The 27-year veteran of Avaya, Twilio, and AWS joins Cisne to scale the future of AI-native workforce management
Cisne, the AI-native workforce management platform redefining contact center operations, announced the appointment of Tony Lama to its Board of Advisors. With 27 years of proven success scaling enterprise software companies and driving AI-led transformation, Lama will help accelerate Cisne’s mission to deliver intelligent, agent-first workforce management that transforms operational performance.
Tony brings deep expertise in customer engagement technology, with leadership roles spanning AWS, Twilio, Kore.ai, Aspect Software, and most recently, Avaya. As CEO of Edify, he led an AI-first transformation that resulted in the company’s acquisition by Avaya, where he currently serves as SVP and General Manager. Throughout his career, Tony has consistently demonstrated the ability to translate bold vision into measurable revenue growth and market leadership.
Cisne has built what the industry has been working toward for decades—an enterprise aware, AI-native foundation that unlocks what workforce management was always meant to deliver.”
— Tony Lama
What sets Tony apart in enterprise software is his ability to operate as both a “Builder” and an “Operator.” He architects global product strategies while remaining deeply invested in the teams and culture that execute them. His track record of scaling companies while preserving culture and delivering customer outcomes makes him the ideal partner for what Cisne is building.
“Tony is that rare leader who can architect global product strategy one moment and dive into the operational details of team culture the next,” said Natalie Perez, CEO and Founder of Cisne. “I’ve known Tony for nearly 30 years and collaborated with him across multiple ventures. His ability to drive innovation at scale while keeping people and culture at the center is unmatched. As we scale our AI-native platform to become the standard for modern enterprises, Tony’s proven track record of turning disruptive technologies into enterprise solutions will be transformational.
As a member of the Advisory Board, Tony will provide hands-on guidance across three critical areas:
• Operational Scaling: Drawing on his experience as both CRO and CEO to help Cisne navigate growth while maintaining operational excellence and customer-centricity.
• AI Product Evolution: Guiding Cisne’s roadmap to ensure its AI-native architecture continues to deliver adaptive, intelligent solutions that set new standards for workforce management.
• Market Positioning: Leveraging decades of relationships and category-building experience to help Cisne establish itself as the workforce management platform of choice for enterprises committed to operational excellence and agent empowerment.
“Cisne has built what the industry has been working toward for decades—an enterprise aware, AI-native foundation that unlocks what workforce management was always meant to deliver,” said Tony Lama. “I’ve spent my entire career in this space, from the early days of contact center automation to today’s AI revolution. What Natalie and her team have built is the future: workforce management that’s intelligent by design, adaptive to real-world complexity, and designed to elevate agent performance and experience. I’m thrilled to support them as they raise the bar for the industry.”
