Testimonials

"Rich possesses an incredible range and flexibility. Regardless of what executive leadership challenges I may be processing, he is always able to coach me through thoughtful pathways and solutions. His coaching consistently challenges me, and because of Rich's coaching I am able to scale my service to my organization and the world. Rich, thank you for your time and dedication."

— Abel Chávez, President, Our Lady of the Lake University

“Spending time with Rich provided the space and time to truly reflect on my abilities as a leader, identify what really matters to me, and unlock barriers in my thinking and behavior. Rich’s kindness, authenticity, and experience made him the perfect guide to help me realize my true potential. I am extremely grateful for our time together and would highly recommend Rich to any high performer, seasoned or newly appointed in a leadership position.”

— Krissy Collins, Dean, Continuing Education, University of California, Irvine

“Rich Aste is a force – for good! His ideas, insights, knowledge, and kindness meant the world to me and my team. He met each of my team members right where they were and engaged them in creating a tailor-made plan that made each person feel seen and heard. Rich masterfully helped to bring us together as a leadership team – teaching us to better know and understand ourselves and one another. His tremendous knowledge of the literature and his skill as a coach allowed each of us to get the maximum benefit in our time with him. Our work with Rich Aste has been nothing short of revelatory and has allowed us to go to the next level as a management team.”

— Gretchen Dietrich, The Marcia and John Price Executive Director,

Utah Museum of Fine Arts

“Coaching is an art, and Rich knows his craft. From his breadth and depth of professional experience and personal growth, Rich applies his outstanding leadership skills and his robust knowledge of positive psychology, leaving one feeling energized, inspired, and most importantly living their life’s purpose. I believe in wellness teams, and I cannot think of a better person to be on my team than Rich assisting me with the preservation and exploration of oneself.”

— Jon Fiume, John S. Knight Executive Director & CEO, Akron Art Museum

“Rich has an incredibly unique talent for challenging his clients, guiding them when needed, and ultimately elevating them to achieve their highest potential and purpose.  More important, he makes it enjoyable every step of the way.  I cannot recommend him highly enough.”

— Nick Goseland, Managing Director at Macrae

“Working with Rich has been a transformative experience. He cheerleads, challenges, listens, offers thoughtful insights, and pushes you forward to grow professionally as well as personally. His coaching has helped me to improve communication with my staff, develop and move forward with key strategic initiatives, recognize my own potential, and find a positive work-life balance, all of which has made me a more effective leader.”

— Michelle Hargrave, Executive Director, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts

“My year of meeting with Rich was truly transformational. Going in, I really did not expect for our monthly meetings to have such an impact on my life. But Rich has helped me define what matters to me most, how to deal with difficult and challenging situations, and how to prioritize. In every respect—my work, family life, and my health—I am so much better off.”

— Michelle Khine, Biomedical Engineering Professor & Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education, University of California, Irvine

“Over the past year, I have benefitted tremendously, both professionally and personally, from working with Rich.  He encouraged me when I needed encouragement, and he pushed me when I needed a nudge to try something outside of my comfort zone.  He has helped me identify the values which I aspire to achieve as a leader, and he has supported me in promoting those values in my workplace, and in my life.”

— Jennifer Moumneh, University Ombuds & Director, University of California, Irvine

“Working with Rich has taken me — and my business — to new levels. His brilliant coaching style encourages me to view things from new and different perspectives, enabling me to challenge myself and grow in each session. My business has expanded thanks to Rich's coaching, and I highly recommend him to any business owner seeking the tools and guidance they need to grow.”

— Jonathan Ochart, Founder & CEO, The Postcard Agency

“Rich Aste was recommended to me by several of my fellow art museum directors, and I am so glad I listened to them! We had added some new members to the National Portrait Gallery’s executive team, and I decided to have a two-day off-site retreat with the goal of bringing everyone together as a group. I wanted to set aside time to understand our individual strengths, and how we could maximize our combined experiences to advance our strategic plan. Rich not only interviewed everyone in advance of our time together, but also had everyone do a personality DiSC and character strength assessment, as well as learn their “saboteur” behaviors. We had been experiencing some challenging communications issues coming out of the pandemic, and he helped us to understand the different ways we deal with conflict, make, and resolve decisions. What was especially helpful was to see the “profile” of our team and craft an internal purpose statement that would motivate us in the future. There was also plenty of time to share personal stories led by Rich’s example as he talked about turning points in his life. His approach gave permission for people to show vulnerability and build trust. Finally, it really helped that Rich has had experience as a museum director! He is one of us and understands how the different departments operate. He was extremely helpful after the retreat in giving me one-on-one advice, having once been in the same directorial role, and observing the dynamics of my team.”

— Kim Sajet, Director, The National Portrait Gallery, a Smithsonian Institution