JAMES LEE
“I am passionate about people leading lives they love!"
James Lee is the Managing Director and Founder of JAL Consulting, and for nearly 40 years he has been working with senior leaders and their teams to produce breakthrough results. Having done research on the nature of leadership and teamwork, he has been able to apply the results of that research in his consulting. Literally, obliterating the constraints that are inherent in any organization, leading to consistent and continual results beyond the predictable. James has delivered large-scale cultural shifts in Fortune 500 companies as well as the private sector and has been a keynote speaker on the subject of breakthrough thinking internationally.
James is passionate about people leading lives they love! He is committed to eliminating the false causes of people’s lack of performance, which prevents them from having the lives they want and the results they long for in business.
James did his undergraduate studies at California State University at Fullerton and completed an Executive MBA at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. He has completed graduate programs in Finance at the Duke University Fuqua School of Business.
James currently lives in Florida, USA.
HAILEY NGUYEN
"I enjoy consulting with various levels of management to achieve Breakthrough Results."
Hailey Nguyen, General Manager and Senior Consultant at JAL specializes in fostering executive and team growth. With a sharp focus on Breakthrough Results, she collaborates with management at various levels to drive success through alignment, accountability, and ownership of the whole.
Before joining JAL, Hailey held the position of finance manager at Experian Financial Solutions, a leading international credit bureau with multi-billion-dollar revenue. During her tenure, she earned special recognition for introducing innovative development processes to the global finance team.
Hailey holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from California State University at Fullerton. In addition to her professional pursuits, she is an ardent advocate for the eradication of human trafficking and modern-day slavery and serves on the board of a non-profit educational organization.
Currently, Hailey resides in Greece with her husband and son.
MATINA ZOLOTA
“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.“
Matina Zolota serves as the Operations Coordinator at JAL. She was born in Athens, Greece, where she pursued her academic education in Business Planning and Information Systems at the Management and Economy School of the Technological University of Patras. In addition to her formal education, Matina also holds a professional certification in commercial secretariat and office organization from the Didacta Institute in Athens.
With over 15 years of experience, Matina has garnered extensive experience working as an Executive Assistant to high-level executives within multinational corporations. Her hallmark traits include exceptional organizational skills and a commitment to ensuring timely completion of tasks.
Beyond her professional life, Matina is happily married and blessed with a delightful daughter. During her leisure hours, she finds joy in cooking, immersing herself in books, and exploring new destinations through travel.
PENELOPE PANGALOS
“I love the power clients get when they see that something else is possible, and then they use that power to create a new future for themselves.”
Penelope Pangalos, a Senior Consultant at JAL, has worked with executives and their teams around the world to create possibilities and use their power to create a new future for themselves. They dare to say that they will do that which they know they cannot do, and remain committed to attaining this unpredictable goal.
Before joining JAL Consulting, Penelope worked at EFG Private Bank in London for 12 years, where, as a senior manager, she oversaw the management of high-net-worth individuals’ assets.
She was born and raised in England and obtained her BA (Hons) degree in French and Greek from King’s College London and her MA in European Studies from the University of Reading.
Penelope currently lives in Athens with her husband and sons. She makes time for her love of acting, tennis, and her goal to be a stunt driver.
JELENA POULOPOULOU
“Unwavering commitment is the driving force behind life-changing transformations.”
Jelena Poulopoulou is a Senior Consultant working at JAL, with a passion for supporting individuals and organizations achieve breakthrough thinking and extraordinary results. Known for her expertise in breakthrough thinking, Jelena brings a unique perspective to her coaching practice. She has a deep understanding of the challenges faced by executives in today’s fast-paced and ever-evolving business landscape. Through her strategic guidance and thought-provoking questioning, Jelena empowers her clients to challenge conventional wisdom, explore new possibilities, and develop innovative solutions.
Prior to joining JAL, Jelena worked in IT sector, including a leading internet and software provider in the Balkan area, where she was accountable for leading the customer care and after-sales support teams.
Jelena was born in Belgrade, Serbia where she received her bachelor’s degree in economics with a focus on GeoEconomics within the European Union. She continued her studies at Hertfordshire University (Athens branch) where she received her MA in Management.
In her free time, she volunteers to improve the lives of refugees and is also a passionate advocate for animal rights, participating in the fight to eliminate animal cruelty. She finds joy in exploring new destinations and savoring diverse culinary experiences.
Jelena is committed to human relationships, and her aspiration is to empower individuals and organizations to produce extraordinary outcomes that genuinely impact their lives.
Jelena currently lives in Athens, Greece with her husband and her twins, a boy and a girl, and her dog.
CHRISTINA NOTA
“I love it when my clients and I surpass our own expectations and achieve Breakthrough Results!”
Christina Nota was born in Thessaloniki, Greece. She studied civil engineering, and right after obtaining her degree, she worked for a road construction company. She then continued working on various construction projects all over Greece, including a large clinic in Thessaloniki. She was then selected to be the executive secretary of the chairman of the clinic, and she stayed in this position for 5 years.
Parallel to her career, she also moderated and led a YPO (leadership community of extraordinary chief executives) spouse forum for 2 years in the Greater Europe chapter.
Since 2019, she has worked for JAL Consulting and loves to inspire herself and others to achieve Breakthrough Results. She is married and has three lovely children and a dog.
ANNITA KATSIKOPOULOU
“I am passionate about having people see that circumstances do not define who they are.”
Annita Katsikopoulou, an Associate Consultant at JAL, was born and raised in Athens, Greece, where she received her degree from the University of West Attica Department of Health Care and Biomedical Sciences with a focus on aesthetic dermatology, cosmetic science, dietetics, and nutrition. She worked at the same university for six years as a research associate.
In 1998, she created and still successfully manages a health and beauty spa in Athens.
In her free time, Annita took cake decorating lessons, and in 2022, she won a gold award in the Cake International Birmingham global competition. She is also passionate about healthy living and sustainability.
She joined the JAL team after experiencing the impact of coaching in her own life. Having seen the issues that businesses confront in developing alignment, accountability, and leadership, she decided to refocus her professional life on executive coaching. She is committed to achieving extraordinary results.
She now lives in London with her husband and son.
ANGELIKI POLITI
“The value of having someone stand for you through coaching unlocks people’s unlimited capacities and capabilities.”
Angeliki Politi was born and raised in Athens, Greece. She studied Economics and Business Management at Kingston University, London, and then obtained a master’s degree in business management from the University of London. She then pursued a career in shipping, doing chartering, and then trading financial derivatives for about 14 years. She is married and has three daughters. A few years after the birth of her third daughter, she joined JAL as the Operations Manager and Consultant.
She is passionate about the unlimited possibilities the Breakthrough Thinking Methodology has to offer and how, in terms of one’s potential, our limits are usually self-imposed. While working with the team at JAL, she has experienced how alignment, accountability, and leadership can lead to extraordinary results beyond imagination.