Podcasts about syed

Syed K. Jamal Founder & CEO Board Member Ford Fellow Executive Producer WTIA Alum Measures what matters On a mission to transform education with creative economy Sponsors The Jason Cavness experience is brought to you by Breeze Docs. Request for Proposals AKA RFPs, can be very challenging for Small & Medium-sized Businesses. Breeze Docs, the RFP response platform of choice for SMBs across North America, uses AI to help companies quickly complete RFPs, security questionnaires, and other important business documents.  If you'd like to start winning more RFPs and reduce completion times by up to 80 percent, visit breezedocs.ai to book a demo. By mentioning the Jason Cavness Experience, you will qualify for a free upgrade from Breeze Solo to Breeze AI+ valued at $6,000. Follow the Breeze at www.breezedocs.ai Sign up for free upgrade here  https://www.breezedocs.ai/rfp-response-software-jason-caveness CavnessHR: Seattle's Got Tech Sign up to demo your tech and win prizes for being the best tech  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdBV98Am90oAoP08vWaS870Uk7Zp7WVDCwF6PALwlJf5NgmWw/viewform?usp=header Go to www.thejasoncavnessexperience.com for the podcast on your favorite platforms Syed's Bio Syed is an Indian-American entrepreneur and strategic advisor, focused on empowering young people to make informed career decisions and fostering meaningful cross-cultural collaborations. As the Chairman of the Tacoma-Kochi Friendship City Committee, he leads efforts to strengthen film and educational partnerships between India and the United States. An executive producer at 222 Pictures and a trained filmmaker (Mass Communication Research Center, Jamia, New Delhi), Syed serves on the Board of Advisors for The Way Home: Journey of Family and Faith, a documentary exploring the resilience of three generations of Tibetan women striving to preserve their cultural heritage. Syed is also on the board of Tasveer, the only Oscar-qualifying South Asian Film Festival in the world. In this role, he is excited to build film institute partnerships to inspire and engage young people through film production and storytelling. With a dynamic career spanning media, higher education, and nonprofits in both India and the US, Syed brings a unique blend of creative vision and strategic expertise. He actively volunteers with the World Trade Center Tacoma as its India Ambassador, serves on the Board of Directors of the World Affairs Council of Tacoma, and mentors aspiring entrepreneurs through Bridge for Billions.  Additionally, he curates transformative impact projects for Collegey.com and evaluates student initiatives for Rise, a prestigious global talent program by Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust. As a leader in organizational strategy, Syed drives innovation, builds high-impact partnerships, and ensures measurable client outcomes. His professional journey includes pivotal roles in media, academia, and international education, underpinned by his personal experience as an International Ford Foundation Fellow pursuing graduate studies in international affairs. This global perspective informs his vision for initiatives like Collegey and Branta, both of which aim to inspire and support the next generation of changemakers. In 2011, Syed joined the Fulbright Commission to advance the US Department of State's public diplomacy efforts through EducationUSA.  As Communications Manager, he led groundbreaking digital outreach campaigns, cultivated strategic partnerships, and conducted recruitment programs and workshops in collaboration with US Foreign Service Officers. Since transitioning from EducationUSA, Syed has consulted for leading youth and higher education organizations across India/South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. In 2015, he founded Branta, a consulting firm that bridges global education and youth networks in the US and youth-centered initiatives in emerging markets. Syed's expertise lies at the intersection of the creative economy, public diplomacy, social entrepreneurship, and impact-driven programming. His passion for fostering global citizenship, project-based learning, and cross-cultural innovation continues to shape his contributions to the education and creative economy sectors.  We talk about the following and other items Syed's Background and Journey The Importance of Poetry and Nature Biking and Favorite Poets Cultural Differences in Poetry Empowering Youth in Career Decisions The Future of Higher Education The Role of College Tacoma's Transformation and Strengths The Creative Economy in Tacoma The Role of Nonprofits in Tacoma Becoming a Filmmaker The Power of Camera Angles in Filmmaking The Impact of Lighting on Perception Changes in the Filmmaking Industry The Evolution of Storytelling Humanizing Homelessness The Role of South Asian Film Festivals The Importance of Social Capital Religious and Cultural Practices in India The World Trade Center and International Trade I nnovation and Creativity Immigrating to the United States The Cost of Private Education The Value of Public Schools The Impact of Socioeconomic Disparities Originality and Courage in Creativity India-Pakistan Relations Introducing Grid City Studio Building Tacoma as a Creative Hub Engaging the Community  Syed's Social Media LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/skjamal/ Personal Website: https://www.gobranta.com/ceofounder Syed's Advice   I am not very good at giving advice. I would say just, think about your story a lot. You have a story. Don't underestimate your story. Your story is a collective story of your parents, your neighborhood, your neighbors, your books. It's all part of your story, so don't underestimate your story. Please tell your story, talk about yourself, talk about, the environment you grew up in, things that bothers you. Talk about it. It matters a lot when we talk about our personal things. A lot of people, a lot of time people shy away, they avoid talking about themselves because they think it's showing off.  I don't think it's showing off. You are at your most authentic self when you just talk about your story as your story. So please don't underestimate your stories. We might pick up one of your stories and make a movie out of it.

Khutba e Juma | 13 June 2025 - Ustad Syed Jawad Naqvi h.a

Current Affairs (Halat e Hazira) 13 June 2025 - Syed Jawad NaqviUffaq Ul Mubeen Studio, Jamia Urwa Tul Wusqa Lahore

