“I knew my purpose in life was to help others — I just didn't know yet what shape that would take,” said Pat Gaston. 

Raised to believe every situation should be left better than he found it, Pat carried that philosophy throughout his military and corporate career with a people-first approach. He served for 22 years in the Army, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. He then led process improvement teams and supported vice presidents of quality and safety at Boeing for 17 years, before being diagnosed with prostate cancer. 

“It became one of the most clarifying experiences of my life,” he said. “It brought me back to my why. It led me here, to coaching.” 

With the help of the VA and a mentor coach, Pat enrolled in UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education’s Coaching for Life and Work Certificate Program while simultaneously launching Gaston Leadership Coaching. 

“Some people wonder why I am beginning this chapter of life with a new endeavor — why not just retire,” he said. “God is not done with me yet. This is my latest opportunity to love my neighbor.” 

Pat reflected on how the coaching program gave him the foundation and insight to succeed in this next chapter. 

What motivated you to enroll in the Coaching for Life and Work Certificate Program? 

I wanted a program that would give me a formal, rigorous framework to do with precision and intentionality what I had spent an entire career doing instinctively, based on years of leadership training at West Point and in the Army. Beyond that, I wanted to be credentialed and equipped at the highest level — not merely experienced. 

More than any credential, though, I wanted to be able to serve my clients with excellence. Every breakthrough I have witnessed — in soldiers, Boeing colleagues and coaching clients — was built encounter by encounter, showing up day after day. I wanted to build that same through an accredited program. 

How did the program prepare you for your coaching career? 

As a battalion commander, I learned that soldiers and junior officers didn't need me to fix their problems. They needed me to truly see them, inspire them, train them and lead them. The program sharpened something I'd experienced as a leader but hadn't fully articulated: The most powerful thing you can offer another person as a coach is not a solution but a safe space to find purpose and clear direction, achieve work-life balance, overcome obstacles and navigate change. 

The coaching program gave me the language and the methodology to hold that space with skill. The coaching session framework—particularly the Rule of Four (Identify the Topic, Set the Outcome, Check In and Wrap Up)—and the emphasis on asking thoughtful questions rather than providing answers became foundational to my coaching practice.

I was also able to identify my ideal client profile, those with whom I would best align in a coaching engagement. 

What made the biggest impact on your learning experience? 

The lead instructors, Michelle Payne and Laurie Cozart, are phenomenal. The program is structured to transform students into coaches, and they teach while also modeling what it takes to be a coach. 

The program changed how I connect with people in every part of my life. Through coaching, being coached and working with a mentor coach, I discovered the kind of coach I wanted to become—positive, nonjudgmental, even-tempered, empathetic and able to use humor effectively. 

Was there a moment in the program that changed your perspective? 

I was struggling with what prices to charge for my business. I had a desire to assist anyone and not let price be a barrier. Based on insights from a coaching session with a classmate, I changed the mission of my business and added pro bono coaching for veterans, families and young adults in need. 

How are you applying what you've learned? 

I am building Gaston Leadership Coaching, serving clients through life coaching, leadership coaching and vision and mission development. I approach every client the way Ray Charles approached music: meeting them exactly where they are, with the full range of what I have to offer. I love all types of people, and I believe great coaching means showing up for every kind of client. 

I am credentialed as an ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC) and am continuing toward my Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credential, which is the next milestone. 

My long-term vision is to help individuals, leaders and teams lead with purpose, creating workplaces, relationships and communities grounded in integrity, compassion and lasting impact. 

What advice would you give someone considering the program? 

First: Come prepared to invest fully in the readings, discussions and coaching practice. The more you put into the program, the more you'll get out of it. 

Second: Come with humility. The program will challenge your assumptions about what it means to help someone. The most courageous thing I've done as a coach isn't anything dramatic — it is to sit with another human being in their vulnerable, difficult moments and trust the process and my role as partner as they create and execute plans to meet the goals they have established. 

Finally: Come prepared to have your life transformed in a positive way. You’ll want to share the knowledge and use it in all applicable aspects of your life.