In today’s society there are blockades keeping people from finding balance and success in their everyday lives. This podcast series leverages insight from leaders who are breaking mindsets and overcoming barriers. In each episode, we take a deep-dive into how they defy expectations and accomplish great change in their field.
In this episode, Lanelle Owens, Chief Trademark Counsel at Cummins, discusses with Brooks Kushman CEO Sangeeta Shah some of the techniques she has used to to find happiness and success in her career. Through navigating a variety of work environments and people, learning to work with different personalities, setting boundaries to face the unique challenges that arise with having a child with special needs, and creating efficiencies in her work are all techniques she will discuss in this episode. LaNelle Owens is a seasoned legal advisor with a track record of providing practical legal advice for a variety of company strategic initiatives related to intellectual property management. She has proven her command over a wide range of business and legal issues for a variety of clients, making her an exceptional leader in the IP world.
In this episode, LaNelle Owens, Chief Trademark Counsel at Cummins, discusses with Brooks Kushman CEO Sangeeta Shah the numerous career transitions she has made that have brought her to where she is today. Her decision to make these transitions has always been influenced by the constant pursuit of peace, which she has accomplished by aligning with purpose at every step of her journey. Her role today speaks to everything she has done and valued throughout her history, culminating in a role that is enriching and worthwhile. LaNelle Owens is a seasoned legal advisor known for providing practical legal advice on corporate initiatives involving intellectual property management. She has a demonstrated track record of breaking down and advising on complex issues involving a wide range of business clients and legal issues, making her an exceptional leader in the IP world.
Although everyone balances their time and work differently, in this episode Sharon Sorkin, Chief Trademark Counsel at Ford Motor Company, discusses with Brooks Kushman CEO Sangeeta Shah how important it is to be both transparent and reliable, and how setting limits and clear expectations and then delivering on those expectations is critical to being successful in any role. Sharon Sorkin manages the global automotive and mobility trademark portfolios for renowned brands such as FORD, MUSTANG, F-150, BRONCO, MAVERICK, among others. She is passionate about collaborating across different corporate functions to elevate the role that trademarks can play in brand-building and overall corporate brand value. Before joining Ford, Sharon spent 9 years as Global Trademark Counsel at Mars Wrigley where she had the pleasure of working on sweets brand such as SKITTLES, STARBURST, LIFE SAVERS, ORBIT, EXTRA, and FREEDENT. Sharon is an active member of the INTA community and currently serves on the Professional Development Committee. Sharon is also the mom of two busy children – Charlie (age 10) and Mia (age 8) – who keep her busy when not working. Throughout her career, Sharon has passionately supported the growth and development of those around her and strived for meaningful collaboration with colleagues and clients, recognizing each individual's unique talents and perspectives and the value those bring to the table.
In this episode, Sharon Sorkin, Chief Trademark Counsel at Ford Motor, discusses with Brooks Kushman CEO Sangeeta Shah some of the struggles she faced early in her career and the personal journey she took to coming into this role. Despite some self-doubts she faced both personally and professionally leading up to her making the transition to her current position, she overcame those to find joy and success, in part due to the advice of a mentor that encouraged her to take on the role. This experience helped shape both her leadership and mentoring philosophy Sharon Sorkin manages the global automotive and mobility trademark portfolios for renowned brands such as FORD, MUSTANG, F-150, BRONCO, MAVERICK, among others. She is passionate about collaborating across different corporate functions to elevate the role that trademarks can play in brand-building and overall corporate brand value. Before joining Ford, Sharon spent 9 years as Global Trademark Counsel at Mars Wrigley where she had the pleasure of working on sweet brands such as SKITTLES, STARBURST, LIFE SAVERS, ORBIT, EXTRA, and FREEDENT. Sharon is an active member of the INTA community and currently serves on the Professional Development Committee. Sharon is also the mom of two busy children – Charlie (age 10) and Mia (age 8) – who keep her busy when not working. Throughout her career, Sharon has passionately supported the growth and development of those around her and strived for meaningful collaboration with colleagues and clients, recognizing each individual's unique talents and perspectives and the value those bring to the table.
Fred Owens, Vice President and Head of Intellectual Property at Harman Intellectual, is a visionary leader in the IP community. His experience and strong desire to help and work with others has made him an influential mentor to many. In this episode, Fred discusses with Brooks Kushman CEO Sangeeta Shah his style of mentoring and how it is shaped by his own approach to staying true to one's self, even if it means taking the road less traveled, and both embracing and not embracing structure.
Fred Owens, Vice President and Head of Intellectual Property at Harman International, is a visionary leader in the IP community. Fred relies on the breadth of his professional and personal experiences to seamlessly lead his company and IP team during a time of great transition in the automotive sector. In this episode, Fred shares his story about how being different and being comfortable with his own interests allowed him to find success not only professionally but in many aspects of his life. His story shows us how embracing our differences and adapting within our environment is a fantastic way to stay true to ourselves while finding success.
