About us
Developed by leaders who understand presence from the stage to the boardroom.
who we are
The Riz is a Shapiro Consulting Group platform built from decades of experience helping Fortune 100 leaders perform in the room.
trusted by leaders at
what clients say
“The leadership development work had a deep and lasting impact and helped teams at every level. The program taught everyone how to communicate more effectively and lead with clarity. This program is transformative across the entire organization.”
Founder and CEO
Business consulting organization
“This program was a leadership life changer. The approach was fluid yet very prescriptive to address the areas that needed attention that ultimately yielded significant improvement in my day-to-day interactions.”
Regional Market President
Health care organization
“This program has been extremely valuable to me. It provided me with many tools to improve my leadership, and has instilled a great deal of confidence. I highly recommend this program to become a better leader.”
Senior Vice President
Performance Marketing organization
meet our team
Barry Shapiro
Founder & CEO
Barry Shapiro is the founder and CEO of The Riz and one of the pioneers in applying principles of theatre, facilitation, and behavioral change to leadership performance. For more than two decades, he has partnered with executives, leadership teams, and global organizations to help leaders communicate with greater clarity, inspire action, and perform effectively in high-stakes moments.
Drawing on a unique background spanning psychology, organizational development, executive coaching, and facilitation, Barry developed The Riz methodology to address a challenge he observed across industries: leadership is judged not by what leaders know, but by how they perform when the moment matters most. His work combines executive coaching, group dynamics, stakeholder feedback, and experiential learning to create lasting behavioral change and stronger outcomes.
As a trusted advisor to senior leaders around the world, Barry has guided leadership teams through transformation, growth, strategic alignment, and critical business conversations. He is also the author of Casting Call in the Theatre of Corporate America and has worked with organizations across North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, India, and South America.
featured book written by barry shapiro
Casting Call
In The Theatre of Corporate America
Transform how you communicate and perform. A practical guide to presence, influence, and impact in every high-stakes moment.
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Christianne Garofalo
Strategic Advisor
Christianne Garofalo is a senior leadership advisor and organizational strategist with experience spanning two of the world’s leading executive search and leadership consulting firms. As a former Partner at Korn Ferry and leader within Heidrick & Struggles, she has advised Fortune 500 executives and leadership teams on talent strategy, leadership effectiveness, culture, and organizational transformation.
She currently serves as CEO, Americas at Equiida, where she helps organizations build high-performance cultures rooted in energy, engagement, and belonging. As a Strategic Advisor to The Riz, Christianne provides guidance on growth strategy, leadership development, and client impact, helping organizations create the conditions where leaders and teams can perform at their best.
Her clients have included Meta, Google, Chevron, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Autodesk, Hitachi, Applied Materials, Kellanova, Keurig Dr Pepper, and numerous other global organizations.
facilitators
Andy Scantland
Executive Coach & Leadership Facilitator
Andy specializes in helping leaders navigate change with greater clarity, confidence, and authenticity. Drawing on experience in strategy, business development, and marketing, he combines strengths-based coaching with neuroscience-informed practices to help leaders align teams, manage complexity, and lead through transformation. He has worked with executives across Fortune 500 companies, startups, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations.
Hilary Blair
Executive Communication Coach & Facilitator, Actress
Hilary specializes in the intersection of communication, presence, and performance. Combining decades of experience in theater and executive coaching, she helps leaders refine how they show up, connect with audiences, and deliver messages that resonate. Through her work at ARTiculate: Real&Clear, she has coached executives and high achievers across business, consulting, legal, financial, and communications organizations.
James Davis
Executive Coach, Facilitator & Organizational Development Consultant
James specializes in helping leaders align people around a shared vision. Known for his ability to build trust quickly and navigate difficult conversations, he helps executives strengthen relationships, create organizational alignment, and lead change with authenticity and purpose. His work spans executive coaching, team development, strategic facilitation, and culture transformation.
Jed Selkowitz
Executive Coach
Jed helps leaders navigate moments of transition, growth, and heightened responsibility with greater clarity and confidence. Drawing on senior leadership experience across global corporations and nonprofit organizations, he understands the realities of executive decision-making, organizational complexity, and leading through uncertainty. His coaching combines thoughtful reflection with action, helping leaders strengthen their judgment, communicate with authenticity, and move forward with purpose.
Kris Ryan
Master Trainer & Facilitator
Kris Ryan helps organizations turn learning into performance. Drawing on decades of experience in instructional design, facilitation, and leadership development, she designs highly interactive experiences that help leaders, teams, and organizations build new skills and apply them in real-world settings. Known for her energy abd creativity, Kris has partnered with organizations across technology, healthcare, manufacturing, government, and global enterprise environments to drive lasting behavior change and results.
Lois Todd
Executive Advisor, Facilitator & Executive Coach
Lois Todd helps leadership teams turn vision into execution. A former radio broadcaster turned executive coach and strategic facilitator, she helps senior leaders create alignment, strengthen decision-making, and drive sustainable growth. Known for fostering high-trust conversations, Lois helps organizations move from complexity to clarity while aligning people, strategy, and execution.
Robin Miller
Executive Coach & Communication Strategist
Robin specializes in helping leaders see what they can't see for themselves. By uncovering the communication patterns that shape relationships, team dynamics, and leadership effectiveness, she helps executives develop greater self-awareness and adaptability. Her coaching enables leaders to build stronger connections, navigate difficult conversations, and create the alignment needed to move people and organizations forward.
Sal Silvester
Executive Coach
Sal Silvester helps leaders translate intention into measurable behavior change. Combining executive coaching, leadership development, and stakeholder feedback, he works with leaders to strengthen their effectiveness, accelerate growth, and create impact within their organizations. A former military officer, executive, entrepreneur, and co-author with renowned leadership coach Marshall Goldsmith, Sal is known for his practical, results-driven approach and his focus on helping leaders become better.