Author and broadcaster Matthew Syed joins me on The Winston Marshall Show for a sharp takedown of the post-colonial guilt underlying the decision making of Britain's governing elite, Britain's looming debt crisis, the case for diversity and the decline of reason in Western discourse.Syed dismantles the lazy assumptions behind identity politics, arguing that equality of opportunity has been hijacked by a culture obsessed with group identity. He warns that diversity, when divorced from excellence, becomes a hollow virtue—and that critical thinking is being replaced by moral posturing.Syed delves into Britain's racial discourse, the myth of systemic whiteness, and the dangers of importing American-style race politics into a very different British context.All this—taboo truths, intellectual cowardice, the tyranny of groupthink, and the fight to restore reason in an age of ideological madness…-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------To see more exclusive content and interviews consider subscribing to my substack here: https://www.winstonmarshall.co.uk/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA:Substack: https://www.winstonmarshall.co.uk/X: https://twitter.com/mrwinmarshallInsta: https://www.instagram.com/winstonmarshallLinktree: https://linktr.ee/winstonmarshall----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chapters0:00 Introduction 2:20 Matthew Saeed's Career and Views on Elite Guilt13:23 Historical Context and Moral Psychology 22:23 British Colonialism and Its Legacy 31:17 Challenges of Modern British Policy 55:54 The Role of Nationalism and the Nation State 1:00:10 The Impact of Post-Modernism and Critical Theory 1:13:59 The Consequences of Elite Failure and Guilt1:16:43 Diversity and Unity in Sports and Society Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What's up everyone, today we have the pleasure of sitting down with Samia Syed, Director of Growth Marketing at Dropbox. Summary: Samia Syed treats martech like hiring. If it costs more than a headcount, it needs to prove it belongs. She scopes the problem first, tests tools on real data, and talks to people who've lived with them not just vendor reps. Then she tracks usage and outcomes from day one. If adoption stalls or no one owns it, the tool dies. She once watched a high-performing platform get orphaned after a reorg. Great tech doesn't matter if no one's accountable for making it work.Don't Buy the Tool Until You've Scoped the JobMartech buying still feels like the Wild West. Companies drop hundreds of thousands of dollars on tools after a single vendor call, while the same teams will debate for weeks over whether to hire a junior coordinator. Samia calls this out plainly. If a piece of software costs more than a person, why wouldn't it go through the same process as a headcount request?She maps it directly: recruiting rigor should apply to your tech stack. That means running a structured scoping process before you ever look at vendors. In her world, no one gets to pitch software until three things are clear:What operational problem exists right nowWhat opportunities are lost by not fixing itWhat the strategic unlock looks like if you doMost teams skip that. They hear about a product, read a teardown on LinkedIn, and spin up a trial to “explore options.” Then the feature list becomes the job description, and suddenly there's a contract in legal. At no point did anyone ask whether the team actually needed this, what it was costing them not to have it, or what they were betting on if it worked.Samia doesn't just talk theory. She has seen this pattern lead to ballooning tech stacks and stale tools that nobody uses six months after procurement. A shiny new platform feels like progress, but if no one scoped the actual need, you're not moving forward. You're burying yourself in debt, disguised as innovation.“Every new tool should be treated like a strategic hire. If you wouldn't greenlight headcount without a business case, don't greenlight tech without one either.”And it goes deeper. You can't just build a feature list and call that a justification. Samia breaks it into a tiered case: quantify what you lose without the tool, and quantify what you gain with it. How much time saved? How much revenue unlocked? What functions does it enable that your current stack can't touch? Get those answers first. That way you can decide like a team investing in long-term outcomes, not like a shopper chasing the next product demo.Key takeaway: Treat every Martech investment like a senior hire. Before you evaluate vendors, run a scoping process that defines the current gap, quantifies what it costs you to leave it open, and identifies what your team can achieve once it's solved. Build a business case with numbers, not just feature wishlists. If you start by solving real problems, you'll stop paying for shelfware.Your Martech Stack Is a Mess Because Mops Wasn't in the Room EarlyMost marketing teams get budget the same way they get unexpected leftovers at a potluck. Something shows up, no one knows where it came from, and now it's your job to make it work. You get a number handed down from finance. Then you try to retroactively justify it with people, tools, and quarterly goals like you're reverse-engineering a jigsaw puzzle from the inside out.Samia sees this happen constantly. Teams make decisions reactively because their budget arrived before their strategy. A renewal deadline pops up, someone hears about a new tool at a conference, and suddenly marketing is onboarding something no one asked for. That's how you end up with shelfware, disconnected workflows, and tech debt dressed up as innovation.This is why she pushes for a different sequence. Start with what you want to achieve. Define the real gaps that exist in your ability to get there. Then use that to build a case for people and platforms. It sounds obvious, but it rarely happens that way. In most orgs, Marketing Ops is left out of the early conversations entirely. They get handed a brief after the budget is locked. Their job becomes execution, not strategy.“If MOPS is treated like a support team, they can't help you plan. They can only help you scramble.”Samia has seen two patterns when MOPS lacks influence. Sometimes the head of MOPS is technically in the room but lacks the confidence, credibility, or political leverage to speak up. Other times, the org's workflows never gave them a shot to begin with. Everything is set up as a handoff. Business leaders define targets, finance approves the budget, then someone remembers to loop in the people who actually have to make it all run. That structure guarantees misalignment. If you want a smarter stack, you have to fix how decisions get made.Key takeaway: Build your Martech plan around strategic goals, not leftover budget. Start with what needs to be accomplished, define the capability gaps that block it, and involve MOPS from the beginning to shape how tools and workflows can solve those problems. If Marketing Ops is looped in only after the fact, you're not planning. You're cleaning up.Build Your Martech Stack Like You're Hiring a TeamMost teams buy software like they're following a recipe they've never tasted. Someone says “we need a CDP,” and suddenly everyone's firing off RFPs, demoing the usual suspects, and comparing price tiers on platforms they barely understand. Samia draws a clean line between hiring and buying here. In both cases, the smartest teams treat the process as exploration, not confirmation.Hiring isn't static. You open a rec, start meeting candidates, and quickly realize the original job description is outdated by the third interview. A standout candidate shows up, and suddenly the scope expands. You rewrite the role to fit the opportunity, not the other way around. Samia thinks buying Martech should work the same way. Instead of assuming a fixed category solves the problem, you should:Map your actual use caseTalk to vendors and real usersCompare radically different paths, not just direct competitors“You almost need to challenge yourself to zoom out and ask if this tool fits where your company is actually headed.”Samia's lived the pain of teams chasing big-budget platforms with promises of deep functionality, only to realize no one has the bandwidth to implement them properly. The tool ends up shelved or duct-taped into place while marketing burns cycles trying to retrofit workflows around something they were never ready for. That kind of misalignment doesn't show up in vendor decks or curated testimonials. You only catch it by doing your own research and talking to people who don't have a sales quota.Buying tech is easy. Building capability is hard. Samia looks for tools that match the company's maturity and provide room to grow. Not everything needs to be composable, modular, and future-proofed into infinity. Sometimes the right move is choosing what works today, then layering in complexity as your team levels up. Martech isn't one-size-fits-all, and most vendor conversations are just shiny detours away from that uncomfortable truth.Key takeaway: Treat your Martech search like a hiring process in motion. Start with a goal, not a category. Stay open to evolving the solution as new context surfaces. Talk to actual users who've implemented the tool under real constraints. Ask what broke, what surprised them, and what they'd do differently. Choose the tech that fits your team's real capabili...

