Podcasts about inclusion council

Standard Chartered's Women in Tech accelerator program offers women entrepreneurs a unique platform to unleash their potential, overcome barriers, and accelerate their business ventures. The programme is part of the bank's commitment to fostering gender equality and driving innovation in the rapidly evolving technological landscape, aimed at empowering and supporting women entrepreneurs in the technology sector. This week , a graduation event was held in Sandton in Johannesburg, marking the close of the 12 week Incubator Programme , where entrepreneurs from the cohort pitched for a total of $50,000, showcasing their unique technology-enabled solutions. To find out more Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Catherine Tivanapi , from the Diversity and Inclusion Council at Standard Chartered

“The call to action  is to start looking at the neurodiverse community and recognize that there is this incredible group of people…and they need to be invested in.” In this conversation, Devon Tilly and co-host Matt McMullen chat with Danny Combs about the construction workforce, the trades, and the autistic community in Colorado!  Keep up with the Art of Construction (AOC) podcast on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn! Danny is a leading voice in creating equitable futures for neurodistinct individuals in business and equality of opportunity for the entire disability community. Mr. Combs is the inaugural Director of the Colorado Disability Opportunity Office, Colorado's senior strategic and policy agency housed in the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, working with the Governor and Lieutenant Governor to help make Colorado the best state in the country for people with disabilities. He is the founder of TACT (Teaching the Autism Community Trades), the state of Colorado's leading transition to employment and training organization, and the co-founder of the Colorado Neurodiversity Chamber of Commerce, the first neurodiverse chamber in the country. Danny has brought together over 100 businesses to build better opportunities, pay, and career advancement for neurodistinct individuals. His organizations have raised tens of millions in funding to create scholarships to serve all socioeconomic classes. In addition to being a leader in the community, Danny has worked with multiple Grammy and Oscar-winning artists, and the music program he developed in Nashville won a Grammy Enterprise Award. Mr. Combs is also an Air Force Reservist who serves his country in the 4th Space Warning Squadron and the 42nd Combat Training Squadron in the 310th Space Wing. His leadership, community development, and social innovation have been recognized in the White House and Pentagon on NBC, ABC, PBS, CBS, Fox, the Denver Business Journal, Epoch Times, News Nation, Classy, and more. In 2024, he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor Society Citizen Honor Award. With his dedication to the community, Danny is also a Senior Fellow at the Community Impact Policy Institute in New York, a board member of Florida-based HAAPE, a Co-Chair of the NeurodiverseAF, a committee member for the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Council on Buckley Space Force Base, an Advisory Member for Career and Technical (CTE) Education, and part of the Employment Taskforce for the Autism Society of America. Finally, he has been published multiple times on his thoughts, practices, and leadership about community development, social innovation, transition, autism, and employment. His book “Supporting Neurodivergent and Autistic People for Their Transition into Adulthood, Blueprints for Education, Training, and Employment” reached number 1 on Amazon.com. Most importantly, he's a father of two amazing kids. Read Danny's book: Supporting Neurodivergent and Autistic People for Their Transition into Adulthood: Blueprints for Education, Training, and Employment! Purchase at Barnes and Noble or Amazon. Danny Combs in the press:  Colorado Sun - Autism trade school  Biz Journals - Executive voice Danny Combs  AFRC - Spotlight on Air Force reservist community leader  ISSUU  Biz Journals - Neurodiversity Chamber of Commerce Colorado  Denver Gazette - TACT award winner Additional videos on neurodiversity in the workforce: T.A.C.T.: Changing the Zeitgeist Around Autism in Employment T.A.C.T News Nation Now - Musician turned veteran works to uplift people with autism  Danny Combs, 2024 Citizen Honors Service Act Awardee Additional reading on neurodiversity in the workforce: Neurodiversity in the workplace  Values driven culture business success  5 ways to embrace universal design in your communication department  7 reasons to embrace national disability employment awareness month  The great resignations: Untapped talent in the autism community Embracing Neurodiversity in the skilled trades Neurodivergent workplaces inclusivity innovation ADHD Neurodiversity in employment  Subscribe to us and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!

Senior Master Sgt. Keiser speaks with Lt. Col. Stewart about the 122nd Diversity and Inclusion Council.

IntroductionLIVE from your ESG Hanukkah Jesus Bush, it's a Business Pants Friday Show here at December 20th Studios, featuring AnalystHole Matt Moscardi. On today's YEARLY wrap up: Everything.Our show today is being sponsored by Free Float Analytics, the only platform measuring board power, connections, and performance for FREE.Story of the Year (DR):Exxon Sues Two ESG Investors [Follow This, Arjuna Capital] MMJudge voids Elon Musk's "unfathomable" $56 billion Tesla pay packageBoeingBoeing CEO says it was 100% his own decision to resignBoeing CEO's tearful apologyBoeing pleads guilty to fraud in fatal 737 Max crashes, fined $243.6 millionBoeing names Robert ‘Kelly' Ortberg as new president and CEOBoeing factory workers strike for first time since 2008 after overwhelmingly rejecting contractTrump's victory adds record $64bn to wealth of richest top 10The Murder of Brian Thompson, UnitedHealthcare C.E.O. DRGoodliest of the Year (MM/DR):DR: 2,000 senior women win “biggest victory possible” in landmark climate caseMore than 2,000 older Swiss women have won a landmark European case proving that government climate inaction violates human rights.The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled Tuesday that Switzerland had not acted urgently to achieve climate targets, leading victims, who are mostly in their 70s, to suffer physically and emotionally while potentially placed at risk of dying.The women, part of a group called KlimaSeniorinnen (Senior Women for Climate Protection), filed the lawsuit nine years ago. DR: Minnesota capital St. Paul makes history as first large U.S. city with all-female councilDR: Delta paying $1.4 billion in profit sharing payments to employeesDR: 42% of shareholders vote against BlackRock CEO Larry Fink's payMM: Stakeholders rule: U.S. bans noncompete agreements for nearly all jobs: MM“30 million people, or one in five American workers are bound by noncompetes. It will take effect later this year, except for existing noncompetes that companies have with senior executives ‘on the grounds that these agreements are more likely to have been negotiated.'”MM: Women > men: First NCAA women's basketball championship surpasses men's viewership: DR“Iowa-South Carolina game averaged 19 million viewers, 24M in the final 15 minutes. Men's averaged 15 million. Year of renegotiating for women's basketball.”MM: Porn figures it out: A Pornhub Chatbot Stopped Millions From Searching for Child Abuse VideosMeanwhile… “Google's Search AI Recommends Changing Your Car's Blinker Fluid, Which Is a Made Up Thing That Does Not Exist.”Researchers Call for "Child-Safe AI" After Alexa Tells Little Girl to Stick Penny in Wall SocketGoogle's Gemini Chatbot Explodes at User, Calling Them "Stain on the Universe" and Begging Them To "Please Die"Meta's AI Refuses to Show Asian Men With White WomenMM: Study: Playing Dungeons & Dragons helps autistic players in social interactions Assholiest of the YEAR (MM):Sam AltmanSam Altman will return to OpenAI's board with three new directors“Our primary fiduciary duty is to humanity.” - So let's summarize - we have a board with Bret Taylor (ex Twitter chair, Salesforce founder, worked at Google, worked at Facebook and created the like button), Larry Summers (grumpy grandpa Harvard who thinks women are unable to compete with men and was master of Harvard when Zuck founded Facebook), Adam D'Angelo (founder of Quora, former CTO of Facebook), Sue DH (who was on board of Facebook), Fidji Simo (who lead monetization at Facebook), and the only NON FB alums Sam Altman (the master and founder) and Nicole Seligman (who oversaw one of the largest hacks in history and has a history on boards of CBS/Viacom under dictators)...Proxy voters DRDisney Shareholders Are Selling Their Proxy Votes Online - IndieWireA share of Disney is currently hovering at $118.Buying the vote is currently valued at $0.20.The current economic value to shareholder right value multiple is 590:1McDonald's CEO Kempczinski to assume role of board chairmanMiles White named Lead Independent DirectorDirector since 2009 (15 years)Connected to 58% of the CURRENT boardHas nearly 40 loops back to board members in the last 7 years aloneWas on the board for the disaster that was Steve EasterbrookMiles is part of the Boeing American Board Other board history:LIDsThere are 284 US large caps out of just over 600 with CEO/Chair combo, founder, or executive chair and a Lead Independent Director on the board - that's 47% of US large cap boardsAt 59% the LID has 10+ years of tenureAt 29% BOTH the executive AND the LID have more than 10 years of tenure - as in they worked together for a decadeAppointments, not electionsNumber of new directors appointed from 6/1/23 to 6/1/24: 1,875Average time between appointment and election: ~4 monthsThomas Gayner was added to the Coca Cola board and served 10 full months before he got a vote from investors - and they voted 39.1% AGAINST SEC charge hinges on director's lack of ‘social independence'20% of every US large cap board is connected inside two degrees JUST FROM OTHER BOARDSWe just covered Parker Hannifin on our show Proxy Countdown and found that 100% of the board worked within 250 miles of one another, and 40% of them were from Ohio!Boeing InvestorsLawsuit Against Boeing's Board Seeks Accountability for Safety FailuresBill AckmanAfter his wife is outed as having plagiarized (lightly?) in her dissertation, he posted on Wednesday a 4,200 word post defending his wife, detailing his personal trauma…And now, the part that only billionaires can do because the rest of us asshole poorsies don't rate…I reached out to a board member I knew at BI, and to its controlling shareholders, the co-ceos of KKR, and to Mathias Döpfner, the Chairman and CEO of Axel SpringerI reached out to Joe Bae because he is Co-CEO of KKRI reached out to Henry Kravis because he is KKR's representative on the board of Axel SpringerI called a board member of BI that I knew, but not well, on Saturday“After spending a lot of time over the past few weeks looking at and thinking about the definition of “plagiarism” (and some cited examples), I agree with you about it. Academia needs to narrow the definition.I made one request. I asked him to publicly disclose that Axel Springer had launched an investigation of the story, and he said he would have to get back to me on that request.Billionaire Bill Ackman Accuses The Walt Disney Company Of Leaking Shareholder Votes Amidst Nelson Peltz Proxy ... - That Park PlaceMeritocracyJ.M. Smucker's CEO says the family-run business is a 'meritocracy'Alex Edmans The anti-ESG, racist-veiled-as-meritocracy crowd noticed an ESG prof keeps saying “DEI” and “lies” in the same postsStrive puts him on a webinar called “DEI May Contain Lies” - Edmans seems to not know or acknowledge the fact that Strive votes explicitly against women on boards at a 2:1 rate versus average REGARDLESS OF PERFORMANCE (we have the data to show it)Elon Musk is lashing out at MacKenzie Scott, Jeff Bezos' ex, for donating billions to charities for women and minorities“Super rich ex-wives who hate their former spouse' should filed be listed among 'Reasons that Western Civilization died'”Texas is using Boeing's troubles to expand its war on DEI“Documents that Spirit relies on to substantiate its claim that a diverse workplace improves product quality.”“Produce all meeting minutes of Spirit's Global Diversity & Inclusion Council(s). Meeting minutes is defined to include any document that memorializes the agenda or discussion of any meetings held by these groups.Target to pull LGBTQ-themed items from some stores during Pride Month, Bloomberg News reportsMeta created an AI advisory council that's composed entirely of White menPat Collison, cofounder of StripeNat Friedman, ex GitHub CEOTobi Lutke, CEO of ShopifyCharlie Songhurst, angel investor and ex-MSFTTractor Supply's Customers Cheer as It Dumps ESG, Says Survey, Microsoft reportedly fires DEI team — becoming latest company to ditch ‘woke' policy, John Deere Cuts 'Woke' Programs, Moves Jobs to Mexico, Harley-Davidson Sparks Boycott Call for Going 'Totally Woke'Larry Ellison Will Control Paramount After Deal, Filing ShowsDavid Ellison looked like he was buying it, but filing shows Daddy Larry will actually control 77% of National Amusements, the controlling shareholder of Paramount, when the deal is completedTyson's finance chief is out of the job. The Tyson heir got the gig at 32, making him the youngest Fortune 500 CFOThe interim CFO Curt Calaway will now be the ACTUAL CFO, but I'm not sure he's the right fit because he only had 11 years experience as an auditor followed by 18 years experience in finance at Tyson.Matt Gaetz, Vivek, Elon, Tulsi Gabbard, cabinet appointmentsWhite menThe value of male influence on boards in the US:Small cap, a man's influence is worth 1.7x a woman (women occupy 28% boards)Mid cap, a man's influence is worth 1.7x a woman (women occupy 31% boards)Large cap, a man's influence is worth 1.6x a woman (women occupy 33% boards)Mega cap, a man's influence is worth 1.8x a woman (women occupy 36% boards)Bumble and Hinge Let Creeps See Your Exact Locationmen can now make the first move, and the company is now run by a man - men coming out on top at last!White men who are mistreated at work are more likely to notice and report harassment against coworkersAirline says it's testing a booking tool that lets women select seats away from menA Brief List of People Elon Musk Has Challenged to Combat and Then Chickened Out of Actually FightingWhy men get more credit than women for doing the same work, according to a business school professorAs a case in point, consider the experience of Joan Roughgarden. Joan transitioned from male to female during her tenure as a biology professor at Stanford University. When Roughgarden's colleagues perceived her as a man, they took her competence as a given. After her transition, though, Joan found she had “to establish competence to an extent that men never have to. [Men are] assumed to be competent until proven otherwise, whereas a woman is assumed to be incompetent until she proves otherwise,” she recalled. “I remember going on a drive with a man. He assumed I couldn't read a map.”Elon Musk Suggests That Government Should Be Replaced by Dudes With High TestosteroneProblems associated with artificially high testosterone levels in men include:low sperm counts, shrinking of the testicles and impotenceheart muscle damage and increased risk of heart attackprostate enlargement with difficulty urinatingliver diseaseacnefluid retention with swelling of the legs and feetweight gain, perhaps related in part to increased appetitehigh blood pressure and cholesterolinsomniaheadachesincreased muscle massincreased risk of blood clotsstunted growth in adolescentsuncharacteristically aggressive behavior (although not well studied or clearly proven)mood swings, euphoria, irritability, impaired judgment, delusions.MEN AS AN INVESTABLE ASSET CLASS?This isn't a joke - there are 69… yes, 69… US companies with zero women on the board and another 10 that have women with 0% influenceNathan's Famous hot dog board - 10 directors, 1 woman, 9 men… female influence on the board = 0% according to FFA dataZERO people of colorInsiders own 30% of the company (all white dudes), but the largest external manager GAMCO/Gabelli (14% of shares) PMs are all men that hold Nathan's - men holding men!Oglethorpe Power is my new favorite MANCOMPANY - the board:Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky says women founders say they can't go 'founder mode' like men and that it needs to changeHeadliniest of the YearDR: Elon Musk's $46 billion payday is 'not about the money,' Tesla chair saysDR: Google Helpless to Stop Its AI From Recommending Glue on PizzaDR: Jamie Dimon saysDR: ESG is Coming For Your Toilet Paper DRDR: X global affairs head Nick Pickles resignsMM: Anti-woke: A definitive list of woke and non-woke foods - New Zealand HeraldBeans = wokeBaked Beans = not wokePotato chips (salted, salt and vinegar) = not wokePotato chips (any other flavor) = wokeSpaghetti = wokeCanned spaghetti = wokeQuinoa (pronounced keen-wah) = wokeQuinoa (pronounced quin-oh-ah) = slightly less woke but still wokeMM: Cybertruck: Maine Man Alarmed When Everybody Mocks His Cybertruck, Flips Him Off MMThe Cybertruck faces another setback as it recalls more than 11,000 vehicles over its giant wiperMM: MeritocracyNASA Praises Boeing's Stranded Starliner for Managing Not to Explode While Docked to Space StationMM: Awesome:Police Warn Residents to Lock Down Houses as Dozens of Monkeys Escape Research FacilityWho Won the Year?DR:Claudia Sheinbaum Elected as Mexico's First Female Presidente.l.f. BeautyThe Shareholder Primacy podcast with Mike Levin and Ann LiptonShitheads (re: Robby Starbuck, et al)Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick, the first woman to lead Delaware's Court of ChanceryWOMEN'S BASKETBALL!!!!!!Anyone who wants free director data - we lifted the paywalls on freefloatanalytics.com, so you get 80,000 active directors globally, influence metrics, and four performance metrics for every single one. Suck it ISS.MM: Proxy votersFREE FLOAT ANALYTICS IS FREE for 80,000 current directors with some performance metricsOur clientsFrom the Gates' Foundation's asset manager to Fidelity, Free Float's clients get it ALL - historical data, knowledge maps, connectivity data that includes now non profit boards, we're working on lobbying data, diversity data, and all packaged with expert findings and ad hoc research directly from usDamionNever has he been more credibleCapitalismKnowing WHO runs the world is much more important than knowing WHAT runs the worldNon profits moving companiesWe worked with a half dozen non profits this year who needed data to influence companies - and we gave it to them, so much so we're starting a non profit of our own to donate data to and throughPredictionsWe'll start 2025 with a Predictions show and look back at lost year's predictions

Welcome to another enlightening episode of the "I Am Dad" podcast! Today, we are honored to have a truly inspiring guest, Erin Frisch (she/they), who has been a transformative leader in the field of child support and family services. Erin has been serving as the Director of the Office of Child Support at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) since 2012. Erin's dedication to improving the lives of families through equitable and inclusive child support services has made a significant impact across Michigan and beyond. Erin's leadership extends to the national stage, where they serve as president of the National Child Support Engagement Association and have previously led the National Council of Child Support Directors. Throughout her illustrious career, Erin has been a champion for integrating public assistance programs to reduce poverty and enhance community well-being. Their efforts in co-leading the MDHHS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council have successfully advocated for the establishment of an office of Race, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, further demonstrating Erin's commitment to fostering an inclusive environment for all. With a background in IT management consulting and a deep passion for public service, Erin brings a unique perspective to child support policy and practice. They have also been a driving force behind pioneering evidence-based programs that support fathers and families, ensuring that child support services meet the evolving needs of today's society. Erin's commitment to her work is matched by her dedication to her family, as a proud parent of two teenagers who keep her on her toes. Today, we are thrilled to delve into Erin's insights on fatherhood, child support, and the importance of equity and inclusion in family services. Please join me in welcoming the remarkable Erin Frisch to the "I Am Dad" podcast.

