Our Team
Sara Whitman
As a former Chief People Officer, Sara is a performance-driven leader with extensive expertise at the intersection of strategy, culture, internal communications, and people (HR).
Sara Whitman is a HR and Communication consultant and PCC credentialed coach from the International Coach Federation. For twenty years, she has focused on the power of the individual. Sara started At The Start to combine all areas of her professional life in service of the next generation.
Sara is the former Chief People Office and a founding executive of Hot Paper Lantern, an interdisciplinary agency that helps aspiring brands build relevance.
Sara is a member of the International Coach Federation and the Society for Human Resource Management. She holds PHR and Extended DISC certifications and is a graduate of the Erickson Coaching International coaching program. Sara holds a M.A. in Public Relations from Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, and a B.A. in Literature & Communications from Pace University.
A strong advocate for suicide prevention and mental health awareness, Sara chairs the annual “Out of the Darkness” walk in Westchester County for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Sarah Sanzari
Sarah’s career began in public relations, where she honed her relationship-building skills while supporting a diverse portfolio of B2B clients. After nine years in public relations, she recognized a desire to contribute more directly to employee well-being and company culture. Cue a career transition to human resources, where she now works to foster a positive and inclusive employee experience, from attracting and retaining top talent to empowering employees with the resources they need to thrive.
Most recently, Sarah served as the Director of Talent Management for Extend, a VC-funded startup in the spend management and virtual payments space. In this role, she led all aspects of high volume full-cycle talent acquisition. She also supported employee development initiatives, implemented a mentorship program, and built a robust recruiting foundation to support the company's rapid expansion.
Sarah is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Psychology from Rutgers University, New Brunswick.
Outside of work, Sarah enjoys exploring the vibrant culture of NYC, indulging in her love for iced coffee (regardless of the weather!), and immersing herself in a good book.
Olivia Corey
Olivia is a communications and HR program leader with experience in change management communications, global HR strategy, leadership development, project and program management, and organizational effectiveness. She specializes in helping organizations navigate complex change, including reorganizations, mergers and acquisitions, restructures, job architecture initiatives, and product and program launches.
In her work with At The Start, Olivia develops strategic communication plans, onboarding tools, performance management materials, content strategies, and practical resources that help leaders communicate clearly and support employees through transition. Her approach combines strong project management, process improvement, and audience-centered communication to simplify complexity and build trust across organizations.
Before joining At The Start, Olivia supported work with Amazon Robotics, T-Mobile IT Engineering, and The RBL Group, where she managed large-scale programs; improved internal systems; supported workforce transformation efforts; and helped design leadership, organizational design, and HR strategy sessions for clients in 36 countries. She holds a Master of Communication Leadership from the University of Washington and an Agile Leader Certification.
Outside of work, Olivia stays active through running, volunteers locally, and continues to pursue her love of travel, with a trip to Antarctica on the horizon.
Isabel Conrad
Isabel believes great organizations are built on clear, relevant communication, the kind that helps every employee understand where the company is headed and why their work matters. She partners with leaders to shape the messages, moments, and systems that bring people along, from the executive team to the front line.
Her work covers the full range of internal communications and then some, from large-scale research and big-picture strategy to the everyday content that keeps people informed. She brings a strategic eye, a people-first approach, and a deep curiosity about what makes employees feel connected to their work. That combination helps organizations navigate change, articulate who they are, and build communication that resonates in person and virtually. Over her career, she has worked with companies including Ball, Bose, Kyndryl, McKinsey, Redfin, and Vulcan Inc.
Isabel holds a Master of Communication in Communication Leadership from the University of Washington. She lives in Cle Elum, a small mountain town just outside Seattle. When she's not working, you'll find her backpacking, biking, discovering new swimming holes, traveling, reading, or tending her garden.
Keegan Maykut
Keegan is an adaptable professional with a range of experience in marketing, event planning and operations, administration, and the service industry. His experiences come together to make him a dynamic marketer for At The Start, performing audience research, developing campaigns, and creating content.
Keegan holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Pace University, where he also studied Film and Screen Studies. He has a handful of experience in an array of industries and has enjoyed working in different capacities, anywhere from running tennis clinics to organizing events and managing social media platforms.
Outside of work, Keegan loves to spend his leisure time reading, watching movies with friends, seeing live music, traveling, and visiting his family in Pennsylvania.
He is excited to learn from and work together with the amazing team at At The Start and put his prior experience to work in his position.
Nora Landy
Nora is a multidisciplinary creative professional who works in many fields. Since moving to Brooklyn in 2023 she’s been active in media, fashion, music, events, hospitality, and design. She prides herself on bringing something from all her past experiences to her work with the At The Start team.
Nora double-majored in Musical Theatre and Jazz Studies (with a concentration in Vocal Performance) at the University of Northern Colorado, a few hours away from her hometown of Denver.
In her free time she enjoys spending time with her cat (Dave), learning about perfume, seeing live shows, and writing theatre criticism; she’s also pursuing a career as a singer and actor.
As a lifelong artist and multi-hyphenate, Nora believes that interpersonal relationships and professional care are the building blocks to every industry. She admires the At The Start team for their unique perspectives on exactly that, and she enjoys learning more from them every day.
Key Partners
Lia Lobello-Reynolds
Lia LoBello Reynolds is an award-winning public relations and communications professional with 20 years’ experience helping clients exceed their communications, branding, and marketing goals. She has worked with organizations big and small through her career and what remains consistent is her ability to listen to and understand her client’s needs. Lia is practiced in providing honest counsel for what it will take to achieve client goals, supported by a creative, thoughtful, and resourceful approach to the work.
Lia has worked for a variety of South Florida and New York City-based integrated communications agencies where she specialized in helping design, implement and execute integrated programs in the B2B and B2C sectors. After 15 years, she moved in-house to manage communications, crisis, and reputation as Senior Director of Communications for Saint-Gobain.
In 2021, Lia started ofDC Communications, LLC, based on a desire to do great work for clients who are looking to leave the world a little better than they found it.
Lia lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, two sons, and rescue pitbull-mix, Domi.
Radar Nonprofit Solutions
RADAR Nonprofit Solutions delivers the essential operational support nonprofits need to run confidently and sustainably. From finance and accounting to HR to marketing, they provide the expertise, systems, and strategic guidance that simplify your operations, strengthen your infrastructure, and free your team to focus on what matters most—your mission.
We connected with RADAR President, Jeremiah Marks, and Vice President and CFO, Brian Ramos, at the Mid Atlantic Museum Association where we presented an HR panel with Dyckman Farmhouse Museum. They approached At The Start about collaborating to provide the HR portion of RADAR’s services.
At The Start is the official HR team powering RADAR’s HR offerings, which means we get to extend our work to nonprofits across the country.