5 Women Who Turned Health Coaching Into Something the World Hadn’t Seen Yet

Quick Answer: What happens when women take their health coaching training and refuse to follow someone else’s playbook? We’re highlighting five IIN graduates who did just that—each designing a healthier, more equitable world in their own way. One builds food justice nonprofits in underserved neighborhoods. One leads the national board that sets the standard for the entire profession. One creates platforms that keep 22,000 menstruators in school across eight countries. One engineers the business infrastructure that coaches everywhere were missing. And one launches wellness movements reaching 12,000 people in Spanish-speaking communities. Each story is a bold example of how health coaches can shape meaningful change on a global scale.

International Women's Day is a moment to celebrate progress—but for these five women, progress isn't something they wait for. It's something they build.

IIN's mission has always been to play a crucial role in improving health and happiness, and through that process, create a ripple effect that transforms the world. These five alumni are living proof of that ripple effect in action. Each of them arrived at IIN from a completely different starting point: nursing, Fortune 500 sales, music, nonprofit leadership, corporate learning and development. What they share is a refusal to accept the wellness world as they found it. Where they saw gaps in access, representation, credibility, or infrastructure, they didn't just point them out—they filled them.

Their stories offer something for everyone: if you're exploring whether health coaching could be your path, these women show you what's possible. If you're already coaching, their strategies for building beyond a one-on-one practice will challenge you to think bigger. And if you're a current student or fellow alum, consider this your proof that the training you're investing in can become the foundation for work that truly changes things—the kind of ripple effect that starts with one coach and reaches entire communities.

Asha Walker: Turning Food Deserts Into Thriving Communities

Founder, Health in the Hood & Cured App | Health Coach Training Program Grad, 2022

For over 12 years, Asha Walker has been at the forefront of food justice and holistic wellness. She is the founder of Health in the Hood, a nationally recognized nonprofit transforming food deserts into thriving community gardens, and Cured, a whole-person health platform built around micro-habits that increase daily happiness and long-term healthspan.

For Asha, working in communities taught her something fundamental: health wasn’t about trends. It was about access, environment, and daily behavior. What she learned was simple—health doesn’t change through intensity. It changes through small, repeatable habits.

The takeaway for coaches: Asha’s micro-habit approach is something any health coach can apply with clients today. Instead of overwhelming clients with a total lifestyle overhaul, try identifying one small, repeatable behavior they can commit to this week. That’s how lasting change compounds.

Deanna Fournier: Leading the Organization That Defines the Profession

Executive Director, National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) | INHC | Health Coach Training Program Grad, 2017

Deanna Fournier’s career has always lived at the intersection of coaching, leadership, and health. A rare blood cancer diagnosis at age six shaped her lifelong commitment to health and wellness. Her career took her through global learning and development—coaching business leaders in management, leadership, and sales—while she simultaneously served on the board for a rare disease nonprofit. She graduated from IIN’s Health Coach Training Program in 2016, joined IIN’s leadership team, and built her own coaching business before accepting the role of Executive Director at the Histiocytosis Association, where she brought coaching into the rare disease community through peer support programs.

In 2025, Deanna became the Executive Director of the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC)—the organization that pioneered and continues to advance national board certification for health and wellness coaches. She now helps drive the integration of health coaching into every setting it can reach.

The takeaway for coaches: Deanna’s path from IIN graduate to Executive Director of the NBHWC is a powerful reminder that board certification isn’t just a credential—it’s a gateway into shaping the future of the profession.

Mikaela Ingram: Making Menstrual Health a Global Movement

Registered Nurse, Founder & President of Divine Drops | Health Coach Training Program Grad, 2023

Mikaela Ingram is a registered travel nurse and the founder and president of Divine Drops, a menstrual health nonprofit on a mission to transform the way humanity perceives the menstrual cycle. Through reusable, eco-friendly period products, holistic health education, and community-driven programs, Divine Drops has supported over 22,000 menstruators across eight countries—and helped avoid over 25 million disposable pads and tampons. Named a 2025 Remarkable Woman of the Triad in North Carolina, Mikaela believes that no girl should ever miss school—or miss out on her potential—because of her period.