Soul Pitt Media Health & Business Report Episode #78 | Interview with Justin Bolitho, Interim General Manager of Underground, DLC Join Craig as he discusses with Justin: Let's talk about your background and how it led to working at the local electric utility, Duquesne Light Company. Can you tell our listeners what your career journey at DLC has looked like? What does your current role as the Interim General Manager of Underground entail? What is something our listeners may not know about working at a utility? I heard you also serve as the Chair of DLC's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council. What is the purpose of this group and how you are hoping to impact the organization in this leadership role? Can you share any advice for future generations who may be preparing to enter the workforce, or who are in the early stages of their career? Additionally, make sure you listen to our Community Calendar (brought to you by Pittsburgh Regional Transit, PRT) with Debbie Norrell at the end of each of our interviews so you can keep up with what's going on in our Pittsburgh region. Soul Pitt Media's Health & Business Report is sponsored by UPMC, Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT), Duquesne Light Co., ThermoFisher Scientific, Pennsylvania's Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and PA Unites Against COVID.

On today's episode of The Executive Appeal Podcast join Alex D. Tremble (CEO of GPS Leadership Solutions & #KeynoteSpeaker) and Kim Loans (Global Diversity and Inclusion Program Lead at DCC Technology / Exertis Group) as they discuss how leaders who need time to process information can still excel at the senior executive level. Discover strategies for leveraging thoughtful decision-making to drive success and foster inclusive leadership.Guest Bio:Kim Lonas is a distinguished professional in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Currently serving as the Global Diversity and Inclusion Program Lead for DCC Technology / Exertis Group, she has been instrumental in developing and implementing Exertis' DEI strategy, impacting c. 5000 employees. Her role emphasizes embedding ownership and accountability within business units through local leadership and Exertis' global Diversity & Inclusion Council.Kim's professional journey includes tenure as the Director of Human Resources for Exertis NA. Her expertise spans a variety of skills, including labor and employment law, emotional intelligence, DEIB, cultural transformation, strategic planning, public speaking, organizational leadership, executive coaching, and change management.With a rich cultural experience encompassing numerous countries, such as France, Ireland, Sweden, the U.K., and many more, Kim brings a global perspective to her work in DEI. Her speaking engagements are marked by profound insights and practical knowledge, drawing from her extensive experience in various cultural contexts.Her academic accomplishments in DEI further enhance Kim Lonas's expertise in the field. She holds a Stanford University certificate on "Leverage Diversity and Inclusion for Organizational Excellence." This program has equipped her with advanced strategies and insights into leveraging diversity to drive organizational success. Additionally, Kim earned a certificate from Cornell University in "Diversity and Inclusion for HR," which underscores her deep understanding of integrating diversity and inclusion principles in human resources practices. Complementing these achievements is her SHRM-CP designation, reflecting her commitment to professional excellence and staying abreast of the latest trends and practices in human resource management. These certifications underscore Kim's dedication to fostering inclusive environments and her ability to translate academic knowledge into practical, impactful organizational strategies.Kim has been a prominent speaker at notable industry events, including Integrated Systems Europe. She is a seasoned panelist, frequently participating in discussions related to DEI, sharing her knowledge and experiences, inspiring and educating audiences on the importance and implementation of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Her talks are known for their depth, relevance, and ability to resonate with diverse audiences.

Show Notes and Transcript Xi Van Fleet, a survivor of Mao's Cultural Revolution, joins Hearts of Oak to share her harrowing experiences in China and discusses her book "Mao's America," which draws parallels between the Cultural Revolution and the current woke movement in America.  Fresh from a recent interview with Tucker Carlson, which has amassed a whopping 5M+ views on X/Twitter, Xi recounts to us the chaos and fear of the Cultural Revolution, comparing the Red Guards in China to modern movements like BLM and Antifa, exposing the manipulation of youth for political gain.  She warns against the destructive nature of cancel culture and emphasizes the importance of preserving American values.  Xi reflects on her journey to America and addresses the impact of communist regimes on families and personal freedoms and stresses the need to resist authoritarian control for the sake of freedom and democracy. Xi Van Fleet describes herself as “Chinese by birth; American by choice, survivor of Mao's Cultural Revolution, defender of liberty.” She was born in China, lived through the Cultural Revolution, and was sent to work in the countryside at the age of 16. After Mao's death she was able to go to college to study English and has lived in the United States since 1986. In 2021, she delivered a school board speech in Loudoun County, Virginia against Critical Race Theory that went viral and ignited national conservative media attention. She now devotes her time and energies full time to warning about the parallels between Mao's Cultural Revolution in China and what's unfolding in America today.  Connect with Xi... X/Twitter            x.com/XVanFleet *Special thanks to Bosch Fawstin for recording our intro/outro on this podcast. Check out his art theboschfawstinstore.blogspot.com and follow him on X twitter.com/TheBoschFawstin    (Hearts of Oak) And I'm delighted to have Xi Van Fleet with us today. Xi, thank you so much for joining us today. (Xi van Fleet) Well, thank you so much for finding me all the way from the UK. This is amazing. I will thank Karen Siegemund. I know you were speaking at an AFA conference recently, and Karen was singing your praises. And when we talked last week or a week before, she had mentioned you. So, it's wonderful to have you. I've been having the pleasure of listening to your book. But obviously, before we get into that, people can find you at your Twitter handle, @XVanFleet. And that is what they will find if they head over. Your book is Mao's America. It is available everywhere in the UK. I know I listened to it as a audio book. You can get as a hardback also. Childhood in China And I found it fascinating and riveting. But maybe we can jump in. It's you describe it as a an aspiring survivor of Mao's cultural revolution in china, and you do in it make a a passionate case that history is repeating itself as the woke revolution spreads across America and you lived through the cultural revolution; you fled, you left China and you've spent many, many years in America. I think in Virginia where I've been many times in the last two years actually all over Virginia. I know Virginia more than any other state in the US but, maybe I can ask you first; tell us about growing up in China. Our audience, 50% U.S., 50% U.K. Few of them will have any idea of what that was like. But maybe what are some of your childhood memories of growing up in China? Well, the first thing I can say is that before the Cultural Revolution, my memory was – I just don't have much memory because one thing, it was not –, not a lot going on. So, in a way, I call it eventless, but it's not. It's not eventless. But for a child like me, it's relatively calm. So to me, my memory kind of started in the cultural revolution. And to me, it's overnight. And I was not even seven. And people question, how can you remember? Yes, you remember when your whole world was turned upside down. And it's just almost overnight and class was canceled. One day I went to the classroom and I saw the writing on the blackboard by the teacher that there's no class for three days. And that three days lasted for two years and for some others, as long as four years. And it's absolute chaos. Why school was closed? Because no one was running the school. All the teachers and administrators were ousted by who? By the kids. Kids. So, for me, it's elementary school. And I witnessed some violence, but it's not lethal, of course. But that's not the case in middle school and in universities. And we heard stories, even though I was too little to go to those places and witness the violence. But many, many people died. The teachers, professors, and school administrators in the hands of the Red Guards. And as I mentioned in my book, the first killing happened in the middle school for girls in Beijing. Just girls, young girls, 12 to 16, somehow was able to just turn around and regard their principals as enemies. And they would hate their principal so much that they want to kill her, and they did. And meanwhile, it's chaos. It's absolute chaos everywhere. So since there's no class, so we just went to the street. And every day we witnessed some kind of a struggle session. I think this term has come into the English vocabulary, struggle session. It's public trial of the presumed enemy of the state. And it can be anyone. So, one day, and I was with my friend looking at all this parade of the enemies and found out, and I noticed that's her father, our neighbour. And that really brought close to me that anyone, anyone can be the enemy. And I was just really praying my father wouldn't make any mistakes so that he would be paraded like that. And then destruction, destruction everywhere. everywhere, and that lasted. That's pretty much my memory of the 10 years of Cultural Revolution, and because it lasted until Mao's death in 1976. I graduated from high school in 1975, and what to do after you graduate? Everyone had to go to the countryside because the Cultural revolution has destroyed all the economy; everything. There's no job. And for the young people, there's only one way out, go to the countryside, and of course, Mao said, "you go to the countryside and get re-educated by the peasants to be a better communist." And again, the word re-education now made into the English vocabulary. Tell us about that. That term re-education is a term that in the West we don't really understand, but is a powerful concept, I guess, by the government. Tell us what re-education meant in China, as you saw it. Actually, this word, they have a different, but there are different words for the same concept. It started with thought reform. Thought reform is something that everyone, everyone had to go through after the communists took over China. So, because we all had bad thoughts, bad education, bad ideas put in our head, and that's not good. It's not allowed. So, we all have to go through this process called thought reform. Or you can say indoctrination, brainwash, whatever. And so during the Cultural Revolution, they had a new term for it. It's re-education. Sounds better. And so what you do? You get your re-education through physical labor. Go to the countryside. And the culture revolution, that was 66 to 76, 1966 to 1976. So, that was your whole time in high school growing up. That's all. But then before, it wasn't that this suddenly comes in and everything changes. The Great Leap Forward was before that. And the amount of people that died, tens of millions, that's a number so difficult for anyone who's never experienced that to understand. But I've seen figures of 40, 50 million. It's huge. It's huge. Yeah. And I'm glad you mentioned it. Why Mao want to launch this cultural revolution? I did not know. Many people did not know. We just went through it. We suffered. And we did not know why. I had no idea until way after I came here, when I was able to read different sources of materials. And then I said, my God. It took, you know, I went through this whole disaster, this catastrophe, and suffered so much, everyone, and now I know why. Let me go back to the Great Leap Forward that you mentioned, and that was in the late 50s and early 60s that Mao launched this movement called Great Leap Forward. What he wanted to do, he wanted to modernize China. And, okay, modernize not to raise the living standard for the people. No, he wanted to do one thing, one thing only. He wanted to produce steel. And he wanted to produce steel so that, and the plan was that in 15 years, in 10 years, we'll surpass the production in the UK, and 15 years, surpass the United States. Why steal? Why not something else? Of course, steel is going to be useful for his weapon, for whatever, for his power. So, everyone has to do that. Everyone, school kids, urban dwellers, peasants, everyone has to do one thing. The whole country mobilized to do one thing, to make steel. And how do you make steel? Yo u make a homemade furnace, backyard, and you get doorknobs and kitchen utensils, whatever, and throw it into the furnace and come out junk, of course. So, that lasted like two years and a total failure. Not just that, all the crops failed because no one was working in the fields. So up to 50, we don't know the number. We would never know the number because the numbers will never be released unless, you know, CCP is out of power. Up to 50 million people starved to death. So, for a dictatorship, that's still a big deal. It is a big deal. You know, so Mao was forced to take a back seat. And so let someone else, which was the president of China, Liu Shaoqi, took over and to recover from that disaster, focused on economy. That was 1962. And as a dictator, Mao was not going to take it. He wanted his power, not just power. He still had power. He wanted absolute power. And that was his reason to launch the Cultural Revolution. The Cultural Revolution was for one reason alone, get power back from his political, he considered them political enemy. So it's all about power. And that is exactly what happened in the West, of course, including UK. Some people want power. They want not just power, but absolute and permanent power. And that's why it's so similar. And what do they do? You know, they use the young people. They use the youth, the indoctrinated youth. And in China, it's Red Guards. In the West, it's BLMers, Antifa, Social Justice Warriors. I don't know. Okay, you may have some other names. It's all the same, all the same. Now, they are pro-Hamas activists. They're all the same. They're just like the Red Guards. They came from the same source, government schools, from the same indoctrination, Marxist-Communist indoctrination. You mentioned the Red Guards, and if people have read the book and understand, I think your book is a great eye-opener into the background of Communist China that most people have no idea about. But you have a whole chapter talking about the Red Guards and the rallies you went to, and that was the beginning of the Cultural Revolution. Were the Red Guards, I know you're very young at this stage, but were they part of the Great Leap Forward, what had happened before, or did they just come around the Cultural Revolution and were Mao's kind of personal guards or personal army? Yeah, no, they were too young for the, most of them were too young for the Great Leap Forward. And maybe some college students still participated as a little kid. But, those are the kids that went through t he indoctrination. By then, in 1966, Mao had control of the education system for 17 years. That's enough to produce a whole generation of brainwashed, indoctrinated youth who knew nothing, nothing, but Mao was their great leader. Not only great leader, Mao was their real father, Mao was their god and their only purpose of life is follow Mao's instruction and do whatever Mao asked them to do. And what Mao wanted them to do? Mao wants them to take the power off the hands of those CCP bureaucrats. That's what it is. So, And as young people, as students, whenever you think people in power, you think about your teacher first, because the teacher was the one in the classroom tell you what to do every day. And then the school administrations. So, that's what they started with. They started to take power from those in the universities or schools, and then they go to the larger society and everyone. This is really hard to understand, but that's the fact that the Cultural Revolution was a revolution against the CCP, against the CCP government, against the CCP's institutions, because Mao wanted his power from the hands of those he no longer trusted. And the Red Guards were just used as political pawns. Just like today, those things, students think they are doing something that for some great cause. They don't know history. They have no clue. If they knew anything of the Cultural Revolution, they would say, 'oh, maybe this is history repeating.' It is history repeating for people who know, for people who lived through it. Well, yeah, and another concept used in the book, which people understand today, and you've applied it back then, is cancel culture, and that's in Chapter 7. And you talk about in China, I'll talk about there and then we'll take it up to the present and what we see, but you talk about destroying the four olds. Tell us about that. Yes. And so people think cancel culture is something new. It's not. In China, it has a different name. It's called smashing the four olds. Old ideas, old tradition, old custom, and old habits. It is really the Chinese civilization, Chinese traditional culture. So, everything that is not communist has to be destroyed. Everything. And again, for the kids, what you go first, you go something obvious. You go after the statues. Yeah, what statues? And in China, there are not as many statues in the public places as in the West. They are mostly in temples and churches. They went into the temples and mostly Buddhist temples, Confucian temples with statues destroyed them and church destroyed them. And so when I saw what's going on in the West, I just hope they knew a little bit of history, that this has been done before and then change names. And so, because any traditional names is considered for old then has to be destroyed. And names of streets, institutions, even personal names. I'm sure that happened in UK, Okay, but that happened everywhere in the United States, in Virginia. Because in Virginia, a lot of schools were named after the founding fathers who are Virginians and just have to change them. And we did the same thing in China. The names of streets are changing into anti-imperial street, revolutionary street, whatever. And I saw that, absolutely. And then people really have problem figuring out where to meet because the name keep changing. It's just very, very confusing chaos. And then people also ask me, you know, anyone to stop them? Well...? Defund the police. Here we call it defund the police. There it's called smashing the criminal justice systems. All the law enforcement was dismantled. There's no one to stop the Red Guards. And who can stop it? Because, Mao declared he was the red commander-in-chief for his little red guards. No one dared to stop them. And that's, again, that's what's happening here. Yeah, that's exactly what's happening here. The Democratic Party in the United States, the Democratic Party is behind, behind the BMM, behind the Antifa, they're behind all the student movement. That's why, you know, and then the conservatives, we back the blue. But the blue, it actually will have orders not to do anything, just like China. They I want to pick up on some other concepts of the book, but you start the book talking about that experience of speaking in Loudoun County at those school board meetings. What prompted you to do that? Because to speak publicly is quite a thing for someone who hasn't spoken, and the vast majority of people have not. But, I enjoy doing videos of people. I don't necessarily enjoy speaking publicly. And that is a very different thing. So, what led you and persuaded you that you had to speak publicly? Yeah, thank you. That's a good question. And I now, I speak everywhere and I'm speaking to you now, but I never dreamed that is something I dare to do. I was as quiet as a mouse, like typical Asian immigrant. I just mind my own business. And also when I came here in 1986, I had this idea that I left communism behind me and I come to this greatest country on earth and a country, the freedom will be guaranteed. There's nothing to worry. And I never really pay much attention to politics. Until you start to see science here and there. And then probably my earliest memory would be the, political correctness, that we were told that we have to say certain things, certain ways, and they keep changing the rule. So, and I just feel like that's just kind of like cultural revolution. But still, I did not really lose my sleep over those things, and but it's become more and more and not just you know in the media but my workplace in my child school and in my immediate environment I saw this kind of thing that remind me of cultural revolution still I did not do anything never thought I would do anything until 2020, until 2020. And when I saw the cities being burned and the state of violence, the riots, the absolute slogan that is nothing short of communist slogans. I just could not sit back anymore. And so I, I decided to get involved, but only, you know, small steps. I got involved with local conservative organizations and then went to the school board. And even for the school board, I thought, well, you know, it's local. It's local, you know, it's my county's school board. And I was so thankful I had to have, they required to wear the mask. I said, thank goodness. So no one knew what I really looked like. And it was very nerve-wracking, but i finished that I said okay i did my duty. I have no idea that it went viral. I thought why it went viral, everybody knew everybody knew this is like cultural revolution, well, well, well, well, what a surprise that I found out that people have no idea and most of the people in that room in the school board meeting in Rome, probably the first time they heard about the Cultural Revolution. And then, of course, Fox News called, and then people want to know more, and I still feel like, you know, even though I was invited to talk and an interview here and there, I just don't think it's enough, and I went to one meeting, it's a conservative meeting, and I was talking about the Cultural Revolution, Red Guards, 4-0s, and I noticed people down there, you know, the audience, they look like, what? I said, no, no, no. It is not something that people just can learn in a short meeting here or there, so that's the time I said, I have to do more. And never ever, just like I never dreamed of speak publicly, I never dreamed of writing a book. But I feel like I got to, got to, I have to. And so in 2022, spring of 2022, I quit my job. I just decided this is what I'm called to do. And I spent a whole year and had that book down. And it must, I mean, to go from living in the US for many years, just getting on with your own business, your own life, family, all of that, to speaking at this and then ending up on a show like with Tucker. That is a, probably if you look back, you'd think, would you have made the same decision? Because, we don't know where our actions lead. We don't know. But you end up where you are, and it must be a pleasant surprise, obviously. Well, the only thing I can say is it's God's will. I really, if I were told before I went to the school board that I will be asked to speak on live TV on Fox, I would say, no, no way. I would quit right there. You know, this is not... But this also is a very humbling experience. And I really realized it's just really nothing about me. It is all about the country, not just the United States, about the West. And so... God's will. I have no idea. I have made so many times, oh, I made a flop myself, many, many times. I don't care. I don't care at this point. It's not about me. It's not about me. It's about my message. If I can get the message out, I'll do anything. Can I go in back, because you mentioned You mention in your book, I think, a conversation with your father, and he said something or a discussion that made you realize that he didn't necessarily accept everything. And I'm wondering for you growing up in that environment under Mao, what made you begin to question? What made you begin to ask? Because you're not supposed to ask questions. You're supposed to accept everything. You obviously were someone who may be asked, what was that like and what kind of questions did you have? I did not ask. There are people that are smarter than I am or they're just more politically sensitive than I was. I was just the last one to realize anything. But I did have one experience because people ask me, what did your parents tell you during the Cultural Revolution, with all the chaos going on? Nothing, nothing, because the culture is that anyone can be a snitcher, that it can be your family and it can be your spouse, can be your children, can be your parents, just anyone. And parents, smart parents don't talk to their kids. So, we never talk, discuss anything serious. It's about just daily routine. So I never really know. Even today, my father passed away 20 some years ago. I really wish I had asked him some questions. Never. So, I did not know where he stand. But one day I was doing exactly what I was indoctrinated to do. I was watching everyone else as potential counter revolutionaries. So, in my diary, I recorded there's someone making some remarks, and I think it's anti-party, it's anti-socialism, it's kind of bad. And so my father was a professional writer. He worked in the propaganda department. It's called propaganda department. Yeah, he wrote articles for the party and for speeches, you know, whatever. So, he would encourage me to write diary and he would go over and correct to improve my writing. And then when he saw that, he was kicked out very serious. And he said, do you plan to report this person? I thought he would praise me for doing the right thing to record, you know, someone saying something not politically correct. And that's the only conversation I kind of realized he did not approve what was going on. But, we never had deeper discussion. That is how bad it is. I just feel like there's so much is lost because there's no real communication between my father and the three of us, my siblings. Because it's just not safe. It's not safe to talk about serious stuff with your kids. Chapter 8 talks about family. And I know from talking to my wife, who grew up in Bulgaria, and those who live behind the Iron Curtain, the mistrust, I guess, and they've learned that up to 10% of family members were working for the government. Turning Families Against Each Other You talk about that, about how the Mao regime, I guess, turned families against each other. Were you aware of that? Is that something you look back and understand now? What was that like at the time? Yeah. That's what we were taught all our lives from kindergarten, that we have enemy everywhere. The enemy always will take any opportunity to overthrow our government and take us back to capitalism. And capitalism is where everyone suffers. And so we're trained to look out for signs, for remarks, for behavior, for gestures, and, you know, that we're supposed to report. That includes everybody. That includes your parents, your siblings, your relatives. And, yes, and it's normal. It's normal. It's considered politically correct. So, yes, we look out for anything that is not. Really proved by the party. And that is, I'm just so heartbroken when I see the same thing happening here. At my former workplace, we had this DNI, back then it was called the Diversity and Inclusion Council. And we were told, and I was included, recruited to be a member because I have identity, you know, I am a minority. So, it's say, see something, say something. And see what? See racist comment. So, if you hear any co-workers have racist comment, you're supposed to report to the council. And this is exactly the same thing. I'm sure in your case, it's exactly the same, that you're encouraged and that become a culture. And that's a communist culture. That's Marxist culture because communism, Marxism depend on the mistrust of the people to control them. Absolutely. And yeah, so Bulgaria, yeah. Any communist country. When I post something, I always hear people from all former or still communist country. You know, say, yeah, this happened in Romania. Yes, this happened in Cuba. Yes, it happened in all communist countries. And there's so many parts you talk about. I get the land reform was partially destroying and taking away the right, personal right to own property. You talk about the destruction of the family, and that was supposed to be the Destruction of Culture and Religion community and not the nuclear family. Then you go and talk about destruction of religion. And there are so many parts of kind of what makes a culture, what unites people, makes them a people. And it seems so at every turn that Mao was seeking to remove those building blocks, I guess, of society. Yes. Well, that's not something that they hide. That's what they say in the Communist Manifesto. They want to destroy the private ownership, and then they want to destroy family, and they want to destroy religion. I think it is still there's so many people today in the West believe that Marxist is an economic theory. It's not. It's a religion. It is a religion. Above all, they want to destroy Christianity, the foundation of the Western civilization. And only when they destroy religion can they destroy the rest. And that's what we see today. What was it like coming to America? Because you grew up and you come to America and you see a church on every street corner, I guess, in many cities, in many towns. Obviously, China, very different. That is not accepted. So, what was that like coming over and seeing this kind of something new that Discovering Churches in America you hadn't maybe come across before? Yeah, it was amazing. And I went to the first town I went to is a small town in Kentucky. And it's every block, every other block, there's a church. I was thinking, OK, you know, if you have a church, you have one central church. And then everybody go that. That's my way of thinking, because everything is centralized, everything. Why are there so many? You know, and it's just amazed me. But later, especially during the writing of the book, I realized that was like China before. Every other block, you will have a temple and different kind of temple. You may have a Buddhist temple. You may have a Confucius temple or Taoist temple. And you have a church. That was normal in most societies. And that's what I, when I travel around the world, that's what I saw. So, you know, if I go to a Muslim country, a mosque, I saw, what's it called? In Islam, it's a mosque. Yes, it's a mosque. Yeah, and everywhere. That was China. Every civilization has to build on some kind of faith that people share. And so I missed it because why? They destroyed all of it, absolutely destroyed it. And as in the remaining temples in my city, they were turned into parks. And so I went then and thinking this is just a park. It's for relaxing and it's for, you know, just entertainment. And those statues, they were just superstitions and it's just backward thinking in old days. So, that is how they destroyed the people's faith, not just religion. In the countryside, all those temples are all gone, gone, gone. But it still took me a long time to really, really understand why Christianity is so important to the findings of America. And I have to say, I went through the process that you call a simulation, because I wanted so much, to understand. I wanted so much to be American. So, I took the time and I took the effort to understand it, to read the books. Especially in Virginia, as you said, you love Virginia. I feel so attached to Virginia because the history, America started in Virginia. And I just tried to visit all those places of the founding fathers and understand what makes this country so unique need that. I want to do anything to come here. And that's something that the left has destroyed. They destroyed assimilation and replaced it with multiculturalism. Same in UK. What is multiculturalism? Basically, say every culture is the same. It doesn't matter. And if it's a communist culture, it's just as good as American culture or the Western civilization. And so, I I think that a lot of the newer immigrants were encouraged not to know anything about the American tradition, the American values, and stick to their own, which obviously they choose to abandon to come to this country. I think that they have been very, very successful. Not only the new immigrants know nothing or don't want to know anything about the Western civilization and the young people that born, grew up in the West know nothing about their heritage. And the only thing they know is indoctrination, Marxism, communism. That's why they're so successful. No, exactly. Just a curious question. You came to the States in 86, and you talk in your book about trying to do that and managing, and everyone was so delighted for you because it is the American dream. Wherever you go in the world, America is America. But what led you to actually applying and wanting to come to America? Well, also I described in my book because it is, no matter what kind of indoctrination that CCP put on the Chinese people, once you know a little bit of information from the outside source, you know America is great. Everyone wanted to go to America back then. But before that, I did not know. I thought America was hellish. It is the worst capitalist country in the world where the proletarians all suffer and only few people, rich people, they thrive. The rest all suffer. You would never want to go to America because you go there to suffer. But once we get the information formation. And once the, after the Cultural Revolution, they started to open up, we know it's the best country in the world. So, it's a matter of whether you could go rather than where you choose to go. And I was lucky because I was, I was working in a college teaching English and met some American teachers who came to teach during the summer and made a friend with someone one from Kentucky and that lady helped me to come to America. It's not to choose. It's like you're dying. Yeah. It's only a matter of whether you could or not. So I was just so fortunate. And I just never, now I'm thinking about it, I think this is just God's will that I came all the way here to do what? To fight against communism. 10 years later. Because you speaking out obviously has given confidence to others, individuals always. Whenever they're concerned about something and they see someone stand up and speak truth, that emboldens them, that encourages them. What has been the response to you? America has so many groups speaking up about what is happening in schools. I mean, Mums for Liberty is a phenomenal organization. Many others across the country. And that's exciting to see. But, what was that like for you after you spoke up? You must have got not only the media attention, but the thanks, I guess, from parents thanking you for speaking up. What was that like? It's overwhelming. It's overwhelming. I was a little bit concerned about the Chinese community, because a lot of Chinese were still very loyal to, they think, to China, but it's not. China and the CCP are two different things. They think they are loyal to China, but they're really loyal to CCP. But, I got so many great feedbacks and support from the patriotic community in in the Chinese community. So, it's just amazing. And also the same time, because I've been to so many, I was invited by so many organizations and I met so many people and I found that there's so many people just like me, never got involved politically and especially so many parents. And when people ask me, do you think it's too late? Do you think we'll have a hope? I said, we do. The fact that I got involved and that the fact I met so many, so many parents, so many patriots got involved for the first time in their lives is that so many people really are waking up. They understand that their freedom and the future of their country is in peril and they want to do something. And that's the hope. I think it was James Lindsay who wrote the foreword or the intro, and I've had him on many times and met him last year. I love that kind of connection between his fantastic mind in understanding what is happening and you experiencing this in China and that coming together. And to me, I saw that as a perfect mix, a perfect connection complementing each other. I am amazed that I met so many people. I have been following him, listening to him on YouTube, and I met most of the people that I used to just look and admire from afar. And I met them. And James Lindsay I met quite early on and we've become friends. And he is just amazing, amazing. Tell me the just final thing. Chapter 10 was the title making of the new man and in it one little part stuck out with me that you talked about having to write a confessional letter I can't remember if it was you or a family member but I remember I think it was Jordan Peterson talking about having to do that and you realize these concepts that were there in the communist regime. Actually well, Canada is quite communist in many ways under Trudeau, but those same ways of dealing with I guess the public if they fall out of line to get them back into line to correct them that re-education. I guess it's exactly the same ways that are being used in the west and I thought that was a I was able to make that parallel as soon as I read heard that confession there I I thought that's just what Jordan Peterson has had to do. Exactly. That is required of everyone who has to go through the struggle session. And also I mentioned in my book, struggle session was part of our lives and still going on today in China. Struggle sessions have different levels. There are some that are very brutal, like the one that in the Netflix original opening scene, three-body problem, that really shook, shocked a lot of the Americans for the first time. Wow, that is struggle session, yeah. Also, there are milder version of struggle session that everyone have to go through as a kid. I have to do that in the classroom that we have this thing called political study. It's every week we have to sit and read. First of all, we have to read a mouse quotation. And then we will go around and everyone will say, according to that instruction, I did not do it quite well. Well, you know, I had a bad thought the other day, which was not up to the requirement of Mao's instruction, and I did this, and then the other kids say, yes, I saw you did this and that, and you said this and that. So, go around and around. Yes, absolutely. It's confession. Let me just remind the viewers as we finish, Mao's America available everywhere. Make sure and follow Xi Van Fleet on her Twitter page. Thank you so much, Xi, for coming on. It's a privilege talking to you, sharing your background experiences, right up to speaking truth today in America. So, thank you for coming on and sharing those thoughts and giving us those insights from your book. My thoughts are real thoughts. But, in the culture of those are bad thoughts that need to be given rid of. Thank you so much for the opportunity.

