Leading With Empathy & Allyship

How does generative AI impact teams? And what can we do to mitigate the impact of biased AI?In Episode 132, Kieran Snyder, Co-Founder and CEO at Textio, joins Melinda in an insightful discussion about the impact of AI on workplace biases and inequities. They explore the potential harm and social biases perpetuated by generative AI, and look closely at how this applies to performance reviews. They also discuss key factors business leaders should consider when they adopt AI solutions in their teams, including recognizing these biases, establishing accountability systems, and safeguarding confidential employee information.About Kieran Snyder (she/her)Kieran is co-founder and CEO of Textio, the platform for inclusive and equitable communications. After earning her PhD in linguistics at Penn, Kieran spent a decade creating the world's most impactful language products at Microsoft and Amazon. In addition to developing linguistic capabilities like spelling and grammar-checking for more than 100 languages, she led the large-scale effort to integrate the Bing search engine into Microsoft Windows. Kieran is a world-renowned expert on language and bias at work, and her writing has appeared in Fortune, The New York Times, Slate, and the Washington Post.Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Empovia, visitempovia.co. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Kieran Snyder On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kieran-snyder-60572987/Twitter: https://twitter.com/KieranSnyderConnect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/@empoviaTwitter: twitter.com/empoviacoFacebook: facebook.com/empoviaInstagram: instagram.com/empoviaLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empoviaProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Kieran Snyder, a White woman with long brown hair, drop earrings, and black top; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

What is holistic resistance? How can we practice it to break historical narratives and challenge oppression in the workplace?In Episode 131, Aaron Johnson, Professional Speaker at The CUT, joins Melinda in an honest conversation on the power of touch and the Black brute narrative in the workplace. They explore holistic resistance as a response to the profound impact of the Black brute narrative on African heritage men. They discuss ways this narrative shows up in the workplace, including through a lack of safe space where Black men can be vulnerable, set boundaries, and protect themselves when those boundaries are violated. They also discuss the relationship between White women and Black men and how each of us can advocate for anti-racism in the fight against oppression.About Aaron Johnson (he/him)My name is Aaron, and what lights me up right now is cultivating environments that allow black-bodied people to show up as their full tender selves. One of my goals is for black folks to be in spaces where connection to each other and the earth is accessible. One of the ways I am currently cultivating healing is my Chronically UnderTouched Project, where I support black men who have not had mindful, thoughtful platonic touch in creating their own holistic touch practices and care plan.Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Empovia, visit empovia.co. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Aaron Johnson On SocialInstagram: https://instagram.com/cut.projectConnect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/@empoviaTwitter: twitter.com/empoviacoFacebook: facebook.com/empoviaInstagram: instagram.com/empoviaLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empoviaProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Aaron Johnson, an African Heritage man with short black afro hair, black goatee and beard, tan turtleneck, and glasses, and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

What exactly is political intelligence? And why is it important to have in the workplace?In Episode 130, Cari Guittard, Chief Strategy Officer & Partner at ChangeX & purposewerx and Leadership Professor at Hult International Business School, joins Melinda in a conversation around the constructive approach to addressing politics within the workplace. Drawing from her multiple experiences in the DEI, ESG, and political fields, Cari delves into practical tools to develop our political intelligence. She discusses why this skill set can be necessary for advancing our careers and positioning ourselves as purpose-driven leaders, the importance of curiosity in political conversations, and how it can enhance our situational awareness to adapt effectively to moments of transition or crisis. She also taps into how organizations can respond to anti-wokeness in a way that opens the door for creativity and creates positive change at work. About Cari Guittard (she/her)Strategic purpose design, global thought leadership and high velocity social impact. The Un-Guided Missile. A nickname given to me by one of my former bosses and mentors for my relentless approach to connection, collaboration, and driving impact. From corporate diplomacy, political intelligence, foresight and futures strategy, women's leadership/gender intelligent design, ESG, DE&I, and next gen efforts. My brain is most on fire when I am engaged with clients building, branding and leveraging unique multi-discipline tri-sector partnerships (between government agencies, NGOs, companies and private citizens) to develop solutions to complex and urgent problems. Award-Winning Professor. Keynote Speaker & Facilitator. Ghost Writer. Brand & Thought LeadershipAn endless collector and distiller of wisdom and knowledge wherever I find it. Am most known for my work as a speaker, facilitator, and writer even though I am also at home as a strategist, data analyst and researcher. I learned branding and the creative discipline directly from working with legends, seasoned leaders, and boards in the Advertising, Marketing and the Global PR space. Keith Reinhard, Charlotte Beers, Alan Siegel, and many others.Purposeful, Practical, GlobalIn 2018, 2020, and 2021 Hult San Francisco awarded me The Most Inspirational Faculty and Faculty of the Year. I develop and teach graduate leadership courses as well as electives in Political Intelligence for Work, Strategic Influence & Persuasion, Gender Intelligence, Crisis Management & International Negotiations.For educational resources from this episode, visit empovia.co.Connect With CariLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/cariguittard/Connect With UsYouTube: youtube.com/@empoviaTwitter: twitter.com/empoviacoFacebook: facebook.com/empoviaInstagram: instagram.com/empoviaLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empoviaProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: LEA promo and photos of Cari Guittard, a White, cis gender female photographed in black and white with long blonde hair and dark button up shirt; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

What are the key principles of inclusive design? How can we use those principles to create equitable and anti-oppressive products and services?In Episode 129, Sandra Camacho, Inclusive Design Consultant, Educator & Strategist at Sandra By Design, joins Melinda in an informative discussion on techniques for designing anti-oppressive products & services. They discuss the importance of centering the needs of marginalized communities and considering intersectional identities throughout the product development and design process. They also dive into ways we can challenge and disrupt oppressive norms and systems to promote solutions that are accessible and beneficial for all individuals.About Sandra Camacho (she/her)Sandra Camacho (She/Her) is a multicultural Inclusive Design consultant, educator, and strategist based in Paris, France. She's also the founder of the Inclusive Design Jam, a global community and academy on inclusive and equitable design. She started her career at Google, where she spent 8 years working in product, innovation, and learning & development in the U.S. and Europe. She left in 2018 to pursue her dreams of designing for social impact under the alias Sandra By Design. Today, she helps product and design teams around the world build thriving work cultures and socially impactful solutions.Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Empovia, visitempovia.co. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Sandra Camacho On SocialLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sandracamachoTwitter: https://twitter.com/sandrabydesignInstagram: https://instagram.com/sandra.bydesignConnect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/@empoviaTwitter: twitter.com/empoviacoFacebook: facebook.com/empoviaInstagram: instagram.com/empoviaLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empoviaProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Sandra Camacho, a Latina woman with long dark brown hair and light olive skin in an olive green jacket; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

What is conscious empathy? How can humor help engage people in DEI efforts?In Episode 128, Karith Foster, CEO, Co-Founder, Author, Humorist & DEI Consultant at Inversity Solutions, joins Melinda in a conversation about using humor and empowerment to improve inclusion. They discuss how we can practice conscious empathy to expand our understanding of each other's experiences and foster noble compassion. They also explore easy steps to transform the toxicity in DEI work into positive energy, such as focusing on commonalities, creating a 'brave space' for everyone to embrace authenticity, and engaging in introspection.About Karith Foster (she/her)Karith Foster is a Diversity Engagement Specialist and creator of the groundbreaking INVERSITY™ methodology and other signature programs. She is creating a seismic shift in diversity and culture change in academic institutions, organizations and corporations across America. These new conversations are revolutionizing the way we address issues of diversity and leadership.Karith brings the perfect blend of humor, knowledge and experience while conveying the ever-present need to address diversity, inclusion and effective communication. Karith leaves her audiences feeling engaged, connected, inspired and encouraged to commit to the journey of mutual respect, acceptance and a greater sense of belonging.As a speaker, humorist, TV & radio personality, author, entrepreneur, wife, and mother, Karith is a positive force of change with her sense of duty, service—along with her riotous sense of humor. “If you can laugh at it you can get through it,” is her motto and the invaluable lesson she seeks to instill in others.In addition to being CEO of INVERSITY™ Solutions, Karith is also the Founder of F.R.A.M.E the Foster Russell Alliance for Meaningful Expression a 501(c)3 non-profit, whose mission is to inspire free speech, inclusion, social change and empowerment through education and mentorship on college and university campuses.Karith was featured in two hit documentary films “Can We Take a Joke?” and "No Safe Spaces'' which have garnered accolades in The Washington Post and TIME Magazine, as has her TEDx Talk “The Art of Defying Stereotypes: Learning to be True to Your Voice.” Karith has also made appearances on Imus in the Morning, Fox & Friends, MSNBC, Howard Stern, Comedy Central, VH-1 and Oprah.For educational resources and highlights from this episode, visit ally.cc/KarithFoster.Connect With KarithLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/karithfoster/Twitter: twitter.com/karithfosterInstagram: instagram.com/karithfoster/Connect With UsYouTube: youtube.com/@empoviaTwitter: twitter.com/empoviacoFacebook: facebook.com/empoviaInstagram: instagram.com/empoviaLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empoviaProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerProducer: Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: LEA promo and photos of Karith Foster, a mixed-race Black woman with curled black and brown hair, statement earrings, and pink blouse; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

What's the difference between social power and personal power? And how is our personal power tied to our sense of belonging?In Episode 127, Ritu Bhasin, Belonging and Leadership Speaker, Consultant, Author, and Expert at bhasin consulting inc., joins Melinda in an insightful conversation on unlocking the beauty of belonging. Drawing from Ritu's book, We've Got This: Unlocking the Beauty of Belonging, they share their stories of navigating the path to belonging and delve into the strong connection between authenticity, personal power, and belonging. They discuss the importance of healing work and how this impacts our ability to be better allies, leaders, and advocates of inclusive spaces. They also explore ways to embrace our sense of belonging by building our core wisdom and stepping into our personal power.About Ritu Bhasin (she/her)Ritu Bhasin [RIH-thoo bah-SEEN], LL.B. MBA, is an award-winning speaker, consultant, author, and internationally recognized expert in DEI, leadership, belonging, anti-racism, and empowerment. Since 2010, Ritu has worked with hundreds of top organizations and senior leadership teams around the world and has presented to hundreds of thousands of people globally.She is a certified cultural competence coach and a certified neuroscience strategies coach, as well as a yoga and mindfulness teacher and practitioner, and very shortly she will complete a trauma professional certification program.Ritu's personal experiences with adversity and her desire to help others have led her to work as a social activist for over twenty-five years. She has won numerous awards and distinctions for her work, including: Success Magazine's Woman of Influence, The Women's Center Leadership Award, and the South Asian Bar Association Diversity Award, among others.Ritu's second book, the bestseller We've Got This: Unlocking the Beauty of Belonging, was released in 2023 (June). Her first book, the bestseller The Authenticity Principle: Resist Conformity, Embrace Differences, and Transform How You Live, Work, and Lead, was released in 2017.Ritu lives in Toronto, Canada. When she is not working, you'll find her traveling around the world to eat, swim, hike, dance, and chill.Visitempovia.co to find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With RituLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ritubhasinFacebook: facebook.com/riturbhasin1Twitter: twitter.com/ritu_bhasinInstagram: instagram.com/ritu_bhasinConnect With UsYouTube: youtube.com/@empoviaTwitter: twitter.com/empoviacoFacebook: facebook.com/empoviaInstagram: instagram.com/empoviaLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empoviaProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: LEA promo and photos of Ritu Bhasin, a South Asian woman with long curled black hair, nose ring, white lace blouse, and gold wristwatch; the brown book cover of We've Got This: Unlocking the Beauty of Belonging; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