Khutba e Eid ul Adha | Ustad Syed Jawad Naqvi - 7th June 2025

Friday Juma KhutbaJune 6th, 2025- Eid Mubarak was extended to all.- Surah al-Shams emphasizes divine signs and the human soul's ability to know right from wrong.- Success lies in purifying the soul; failure comes from letting it be corrupted.- Tawbah cleanses the soul like water purifies the body.- Surah al-Aʿlā stresses reminders and the importance of charity and prayer.- True belief includes willingly giving to the needy, not just fulfilling obligations.- The message of purification and charity is found in all revealed scriptures.Donate towards our programs today: https://jaffari.org/donate/Jaffari Community Centre (JCC Live)

Halat e Hazira | Ustad Syed Jawad Naqvi | 6th June 2025

Khutba e Juma | Ustad Syed Jawad Naqvi | 6th June 2025

*36 ویں برسی امام خمینی رح*

Zios getting dealt street justice in Thailand • Anna Kendrick has NYC street cred • Syed thinks tall people are wasting their height • The daily Indian – Pakistani stomp off

Current Affairs (Halat e Hazira) 30 May 2025 - Syed Jawad NaqviUffaq Ul Mubeen Studio, Jamia Urwa Tul Wusqa Lahore

Untuk episode kali ini, saya membaca kiriman daripada Syed. Beliau menceritakan pengalamannya sewaktu bekerja di salah sebuah resort di Langkawi. Walaupun resort tersebut ada lebih dari seratus bilik, yang boleh disewakan kepada pengunjung, hanya setengah. Demi komisen, Syed membuka bilik-bilik yang ditutup untuk pengunjung. Apa yang akan berlaku ? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Dr. Mimi Syed returned from her first volunteer trip to Gaza in the summer of 2024, she started flipping through her notes and came to a shocking conclusion: In one month, the ER physician had treated at least 18 children with gunshots to the head or chest. And that's only the patients she had time to make a note of. “They were children under the age of 12,” she says. “That's something I saw every single day, multiple times a day, for the whole four weeks that I was there.”Syed's not the only one. Other physicians who've worked in Gaza report seeing similar cases on a regular basis, suggesting a disturbing pattern. The doctors allege that members of the Israeli military may be deliberately targeting children. This week on Reveal, in partnership with Al Jazeera's Fault Lines, we follow Syed from Gaza to the halls of Congress and the United Nations, as she joins a movement of doctors appealing to US and international policymakers to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.   Support Reveal's journalism at Revealnews.org/donatenow Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get the scoop on new episodes at Revealnews.org/weekly Connect with us onBluesky, Facebook and Instagram Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Friday Juma KhutbaMay 23, 2025- Migration to North America has unintentionally promoted multiculturalism, evident in the diverse ethnic makeup of religious communities.- Shi‘a diversity has been noticeable in weekend school students since the late 1970s and 1980s.- As the community developed, full-time Islamic schools have emerged, reflecting similar ethnic diversity.- There are now 16 full-time Shi‘a Islamic schools across Canada, from Montreal and Ottawa to Toronto and Vancouver.- This growth has created a need for collaboration and networking among these schools.- In January 2024, the first global gathering of full-time Shi‘a schools was held in Karbala, with 60 schools from places like Indonesia and Australia represented.- On the sidelines, North American schools formed WISE CANADA (World Islamic Summit of Education, Canada) to promote cooperation in Canada and the US.- WISE CANADA will hold its first national meeting tomorrow at As-Sadiq Islamic School.- Networking helps schools share best practices, recognize challenges, and develop solutions.- Qur'anic verse 9:71 highlights the mutual support, righteousness, and obedience expected among believing men and women.- A call was made to embrace diversity and avoid isolation.- UN Secretary General highlighted the severe suffering in Gaza, with 80% designated as militarized or evacuation zones.- 160,000 pallets of aid (equivalent to nearly 9,000 trucks) are waiting to be delivered.- Canada, the UK, and France strongly condemned Israel's military actions and settlement expansion in Gaza and the West Bank.- They warned of further actions if Israel does not stop military offensives and lift aid restrictions.- UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy halted free trade talks with Israel, calling its rhetoric and planned military actions extreme and unjustifiable.- Foreign ministers from multiple Western and allied countries, plus the EU, issued a joint statement urging Israel to restore humanitarian aid flows.- They criticized a proposed Israel–US aid system for bypassing the UN, arguing it politicizes and undermines humanitarian relief efforts.Donate towards our programs today: https://jaffari.org/donate/Jaffari Community Centre (JCC Live)

Ali Siddiq's Domino Effect comedy series is awesome • White Lotus: a decent black comedy-drama anthology series [7/10] • Syed begins his quest to escape the basement this softball season

This podcast interview focuses on the entrepreneurial journey of finding purpose and transformation through failure. My guest is Imran Syed, CEO of Hatchproof. After leading a high eight-figure exit at Instapage as COO, Imran witnessed how misalignment among leadership destroyed tens of millions in enterprise value during a failed product launch. Instead of moving on, this failure became his obsession. He spent six months deeply researching why people stay at or leave organizations before founding Hatchproof, creating a company built around the belief that work should have purpose, meaning, and fulfillment. And this inspired me, and hence I invited Imran to my podcast. We explore the counterintuitive approach of obsessing over problems rather than solutions, and why most entrepreneurs get this backward. Imran challenges conventional wisdom about scaling teams, explaining why the future belongs to smaller, tightly-aligned organizations rather than sprawling enterprises. His approach turns traditional metrics upside down, focusing on revenue per employee over headcount growth, and demonstrates how creating clear value frameworks enables sustainable business decisions. Here is a quote that captures one of Imran's most striking business lessons: "You have to have an obsession with the problem, not the solution. A lot of entrepreneurs are very anchored on their solution, and they struggle when the market tells them something different. If you obsess with the problem, you'll find the solution—it may not be the first one, but you'll eventually get to it." By listening to this podcast you will learn: How to distinguish between an "itch" and a "burning desire" when evaluating startup ideas Why investing six months in problem research before building anything created Imran's foundation for success How creating a simple four-value framework dramatically improves decision-making and prevents feature bloat Why revenue per employee is becoming the critical metric for AI-era companies, replacing the traditional focus on headcount growth For more information about the guest from this week:  Imran Syed  Website: hatchproof.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Daily Bruin Podcasts sat down with some of the candidates running for Undergraduate Students Association Council president in the 2025 USAC election — Syed Tamim Ahmad, Diego Emilio Bollo, Mafruha Esha and Teesha Sreeram. The Bruin was unable to host a podcast with candidate Jiorden King.

