Laena is a multidisciplinary entrepreneur, instructional designer, marketing ninja, and educator, dubbed "extraordinary" by the New York Times. After launching Anarchy in a Jar in 2009, she helped launch over a dozen startups as a leader, instructional designer, marketing and growth strategist, and consultant. She remains an unwavering optimist dedicated to helping people live their best lives through tech, art, essential skills, and sustainable ecosystems.

As a true believer in the power of innovation to make the world a better place, Laena is passionate about creating business-changing solutions through branding, design, and creative storytelling. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Martha Stewart Show, New York Magazine, Food & Wine, and more. Her cookbook, Jam On: The Craft of Canning Fruit, was published by Penguin Random House in 2012.

Laena graduated magna cum laude from Mount Holyoke College, received an MS in Information Science from Pratt Institute, and was awarded the United States Antarctica Service Medal by the Department of Defense for her work with the National Science Foundation.

As a lifelong educator, artist, and entrepreneur, Laena provides teams and individuals with a playbook to make their work better and navigate the pain points within a successful business, so they can realize their potential and solve real problems through innovation.

Laena teaches and consults through a number of platforms and with an array of fantastic companies, from Meta and Google, to Deloitte and Hinge. See notable success stories and testimonials on our homepage and in the press.

Let’s Talk About….

🍽️  Anything Food-Related

I love everything food from cooking to history, and especially hot sauce. You can find some of my musings on my blog.

🏫 Teaching Creatives

I'm passionate about design education and mentorship, as you can see from my work teaching at Pratt Institute and Thinkful. Reach out to me if you're looking for someone to teach a workshop or give a talk! 

❄️ The Art Gallery in Antarctica

That I started at the main US research station.

📚 Reading Books

I'm a certified book nerd with an MS in information science. Most recently, my favorite reads were Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer and All Fours by Miranda July.

🎈  Creating Piñata Sculptures

What?! Performative piñata art is a thing? YES, and it's amazing. If you're new to it, you should checkout Justin Favela’s sculptures.

🌶️ Transforming A Tennis Court Into A Farm

Some people have a green thumb, but I definitely think mine is red. As in, red hot spicy peppers. Checkout Pepper Court, my Hudson Valley Farm project.

💃🏻The Nitty-Gritty of Business

I love talking about business and making work better! You can hear some of my musings on podcasts and in print via my press page.