How can male allies help cultivate a supportive workplace environment? And what does it look like to build a male allyship program?In Episode 126, Brian Boche, Solution Architect at Boche Networks, joins Melinda in an empowering conversation around strategies for encouraging men to become better allies. Brian delves into his allyship journey and shares insights from developing and co-leading multiple allyship programs for individuals from underrepresented backgrounds. He also discusses simple and effective ways to engage men and drive meaningful change in the workplace.About Brian Boche (he/him)Brian has been in the tech industry for the past 20 years in a multitude of roles including network engineer, sales engineer, and sales engineering leader. His true passion lies in co-leading an allyship programs as well as building programs delivering monthly events, an allyship bingo card with 25 actions men can start taking today as well as fireside chats and panel discussions with business leaders to showcase the importance an ID&E culture and specifically an emphasis around allyship. Brian's passion comes from the desire to remove the misogyny that exists in our lives and at work all while removing the hurdles that women must overcome to achieve parity in regard to equal pay for equal work, opportunity to leadership positions, and a work environment free of micro-aggressions, "mansplaining" and the like. He is excited to share his personal examples of allyship as well as focusing in on how to build an allyship program as well as the how and why to become an ally.Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Empovia, visitempovia.co. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Brian Boche On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-bocheFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/brian.boche.1Connect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/@empoviaTwitter: twitter.com/empoviacoFacebook: facebook.com/empoviaInstagram: instagram.com/empoviaLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empoviaProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Brian Boche, a bald straight White male with blue/white plaid shirt; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

In Episode 125, Megan Carle, Author and Consultant at Carle Consulting, joins Melinda in an insightful conversation on ways to address workplace bullying. They draw from Megan's book, WALK AWAY TO WIN: A Playbook to Combat Workplace Bullying (McGraw Hill), to discuss various forms of workplace bullying and how to recognize and respond to these harmful behaviors. They share their own workplace experiences and dive into opportunities for leaders and allies to advocate for individuals who have experienced mistreatment and foster a safe workplace culture for everyone's overall well-being.About Megan Carle (she/her)Megan Carle spent 30 years rising steadily through the ranks at Nike, finishing her career there as Vice President/General Manager of Basketball for North America, where she drove businesses featuring superstars like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Kevin Durant. She was elevated multiple times to roles no woman had ever held, including stints leading international teams in London and Amsterdam. She founded Carle Consulting LLC, where she gives workshops on handling workplace bullying and creating an inclusive culture of connection and trust. She is the author of the book WALK AWAY TO WIN: A Playbook to Combat Workplace Bullying (McGraw Hill).Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Empovia, visitempovia.co. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Megan Carle On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-carle/Twitter: https://twitter.com/MeganMCarleConnect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/@empoviaTwitter: twitter.com/empoviacoFacebook: facebook.com/empoviaInstagram: instagram.com/empoviaLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empoviaProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Megan Carle, a White woman with long dark blonde hair, rhinestone stud earrings, and black blazer, and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

When is cultural transformation crucial for teams and organizations? What can leaders do to empower people in times of change? In Episode 124, Marissa Andrada, Culture Master & Kindness Catalyst, joins Melinda in a solution-focused discussion on transforming workplace cultures. Marissa draws from her experience in planning and executing culture change across different industries. She shares insights on how we can harness the transformative power of kindness through transparency, empowerment, collaboration, and co-creation. She also explores the importance of building leadership capability and developing incentive programs to encourage people across organizations to meet their goals for transformation.About Marissa Andrada (she/her)Marissa Andrada is a master of activating organizational hyper-growth and turnaround through the transformation and creation of dynamic, diverse and inclusive cultures. With over 25 years of experience of integrating people and leadership capability into the foundation of business strategies, she has energized brands to codify their purpose and values while accelerating company growth and industry-wide change, inspiring a movement for employee well-being and opportunity.Marissa is passionate about leading with authenticity and helping people and organizations unleash human potential to lift personal and overall company performance. She has been the key catalyst in transforming cultures and driving performance at a multitude of consumer brands, most recently as the first chief people officer at Chipotle Mexican Grill. Prior to Chipotle, Marissa worked for Kate Spade & Company, Starbucks Coffee Company, GameStop Corporation, and Red Bull North America. She is currently serving as an independent board director at Krispy Kreme, Inc. and the chair of the Dean's Advisory Board at the College of Business and executive in residence at California State Polytechnic University at Pomona.Marissa hosts live weekly conversations with leaders from various industries on how they are creating inclusive cultures and what advice they can share to lead through transformation on her CultureCast with Marissa podcast.Marissa is a founding member of the Society for Human Resources Executive Council, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Workplace Dignity Council and the CNBC Workforce Executive Council and a 2020 American Business Award Gold Stevie winner.For more about Empovia, visit empovia.co.Connect With MarissaLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marissaandrada/Twitter: twitter.com/MarissaAndradaInstagram: instagram.com/marissaandrada/Connect With UsYouTube: youtube.com/@empoviaTwitter: twitter.com/empoviacoFacebook: facebook.com/empoviaInstagram: instagram.com/empoviaLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empoviaProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: LEA promo and photos of Marissa Andrada, an Asian Mixed Race Woman with long brown hair, tortoiseshell glasses, gold blouse, and white blazer, and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

How does a lack of diversity limit one's cognitive potential? What steps can leaders take to cultivate radical equality and belonging?In Episode 123, Ellen Petry Leanse, Author, Speaker, and Podcast Host of The Brain and Beyond, joins Melinda in a thought-provoking conversation about the neuroscience behind ethical leadership. They explore how you can engage both hemispheres of the brain to break free from binary thinking and develop the ability to recognize biases. Ellen introduces the concept of homogeneity hijack, how it impacts workplace culture, and why it hinders our ability to be responsive, curious, and open to possibilities. They also discuss essential leadership traits that create space for radical equality and belonging.About Ellen Petry Leanse (she/her)An acclaimed Silicon Valley innovator, former Stanford University instructor, TEDx speaker, and published author, Ellen Petry Leanse works at the crossroads of spiritual, creative, and scientific inquiry.Her career at Apple established her as a digital pioneer and the catalyst of history's first online connection between a technology company and its users. Continuing on this course, she challenged assumptions as an entrepreneur, a leader at Google, in venture capital, as a C-level executive, and as a global innovation advisor.Ellen is the author of “The Happiness Hack,” a neuroscience-based guide to life satisfaction, the originator of popular Stanford courses including “The Neuroscience of Creativity and Innovation,” a TEDx speaker delivering an early warning on the cognitive and emotional consequences of our rising tech reliance, and a contributor of articles on ethical leadership, functional neuroscience, and gender equality to publications including Huffington Post, Business Insider, Inc.com, CNBC, Self, and Women's Health.Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Empovia, visit empovia.co. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Ellen Petry Leanse On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellenleanse/Twitter: https://twitter.com/chep2mInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/chep2m/Connect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/@empoviaTwitter: twitter.com/empoviacoFacebook: facebook.com/empoviaInstagram: instagram.com/empoviaLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empoviaProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Ellen Petry Leanse, a light-skinned female elder with white hair, black top, orange jacket, and silver dangling earrings, and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

What does it take to maintain confidence and resilience while engaging in equity work? How can self-grace and allyship help underrepresented changemakers?In Episode 122, Cory Ervin-Stewart, Founder and CEO of Stewart Consulting and Management, LLC, joins Melinda in a candid conversation on navigating the challenges of equity work as a marginalized changemaker. They share personal insights from their experiences in interracial relationships and discuss the importance of self-reflection and self-care practices to address the harmful effects of marginalization. They also explore ways allies can support and advocate for individuals engaged in equity work.About Cory Ervin-Stewart (she/her)As a coach, facilitator, and consultant, Cory designs and leads transformative change efforts for individuals and organizations. She is a successful social impact leader whose specialty areas include diversity, equity, and inclusion; racial justice; deconstructing and addressing bias; fundraising; effective team building; business development; project management; and strategic planning.She is a trusted voice amongst nonprofits, community-based organizations, and Fortune 500 companies and has helped numerous businesses design and integrate successful culturally competent business models and high-performing teams. Cory is motivated to drive positive culture change and inclusive environments that lead to a more just world for all! With a sincere desire to level the playing field, she is also an active volunteer and mentor within her community.Cory is the founder of Stewart Consulting & Management, where she helps organizations and businesses adopt socially just practices that improve internal health and advance external results. She also serves on a variety of Boards of Directors for organizations addressing the intersection of race, gender, and class.Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Empovia, visit empovia.co. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Cory Ervin-Stewart On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cervinstewartConnect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/@empoviaTwitter: twitter.com/empoviacoFacebook: facebook.com/empoviaInstagram: instagram.com/empoviaLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empoviaProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Cory Ervin-Stewart, a Black indigenous woman with short, curly black hair, brown glasses, and white long-sleeved shirt; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

What are the strategies for managing cultural change? How can we measure the impact? And what are the emerging trends that may have an influence? In EP121, Toby Mildon, Founder & Director of Mildon, joins Melinda in an action-oriented discussion on creating organizational culture change. They explore various change management models and strategic frameworks leaders can implement to drive DEI initiatives and measure their impact across teams. They tackle the importance of DEI practitioners taking a human-centered approach to problem-solving and using data to identify and address significant issues in the workplace. They also share insights on emerging DEI trends and the future of diversity, equity, and inclusion in business.About Toby Mildon (he/him)Toby Mildon, a leading expert in diversity and inclusion with a proven track record of success in helping some of the UK's largest companies - including the BBC, Deloitte, Sony, and HarperCollins Publishing - improve staff retention, brand innovation, productivity, and performance.Toby's lifelong passion for D&I stems from his personal and professional experiences with inequality, and his belief that building a culture of inclusive growth is essential for organizational success. He created the Inclusive Growth Culture Program to help businesses like yours implement real change and avoid superficial diversity initiatives. If your company has more than 250 employees (or is expecting to grow to this size), Toby is the right person to help you drive your business forward and achieve new heights.Moving beyond superficial diversity initiatives and building a culture of inclusive growth is essential because it addresses the underlying issues of inequality and creates a sustainable framework for continued growth and success. Companies that focus on this approach see better results, both in terms of revenue growth and employee engagement.Diverse and inclusive workforces contribute to brand innovation and productivity because they bring together different perspectives and experiences, which can lead to more creative solutions and better decision-making. Looking to the future, Toby sees D&I becoming increasingly important for business competitiveness. He encourages companies to prepare themselves for these developments by prioritizing D&I and making it an integral part of their organizational strategy. By doing so, companies can become leaders in their industry and attract and retain top talent.For more about Empovia, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With TobyLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tobymildon/Connect With UsYouTube: youtube.com/@empoviaTwitter: twitter.com/empoviacoFacebook: facebook.com/empoviaInstagram: instagram.com/empoviaLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empoviaProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: LEA promo and photos of Toby Mildon, a White man sitting in an electric wheelchair with low haircut, salt and pepper beard, and navy blue long-sleeve shirt; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

