All my life I’ve been a fierce force of imagination, persistence, and hard work: like a dragon hunting for gold. But instead of treasure, I’ve been searching for stories to tell and ways to make an impact.

Born in Belarus, I studied journalism in Bulgaria and worked in marketing in Russia, but storytelling has always been my true passion. I create narratives that allow people to explore fresh perspectives in a safe, immersive way.

As a queer, neurodivergent woman from a patriarchal country, I’m passionate about shedding light on complex topics through my work. Over the years, I’ve designed more than 100 LARP games, written 10+ original tabletop campaigns, and worked as a script supervisor on the short film Mein Name Akim (2024), which tells the story of transgender refugees in Germany.

During my MA in Serial Storytelling at IFS Cologne, I honed my skills across genres, working on solo projects as well as collaborating in Writers' Rooms.

Currently, I’m co-developing a visual novel game with a co-author as a passion project.

Now that I've completed my degree, I’m eager to bring my creativity to TV and gaming, crafting stories in both English and German.

Dragons never stop breathing fire. And neither do I, with an endless flow of ideas and stories I can’t wait to share.

Alena Lysiakova

🎧 Too much sound can ruin your audio game.

Audio designers love layering: music, background ambience, footsteps, breathing, radio static, wind, distant sirens, and emotional underscore. 

And suddenly your “immersive experience” feels like standing inside a broken washing machine. 

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: most people don’t play audio games in perfect silence. They’re commuting. Cooking. Walking. Folding laundry. 

Audio storytelling competes with real life. If your game requires 100% concentration at all times just to understand what’s happening, you’re designing against the format.

Cognitive overload is real:
🐲 Constant SFX + dense dialogue = fatigue
🐲 Overlapping voices = confusion
🐲 Permanent music bed = emotional flattening
🐲 No breathing room = listener burnout

Immersion doesn’t come from “more sound.” It comes from intentional sound. Silence matters. Contrast matters. Clarity matters. Design audio like oxygen.

Good audio narrative design respects the listener’s brain, because the worst experience isn’t “hard,” it’s exhausting.

#NarrativeDesign #AudioGames

Alena Lysiakova 🐉

Narrative designer and screenwriter ▶️ Let's create stories that make an impact

Not every choice needs to derail the plot. 👾 


But every choice should change the experience.

In audio games especially, meaningful choices aren’t always about branching into entirely new storylines. They’re about shaping how the story feels to the player.

Good choices can:
🐲 Shift tone (kind, cautious, reckless, ruthless)
🐲 Redefine relationships and trust
🐲 Change how the player sees themselves in the story
🐲 Unlock bonus lore or small secrets that reward attention

One of my favorite design approaches is building narrative branches as journeys between fixed plot points. The destination stays the same, but the path there changes who you are when you arrive. The agency lives in letting the player leave their fingerprints all over it.

👉 If a choice makes the player think, “This felt like me,” then it worked, even if the plot stayed exactly where it was.

#NarrativeDesign #AudioGames #GameWriting

Dating used to be awkward dinners and nervous eye contact… now it’s co-op bosses and shared loot drops. 🎮💘

In my latest article, I dig into why playing together is becoming the new dating, and how games are quietly reshaping connection, chemistry, and even heartbreak.

👉 https://lnkd.in/eU6XgMn8

If you’re into storytelling, relationships, or just fascinated by how games intersect with real life feelings, this one might hit a nerve.

#GamingCulture #Storytelling

Open article: Why playing together is the new dating by meer.com

Quick reminder: besides writing stories, I also help other people write theirs. 🎧✍️

I’m opening a few free coaching spots this month for storytellers:  screenwriters, game writers and copywriters or anyone trying to untangle their plot at 2am. 

👉 If you want sharp feedback, practical tools, and zero sugarcoating (but lots of support), hop in.

Open article: ADPList: Get mentored by Alena Lysiakova 🐉 on ADPList by adplist.org

ADPList: Get mentored by Alena Lysiakova 🐉 on ADPList

The uncomfortable truth about writing for audio: sometimes experience gets in the way. 🐲 


I coach a lot of writers transitioning into interactive audio, and I keep seeing the same pattern: the more experienced the writer, the harder it can be to adapt.

Not because they’re not talented, but because they’re used to controlling the frame.

In audio, you don’t have visuals to lean on. You don’t have text people can reread. You don’t have cinematic shortcuts.

You have a voice. Timing. Space. Silence. Choice phrasing. Cognitive load.

And if you try to force screenwriting logic or prose logic onto audio without adjusting, the story simply doesn’t breathe. 

