Episode 47: Gina Rattan

In this episode of Anxiety & the Artist, Allison Sheff sits down with executive coach and former theater director Gina Rattan for a conversation about performance anxiety, executive presence, and showing up with authority when the stakes are high.

Before becoming an executive coach, Gina built her career in theater, working as a director and associate director on major productions. Today, she brings that same deep understanding of performance, storytelling, and leadership into the corporate world, coaching high-level performers from Broadway and Oscar-winning actors to Fortune 500 executives.

Gina’s work centers on one core belief: presence is not something you’re born with. It’s something you build.

In this conversation, Gina and Allison explore:

• The three most common forms of performance anxiety

• Why perfectionism and “fear of consistency” quietly derail high achievers

• How leadership is an authentic performance, not a fake one

• Practical nervous system tools for high-pressure moments

• How to reframe anxiety as information instead of personal failure

  
  

Gina shares accessible, concrete strategies including movement-based regulation, breath work, and cognitive reframing techniques that help artists and executives alike turn down the volume on anxiety without trying to eliminate it entirely.

This episode is especially valuable for creatives navigating visibility, leaders stepping into larger roles, and anyone who wants to build steadiness under pressure.

Connect with Gina Rattan

Website: https://www.green-room.io/

Substack: Executive Functioning

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ginarattan/

Instagram: @green.room.io