The takeaway for coaches: Mikaela’s “Train the Trainer” model is a brilliant scaling strategy. If you’re a coach looking to multiply your impact, consider how you can train advocates or peer leaders within the communities you serve.

Nichole Lowe: Building the Business Platform Coaches Were Missing

Founder & CEO, Zoee | Board-Certified Health Coach | Health Coach Training Program Grad, 2012

Nichole Lowe’s résumé reads like three careers in one. She went from producing at Paisley Park with Prince to driving over $200 million in Fortune 500 sales to becoming a board-certified health coach through IIN. Then she built the thing that didn’t exist yet. Zoee is the all-in-one practice management platform for coaches—built by a coach who refused to accept that brilliant people should fail at business just because no one gave them the right tools.

The takeaway for coaches: If the business side of coaching feels overwhelming, you’re not alone. Investing in your business skills is just as important as deepening your coaching expertise. IIN’s curriculum includes business and marketing training for exactly this reason.

Valen Moises: Bringing Holistic Wellness to the Spanish-Speaking World

Singer & Author | Creator of VIBRA | Health Coach Training Program Grad, 2025

Valen Moises is a singer, songwriter, author, and holistic wellness leader who has built one of the most vibrant integrated wellness platforms in the Spanish-speaking world. She is the creator of VIBRA, a personal development and well-being platform with over 12,000 users across paid and free programs. She is the author of two books—"El Camino de la Diosa" and "La Caja Creativa"—and has composed over 50 songs.

The takeaway for coaches: Valen’s success highlights the enormous opportunity in serving Spanish-speaking communities—and the fact that IIN’s Health Coach Training Program is available fully in Spanish makes it one of the most accessible pathways into this market.

What These Women Have in Common—And What It Means For You

Five women. Five completely different paths. But look at what connects them:

They saw a gap and filled it. Asha saw communities without food access. Deanna saw a profession that grows stronger when regulated by national standards. Mikaela saw girls missing school because of their periods. Nichole saw coaches struggling to succeed without the right business tools. Valen saw a Spanish-speaking world underserved by holistic wellness. None of them waited for permission.

They combined health coaching with something else they already had. Nursing credentials. Corporate sales experience. Nonprofit leadership. Musical artistry. Global L&D expertise. The Health Coach Training Program didn’t replace what they brought—it gave them a framework to amplify it.

They built beyond the one-on-one session. Apps. Platforms. Nonprofits. Certifications. Books. Train-the-trainer programs. These women demonstrate that health coaching can be the launchpad for impact at any scale.

They represent the global reach of this work. From food deserts in the U.S. to menstrual health advocacy across eight countries to a thriving Spanish-language wellness platform in Argentina. IIN’s Health Coach Training Program is offered fully in Spanish—part of the reason IIN now has graduates in 187+ countries.

Your Spring Reset Starts Here

These five women didn’t transform their careers overnight—they started by investing in their own health and education first. If their stories have you thinking about what your next chapter could look like, here are two ways to take the first step:

Explore what’s possible with a free 3-Day Spring Hormone Reset. Starting March 24, IIN is hosting three expert-guided live sessions on cortisol balance, hormone-supportive nutrition, and cycle syncing. It’s free, interactive, and designed to give you tools you can use immediately.

Ready to go deeper? IIN’s Health Coach Training Program is available in both English and Spanish, with flexible online coursework designed to fit around your life. Download IIN’s free curriculum guide or book a free consultation with an admissions advisor.

Join 180,000+ IIN graduates in 187+ countries who are redefining what health and wellness look like—on their own terms.

This article is published in honor of International Women’s Day 2026.