Syed Atiq ul Hassan, a social worker, community leader, and champion of multicultural Australia, passed away in Sydney on 26 April 2025. According to his son, Sabih Hassan, he was a devoted father and a community leader who believed in unity and inclusiveness. - آسٹریلیا کی پاکستانی کمیونٹی میں سماجی کارکن، کمیونٹی رہنما اور اور ملٹی کلچرل آسٹریلیا کے علمبردار سید عتیق الحسن 26 اپریل 2025 کو سڈنی میں انتقال کر گئے۔ ان کے صاحبزادے سید صبیح حسن کا کہنا ہے کہ وہ ایک بہترین والد اور سب کو ساتھ لے کر چلنے والے کمینوٹی لیڈر تھے۔

Friday Juma KhutbaMay 9th, 2025- Birth anniversary of Imām ‘Ali ibn Musa ar-Riḍā (a).- Importance of clear agreements on wages and work expectations between employers and employees.- Imām ar-Riḍā (a) reprimanded his workers for not agreeing on a specific wage with a laborer, emphasizing fairness in compensation.- Emphasis on paying agreed wages on time and rewarding additional effort appropriately.- Reflection on the common issue of unpaid workers within the community, highlighting the importance of ethical treatment in business dealings.- Reminder that only one-tenth of faith is ‘ibādāt (worship), while the rest is mu‘āmalāt (interactions with people).- Addressing respect for minorities: A case involving a Zoroastrian man's charity being redirected to Muslim poor instead of Zoroastrian poor, which Imām ar-Riḍā (a) corrected, advocating for respecting the intentions of the donor.- Reflection on current societal issues- Recent US elections influenced by anti-immigration attitudes.- Reversal of civil rights progress through the elimination of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programs.- Contrast between the treatment of African Americans and white South Africans in immigration policies.- Anecdote from the life of Imām ar-Riḍā (a): During a journey, he insisted on dining with all his servants, regardless of their race, emphasizing the unity of humanity and equal treatment.- Reflection on staying true to the teachings of Imām ar-Riḍā (a).Donate towards our programs today: https://jaffari.org/donate/Jaffari Community Centre (JCC Live)

Friday Juma KhutbaMay 2nd, 2025- Israel is using starvation as a weapon against Palestinians by blocking food, fuel, and medicine from entering Gaza for two months.- This act violates international humanitarian laws, which Israel has repeatedly breached without facing consequences.- France, Germany, and the UK condemned the blockade, calling it “intolerable” and rejecting the use of aid as political leverage against Hamas.- The World Food Programme reports over 116,000 tonnes of food—sufficient for one million people for four months—are blocked at access points.- A humanitarian aid ship was attacked by drones in international waters.- During Ramadhān majālis, Maulana discussed the endowments of Imam ‘Ali bin Abi Ṭālib (a), including water well projects.- Imam ‘Ali's efforts in digging wells in Medina, between Medina and Mecca, and in Iraq continue through Shi‘a charities today.- In the Battle of Ṣiffin (36 AH), Mu‘āwiyah's 85,000 troops reached the river first and blocked access to water from Imam ‘Ali's 90,000 troops.- Imam ‘Ali sent Ṣa‘ṣa‘ah bin Ṣawḥān to negotiate, warning against the cowardice of water denial and expressing readiness for battle if needed.- Mu‘āwiyah viewed water control as a strategic victory, supported by Umayyid advisors who justified the tactic by referencing ‘Uthmān's siege.- One advisor, ‘Abdullāh bin Abi Saraḥ, claimed water denial would force ‘Ali's army to retreat, equating retreat with defeat.- Ṣa‘ṣa‘ah rebuked this logic, cursing the advisor and pointing out the hypocrisy and propaganda in blaming Imam ‘Ali for ‘Uthmān's situation.- Imam ‘Ali had, in fact, ordered his sons to deliver food and water to ‘Uthmān during his siege, contrary to the claims against him.- This same propaganda was used to justify denying water to Imam Husayn and his family.- ‘Amr bin ‘Āṣ, an advisor to Mu‘āwiyah, opposed the water blockade, arguing Imam ‘Ali would not have done the same.- Mu‘āwiyah still refused access, stating: “No, by God, let them die of thirst as ‘Uthmān died.”- Imam ‘Ali responded by sending troops to force access to water.- After Mu‘āwiyah's defeat, ‘Amr bin ‘Āṣ questioned the morality of their actions; Mu‘āwiyah conceded Imam ‘Ali would not retaliate the same way.- This illustrates the moral contrast between the leadership styles of Imam ‘Ali and Mu‘āwiyah.- Despite this, many Muslims today still elevate Mu‘āwiyah's status over Imam ‘Ali, as seen in a recent Saudi documentary portraying Mu‘āwiyah favorably during Ramadhān.Donate towards our programs today: https://jaffari.org/donate/Jaffari Community Centre (JCC Live)

Cem and Syed from the Venture Beyond Agency join the Affiliated podcast during ClickBank's Diamond Summit to share their story of scaling past $50M on meta, and how you can the tips they share to help you scale your campaigns as well. Cem is the Co-Founder of Venture Beyond, a performance agency specializing in the health, wellness, and beauty verticals on Meta. With over $50 million in annual ad spend under management. Venture Beyond Agency - https://www.theventurebeyond.com/ Email Cem - cem@theventurebeyond.com Email Us - affiliated@clickbank.com

As the Councillor of Cootamundra-Gundagai, I am committed to enhancing regional services, increasing affordable housing, and creating more local employment opportunities. I will work to reduce red tape in local government, ensuring streamlined processes that empower our community, attract investment, and drive growth for a prosperous, sustainable future. Councillor Danyal Syed, Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council - اپنے حلقہ کی عوام کی زندگیوں کو خوشحال بنانے کے لیے اپنے ایریا کو ریجنل حب بنانا چاہتا ہوں ،اپنے علاقہ میں زیادہ سے زیادہ روزگار کے مواقع پیدا کرنے کی کوشش کرونگا تاکہ بڑے شہروں سے لوگ یہاں آکر زندگی بسر کرسکے۔ کونسلر دانیال سید،کوٹا منڈرا گنڈاگائی کی گفتگو سنیے اس پوڈکاسٹ میں۔

Still getting Lego as Eid gifts • Uniqlo shopping is the only shopping a man needs • Confused about the tariffs • Starting a new show: White Lotus

Listen to FII PRIORITY coverage. In this episode, Adam Torres and Atif Syed, Founder and CEO at Wootzano, explore robotics in Saudi Arabia and FII PRIORITY. Follow Adam on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/askadamtorres/ for up to date information on book releases and tour schedule. Apply to be a guest on our podcast: https://missionmatters.lpages.co/podcastguest/ Visit our website: https://missionmatters.com/ More FREE content from Mission Matters here: https://linktr.ee/missionmattersmedia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Listen to FII PRIORITY coverage. In this episode, Adam Torres and Atif Syed, Founder and CEO at Wootzano, explore robotics in Saudi Arabia and FII PRIORITY. Follow Adam on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/askadamtorres/ for up to date information on book releases and tour schedule. Apply to be a guest on our podcast: https://missionmatters.lpages.co/podcastguest/ Visit our website: https://missionmatters.com/ More FREE content from Mission Matters here: https://linktr.ee/missionmattersmedia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is a bonus release from our sister podcast: Legal Briefs.In a legal tour de force, Baltimore State's Attorney Ivan Bates laid bare the fraud on the court perpetrated by Adnan Syed and his supporters in the failed motion to vacate his conviction produced by former State's Attorney Marylin Mosby. In 88 pages, Bates deconstructed the arguments for Syed's innocence, and by the time he was finished, there could be little doubt that Adnan Syed did, indeed, murder Hae Min Lee. Brett and Alice discuss the filing which exposed the lie of a carefully constructed innocence sham more than a decade in the making.https://www.stattorney.org/media-center/press-releases/3042-state-s-attorney-announces-withdrawal-of-motion-to-vacate-judgement-in-adnan-syed-case Update: As expected, the judge did decide to allow Adnan Syed to remain free. He is still a convicted murderer. Check out our new True Crime Substack the True Crime Times at: https://t.co/26TIoM14TgGet Prosecutors Podcast Merch: https://www.bonfire.com/store/prosecutors-podcast/ Join the Gallery on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/4oHFF4agcAvBhm3o/ Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProsecutorsPod Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prosecutorspod/ Check out our website for case resources: https://prosecutorspodcast.com/ Hang out with us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@prosecutorspodSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Megastructures under the pyramids? • NLP for parenthood • Syed recounts his mushroom experience • 23&ME selling your DNA info • A well behaved kid at Taraweeh