Judy Yee, Assistant General Counsel of Patents at Microsoft, is a tenacious yet humble leader in both her current role at Microsoft and within the legal industry. In this episode, Sangeeta Shah talks with Judy about balancing her personal and professional life, and how she was able to adapt to find success through many changing aspects of her life by setting expectations or sometimes the lack thereof.
Judy Yee, Assistant General Counsel of Patents at Microsoft, is a tenacious yet kind and humble leader in both her current role at Microsoft and within the legal industry. In this episode, Judy shares her story with Brooks Kushman CEO Sangeeta Shah as she opens up about the professional obstacles she's faced and how she overcame them, the importance of fine-tuning one's self-assessment, and the incredible story that ignited her passion for pro bono work and how that's made her a more effective leader.
Clinton Hallman, former General Counsel for LBP Manufacturing, LLC and former Chief Counsel, Global Patents at Kraft Foods now serving as Of Counsel at Brooks Kushman, is a dynamic legal professional with a vast range of legal and leadership experience across many industries. In this episode, Sangeeta Shah talks to Clinton about some of the techniques he recommends for navigating diverse, changing, and political workplaces.
Clinton Hallman, former General Counsel for LBP Manufacturing, LLC and former Chief Counsel, Global Patents at Kraft Foods now serving as Of Counsel at Brooks Kushman, is a dynamic legal professional with a vast range of legal and leadership experience across many industries. In this episode, Sangeeta Shah talks with Clinton about his career trajectory and how by taking every opportunity presented to him has enabled him to not only find unexpected success but also has enabled him to pay it forward through mentoring others.
Christine Pompa is the Director of Intellectual Property and Litigation at Yeti. Christine has significant experience working both in private practice and in-house. She is passionate about diversity and inclusion efforts in the legal industry and is very involved in the Asian-Pacific American Bar Association. In this episode of Breaking Mindsets, Sangeeta Shah talks with Christine about the importance of self-acceptance and how professionals, especially minorities, can develop confidence and succeed in the workplace, without losing their identity. She also discusses why DEI policies are so important and why DEI knowledge benefits everyone.
Christine Pompa is the Director of Intellectual Property and Litigation at Yeti. Christine has significant experience working both in private practice and in in-house. She is passionate about diversity and inclusion efforts in the legal industry and is very involved in the Asian-Pacific American Bar Association. In this episode of Breaking Mindsets, Sangeeta Shah talks with Christine about what it was like to transition from a law firm to an in-house role that included a geographic move and how she is balancing work, being a mom and wife, and her own mental well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Tonya Matthews is the Director of STEM Learning Innovation and Associate Provost for Inclusive Workforce Development at Wayne State University. She is a thought leader with a diverse background which includes academics and professional work as a scientist, educator, volunteer, and award-winning writer and poet. In this episode of Breaking Mindsets, Sangeeta Shah talks with Tonya about her personal STEM career journey and the importance of intersectional inclusion, diversity of thought, and community in STEM.
Dr. Tonya Matthews is the Director of STEM Learning Innovation and Associate Provost for Inclusive Workforce Development at Wayne State University. She is a thought leader with a diverse background which includes academics and professional work as a scientist, educator, volunteer, and award-winning writer and poet. In this episode of Breaking Mindsets, Sangeeta Shah talks with Tonya about her work at Wayne State and the university's new STEM Innovation Center, and how to use your professional power to be courageous on behalf of others.
Gael Tisack is the Global Head of Intellectual Property at Olympus Corporation, a manufacturer of optics and reprography products. In this episode of Breaking Mindsets, Sangeeta Shah talks with Gael about her passion for acting as a mentor, the importance of being flexible in the workplace, work-life balance, and how instead of learning to say “no,” she advises mentees to say “yes, and.”
Dr. Rose Moten is a fully licensed clinical psychologist, author, speaker and life-transformation coach with 20 years of mental health experience. She is the director of BLOOM Transformation Center, a full-service wellness clinic offering traditional and holistic services to assist others in psychological and emotional well-being. In this episode of Breaking Mindsets, Sangeeta Shah talks with Dr. Rose about actionable steps you can take to keep yourself and your loved ones mentally healthy during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. https://www.drrosemoten.com/
Bradley Gayton is the Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel of Ford Motor Company, a global mobility company that has been building iconic vehicles since 1903. In this episode of Breaking Mindsets, Sangeeta Shah talks with Bradley about his work as a thought leader in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and how he envisions moving the needle in this space.
Bradley Gayton is the Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel of Ford Motor Company, a global mobility company that has been building iconic vehicles since 1903. In this episode of Breaking Mindsets, Sangeeta Shah talks with Bradley about the technology shifts in the automotive industry, including analytics and AI, and how he, due to his position within Ford, is setting the tone and adapting to changes in the industry.
Chris Clancy is the Vice President, Legal and Corporate Secretary of Panduit, a top 3 global connectivity provider. In this episode of Breaking Mindsets, Sangeeta Shah talks with Chris about the innovative methods the Panduit legal team is implementing, as well as his own unique career journey and how young attorneys can follow in his footsteps to success.