Meet Lalita Gabriella

I'm a two-time TEDx speaker, storyteller, and creator who's spent the last decade dancing between worlds that aren't supposed to touch: enterprise sales and musical improv, mental healthcare and animated shorts, go-to-market strategy and sketch comedy.

I've worked with organizations like Lyft, Seth Godin's Domino Project, and CuraLinc Healthcare, leading story-driven programs and communities that have generated over $1.5M in revenue impact. I've partnered with bestselling authors featured on MasterClass and the BBC. I've taught 500+ students globally. I've pitched ideas that won funding and became scalable products.

But here's what matters more: I believe you matter. Your voice matters. Your story matters.

After working at the USUN American Embassy in Rome—where a kind superior told me at my final evaluation, "You're likely not a bureaucrat, and that's a good thing"—I learned that the paths we're "supposed" to follow rarely lead us home. A layoff from Lyft became a realignment. A diplomatic career became a creative one. Lauryn became Lalita.

Today, I’m an active member of WIA (Women in Animation) and Lino DiSalvo’s ODAD community for animation professionals. I create at the intersection of identity, spirituality, comedy, and what I call "dating debauchery." I write jokes (100 days' worth on Instagram, to be exact). I perform improvised musicals.

I direct animated shorts through my creative project, shriiyah. I've built Truth Sessions™, a methodology used by 190+ leaders to clarify who they are and expand their impact.

Welcome to my small sliver of the planet. This is where I play, explore wild ideas, and remember that freedom and joy aren't luxuries—they're the point.

Join my column here to get my creative brainchildren in your inbox.

xo,

Lalita