Meet the Team

Laura Schwarz is the Founder of i2 Leadership, a coaching and leadership development firm dedicated to helping leaders navigate change, build high-performing teams, and lead with intention.

Prior to launching i2 Leadership in 2009, Laura held leadership roles in Product and Global Marketing at American Express and Young & Rubicam Advertising. Her background gives her an insider’s perspective on the leadership behaviors that accelerate results and the organizational dynamics that create friction. She understands the pressures leaders face and helps them refine their approach, break through roadblocks, and create sustainable shifts in how they lead.

Laura’s approach blends structure with adaptability. She combines proven frameworks, neuroscience-based practices, and real-world experience to ensure every engagement is practical, relevant, and immediately applicable. Clients trust her because they know working with her is never a one-size-fits-all approach. She adapts to their needs, reads the room, and pivots as necessary to drive real results.

A graduate of the University of Michigan, Laura holds certifications as a Leadership Coach (CPCC) and Team Coach (EMCC Global). She is also a member of The Institute of Coaching at Harvard University, TroopHR, and NYC Coaching Collective.

Kelly Ceynowa, an i2 Leadership affiliate, coaches senior executives and their teams to lead through both desired and unexpected change. Her work lives at the intersection of learning and leadership development, where she designs experiences that encourage leaders to experiment, stretch, and draw on their own expertise. Known for her presence in both formal and informal settings, she’s often called on to coach at the dinner table as readily as the conference room.

Endlessly curious about how people experience organizational change, she helps leaders see how the success of any strategy is directly tied to how people are treated and engaged. She goes beyond the data to uncover how work actually gets done and what it takes to lead effectively through change.

Her experience spans sectors and industries. She has built and led onboarding programs for cloud companies, designed leadership development initiatives at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, selected top talent for CNN, and facilitated learning for senior and emerging leaders at organizations including McKinsey, Delta, Deloitte, Citi, The New York Times, Stuart Weitzman, American Express, Condé Nast, Etsy, General Assembly, New York Life, and A&E Networks.

Driven to understand how change impacts people at work, Kelly earned an MA in Social-Organizational Psychology from Columbia University, a formative experience that continues to ground her belief that transformation is not only possible but essential throughout a career.

Originally from Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes, she holds a BA in International Relations and Political Science from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Lori Dernavich, an i2 Leadership affiliate, has been developing and elevating leaders since 2002. As an executive coach, Lori works with seasoned leaders as well as leaders with limited leadership experience. With a rare blend of experience as a food chemist, psychotherapist, and executive recruiter, Lori brings both scientific rigor and psychological insight into her coaching and training. This multidisciplinary background gives her a deep understanding of diverse personalities, functions, and industries. Her work has been featured in Investors’ Business Daily, U.S.News & World Report, Crain’s NY, CFO Magazine, and ForbesWoman.

Lori makes it a priority to understand and respect an individual’s unique personality, role, and goals. She provides a safe place for her clients to learn new skills, address issues, and test solutions. Each engagement is customized to address specific business needs and desired outcomes. Lori holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Minnesota and her MA in Counselling Psychology from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.

Scott McAllister, an i2 Leadership affiliate, is an Executive Coach and trusted strategic partner to senior leaders navigating high-stakes moments of change. With more than 30 years inside the C-suite trenches at American Express, GE, Dell, Time Inc., and Comcast, Scott combines business rigor with deep leadership presence to help executives accelerate impact in new roles and transformation mandates.

Scott is a frequent speaker on topics such as “Unleash Your Leadership Edge with Purpose,” empowering individuals to operate at their highest performance and to create the ripple effects that advance teams, cultures, and  communities.

 Scott lives in Glen Rock, New Jersey with his wife and four children — though two are now off pursuing college adventures. When he’s not coaching, he can often be found cheering on the Pittsburgh Steelers, Manchester United Red Devils, the New Jersey Devils, or the New York Knicks, and staying active with fitness in between shuttling his kids from one sports field to the next.

Deanna Siegel Senior, PhD, an affiliate of i2 Leadership, is a certified executive coach and accomplished Head of Talent with more than two decades of experience coaching high-performing leaders and teams. In her coaching practice, she specializes in executive transitions and focuses on how the most effective executives inspire their teams through authentic leadership and radical candor. Her guiding approach is to help leaders identify their motivations and values in order to effectively tailor their leadership style and discover greater levels of success and ease in all areas of life.

Deanna received her PhD in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University, and has coached C-suite executives, start-up founders, mid-career managers and emerging leaders as well as led large teams in People and Talent at brands including Tiffany & Co., WW (reimagined from Weight Watchers), Deloitte and Pfizer.

Throughout her career, Deanna has built a solid reputation as a pragmatist who builds strong relationships, and acts boldly to identify and address challenges.

See Laura in Action