What does 10 years of work in DEI look like? How do you transform an industry? And why is Change Catalyst changing to Empovia? In episode 120, Melinda Briana Epler, Founder & CEO of Empovia (formerly Change Catalyst) and Wayne Sutton, Co-Founder & Advisor of Empovia, kick off season 10 with a reflective conversation on a decade of DEI work across various industries, including their impactful work in building inclusive tech ecosystems. They discuss Empovia's mission to empower inclusive innovation and the launch of a new accessible eLearning platform that provides individuals with actionable steps, tools, and frameworks to create positive change.Use code LEApodcast25 for an additional 25% off our eLearning courses: https://empovia.co/elearningAbout Melinda Briana Epler (she/her): empovia.co/melindaAbout Wayne Sutton (he/him): empovia.co/wayneFind Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Empovia, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Melinda LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melindaeplerFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/melindabrianaeplerTwitter: https://twitter.com/mbrianaeplerInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/changecatalystsConnect With WayneLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/waynesutton/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wayneesuttonTwitter: https://twitter.com/waynesuttonInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/waynesutton/Connect With Us YouTube: youtube.com/@empoviaTwitter: twitter.com/empoviacoFacebook: facebook.com/empoviaInstagram: instagram.com/empoviaLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empoviaProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with red hair, glasses, and a black shirt; and guest host Wayne Sutton, a bald Black man with salt and pepper beard, glasses, and a dark gray shirt.]Support the show

In Episode 119, Natalia Villalobos, VP of Inclusion at The New York Times, joins Melinda in a transformative discussion on ways to empower individuals to be agents of change within organizations. They delve into the importance of active listening and learning about the workplace culture to understand the change model before taking action. They explore creative and practical ways to collaborate as a team on solutions to drive meaningful change together. They also discuss how leaders can give people grace throughout the change process by cultivating a learning-oriented workplace culture and providing support and resources to help everyone navigate the change.About Natalia Villalobos (she/her)Natalia Villalobos is the first Vice President of Inclusion Strategy & Execution at The New York Times. There she is responsible for the DEI strategy for 5,800+ employees within the US and internationally.Prior to joining The Times, Natalia was Google's "Feminist-in-Residence" leading internal and external global diversity programs. She created Women Techmakers, Google's outreach program for women in technology. Natalia also led DEI for Developer Relations, Google's outreach organization for developers.She believes in meeting and listening to users where they are with an empathetic, human-centered yet data-focused approach. Natalia has applied her background in civil rights and social movements to the tech industry where she is a recognized leader in gender equality and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) broadly.Natalia has been featured in USA Today, CBS News, Newsweek, Inc. Magazine, BBC, Business Insider, and more. She has enjoyed speaking at Stanford, Harvard Business School, SXSW, Tech Inclusion, among others. She is currently on the board of Micro and the Tribal Link Foundation.In 2010, Natalia founded 300 Acres, a digital storytelling campaign that went viral to save 300 acres of the Ecuadorian rainforest for the Quichua people. Prior to Google, Natalia had a successful career as a Community Manager for Yahoo!, Digg, The Institute for the Future, Get Satisfaction, The Seasteading Institute, and StyleMob. As a public face and voice for companies, and as a conduit for global online/offline communities, Natalia was an effective advocate for products and experiences totaling 400M+ users.For educational resources and highlights from this episode, visit https://ally.cc.Connect With Natalia On SocialLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/natalianvillalobos/Twitter: twitter.com/nataliaenvyConnect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Natalia Villalobos, a mixed-race White-presenting cisgender woman with long wavy brown hair, gold dangly earrings, pendant necklace, and button-up blush shirt; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jaSupport the show

In Episode 118, Nina Simons, Co-Founder & Chief Relationship Strategist at Bioneers, joins Melinda in an honest conversation about ways to reinvent leadership by embracing intersectional allyship. They draw from Nina's book, Nature, Culture & the Sacred: A Woman Listens for Leadership, and explore how women from diverse backgrounds possess unique talents that can be leveraged in leadership. They discuss how intentional allyship can help individuals cultivate and showcase their greatest strengths. They also delve into how a deeper understanding of the intersectionality between environmental, social, racial, and gender justice can enable us to become better advocates and allies.Use the code ‘NCS20' to receive a 20% discount on the Bioneers 2023 Conference.About Nina Simons (she/her)Nina Simons is the co-founder and Chief Relationship Officer at Bioneers, and leads its Everywoman's Leadership program. Bioneers is a nonprofit that uses media, convening, and connecting to lift up visionary and practical solutions for many of our most pressing social and ecological challenges.Nina is a social entrepreneur who is passionate about reinventing leadership, restoring the feminine, and co-creating a healthy, peaceful, and equitable world for all. She speaks and teaches internationally at schools, conferences, and festivals, and co-facilitates transformative workshops and retreats for women.Throughout her career spanning the nonprofit, social entrepreneurship, corporate, and philanthropic sectors, Nina has worked with nearly a thousand diverse women leaders across disciplines, race, class, age, orientation, and more to create conditions for mutual learning and leadership development.In 2017, Nina was a recipient of the Goi Peace Award, presented annually to individuals who have made outstanding contributions toward the realization of a peaceful and harmonious world.In addition to writing the first and second editions of Nature, Culture, & the Sacred, Nina co-edited 2010's Moonrise: The Power of Women Leading from the Heart (Park Street Press).For educational resources from the episode, visit https://ally.cc.Connect With Nina On SocialLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nina-simons/Facebook: facebook.com/ninasimonsauthorTwitter: twitter.com/ninabioneersInstagram: instagram.com/1ninasimonsConnect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: LEA promo and photos of Nina Simons, a White woman with short curly brown hair, a colorful beaded necklace, and black shirt; the light blue book cover of Nature, Culture, & the Sacred; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

In Episode 117, Dima Ghawi, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Influencer at Dima Ghawi, LLC, joins Melinda in an informative discussion on how to bridge the generational divide in the workplace. They explore the four main generations in the American workforce, what motivates employees from different generations, and why organizations should recognize diverse work styles across multigenerational teams. They also discuss how managers can support the incoming younger workforce to build well-rounded teams and create a purpose-driven workplace.About Dima Ghawi (she/her)Dima is Middle-Eastern in her genes, American in her heart, and a global citizen in her spirit. She ignites the untapped potential in individuals across the globe, empowering them to shatter limitations and become courageous, purpose driven leaders. Her own journey is one of escaping confinement, crossing continents, and transforming her life's purpose. Harnessing the power of her story, Dima is committed to inspiring individuals to attain personal and professional growth.Through keynote speeches, workshops, and executive coaching, Dima shares her unique leadership transformation journey with one goal in mind: motivate and activate those around her to reimagine their potential and grow into leaders.Dima draws from two decades of corporate experience leading global teams and developing future leaders worldwide. She has worked across the United States, Europe, Asia, Middle East, and Africa for several Fortune 100 companies including IBM, Merrill Lynch, and Intuit. She has honed a keen expertise in developing leaders to meet the demands of the global workforce.Dima's memoir Breaking Vases received many awards including Writer's Digest 2018 Grand Prize Award, Best Indie Book Award, Readers' Favorite Award, National Indie Excellence Award, and Nautilus Book Award.For more about Change Catalyst, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Dima On SocialLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dimaghawi/Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=100050491089661Twitter: twitter.com/dghawiInstagram: instagram.com/dima.ghawi/Connect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Dima Ghawi, a Middle Eastern American woman with curly long brown hair, purple halter dress, and golden round earrings with spiral pattern; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

In Episode 116, David Glasgow, Executive Director of the New York University Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, joins Melinda in an enlightening discussion on how to have inclusive conversations about identity in the workplace. They explore key skills for having identity conversations, such as adopting a growth mindset and acknowledging where we are on the controversy scale when we disagree with others' perspectives. They also discuss why it's important to recognize unproductive forms of communication, which David refers to as avoid, deflect, deny, and attack (ADDA). They also touch on how leaders can create an inclusive culture by showing empathy to team members who make mistakes in these conversations.About David Glasgow (he/him)David Glasgow is the executive director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging. He has written for a range of publications including the Harvard Business Review, HuffPost, and Slate, and served as an Associate Director of the Public Interest Law Center at NYU School of Law. He's the co-author of SAY THE RIGHT THING: How to Talk about Identity, Diversity, and Justice (Atria Books).Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Change Catalyst, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With David Glasgow On SocialLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/david-glasgow-118b8847/Twitter: https://twitter.com/dvglasgow/Connect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of David Glasgow, a White man with salt and pepper hair, facial hair, light blue shirt, and blue suit and tie; beside him is a blue book cover— with an illustration of diverse people— of SAY THE RIGHT THING: How to Talk about Identity, Diversity, and Justice; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

In Episode 115, Melinda shares talks from previous Change Catalyst events made by Black leaders Daisy Ozim, Angel Acosta, and Ashantè Fray that tackle the impact of Black history on our present and future. At Tech Inclusion 2019, Daisy discusses the long-term impacts of intergenerational trauma and how it is perpetuated through technology. She dives into 10 things allies can do to help create systemic change. In Angel's talk on mindfulness and healing in tech at Tech Inclusion Global Summit 2020, he shares the power of mindfulness and healing practices to support ourselves through trauma from the global health crisis and racial divisiveness. At Tech Inclusion Conference 2020, Ashantè talks about the importance of intersectional allyship. She taps into ways allies can support people from intersectionally underrepresented groups, such as learning to acknowledge our privileges in various spaces, recognizing the impact of microaggressions, and understanding where we are in our allyship journey.For more, visit https://ally.cc.About Daisy Ozim (she/her)Daisy ​​Ozim is the Founder of DaisyOzim.co. She works at the epicenter of multidimensional education and awareness, technology, social justice and public health. Her goal is to help the public understand the ways in which these sectors coalesce to improve public, interpersonal and individual health. As a public health practitioner, she has spent the past 10 years involved in community organizing, youth development and working on various public health projects. LI: linkedin.com/in/daisyozim/FB: facebook.com/DaisyOzimCoTW: twitter.com/daisysuniverse_IG: instagram.com/daisysplanet_/About Angel Acosta (he/him)For the last decade, Dr. Angel Acosta has worked to bridge the fields of leadership, social justice, and mindfulness. Angel has supported educational leaders and their students by facilitating leadership training, creating pathways to higher education, and designing dynamic learning experiences that weave leadership development with conversations about inequality and healing for organizations. He designed the Contemplating 400 Years of Inequality Experience and is the Creative Director at the NYC Healing Collective.LI: linkedin.com/in/dr-angel-acosta-1886653b/FB: facebook.com/AngelAcosta16IG: instagram.com/dr_angel718/About Ashantè Fray (she/they)Ashantè Fray (she/they) is a Black bisexual woman who is the owner and founder of Synchronized Souls Inc., which works in Corporate Wellness to aid organizations with their wellness programs and wellbeing of their employees. She helps companies to reduce their employee healthcare costs and absenteeism, boost employee morale to reduce turnover and improve workplace productivity through wellness webinars and speaking events, lunch and learns, and tarot readings as team activities.LI: linkedin.com/in/ashant%C3%A8/IG: instagram.com/_synchronizedsoulsinc/[Image description: LEA promo and photos of Daisy, an African American woman with long black hair in twists; Ashantè, a Black bisexual woman with short pink hair; Angel, an Afro-latino male with dark hair and facial hair; and host Melinda, a White woman with blonde and red hair.]Support the show