Benchmark, a global provider of engineering, design, and electronics manufacturing services with 12,000 employees in eight countries, is in the midst of a major cultural transformation. Rhonda Turner, Chief Human Resources Officer, discusses the company's journey from a finance-centric culture with uninspiring values to a people-focused and purpose-driven culture that fosters an engaging employee experience. Rhonda emphasizes the importance of purpose-driven leadership in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, and how inclusivity fosters innovation and growth. She also highlights the role of effective internal communication and storytelling in engaging employees and creating a sense of belonging. Benchmark has established an Inclusion Council and Employee Resource Groups to promote diversity and inclusion and celebrate different cultural events. They are working towards improving the representation of historically underrepresented groups in leadership and technical roles through targeted goals and initiatives. You can read the full transcript of this conversation on our website. Featured In This Episode Rhonda Turner is Chief Human Resources Officer at Benchmark, where she leads all aspects of human resources, including talent acquisition and development, business partnerships, organizational design and effectiveness, compensation and benefits, diversity and inclusion, and human resources business operating systems. Rhonda has more than 20 years of HR leadership experience and a proven track record of driving business outcomes by leveraging talent management, employee engagement and culture. Her career spans the education, energy, retail and restaurant industries, including positions at companies such as Universal Technical Institute, ConocoPhillips, Circle K and Main Street Restaurant Group, a TGI Friday's franchisee.Cameron Magee is the owner of avad3 Event Production, a full-service provider of audio, video, lighting, staging, set design, and streaming services for in-person, virtual, or hybrid events. Cameron founded the company in 2011 in his college dorm room. He now leads a team of over 50 hard-working professionals that design and deliver flawless event production for clients nationwide. Cameron believes that character is as important as competence. He's committed to building a people-centered production company that brings listening, empathy, and integrity to every client engagement, along with world-class technical expertise and seamless execution. Learn more about avad3 in Episode 5: “Building a People-Centered Production Company” Adrian McIntyre, PhD is a cultural anthropologist, media personality, and internationally recognized authority on communication and human connection. He delivers engaging keynote speeches and experiential culture-shift programs that train executives, managers, and teams to communicate more effectively and connect on a deeper level by asking better questions and telling better stories. Want Some Inspiration for Your Next Big Event?At avad3 Event Production, we're passionate about using lighting, sound, and video to transform event spaces from mundane to magical.

Suja Subramaniam is the VP of Intellectual Property at Roche Diagnostics - a global leader in healthcare diagnostics, providing innovative solutions and cutting-edge technologies for the accurate and efficient detection of diseases. She is a Member of the Diversity and Inclusion Council at Roche Diagnostics. Suja is an Alum of St. Stephens College, University of Notre Dame, and Franklin Pierce Law Center. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theindustryshow/support

Don't miss The Balm In Gilead's  Multiple Myeloma Spotlight on our website!This week's guest, Dr Joseph Mikhael MD, MEd, FRCPC, FACP,  leads the M-Power project in the African American community for the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF). Dr. Mikhael is a Professor in the Applied Cancer Research and Drug Discovery Division at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope Cancer Center. He is the Chief Medical Officer of the IMF and Director of Myeloma research at the HonorHealth Research Institute. Dr Mikhael specializes clinically in plasma cell disorders, namely multiple myeloma, amyloidosis, and Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia. He is the PI of many clinical trials, primarily in relapsed multiple myeloma, and his other clinical research interests include pharmaco-economics, communication skills, and media relations. Dr. Mikhael also serves as the Treasurer on the executive board of the American Society of Hematology. Dr Mikhael has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles in these fields, and lectures internationally on a regular basis.  He is also the chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council at TGen.  Dr. Mikhael is heavily involved in training future researchers, and mentors junior faculty worldwide.  He also spends nearly 20% of his time in the third world developing collaborations in myeloma and finding ways to enhance access to novel treatment agents.