What was the first animal before dinosaurs? • Syed has new nightmares • Canada needs Castle Laws • Furiosa was a great movie [7.5/10]

Send us a textOn the nostalgic grounds of their shared alma mater, Wharton, Simi speaks with Dilawar Syed, the Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). A role he was nominated into by President Biden, Administrator Syed was the highest-ranking Muslim official in the U.S. Government at the time of this recording. WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE.Syed came to the SBA from the State Department where he served as Special Representative for Commercial & Business Affairs. As the State Department's top commercial diplomat, Deputy Administrator Syed advocated for U.S. companies to compete and win abroad and helped ensure U.S. competitiveness in markets across the globe. Before joining the Biden Administration, Syed held the roles of CEO at Lumiata, an AI healthcare company, and President at software company, Freshworks.  Earlier in his career, Syed oversaw business operations for Yahoo!'s platforms and infrastructure and was a product manager at Siebel Systems and SAP. His transition to public service is marked by civic efforts at the federal, state, and local levels. He was the founding Chair of the California Entrepreneurship Task Force with the Governor's Office, served on President Obama's White House Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), and chaired the White House Initiative on AAPIs' Economic Growth Committee. In that role, Syed led the administration's engagement with small businesses across the U.S. after the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. In 2020, Syed was tapped by San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo to help lead Silicon Valley's pandemic recovery as a member of the Silicon Valley Recovery Roundtable. Syed holds an M.B.A. from Wharton and earned a B.A. in Economics and Computer Science from The University of Texas at Austin.South Asian Trailblazers is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com. Subscribe to our newsletter to get new episodes and updates on our latest events in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, Youtube, and all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify.

The last episode of our new series, Of Heroes and Villains, looks at GM Syed, and why he asked for Sindhu Desh.The Pakistan Experience is an independently produced podcast looking to tell stories about Pakistan through conversations. Please consider supporting us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/thepakistanexperienceTo support the channel:Jazzcash/Easypaisa - 0325 -2982912Patreon.com/thepakistanexperienceAnd Please stay in touch:https://twitter.com/ThePakistanExp1https://www.facebook.com/thepakistanexperiencehttps://instagram.com/thepakistanexpeperienceThe podcast is hosted by comedian and writer, Shehzad Ghias Shaikh. Shehzad is a Fulbright scholar with a Masters in Theatre from Brooklyn College. He is also one of the foremost Stand-up comedians in Pakistan and frequently writes for numerous publications. Instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikhFacebook.com/Shehzadghias/Twitter.com/shehzad89Join this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC44l9XMwecN5nSgIF2Dvivg/join

Azaz Syed comes back on The Pakistan Experience to discuss the Opposition Conference, Mahrang Baloch, Imran Khan, PTI, Protests, Youtube, Journalism, Media Accountability, PECA and Anti-Establishment Sentiment in Pakistan.Azaz Syed is an Islamabad based Pakistani journalist and author of , "The Secrets of Pakistan's War on Al.Qaeda,". He is an award winning reporter and the host of the popular Youtube show 'Talk Shock'The Pakistan Experience is an independently produced podcast looking to tell stories about Pakistan through conversations. Please consider supporting us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/thepakistanexperienceTo support the channel:Jazzcash/Easypaisa - 0325 -2982912Patreon.com/thepakistanexperienceAnd Please stay in touch:https://twitter.com/ThePakistanExp1https://www.facebook.com/thepakistanexperiencehttps://instagram.com/thepakistanexpeperienceThe podcast is hosted by comedian and writer, Shehzad Ghias Shaikh. Shehzad is a Fulbright scholar with a Masters in Theatre from Brooklyn College. He is also one of the foremost Stand-up comedians in Pakistan and frequently writes for numerous publications. Instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikhFacebook.com/Shehzadghias/Twitter.com/shehzad89Join this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC44l9XMwecN5nSgIF2Dvivg/joinChapters:0:00 Introduction1:00 Opposition Conference3:10 Mahrang Baloch,Imran Khan and Manzoor Pashteen7:30 Kya PTI mai sab assets hain?9:28 Protests all over Pakistan11:34 Nawaz Sharif and Narendra Modi18:00 Rajiv Gandhi and Media being the Establishment mouthpiece23:00 Interview with Chairman Nadra25:30 How Azaz Syed finds out information32:30 Media Accountability39:30 System chalta hua nahee nazar araha48:30 Anti Establishment voting in Pakistan51:00 Audience Questions