In Episode 114, Claudia Miller, Career Coach at Claudia T. Miller, LLC, joins Melinda in an empowering conversation about strategies and guidelines we can all implement to help close the gender wage gap. They explore mindset shifts and techniques that underrepresented identities can use to build confidence and better negotiate what they are worth. They elaborate on the importance of organizations implementing pay transparency policies. They also discuss how HR folks and people leaders can develop a talent pipeline to create a stronger pathway to leadership for women in the workplace and address compensation & equity gaps.About Claudia Miller (she/her)Claudia Miller is a sought-after Career Coach and she's helped her clients land fulfilling jobs in less than 90-days all while getting on average a 54% in salary increases ($30k-$140k).She also partners with companies and organizations in identifying rising stars within their organizations and providing strategic insights and support in developing a leadership and talent pipeline with a focus on Women and Women of Color. Due to her efforts, she's worked with Top Fortune 500 Clients and has been featured multiple times in Forbes, MSNBC, Thrive Global, and Business Insider put her in their top global list of Top Innovative Career Coaches.Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Change Catalyst, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Claudia Miller On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudiatmiller/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claudiatmiller/Connect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Claudia Miller, a Latina with long brown hair, round pearl earrings, and a white/black patterned sleeveless dress; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

In Episode 113, Gabriela de Queiroz, Principal Cloud Advocate Manager at Microsoft, joins Melinda in an impactful discussion on building global inclusion through community. They dive into the importance of building inclusive communities to address the global gap in access and opportunity. They discuss how people can start to advocate for social change by finding out what issues they're passionate about and recognizing what they can give back, no matter how small. They also explore key lessons from building inclusive communities that can help global leaders manage their teams more effectively.About Gabriela de Queiroz (she/her)Gabriela de Queiroz is a Principal Cloud Advocate Manager at Microsoft. She leads and manages the Global Education Advocacy team focused on AI, Machine Learning, and Data Science.Before that, she worked at IBM as a Program Director on Open Source, Data & AI Technologies and then as Chief Data Scientist at IBM, leading AI Strategy and Innovations.She is actively involved with several organizations to foster an inclusive community. She is the founder of R-Ladies, a worldwide organization promoting diversity in the R community, present in more than 200 cities in 60+ countries with over 100,000 members. She is also the founder of AI Inclusive, a global organization that is helping increase the representation and participation of minorities in Artificial Intelligence.Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Change Catalyst, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Gabriela de Queiroz On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrieladequeiroz/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gdequeirozInstagram: https://instagram.com/gabkrozConnect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Gabriela de Queiroz, a Latina with short black hair and brown eyes, black shirt, and gray neck scarf and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

In Episode 112, Nick Alm, Founder and Godx of Mossier, joins Melinda in an informative discussion about the key trends that drive LGBTQIA+ workplace equity and inclusion. They look into challenges around policies and procedures for transgender and nonbinary inclusion. They discuss how companies can take action to improve their DEI initiatives through normalizing pronoun use, integrating self-identification into recruitment efforts, incentivizing ERG and DEI leadership, and more. They also touch on ways for managers to rethink how they approach political discussions at work.About Nick Alm (they/them)Nick Alm (they/them) was born in St. Paul and grew up in Stillwater, Minnesota. While pursuing a degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Minnesota, they co-founded The Carlson School's first undergraduate LGBTQ student organization, Compass. It was through Compass that they developed a deep passion for advancing conversations about Queer employment equity. Today, Nick is the founder and CEO of Mossier, a social enterprise with a mission of employment equity for everyone LGBTQ. Mossier helps organizations of all sizes attract Queer talent while simultaneously developing workplace cultures and practices that actively dismantle systems of homophobia, transphobia and white supremacy.Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Change Catalyst, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Nick Alm On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholasalm/Connect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Nick Alm, a White nonbinary person with short light brown hair, golden hoop earrings, eyeliner, sparkles, purplish-red lips, grey turtleneck, and plaid blue suit; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

In Episode 111, Pabel Martinez, Founder and CEO of Plurawl, joins Melinda in a discussion on redefining professionalism so people can bring their authentic selves to the workplace. They explore how biases around professionalism move individuals to mask their identities and “code-switch”' to assimilate into another culture. They look into the difference between uncomfortable and unprofessional and how we can mitigate the impact of biases around professionalism. They also discuss how managers can promote authenticity at work by building trust in teams and leading honest conversations. About Pabel Martinez (he/him)Pabel Martinez is a native New Yorker, storyteller, and former Tech executive.Throughout his career, Pabel struggled balancing two jobs…Tech Employee and Actor. As an Actor, he would focus on assimilation because he was trained to believe that many parts of his identity were unprofessional.Pabel would dedicate days out of the week to study “white popular American culture” and memorize scripts he would later use for work conversations. He knew that talking about Bad Bunny and shows like Insecure, would not make him relatable. Instead, he would binge-watch seasons of Riverdale since it would help him build relationships with colleagues and senior leaders.The assimilation became overwhelming, and it was at the expense of his identity & mental health.As a result, Pabel's mission in life became redefining professionalism by empowering authenticity. In 2020, he launched Plurawl to bring this mission to life.Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Change Catalyst, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Pabel Martinez On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pabelmartinez/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plurawlConnect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Pabel Martinez, an Afro-Latino with a low black haircut, thick black facial hair, and grey crew neck t-shirt with the word “plurawl” printed in bright orange, and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

In Episode 110, Donald Thompson, CEO and Co-Founder of The Diversity Movement, joins Melinda in an enriching conversation about how underestimated leaders can pave a pathway to success. Donald shares his successful journey overcoming adversities as an underestimated leader and how his path can help leaders create access and opportunity for marginalized people in their workplaces. He shares his strategies for implementing inclusive leadership across large organizations and growing companies by maximizing everyone's unique talents and evaluating team performance. He also provides practical ways for underrepresented entrepreneurs to gain access to funding by knowing how to approach the right VC firms.About Donald Thompson (he/him)Donald Thompson is CEO and co-founder of The Diversity Movement. He is the author of Underestimated: A CEO's Unlikely Path to Success. Thompson is an entrepreneur, public speaker, author, podcaster, Certified Diversity Executive (CDE), and executive coach. He serves as a board member for Easterseals UCP, Vidant Medical Center, Raleigh Chamber, TowneBank Raleigh, and several other organizations in the fields of technology, marketing, sports, and entertainment. Visit him at donaldthompson.com.Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Change Catalyst, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Donald Thompson On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donaldthompsonjr/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DonaldThompsonJrOfficial/Twitter: https://twitter.com/DonThompson_JrConnect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Donald Thompson,a Black CEO with salt and pepper buzzed facial hair, white/blue striped button-down shirt, and navy blue suit; beside him is a black book cover of UNDERESTIMATED: A CEO'S UNLIKELY PATH TO SUCCESS; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

In Episode 109, Sunday Parker, Access Technology Program Manager at Microsoft, joins Melinda in a conversation about everyone's role in creating accessible and inclusive communities for people with disabilities. Sunday describes what physical and digital accessibility look like and the importance of continuing to incorporate digital accessibility into social media platforms, particularly as they evolve and change. She shares the value of interdependence in communities and how allies can amplify the voices of disability advocates. She also talks about her work in providing non-profits with the resources they need to better support their disability constituents.About Sunday Parker (she/her)Sunday leads the Access Technology Program as part of Microsoft's commitment to bridge the disability divide through access to technology and connectivity that is accessible to people with disabilities. As part of the Strategic Partnership and Policy team, she aims to create connections between the disability community and accessible technology through collaboration with organizations and the Microsoft ecosystem. Recently, she launched the Accessibility Nonprofit Tech Accelerator, aimed to support disability nonprofits with access to resources, grants, and software to accelerate their mission.Diagnosed with a rare neurological disease at the age of 2, she has had a lifelong journey of advocacy and applies her lived experience navigating the world as a wheelchair user to better support the disability community as a whole and the organizations that serve them. With access to technology, she excelled in her career in tech over the last 9 years as she found that the advancement opportunities at work didn't carry the same complex barriers that she experienced in the day-to-day physical environment. This realization led to a passion for digital accessibility and enabling more people with disabilities, including those who use assistive technology, access to hardware and software along with the workplace and social advancement opportunities that technology creates.She is a new resident living in downtown Austin, Texas with her dog Charlie and many plants where she hopes to continue to advocate locally in her community on accessibility.For more about Change Catalyst, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Sunday On SocialLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sundayparker/ Twitter: twitter.com/sundaytakesbart Instagram: instagram.com/sundayparker/ Connect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo with photos of Sunday Parker, a White female with medium-length blonde hair and cream sleeveless blouse; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

In Episode 108, our final episode of Season 8, Dax-Devlon Ross, Founder / Principal of Dax-Dev and Third Settlements, joins Melinda in a reflective conversation about the changing landscape of DEI work over the years. They look into systemic shifts in communities and organizations, including the pushback to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. They explore what Dax-Devlon calls the BIPOC savior syndrome, an issue that incoming BIPOC leaders often face. Dax-Devlon also shares his experience navigating the DEI space as a Black cis man and how we can reflect and set goals to support DEI initiatives moving into 2023 and beyond.About Dax-Devlon Ross (he/him)Dax-Devlon Ross is the author of six books and his journalism has been featured in Time, The Guardian, The New York Times, Virginia Quarterly Review, Nonprofit Quarterly, The Washington Post Magazine and other national publications. He won the National Association of Black Journalists' Investigative Reporting Award for his coverage of jury exclusion in North Carolina courts and is currently a Puffin Writing Fellow at Type Media Center.His most recent book Letters to My White Male Friends, published by St. Martin's Press in June 2021, is a call to action and a reflection on race. Dax details how racism has harmed Black people for generations but has also hurt White people by robbing their lives of fullness and meaningful relationships.A New York City teaching fellow turned non-profit executive, Dax is now a principal at the social impact consultancies, Dax-Dev and Third Settlements, both of which focus on designing disruptive strategies to generate equity in workplaces and education spaces alike. His clients have included The National Urban League, UnidosUS, Amnesty International, Results for America, iMentor, Fund II Foundation, Vera Institute of Justice, the ACLU of New Hampshire, and many others.Dax received his Juris Doctorate from George Washington University. He currently resides in Washington, D.C. with his wife, Alana, and their young children.Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Change Catalyst, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Dax-Devlon Ross On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dax-devlon-ross-69b3749/Twitter: https://twitter.com/daxdevConnect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Dax-Devlon Ross, an African-American man with black hair and facial hair, white button down, and grey suit; his black and white image has a photo credits to Doug Segars; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