The more diverse your organization, the more successful it will be Today I bring to you a most fascinating and consequential woman leader, Melissa Andrieux. Born and bred in Queens, New York, Melissa became a prosecutor, then Queens District Attorney, then civil litigator. She is now Chief Diversity Officer at the law firm Dorf Nelson & Zauderer. She is also Chief Client Relations Officer, and is tapping into her extensive experience in marketing, business development and recruitment to drive business growth within the firm by establishing a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. What's more, she helps other firms bring DEI&B into their own cultures. Melissa is not only a trailblazer but a beacon for others to emulate. Do enjoy. Watch and listen to our conversation here Key takeaways from our podcast It's never too late. Don't let people tell you that you're only good at one thing. Just because you're good at it doesn't mean you should keep doing it.  Yes you should have a plan, but don't get so fixed on it that you miss the opportunities that come.  You need diverse perspectives within your organization, because the clients out there are so diverse. They can pick and choose who they want to work with, who they want to give their money to, and if they're not seeing representation at your organization or at your business, they're going to go elsewhere. Diversity is a reference, a representation of different cultures, different backgrounds, different races, sexual orientations. Diversity can also be the differences in education, socioeconomic background, marital status. People often think that it's just racial or gender, but that's not it. There are so many different aspects to diversity. It's what makes us different and unique. Equity at its basic level is about fairness and leveling the playing field. Contrary to what some people think, it's not about taking from one group to give to another group. It's about making adjustments to imbalances. It's really about fairness.  Inclusion is related to belonging. Inclusion is, you're being invited to the party to play, you're being given a seat at the table, you're being considered. And as a decision maker, as a colleague, your voice is being heard. If we do not start with the basics, the foundations, and understand why people feel a certain way, why people think that they need to gravitate towards their own groups, their own culture, then we're never going to get to where we need to be. It's all about knowledge, education and understanding. When it comes to DEI, the leader is instrumental because nothing can be done without the leader's buy-in. You can connect with Melissa by LinkedIn or email: mandrieux@dorflaw.com. More stories of women making DEI a reality, not just an idea Maureen Berkner Boyt—Diversity and Inclusion: Let's Go Beyond Hoping and Make Inclusion Really Happen Rohini Anand—Can Businesses Create Cultures Based On True Diversity, Equity and Inclusion? Andie Kramer—Can “Beyond Bias” Take Your Organization To Great Heights? Maria Colacurcio—Stop The Revolving Door. Help Your Employees Embrace A Diverse And Equitable Workplace. Businesses Must Sustain Diversity And Inclusion For Women Additional resources for you My two award-winning books: Rethink: Smashing The Myths of Women in Business and On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights Our new book, Women Mean Business: Over 500 Insights from Extraordinary Leaders to Spark Your Success, co-authored by Edie Fraser, Robyn Freedman Spizman and Andi Simon, PhD Our website: Simon Associates Management Consultants Read the transcript of our podcast here Andi Simon: Welcome to On the Brink With Andi Simon. Hi I'm Andi Simon and as you know, as my frequent followers who come to watch our podcast, I'm here to be the guide and the host to take you off the brink. Our job is to help you see, feel and think in new ways. And in order to do that, you have to listen to people who have changed. Change is painful. Your brain hates me. But don't run away. Today we're going to have a great, great time. I have with us today Melissa Andrieux who's an attorney whom I met at a wonderful party. And she has really given me some perspective on something that I think is important for us to share. She's smiling at me. Here's a little bit about her background and then she's going to tell you about her own journey. Melissa is an experienced litigator. She leveraged her background in law to lead Dorf Nelson & Zauderer, the law firm, in their initiatives as chief diversity officer. She's also the firm's chief client relations officer, and she's tapping into her extensive experience in marketing, business development and recruitment to drive business growth within the firm. But what's really important is, she's gone from being a litigator to being an expert in the diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging professional space. So she's helping the firm help other firms begin. And this is my world: see, feel and think in new ways so they can begin to understand why having a lot of diversity of all kinds, including cognitive diversity and listening to each other is important, and understand how to include people in things that you might have not thought they were part of. Melissa, thank you for joining me today. Melissa Andrieux: Well, thank you for having me, Andi. It's a real pleasure to be on your show. Andi Simon: Well, it was a real pleasure to meet you when we did the book launch at Josie's. I asked people if they wanted to share their wisdoms and Melissa had a story she wanted to tell. She's going to tell it again today. But first, who is Melissa? Tell us about your journey, please. Melissa Andrieux: Well, when you called me up to tell my story, I was a little shocked. I hadn't planned on being called upon. But I love sharing my story. I was born and bred in Queens. I am a lawyer, as you said. And I came to that profession kind of, I didn't have mentors in my life who were lawyers or judges. I learned by watching TV what was interesting. That's why I chose my profession and what was on TV? You're a prosecutor. You are a criminal defense lawyer. So I chose the prosecution route. I always wanted to be a Queens District Attorney, and I became one. I loved that job. I represented the people of the State of New York, the county of Queens, and as most people in government, we move on into civil practice. And then I moved into civil litigation. I did that for a very long time. You may find that shocking, but I did it for 12 years at a firm and then I moved to Dorf Nelson & Zauderer, which was then Dorf Nelson. Now it's Dorf Nelson & Zauderer. And I did that for a while, and it's kind of sad looking back on it, but I did it for such a long time when I didn't really enjoy it, but I didn't know what else was out there. I had no clue what to do with this law degree. So I just kept on doing litigation, and it got to the point where I started speaking with people at the firm, and I was told that this opening for marketing and business development was available. And I said, well, I've never done either. I'm a litigator, I'm a lawyer. But then it got to the point where I was just candidly miserable. I didn't want to get out of bed, I didn't want to go to work. So I said, you know, let me try the position, and I'm not a failer. I don't like to fail. So I said, I'm going to put my heart and soul into it. And I started learning about the business side of law, which I had no idea that law was a business. I thought you just went to court, the depositions, blah blah blah, but I found it very interesting. I was meeting clients, I was meeting prospective clients, I was learning about the business. And then that developed into marketing, which opened a whole new world for me. And with the marketing, I was looking at other law firms, I was looking at businesses, and the DEI aspect clicked. I mean, as you can see, I'm a woman of color in the legal profession, which another story is really not as diverse as should be, but we'll leave that for another time. So I started looking internally at what we could do to make the law firm better, more inclusive, more attractive to candidates. We wanted to hire people. So what do you do? So I spoke with leadership. I had to get their buy-in or else this would never work. And the first thing that we did is, we started a Diversity and Inclusion Council. And I hand-picked the members, and we just had candid conversations about what was going on at the firm, what they wanted to see change, and I studied. It was not easy. I spoke with people in the DEI space. I found the experts, I read, and it got to the point where I was being called upon to do panels and advise people on their own DEI journeys. I mean, it wasn't a quick thing, unfortunately. It took a lot of hard work. I had a lot of mentors and sponsors in my corner. Luckily, I'm one of those individuals who actually found people who wanted to invest in me, and that's kind of how I ended up here. I know that a lot of people, and I've heard this, think that the law firm hand-picked the Black attorney to be the DEI officer, but I assure you that it's not the case. I wanted this role. I advocated for this role, and I believe that I'm doing a very good job with the role. It's not done. It's hard work. And we continue every day to do the important work. Andi Simon: Let's reflect for a moment, which is how I think our listeners or our viewers want to pick your brain, because there have been a number of articles that have come out about how companies, large and small, are de-emphasizing the work of DEI or the Department of DEI. I'm not quite sure, being an anthropologist, why you need a department of it and who they put there. But, it's a very important part of transforming the way we live together. And it's both inside and outside. It changes how people come to work, what they expect of each other, how we listen to each other. And here, give them some of your own, both learning and experiences, because while they didn't pick you, they were wise enough to select you and to open up a space to let you go. I'm curious about that first group that you pulled together and how you managed to get them thinking. So give us a little of how did Melissa do it and how others might as well. Melissa Andrieux: So the how-to is: I decided to leave leadership out of these council meetings because I felt that in order for me to get a true sense of how people were feeling, I couldn't have the partners in these meetings because then people would feel like they cannot be honest. And that was the first thing that we did. And then I took the feedback. I took the information, and I looked at our policies. I looked at the procedures, the internal information that the firm has. And then I went to leadership and I said, this is what we can do. Let's do X, Y, and Z. Let's look at our policies. Are they gender neutral? Do they apply to everyone across the board? And we started slowly but surely. And as I say to everybody, DEI is in the long run. You cannot expect to finish DEI in a week, a month or even a year. It's an ongoing process. So that's how I started my DEI initiatives at the firm. Andi Simon: You spoke about having mentors and sponsors. Clearly you had teammates because as you think about it, this requires people to stop and rethink their story. And the story of the firm they're in. Their livelihood is dependent upon it, but also their personal experiences and what's happening. So as they were working with you, were there some key issues? I can hear your policy changes, but policies don't do much if people don't do much. So what kinds of things were you beginning to implement? Melissa Andrieux: So candidly, of course, as with any new initiatives, there is a little bit of pushback. So we had to get the team members at the firm on board and explain to them why this was important, why the time was now. And, it's not perfect. Nothing is ever perfect. But people do understand why diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging is important. I mean, the thing is, you want to attract talent. You want the firm to continue to grow. And the way that we do that is bringing diverse perspectives into the law firm, bringing different people into the law firm, because neurodiversity, everybody comes from a different place in their lives. Their thinking is not the same as, let's say, somebody who's been here forever. You want to bring in fresh blood. And so when they started to understand the business reason behind this, they started to really buy into what we were doing. And they embrace it and they welcome it at this point. Andi Simon: One of the women I met recently is a Vassar professor who had a bunch of faculty go to court about equal pay for equal jobs. And of course, being a former academic, I remember well how they hired men at different salaries than the women and they came in with less experience. And that's at a female college. Come on. So give us a little bit of a breakdown because there's diversity, equity, equal pay for equal work, equal position, equal opportunity, inclusion. And inclusion and belonging are a little bit different. Give us a little bit more detail. I think it would be helpful. Melissa Andrieux: Sure. So diversity is a reference, a representation of different cultures, different backgrounds, different races, sexual orientations. Diversity can also be the differences in education, socioeconomic background, marital status is diversity. People often think that it's just racial or gender, but that's not it. There are so many different aspects to diversity. It's what makes us different and unique. Andi Simon: Somebody once said to me, we're all diverse. And I said, that's great. We're all unique. Go ahead.  Melissa Andrieux: And that's what makes the world a great place to live. Imagine living with everybody who's like you. I mean, I think that would be pretty boring. So that's diversity. Equity at its basic level, equity is about fairness and leveling the playing field. Contrary to what some people think, it's not about taking from one group to give to another group. It's about making adjustments to imbalances. It's really about fairness.  Inclusion is kind of related to belonging. But I look at them as two different concepts. So to me, inclusion is, you're being invited to the party to play, you're being given a seat at the table, you're being considered. And as a decision maker, as a colleague, your voice is being heard. Andi Simon: You mean you can say something in a meeting and people can hear you? Melissa Andrieux: Exactly, exactly. They listen to you. They might not buy what you say, but they give you the opportunity to be seen and to be heard. And to me, belonging is an individual's feeling that you feel that you are connected to the community that you belong to, that you can be yourself with the people that you're around you. Andi Simon: You find that you know humans. I'm an anthropologist. Humans are very tribal. Yes, they look at the world that they're moving into, such as a workplace. Do I belong here? And it is everything from the tangible: Am I dressed right? Do I look right? Will people look me in the eye and trust that I make good decisions? Plus all of the intangibles that are there that often I don't hear people talking about, which disturbs me because inclusion without belonging isn't cool. I did work for a university once and all the students at a conference we were holding sat at tables with others where they belonged, but none of them were diverse. And then they literally stood up and said to the administration, you think you've built diversity, but we are really in enclaves with our tribes. And yes, the whole place may have diversity, but we don't feel like we're diverse. We feel like we have a tribe to belong to, and that's comfortable for us. But it may be uncomfortable for you. It was a very profound conversation about what these words mean. Melissa Andrieux: It is. So I do some consulting, DEI consulting as part of my duties. And one of the things that I always start my programs with is defining what diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging and accessibility mean. Because if we don't understand these core concepts, we're not going to understand anything. So I truly think that if people do not start with the basics, the foundations, and understand why people feel a certain way, why people think that they need to gravitate towards their own, their own groups, their own culture, then we're never going to get to where we need to be. It's all about knowledge, education and understanding. Andi Simon: And an openness to want to know more about the other.  Melissa Andrieux: Seriously. Andi Simon: Ask questions and be happy when you can sit together at lunch and share. How's life? Humans are human and nobody likes to be the whistleblower or the soloist. They want an orchestra where they can all play their instruments, but play them together with a good conductor. How important is the conductor? The leader? Melissa Andrieux: Oh, wow. When it comes to DEI, the leader is instrumental because nothing can be done without the leader's buy-in. And I truly believe that. If so, Jon Dorf, Jonathan Nelson, and Mark Zauderer, they are the leaders of the firm, if they did not embrace the concepts of DEI, what I am doing at the firm would never succeed. It would just be some box that you're checking. You know, your documents. But because it's something that they truly believe in, it's in the fabric of the firm. Long before I got here, it just wasn't apparent until I got here, I suppose. If you don't have the leaders who have your back, we're going to fail. Andi Simon: Well, do they do intentional things in order to broaden their own comfort with a diverse workforce and with diverse clients? I mean, do they live the promise? Melissa Andrieux: Absolutely, absolutely. One of the things that we do is: we started a scholarship at Pace University. It's called the Beth S. Nelson Memorial Scholarship, and we wanted it to go to a woman embarking on a second career in law. And it's in honor of Jonathan Nelson's mom, who was a teacher and then she went into law. So that is something that the firm does in order to show its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. We want to bring up the next generation. We want to give these women who are embarking on these second careers the opportunity to get in the law and graduate on time, and that's one of the ways that we do it. Another way that we show our commitment, that the partners show their commitment, is: they embrace every single client, regardless if you're black, white, LGBTQ. You know you deserve equal treatment when you come into Dorf Nelson & Zauderer LLP and you need representation, never turned away. Andi Simon: I think that it's really a model for others to both hear about and to learn about. You also work with clients and how do you bring the purpose and mission out to them as a consultant or as an attorney or a little of both? Melissa Andrieux: I wear many hats, Andi, I gotta tell you. So, being that I am a lawyer and working at a law firm doing business development, that has helped me tremendously when I go out there and I network because I understand the language. I know what clients want from their attorneys and what they don't want. So I'm able to talk to them as they need to be spoken to. And I also do consulting, which kind of develops organically as well. I go out and I do these panels. I go to these networking events and people ask me what I do. Somebody said, Will you do consulting for us? And obviously I said yes, because I love to do that. I love to teach and help other organizations grow and start their DEI journeys with the foundations, and then we move on from there as their needs become apparent, as whatever they need. Andi Simon: So as you're looking out there, you're seeing some trends that are both interesting or disturbing to you. Melissa Andrieux: Some interesting trends are that a lot of the firms that have started their DEI, they're continuing it, which I'm so happy about, even post- the Supreme Court decision. They are doubling down on their DEI initiatives, which I'm so happy to see because we cannot go backwards. We absolutely cannot go backwards. It takes the courage of these leaders to say we are going to forge forward. We're not going to let anything stop us, because it's also good business. Having a diverse workforce is good business. I always say, if you want to attract more clients, you need to have your organization reflect those clients that are coming to you for help. And one of the disturbing trends is, people who are using the Supreme Court decision as an excuse to not continue their DEIB initiatives, or those that say, we've reached the endgame, we can stop now. Unfortunately, that is not how you look at the DEI. I wish that were the case where we no longer needed these initiatives, but unfortunately they must continue and we are not done. We are never done. So to those organizations that think that it's okay to stop, I caution you. Andi Simon: But, you know, it's an interesting philosophical question because it's a gig to them. It isn't fundamental. It isn't transformative. It is a way of thinking about people or business. It's something that seemed to be cool to do, like ESG [environmental, social and governance], you know, pay a little attention to the environment. We're social creatures. We live in a very complex society and don't shortchange yourself by letting others put you into some box. Take the initiative and see why it's so important. I mean, women who lead lead companies in very good ROI, their returns are there and the people stay and they become places one wants to work. And that's not inconsequential, is it? Melissa Andrieux: It's not. People gravitate to people who are like them. So I always use this as an example. I will attract a different type of client than, let's say, a John Dorf or a Jonathan Nelson. I will attract the women. I will attract the people of color. I mean, not to say that they won't, but we're just going about business development and recruitment differently. That's why you need diverse perspectives within your organization, because the clients out there are so diverse. They can pick and choose who they want to work with, who they want to give their money to, and if they're not seeing representation at your organization or at your business, they're going to go elsewhere. So I think it's a really good practice to have so many different perspectives within your firm going out there representing your organization. Andi Simon: Often when I do workshops, I remind the CEOs in the group that 13 million companies are owned by women. And there's a tremendous amount of effort to get women, women of color or people with diverse backgrounds into the supply chain, right into businesses so they can be in the supply chain. They're looking for gender and gender fair. Johanna Zeilstra‘s company Gender Fair is trying to establish it as a standard, not as an afterthought, and this is sort of a very important time for us not to let us go backwards. And not make it hard. I mean, I don't think this is hard work. It's important work. But I am just thrilled that you're on this podcast because I think that many people aren't really aware of the challenge and the opportunities that are before them. Is it easy? No. Should you do it? Absolutely. And will it help you and your purpose, your meaning, your business, your happiness grow. Aha! Oh, God. Melissa, it should be easier. Tell the listener as we're just about ready to wrap up, give them 1 or 2 things that they should focus on. I always like Oprah's small wins. If you're going to get somewhere and don't try to move the battleship a little at a time, but know where you're going. And let's assume that what you want to build is a really exciting organization that embraces diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging intentionally and intelligently. And that's going to help your business grow. Now, if they're going to start and they can see that 1 or 2 things you think should be important for them to do in a small win style. Melissa Andrieux: So before I answer that question, Andi, you reminded me the firm, the law firm, is Gender Fair certified, and we're actually one of the first law firms to be gender fair certified. So that's another way that we show to the world that the partners are putting their money where their mouth is. So I wanted to put that out there before I forget.  Andi Simon: Little push for Gender Fair, because it's a great way for you to demonstrate that you care about the right things in the right way. So that's one of the 2 or 3 things you want them to small win by. But learn more. And we can certainly introduce you to Gender Fair and its leadership. That's terrific Melissa. Please, some other things. Melissa Andrieux: So from my personal journey, I want to share with your audience that it's never too late, as I know it's a little cliché, but for me, I always thought that I could never leave. I thought it was too late for me to unlearn being an attorney. Unlearn being a litigator. But then when I opened up my mind and decided finally that I was ready to make the move, I said, you're going to do it. You're going to be great at it. And it was a long process, but I did it. So one of my things, one of the things that I always say to myself and to the young attorneys or folks that I meet in the world, is that it's never too late. Don't ever be pigeonholed. Don't let people tell you that you're only good at one thing. And I had a lot of naysayers in my life, not to be a Debbie Downer, but a lot of people thought that I had lost it when I made the career change, and because I was so good at what I was doing. Well, just because you're good at it doesn't mean you should keep doing it. So never too late. Ever. Andi Simon: You know, it's so interesting. I met you at a book event for our new book, Women Mean Business: Over 500 Insights from Extraordinary Leaders to Spark Your Success. And I've been doing podcasts with a number of the women who are in the book. There are 102 women, 500 wisdoms, and they all are sharing a good deal about their own life's journey. Now, Lorraine Hariton we did the other day and she said no, there was no straight line. I was dyslexic, and I managed to realize I was really good at math. And from there I got into computers early, and then I was in Silicon Valley, and then I went to raise money for Hillary and I said, um, no straight line, is there, no straight line, no straight line. And in some ways, that's the exciting part about being a smart person, I'll say a smart woman, but a smart person, right?, where you can see the opportunities. One of the wisdoms I love there is: sure you should have a plan, but don't get so fixed on it that you miss the opportunities that come.  I'm a big serendipity person, so it's just listen. And here Melissa stood up at an event and said something and I introduced her and I said, please come and speak on our podcast. And I'm just thrilled that you were here today. If people want to reach you and talk to you more, put you on a panel or help you help them, where's the best place? We will have it on the blog, of course, but sometimes they hear you and it sticks. Where should they reach you? Melissa Andrieux: Well, I'm at Dorf, Nelson and Zauderer. My email is mandrieux@dorflaw.com and the website is DorfLaw.com. You'll find me there. Andi Simon: Good. This has been a great, great conversation. Every time I do these, I learn more and more about wonderful women who are really transforming our society and themselves. You, the company you work for, the people you work with, and I'm happy too. So let me wrap up for those of you who come and send me your emails and push out all of our podcasts. Last I looked, we're in the top 5% of global podcasts, and in some places like South Africa, we're really high. And it's sort of like, really? So you never know where you are. So the message today is: take your heart and follow it a bit. You never know what's in it for you. My books, of course, are on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and your local bookseller. Women Mean Business is a fascinating book. I'll turn around and I will bring it over here because as you look at a book, you begin to realize, it's my third book, and the other two were all Amazon best sellers and award winners, but each book has a different insight. And so as you open it, I mean, I love Kay Koplovitz, not by chance, I opened it by chance. They teach you something, and I often say that a book has a fingerprint, and the fingerprint gives it a uniqueness, but its power is inside. And so as the book is opened at all of our events, and if you'd like an event, please let me know. What happens is something magical. Kay Koplovitz said at one event, think fast and act fast. And she said: if I had time to analyze all the things I had to make decisions about, I'd never make a decision. And I said to myself, you know, as an entrepreneur, I thought fast and acted fast and that's how we learn from others. We get inspired by them. And it does spark our success with new ideas that we know aren't so crazy. It's fun. So thank you again for coming. It's been a pleasure. And we'll see you next week as we post all of our great podcasts. Enjoy the journey. Thanks, Melissa. I'll say goodbye now. Melissa Andrieux: Thank you, Andi, for having me. Andi Simon: It's a pleasure.   WOMEN MEAN BUSINESS® is a registered trademark of the National Association of Women Business Owners® (NAWBO)

