Nayli Russo, Founder of Russo Leadership
Identity-Centered Leadership™

Most organizations
are solving the
wrong problem.
We find the right one.

We work at the root. From individual leaders to executive teams to governance structures — we diagnose what is actually in the way before we prescribe anything.

Start the Conversation → The Framework
500+
Leaders Developed
25
Leaders Researched
6
Service Areas
ICL™
The Framework
The Diagnosis

Does any of this
sound familiar?

01
The training works. The behaviors do not stick.
They grow in the room and revert the week after. The program was not the problem.
02
The strategy is right. Execution keeps breaking.
The people are capable. And somehow it breaks at the same three points every cycle.
03
The values are on the wall. The culture tells a different story.
Everyone agrees on what the organization stands for. The behaviors in the room say something else.
04
Your best people are plateauing.
The leaders you identified for bigger roles are stalling at the next level. It is not a skills gap.
05
The team is excellent individually. Together they are exhausting.
The friction is not personal. It keeps reappearing in different forms regardless of who is in the room.
06
The leadership team agrees in the room. Then pulls in different directions.
The misalignment is not about intent. It is structural. And it compounds quietly until it does not.
The Root Cause

These are not six different problems.
They are one problem — and it is never
the one you named first.

The presenting problem is almost never the actual problem. It is the symptom that finally became visible. The real issue lives one layer deeper — in how leaders understand themselves, how authority is structured, and whether the gap between what the organization intends and what it produces has ever been properly named. That is where we start.

See how we diagnose →
The Framework

Identity-Centered
Leadership™

Built on research with 25 leaders across industries and levels. One foundational finding: the leaders who were most distorted were almost never the weakest performers. They were the strongest. The most adaptive. And the most exhausted by the cost of it.

The question that locates everything
“Do I still know what I actually think?”

Explore the Framework →
25
Leaders in the original research
9
Key findings validated
2
Models that work together
What We Do

A full suite of solutions.
One through-line.

Whether we are developing a single leader or rebuilding a leadership culture, the work starts in the same place. Identity first. Everything else follows.

Leadership session
"The moment you stop performing for belonging, your presence starts to lead."
Nayli Russo — Identity-Centered Leadership™
Trusted by organizations across industries
How We Engage

We diagnose first.
We prescribe second.

“Every engagement is designed to hold after we leave the room.”

Most leadership interventions fail because they prescribe before they understand. We never walk in with a predetermined solution. We walk in with a diagnostic lens, and we build from what we actually find.

01
Diagnose

We start by understanding what is actually happening — not what looks like the problem from the outside.

Leader and team interviews Behavioral assessments Identity and alignment diagnostics Structural analysis where needed
02
Align

We partner with senior leaders to clarify priorities, define success, and establish the systems that support performance.

Priority and expectation clarity Leadership system design Stakeholder alignment Engagement scoping
03
Build

We develop leadership capability through pathways, coaching, and team development tailored to your people, culture, and pressure points.

Facilitated cohort programs Executive coaching Team performance work ICL™ framework application
04
Sustain

We reinforce new skills and systems with practical tools, accountability structures, and ongoing support to make the change hold.

Practical toolkits and frameworks Accountability structures Ongoing advisory support Measurement and follow-through

Most programs help until the pressure increases and the behaviors revert. Ours are built so they do not.

Start with a Diagnosis →
Unmatched clarity and insight.
“Nayli sifts through complex leadership dynamics and brings clear, powerful insight that leads to meaningful outcomes. She brings her whole self—her intellect, her empathy, her creativity—to the work. I’m proud to collaborate with her and recommend her without hesitation.”
Doug Conant
Former CEO of Campbell’s Soup
Exactly the kind of leadership development our team needed.
“We learned so much about each other’s leadership styles during our DiSC assessment training. There were lots of laughs, but also meaningful conversations and practical tools that will help us work more effectively and positively as a team."
Kashif Henderson
Executive Director, Neighborhood Learning Alliance
One of the most valuable trainings we’ve experienced.
“Nayli recently guided our team through an insightful training on DiSC styles and their impact on relationships and work dynamics. It was one of the most valuable and actionable trainings we’ve experienced—and her facilitation was outstanding."
Patrick Fisher
CEO, Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council
The best strategist I’ve ever worked with.
“Nayli transforms people, culture, and systems. Her frameworks bring clarity, alignment, and lasting results. I’ve watched her elevate organizations—and I’ve personally grown through her mentorship. She redefines what’s possible in leadership.”
Justin Aglio
Associate Vice President, Penn State Outreach
Empathy, challenge, and real transformation.
“Nayli has a rare ability to coach people beyond their comfort zones with just the right balance of compassion and push. She left a lasting impact on the students she coached and modeled leadership that holds.”
Kevin Dietrick
Associate Dean for Strategy
Russo Leadership — Testimonials
What Leaders Say

The work holds.

From emerging managers to senior executives, across healthcare, professional sports, and beyond.

"

Coaching with Nayli helped me reflect on what drives me, what matters most, and how to approach conflict in a more balanced way. She doesn't just develop your skills — she helps you understand who you are. That self-awareness changed how I lead and live.

AE
Alex Everett
Director, Business Operations & Strategy
"

The years I spent working with Nayli drastically changed my career for the better. I now lead from a foundation rooted in my core beliefs — which allows me to be more present with my team every day.

Zack Galia
Director, Social Media — Pittsburgh Pirates
"

Her leadership training helped me refine my decision-making and develop a more compassionate, inclusive style — while still driving results. I still use the model she helped me create to this day.

Andy Giambroni
Director, CRM & Consumer Strategy
"

Working with Nayli was more than professional growth — it was personal alignment. She created a space where I felt safe, seen, and sharpened. I now lead with clarity, not confusion.

Sofia Bermeo
Director of Operations, LCC
"

Nayli didn't just teach leadership — she rewired how I show up. Her focus on action made everything stick. This wasn't just learning. It was transformation.

Justin Newman
Head of Player Analysis — Pittsburgh Pirates
"

Nayli has been an outstanding mentor. Her frameworks helped me identify what was really holding me back and take tangible steps forward. With her support, I've achieved promotions, raises, and made bold career moves I never thought possible.

Erin Kust
Sr. Director, Enterprise Strategy

"I left with more clarity, confidence, and purpose."

500+
Leaders Developed
6
Service Areas
ICL™
Research-Validated
Our Founder

Nayli Russo

Founder, Russo Leadership

I arrived in the United States at 23 with a pharmacy degree and no English. I rebuilt from scratch. I went on to lead inside healthcare and professional sports organizations, serve as Chief of Staff at Highmark, and VP of People and Strategy at the Pittsburgh Pirates. Then I built a practice rooted in research I actually conducted. I know what it costs to lead from a version of yourself that is not quite true. That is why this work exists.

PharmD, MBA — Doctor of Pharmacy and Executive MBA
Former Chief of Staff — Highmark Health
Former VP, People & Strategy — Pittsburgh Pirates
Creator — Identity-Centered Leadership™ Framework
Meet Nayli → The Framework →
Ready to Work at the Root?

Identity first.
Everything else follows.

Whether you are developing a single leader or rebuilding a leadership culture, the work starts in the same place. Let us find out where your organization is and what it is costing you.

Start the Conversation → Explore Services
Latest Thinking

Ideas that hold.

Perspectives on leadership, identity, and organizational performance.

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