The Blue Room Podcast

Join host Lorraine Ladd as she sits down with Morgan Wright, Associate Director in alliant's R&D team, for an inspiring conversation about career growth and leadership. Morgan shares her eight-year journey from an entry-level position to leading a top-performing team, all while expecting her first baby! In this episode, Morgan discusses: The power of embracing discomfort for professional growt...

Meet Lakia' McCline, Senior QC Attorney at alliant! In this episode of The Blue Room Podcast, host Lorraine Ladd sits down with Lakia' to explore her incredible transition from practicing bankruptcy law to leading a team at alliant. Discover what makes Lakia's team thrive, why she can't live without TikTok, and her secret to staying on top of her game. Whether you're considering a career in tax la...

In this episode of The Blue Room, host Lorraine Ladd sits down with Grant McNeill, Associate Director in alliant’s Research & Development practice. With over nine years at alliant, Grant shares how he transitioned from engineering to consulting, what makes R&D work so dynamic, and how his team leverages AI to boost quality and efficiency. They dive into: What a day in R&D consulting re...

Host Lorraine Ladd sits down with Associate Director McKenzie Findley to unpack what “Education & Awareness” really means at alliant—and how her team drives business strategy to empower sales, elevate acquisitions, and fuel rapid growth. In this episode: What Education & Awareness does: sales enablement, better leads, social, email, and marketing collateral McKenzie’s career journey: first...

Join Lorraine Ladd, alliant Director of Talent Acquisition, as she chats with Ernesto Zermeno, Chief of Staff for our Business Development team, on the latest episode of The Blue Room Podcast! Ernesto shares his incredible journey at alliant, from starting as an associate to becoming a Chief of Staff and now helping with the hiring and training of new associates. He opens up about invaluable lesso...

In this Blue Room episode, host Lorraine Ladd sits down with Sara Khalifa, Director at alliant, to unpack her 5-year journey from hesitation to high performance. Sara shares how saying “yes” changed her career, the power of investing in people, leading with authenticity, and building high-performing teams. Highlights: Overcoming fear of failure and taking the leap Rapid promotions and shifting fro...

Join host Lorraine Ladd in conversation with Stephen Shropshire, Quality Control Attorney at alliant, as he shares insights into ensuring tax credit compliance, building client trust through transparency, and fostering team culture through competitive trivia nights. Stephen discusses the evolving landscape of tax law, the importance of delivering honest answers—even when they're tough—and what mak...

Join host Lorraine Ladd as she sits down with Lauren Morris Rihani, a newly promoted Director at alliant, to discuss her remarkable eight-year journey from engineer to leadership. Lauren shares the secrets behind her four promotions, navigating maternity leave while advancing her career, and why leaning into discomfort is key to growth. In this episode, discover: - How alliant's investment-focused...

Host Lorraine Ladd sits down with alliant Enterprise Director Bradley Trangsrud to unpack his rapid growth at alliant—five promotions in six years—and how he helped build major practices from the ground up, including ERC and Finance & Accounting Managed Services. Brad shares what the recent promotion felt like, why recognition moments matter, how cross-functional teams win together, and the on...

In this episode of The Blue Room, alliant Director of Talent Acquisition Lorraine Ladd chats with Maulik Shah, Associate Director in our R&D Practice, about his 8+ year journey at alliant and how he’s earned five promotions along the way. Maulik explains what an R&D consultant does, how our team helps American businesses innovate and grow, and why the people are his favorite part of the jo...

Join host Lorraine Ladd, alliant’s Director of Talent Acquisition, in The Blue Room as she sits down with Tyler Basham—QC Attorney and Team Lead at alliant. Tyler shares his journey from aspiring litigator to finding his groove in corporate tax, the power of mentorship, and why being open to unexpected opportunities can transform your career. He also talks about life as a new dad, team culture, an...

In this episode of The Blue Room Podcast , Director of Talent Acquisition Lorraine Ladd sits down with Stephanie Guerra , Associate Director and Quality Control Attorney at alliant. Stephanie joined alliant over four years ago, right out of law school , and has already been promoted three times . She credits her success to incredible mentors who’ve guided her both professionally and personally, an...

In this episode of  The Blue Room Podcast , Director of Talent Acquisition  Lorraine Ladd  sits down with  Tara Barton , alliant’s Chief Ambassador of the Raving  Fanatic  Experience. With over  8 years at alliant , Tara has worn many hats—but her common thread has always been  client relations  and ensuring every client enjoys an  A+++ experience...