In this captivating episode of  "Jefa Mode LIVE" Podcast, we take a deep dive into Latinas in Tech 2023 Summit and the remarkable journey of Dr. Ellen Ochoa, a true trailblazer in the world of science and space exploration. Dr. Ochoa, a veteran astronaut and the 11th Director of the Johnson Space Center, made history as JSC's first Hispanic director and the second female director. The episode delves into her groundbreaking achievement as the first Hispanic woman in space during her nine-day mission aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery in 1993. The fireside chat with Ellen explores her educational experiences, shedding light on the profound impact of professors who both discouraged and empowered her. Ellen also shares poignant stories of her invitation to join a research group at Stanford, highlighting the need for more opportunities for bright minds, regardless of gender. Dr. Ochoa's dedication to diversity at NASA is evident, as she discusses her leadership role in ERG initiatives and the Innovation and Inclusion Council. She offers valuable perspectives on "imposter syndrome", concluding that if you are daring greatly, the “imposter syndrome” is a must. And as if exploring the cosmos wasn't exciting enough, stay tuned till the end to discover how Dr. Ochoa teaches us the secret to making s'mores that are out of this world - because in space, even marshmallows have to defy gravity to be delicious! This episode is a testament to Dr. Ellen Ochoa's inspiring journey and her commitment to breaking barriers in the world of space exploration and beyond. Follow Ellen Ochoa on X (Twitter) and Instagram.Books:Dr. Ochoa's Stellar World: We Are All Scientists / Todos somos científicosThe Solar System with - El Sistema Solar con EllenLearn more about the 2024 Latinas in Tech Summit at latinasintechsummit.org.  -About Latinas in Tech Latinas in Tech is a non-profit organization with the mission to connect, support and empower Latina women working in technology through professional development, mentorship, and recruiting. Learn more about our organization at https://latinasintech.org/.

In this episode of Inside Auto Podcast, Ilana Shabtay speaks with Sandy Zannino, Founder and CEO of IAHR, about the work she is doing to create positive change and actively impact inclusion in the automotive industry through her work with the Inclusion Council. Sandy also discusses the steps she believes the industry should take in order to break down barriers and create a more inclusive and diverse environment.

In this episode, Lama Tsultrim is joined by Dorje Lopön Chandra Easton to discuss Easton's new book, Embodying Tara: Twenty-One Manifestations to Awaken Your Innate Wisdom. During this intimate and far-reaching discussion, the Tara Mandala teachers discuss the innate, expansive power of the twenty-one Taras, their experience channeling their wisdom, and how they look to each of the Taras for comfort during difficult times.BIO: Dorje Lopön Chandra Easton is a Dharma teacher, author, and translator of Tibetan Buddhist texts. She serves on Tara Mandala's Prajna (Teacher) Council, Executive Committee, and Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Council. She develops programs and curricula for Tara Mandala, as well as teaches nationally and internationally. She is the author of Embodying Tara: Twenty-One Manifestations to Awaken Your Innate Wisdom (2023).BIO: Lama Tsultrim Allione is the bestselling author of Women of Wisdom (1984), Feeding Your Demons (2008), and Wisdom Rising - Journey into the Mandala of the Empowered Feminine (2018). Over 55 years of practice as a monastic and a laywoman, Lama Tsultrim has fully embraced the arc of Buddhism coming to the West as well as fully embracing her experience as a woman emerging from a patriarchal structure into a — of empowerment and agency. She founded the first Western Buddhist center dedicated to the Sacred Feminine in the Buddhist tradition, and leads several long term practice paths including, Magyu, the mother lineage. She emphasizes the need for emotional development to accompany spiritual practice, leading a vibrant international community with over forty groups around the world.

This week's ‘cult'ure series release is a very special rollover from the Patreon-exclusive deconstructing dogma bonus series. Three former ‘Org' affiliates join Candice for a panel discussion examining wellness-cult dynamics through the intersectional lens of gender and sexuality. Together they explore how mainstream socialization around the heteronormative gender binary is very often reinforced in spirituality and wellness spaces. In this conversation, LGBTQ+ perspectives are centered as guests share about their personal & professional experiences. Lainie invites us to look closely at language, and at how terms like 'masculine' & 'feminine' reinforce problematic stereotypes; and she shares briefly about her experience on the Org's short-lived DEI Counsel. Troy initiates a discussion about why the Org's clothing line was/is so problematic and opens up about how an unwillingness to 'dress the part' - both literally and interpersonally - can limit professional advancement. Maxx speaks to how pressures around gender expression started way back in childhood and were reinforced in wellness spaces; and he celebrates younger generations who are providing to language for his long-lived life experiences. We chat about how capitalism factors into systemic reinforcement of the gender binary and then share some full-belly laughs during a lively (and very revealing) discussion about homoerotic energy on the dance floor. What's that about really? This is an episode not to be missed.Maxx Boyd is non binary, trans masculine, happily married, and a longtime friend. He was involved with the Org for roughly a decade, subbing for the Org's founders, while also teaching ongoing classes throughout the Portland metro area. Maxx still leads dance fitness classes and has since allowed their own teaching to evolve into something unique and self-defined. Maxx is also a non practicing LMT and part time customer service manager. But he spends most of his days lovingly looking after an active and playful toddler.Troy McCall licensed with the Org in 2001 and was a devoted teacher and student for many years, teaching in a variety of locations worldwide. T separated from the practice in 2011 and is now a soccer player and coach in Boulder, Colorado. Troy also dances and performs with Streetside Dance and with NewBreed Dance Company and is studying Sport Analytics and Management at American University. T holds multiple master's degrees in Contemporary Performance, Buddhist Studies, and Soccer Coaching.Lainie Magidsohn is queer, polyamorous, and a lifelong dancer and mover. She's a choreographer, collaborator, improviser, and teacher who is passionate about creating a safe space for movers of all ages, abilities, bodies, and genders to engage with their own unique dance. Lainie was involved with the Org for two decades and was also a part of the Org's short-lived Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council, that was formed in the aftermath of the George Floyd murder and was disbanded less than two years later. Lainie is also a parent, a wedding officiant, a life drawing model, and an instructor with Dancing with Parkinsons in Toronto and across Canada online. Support the showThe stories and opinions shared in this episode are based on personal experience and are not intended to malign any individual, group, or organization.Join The Deeper Pulse at Patreon for weekly bonus episodes + other exclusive bonus content. Follow The Deeper Pulse on IG @thedeeperpulse + @candiceschutter for more regular updates.

On this week's episode, Alex speaks with Dr. Tania Small.  Dr. Small is the Global Head of Oncology Medical Affairs and Chair of R&D Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council at GSK.  They discuss disparities in diagnosis, treatment, clinical trials, and survival rates of uterine and endometrial cancer among Black, Asian, and Hispanic women.  Dr. Small shares her thoughts on ways physicians and pharmaceutical companies, as well as patients, can make changes to bring about meaningful change.  #GynecologicCancerAwarenessMonth #GCAM #MoveTheMessage #WorldGoDay #Move4Her #GynecologicOncology #RacialBias #BlackWomen #advocacy #anchor #podcast #research #spotify #nonprofits Stay Connected  Email Us: downthereaware@gmail.com Instagram:@downthereaware  Facebook: Down There Aware  Twitter: @downthereaware Pinterest: Down There Aware TikTok: Down There Aware Summary Keywords  Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month, GCAM, Move The Message, World GO Day, Move4Her Gynecologic Oncology, Racial Bias, Black Women, advocacy, anchor, podcast, research, Spotify, nonprofits --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/downthereaware/message

Our guest is Stephen Pierce - Vice President and Chief HR Officer at Hitachi Europe. Stephen has led HR in international businesses for more than 30 years. He has been recognized publicly for business leadership, including being appointed a Companion of the Chartered Management Institute and being voted one of the UK's most influential HR leaders for a number of years. Stephen is a Board Director of Hitachi Europe and a member of the Executive Committee. He is also Chair of the Hitachi European Diversity & Inclusion Council. He is also an adviser to several HR networking organisations and a regular speaker at conferences and a coach and mentor. In this episode of Scaling Culture, Ron and Stephen discuss:   Hitachi's Organizational Culture with 350,000 leaders globally and changes during the pandemic How does the Japanese heritage impact culture Digitization, virtual workplaces, and a new way of working How HR loves rules and when you need to throw out the rule book  For more information about Stephen, please follow him on LinkedIn. To learn more about our books or our Scaling Culture Masterclass on how to build and sustain a resilient, high-performing team, please go to ScalingCulture.Org. Lastly, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a comment and share the podcast with one of your friends or colleagues. We'll be back soon with another incredible guest!

Join Candace Adams as she chats with Shirene Hazel, office leader of our Southington, Cheshire and Wallingford offices as well as Chairperson of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council. Shirene shines the light on all that is good, positive and inspirational. Her wisdom and devotion to the DE & I movement is truly making a difference!

This week Raquel and Jennifer speak with Teresa Myers and Jennifer Hicks. Teresa and Jennifer are Nia Technique Teachers and Trainers who teach somatic fitness/movement through the lens of embodied social justice. Through sensation and movement, they help women create a sense of safety, dignity and belonging for themselves and others through their Nia Technique classes, workshops and trainings. Teresa is a founding member of and consultant to Nia Technique's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council and Jennifer is a council member.  They also consult to organizations on the intersection of movement and Embodied Social Justice. They regularly provide workshops to their Nia community on social justice-related topics (e.g., Diversity: Oppression in the Body; Diversity: Body Acceptance;  Privilege: The Currency of Health) and use social media as a way to educate about social justice issues.  Jennifer is also a founding member of the Rebel Body Collective (a community of weight-neutral, size-inclusive, HAES-aligned, body liberation-oriented movement professionals) and is a Size Inclusive Fitness Specialist. Where to connect with Teresa:Website: www.soulfulmovement.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/soletosoulhealingllcInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/teresamyersnd/Twitter: https://twitter.com/NiaTeacherLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresa-myers-30642662/Where to connect with Jennifer:Website: http://www.jennhicks.caFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/niadancefitnesswithjennhicksInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferhicks/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_jennhicksLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennhicks/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@_jennhicksLet Raquel and Jennifer know what you think about this and other episodes of Madness Cafe on IG @madnesscafepodcast or by email at madnesscafepodcast@gmail.com.And don't forget to rate and review the show wherever you listen!Thanks for listening and responding!

"The table is long, and there are plenty of seats" says Mayra Morales, Senior Director of the Office of Global Health & Societies at Texas Tech University Health Science Center in El Paso, Texas, as she refers to the welcoming and culturally responsive campus and El Paso  community.  "We open up seats for individuals to be inclusive. That's how we learn. That's how we provide better understanding for everyone."We celebrate the 12th Annual Cultural Competence Conference on August 4th. This EDUCATIONAL EVENT is designed for all health care professionals and community organization staff. Students, staff, and faculty from all four schools, as well as physicians and residents from the clinics are welcome to attend. Members from the local general academic university and sister university in Lubbock are also invited.The OBJECTIVE is to enhance interpersonal interactions within our health care system and ensure that services are delivered to the community in a culturally humane manner.This EPISODE of the Inclusive Enterprise Podcast, Mayra is my guest. She shares the conference history, its impact over the years and progress of the Diversity and Inclusion Council led by Dr. Charmaine A. Martin who is Chair on the Council.Dr. Martin is also Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Interim Dean of Student Affairs with the Foster School of Medicine and has received the prestigious Profiles in Diversity Journal 2022 Black Leadership Award.Mayra also highlights the theme of Allyship with her advice on cultural competence, inclusive leadership and what makes the university and El Paso Community so special. A unique place to live, learn, grow, and contribute to a vibrant community.I am honored to be invited to be the Keynote Speaker as we build on cultural competence to explore inclusive leadership; redefining leadership through the lens of inclusion, innovation, creativity and belonging.I am exicted and look forward to this important educational event supporting lifelong learning and quality patient care.To LEARN more and register click this link.https://www.techtalkelpaso.com/events/12th-annual-cultural-competence-conferenceVisit the TTUHSC's El Paso instagram site and bio link for additional informationhttps://www.instagram.com/ttuhscep/  https://lnk.bio/ttuhscepWith Gratitude and Thanks to the Planning Committee for the Opportunitiy to Make a Contribution, to Share, Learn, and Grow.Inclusive Leaders Group

This week Karly speaks with Lehigh Valley Restaurant Group President & CEO Mike Axiotis about establishing and operating their Diversity and Inclusion Council and its positive impact on team members. In this episode, Mike shares LVRG's strategies to create a respectful workplace and embrace cross-cultural learning.(01:20) – Introducing Mike Axiotis(04:35) – Approaching diversity, equity, and inclusion(07:15) – Establishing and operating the Council(13:52) – Recruitment and retention(18:30) – MFHA's Elevate Program(20:59) – Refreshing the Council's leadership(22:54) – VulnerabilityResources to learn more:Red Robin's core B.U.R.G.E.R. valuesMulticultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance (MFHA)Webinar: Adapting Hiring Practices for a Modern and Diverse WorkforceReport: DEI Survey & ELEVATE: DEI Framework for the Restaurant IndustryArticle: 'Bottomless Inclusion' on menu at Red Robin franchise groupThe views expressed by the guest speaker in this podcast are solely those of the guest speaker and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the National Restaurant Association (Association) and its affiliates. The Association does not warrant or guarantee the accuracy or suitability of any information offered. Listeners are encouraged to do their own research and consider the applicability and suitability of the information provided for their own individual circumstances.If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Order Up in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.Podcast episode production by Dante32.

