About Gladian Rivera | Obsidian Rising LLC

Founder & CEO

Building What Works

I'm Gladian Rivera, founder and CEO of Obsidian Rising LLC. For over two decades, I've worked at the intersection of strategy and execution — helping organizations move from "we should do this" to "here's how it actually runs."

My career has taken me through the U.S. Department of Justice, major healthcare systems, state corrections departments, and research institutions. In every environment, I've seen the same pattern: brilliant leaders with powerful visions, stuck because the operational infrastructure doesn't exist to support them.

That's what I fix. I don't just advise — I build. Policies, procedures, training programs, tracking systems, accountability structures. The tangible infrastructure that turns ideas into sustainable operations.

20+ Years Experience

$65M Contracts Evaluated

<6mo HEARTS Program Launch

Career Journey

Experience That Matters

U.S. Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of New York

Contributed to operational initiatives within the Eastern District of New York. Recipient of the EOUSA Director's Award for Superior Performance.

Healthcare

Operations & Program Development

Built and optimized operational systems for a healthcare organization, focusing on compliance documentation, staff training, and sustainable process design.

State Corrections

Institutional Program Management

Developed and implemented programs within complex institutional environments, navigating regulatory requirements while building effective operational infrastructure.

Research Institutions

Academic & Research Operations

Supported research institutions with operational frameworks, grant compliance, and program sustainability structures.

2025 - Present

Obsidian Rising LLC

Founded Obsidian Rising to bring enterprise-level operational expertise to organizations ready to transform. Specializing in program launches and process optimization.

Our Name

Why Obsidian Rising

The name was chosen with intention.

Obsidian is volcanic glass — forged under extreme heat and pressure. Despite being born from volatility, it emerges as one of nature's strongest and most refined materials. For centuries, it has symbolized protection, clarity, and transformation.

The organizations and leaders we serve operate under similar conditions. Growth demands. Compliance pressures. Staffing challenges. High-stakes performance expectations. These forces can either fracture operations — or forge something stronger.

Obsidian Rising represents a fundamental belief: pressure, when met with the right operational infrastructure, becomes a catalyst — not for survival, but for resilience, clarity, and strategic growth.

We help organizations rise — from reactive firefighting into structured, scalable, and sustainable performance.

Philosophy

How I Work

Build, Don't Just Advise

I don't hand you a report and leave. I build the actual systems, documents, and structures your organization needs to operate.

Sustainable Over Impressive

Flashy solutions that collapse in six months help no one. I design for long-term sustainability and team ownership.

Clarity Through Documentation

If it's not written down, it doesn't exist. Every engagement produces tangible documentation your team can use independently.

Transfer Knowledge, Not Dependency

My goal is to make myself unnecessary. I train your team to own and evolve the systems we build together.

Recognition

Credentials & Awards

EOUSA Director's Award

National recognition from the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys for leadership in developing and implementing a federal reentry court program. (2024)

MASCA Board of Trustees

Governance leadership supporting regional correctional systems and professional development initiatives.

Harvard University

Strategic Execution for Public Leadership, focused on translating strategy into measurable institutional results.

Graduate School USA

Executive Leadership & Change Management training within complex federal environments.

Certified ScrumMaster

Agile delivery, iterative execution, and cross-functional team facilitation.

Bilingual

Fluent in English and Spanish across diverse organizational and stakeholder environments.

Meet Gladian Rivera