This Day in Legal History: James Earl Ray SentencedOn March 10, 1969, James Earl Ray was sentenced to 99 years in prison for the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Ray had pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty but later recanted, claiming he was coerced into confessing. His conviction came just under a year after King was fatally shot on April 4, 1968, at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. The murder of King, a pivotal leader in the civil rights movement, sent shockwaves through the nation and intensified calls for racial justice. Ray's arrest in London after a two-month international manhunt led to one of the most scrutinized legal proceedings of the era. Despite his guilty plea, Ray repeatedly sought a retrial, arguing that he was a scapegoat in a broader conspiracy. His appeals were unsuccessful, and he remained imprisoned until his death in 1998. The King family later advocated for reopening the case, believing the government and other entities were involved in the assassination. In 1999, a civil jury in Memphis ruled in favor of the King family, concluding that the assassination was the result of a conspiracy, not the actions of a lone gunman. This verdict fueled ongoing debates about the true circumstances of King's death and the extent of Ray's role. The case remains one of the most controversial in American history, with lingering questions about the extent of government involvement. The King family's pursuit of the truth highlighted their belief that justice had not been fully served. While the official record still names Ray as the assassin, many continue to question whether he acted alone or was merely a pawn in a larger scheme.A Baltimore judge ruled that Adnan Syed, the subject of the popular Serial podcast, will remain free after reducing his life sentence to time served. Despite this decision, his 2000 murder conviction for the death of his ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee, remains intact. Judge Jennifer Schiffer stated that Syed is no longer a threat to public safety and that his continued freedom serves the interests of justice. Syed was originally convicted by a state jury, but his case gained national attention due to concerns over trial errors and potential prosecutorial misconduct. He was released from prison in 2022 after prosecutors questioned the integrity of his conviction, though an appeals court later reinstated it. The ruling ensures he will not return to prison, though legal battles over his conviction continue. His case has fueled ongoing debates about wrongful convictions and the role of media in influencing the justice system.Adnan Syed of 'Serial' Podcast Will Remain Free, Judge Rules (1)The Trump administration fired Adam Cohen, the head of the Justice Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, as part of a broader effort to remove career officials. Cohen, who had just helped draft a memo expanding the task force's role in immigration enforcement, said he was shocked by the decision and insisted his work had been apolitical. His dismissal follows other high-profile removals, including three assistant U.S. attorneys in New York, two of whom prosecuted a corruption case against Mayor Eric Adams. The attorneys were placed on administrative leave after Justice Department officials resigned in protest over pressure to drop the Adams case. Additionally, Liz Oyer, the Justice Department's pardon attorney, and Bobak Talebian, who handled Freedom of Information Act requests, were also dismissed. The shake-up reflects a broader effort to reshape the Justice Department under Trump's leadership, sparking concerns over political interference in law enforcement.Trump Justice Department fires head of organized crime drug task force | ReutersU.S. immigration agents arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian graduate student at Columbia University, as part of President Trump's crackdown on certain anti-Israel activists. Khalil, a U.S. green card holder, had been active in pro-Palestinian protests and served as a negotiator with university officials. The Department of Homeland Security accused him of leading “activities aligned to Hamas” but did not provide details or charge him with a crime. His arrest was widely condemned by civil rights groups as an attack on free speech. The Trump administration also revoked $400 million in government contracts with Columbia, citing antisemitic harassment on campus. Critics argue the move is part of a broader effort to target higher education institutions and suppress pro-Palestinian activism. Khalil, who was detained at an ICE facility, had previously expressed concerns about being targeted for speaking to the media. His case has sparked legal challenges and heightened tensions over immigration enforcement and academic freedom.US immigration agents arrest Palestinian student protester at Columbia University in Trump crackdown | Reuters This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

Great White Sharks Have Splash Fights?! • Mandarin restaurant is under appreciated • The cool Ninja Turtle weapon theory • Why Yasin and Syed are not the ones to call for help in a shark attack

In a legal tour de force, Baltimore State's Attorney Ivan Bates laid bare the fraud on the court perpetrated by Adnan Syed and his supporters in the failed motion to vacate his conviction produced by former State's Attorney Marylin Mosby. In 88 pages, Bates deconstructed the arguments for Syed's innocence, and by the time he was finished, there could be little doubt that Adnan Syed did, indeed, murder Hae Min Lee. Brett and Alice discuss the filing which exposed the lie of a carefully constructed innocence sham more than a decade in the making. https://www.stattorney.org/media-center/press-releases/3042-state-s-attorney-announces-withdrawal-of-motion-to-vacate-judgement-in-adnan-syed-case Update: As expected, the judge did decide to allow Adnan Syed to remain free. He is still a convicted murderer. Check out our new True Crime Substack the True Crime Times at: https://t.co/26TIoM14Tg Get Prosecutors Podcast Merch: https://www.bonfire.com/store/prosecutors-podcast/ Join the Gallery on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/4oHFF4agcAvBhm3o/ Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProsecutorsPod Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prosecutorspod/ Check out our website for case resources: https://prosecutorspodcast.com/ Hang out with us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@prosecutorspod

Making coffee out of the darkness. How unspeakable hardships inspired Syed Abedin to create Black Aswad Coffee. We also discuss the meaning behind Black Aswad, and possible health benefits of drinking coffee.This episode is brought to you by Black Aswad Coffee Co., the brand that's redefining your morning ritual with rich, bold flavors and a commitment to mental wellness. If you're looking for a coffee that fuels both body and mind, Black Aswad is your go-to. Learn more at www.blackaswadcoffeeco.com and use code AWESOME15 for an exclusive deal!PS love our show? When you listen and watch on a platform that allows you to subscribe, please do, AND leave a 5-star review!PLEASE help us grow this show. Subscribe and leave us a 5-star review! And SHARE it with a friend! Questions for Syed? E-mail him at sabedin@blackaswadcoffeeco.com

Making coffee out of the darkness. How unspeakable hardships inspired Syed Abedin to create Black Aswad Coffee. We also discuss the meaning behind Black Aswad, and possible health benefits of drinking coffee.This episode is brought to you by Black Aswad Coffee Co., the brand that's redefining your morning ritual with rich, bold flavors and a commitment to mental wellness. If you're looking for a coffee that fuels both body and mind, Black Aswad is your go-to. Learn more at www.blackaswadcoffeeco.com and use code AWESOME15 for an exclusive deal!PS love our show? When you listen and watch on a platform that allows you to subscribe, please do, AND leave a 5-star review!PLEASE help us grow this show. Subscribe and leave us a 5-star review! And SHARE it with a friend! Questions for Syed? E-mail him at sabedin@blackaswadcoffeeco.com

Today on Of Heroes and Villains we look at Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and British Colonialism.Watch the full Of Heroes and Villains Series:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IalYgki3N8E&list=PLlQZ9NZnjq5rkyYTtF0BUwS-nONgf6EPpThe Pakistan Experience is an independently produced podcast looking to tell stories about Pakistan through conversations. Please consider supporting us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/thepakistanexperienceTo support the channel:Jazzcash/Easypaisa - 0325 -2982912Patreon.com/thepakistanexperienceAnd Please stay in touch:https://twitter.com/ThePakistanExp1https://www.facebook.com/thepakistanexperiencehttps://instagram.com/thepakistanexpeperienceThe podcast is hosted by comedian and writer, Shehzad Ghias Shaikh. Shehzad is a Fulbright scholar with a Masters in Theatre from Brooklyn College. He is also one of the foremost Stand-up comedians in Pakistan and frequently writes for numerous publications. Instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikhFacebook.com/Shehzadghias/Twitter.com/shehzad89Join this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC44l9XMwecN5nSgIF2Dvivg/join