In Episode 107, Melinda Briana Epler, Founder & CEO of Change Catalyst, shares a short talk based on her Out & Equal Workplace Summit session with our friends at Qualcomm on “Interrupting Microaggressions: Workplace Interventions for Calling People In.” In this workshop, Melinda shares how we can call each other in to interrupt microaggressions experienced by LGBTQIA+ folks in the workplace. She guides us through microintervention processes and scripts we can use to address common verbal, nonverbal, and environmental microaggressions. She also shares how managers and team members can take action to create a call-in culture together.About Melinda Briana Epler (she/her)Melinda Briana Epler has more than 25 years of experience elevating brands and developing business innovation strategies for startups, Fortune 500 companies, and global NGOs.As CEO of Change Catalyst, Melinda is a strategic diversity, equity, and inclusion advisor for executives, entrepreneurs, investors, and activists around the world. As part of her changemaking work, she is an inclusive leadership coach, trains executive and management teams, and builds learning and development solutions for clients.Melinda is the author of How to Be an Ally (McGraw-Hill) and the host of the popular "Leading With Empathy & Allyship" podcast. She is also a TED speaker, award-winning documentary filmmaker, and former marketing and culture executive. She speaks, mentors, and writes about diversity and inclusion, empathy, and entrepreneurship.Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Change Catalyst, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With  Melinda Briana Epler On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melindaeplerFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/melindabrianaeplerTwitter: https://twitter.com/mbrianaeplerInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/changecatalystsConnect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and a photo of host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with red hair, glasses, and a black shirt; beside her is the orange book cover of How to Be an Ally (McGraw-Hill).]Support the show

In Episode 106, Lisa Gelobter, CEO of tEQuitable, joins Melinda in a discussion on ways to address interpersonal conflict in the workplace. They discuss the true costs and consequences of interpersonal conflicts for an organization. Lisa shares an open-ended question framework tEQuitable uses in their process that can help us all create constructive conversations at work and shift team cultures. They also look into the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for managing workplace conflict to improve business outcomes.About Lisa Gelobter (she/her)Lisa Gelobter is the CEO and Founder of tEQuitable. Using technology to make workplaces more equitable, tEQuitable provides a confidential platform to address bias, discrimination, and harassment.Lisa has worked on products that have been used by billions of people and pioneered several Internet technologies, including Shockwave, Hulu, and the ascent of online video.Previously, at the Obama White House, Lisa was the Chief Digital Service Officer for the Department of Education, and prior to that, she served as the Chief Digital Officer for BET Networks at Viacom.Lisa has been named one of Inc.'s 100 Women Building America's Most Innovative and Ambitious Businesses, Fast Company's Most Creative People, and serves on the boards for: the Obama Foundation, Times Up, and The Education Trust.Lisa is one of the first 40 Black women ever to have raised over $1 million in VC funding.She is also proud to be a Black woman with a Computer Science degree. Go STEM!Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Change Catalyst, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Lisa Gelobter On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisagelobter/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LisaGelobterConnect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Lisa Gelobter, a Black woman with long salt and pepper hair, glasses, yellow/orange beaded earrings, and coral shirt; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

In Episode 105, Lily Zheng, Consultant at Zheng Consulting, joins Melinda in a discussion on how we can use our power to create real systemic change around diversity, equity, and inclusion. They explore different types of power and practical ways we can build movements that address inequities in the workplace. They also discuss the importance of trust in creating change and how managers can earn their team members' trust by understanding and utilizing the currency of trust when making decisions.About Lily Zheng (they/them)Lily Zheng (they/them) is a sought-after Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion speaker, strategist, and organizational consultant who specializes in hands-on systemic change to turn positive intentions into positive outcomes for workplaces and everyone in them. A dedicated change-maker and advocate named a Forbes D&I Trailblazer, 2021 DEI Influencer, and LinkedIn Top Voice on Racial Equity, Lily's work has been featured in the Harvard Business Review, New York Times, and NPR. Their most recent book, DEI Deconstructed, centers on accountable and effective practices to achieve DEI outcomes in organizations.Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Change Catalyst, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Lily Zheng On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lilyzheng308/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lilyzheng308Twitter: https://twitter.com/lilyzheng308Connect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Lily Zheng, a Chinese American nonbinary person with dark brown assymetric hair that is half shaved, glasses, black shirt, and black jacket; beside them is the off-white book cover of DEI Deconstructed: Your No-Nonsense Guide to Doing the Work and Doing It Right; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Lily's headshot credit: Richard DeVaulConnect with Richard: https://twitter.com/rdevaul | https://www.richarddevaul.com/Support the show

In Episode 104, Rahimeh Ramezany, DEI Practitioner & Founder of Rahimeh Ramezany Consulting, joins Melinda in a discussion on how to be better allies for Muslim colleagues. They dive into the importance of addressing intersectionality in the workplace when building religious inclusion and how managers can use an intersectional approach to establish policies & procedures for religious accommodations and inclusion. They also explore meaningful ways to support Muslim colleagues, such as learning to navigate religious differences during the winter holidays and promoting policies to address the impact of religious discrimination.About Rahimeh Ramezany (she/her)Rahimeh Ramezany is a multiethnic, neurodiverse, visibly identifiable Muslim American woman, and a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Intercultural Practitioner. She founded her DEI business in order to help organizations incorporate Muslims and considerations of marginalized religious identity into their existing DEI programs, comprehensively spanning the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and systemic implications of the work. Rahimeh leverages her lived experiences at the intersection of multiple marginalized and privileged identities, a master's degree in intercultural communication, and years of professional DEI experience to address the often deeply uncomfortable but nonetheless essential work of making our spaces inclusive and equitable for all.Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Change Catalyst, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Rahimeh Ramezany On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahimeh-ramezany/Twitter: https://twitter.com/RahimehRamezanyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rahimehramezany/Connect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Rahimeh Ramezany, a pale-skinned Muslim woman wearing a multi-colored religious headscarf with pinks, blues, and purples and a fuchsia blouse; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

In Episode 103 (recorded live), Melinda Briana Epler, Founder & CEO of Change Catalyst, joins Paula Quintana, Senior Analyst, for High Alpha Innovation's Satellite Series event on “How to Be an Ally.” In this fireside chat, Melinda shares how we can start our journey as allies to drive a more inclusive and equitable culture in a startup ecosystem. She introduces small steps anyone can take to intervene and counter the impact of microaggressions across teams. She also discusses how startups can set tangible goals and develop strategies to achieve measurable progress for diversity, equity, and inclusion.About Melinda Briana Epler (she/her)Melinda Briana Epler has more than 25 years of experience elevating brands and developing business innovation strategies for startups, Fortune 500 companies, and global NGOs.As CEO of Change Catalyst, Melinda is a strategic diversity, equity, and inclusion advisor for executives, entrepreneurs, investors, and activists around the world. As part of her changemaking work, she is an inclusive leadership coach, trains executive and management teams, and builds learning and development solutions for clients.Melinda is the author of How to Be an Ally (McGraw-Hill) and the host of the popular "Leading With Empathy & Allyship" podcast. She is also a TED speaker, award-winning documentary filmmaker, and former marketing and culture executive. She speaks, mentors, and writes about diversity and inclusion, empathy, and entrepreneurship.About Paula Quintana (she/her)As a Senior Analyst at High Alpha Innovation, Paula works to launch new startups with partners through business model design, assumption validation, and market research. Her passion to leverage innovation to create positive change and improve lives is evident in her work spearheading DEI initiatives within the High Alpha Innovation community. Paula was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia and now lives in Richmond, Virginia.For more about Change Catalyst, and to find educational resources and highlights from this episode, visit https://ally.cc.Connect With Melinda Briana Epler On SocialLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/melindaeplerFacebook: facebook.com/melindabrianaeplerTwitter: twitter.com/mbrianaeplerInstagram: instagram.com/changecatalystsConnect With Paula Quintana On SocialLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/paula-quintana/Connect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: LEA promo and photos of Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with red hair, glasses, and black shirt; beside her is the orange book cover of How to Be an Ally (McGraw-Hill); and host Paula Quintana, a Colombian woman with long dark brown hair and light grey knit sSupport the show

In Episode 102, Esther A. Armah, CEO of The Armah Institute of Emotional Justice, joins Melinda in a discussion about how Emotional Justice serves as a roadmap for racial healing. This roadmap focuses on the important emotional work all individuals can do to end systemic inequity and help transform our workplaces. They touch on the systems and racial biases we need to unlearn based on the four pillars of the language of Whiteness. They explore how we can replace them with the love languages of Emotional Justice to relearn inclusive thoughts and behaviors. They also discuss how leaders and DEI practitioners can frame Emotional Justice to navigate personal politics across teams and drive structural change in a corporate setting.About Esther A. Armah (she/her)Esther A. Armah is an international award-winning journalist, playwright, radio host, and writer. She is currently CEO of The Armah Institute of Emotional Justice, (The AIEJ), a global institute implementing the "Emotional Justice” framework she created. The AIEJ devises, develops, designs, and delivers projects, training, and thought leadership. The Emotional Justice framework has taken Armah as a speaker to a range of prestigious venues, including Netflix Inclusion Institute, Stanford, NYU, and Kenya's African Women in Media Conference. She is based in Accra, Ghana, but the majority of her and The AIEJ's work is in the U.S. She is the author of Emotional Justice: A Roadmap for Racial Healing.Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Change Catalyst, and to join us for our monthly live event, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Esther A. Armah On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/estherarmah/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emotionaljusticeTwitter: https://twitter.com/theaiej1Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emotionaljustice/Connect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Esther A. Armah, a global Black chick with aqua blue eye makeup and long bronze twists; beside her is the purple book cover of EMOTIONAL JUSTICE: A Roadmap for Racial Healing; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

In Episode 101, Rhonda V. Magee, Professor of Law at the University of San Francisco, joins Melinda in a conversation about the practice of mindfulness as a way to build sustainability into allyship and empathy. They look into ways we can deepen our mindfulness to support ourselves through healing intergenerational trauma. They explore how to be better allies by learning to stay open to making mistakes and being corrected when our actions cause harm to others. They also talk about how leaders and managers can help teams develop mindfulness practices to make everyone feel more included.About Rhonda V. Magee (she/her)A sought-after mindfulness teacher and a thought and practice innovator of mindfulness-based social justice principles, concepts, and practices, Rhonda V. Magee, M.A., J.D., is Professor of Law at the University of San Francisco.Magee has spent more than twenty years integrating mindfulness into higher education, leadership, and everyday social engagement. Her work explores the intersections of anti-racist education, social justice, and contemplative practices, offering trauma-sensitive practices to support healing, resilience, personal wellbeing, and flourishing together. Grounded in the science of mindfulness, wellbeing and resilience, she integrates storytelling, movement, journaling and other research-based experiential practices for strengthening our inner resources for navigating a world of constant change.Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Change Catalyst, and to join us for our monthly live event, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Rhonda V. Magee On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhondavmagee/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rhonda.magee/Twitter: https://twitter.com/rvmageeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rvmagee/Connect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Rhonda V. Magee, a petite Black woman with short, curled black hair, plaid gray blazer, white button-down shirt, and pendant necklace; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

