Shaping how each audience and influencer embraces your story.
Experience and executive presence matter. I am a proven B2B corporate marketing leader with decades of experience planning and executing high-performing programs for VC- and PE-funded global SaaS companies — in-house, fractionally, as a director at PR agencies, and as a public relations and analyst relations consultant.
Liza Colburn — Comms & AR
An Introduction
Arriving at strong, differentiated messaging and impactful storytelling stems from analytical skills and the ability to translate inside baseball into the language your target audiences are actually using — including LLM discoverability.
I geek out on brand alignment, driving earned and owned media results, building and optimizing analyst relations programs, collaborating across functions, preparing executives, mentoring teams, and measuring results.
How can I help?
Integrated Communications Strategy
From product to customer success, teams across fast-growing technology companies benefit from third-party insights. Comms and AR leaders are among the few roles internally who are privy daily to the ways that media, analysts, and prospects discuss the category and its players. I collaborate across marketing functions, engage product teams, partner with HR and people pros, listen to customer success leads in the trenches, enlist finance and legal reviews, and love to share market insights across the broader organization.
Practice Areas
THREE DISCIPLINES, ONE NARRATIVEGlobal Corporate Communications
I have deep experience with strategic messaging and positioning, media relations, social media, awards, and speaking programs. I've worked closely with startup CEOs on announcement strategies designed to court the right M&A activity or exit - with success. Throughout my career, I designed and executed against corporate marketing strategies that cascade from global business objectives, supporting launches and ensuring brand and message alignment across regions. I collaborate with leaders, employees, contractors, and external stakeholders across regions and have managed PR agency teams or contractors in the US, UK, FR, DE, ANZ, and India. Internal communications and People Team collaboration are an essential part of corporate communications. As a key player on the internal hype and recruitment team, I not only share or present award and media successes, but have updated messaging and assets on Workday and LinkedIn and created a CSR / ESG platform. Knowledge sharing is a personal brand for me. I am a champion of the WIN, keeping an eye open about notable current events and insights from analysts, media, trade associations, etc. and sharing information with sales as a value-added touchpoint for prospects in different stages of the funnel.
Thought Leadership
Earned and owned media have never been more important than in the era of AI search. Users are shifting to long-form questions, with the average query length DOUBLING in 2025; think Ask Jeeves back in the day. This is where gritty thought leadership campaigns shine: unearthing and benchmarking aggregate SaaS data, packaging industry research and survey findings, useful best practices and how-to articles, and timely expert bylines that showcase the business impact gleaned from unique technology capabilities. Each piece demonstrates knowledge of the challenges your solution tackles; without having to name the product. Communications and content professionals must work in "writing to the prompt' in digital materials, helping to ensure LLM discoverability. At the same time, journalists - those who write for a living and value human authenticity - may cringe if they see AI slop. From press release structure to reports to informal blog content, I traverse tones, write for multiple audiences, and help optimize structure for SEO and GEO. This great guide by SEO firm Flow, explains LLM SEO Best Practices, along with useful explanations for today's flurry of marketing initialisms.
Analyst Relations
AR is highly strategic for the organizations that value expert insights at the macro level. I have designed AR plans and programs, negotiated contracts, optimized spend, scheduled /staffed/recapped briefings and inquiries, socialized and presented key insights, owned cross-functional completion of market evaluations, and partnered with marketing to optimize lead generation with resulting assets. To be done well, paid engagements should be "push AND pull." That is, ensuring an active, well-timed drumbeat of briefings with a broad bench of analysts, as well as tapping target analysts in inquiries. Consultative sessions and inquiries (the "pull") help ELT, partner, and product teams shape unique and compelling GTM messaging, guide partnerships, and even influence roadmaps. I have managed paid engagements with Gartner, Forrester, S&P Global (451), Frost & Sullivan, CB Insights, Celent, Cornerstone, and Novarica ~ but also have experience with IDC, and several cybersecurity-focused firms.
Work Samples
The samples below are representative examples from analyst relations and corporate communications programs.
The State of AI in Financial Services Marketing
Designed and commissioned consumer banking survey, wrote report copy and oversaw design and gating of the asset. Resulted in 6-8 months of media citations.
VIEW PDFE-commerce Performance Indicators and Confidence Report
Designed an industry benchmark report for SLI Systems, grounded in a repeated survey of 200+ ecommerce professionals (customers). Published this EPIC series, which stood for ECommerce Performance Indicators and Confidence report quarterly for one year to show trends. The asset was cited by Retail, Marketing, and Business press for months.
VIEW PDFBeyond the Padlock
Research report on the future of electric vehicle infrastructure and grid resilience.
VIEW PDFHow Agentic AI Balances Compliance & Performance in Financial Services Marketing
Consumer banks and insurance companies face multiple challenges in the race to launch marketing campaigns that are both compliant with state and federal regulations, as well as high-performing.
VIEW ARTICLEIcertis Raises Stakes for CLM Market With Launch of First Vertical Solutions
Press release announcing Icertis' expansion into vertical-specific contract lifecycle management solutions.
VIEW RELEASEAnalyst Report Inclusions 2023–2026
Compilation of Gartner, Forrester, and industry analyst report inclusions secured through analyst relations programs.
Samples available upon requestCalculating What Your Bank Spends on Marketing Compliance Reviews
Blog post breaking down the hidden costs banks incur to manually review marketing compliance — and how AI can reduce that burden.
VIEW ARTICLEIcertis Announces Year of Record Growth
Press release announcing Icertis' record growth year and business momentum in the contract lifecycle management market.
VIEW RELEASEExecutive Communications & Storytelling
Ghostwritten bio for the Obama White House Blog JOBS Act series that showcased the unique biography of a startup CEO.
View ArticleRoles I'm Exploring
OPEN TO CONVERSATIONSA few titles that fit the work I do best:
- 01Director, Corporate Communications
- 02Analyst Relations Director or Manager
- 03Head of Communications
- 04Director, Communications & Analyst Relations
- 05Senior Director, Global Communications
- 06Director, Brand and Communications
- 07Director of Public Relations and Thought Leadership
- 08Communications Contractor
- 09Fractional Communications Lead
Engagement Models
Retained & Fractional
An ongoing partnership — typically 15-20 hours per week — where I embed with your team as your AR and/or communications lead.
Project-Based
Focused engagements for product launches, market evaluations, or specific campaigns with a defined scope and timeline.
Advisory
Strategic guidance and coaching for your in-house team, including program audits, messaging workshops, and analyst prep sessions.