Lana Shaugney, Oxford Comma Advisory

Describe yourself in three words or phrases.

Ambitious, driven, curious.

What do you like most about your job?

I love that we can show international students a clear path when everything feels confusing for them. There’s always something meaningful we can do – guide, advise, build tools, or simply connect them with others. The most rewarding part is that these are real human journeys and dreams, and we’re trusted to support them. In many ways, it feels similar to being a parent.

Describe a project or initiative you’re currently working on that excites you.

Right now, I’m deep in content creation – both short-form and long-form. After creating content for big institutions like Warwick, I’ve realised that a smaller brand has to work twice as hard. Our value is everything. A single high-quality video can take hours: shaping the idea and hook, filming, editing, writing captions… plus YouTube long-form, motion graphics, copywriters, editors, subcontractors. It’s a huge learning curve, but incredibly exciting.

What’s a piece of work you’re proud of – and what did it teach you?

I’m proud of the outcomes we deliver and the feedback we receive – but if I pick one thing, it’s the journey I made myself. I went from a lost and unsure international student to someone who now guides others toward top universities and global careers. Recently we launched a new website, built together with our student interns. I’m proud of it because it proves we can coach people to success. It reinforced the idea to me that supporting someone is far harder than doing the work yourself – it requires patience and trust. But this is how we do it at Oxford Comma, we coach rather than do it for the students.

What’s a small daily habit that helps you in your work?

I actually don’t have a perfect habit yet! I spoke to my coach about how easily I get overwhelmed because I want to do so much, and I take on a lot. So the habit I’m working on now is strict prioritisation – tracking my hours, focusing on high-impact work, and protecting my energy. As a mum of a four-and-a-half-year-old, the one habit I do have is preparing everything for school the night before.

What’s one change you’d like to see in your sector over the next few years?

I’d love to reduce the information gap for international students. There are so many nuances behind studying abroad that they simply aren’t told. I want us as a sector to be more transparent, more educational, and more accessible – through simple, short, useful content that genuinely helps them make the right choices.

What idea, book, podcast or conversation has stayed with you recently?

I love The Diary of a CEO, but a recent conversation stayed with me more. I asked my husband what the purpose of life is, and he said there isn’t one – just to live and be. It really stayed with me, and I’m still trying to rethink how I move through life. I think he’s onto something.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone starting out in this field?

Don’t be afraid. Listen to your inner voice. Find someone in the industry who inspires you and ask if you can learn from them or support their work. Most people will say yes – I definitely would – and you’ll grow much faster than trying to figure out everything alone.

The post Lana Shaugney, Oxford Comma Advisory appeared first on The PIE News.