Having a growth mindset means viewing failures and setbacks as opportunities to learn and grow, rather than seeing them as a reflection of your intelligence or your self-worth. Our guest, Krista Satterthwaite, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Hewlett-Packard Enterprise's Mainstream Compute, shares that when you embrace a growth mindset, you shouldnt see failure as a defeat, but rather as a chance to learn and improve future actions and decisions toward success. However, Krista also highlights that having a growth mindset does not guarantee that you will always win”. There will be times when despite your best efforts, things may not go as planned, and you may not achieve your desired outcome. Join me in this conversation with Krista as we discuss how she prepares for difficult conversations, getting what you deserve and staying intentional and focused on your goals. Visit https://www.gobeyondbarriers.com where you will find show notes and links to all the resources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with Krista. Highlights: [02:11] Krista's journey [06:08] Inflection point for change [09:26] Overcoming fears associated with risk-taking [10:59] Growth Mindset [11:39] Getting what you deserve [14:41] Preparing for difficult conversations [18:34] Cultivating strong relationships [21:59] Gaining clarity on what you want to be known for [26:33] Staying intentional and focused [29:56] Lightning Round Questions Quotes: “In the corporate world, if you don't understand the rules, you can't win the game.” – Krista Satterthwaite “Reframe your fears of risk-taking with a ‘give it a shot' mindset and see what happens.” – Krista Satterthwaite “When you have a growth mindset, you can't lose, you just learn.” – Krista Satterthwaite Lightning Round Questions: What book has greatly influenced you? - “Rise” by Patty Azzarello What is your favorite inspiring quote or saying? - “I never lose, I either win or I learn.” - Nelson Mandela What is one word or moniker you would use to describe yourself? - Positive What is one change youve implemented that made your life better? - Definitely reading. What power song would you want playing as you walk out onto a stage? - “Girl on Fire” by Alicia Keys About Krista Satterthwaite: Krista is a technology business leader with 25 years of experience across operations, product and services strategy, quality, marketing and Go-to-Market. She is the Senior Vice President and General Manager leading Hewlett-Packard Enterprise's Mainstream Compute business ($9+ billion PL). In 2019, she was featured in Savoy Magazine as one of the ‘Most Influential Women in Corporate America'. Fostering a positive culture of inclusion is one of Krista's passions. She currently serves on the HPE CEO's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council. Krista is the executive sponsor for HPE's Black Employee Network. In 2021, she was awarded the HPE Black Employee Network's ‘Legacy Award' for her contributions. Krista received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Illinois in Chicago, and a Master of Business Administration from University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.   Links: LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krista-satterthwaite-76932835/

Keep Up With PACE kicks off 2023 with guest, Peter Fitzgerald, Executive Vice President of Policy and Strategy at the National PACE Association. In this episode, Peter offers insight into the future of PACE with discussions regarding PACE 2.0, PACE policies and bills, the importance of telehealth and other technologies for participants, and growing the PACE workforce. Peter stresses the importance of eliminating barriers by making PACE more affordable for Medicare only individuals, as well as making it easier to enroll in the program for all participants. About our Guest:As the Executive Vice President for Policy and Strategy at the National PACE Association, Peter guides the association's policy and advocacy efforts, at the federal and state level, to support its strategic priorities. Peter leads the PACE 200K initiative to expand access to and use of PACE nationally with the aim of serving 200,000 older adults in PACE by 2028. Before his current position, Peter served as the Senior Vice President for Integrated Care Strategies at Volunteers of America, where he was responsible for the planning and development of new PACE programs nationally Episode Breakdown: Intro: 00:00 – 01:53 • Background in PACE: 01:12 – 4:25 • Role at NPA: 04:26 – 08:59 •  Bipartisan Policy Center: 09:04 – 10:56 • PACE Growth:10:57 – 16:50 • Mid-Month Access to PACE Services: 16:52 – 20:23 • PACE Policies (PACE Plus Act/PACE Expanded Act/PACE Part D Plan Choice Act): 20:24 – 31:40 • Future of PACE (VA contracts, telehealth, PACE workforce): 31:41 – 43:32 • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council: 43:33 - 48:51 • PACE Success Story: 48:52 – 51:14 • Contact: 51:14 – 51:56 • Rapid Fire Round: 52:06 – 53:50 • Outro: 53:51 - End Learn More: careventionhc.com | linkedin.com/company/carevention-healthcare | npaonline.org

This episode of (REDACTED) is sponsored by KeyShot & LEAP Australia! For a special discount on KeyShot just for our podcast listeners, head to: https://www.leapaust.com.au/redacted/  or mention “(REDACTED)” to your LEAP salesperson!—————————————————————-Anson Cheung is an Industrial Designer working out of San Francisco, California. After graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2011, Anson found himself working at the design consultancy; Bould Design, where he would work his way up from intern to partner. Since then he's been rocking the industry with his design blog and as a leader on the Industrial Designer's Society of America's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council.Hosted by Lucy Bishop & Louis Mills with guest Anson CheungAnson Cheung - Industrial Design | Design Things Blog | Former Partner at Bould Design | LinkedInCheck out Anson's Website - Design Things Here's Why UI/UX Designers Get Paid More than Industrial Designers - Design Things   Industrial Design has a Perceived Value ProblemHow to Increase the Value of Industrial Design —————————————————————- To follow the show, get in contact with us via email & more head to: https://linktr.ee/redactedpod

Suzanne Kounkel, is a Principal in Deloitte Consulting LLC and the Chief Marketing Officer of Deloitte. Founded 175 years ago, Deloitte is one of the largest–and oldest– business-to-business enterprises in the world and an exclusive sponsor of this podcast. They have roughly 330,000 employees and about $50 billion in revenue across its many business services.Suzanne is a returning guest to the CMO Podcast, first appearing in 2020, where she interviewed Jim. She has been at Deloitte for about 28 years and the leader of Deloitte's integrated marketing and sales organization. In addition, she is a frequent speaker and published author on issues close to her CMO heart, including purpose-driven brand, elevating the human experience within B2B marketing, and the ethical use of data within marketing. She sits on the Board of Directors for the Ad Council and is a member of the Adweek Diversity and Inclusion Council, and a member of ANA's Global CMO Growth Council.In this episode, Jim and Suzanne discuss the trends happening in business, marketing and leadership today, Deloitte's push for sustainability, and her leading the Women's Initiative in Consulting, where she helped to significantly increase the percentage of female leaders in market-facing roles. Take a listen to Suzanne's episode from 2020: Quantifying Brand Purpose.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Vanessa Nazario is Corporate Director, Chief Diversity Officer of Memorial Healthcare System. Vanessa was born in Puerto Rico and raised in Trenton, NJ. She has worked in the field of Community Development, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for over 27 years. In 1996, she joined PNC Bank's Community Development Department where championed equity and inclusion in throughout her 20-year career, concluding her tenure as VP, CDB Operations. In 2017, she began her role as Diversity Director with RWJ University Hospital, where she was responsible for diversity and inclusion and healthcare equity initiatives. Vanessa launched the Hospital's first Diversity & Inclusion Council and provided oversight for seven Business Resource Groups. She was also a key leader in the creation of the PROUD Gender Medical Center Program. In 2021, she joined Memorial Healthcare System as Director of DEI to create and lead the System's inaugural diversity, health equity, and inclusion strategy. In June 2022, she was promoted to Corporate Director, Chief Diversity Officer to further MHS's commitment to DEI. Vanessa serves on several committees including Florida Diversity Council's Advisory Council; Human Resources Association of Broward County's (HRABC) DEI Committee; Rider University's Women in Leadership Council; HISPA's South Florida Advisory Council; and ARC of Broward's Business Advisory Council. She has been recognized by several organizations for her leadership including South Florida Business Wealth's Diversity Executive Leadership award; DEIB Health Consortium's Top Healthcare Diversity Officer; Diversity Global Magazine 2022 Top 15 Champions of Diversity; and Hallandale Beach Chamber of Commerce's 2022 Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award. Vanessa received her MBA from Rider University and has a master's in science degree from Southern New Hampshire University. Learn more: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-nazario-ms-mba-9473735a/ MHS website: https://www.mhs.net Shout-out: Today's Diversity Leader Shout-out goes to Brenda E. Snipes at Jefferson Health and Monica Diaz, at Royal Caribbean Music: Vente by Mamá Patxanga is licensed under a Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License Amor Y Felicidad by SONGO 21 is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 International License --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/si-suite/message

Sylvain living his life at the eye of the storm this past weekend as Atlantic Canada got pummelled by an epic storm -  and we talk about another storm, his call out for grocers to freeze pricing…Our special guest on this episode is based in PEI, Peter McLaughlin President and Managing Partner at ANNE of Green Gables Chocolates A reminder to everyone we will podcasting live and interviewing a whole slate of guests at the upcoming Coffee Association of Canada Conference, in Toronto at the Globe and Mail Centre….November 14…..get your tickets today and come by and say hi We update the listeners on the global food impacts of the Ukraine war - from a food perspective some grains have flowed out of their ports - but take us through the state of fertilizer, your level of concern for Africa and the middle east, Europe, and overall the global supply of grains  etc.About PeterPeter McLaughlin was born on Prince Edward Island, one of the four Atlantic provinces in eastern Canada. He earned his BS degree from St. Francis Xavier University and his master's degree from the University of New Brunswick. From 2016 to 2018, he was president of Interbake Foods in Richmond, Virginia, a leading North American private-label biscuit, cracker, baked dairy products, and filling equipment manufacturer. He was with Loblaw Companies Limited, Canada's largest food retailer with food distribution divisions across the country, for nearly 20 years. He was president, Emerging Business Division and senior vice president of several businesses including National Wholesale and Deli, Home Meal Replacement & Bakery. From 2012 – 2016, he chaired Loblaw's Diversity and Inclusion Council. Peter and his wife, Niki, have two sons, Riley (age 21) and Brogan (age 19) and a daughter, Bayley (age 18).About UsDr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph's Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre's Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.Michael LeBlanc  is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice.   He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience, and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career.  Michael is the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts including Canada's top retail industry podcast,       The Voice of Retail, plus  Global E-Commerce Tech Talks  ,      The Food Professor  with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois and now in its second season, Conversations with CommerceNext!  You can learn more about Michael   here  or on     LinkedIn. Be sure and check out Michael's latest venture for fun and influencer riches - Last Request Barbecue,  his YouTube BBQ cooking channel!

Paul D. Ashley is a seasoned procurement executive with over 20 years of Industry Experience. Paul is currently Director Strategic Engagement within the Global Procurement group at Bristol- Myers Squibb. In his role, Paul is responsible for strategic advising on global category strategies, performance management, professional development, communications and Market Intelligence. Diversity and Inclusion has been a passion of Paul throughout his career. At BMS he is on the Leadership Team of BOLD (Black Organization for Leadership Development), the People and Business Resource Group (PBRG) where he helped to develop their strategic business plan as well as leads BOLD's Patient Advocacy Initiative. He is also active in the LGBTA People and Business Resource Group. Paul serves as co-chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Council for the Global Business Operations function at BMS. His role as a procurement professional and passion for diversity coalesce with his work advocating for small and diverse businesses within the supply chain of large companies such as BMS. Because of his leadership in this area, he was named to the Board of Directors of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), a national advocacy and policy organization, where he recently served as chair of its strategic planning committee. Prior to joining BMS, Paul has held various roles in Procurement and Supply Chain management with both IBM and Pfizer. Paul also served as the Chief Procurement officer at Howard University, where he led several transformation initiatives that increased organization performance and compliance. Giving back to the community has always been important to Paul. In 2015 he started and facilitated sponsorship of community outreach events as part of BMS engagement at supplier diversity conferences. The objective is to connect with diverse patient communities and/or top diverse talent representing the next generation of corporate professionals and entrepreneurs, as well as providing an additional opportunity to engage and highlight diverse suppliers. For this work, Paul was named a 2017 Corporate Buyer of the Year and was recognized for leading the Corporate Initiative of the Year from the National Business Inclusion Consortium at its 2019 Best of the Best Awards. Paul holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Northwestern University, and well as a Master of Science in Industrial and Operations Engineering from The University.

During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Jeff and Rachael catch up on the evolutions of their work. Jeff shares an interview with James Wells of Crayola discussing how arts educators can drive change in their schools and the broader field. Rachael and Jeff amplify key ideas about educational equity and racial justice. In this episode you'll learn: How parents, arts schools, museums, and nonprofits can cultivate arts educators as leaders in systems change; Why a crayon company advances education, social-emotional learning, storytelling, and more through art education; and How teachers can apply their real world knowledge to inform the systems that impact their work. ABOUT JAMES WELLS: James is the Education Manager at Crayola. He brings his creative energy and leadership to every speaking presentation, engaging participants to think differently. James has been dedicated to supporting arts in schools, working closely with teachers and administrators across the US. He is the host of a digital content series, Creativity Tips, and a founding member of Crayola's Diversity and Inclusion Council. Prior to Crayola, James was the Fine Arts Instructional Advisor for Shelby County School District in Memphis, Tennessee and the Art Education Coordinator for the Tennessee Arts Commission in Nashville, Tennessee. He has participated in leading numerous initiatives that kept art at the forefront of education including revising art standards for the state of Tennessee. James was recently named 2022 Tennessee Art Educator of the Year. In addition to his work at Crayola, James continues to be involved in art education as Board President of Tennessee Art Education Association, board trustee with the National Art Education Foundation as well as a leader within the National Art Education Association as an alum of the School for Art Leaders Program. This episode was produced by executive producer, Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. Creative Generation's Digital Media Producer is Daniel Stanley. This podcasts' theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode's webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support

How did you decide what you wanted to be when you grew up? Some of us are still trying to decide. Things don't always go as planned, especially when it comes to our careers. Whether we were looking to get promoted, change jobs, or transition into a new role — being curious and taking risks is part of growing professionally. For this podcast, Robyn Shepherd, Partner and Head of Corporate Engagement at Bridgewater Associates tells us about her risk-taking experiences and making her voice heard. She also tells us about how to ask for the help you need to succeed.  Robyn grew up with an exposure to a great education but lacked awareness for the vast possibilities it could take her in her career. As she grew in her professional life, she understood that she needed to prepare to seize the moment when opportunities unexpectedly came her way. She feels it is as important to know what you don't want to do as it is to know what you do want to do and be aware of what you're passionate about. Success involves building great professional relationships and the best way to make those connections is being authentic–something Robyn is known for. Her positive energy will lift you up and give you ideas on how to take a new path at work. Visit https://www.iambeyondbarriers.com where you will find show notes and links to all the resources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with Robyn. Highlights:  [02:22] Robyn's journey [10:10] Stepping into new opportunities with courage [13:28] How to make important decisions [16:25] Creating opportunities and forging your own path [19:22] How to locate the decision makers [21:45] Making sure your voice is heard [24:15] Habits and hacks for think time [26:09] The importance of realizing what you don't want to or can't do [30:18] The vital role of community, advocates, and mentees [35:29] Asking for help [40:21] Looking for an advocate [43:42] Being authentic about building professional relationships [45:58] Lightning round questions Quotes: “When you don't know what you want to do, do the hardest thing you can so that you're set up when opportunity comes knocking.” – Robyn Shepherd “Preparing for the worst isn't the only thing, it's also about imagining the opportunity.” – Robyn Shepherd “Saying yes to something means you are saying no to something else.” – Robyn Shepherd Lightning Round Questions: What book has greatly influenced you?  “The Daily Stoic” by Ryan Holiday What is your favorite inspiring quote or saying?  “How long are you going to wait before you demand the best for yourself?” - Epictetus, Greek Stoic Philosopher What is one word or moniker you would use to describe yourself?  Tough What is one change you've implanted that made your life better?  When my kids get home from school, I do everything I can to not be working and having half-hours of transition.  What power song would you want playing as you walk out onto a stage?  “Black and Yellow” by Wiz Khalifa  About Robyn Shepherd: Robyn Shepherd joined Bridgewater Associates in 2004 and is currently the Head of Corporate Engagement. Reporting to the CEO, Robyn oversees the firm's public affairs, communications and branding functions, as well as the company's initiatives for operational sustainability, social responsibility, and plays a leading role in Bridgewater's Diversity and Inclusion efforts. She is a Partner of the firm and a member of the Operating Committee and Commercial and Business Strategy Committee. Robyn began her career at Bridgewater as a Senior Investment Associate in the Account Management group and later took on other key roles within the firm's Client Service and Marketing team — first as an Associate Client Advisor covering the firm's international client and marketing relationships, and later as the Head of Client Service Analytics. Subsequently, Robyn served as Chief of Staff to CEO David McCormick, partnering with him on the firm's strategic agenda, business oversight, management of the Client Service and Marketing department, and corporate governance. Robyn was a founding member of the firm's Diversity and Inclusion Council, and the Co-Founder and Senior Sponsor of Bridgewater's Women's Influence Network (WIN). She was recognized by The Hedge Fund Journal as one of the “50 Leading Women in Hedge Funds” in 2020, and was named the 2021 “Women of Excellence: Trailblazer” by Seramount, in partnership with Working Mother and the National Association for Female Executives. Before joining Bridgewater, Robyn was an Analyst at Lime Rock Partners and an Investment Analyst at HarbourVest Partners. She serves on the boards of Susan G. Komen and Oakland Catholic High School, an all-women's college preparatory school in Pittsburgh, PA. Robyn received her BA in economics from Brown University. Links: Website: https://www.bridgewater.com/   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robyn-shepherd-a959985/ 