In Episode 100 (recorded live), Melinda is joined by an incredible panel of disability advocates and experts to discuss how individuals and employee resource groups (ERGs) can drive important conversations and actions that create true disability inclusion in the workplace. Catarina Rivera and John Marble share how managers can build inclusive team environments by embracing accessible design for all and being proactive in providing accommodations at work. They also discuss the importance of supporting self-advocacy, normalizing disability, addressing intersectionality, and centering people with disabilities when working towards belonging.About Catarina Rivera (she/her/ella)Catarina Rivera, MSEd, MPH, CPACC is a disability public speaker, DEI consultant, and content creator with over 14 years of experience in the public sector. Catarina works with companies to improve disability awareness, inclusion, and accessibility. She is the founder of Blindish Latina, a platform smashing disability stigmas through storytelling and advocacy. Catarina has worn hearing aids from a young age and was diagnosed with a progressive vision disability at 17 years old. About John Marble (he/him)John Marble is the founder of Pivot Neurodiversity and is a writer and speaker on innovation, autism, and neurodiversity. In 2009, he was appointed by President Obama to the United States Office of Personnel Management. There, his work focused on workforce development, innovation, and incorporating Silicon Valley's best practices into government. He has also served as an advisor and aide to Secretary Hillary Clinton, Senator John Kerry, and Vice President Al Gore. John lives in San Francisco. He is autistic.For more, visit https://ally.cc. Connect W/ CatarinaLI: linkedin.com/in/catarinarivera/FB: facebook.com/blindishlatinaTW: twitter.com/catarinariveraIG: instagram.com/blindishlatina/Connect W/ JohnLI: linkedin.com/in/johnmarblejr/TW: twitter.com/JHMarbleIG: instagram.com/pivotdiversity/Connect W/ UsYT: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTW: twitter.com/changecatalystsFB: facebook.com/changecatalystsIG: instagram.com/techinclusionLI: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProductionCreator/Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina RugelesThis episode is sponsored by First Tech Federal Credit Union, a member-owned financial institution that is powered by a people-before-profit philosophy. Learn more at https://www.firsttechfed.com/.[ID: LEA promo and photos of Catarina, light-skinned Latine woman with brown hair, hoop earrings, a black and beige top, and a beige jacket; John, a White man with blond hair and a brown beard, a black t-shirt, and a navy zip-up jacket; and host Melinda, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jackSupport the show

In Episode 99, Amy Edmondson, Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School, joins Melinda to discuss how leaders can build psychological safety and trust on their teams. They explore the benefits of a psychologically safe workplace, signs that may indicate if a workplace is safe, and how psychological safety enables innovation and positive team performance. They also discuss effective strategies for establishing and maintaining trust on diverse teams and in hybrid workplaces.About Amy Edmondson (she/her)Amy C. Edmondson is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School, a chair established to support the study of human interactions that lead to the creation of successful enterprises that contribute to the betterment of society.Edmondson has been recognized by the biannual Thinkers50 global ranking of management thinkers since 2011, and most recently was ranked #1 in 2021; she also received that organization's Breakthrough Idea Award in 2019, and Talent Award in 2017.  She studies teaming, psychological safety, and organizational learning, and her articles have been published in numerous academic and management outlets, including Administrative Science Quarterly, Academy of Management Journal, Harvard Business Review, and California Management Review. Her most recent book, The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth (Wiley, 2019), offers a practical guide for organizations serious about success in the modern economy and has been translated into 15 languages.Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Change Catalyst, and to join us for our monthly live event, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Amy Edmondson On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amedmondson/Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmyCEdmondsonConnect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Amy Edmondson, a White woman with short silver-blonde hair and black coat; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

In Episode 98, Dr. Victor Pineda, President & Founder of The Victor Pineda Foundation / World ENABLED, joins Melinda in a discussion on his work to create disability inclusion, accessibility, and equity through a comprehensive and integrated approach to policy. They discuss the importance of thought leadership, culture change, and training programs to address the barriers to inclusive innovation in communities and organizations. They also explore top strategies for companies and individuals to build a disability-inclusive workplace.About Dr. Victor Pineda (he/him)Dr. Victor Santiago Pineda is a human rights expert, scholar, investor, and philanthropist. His work focuses on inclusive and accessible smart cities. A two-time presidential appointee on the US Access Board, a senior Fellow at the Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government in Dubai, and the Chairman of The Victor Pineda Foundation / World ENABLED. His foundation supports global non-profits and campaigns promoting the rights of people with disabilities and older persons. Dr. Pineda's research and humanitarian work advance urban resilience, inclusion, and sustainability both at home and abroad.Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Change Catalyst, and to join us for our monthly live event, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Dr. Victor Pineda On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victorpineda/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dr.vspTwitter: https://twitter.com/victorpinedaTwitter (World Enabled:) https://twitter.com/WorldEnabled Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cities_4_all/ Connect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Dr. Victor Pineda, a middle-aged man sitting in an electric wheelchair with black hair, white shirt, and black suit; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

In Episode 97 (recorded live), Melinda is joined by an incredible panel of experts to discuss actionable steps to creating a culture of belonging for Latina colleagues. Gabriela Chavez-Lopez and Maica Gil share meaningful ways to support Latina colleagues by addressing systemic challenges in the workplace and amplifying the voices of Latinas beyond Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month. They also dive into the importance of choosing the right vendors through supplier diversity programs and improving the workplace ecosystem to increase Latinx equity & inclusion.About Gabriela Chavez-Lopez (she/her)Gabriela is the first Executive Director of Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley. She is a community catalyst; passionate about uplifting and championing voices around challenging issues in our community — particularly those that disproportionately impact Latinas & people of color. She has an entrepreneurial spirit and is committed to systems-change work that removes structural barriers for women and the underserved. She is dedicated to empowering and cultivating Latina leaders prepared to make a collective impact now and into the future.About Maica Gil (she/her)Founder and Organizer of the SF International Women Entrepreneurs Forum and Co-Founder at Heroikka. Maica's experience has helped her create a platform for diverse international organizations to collaborate, share resources and give visibility to various projects and initiatives. Maica is passionate and committed to closing the gap by connecting women-led projects, funding and support systems around the world. In 2020, she started organizing the Woman Impact Summit, the global conference that gives visibility to businesses, initiatives and programs created for or by women.For more about Change Catalyst, to find educational resources, and to join us for our monthly live event, visit https://ally.cc. Connect With GabrielaLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gchavezlopez09/Facebook: facebook.com/gchavezlopez/Twitter: twitter.com/gabsRhereInstagram: instagram.com/gabzrhere/Connect With MaicaLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/maicagilConnect With UsYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina RugelesThis episode is sponsored by First Tech Federal Credit Union, a member-owned financial institution that is powered by a people-before-profit philosophy. Learn more at https://www.firsttechfed.com/.[Image description: LEA promo and photos of Maica, a Latinx, Atlantic Islander with short brown hair, glasses, and a navy blue shirt; Gabriela, a Latina with long brown hair, chunky gold earrings, and a bright aqua dress; and host Melinda, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]Support the show

In Episode 96, Melinda starts Season 8 with an extensive discussion with Dr. Nika White, President & CEO of Nika White Consulting, about inclusive leadership as a key to building empathy and understanding in a distributed workforce. They explore how to overcome proximity bias in a hybrid workplace, support team members' well-being, and provide equitable opportunities for everyone. They also delve into how we can improve our cultural intelligence to encourage effective collaboration within diverse teams and how DEI practitioners and HR managers can approach resistance to DEI efforts across global teams.About Dr. Nika White (she/her)Nika White is a national authority and fearless advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion. As an award winning management and leadership consultant, keynote speaker, published author, and executive practitioner for DEI efforts across business, government, non-profit and education, Dr. White helps organizations break barriers and integrate diversity into their business frameworks. Her work has led to designation by Forbes as a Top10 D&I Trailblazer.Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Change Catalyst, and to join us for our monthly live event, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Dr. Nika White On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikawhite/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikacwhiteTwitter: https://twitter.com/NikaWhiteInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikacwhite/Connect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanPodcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Dr. Nika White, an African American woman with short curly brown hair, fuchsia dress, grey blazer, and bird-shaped drop earrings; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black leather jacket.]Support the show

In Episode 95, Rajkumari Neogy, Executive Coach at iBelong, joins Melinda in an in-depth discussion about how exclusion and epigenetics, the study of how behavior and environment can affect the way our genes are expressed and inherited, can impact our sense of belonging. They explore meaningful practices of empathy and representation to address transgenerational trauma and recover the affected parts of our brains from discrimination, racism, and other stressors that destroy our psychological safety. Rajkumari also suggests how managers and employees can work better together to create pathways for healing and cultures of belonging in the workplace. About Rajkumari Neogy (he or she)Rajkumari has worked with organizations worldwide, including HelloSign, Slack, Glympse, Salesforce, Gainsight, Twilio, Google, Guidewire, Intera, WhiteOps, Trumaker, Stratus, Ever AI, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Wells Fargo, Cisco Systems, Facebook, United States Digital Service (USDS), Shuddle, HopSkipDrive, Autodesk, Amazon, and Adobe. In 2013, S/He founded iRestart, which provides expertise in the areas of leadership development and organizational epigenetics. S/He is the creator of the iRestart coaching framework, the Disruptive Diversity Boot Camp, and the author of The WIT Factor: Shifting the Workplace Paradigm by Becoming Your Optimal Self.Possessing a rare blend of techno-babble and touchy-feely, Rajkumari brings my keen insight and systems-thinking perspective to provide holistic and integrative solutions when addressing complex problems. S/He believes that the qualities of passionate self-reflection and dedicated curiosity (two sides of the same coin) define true leadership.Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Change Catalyst, and to join us for our monthly live event, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Rajkumari Neogy On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rneogyConnect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanCreative Director @ Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Rajkumari Neogy, a French-Canadian/East Indian nonbinary person with short salt and pepper hair and a navy blue button-down with a black suit jacket; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with red hair, glasses, and orange shirt holding a white mug behind a laptop.]Support the show

In Episode 94, Melinda speaks with Dr. Rohini Anand, Principal & CEO of Rohini Anand LLC and author of Leading Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A Guide for Systemic Change in Multinational Organizations. Dr. Rohini describes her work to advance DEI across different countries and cultures. She addresses some common missteps that global leaders make when localizing their work and how we can disrupt our own biases and worldview to foster inclusion and cultural competence in the global workplace. She also shares how we can be better allies across global teams by understanding local contexts and bringing outside perspectives to challenge harmful and oppressive practices.About Rohini Anand, Ph.D. (she/her)Dr. Rohini Anand is Founder and CEO of Rohini Anand LLC providing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) advisory services to clients in the public and private sectors. She is a strategic business leader and trusted board member who has successfully transformed cultures and built an iconic brand with an enduring reputation, resulting in accelerating new business creation. Rohini is recognized as a pioneer in the DEI field, a thought leader and is a sought- after expert by leaders around the world. She is a published author. Her book, Leading Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: A Guide for Systemic Change in Multinational Organizations, has become the go-to resource for DEI professionals and for inclusive leaders.Most recently, Rohini was SVP Corporate Responsibility and Global Chief Diversity Officer for Sodexo. She reported to the Global CEO and was a member of Sodexo's North American Executive Committee. Rohini successfully positioned Sodexo as a global leader in DEI and Corporate Responsibility. Sodexo's remarkable global culture change, led by diversity and inclusion, is featured in a Harvard Business School case study entitled Shifting the Diversity Climate: the Sodexo Solution. She serves on the boards of several organizations, including WomenLift Health, a Gates Foundation initiative, Aspen Institute's Family Prosperity Initiative, Tent Partnership for Refugees, and the Galt Foundation. She also serves on the external diversity advisory boards for Sanofi and for Charter Communications and chairs the Catalyst Board of Advisors. Rohini is a Senior Fellow with the Conference Board and is on the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Center for Inclusive Governance's Advisory Council.To join us for our monthly live event and find educational resources, visit ally.cc.Connect With Dr. Rohini Anand On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohinianandFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/leadingglobaldeiTwitter: https://twitter.com/RohiniAnandPhDConnect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanCreative Director @ Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Dr. Rohini Anand, an Asian American female with short black hair, apple green dress, and emerald-and-olive green beaded necklace; beside her is the grey book cover of Leading Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A Guide for Systemic Change in Multinational Organizations; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with red hair, glasses, and orange shirt holding a white mug behind a laptop.]Support the show