💡 Audio is a different architecture. It demands different pacing, different exposition control and different emotional calibration.

That’s why transitioning with a coach helps. Not because you don’t know how to write, but because someone needs to point out the invisible friction early.

You can read all the documents you want. Clarity usually comes when someone listens and says, “This works. This doesn’t. And here’s why, specifically for audio.”

Different medium requires different muscles. And once they click, audio becomes addictive.

#NarrativeDesign #AudioGames #StoryCoaching

In visual games, players always know where they are. There’s a map, a UI, and a quest log. Basically, something grounding them.

In audio there is nothing like that. Which means if you don’t deliberately build structural anchors, your story starts to drift.

Structural anchors are recurring elements that help listeners orient themselves without realizing it.

It could be:
🐲 A specific location you return to
🐲 A character who always reappears between major beats
🐲 A ritual moment (a radio check-in, a diary entry, a nightly call)
🐲 A recurring sound cue that signals transition

These anchors are architecture. Without them, scenes blur. Branches feel random. The player doesn’t feel lost because the plot is confusing; they feel lost because there’s no spatial or emotional reference point. Audio needs repetition with intention.

When players hear that familiar voice, that recurring space, that structural checkpoint, their brain relaxes. Orientation returns. Engagement stabilizes.

#NarrativeDesign #AudioGames

Feel Good Murder TV was on 🔥 in 2025. Is it still so?

That TV trend that feels strange to explain but makes total sense once you experience it. 🐲 

In my latest article, I explore why feel-good murder shows are suddenly everywhere and why audiences are strangely into it.

👉 https://lnkd.in/euAhfDMu

If you’re interested in how tone, genre expectations, and emotional hooks shape modern storytelling (especially in TV), this one might make you rethink what “comfort viewing” really means.

#Storytelling #TVTrends #MediaAnalysis

Open article: The rise of feel-good murder TV by meer.com

Choices without context aren’t suspenseful. 💀 


They’re just guesses.

🐲 When a player is asked to make a decision, they need enough information to imagine possible outcomes, not the exact result, but the shape of the risk.

Take this:
“Should he hide or confront the burglar?”
That’s not a meaningful choice. It’s a coin toss.

Now compare it to:
“Hiding is probably the safer choice, but what if he can stop the thief right now? Should he hide or confront the burglar?”

Same options. Completely different experience.

💡 The second version gives the player something to weigh: safety vs. action, fear vs. responsibility, risk now vs. regret later.

Good narrative design isn’t about revealing consequences. It’s about framing decisions so the player can reason emotionally, not randomly.

#NarrativeDesign #AudioGames #GameWriting

Here’s something most audio writers don’t plan for 👉 players will mishear things. 


Names. Instructions. Locations. Important clues. And no, it’s not because they’re inattentive. It’s because audio competes with real life.

If your entire branching logic collapses because someone misheard “Mara” as “Nara,” that’s not player failure. 👉 That’s architectural fragility.

Designing for mishearing means:
👾 Avoid critical distinctions that rely on similar-sounding names
🐲 Reinforce important information through variation, not repetition
👾 Use context to clarify meaning instead of assuming perfect recall
🐲 Make systems resilient to imperfect listening

In audio, clarity isn’t about simplifying the story. It’s about building redundancy intelligently. The player shouldn’t need studio-level focus to follow your game.

If your structure only works in perfect silence with perfect attention, it’s not built for the real world.

#NarrativeDesign #AudioGames #InteractiveStorytelling

Darren Kanthal, PCC, CPCC, DiSC

The Kanthal Group

𝐄𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐎𝐟 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩
 
We empower C-suite executives and their teams to master critical challenges, overcome organizational conflict, inspire action, and steer transformative change. Anchored in robust research from Harvard, Stanford, and MIT, our proven coaching process forges executive teams into aligned, agile, and resilient units, equipped to navigate and lead through change and uncertainty.
 
𝐖𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐮𝐧𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝-𝐨𝐧. 
 
We're not here to sugarcoat or sidestep the real issues holding leaders and their organizations back. Instead, we shine a bright, unflinching light on the blind spots, negative self-talk, and counterproductive behaviors that keep them stuck.
 
𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐫.  𝐍𝐨 𝐁𝐒.

► Interested to know more?
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Call: ✆ 720-295-5417 (Mobile) 
Email: ✉ darren@thekanthalgroup.com
Visit: ☛ www.TheKanthalGroup.com

CEO | Executive Coach

The Job Seeker 6

Chief Executive Officer

ICC: Innovate. Coach. Consult.