In this episode, Steve is joined by Amy Johnson. Amy is currently the General Manager at The Confidante Hotel in Miami Beach and member of Hyatt's Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council. Throughout her career, Amy has gained incredible hotel experience with former roles as the General Manager for the Hyatt Regency Calgary, Corporate Director of Field Operations at The Americas Hyatt Hotels, and Senior Director of Catering Sales and Conventions Hyatt Regency O'Hare - just to name a few. In this conversation, Amy talks about her career in hospitality that led her to working for top brands and what her advice is for the next generation coming up in the industry. This episode is brought to you by our podcast partners at RealTime Reservation. Their inventory management system is best in class for hotels and resorts to manage their non-room inventory. The web-based application allows for creative upselling of overnight and daytime visitors with add-ons and pre-planned packages. Hotel guests and non-guests can reserve cabanas, pool chairs, activities, amenities, excursions, events, day passes, and much more. To learn more check them out here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things when they expect more of themselves. That's the message from our guest, Keisha Bell, who has overcome obstacles and achieved extraordinary success by ignoring the doubts and doubters.  Keisha Bell is the Managing Director and Head of Diverse Talent Management and Advancement at DTCC where she is responsible for developing the next generation of leaders through focused sponsorships and talent advancement strategies.  Keisha understands what it takes to go beyond barriers. She believes in changing mindsets, forging progressive practices, and views each employee as an agent of change. Keisha says that the role of a leader is to make decisions that move things forward. Her secret is to never overcomplicate things and to keep it simple. While it's important to seek trusted feedback, eventually, a choice needs to be made. That's why sometimes, the most important decision you can make is just making a decision. So if you're feeling stuck and overwhelmed with options, remember that unless you're a surgeon, there is “no patient on the table”, just make the decision! In this episode, Keisha tells us about her career path, what helped her achieve her goals, and why it's important to find joy in everything you do.   Visit www.iambeyondbarriers.com where you will find show notes and links to all the resources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with Keisha.  Highlights:  [02:15] Biggest lessons learned  [03:15] Overcoming underestimating yourself  [04:55] How Keisha's career path unfolded  [07:06] From college to current role - coming full circle [10:19] Advice on find clarity in your career path [13:22] Keisha's framework for decision-making  [16:01] Overcoming limiting beliefs  [18:24] Most pivotal lessons learned from family of strong women [21:26] The importance of creating opportunities for others [20:34] The difference that access makes early on in life [26:29] Continuous learning and growth  [28:42] Developing valuable relationships  [30:27] Keisha's approach to effective execution  [33:19] Staying grounded [31:47] Lightning round questions   Quotes: “Be intentional about where you direct your energy and skill set and let people know what you are capable of.” - Keisha Bell “Show up, be authentic, be accountable, do the right thing and act ethically.” - Keisha Bell “You have to be ruthlessly honest with yourself about what you're good at.” – Keisha Bell “You don't have a patient on the table. No one is going to die if you don't do this right.” – Keisha Bell Lightning Round Questions: What book has greatly influenced you?  “The Warmth of Other Suns”  by Isabel Wilkerson What is your favorite inspiring quote or saying?  “If you want to fly, you have to give up the sh*t that weighs you down.” and “Dream a little before you think.” By Toni Morrison What is one word or moniker you would use to describe yourself?  Fierce What is one change you've implanted that made your life better?  Working on negative self-talk What power song would you want playing as you walk out onto a stage?  “I'm Every Woman” by Chaka Khan About Keisha Bell: Keisha Bell is Managing Director and Head of Diverse Talent Management and Advancement at DTCC, where she is responsible for recruiting and retaining the best diverse talent and developing DTCC's next generation of leaders through focused sponsorships and talent advancement strategies. She believes in changing mindsets, forging progressive practices, and views each employee as an agent of change. Keisha partners with business leaders to identify diverse talent across all levels of the organization focusing on their growth and mobility, and with Human Resources to ensure diversity and inclusion are fully integrated into working practices. Additionally, Keisha leads Corporate Philanthropy and Social Responsibility for DTCC. Previously, Keisha was Managing Director of DTCC's Risk Management Reporting, Governance, Analysis and Program Management group. She successfully led the firm's Board and Management Risk Committees, regulatory, audit and compliance reporting, management control testing, and program management of the Financial and Technology Risk initiatives. Prior to that, she served as Executive Director of Wealth Management Services. She was also a member of DTCC's Global Diversity and Inclusion Council and a founding leader of the LGBTQA professional network. Keisha serves as a member of the board of directors of The NYC Anti-Violence Project and is a member of the World Economic Forum's Partnering for Racial Justice in Business initiative. Keisha has been named to the World Federation of Exchanges' 2021 Women Leaders List and to the 2021 OUTstanding LGBT+ Role Model List of 100 business leaders for her impact on LGBT+ inclusion inside and outside the workplace, her business achievements, and the seniority and influence of her role. She also represented DTCC at The Alliance, an inaugural gathering of the influential LGBTQ leaders held in Lisbon, Portugal. Keisha has more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, spanning broker/dealer operations, technology transformations, program management and business analysis. She earned her B.S. in Organizational Behavior from New York University.  Keisha has received the following awards: 2021 World Federation of Exchanges Women Leaders List 2020 OUTstanding LGBT+ Role Models - Top LGBT Executives Links: Website: https://www.dtcc.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keishabell/ 

OUTSIDE THE BOARDS™ PODCASTSEASON #2 | EPISODE #9: Agapito Morgan & Dale JohnsonRECORDED: April 15th, 2022On this Episode of Outside The Boards, I'm incredibly excited to welcome all of you to this Episode of Outside The Boards Podcast and introduce my next guests Mr. Agapito Morgan and Dale Johnson, Chairman and Committee Member of the United States Polo Association's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. Aga Morgan currently serves as the Commercial Healthcare Leader with Key Bank. In this role, he is focused on growing Key's national commercial banking healthcare business in collaboration with healthcare industry coverage teams within KeyBanc Capital Markets, Enterprise Healthcare Payments and Consumer Banking. Additionally, he serves as Co-Chair of the Commercial Bank's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council and as a member of the Bank's Commercial Credit Risk Committee. Aga is originally from Washington D.C. and now lives in Weston Connecticut. His path in polo begin 8 years ago when he was introduce to polo by a close friend. Not knowing what he was getting into he took a lesson at Yale University. The first time he hit the ball clean, he was hooked. He would go on to immerse himself into the sport. Today, Morgan is a member of the Yale Polo Club, but has played extensively around the country. Dale Johnson is currently the Manager of Global Platforms for Visa ,and is the Founder of the Equine Chain. A company created to credential horses on the blockchain. Dale is from  Oakland California, and recently returned to his hometown after living in San Francisco's Bay Area. Dale's involvement with horses and ultimately polo began generations earlier with his grandfather who was as a horseman on a cattle ranch north of Houston, his grandfather, Papa Charlie, who was slave from Georgia, founded the ranch with his wife Penny. Everyone up until Dale's grandfather was born on the ranch. All the fundamentals of horsemanship never left and trickled down to Dale's father and ultimately him. Dale's introduction to polo came from a visit to Buneas Aires and the purchase of pair of polo boots. He came home and spent his first bonus on a polo clinic. But unlike hiting a ball or the thrill of riding, Dale was attracted to the game by how challenging it was. Aga and Dale are doing incredible things for the sport and are looking to change polo's image and become a more inclusive and accessible sport to everyone interested in picking up a mallet. Their success at the Detroit Polo Club, which you will learn more on this podcast, is a perfect model to expand to other locations across the country and I look forward at the prospect of creating a similar program in Chicago. I am honored to call Aga and Dale friends and excited to see them continue to  do great things for the game.  WELCOME TO OUTSIDE THE BOARDS™ PODCASTThe OTB™ Podcast was created with the goal of introducing listeners to people, places and stories and provide a unique behind the scenes perspective of the sport of polo that breaks all the common stereotypes. While discussing key issues affecting the sport today and the constructive sharing of ideas, insights, solutions and best case studies for the purpose of advancing polo globally. The Podcast will have honest conversations with polo industry leaders, enthusiasts and awe inspiring people who make this sport great and fun to be around.ABOUT THE GAY POLO LEAGUEThe Gay Polo League (GPL) is the only LGBTQ polo organization in the world that is dedicated to producing high-end LGBTQ polo events and experiences. Its mission is to inspire and empower those individuals who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender via the promotion of and participation in the sport of polo.The GPL promotes the sport of polo tSupport the show

Season 2 | Episode 20 | May 18, 2022Dartmouth Health's new Vice President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Teresa Malcolm, MD, FACOG, MBA, is the next guest on Medical Matters Weekly on Wednesday, May 18.Dr. Malcolm served most recently as chief executive officer at the coaching firm Master Physician Leaders. She also currently serves as associate program director for the American Medical Women's Association's Leadership Certification Program. She is a professional certified coach by the International Coaching Federation and is certified to coach executives and healthcare teams to build cultures of inclusion. As the vice president of DEIB, Malcolm will develop and lead an interdisciplinary and cross-departmental office and will be responsible for integrating DEIB values into all aspects of Dartmouth Health's culture, goals, metrics, and strategic operating plan.While serving as a chief medical officer at Banner Health in Phoenix, Arizona, from 2016 to 2019, Malcolm provided clinical leadership to a tertiary care center offering inpatient, emergent, and same-day services provided by more than 1,000 specialty physicians, more than 300 advanced care providers and 1,500 associates to meet the needs of a growing community. While in this role, Malcolm directly participated in organizational planning and decision making and was the sole physician member of Banner Health's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council. During her involvement on the council, diversity increased significantly at all levels, and team member resource groups provided support to veterans, women in leadership, and multicultural and LGBTQ+ communities.Medical Matters Weekly features the innovative personalities who drive positive change within health care and related professions. The show addresses all aspects of creating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle for all, including food and nutrition, housing, diversity and inclusion, groundbreaking medical care, exercise, mental health, the environment, research, and government. The show is produced with cooperation from Catamount Access Television (CAT-TV). Viewers can see Medical Matters Weekly on Facebook at facebook.com/svmedicalcenter and facebook.com/CATTVBennington. The show is also available to view or download a podcast on www.svhealthcare.org/medicalmatters.Underwriter: Mack Molding

As a catalyst for innovation, Victoria Gemignani (she/her) is on a mission of disruption. In her current role as Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Consultant at Siemens, her focus is challenging standard recruitment models to yield more diverse talent. During her tenure as an HR professional, she has gained extensive experience in people analytics, employer branding, project management, operations, and talent strategy.Victoria received her Bachelors in Psychology and Masters in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University.  Pursuing her passion outside of work, Victoria serves on the Best Buddies New Jersey Advisory Board, an organization dedicated to the development and employment of individuals with IDD.In this episode, Victoria and Natalia talks about Victoria's work in supporting and developing a disability inclusion council within her organization. This disability inclusion council does amazing work for employees across the organization and hope that you've gained some inspiration listening to this episode.Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriagemignani/---We help businesses build more diverse and more inclusive workplaces. Want to learn more? Follow us on... Our Website: seenatwork.com Instagram: @seenatworkllc Twitter: @seenatworkllc LinkedIn: @seenatworkllc

Raja Schaar is an industrial designer, afrofuturist and doomsday optimist. She is the Director at Drexel University's product design program and co-chair of the Industrial Designers Society of America, Diversity Equity and Inclusion Council. Listen to learn about: Raja's career in design Climate change and design How Raja uses science fiction and futurism in her teaching and work Black Girls STEAMing Through Dance Social Impact Design The power of design Media resources for designers wanting to explore future-thinking   Our Guest Raja Schaar, IDSA (she/her) is Director and Associate Professor of the Product Design Program at Drexel University's Westphal Collage of Media Arts and Design. She co-chairs IDSA's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council is the past Education Director for the organization. Raja studies the ethical implications of design and technology through the lenses of speculative design and climate change. Her current projects address biases maternal health through wearable technology and participatory design; community-based co-design for engaging black girls and underrepresented minorities in STEM/STEAM; and generating frameworks and tools to embed Afrofuturism, biomimicry, sustainability, and climate justice into Design praxis.    Show Highlights [02:09] Raja takes us on a fun trip through her childhood “what do you want to be when you grow up?” dreams. [05:47] STEM and creativity. [06:24] How Raja ended up going into industrial design in college. [09:03] The interdisciplinary design class that changed everything. [11:37] Diving into materials life cycles and sustainability in her junior year. [13:31] Why Raja got angry at her major and wanting to change the way we do design. [16:37] Volunteering at a science museum and discovering a love of exhibition design. [17:22] Replacing the museum's carpet tile introduced Raja to Interface, Inc. and their sustainable modular carpet system. [19:28] Product design can be ethical and sustainable and conscientious of its environmental impact. [20:38] Creating a conceptual project for the Children's Museum of Atlanta. [21:13] Graduate school and studying critical pedagogies and looking at new ways of teaching rooted in social change. [21:59] How Raja got into teaching. [23:52] Raja talks about some of the design challenges she's passionate about right now. [24:03] Climate change. [24:34] Economic accessibility and inclusion. [24:50] Usability. [25:27] Social impact design. [26:00] Who has access to the power of design? [28:00] Raja's mission to open the doors of design to young black girls. [28:40] What Raja loves about design. [30:06] The true power of design. [31:14] Founding Black Girls STEAMing Through Dance at Drexel. [32:37] Looking at the effects of climate change on communities of color worldwide. [35:01] Science fiction and speculative design in Raja's work. [35:18] Everybody's a futurist. [36:14] Raja's love of science fiction came from her parents. [37:08] Reading Mary Shelley's Frankenstein in an engineering ethics class. [40:25] There's a lot to learn from science fiction's futurist thinking. [41:41] Using ideas from science fiction in her work on climate change. [44:54] Raja calls herself a “doomsday optimist.” [49:35] Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower. [53:25] Looking at the world through the eyes of black women. [58:14] The connection between science fiction and speculative design. [58:41] Designing the future. [1:01:10] Speculative design allows us to ask deep questions. [1:01:46] The Keurig K-Cup example. [1:04:35] Speculating and futuring has to be part of how we teach and learn. [1:05:07] The importance of reflecting on our own design decisions and their potential future consequences. [1:06:36] Books and resources Raja recommends for those wanting to explore... [1:07:07] Climate change. [1:15:25] The role of technology in society. [1:16:19] Netflix's documentary, Coded Bias. [1:30:29] Doomsday and the idea of the point of no return. [1:33:23] The Avengers' Thanos as a hyper-violet environmentalist. [1:38:40] Thinking about where we're at now, and what future we want?   Links Raja on LinkedIn Raja on Instagram Raja on Drexel University Raja on IDSA Drink in Design: Raja Schaar & Ann Gerondelis on Bio-Inspired Design Tulane Taylor Center: March Design Thinking Breakfast with Raja Schaar, IDSA Coded Bias on Netflix   Book Recommendations The Green Imperative: Ecology and Ethics in Design and Architecture, by Victor Papanek Design for the Real World: Human Ecology and Social Change, by Victor Papanek Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism, by Safiya Umoja Noble Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy, by Cathy O'Neil Design Justice: Community-Led Practices to Build the Worlds We Need, by Sasha Costanza-Chock How Long 'til Black Future Month?: Stories, by N. K. Jemison The Giver, by Lois Lowry Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams The Lorax (Classic Seuss), by Dr. Seuss   Movie/TV Recommendations For designers wanting to think about climate change: Avatar, Fern Gully, Waterworld, Elysium, Snowpiercer, The Expanse   For designers wanting to think about the role of technology in society: Minority Report, Omniscient, Interstellar   Futurist: Matrix, Terminator, Wall-E   Other Design Thinking 101 Episodes You Might Like Speculative Design + Designing for Justice + Design Research with Alix Gerber — DT101 E27 A Designer's Journey into Designing for Health and Healthcare with Lorna Ross — DT101 E45 Working and Leading at the Intersection of Engineering, Business and Design with Kevin Bethune — DT101 E76

Erin Del Conte, executive editor of CStore Decisions, speaks with Christy Patient, regional director of operations at Circle K, co-chair of the Diversity & Inclusion Council and co-chair of the Women's Council, about her experiences as a woman in business.

Welcome to The Voice of Retail. I'm your host Michael LeBlanc. This podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada. On this special episode I'm picking up an interview from a livestream I hosted for the Retail Council of Canada Retail Human Resources forum.  I'm joined by Liz Volk, Chief Human Resources Officer, and Alex Green, Chief Marketing Officer, from Longos, a 65 year old innovative family regional grocery store operating in southern Ontario. Employee engagement at Longo's is deeply rooted in the value of collaboration between the HR and marketing teams. Liz andd Alex join me for a fireside chat to share the keys to collaboration and driving transformational change. Learn how in this unique relationship these teams work together to deliver messaging, training and support for employees that then translates into increased engagement for the best customer experiences.   Let's listen in now.  Thanks for tuning into this special episode of The Voice of Retail.  If you haven't already, be sure and click subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so new episodes will land automatically twice a week, and check out my other retail industry media properties; the Remarkable Retail podcast, the Conversations with CommerceNext podcast, and the Food Professor podcast.  Last but not least, if you are into BBQ, check out my all new YouTube barbecue show, Last Request Barbeque, with new episodes each and every week! I'm your host Michael LeBlanc, President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company & Maven Media, and if you're looking for more content, or want to chat  follow me on LinkedIn, or visit my website meleblanc.co!  Have a safe week everyone! About Liz As the Chief Human Resources Officer at Longo's, Liz Volk is a people-focused leader who believes that an organization's results are achieved through highly engaged teams delivering on a clearly defined Guest strategy. She is dedicated to creating a robust corporate culture that promotes business growth and Guest loyalty by empowering and motivating Team Members to achieve their full potential and bring their best. Liz, a CHRE, is seasoned HR professional with many years of experience, and during her last 15 years with Longo's, she has been instrumental in creating a long-term people strategy aligned with the company's strategic vision. She has also been responsible for leading many areas of the business including total rewards, talent acquisition, learning & development, internal communications, risk management, project management office and sustainability. In 2014, she embarked on a year-long assignment in Store Operations to fully understand and experience the business from both a Guest and Team Member perspective. Most recently, she has been pivotal in creating and co-chairing a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council. The council is responsible for providing a safe and inclusive environment, where diversity is valued, equity is achieved, and everyone has a sense of belonging. Longo's was started by Tommy, Joe and Gus Longo in 1956. Longo's currently has 36 stores, with more on the horizon, and an e-commerce grocery delivery service called Grocery Gateway. Longo's is under the Empire Company Limited umbrella, and remains a family-operated grocery retail business committed to creating meaningful and long-lasting relationships with Guests underpinned by the guiding principle: we will only serve to others what we can confidently serve to our families. About Alex I believe in remarkable people and their ideas and I'm on a mission to unleash this potential to allow individuals, teams, and organizations to thrive in an ever-changing world. As a seasoned executive, I am at my best when leading teams and brands through transformative change that's grounded in insight. I unlock new value through aligning company, product, service and brand design which is magnified with powerful, fully integrated go-to-market strategies and backed by empowered and motivated teams. I have particularly deep expertise as a Brand and Marketing leader that embraces the exponential value of different versus the incremental value of better. In addition to traditional and digital performance marketing skillsets, I am well-grounded in data & analytics, loyalty program design & CRM, as well as digital product, UX and e-commerce management. These strategic capabilities are paired with a strong optimism bias, resilient mindset and change management and executive coaching certifications. All in support of getting the right ideas to market to navigate disruptive environments and deliver business results. At Longo's, I am loving being at the forefront of a full retail transformation that touches all aspects of our Guest and Team Member experience. It's strategic yet hands-on with a highly entrepreneurial team in a fast-paced and rapidly changing industry. We are testing, learning and improving every day. In support of great ideas everywhere, I recently established RMRKBL, a free presentation training field guide and toolkit designed to help people better express their ideas, so they can get on with changing the world. You can check it out at rmrkbl.ca.                                About Michael Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated on thought leadership panels worldwide.  Michael was recently added to ReThink Retail's prestigious Top 100 Global Retail Influencers for a second year in  2022. Michael is also the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts, including Canada's top retail industry podcast, The Voice of Retail, plus the Remarkable Retail with author Steve Dennis, Global E-Commerce Tech Talks and The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.  Most recently, Michael launched Conversations with CommerceNext, a podcast focussed on retail eCommerce, digital marketing and retail careers - all available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music and all major podcast platforms.   Michael is also the producer and host of the “Last Request Barbeque” channel on YouTube where he cooks meals to die for and influencer riches.   