Welcome to Session 290 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast. In this episode, I'm joined by Armando Bernal and Andy Bondy. Andy is a known entity both in the field, and to the audience as well, and therefore needs little in the way of introduction. Armando is the founder of Autism International Consulting, which is the only Autistic-owned ABA provider in the Houston, TX area. He shares a truly inspiring story of how he went from not speaking at all, up through the present day, where he and his team provide ABA services. In this show, we discuss: Armando's family's response to his diagnosis.  How his mother single-handedly directed his early treatment. His work as a special education teacher. A surprising story - to me at least - of how he first learned about ABA. His work at Autism International Consulting. How he and Andy began collaborating. How Armando's unique perspective informs his practice. Current topics in ABA, including assent and compassionate care. How Armando learned to accept his diagnosis. Navigating controversies in the field and the related role of social media. Links to resources discussed: Armando's company, Autism International Consulting. Reach out to Armando on LinkedIn. Autism International Consulting's IG account. Lestremau Allen, Mellon, Syed, Johnson & Bernal (2024). Neurodiversity-Affirming Applied Behavior Analysis. Armando's appearance on Dr. Mary Barbera's podcast. This podcast is brought to you with the support of: The Profound Autism Summit. The Profound Autism Summit is a two-day conference taking place on April 10th and 11th in Boston, MA. Following on the massive success of the 2024 Summit, the 2025 event brings together leaders from the areas of research, medicine, treatment, advocacy, and education to discuss the needs and support of those with Profound Autism across disciplines and throughout the lifespan. HRIC Recruting. Cut out the middleman and speak directly with Barbara Voss, who's been placing BCBAs in great jobs all across the US for 15 years.  CEUs from Behavioral Observations. Learn from your favorite podcast guests while you're commuting, walking the dog, or whatever else you do while listening to podcasts. New events are being added all the time, so check them out here.  The Behavioral Toolbox. Check out our courses for school-based and other behavioral professionals, including our newest one, Motivational Interviewing: Getting Educator Buy-In. The Verbal Behavior Conference. Whether you attend in-person in Austin, TX, or online via BehaviorLive, you're going to love this year's Verbal Behavior Conference! Click here to get all the details!  

Tennis journalist Yasmin Syed from The Dailly Express joins the show to discuss another week of drama on the courts, headlined by Mirra Andreeva's 1000 level title in Dubai. Syed examines how the 17-year-old claimed the biggest prize of her young career, and why the No. 9 ranked player in the world has that star quality as well. The writer also recaps Andrey Rublev's exciting run to the winner's circle in Doha, and she explains why it was Rublev's mental strength that ultimately made the difference. And Syed proclaims why the Golden Swing needs to be a permanent fixture on the tennis calendar, on the heels of Sebastian Baez winning Rio for the second straight year. Syed also recounts how she became a tennis fan at a young age, and the steps she did to forge a successful career in the media industry. The writer also reviews the current state of British tennis with Jack Draper & Emma Raducanu leading the charge, and forecasts what to expect at this week's events happening all around the world. Hosted by Mitch Michals.

The Gaza ceasefire stands on the edge of a knife. This political and military reality brings back into focus, though it's never gone away, the humanitarian situation in Gaza in the wake of the Israeli state policy of systematically dismantling medical infrastructure with the use of US weaponry and clumsily orchestrated direct action IDF raids on hospitals and hospital staff in the name of “finding Hamas.” To that end, we are joined by Dr. Mimi Syed, a board-certified emergency medicine physician. She is an assistant clinical professor at University of Washington and Washington State University. She is a fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians.Dr.Syed served in Gaza from August 8 to September 5, 2024, and December 3 to December 31, 2024, at both al-Aqsa Hospital and Nasser Hospital. Follow her on instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/drmimier/