In Episode 93, Melinda is joined by visionary activists for disability and social justice, Eleanor Lisney and Eddie Ndopu. Throughout the live recording, they discuss the importance of having leaders who cultivate empathy and inclusion for global teams to work better together across different cultures, genders, disabilities, and intersectionalities. They share how we can be better allies against systemic ableism to support disability and social justice worldwide. They also explore the first step that organizations can take to align their strategic priorities and objectives with the Sustainable Development Goals and promote sustainable economic growth, inclusivity, and accessibility for everyone in the workplace.About Eleanor Lisney (she/her)Eleanor Lisney is a campaigner and activist rooted from an intersectional perspective. Eleanor is a founding member of Culture Access and Sisters of Frida. She is an access and equality advisor. She is also on the web team of the International Network of Women with Disabilities. She writes on intersectional issues as a disabled woman of color and is passionate on campaigning for social justice and inclusion.About Eddie Ndopu (he/they)Arguably one of the most influential social justice leaders in the world right now, Eddie Ndopu is a disability innovation pioneer, and the Founder and Chairperson of A BILLION REASONS. In 2019 and again in 2021, UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, appointed Eddie as one of 17 SDG Advocates, the global body's most high profile champions in the fight to defeat poverty and defend the planet. Eddie also sits on the Boards of the UN Foundation, Valuable 500, and IMAGINE, and is a Global Future Council member at the World Economic Forum. Eddie holds degrees from Carleton University in Canada and the Blavatnik School of Government at Oxford University.To join us for our monthly live event or find additional resources, visit https://ally.cc. Connect With EleanorLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/eleanorlisneyTwitter: twitter.com/e_lisneyInstagram: instagram.com/elle_in_uk/Connect With EddieLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/eddiendopuFacebook: facebook.com/edward.ndopuTwitter: twitter.com/eddiendopuInstagram: instagram.com/eddiendopuConnect With UsYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanCreative Director @ Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth[Image description: LEA promo and photos of Eleanor, an East Asian woman with short brown hair, glasses, a woven hat, black t-shirt, and red/white plaid flannel; Eddie, a Black man with short black hair and mustache, light grey turtleneck, and jacket with green/blue floral pattern; and host Melinda, a White woman with red hair, glasses, and orange shirt holding a white mSupport the show

Lydia X. Z. Brown, Policy Counsel for Privacy & Data at the Center for Democracy & Technology, joins Melinda in an enlightening discussion around the impact of surveillance tech on marginalized populations. They address the importance of understanding the threats of surveillance in our daily lives brought on by algorithmic technologies used in education, policing, healthcare, and the workplace, and they discuss how this tech can be disproportionately damaging to people of color and people with disabilities. Lydia also shares what actions are needed to protect health data following the overturning of Roe v. Wade and how individuals and organizations should approach data privacy to protect everyone's rights and advocate for marginalized communities who are harmed by surveillance technologies. About Lydia X. Z. Brown (they/them)Lydia X. Z. Brown is an advocate, organizer, attorney, strategist, and writer whose work focuses on interpersonal and state violence against disabled people at the intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality, faith, language, and nation. Lydia is Policy Counsel for Privacy & Data at the Center for Democracy & Technology, focused on algorithmic discrimination and disability; Director of Policy, Advocacy, & External Affairs at the Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network; and founding executive director of the Autistic People of Color Fund. Lydia is an adjunct lecturer in the Women's and Gender Studies Program and the Disability Studies Program at Georgetown University, as well as the Self-Advocacy Discipline Coordinator for the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Fellowship program. They are also an adjunct professorial lecturer in American Studies in the Department of Critical Race, Gender, and Cultural Studies at American University. They are co-president of the Disability Rights Bar Association, a commissioner on the American Bar Association's Commission on Disability Rights, and Disability Justice Committee representative on the National Lawyers Guild board. Lydia is currently creating the Disability Justice Wisdom Tarot. Often, their most important work has no title, job description, or funding, and probably never will.To join us for our monthly live event and find educational resources, visit ally.ccConnect With LydiaLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lydiaxzbrownFacebook: facebook.com/autistic.hoyaTwitter: twitter.com/autistichoyaInstagram: instagram.com/autistichoyaConnect With UsYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanCreative Director @ Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth[Image description: LEA promo and photos of Lydia, an East Asian person with short black and teal hair, glasses, a dark blue suit, and a diamond-pattern tie, and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with red hair, glasses, and orange shirt holding a white mug behind a laptop.]Support the show

In Episode 91, Melinda speaks with Matt Landsiedel, Life & Spiritual Coach at Inspired to Be Authentic, about how empathic and highly sensitive people (HSPs) can thrive in the workplace and become some of our strongest leaders. They explore what being "highly sensitive" means, how we can identify individuals with this personality trait, and where there are overlapping characteristics between HSPs and empaths. They also discuss ways for HSPs to support themselves through healing past trauma to become their most authentic selves, and they provide simple approaches for managers to support a highly sensitive team member's valuable contributions and emotional well-being.About Matt Landsiedel (he/him)Matt Landsiedel is a transformative life coach, empathic healer, and spiritual teacher from Calgary, Canada.Matt specializes in teaching people how to heal shame + trauma and embody their authentic selves so they can enjoy meaningful connections in their lives. His areas of expertise are working with highly sensitive people (HSP), empaths, and gay men to develop a stronger sense of self-worth.Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Change Catalyst, and to join us for our monthly live event, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Matt Landsiedel On SocialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/matt.landsiedel.7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspiredtobeauthenticConnect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanCreative Director @ Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Matt Landsiedel, a Caucasian man with brown facial hair, a cream shirt, tan hat, and teal geometric-patterned scarf; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with red hair, glasses, and orange shirt holding a white mug behind a laptop.]Support the show

In Episode 90, Katelin Holloway, Founding Partner at Seven Seven Six, joins Melinda in an extensive conversation over the role of venture capital in advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging across the tech industry. They explore how the venture ecosystem can evolve to empower a talented and diverse workforce, create new opportunities and access to wealth for underrepresented founders, increase representation at senior levels within VC firms, and invest in companies that positively shape the future of work. Katelin also shares about their firm's commitment to diversity and inclusion across all investor roles to address the wealth gap in VC and how investors can build accountability for inclusion and sustainability in Web3.About Katelin Holloway (she/her)Katelin is a Founding Partner at Alexis Ohanian's venture capital firm Seven Seven Six, where she invests in people-first companies and manages the firm's programs, including the 2% Growth & Caregiving Commitment and Operator in Residence Program. Leading a career as a people & culture executive with previous roles at Pixar Animation Studios, Klout and Reddit, she's deeply committed to helping founders and the broader venture ecosystem evolve their diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging practices, creating new opportunities and access to wealth for people and products typically underrepresented in the tech industry. As an investor, she is passionate about supporting the companies that will shape the future of work, life, sustainability, and the delicate balance that enables us to thrive.Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Change Catalyst, and to join us for our monthly live event, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Katelin Holloway On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katelinhollowayTwitter: https://twitter.com/katelin_cruseConnect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanCreative Director @ Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Katelin Holloway, a White Mom with long blonde hair and black blouse, and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with red hair, glasses, and orange shirt holding a white mug behind a laptop.]Support the show

In Episode 89, Melinda is joined by an incredible panel of executive coaches and DEI practitioners: Rajkumari Neogy, Valentina Jaramillo, and David Ciocca. Throughout the live recording, they discuss how allies and ERG leaders can be the key drivers for creating psychologically safe workplaces for the LGBTQIA+ community. They explore the science and epigenetics behind psychological safety and how it leads to healing our transgenerational trauma. They also share how allies can demonstrate concern and support for LGBTQIA+ folks in remote and hybrid workplaces and ways to cultivate psychological safety through an intersectional lens.About Rajkumari Neogy (He or She)Rajkumari has worked with organizations worldwide. In 2013, S/He founded iRestart, which provides expertise in the areas of leadership development and organizational epigenetics. S/He is the creator of the iRestart coaching framework, the Disruptive Diversity Boot Camp, and the author of The WIT Factor: Shifting the Workplace Paradigm by Becoming Your Optimal Self. He/She believes that the qualities of passionate self-reflection and dedicated curiosity define true leadership.About Valentina Jaramillo (they/them)Curiosity has fueled Valentina's life, from becoming a key opinion leader for healthcare and social media in Latin America to working with a pharmaceutical company in the U.S.  Valentina's interest in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is infused in all their work. They have served as co-chair of LGBTQIA+ ERGs and been a member of DEI councils. Their experience as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion workplace champion shape Valentina's language to be non-gendered, inclusive, and empowering.About David Ciocca (he/him)David Ciocca is a Learning & Development Partner on Blend's Global Impact, Equity, and Belonging team. David has over 20 years of experience in employee engagement, learning and development, DEI, leadership development, and mentoring program management. In his current role, David leads the overall design and implementation of DEI learning and development opportunities to enhance the employee experience of belonging and inclusion at Blend. In his spare time, he enjoys live music, theater, travel, film, and teaching Zumba.For more about Change Catalyst, and to find educational resources, visit https://ally.cc.Connect With Rajkumari: linkedin.com/in/rneogyConnect With Valentina: linkedin.com/in/valentinajaramilloConnect With David: linkedin.com/in/davidpcioccaConnect With UsYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanCreative Director @ Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Valentina, a LatinX, gender non-conforming person; David, a White cis man; Rajkumari, a French-Canadian/ East Indian nonbinary person; and host Melinda, a White woman holding a white mug behind a laptop.]Support the show

In Episode 88, Melinda Briana Epler, Founder & CEO of Change Catalyst, shares key learnings in a book reading from a few chapters of her book, How to Be an Ally (McGraw-Hill). Drawing inspiration from her own story of experiencing biases and microaggressions in the workplace, Melinda explains how allyship can create positive change in workplaces and communities. She also presents a comprehensive list of tangible actions we can take to support people who experience microaggressions, systemic inequities, and other barriers to opportunity— specifically by learning to recognize and overcome verbal and nonverbal microaggressions and by counteracting the effects through microaffirmations. About Melinda Briana Epler (she/her)Melinda Briana Epler has more than 25 years of experience elevating brands and developing business innovation strategies for startups, Fortune 500 companies, and global NGOs.As CEO of Change Catalyst, Melinda is a strategic diversity, equity, and inclusion advisor for executives, entrepreneurs, investors, and activists around the world. As part of her changemaking work, she is an inclusive leadership coach, trains executive and management teams, and builds learning and development solutions for clients. Melinda is the author of How to Be an Ally (McGraw-Hill) and the host of the popular "Leading With Empathy & Allyship" podcast. She is also a TED speaker, award-winning documentary filmmaker, and former marketing and culture executive. She speaks and writes about diversity and inclusion in tech, allyship, and empathy.Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Change Catalyst, and to join us for our monthly live event, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With  Melinda Briana Epler On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melindaeplerFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/melindabrianaeplerTwitter: https://twitter.com/mbrianaeplerInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/changecatalystsConnect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanCreative Director @ Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and a photo of host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with red hair, glasses, and a black shirt; beside her is the orange book cover of HOW TO BE AN ALLY: ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE FOR A STRONGER, HAPPIER WORKPLACE.]Support the show

