We’re thrilled to introduce this year’s Bridge Conference opening keynote speaker, Lana Hailemariam!

Lana the Coach, Facilitator & Speaker

Lana’s dynamic approach is enriched by her diverse background and extensive experience. Originally from the East Coast and now residing in Denver, Lana’s perspective is further broadened by her time living in Toluca, Mexico, and traveling throughout Spain. She is fluent in Spanish and once spoke Italian proficiently.

With over 20 years of experience spanning both for-profit and nonprofit sectors, Lana has a wealth of knowledge in Sales, Marketing, Event Management, Health & Wellness, Franchise Ownership, and Entrepreneurship. Her nonprofit experience includes ministry, education (as both a teacher and administrator), a tutoring organization, and a teen mentoring organization. This varied background allows Lana to bring a fresh and unique perspective to her work.

Lana leverages her life experiences to create authentic and meaningful conversations that positively impact individuals, teams, and organizations. Her coaching and facilitation skills enable her to expertly guide teams through emotionally charged or challenging discussions. She is particularly passionate about emotional intelligence, equity & inclusion, youth empowerment, and leadership development.

Youth & OST Background

Lana has a strong foundation in youth leadership, having served as a High School Cheerleading Coach for five years, where she inspired and motivated teens. Her educational career includes roles as a day-school teacher, middle school assistant principal, and youth counselor with the Maryland National Capital Parks & Planning Commission. Most importantly, Lana brings the perspective of a young person who grew up in OST programs as a youth.

Coaching & Facilitating Philosophy

Lana’s work is grounded in emotional intelligence. She believes that focusing on the people behind the work leads to higher quality outcomes. By understanding the drivers of behavior, Lana helps foster lasting change through intentional action. Her coaching philosophy is encapsulated in her favorite quote: “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” –Wayne Dyer

Core Audiences & Expertise

Lana, the Human

A true East Coaster at heart, Lana hails from the DMV (D.C., Maryland, Virginia) area and is also the parent of a witty (or, as she calls it, mouthy) teenager. When she’s not coaching, Lana can be found curled up with a good self-help or leadership book, binge-watching Netflix, or enjoying the beauty of nature—preferably doing two out of three at the same time.