When you think of models of clear writing and easy communication, do you think of the Federal Government? It turns out one of the leading perpetrators of the bureaucratic lingo and dense legalese that most people detest has been quietly cleaning up its act for the past 10 years. Guests, Katherine Spivey and Katina Rae Stapleton, are federal employees who volunteer their time and expertise to help their colleagues across multiple agencies and offices create government documents and other written resources in plain language. Guided by the Plain Writing Act of 2010, they work to improve U.S. citizens' ability to access and understand government information and services. In this episode, we talk with them about the importance of clear communications, from everyday interactions that help make policy more understandable, to more urgent situations where words can have life-and-death consequences. GUESTS Katherine Spivey and Katina Rae Stapleton Co-Chairs, Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN)Katherine Spivey is co-chair of the Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN), which is a community of federal employees who volunteer time and expertise to support the use of clear communication in government writing. She is a senior communications specialist for the U.S. General Services Administration's Office of Strategic Communications and coordinates the agency's plain language program. She also teaches plain language courses for DigitalGov University and other federal agencies. Katina Rae Stapleton is co-chair of the Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN), where she also provides training for federal employees on how to clearly communicate with their audiences. As a program officer with the Institute of Education Services (IES) at the U.S. Department of Education, Katina oversees research training programs and provides guidance to the department on communications, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility issues. She is the co-chair of the IES Diversity Council and was secretary of the agency-wide Diversity and Inclusion Council.  LINKS:PlainLanguage.govLaw - https://www.plainlanguage.gov/law/Guidelines - https://www.plainlanguage.gov/guidelines/History/Timeline - https://www.plainlanguage.gov/about/history/Digital.gov presence - https://digital.gov/communities/plain-language/Center for Plain Language's Federal Report Card - https://centerforplainlanguage.org/reports/Clarity International - https://www.clarity-international.org/Plain International - https://plainlanguagenetwork.org/Alan Alda – Clear + Vivid podcast, https://omny.fm/shows/clear-vivid-with-alan-aldaScientific American Frontiers TV show https://www.amazon.com/Scientific-American-Frontiers/dp/B000H0SVZOWIRED – 5 Levels https://www.wired.com/video/series/5-levelsFollow us on Twitter @speakgoodpodCheck out our blogGot an episode idea?

In this episode, we talk with Felicia White, who was recently the Vice President of Global Operations Training & Development for Church's Chicken and is now contributing her passionate approach to service and customer experience by providing tools and resources as a restaurant- industry consultant. THOUGHT #1"At the End of the Day, People Don't Care; Be Authentic" - Dr. Kym Harris-Lee THOUGHT #2"Don't Be Confused Between What People Say You Are and Who You Know You Are.” - Oprah WinfreyCONNECT:Blog: Felicia White, CHT,MBAEmail: feliciawhite411@gmail.comFacebook: Felicia WhiteInstagram: Felicia WhiteLinkedin: Felicia WhiteTwitter: Felicia WhiteBRAND & RESOURCE MENTIONS:"Look What You Made Me Do" (Taylor Swift) - YouTube.com "Count Chocula", "Boo Berry" (General Mills Monster Cereals) - GeneralMills.com Kellogg's - Kelloggs.comChurch's Chicken - Churchs.com Church's Women's Forum - RestaurantLeadership.com CHART - An Association of Hospitality Trainers - Chart.orgWomen's Food Service Forum - WFF.orgNorthwestern State University - NSULA.EduNation's Restaurant News - NRN.com Most Influential U.S. Restaurant Executives (Nation's Restaurant News Readers List) - NRN.comDr. Kym Harris-Lee - DrKymHarrisLee.com LGBTQ - acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. These terms are used to describe a person's sexual orientation or gender identity - Gaycenter.orgKat Cole - Linkedin.com Amanda Hite - Linkedin.comAshley Brundage - AshleyBrundage.com Neen James - NeenJames.com "Whiskers Outdoor World" (PBS) - PBSKids.org"Barney" (PBS) - PBS.orgOprah Winfrey - Forbes.com " I Don't Wanna Be" (Gavin DeGraw) - YouTube.comHard Rock International – HardRock.comBooky Call - BookyCall.combookstarPR - bookstarPR.comThoughts That Rock – ThoughtsThatRock.comCertified Rock Star - CertifiedRockStar.comLeadership That Rocks: Take Your Brand's Culture to Eleven and Amp Up Results (Jim Knight) - LeadershipThatRocksBook.comCulture That Rocks: How to Revolutionize Your Company's Culture (Jim Knight) – CultureThatRocks.comBlack Sheep: Unleash the Extraordinary, Awe-Inspiring, Undiscovered You (Brant Menswar) - FindYourBlackSheep.comRock ‘n Roll With It: Overcoming the Challenge of Change (Brant Menswar) – RocknRollWithIt.comCannonball Kids' cancer – CannonballKidscancer.orgBig Kettle Drum - BigKettleDrum.comSpectacle Photography (Show/Website Photos) – SpectaclePhoto.comJeffrey Todd “JT” Keel (Show Music) - JT KeelFELICIA WHITE'S BIO: Felicia White spent thirteen years as the Vice President of Global Operations Training and Development for Church's Chicken®. In her role, Felicia was responsible for managing global training for the Church's Chicken®, Texas Chicken®, and Church's Texas Chicken® brands. In addition to managing training, Felicia was a valuable member of the leadership committee for the Church's Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Council. Felicia's extended contributions provided an essential role as the Co-Founder and Chair of the employee resource group Church's Women's Forum, and lead Church's LGBTQ+ employee resource groups. Felicia is a positive, energetic, engaging, and dynamic leader who is defining HER normal and believes it is vital to connect with each individual to support their growth and development. The essence of who you are should be felt in every word, image, and experience in training. Felicia is redefining executive presence by influencing others to be themselves and their best selves. Along with her work at Church's® and serving as a volunteer and board member with CHART (Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers), Felicia is a volunteer member with the Women's Foodservice Forum. In addition, she is a sought-after subject matter expert in the area of Front-Line Leadership Development and delivers consulting to various organizations in building leadership development and mentorship programs.Felicia holds an Associate's degree in Culinary Arts, a Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Administration, and a Master's Degree in Business Administration. Felicia is currently enrolled in a Doctor of Education in Adult Learning and Development program at Northwestern State University with an anticipated graduation date of Spring 2025. Additionally, Felicia was recognized as one of the most influential restaurant executives in the country in The Power List: Reader Picks (2020) by Nation's Restaurant News and selected as the winner in the Innovator category in the 2020 Top Women in Restaurant Technology at the Multi-Unit Restaurant Technology Conference.

Welcome to Her Ambitious Career, the personal branding and success podcast for ambitious corporate women who expect more from their careers.This is Episode 32, 'How to be a More Empathetic Leader', with my guest Lorraine Lee, who is a General Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer as well as Co-Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Council at International SOS.Lorraine says, "Empathetic leadership is largely about creating safety. For example, I need to feel safe enough to innovate and as a leader I need to create that same environment so that my team members feel safe enough to innovate too."In this episode, Lorraine shares:Her thoughts on what empathetic leadership isHow to become a more empathetic leader, even if you currently struggle with itThe importance of creating a safe environment for your team so that they feel free to make mistakes without rebuttal, to be honest, to innovate, to ask questions and to learnGuest Bio:Lorraine Lee is a commercial lawyer based in Singapore. She is a General Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer and Co-Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Council at International SOS. Lorraine has a 26+ year career history and has covered Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Europe as part of her portfolio, as well as M&A transactions in the US. She has legal experience in companies including Keppel Corporation, Hilton Hotels Corporation and International SOS.*****Host Bio:Rebecca Allen is a Career Success Coach for ambitious women looking to land dream career opportunities. She has worked over the last 10 years with clients from companies including ANZ Bank, Origin Energy, J.P. Morgan and Coca-Cola Amatil and loves getting those excited phone calls from clients saying they've been promoted, have negotiated a seismic pay rise or have moved into a role completely aligned with their mission, values and strengths. Her own ambitions include raising two beautiful, happy confident children; building a fun and impactful coaching business to empower 50,000 women worldwide; and visiting Alaska! Find Rebecca: www.illuminategrowth.com.au*****Connect with Rebecca:Want a promotion?Our most popular download:   'The 7 Habits of Female Execs Who Get Promoted'Want a pay rise?FREE gift:   'The Perfect Pay Rise Script'> Book a free 15-minute Career Strategy Call > Connect on Linkedin> Join our supportive and free private facebook group 'Career Success for Ambitious Women'

Today on Phenomenal Grit, Mimi Dixon, Crayola Marketing Executive takes us back to a pivotal moment in her childhood which helped define the leader she is today. She's an engaging storyteller and visionary. I appropriately titled this episode, “She's a Baaaad Mama Jama” and you'll have to tune in to find out why. Enjoy the conversation. About Mimi Dixon: Mimi Dixon is a highly motivated and dynamic thought leader with +20 years of expertise in Integrated, Shopper & Sports marketing for leading global brands. She describes herself as a “Big Idea Generator, Activation Master, Strategic Thought Leader, and Passionate Marketer”. Currently, she is Director – Brand Activation & Content at Crayola. In this role, she spearheads Advertising, PR, Shopper Marketing, National marketing campaigns, and Digital & Social Content & Imagery. Most recently, she led the development & activation of Crayola's 2020 Colors of the World skin tone crayon launch which garnered over 3 billion impressions to date and has gone on to win various marketing, diversity & inclusion & product industry awards including a TOTY (Toy of The Year) award for Creative Toy of the Year. Mimi also serves as the Chair for Crayola's first Diversity & Inclusion Council & is hard at work in building the council's foundation for both the council and the company.Mimi has been featured in Forbes, Black Enterprise, Diversity Woman, AdWeek, and CBS Saturday morning. She has also served as a 2021 judge for the Effie, AME, and ANA Multicultural Excellence Awards. Prior to joining Crayola in June of 2014, Mimi held various roles within increasing responsibility at Campbell Soup Company over a tenure of 16 years. During this time period, Mimi executed copious national marketing campaigns, managed the company's NFL sponsorship for eight years, activated numerous brand & celebrity partnerships, and lead retail-specific activation for key retailers like Target, Kroger, Safeway & Publix.When Mimi is not creating or activating the next successful national marketing campaign, she enjoys traveling, reading, binge-watching true crime & reality TV shows, shoe shopping and spending time with family and friends. Mimi is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated and completes public service activities with her local alumnae chapter. Mimi has a Bachelor's of Arts from Rutgers University and a Master's in Public Administration from the University of Delaware. She currently resides in Hamilton, New Jersey.Colors of the World Skin Tone Crayons & More | Crayola.com | crayola.com

This week, we're continuing with our countdown of the top 10 most-downloaded episodes of the FourBlock Podcast since it first launched in the fall of 2019. Number six on the countdown is a conversation with Wells Fargo managing director Chris Pink, originally released on January 20, 2020. Chris heads Asset-Backed Finance and Securitization within the Corporate and Investment Bank, which encompasses nearly 400 clients and a risk portfolio of approximately $130 billion. Chris also Co-Chairs the Corporate and Investment Bank's Diversity and Inclusion Council. In this episode, Chris discusses his experiences and insights in making successful career transitions, how to navigate corporate culture to advance your career, and effective leadership in today's diverse work environment. Chris invests a considerable amount of time mentoring and supporting veterans in transition and is a staunch believer in the power of people, creating diverse teams, and servant leadership. If you are a veteran interested in getting into financial services, successfully navigating corporate culture, and effectively translating your military leadership experiences to the civilian workforce or if you are someone interested in better understanding the challenges associated with career transitions and development – this episode is for you!   ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

Our recent Conversation on Reconciliation was an opportunity for our pastors and other leaders in our church to share about Trinity's vision and commitment to working for racial reconciliation. If you missed it, we hope you'll give the audio a listen.In Part 1, you'll hear a backstory on why we hosted the event, some of the work we've been doing, as well as a theology of reconciliation and why we believe it's so important. In Part 2, you'll hear from members of our Race, Diversity and Inclusion Council and our leadership team as they share about their own experiences of this work of reconciliation.Learn more at westside.atltrinity.org/about.Find our position paper, resources and more here.

Our recent Conversation on Reconciliation was an opportunity for our pastors and other leaders in our church to share about Trinity's vision and commitment to working for racial reconciliation. If you missed it, we hope you'll give the audio a listen.In Part 1, you'll hear a backstory on why we hosted the event, some of the work we've been doing, as well as a theology of reconciliation and why we believe it's so important. In Part 2, you'll hear from members of our Race, Diversity and Inclusion Council and our leadership team as they share about their own experiences of this work of reconciliation.Learn more at westside.atltrinity.org/about.Find our position paper, resources and more here.

Dr. Fariha Shafi is is the Co-Founder of the ResetMD Podcast! She is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Missouri Kansas City-School of Medicine. She is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians (ACP) and is an ACP Well-Being Champion, Chair of both the Wellness Committee and the Women in Medicine Committee of the Missouri Chapter of the ACP. She has served as the AMWA Mentor at the SOM for many years. She has a career in academic medicine at UMKC, serving in various leadership roles including Chairing the School of Medicine's Diversity Equity and Inclusion Council for eight years and being named as an inaugural “Noback” Docent. Dr. Shafi has been featured on podcasts such as KevinMD and Medicine Mentors. She is a busy mom of two, a full time physician and a heavily involved community leader. In this episode we discuss a time where she felt stuck, both with the struggle of being a mom and a professional and with trying to find the right venue for her passions. A conversation at her chapter ACP meeting and making peace with guilty feelings changed all that and gave her energy. Listen in to see how this worked for her an could work for you too. Pearls of Well-Being Wisdom: 1. Medicine is part of your life, not your entire life. 2. Always find something that fulfills you outside of medicine. 3. Journal your feelings- during times of success as well as the times when you are upset. Refer back to your successes more often. 4. Give back.

Host Maria Gironas of Women in Music's Diversity & Inclusion Council speaks with Suzy Yoder, Head of Digital Marketing at Elektra Music Group, about building community amongst artists and music fans through creative digital marketing. FUTURE OF WOMEN is so excited to be launching our newest platform for elevating and celebrating women's voices: a lineup of FUTURE OF WOMEN Podcast miniseries on various topics from culinary to music to sex and beyond, guest hosted by leading women in each industry. Our next FUTURE OF WOMEN Podcast series is a four-part series all about music, in partnership with Women in Music, the industry's leading non-profit working to advance the awareness, equality, diversity, heritage, opportunities, and cultural aspects of women in the musical arts through education, support, empowerment, and recognition. Join us as guest hosts from Women in Music speak with incredible women across the music industry. Episodes air every Tuesday.

Host Nikisha Bailey, Vice President of A&R Administration and Operations at Artist Partner Group and Global Co-Chair of Women in Music's Diversity & Inclusion Council, speaks with Lisa Mottahedeh, Director of A&R at Artist Partner Group, about discovering and developing the next generation of artists that will shape and inspire young music fans. FUTURE OF WOMEN is so excited to be launching our newest platform for elevating and celebrating women's voices: a lineup of FUTURE OF WOMEN Podcast miniseries on various topics from culinary to music to sex and beyond, guest hosted by leading women in each industry. Our next FUTURE OF WOMEN Podcast series is a four-part series all about music, in partnership with Women in Music, the industry's leading non-profit working to advance the awareness, equality, diversity, heritage, opportunities, and cultural aspects of women in the musical arts through education, support, empowerment, and recognition. Join us as guest hosts from Women in Music speak with incredible women across the music industry. Episodes air every Tuesday.

For this edition of Our Ruined Lives we chat with Ash Boydston-Schmidt. Ash is a descendant of the Crow Nation and shares with us her families history, growing up in Oklahoma, her experiences with the Tiger King, and her academic journey at the University of Oklahoma double-majoring in Anthropology and Indigenous Studies. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Museums Studies at the University of New Mexico, where she started this past fall during the COVID-19 Pandemic. We finish up the episode with a conversation about Ash's work with the Diversity and Inclusion Council for the Boy Scouts of America. *Disclaimer: Ash's views regarding the topics discussed in the third segment of this episode are solely her own and not representative of the Diversity and Inclusion Council. Contact Email: alifeinruinspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @alifeinruinspodcast Facebook: @alifeinruinspodcast Twitter: @alifeinruinspod Website: www.alifeinruins.com Affiliates Wildnote TeePublic Timeular