I'm Nayli!

Hey there

I’m a leadership strategist, business consultant, and mom to a fierce little girl who reminds me daily why this work matters.

I’ve spent my career helping high-performing professionals stop shrinking, start leading on their own terms, and build businesses and careers that feel as powerful on the inside as they look on paper.
But I didn’t get here by following a straight line.
I left a successful pharmacy career in Venezuela. Started over in the U.S. as an au pair. Rebuilt everything from scratch.
That’s why I founded Russo Leadership, a consultancy dedicated to helping teams build cultures that hold—so growth doesn’t come at the cost of trust and clarity.

My turning point came when I stopped asking, “What’s wrong with me?” and started asking, “What kind of leader was I born to be—and what kind of work deserves me?”
I’ve led inside major organizations in healthcare and sports, earned an executive MBA, and coached bold leaders across industries. Along the way, I discovered something I couldn’t ignore:

Success means nothing if you lose yourself in the process.
And it’s why I created Undeniable™, a movement to help women reclaim the parts of themselves they were taught to hide—and lead without apology.

“Your story isn’t a liability.
It’s your leadership.”

Nayli Russo

losing a signing audition at age 6

Pivotal Moments That Shaped Me

becoming an oboist in vzla

singing during pharmacy school

I was six when I auditioned for a singing competition and didn’t get selected. That first disappointment taught me how to keep going, even when my voice wasn’t chosen.


Instead of giving up on music, I taught myself to play the oboe. I learned that you don’t need perfect circumstances to create something meaningful.

To afford my education, I sang at weddings on weekends. I would study pharmacy textbooks on bathroom stools between sets, determined to create a different future.


Some of the most defining moments in my life weren’t the big wins — they were the quiet experiences that taught me resilience, identity, and the power of owning my story.

moving to the u.s. to be an aupair

becoming an executive

starting my own business

I left Venezuela to be an au pair, carrying nothing but a degree, broken english, an accent, and the belief that I could build a life I was proud of.


Years later, I led strategy and culture as a C-suite executive. But behind the title, I was still learning how to trust my own voice.

I left corporate to create the thing I wish I’d had all along: a space where women don’t have to shrink to succeed.


Nayli Russo