ICC provides human-based, innovative solutions that improve outcomes for leaders and employees in the workplace. Learn more at www.InnovateICC.com

★ EXECUTIVE COACHING
★ DEVELOPMENT FOR EMERGING LEADERS
★ COMPASSIONATE OUTPLACEMENT SERVICES

Senior Executive Coach & Consultant

HR Colorado

HR Colorado is an inclusive network that 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘴, 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘴 our local HR community.
We are the only local comprehensive network dedicated solely to Human Resources professionals in Colorado!

If you haven't already, please join our email distribution list for the latest HR jobs and events in Colorado and follow us on LinkedIn!  www.HRcolorado.com

Vice President, Operations & Business Development

Black Creek Group

Black Creek Capital is a real estate company that develops, acquires, operates, finances and sells commercial and residential real estate in the United States and Mexico.  

• Led and managed the team responsible for executing recruitment strategies, programs, sourcing and recruitment plans
• Reengineered, implemented, and automated various processes and tools including but not limited to a new ATS, job distribution platform, refined interview schedule/process, and background checks achieving a 20% reduction in time to fill, greater data integrity, and minimized manual entry
• Launched an employment brand and social media strategy that included a new careers website, employee referral program, and community, campus, and diversity integration that resulted in a 40% reduction in Agency hires and greater than $300k in annual savings 
• Responsible for the Talent Acquisition budget 
• Planned, evaluated, and implemented sourcing methods used to identify quality candidates by securing key advertising partnerships and industry specific channels; allocating and maximizing advertising budget based on source effectiveness
• Provided on-going coaching and development to hiring managers on techniques that effectively sold and marketed Black Creek as the employer-of-choice in the industry; designed and delivered interviewing and selection training programs to hiring managers
• Developed and utilized performance metrics such as start/acceptance rates, time to fill, cost per hire, source effectiveness and attrition to drive individual departmental accountability, performance and improvement
• Partnered with vendors to implement tools that combined performance and recruitment data to assist with understanding where our best hires come from; guided decisions surrounding recruitment strategy
• Ensured compliance with all federal, state, and local laws, including ADA, Affirmative Action, EEO and work eligibility documentation requirements

Assistant Vice President, Talent Acquisition and Development

Director, Talent Acquisition

Charles Schwab

Responsible for managing strategic recruitment and human resources projects and programs designed to more effectively source, select and retain top talent

•	Provided leadership of cross-functional teams, managed processes and saw projects through to completion
•	Ensured the overall success of programs including Employee Referrals, College Recruiting, Internship Programs, Social Media, Internal Mobility, and Military Recruiting.  Re-engineered existing procedures to streamline processes and ensure a better experience for the end user
•	Managed relationships, influenced and persuaded at all levels of the organization as well as with external partners
•	Conducted needs analyses and gathered requirements to make recommendations of future projects and initiatives

Talent Acquisition / Recruitment Program Manager - College, Veteran/Military, Employee Referrals

American Residential Communities

Regional HR Manager and leader of strategic initiatives operating in a five state region with approx 250 employees.

•	Coach and guide managers at all levels of the organization regarding leadership development, performance management, disciplinary action, staffing and recruitment and succession planning strategies
•	Implemented a progressive disciplinary action process and achieved fairness in dealing with employee relations issues by effectively collaborating with and advising Sr. Management
•	Conduct investigations; interview witnesses, determine validity of the accusations, propose appropriate action and draft witness and summary statements
•	Co-authored skill guides and conducted road shows to roll-out and train Field Managers
•	Create and provide Sr. Management dashboards to evaluate the success of HR programs and drive future initiatives
•	Present employee retention and turnover reduction strategies at annual meetings
•	Deliver company responses to EEOC, ADA, HIPAA, DOL, and unemployment hearings 
•	Proposed 9-block performance management model to identify top performers and prepare them to be successors for key roles within the company as well as identifying underperformers that should be exited from the business

HR Business Partner

Nelnet

Responsible for implementing a full-cycle recruiting strategy and diversity initiative for Nelnet and its subsidiaries.

