New Dawn Experiences
Building trust
in unfamiliar
things.
For the people building something new.
What's in a name?
Dawn is my middle name. And after 14 years climbing the corporate ladder, I stopped — and decided to build my own.
Turns out dreams change.
This is what running towards new dawns looks like.
I'm Liana
Nice to meet you.
I've spent most of my career inside companies at the scrappy stage — years five to ten, when the idea is working and suddenly you have to build the thing that holds it. Most recently at Director level, at companies like Axios and Rent the Runway.
At that stage there are a hundred good directions to go in. What I brought was a point of view rooted in how people would actually experience the brand, how they'd interact with it, and how you earn their trust.
Because underneath all of it is the same thing: what it takes to build trust in something unfamiliar. A new job. A new tool. A new name on the door.
The through-line for me is helping people go from "I joined" to "I belong."
What's in a name?
Dawn is my middle name. And after 14 years climbing the corporate ladder, I stopped — and decided to build my own.
Turns out dreams change.
This is what running towards new dawns looks like.
Sound familiar?
Is this you?
Your new hire onboarding is a Google Sheet and a prayer.
You chat with AI but don't know how to kick it up a notch.
You have budget for employee engagement but aren't really sure how to strategically deploy it.
You have to put a memorable team retreat together but don't know where to start.
What I do
Three lanes.
One throughline.
Employee Experience Consulting
End-to-end employee lifecycle work: onboarding, internal comms, culture rituals, and experiential moments that turn a job into a place people stay.
AI Adoption & Testing
Hands-on work testing and refining how AI actually fits into the way your people work — not as a buzzword, but as a daily tool they trust.
Solopreneur Brand & Strategy
Helping founders build the brand and the workflows that hold up when everything is moving fast and it's all under your own name.
Different rooms, same question: how do you get someone to trust something new?
What people are saying
Don't just take
my word for it.
Liana delivered a usability review for my onboarding product that far exceeded my expectations. She was timely, thorough, and brought a rare multi-lens perspective, evaluating the product as both a new hire, HR end user, and buyer — all informed by years of rich experience running onboarding at scaling companies. Her feedback was meticulously organized with specific, actionable recommendations at every layer, from platform tweaks to strategic insights on pricing, buyer objections, and competitive positioning. I'd recommend her to any founder who needs a sharp, experienced operator to pressure-test their product.
A strong operator and collaborator, Liana implemented onboarding processes with a keen focus on inclusion and belonging. Beyond that, she played a pivotal role in shaping the mission and vision of the People team, establishing clear SOPs and defining responsibilities — critical elements for success during periods of rapid growth.
From the ground up Liana built the company's internal corporate events work, traveling across the country to convene with the best in the business so she could absorb their knowledge and apply it back to her work. Liana was the trailblazer in her role, building the foundation for how we focus on the people and the culture of our business.
Working with Liana at Rent the Runway was one of the most energizing and grounding experiences of my career. What always stood out to me was how seamlessly she blended heart and strategy — she never lost sight of the people behind the process. I genuinely believe that anyone who brings Liana into their orbit is one step closer to turning their people-first vision into a reality.
Where I've been talking
Featured work.
On LinkedIn
IRL or via Zoom
Invite me
to your stage.
I speak at conferences, summits, and podcasts for founders, People leaders, and anyone building something new.
Book me to speak →- 01Designing memorable and impactful employee experiences
- 02Strategic internal comms that people look forward to
- 03How to utilize AI to transform your employee experience
- 04Transitioning from corporate 9-5 to being your own boss
Off the clock
A little life outside the work.
Traveling
Passport always packed. Currently plotting the next detour.
Formula 1
Sunday mornings belong to lights out and away we go.
Cooking
If it involves garlic and a hot pan, I'm in.
Museums
Give me a quiet gallery and I'll lose the whole afternoon.
Your move
Ready to
make work memorable?
Consulting, speaking, or chatting over a strong cappuccino with a People leader who gets it — tell me what you're building & where I can help.