugano, Switzerland, with soft sunlight and mountains in the background, symbolizing growth and clarity in leadership coaching.

Athelegance™ is our approach to coaching that helps high-performing leaders build inner strength through emotional intelligence and data-informed well-being. By integrating health metrics with self-awareness, we help you lead with confidence, energy, and long-term impact.

A stack of two dumbbells in icon format.

ath·let·ic /ˌathˈletik/ adj.

  • Strong in presence and performance.

  • Disciplined in pursuit, grounded in intention.

  • Focused on movement, mastery, and progress.

  • Determined to lead with purpose, inside and out.

A icon with the image of three mountains .

el·e·gance [EL-uh-guhns] adj.

  • A composed presence, rooted in self-awareness.

  • The ability to move with clarity and intention.

  • A quiet confidence, expressed with ease and grace.

  • A compassionate way of being

“Athelegance™ is our philosophy, SWEAT is our strategy”
— Sarah

SWEAT: Success With Empathy And Trust

The SWEAT Method is the core framework that guides my coaching. It helps leaders align high performance with emotional intelligence—fostering trust, clarity, and resilience.

Through empathy, intention, and self-awareness, SWEAT supports sustainable growth from the inside out.

Our tools.

  • Close-up of a black and rose gold Oura Ring, representing the integration of health metrics into leadership and performance coaching.

    Oura Ring

    We use the Oura Ring to help clients track key health metrics like sleep, recovery, heart rate variability, glucose, and stress. This data gives us a real-time view into how your body supports your leadership—so we can coach with intention and precision.

  • Blue Kivel-branded assessment journal with a gold pen on a marble surface, used for leadership self-assessments and coaching reflections.

    Assessments

    We draw from a select suite of proven leadership and performance assessments chosen to align with your goals and deliver the insights you need most.

  • Cover of Success With Empathy and Trust: An Emotional Intelligence Playbook for Coaches of Female Athletes by Sarah Kivel.

    SWEAT: Success With Empathy And Trust

    Sarah’s book and leadership framework, developed for coaches of female athletes, offers a proven approach to building trust, empathy, and high performance—relevant for leaders across industries.

Work with us

  • Lead with clarity, presence, and sustainable energy.
    Personalized coaching for high-performing leaders, integrating emotional intelligence with health insights like sleep, recovery, and HRV. Strengthen decision-making, resilience, and long-term impact.

  • Elevate collaboration, resilience, and performance.
    We bring our expert team of coaches for single day or multi day trainings and coaching. We deliver custom programs that blend emotional intelligence, leadership development, and wellness metrics to improve communication and team culture. These team trains are designed for measurable, lasting change.

  • One powerful day. Extraordinary settings.

    Step away from the everyday and immerse yourself in a full-day, one-on-one coaching experience designed for breakthrough results. Choose the vibrant energy of San Francisco or the inspiring backdrop of Olympic Valley’s mountain slopes.

    We combine deep, focused coaching with strategic planning and reflective pauses—so you walk away with clarity, renewed energy, and a concrete action plan you can put into motion immediately.

  • "Sarah brought warmth, intelligence, and generosity to every session, blending her expertise as a coach, consultant, business owner, and inspiring woman balancing family and career."

    Roni P. Dodiuk-Gad, MD

  • "I still grin at how powerful taking a walk and talking through things can be. That was all from Sarah. The work results speak for themselves. "

    Matthew Houston, Product Manager

  • "Sarah's expertise and engaging training style created an environment of growth and learning that not only brought our team closer together, but also gave us valuable skills and tools applicable to our everyday work."

    Ana Laakmann, Operations

  • "The in-person sessions were impactful, fostering a sense of connection among the team and providing an opportunity to learn and practice the concepts of emotional intelligence in a supportive environment."

    Robert Vets, Technology Engineer

  • "You are a truly inspirational coach. Thank you for leading me in my self-discovery and for being there for me every step of the way!”

    Myrto Trakatelli, Physician

  • "Emotional Intelligence is a learned capacity that can be strengthened, and we thank Sarah for taking our leadership team to the next level.”

    John Younger, Entrepreneur and CEO

Lets start the conversation.

Your questions answered…

  • SKIVEL coaching and consulting, founded by Sarah Kivel, blends emotional intelligence with health and performance strategies to help leaders lead with clarity, energy, and impact.

  • Emotional intelligence builds self-awareness, empathy, and communication skills — essential for inspiring teams, making sound decisions, and creating a positive work culture.

  • Yes. We integrate metrics from tools like the Oura Ring to help leaders optimize energy, recovery, and focus for peak performance.

  • We work with executives, entrepreneurs, and high-performance leaders in industries including technology, finance, sports, and healthcare.

  • Yes. We provide customized team training to strengthen collaboration, communication, and performance through emotional intelligence frameworks.

  • VIP sessions are available in San Francisco and Olympic Valley, California — with the option for ski slope or in-city immersive experiences.

  • Simply visit our “Make It Happen” page to schedule your first conversation.