•	Developed a comprehensive recruitment strategy to source and recruit qualified IT and Operations candidates to be placed within Nelnet and its family of companies: CUnet, Petersons, Sparkroom, Nelnet Business Solutions, and FACTS
•	Utilized job boards (traditional and niche), social networking, recruiting agencies, corporate website, referrals, and colleges/universities to identify a diverse pool of qualified candidates 
•	Ensured that company, state, and federal policies/laws are followed in recruitment and placement procedures
•	Provided a detailed analysis of the Predictive Index assessment comparing a candidates behavioral tendencies to those of the position
•	Partnered with Sr.  Leadership and HR Managers to identify future needs of the business and build a pool of viable, passive candidates
•	Experienced within the Interactive Advertising, Online Marketing and E-commerce industries
•	Worked with candidates and attorneys to finalize and apply for H1-B Visas

Sr. Recruiter

ITT Systems

ITT Corporation is a high-technology engineering and manufacturing company operating on all seven continents in three vital markets: water and fluids management, global defense and security, and motion and flow control. With a heritage of innovation, ITT partners with its customers to deliver extraordinary solutions that create more livable environments, provide protection and safety and connect our world. Headquartered in White Plains, N.Y., the company generated 2008 sales of $11.7 billion.

Responsible for placing government contractors in the Middle East to support military operations abroad.  Skill-set included Systems/Network Administrators and Engineers, Help Desk Technicians, Mechanics, Supply Clerks and Technicians

Contract Recruiter

First Data Corporation

First Data provides payment-processing services to the world’s largest financial services providers, to the merchant around the corner, and to businesses and governments of all sizes in between. We ensure that money moves accurately and securely anytime, anywhere.  Through our global reach, we provide value-added solutions to deliver real client successes through a strong belief in and a solid commitment to our vision and our mission.

Responsible for fully staffing a newly formed Project Management Office (PMO) to include Directors, Sr. Project Managers, Project Managers, PM Analyst, PM Coordinators

Sr. Contract Recruiter

𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 & 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 | 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞, 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

𝐖𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐂-𝐬𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐬:
• Team misalignment
• Inefficient decision-making
• Communication challenges
• Conflict resolution

𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐬. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥:
• Master the internal doubts that hold you back from leading at your best
• Build cohesive, high-trust teams that drive results
• Create a ripple effect of excellence throughout your organization

Our strategic leadership coaching creates a ripple effect, where every change at the top creates positive transformation throughout your entire organization.

We’re not “hit-and-run” consultants—we’re your long-term partners, committed to sustainable executive leadership.

We speak truth to power, delivering insights without sugar-coating, because we know real growth begins with real talk.

𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐫. 𝐍𝐨 𝐁𝐒.

☎️Call: ✆ 720-295-5417 (Mobile)
📩Email: ✉ darren@thekanthalgroup.com
🌎Visit: ☛ www.TheKanthalGroup.com

Founder | Certified Executive Coach | Leadership Coach | Career Coach | Job Coaching

The Kanthal Group (Candid Career Coaching)—Who We Are
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
 
At The Kanthal Group, we have candid career conversations with our clients. We don’t avoid difficult topics. We address them head on – candidly – with tact, discretion and empathy. We have deep conversations and challenge our clients to think deeper about who they are, who they want to be, and how to create the career-life balance they want. The Kanthal Group coaches senior, mid-level, and emerging leaders throughout their careers.
 
 
Our Offering:
▬▬▬▬▬▬
► Leadership Coaching
► Career Coaching
► Positive Intelligence | Mental Fitness
► Professional Development | Workshops and Facilitation
► Speaking engagements
 
Our Vision:
▬▬▬▬▬
A trusted partner to help you navigate your career—whether you’re an experienced leader looking to be more effective in your role, or you’ve been passed over for a promotion and aren’t sure why. Perhaps you’re an emerging leader looking to soar out of the gate, or you’re in between jobs and lost about what to do. Now you don’t have to do it alone.
 
Why Us:
▬▬▬▬
The Kanthal Group does Career Coaching differently. We know what it takes to be an effective leader and coach you at all stages of your career, not just when you’re in between jobs.

► Interested to know more?
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Call: ✆ 720-295-5417 (Mobile) 
Email: ✉ darren@thekanthalgroup.com
Visit: ☛ www.CandidCareerCoaching.com

I got a taste of my own medicine this weekend.

I sent a message to Philip and thought it was good.....

Until he replied and said his name was Nicholas.

Not to mention, he told me to 'get your sh*t together man'.

Point taken.

We're all human and make mistakes.  If you made one and you're beating yourself up (like I am for such a simple mistake)...

Give yourself grace.  

More often than not, we're WAY harder on ourselves than we are on others... and you deserve the same grace and forgiveness you readily offer to others.

Coaching Your Workplace Problem Child | Executive Coach for C-Suite & Senior Leadership | Individual Behavior Change & Team Alignment | Helping Leaders Get Their Shit Together

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Alena Lysiakova

Darren Kanthal, PCC, CPCC, DiSC

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The Battle

Alena Lysiakova

Darren Kanthal, PCC, CPCC, DiSC

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