OUR STORY
Penumbra Group was formed in 1998, with a focus on employee training and development for clients on the West Coast of the US. Today, Penumbra has grown into a full-service talent management consulting practice, specializing in selection, retention and development services for clients worldwide. Your dedicated Penumbra team is with you from start to finish, becoming experts on your company structure and culture. You receive the benefit of trusted advisors with a valuable outside perspective that includes open dialogue about improved performance, best practices and competitive information. Learn more about our services.
JEN SHIRKANI
Executive Coach | Emotional Intelligence Expert | Keynote Speaker
Jen Shirkani is a seasoned executive coach and nationally recognized authority on emotional intelligence (EQ), with over 25 years of experience guiding leaders from the Fortune 50 to fast-growing startups and family-owned businesses. She specializes in helping executives enhance their leadership effectiveness by developing deeper self-awareness, decision-making agility, and coachability—especially under pressure.
As the author of two widely acclaimed books, Ego vs. EQ: How Top Leaders Beat 8 Ego Traps Using Emotional Intelligence and Choose Resilience, Jen provides practical strategies that translate EQ concepts into actionable leadership behaviors. Her coaching approach is grounded in real-world business experience and informed by decades of consulting with senior leaders navigating complex workplace dynamics.
Jen partners with organizations to drive meaningful behavior change at the executive level—whether improving influence, leading through change, or strengthening team engagement. Her work also includes supporting succession readiness, building emotionally intelligent leadership pipelines, and helping leaders avoid derailment due to blind spots or ego traps.
Jen is a frequent speaker at leadership conferences, universities, and government institutions, and she regularly contributes to discussions on executive performance, resilience, generational differences, and talent strategy. She holds a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership from Chapman University and has certifications from Franklin Covey, Achieve Global, and the TRACOM Group.
Her insights have been featured in outlets such as Bloomberg Businessweek, Inc.com, Fast Company, and Business Insider. Based in Mesa, Arizona, Jen travels globally to support leaders who are ready to grow—and lead—with greater emotional intelligence.
STEVE FRIEDLEIN
Executive Coach | Leadership Development Strategist | Talent Optimization Consultant
Steve Friedlein is a seasoned executive coach and leadership development expert with over 30 years of experience helping professionals at all levels build new skills, improve performance, and thrive in complex organizational environments. Since 2005, he has been a valued member of the Penumbra Group team, where he designs and delivers customized coaching and development programs for individuals and groups across industries including retail, public accounting, healthcare, education, and government.
Steve’s coaching approach is grounded in real-world leadership experience and a strong foundation in adult learning. He brings a practical, results-oriented perspective to every engagement—drawing from his prior roles as Head of Leadership Development at JCPenney Direct Marketing Services, Store Manager with Hartmarx Retail Specialty Stores, and Firm Administrator at a national public accounting firm. In these positions, he led HR strategy, talent management, and leadership development initiatives, advising senior leaders on building and retaining high-performing teams.
With deep expertise in leadership coaching, performance improvement, and interpersonal effectiveness, Steve helps leaders identify and overcome challenges such as communication breakdowns, low engagement, ineffective feedback, and team misalignment. He is certified in the Success Factors DiSC behavioral assessment and the MHS EQ-i 2.0 and EQ360 emotional intelligence assessments, which he uses to help clients gain greater self-awareness and strengthen their leadership presence.
Steve holds a degree in Education from Southwest State University in Marshall, Minnesota. He is known for his ability to connect with clients in a grounded, approachable way—bringing insight, structure, and support to leaders seeking to grow their impact and navigate change with confidence.
ANGELA BEAROR
Executive Coach | Leadership & EQ Strategist | Veteran
Angela Bearor is an executive coach with over 25 years of diverse professional experience spanning military leadership, air traffic control, operations management, and C-level client engagement. A U.S. Navy veteran and former Air Traffic Control Tower Supervisor, Angela is no stranger to high-stakes environments that require rapid decision-making, emotional control, and absolute clarity. She brings those skills to her coaching relationships with senior executives and emerging leaders.
Angela currently serves as a Senior Consultant at Penumbra Group, a C-suite coaching and leadership development firm, where she partners with Fortune 500 clients across defense, tech, healthcare, finance, and education sectors. Angela delivers insightful, actionable coaching rooted in emotional intelligence, leadership assessments, and behavioral data, helping leaders sharpen self-awareness, strengthen team dynamics, and lead with greater impact.
She has a rich background in directing daily operations in high-volume business environments with large teams. Her coaching is informed by a robust foundation in operational leadership. Whether facilitating executive workshops, delivering one-on-one coaching, or supporting leadership transitions, Angela blends discipline, empathy, and strategic clarity to elevate performance.
Angela holds multiple MHS certifications, including the EQi 2.0 and EQi 360, DiSC (Success Factors), and is a Certified Scrum Master (CSM). She holds a B.A. in Communications & Digital Media from Southern New Hampshire University and is adept in a wide range of digital platforms to support remote coaching and leadership development programs.
With a strong track record of client satisfaction, exceptional communication skills, and a gift for simplifying complex leadership challenges, Angela helps executives become more emotionally intelligent, resilient, and results-driven.
JANE MATA
EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATOR
Jane began her career at 1991 as an executive assistant and has more than 20 years of experience prior to joining Penumbra Group in 2011, she served in a number of support positions within various industries. Most recently, she was the Executive Assistant to the COO of CORT Furniture Rental. She is responsible for providing high-level support to the CEO and administering Penumbra Group’s internal operations and enjoys spending her free time hiking and being in the outdoors.