In Episode 87, Kudakwashe Mushaike, Founder of Below The Surface, shares a brief and powerful talk from Change Catalyst's third Icon Summit hosted by Icon Project Founder and Change Catalyst Co-Founder, Wayne Sutton. In “Finding Freedom Through Vulnerability,” Kudakwashe tells us how authenticity, freedom, and love play a pivotal role in the journey of understanding vulnerability and how leaning into vulnerability can allow us to experience the world around us more fully. Vulnerability is important as we work to be good allies—and as we ask each other for allyship. We're excited to share this special session with you.About Kudakwashe Mushaike (he/him)Kudakwashe Mushaike is a speaker, poet, software engineer, and the Host and Founder of Below The Surface.Having lost his father at the age of one, Kudakwashe found himself looking to other men to set an example for him. Challenged by the fact that for most men, conversation merely touches the surface and ultimately, their pain and struggles are experienced in silence, he realized that there was work to be done to shift the culture around conversation amongst men.Below The Surface was birthed from his mission to build stronger, more vulnerable communities of men through conversation and shared experiences.In tune with his mission, Kudakwashe speaks to men about vulnerability, growth, and mental wellnessFind Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Change Catalyst, and to join us for our monthly live event, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Kudakwashe Mushaike On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kudakwashe-mushaike-a08a2176Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belowthesurfacehqConnect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanCreative Director @ Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Kudakwashe Mushaike, a Black man with black hair, black beard, and white t-shirt, and host Wayne Sutton, a bald Black man with salt and pepper beard, glasses, and a dark gray shirt.]Support the show

In Episode 86, Julia Taylor Kennedy, Executive Vice President at Coqual, joins Melinda to discuss key insights from Coqual's Equity Series that feature insights on racial, ethnic, and gender equity in the global workforce. Julia takes us through her findings on specific differences around workplace equity across various countries. She shares how professionals from underrepresented groups experience inequity in performance evaluations, promotions, and compensation. She also offers a strategic approach for employers, managers, and DEI practitioners to measure and improve equity in global workplaces by identifying marginalized groups, addressing systemic issues, and understanding where there might be gaps in inclusion initiatives.About Julia Taylor Kennedy (she/her)Julia Taylor Kennedy is executive vice president at Coqual where she leads cutting-edge research on issues affecting today's professional workforce with an eye toward solutions for a more inclusive and equitable global workplace and world. Julia holds a mirror to how workplaces work today—and gives companies a way forward.Julia is a thought leader who has spoken at the United Nations, the Conference Board, the Executive Leadership Council, New York City Bar's Associate Leadership Institute, and many companies. She's been featured in Harvard Business Review, Business Insider, Fortune, Scientific American, and The Washington Post; she also has appeared on Bloomberg TV, American Public Media's Marketplace, Wharton Business Radio, and more.Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Change Catalyst, and to join us for our monthly live event, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Julia Taylor Kennedy On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-taylor-kennedy-893aa25Connect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanCreative Director @ Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Julia Taylor Kennedy, a White woman with short, curly brown hair, amber earrings, and teal blue shirt, and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with red hair, glasses, and orange shirt holding a white mug behind a laptop.]Support the show

In Episode 85, Karla McLaren, CEO of Emotion Dynamics, dives into a conversation with Melinda about how we can approach empathy and shame as a way to create sustainable change in communities and workplaces. They talk about ways to support ourselves through compassion fatigue, which often comes from doing tremendous amounts of emotional labor, emotion work, and empathy work. Karla also shares what organizations can do to protect the well-being of workers engaged in empathy work, such as setting up 'repair stations' and developing emotionally well-regulated social structures in the workplace. About Karla McLaren (she/her)Karla McLaren, M.Ed. is an award-winning author, educator, social science researcher, and empathy expert. Her groundbreaking Six Essential Aspects of Empathy model highlights all of the processes in healthy empathy and makes them understandable, accessible, and attainable.Karla is the author of many books, online courses, and audio learning programs, and she's the developer of the online learning site EmpathyAcademy.org. Her books include The Power of Emotions at Work, Embracing Anxiety, The Art of Empathy, and The Language of Emotions. She is online at KarlaMcLaren.com.Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Change Catalyst, and to join us for our monthly live event, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Karla McLaren On SocialLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/karla-mclaren-m-ed-17b947a2/Facebook: facebook.com/KarlaMcLarenAuthor/Twitter: twitter.com/KarlaMcLarenInstagram: instagram.com/karlamclaren.m.ed/Connect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanCreative Director @ Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Karla McLaren, a smiling, middle-aged, brown-haired, green-eyed, White lady person with glasses and a blue shirt; beside her is the black book cover of THE POWER OF EMOTIONS AT WORK: Accessing the Vital Intelligence in Your Workplace; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with red hair, glasses, and orange shirt holding a white mug behind a laptop.]Support the show

In Episode 84, Nisha Anand, CEO of Dream Corps, joins Melinda in a reflective conversation about how we can make unlikely allies and find common ground to create large-scale change in our organizations, culture, and legislation. They share their take on the Supreme Court's draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade, its impact on abortion rights across different communities, and the power every individual can have in pushing for an inclusive piece of legislation. Nisha also provides practical steps for creating common ground in communities and workplaces by learning how to have hard conversations, listening to understand, and finding commonalities that can help drive change forward.About Nisha Anand (she/her)Nisha Anand is the CEO of Dream Corps, a nonprofit organization that brings people together across racial, social, and partisan lines to solve our toughest problems. She is the Political Director of Rebuild The Dream, an organization fighting for an economy that works for everyone. Her journey from punk-rock protester to common ground champion is documented in her widely-viewed TED talk, The Radical Act of Choosing Common Ground. With her team of storytellers, organizers, and policy experts, Nisha focuses on criminal justice reform, green economics, and tech equity to create a better future for all.Previously, Nisha served as Chief of Staff to Van Jones, CNN commentator, and NY Times Bestselling Author. Nisha is a senior trainer and consultant with GIFT, the Grassroots Institute for Fundraising Training. As a certified coach, Nisha is a pioneer in the field of “fundraising coaching”–providing a unique blend of coaching people through their issues around money.In 1998, Nisha was arrested while passing out pro-democracy leaflets in the military dictatorship of Burma and was sentenced to five years in jail with 18 other international activists. Her arrest put her on the international stage, delivering speeches at numerous events and conferences and interviewing for TV, radio, and print. Nisha plays soccer and is the mother of two teenagers and a great dane.To join us for our monthly live event or find educational resources from the episode, visit ally.cc.Connect With Nisha On SocialLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nisha-m-anandFacebook: facebook.com/nisha.anand.31Twitter: twitter.com/NishaMAnandInstagram: instagram.com/nishamanandConnect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanCreative Director @ Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth[Image description: LEA promo with photos of Nisha Anand, a South Asian female with long wavy black hair, brown eyes, glasses, and a striped black and white long sleeve; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with red hair, glasses, and orange shirt holding a white mug behind a laptop.]Support the show

In Episode 83, Laura Liswood, Secretary General of the Council of Women World Leaders, joins Melinda in a thoughtful discussion about how we can improve workplace diversity faster. They discuss tactics that help leaders address the roadblocks brought by the 'Elephant-Mouse' dynamic between dominant and non-dominant groups in organizations. Laura also addresses some of the key topics from her latest book, The Elephant and the Mouse: Moving Beyond the Illusion of Inclusion to Create a Truly Diverse and Equitable Workplace, such as the meritocracy myth, code-switching, the risks posed by a homogeneous workforce, and the rewards of allyship. Bonus: Laura shares her research findings on what it would take for the US to have a woman President.About Laura (she/her)In August 1996, Laura Liswood co-founded the Council of Women World Leaders with President Vigdís Finnbogadóttir of Iceland located at the UN Foundation in Washington, DC. Ms. Liswood is the Secretary General of the Council, which is composed of women presidents, prime ministers, and heads of government. It is the only organization of its kind globally.From 2001 to 2016, Liswood was also named Managing Director, Global Leadership and Diversity for Goldman Sachs, and later became a senior advisor. She continues to speak to audiences globally on diversity, equity, and inclusion.Liswood holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and a B.A. from California State University, San Diego. She holds a J.D. degree from the University of California, Davis, School of Law, and is admitted to practice law in California and Massachusetts. After the events of 9/11, she became a reserve police officer in the Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department and retired as a sergeant.Liswood is the author of four books The Loudest Duck-Moving beyond Diversity, The Elephant and the Mouse, Women World Leaders, and Serving Them Right. She is a long time participant in the World Economic Forum and is a Steward of the Forum's Education, Gender, and Work Initiative.She is a commissioner for the New Mexico State Personnel Review Board, a board advisor for EDGE, and a member of the Washington DC Metro Transit Police Investigative Review Panel.To join us for our monthly live event or find educational resources from this episode, visit https://ally.cc.Connect With Laura On SocialLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/laura-liswood-60451924/ Connect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanCreative Director @ Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth[Image description: LEA promo and photos of Laura, a White woman with short blonde/brown hair, glasses, pearl earrings, and a white/black polka dot suit; beside her is the book cover of The Elephant and the Mouse; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with red hair, glasses, and orange shirt holding a white mug behind a laptop.]Support the show

In Episode 82, Doc Jana, CEO & Founder of Doc Jana LLC and TMI Consulting Inc, joins Melinda in a conversation that gives individuals and organizations a clear approach to interrupting what Doc calls “subtle acts of exclusion,” also known as microaggressions, at work. They guide us through the steps in addressing our own biases, which are often the root of these subtle acts of exclusion. Doc also shares their latest work and their participation in pleasure activism as a way to reclaim joy and find liberation and healing from the pain of trauma.About Doc Jana (they/them)Dr. Jana (they/them) is a non-binary Awareness Artist and Pleasure Activist. They use their work and art to create a loving embrace of people and culture expansive enough to exclude no one. Their mission at Doc Jana LLC is to liberate hearts, minds, and bodies through joy, love, and knowledge.As a certified meditation and yoga instructor, Doc Jana is also the author of several best-selling books, four on inclusion and one book of poetry. They are the founder of TMI Consulting Inc, the world's first diversity-focused Certified Benefit Corporation. Doc Jana has been featured in numerous publications and media including Fast Company, NY Times, and Forbes for their work on diversity, equity, empowerment, and inclusion. They've done a TEDx on privilege and were named one of the Top 100 Leadership Speakers by Inc.com.Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!For more about Change Catalyst, and to join us for our monthly live event, visit https://ally.cc. There, you'll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.Connect With Doc Jana On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanyjana/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrTiffanyJana/Twitter: https://twitter.com/twiffanyjana/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiffanyjana/Connect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanCreative Director @ Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo with photos of Doc Jana, an African-American nonbinary person with short curly blue hair, matching blue glasses, gray suit on top of blue and white t-shirt, and an electric smile; beside them is the white book cover of SUBTLE ACTS OF EXCLUSION: How to Understand, Identify, and Stop Microaggressions; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with red hair, glasses, and orange shirt holding a white mug behind a laptop.]Support the show (http://patreon.com/changecatalysts)