Instructional Design & Curriculum Development Portfolio
Laena is a multidisciplinary entrepreneur, educator, and curriculum developer based in NYC, described as "extraordinary" by the New York Times. Since founding Anarchy in a Jar in 2009, she has played a pivotal role in launching over a dozen startups, serving as a communication designer, curriculum developer, and consultant.
Her diverse client roster spans industries from education to technology. Laena also specializes in coaching founders and small business teams, constantly expanding her expertise through teaching and presenting. Most notably, she shared her insights on AI for marketing and UX design at the 2024 AI User Group Conference in San Francisco, where her presentations highlighted the intersection of technology and creative strategy.
Known for her attention to detail, organization, and team-oriented mindset, Laena brings a positive attitude to every project. She thrives in helping students and clients succeed, balancing her time efficiently while delivering exceptional results.
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 communication 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 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 clients, from Fortune 500s like Meta, Google, and Deloitte, to small brands like 27th Letter Books, Pop Art Tarts, and Chaat Dog.
VIDEO SCRIPTS, CONTENT STRATEGY DOCUMENTS, & TUTORIALS
VIDEOS MADE FOR THINKFUL/CHEGG IN 2020:
Laena Wrote The Scripts, Hired And Directed The Production Studio, Edited And Managed Content, and Directed And Managed SME Actors.
COMMUNICATION & INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN SKILLS
KEY SKILLS
Business Communications: Expert in teaching business writing, professional communication, resumes, presentations, and analytical writing.
Curriculum Design: Developed project-based curricula, fostering self-directed learning and collaborative experiences.
Mentorship & Coaching: Experienced in guiding students to achieve personal and professional growth.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Adept at working with cross-functional teams to integrate communication skills into broader educational programs.
Classroom Management: Proficient in managing classrooms with high behavioral standards, ensuring a positive learning environment.
BUSINESS STRATEGY & MARKETING TOOLS:
Google Analytics, Salesforce CRM, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Salesforce Pardot, Mailchimp, Hootsuite, Google Classroom, Google Ads, Facebook Ads Manager, HubSpot
DIGITAL MARKETING & STRATEGY
Social Media Management (Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube)
Content Creation & Ad Campaign Management
AI Content Creation & Strategy
Creative Strategy for Luxury & Lifestyle Brands
Marketing Automation & Email Campaigns
Brand Storytelling & Development
SEO & Analytics
Project Management (Asana, Monday)
Creative Design & Aesthetic Consistency
Trend Analysis & Audience Engagement
EDITING PROGRAMS:
Adobe Creative Suite, Final Cut Pro, Apple iMovie, Canva
WEB DEVELOPMENT:
Squarespace, Shopify, WordPress, Wix
PRESS: Articles, Podcasts, Video Interviews, and More Press.
Writing
Meet Laena
Let’s talk about….
🏫 Teaching
I'm passionate about 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!
📚 Reading books
I'm a certified book nerd with an MS in information science. A recent favorite read was Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer.
🎈 Creating Piñata sculptures
Explore Justin Favela’s sculptures.
Client Feedback & Reviews
“I gained more clarity around the who, what, and where of my business (the nuts and bolts) and how to reach my audience.”
“In just 3 months we saw huge gains in our social media following and the click rate on our revamped email campaigns was amazing. We saw a noticeable and manageable growth. Laena trained us too! We wanted to keep her forever. ”
“We needed a consultant who would understand our clients and their needs as we built our teaching platform. The attention to detail was much appreciated.”
“I was able to really iterate on the plan that I was taking for my business. Through their guidance I learned a lot more about the different tacks I could take, and which one was best for me. They also gave me motivation to keep going forward, which is always very helpful.”
“Excellent (quality), super valuable, and lots of fun!”
“We needed to redesign and strategize our internal and external communication, and Laena and her team were incredibly helpful at prioritizing what we need to focus on and getting it done efficiently.”
“With sales down and an exodus of clients in 2020, Laena and her team brought the sunshine and helped us turn around our strategy. Marketing guru and all-around cheerleader for our business!”
“This class was so fun! It was the perfect balance of learning and team building. The kit contained everything that I needed, so it was easy to set up and complete the project within the time allotted, while creating a memorable experience. super fun! I am recommending it to others as well.”
“...THEN CAME @BROOKLYNJAM, THANK GOD.”