LaRissa Lawrie
LaRissa Lawrie
Strategist, Creator, Journalist,

Hello there, I’m LaRissa Lawrie

I’m a marketing and research strategist who helps organizations turn complex ideas into clear positioning, scalable programs, and effective communication. My work spans applied research, product and program strategy, and advisory engagements—supporting ideation sessions, go-to-market thinking, and decision-making under ambiguity. I also advise teams on message testing, research design, and public-facing communication, and regularly coach leaders and practitioners on presenting ideas clearly and persuasively.


Born and raised in Wichita, Kansas, I earned a B.A. in Strategic Communication and a Master of Arts in Communication from Wichita State University, where my graduate research focused on social media sharing and information diffusion. I’m currently a Ph.D. candidate in Journalism at the University of Missouri, where I also teach courses in strategic communication, persuasion, and research methods. My research expertise includes social media, misinformation, health and science communication, and innovation—examining how people process and act on information through media psychology, media sociology, and public health lenses. My dissertation focuses on information processing and heuristics.

As a consultant, I’ve supported organizations across healthcare, wellness, AI, SaaS, and consumer products—advising on marketing strategy, applied research, and operational execution. My work includes supporting early-stage brand launches, coordinating cross-functional operations in consumer manufacturing and distribution, and translating complex technical and AI-enabled systems into clear, customer-ready content for SaaS and enterprise audiences.

I’m a strong advocate for innovation and entrepreneurship and have served as a University Innovation Fellow with Stanford’s d.school, a Salon Media Group Young Americans Journalism Fellow, and a Venture for America Fellow. I enjoy giving back through teaching design thinking and creativity workshops, mentoring, and volunteering with Venture for America.

Across my work, I bring strengths in research and data analysis, marketing and growth strategy, program and project management, copywriting and editing, and public speaking. I’m known for my collaborative, adaptable approach and for working effectively with cross-functional teams to streamline operations, support product launches, and drive thoughtful, sustainable growth.

Interested in working together or learning more about my services?
Reach out at larissa@lawriecreative.com.

I Recommend

MY COLLABORATORS

PEOPLE WHO HAVE BOOSTED MY CAREER

  • Gary Brooking, who took a chance on me and nominated a liberal arts major for an innovation and entrepreneurship fellowship

  • Alan Snyder, who hired me to work in a computer lab with a group of software developers

  • Laura York Guy, who gave me a journalism scholarship in 2013 and told me that digital marketing and journalism would be the future

  • Dr. Carl “Doc” Isaacson, who hired me to run a college newspaper, and how short life is

  • Frank Ballew, who said yes when I needed an on-campus job and let me ask questions about publications for a year

  • Sandy Sipes, who taught me to be my own advocate in my career

  • Mary Elizabeth Williams, who provided journalism mentorship and a national perspective on local issues

  • Tom Shine, who hired me for a journalism summer internship and taught me to write for the radio

  • Leticia Britos Cavagnaro, who wrote me a recommendation and taught me how to run a design thinking workshop

  • Pat Dooley, who agreed to be my thesis advisor and get on a few airplanes with me

  • David Neundorfer and Oscar Hackett, who taught me what excellence in entrepreneurship looks like

  • Patrick Baskin, who provided an education in consumer packaged goods marketing

  • Shuhua Zhou, who agreed to be my dissertation advisor and taught me about media psychology

  • Earnest Perry, who helped me navigate doctoral school and helped me find funding for my dissertation

  • Ryan Thomas, who taught me media sociology and wrote me several recommendation letters

ORGANIZATIONS I SUPPORT

  • HumanKind Ministries, is a nonprofit that brings people together to provide shelter, food, and basic needs to the homeless and those living in poverty.

  • The Bail Project, is a national nonprofit organization that pays bail for people in need, reuniting families and restoring the presumption of innocence.

NEWSLETTERS I ALWAYS OPEN

BUSINESSES I WOULD LIKE SOMEONE ELSE TO START 

  • A 24-hour Ice Cream and Coffee Shop in Wichita, Kansas. I’m mostly suggesting this for the opportunity to have a 2 a.m. affogato.

  • Health Content Credibility Auditing. A third-party certification and audit service for women’s health brands, wellness startups, and creators to assess claim accuracy, framing risk, and credibility cues. This would help companies proactively reduce misinformation, regulatory exposure, and trust erosion—without defaulting to shame or censorship. Think of it as quality control for health communication.

  • Women’s Health Myth-Testing Lab. A hybrid research and media studio that empirically tests viral women’s health claims and translates findings into clear, non-sensational public content. By examining how design, authority cues, and framing influence belief, the lab would improve health literacy without shaming audiences. Science, but readable.

  • High-Taste, Honest Resale Brand. A curated resale company focused on fewer, better items—priced transparently and explained with context around quality, construction, and longevity. No sustainability cosplay, no hype cycles, just informed curation and respect for materials. Built for people who value discernment over volume.

  • Behavioral UX Red Team. An independent firm that stress-tests consumer products for dark patterns, misleading design, and behavioral manipulation risks before launch. This team would help companies identify unintended persuasion, ethical blind spots, and regulatory vulnerabilities early. Think of it as pre-emptive risk management for product design.

Inspired by Ann Friedman and Call Your Girlfriend Podcast

Some Nice Words About Me:

  • “Incredibly talented and driven' is the phrase that comes to mind when I think about LaRissa. I had the pleasure of working with LaRissa for one year at Ennovar, where we often collaborated on projects. I was always amazed by LaRissa's ability to translate abstract engineering concepts into easy-to-read and visual content. As a team member or a leader, LaRissa earns my recommendation.” – Jacob Klitzke

  • “I have truly benefited from the expertise and advice of LaRissa Lawrie for my strategic branding and social media efforts. She is such a sharp young professional. As I have progressed in my business, we have reconnected to discuss future strategies. Encouraging and insightful, I highly recommend LaRissa to anyone who needs guidance navigating their personal brand management.” – Dawn Monroe

  • “LaRissa Lawrie was part of our first KMUW News Lab intern program. She could do it all: report, write for broadcast, write for digital, take photos and promote her work through social media. We tapped into LaRissa’s photo skills extensively for our digital news site on kmuw.org. LaRissa covered city and county government for us, in addition to other topics. She also played a key role in our primary election coverage, including working on election night. In short, she is skilled in many areas and is going to be a good hire for someone.” - Tom Shine

  • LaRissa Lawrie is a talented presenter who reveals an in-depth intellectual and timely understanding of social media and the internet. She presented concise and well-researched data mixed with ideas for surviving an onslaught of information over which we seem to have little control. She left her audience impressed and in good humor with a hopeful imperative to be good digital shepherds whenever possible.” - Shannon Littlejohn