Dr. Heather Wilson, a 1982 Air Force Academy graduate, formerly the 24th Secretary of the Air Force, and first USAFA graduate to hold the position, discusses her unexpected journey to the role, emphasizing the importance of integrity, service, and leadership. ----more---- SUMMARY Dr. Wilson shares her unexpected journey into leadership, the importance of integrity, and the lessons learned from both successes and failures. She reflects on her family legacy, the influence of mentors, and how her military background shaped her leadership style. Dr. Wilson emphasizes the value of collecting tools for leadership and adapting to different environments while maintaining core values. In this conversation, she discusses the importance of finding purpose in one's mission and the value of relationships, particularly family support. She reflects on her journey as a woman in leadership, the significance of legacy in public service, and her unexpected path to serving in Congress. Dr. Wilson emphasizes the lessons learned in collaboration and the importance of humor in leadership, ultimately encouraging future leaders to uphold high standards and not to shame their families.   SHARE THIS EPISODE LINKEDIN | FACEBOOK   TAKEAWAYS Dr. Wilson's journey to becoming Secretary of the Air Force was unexpected and transformative. Leadership often requires owning failures and focusing on solutions. Integrity is foundational to effective leadership and builds trust. Adapting leadership styles to different cultures is essential for success. Mentorship and influences from family play a significant role in shaping leaders. Collecting tools and knowledge is crucial for effective leadership. Quality management principles can be applied to various fields, including education and social services. Leadership is not linear; it involves navigating different paths and chapters. Building strong teams and hiring the right people is vital for organizational success. Direct communication and honesty are key components of effective leadership. Doing things that matter with people you like is essential. The most important decision in life can be personal, like choosing a partner. Family support enriches life and provides joy. Women in leadership often face unique challenges but can pave the way for others. Legacy is about making lasting changes in systems and strategies. Unexpected opportunities can lead to significant career changes. Collaboration and giving credit to others is key in leadership roles. Humor can help create a relaxed atmosphere in serious environments. Education is crucial for transforming lives and communities. Leadership is not always a straight path; adaptability is important.   EPISODE CHAPTERS 00:00  Introduction to Long Blue Leadership 01:25  Unexpected Call to Leadership 03:16  Lessons from Leadership Challenges 08:28  The Importance of Integrity 10:07  Adapting Leadership Styles 12:23  Influences and Mentorship 15:25  Family Legacy and Influence 17:41  Learning from Team Members 21:29  Applying Quality Management Principles 24:07  Navigating Non-Linear Leadership Paths 24:20  Finding Purpose in Mission and Relationships 28:06  The Importance of Family Support 30:08  Navigating Leadership as a Woman 34:30  Legacy and Impact in Public Service 36:29  Unexpected Paths: Serving in Congress 41:03  Lessons in Collaboration and Leadership   ABOUT DR. WILSON - IMAGES AND BIO COURTESY OF UTEP BIO Dr. Heather Wilson became the 11th President of The University of Texas at El Paso in 2019 after serving as Secretary of the United States Air Force. She is the former president of the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, and she represented New Mexico in the United States Congress for 10 years.  Active in community and national affairs, she is a member of the National Science Board, which oversees the National Science Foundation, and serves as a board member of the Texas Space Commission. She was the inaugural Chair of the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities, and is a member of the board of directors of Lockheed Martin Corporation. Dr. Wilson is the granddaughter of immigrants and was the first person in her family to go to college. She graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in the third class to admit women and earned her master's and doctoral degrees from Oxford University in England as a Rhodes Scholar. UTEP is located on the U.S.-Mexico border – in the fifth largest manufacturing region in North America – and serves over 24,000 students with 170 bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs in nine colleges and schools. In the top 5% of public universities in the United States for research and designated a community-engaged university by the Carnegie Foundation, UTEP is America's leading Hispanic-serving university. It is the fourth largest research university in Texas and serves a student body that is 84% Hispanic. President Wilson is an instrument rated private pilot. She and her husband, Jay Hone, have two adult children and two granddaughters. Dr. Heather Wilson served as the 24th Secretary of the Air Force and was responsible for the affairs of the Department of the Air Force, including the organizing, training and equipping and providing for the welfare of 660,000 Active-Duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces their families. She provided oversight of the Air Force's annual budget of more than $132 billion and directs strategy and policy development, risk management, weapons acquisition, technology investments and human resource management across a global enterprise. Dr. Wilson has more than 35 years of professional experience in a range of leadership and management roles in the military, higher education, government and private industry. Before assuming her current position, Dr. Wilson was president of the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, an engineering and science research university. From 1998 to 2009, Dr. Wilson was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, where she served on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Before being elected to Congress, Dr. Wilson was a cabinet secretary in New Mexico's state government responsible for foster care, adoption, juvenile delinquency, children's mental health and early childhood education. From 1989 to 1991 Wilson served on the National Security Council staff as director for defense policy and arms control for President George H.W. Bush during the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Warsaw Pact. From 1991 to1995 and again from 2009 to 2013 Wilson was in the private sector. In 1991, she founded Keystone International, Inc., a company that did business development and program planning work for defense and scientific industry. She served as a senior advisor to several national laboratories on matters related to nuclear weapons, non-proliferation, arms control verification, intelligence and the defense industrial base. Wilson also served on the boards of two publicly traded corporations as well as numerous advisory and non-profit boards.   CONNECT WITH DR. WILSON LINKEDIN  |  UTEP     ALL PAST LBL EPISODES  |  ALL LBLPN PRODUCTIONS AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS     FULL TRANSCRIPT SPEAKERS Guest:  Dr. Heather Wilson '82  |  Hosts:  Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99   Naviere Walkewicz  00:00 Welcome to Long Blue Leadership, the podcast where we share insights on leadership through the lives and experiences of Air Force Academy graduates. I'm Naviere Walkowicz, Class of '99. Our story is about a leader who reached heights fellow Air Force Academy graduates had not reached before her, and this was at a time when opportunities to do so were still new. My guest is Dr. Heather Wilson, Class of '82. As you heard, she served as the 24th secretary of the Air Force, but there is a unique distinction attached to that. Dr Wilson, welcome to Long Blue Leadership; we have much to discuss. Let's start with you becoming the secretary of the Air Force, our 24th.   Dr. Heather Wilson  00:37 Yeah, that wasn't part of my life's plan. Secretary Designate Mattis did call me. I was in South Dakota as the president of the South Dakota School of Mines and my cell phone rang and he said, “This is Jim Mattis, and I want to talk to you about becoming secretary of the Air Force.” And honest to goodness, my initial answer was, “Sir, you do know that being a college president is like the best job in America, right?” And he said, “Yeah, I know. I just came from Stanford.” And I said, “I didn't apply for any job. I mean, I like it out... I'm a gal of the West. I like the mountains. I like hiking and biking and fly fishing.” And he said, “Yeah, I know. I grew up on the Columbia River in Washington.” And I thought, “This isn't working,” but we talked several more times, and it was pretty clear that I was being called to serve in a way that I didn't anticipate, but that was what I was supposed to do.   Naviere Walkewicz  01:35 What a transformative moment in your life, I'm sure.   Dr. Heather Wilson  01:38 Well, it was. Again, my entire life, I think, is a diversion from its planned course. But I turned out — I didn't anticipate that, and it meant — my husband doesn't really much like big East Coast cities that rain a lot and have a lot of traffic, and so from a family point of view, it wasn't what we personally wanted to do, but you're called to serve. And we've been called to serve in different ways in our lives and sometimes, even if it feels inconvenient, you're still called to serve. It turned out to be wonderful and I really enjoyed the experience, both of working with Sec. Mattis, but also getting back to spending time with airmen. And so it turned out to be wonderful, but it wasn't what I expected.   Naviere Walkewicz  02:25 Well, you said it, ma'am. As we know, service and leadership aren't linear, and so we're really excited to dive into some of those experiences today. Maybe share, as secretary of the Air Force, some of those moments in leadership that stuck with you. Let's just kind of start there.   Dr. Heather Wilson  02:42 Certainly. There were good days and not so good days. I think one of the things that I really benefited from was that I had a partner in the chief of staff, Dave Goldfein, who was absolutely fantastic. And we've remained very close friends. We started at the Academy the same day and he would joke and tell people that we didn't graduate on the same day because he went stop-out for a year. But we didn't know each other well as cadets, but we were formed by some of the same experiences and I think that helped tremendously. I didn't really understand that in our system of government, the civilian secretary has almost all the authority, but the chief of staff has almost all of the influence. And if you can figure out how to work together, you can get a heck of a lot done. And Dave and I both had that same approach, and it turned out to be a great partnership.   Naviere Walkewicz  03:42 That's pretty incredible. In fact, the time of your service in that role, I was actually working under your umbrella at U.S. STRATCOM. I was at Strategic Command there as a government civilian and as a reservist. And so, I can certainly speak to, I think, some of the amazing things that you did. Can you share a little — you talked about some ups and downs. What was maybe one of the failures as secretary of the Air Force that you learned from that helped you throughout your life?   Dr. Heather Wilson  04:11 Well, I know the day. I think it was Nov. 5, 2017, and it was a Sunday, late morning or early afternoon, and my phone rang. I was upstairs in the study in my row house in Virginia and it was the inspector general, Gen. Syed. And that morning, a young man had walked into a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, and opened fire and killed a lot of people, and it turned out he had been an airman, and the general said, “You know, we're not sure yet, but he may have been convicted of a crime that would have required us to tell the FBI and the national criminal records check system that he had committed a crime that would not allow him to purchase a weapon, but we may have failed to notify.” We didn't know, we wouldn't know that afternoon but I talked to the chief and we all got together on Monday morning at 9 a.m. and Gen. Syed confirmed that he was an airman, he had been convicted of a domestic violence-related crime, and we had not properly notified the FBI, and as a result, he had been able to buy a weapon. Um, that was not a good day. And we talked about what we should do next, and our general counsel wasn't there — he was traveling that morning, but a more junior lawyer was there, who suggested kind of — and, you know, other people said, well — it actually got worse because there was an IG investigation, an internal audit from several years before, that showed that all of the services were not properly reporting to the national criminal records system. So we hadn't fixed the problem. We knew; we had been informed there was a problem and hadn't fixed it. And some people said, “Well, you weren't here at the time.” That doesn't matter. You wear the uniform, or you wear the cloak of office, and you have to take responsibility for the institution. And of course, the lawyers would say, “Well, you know, maybe you want to fuzz this and not take — you know, there's investigation going on,” or something. But we knew enough of the facts that morning, Monday morning, and Dave Goldfein and I decided to own it, to own the failure and focus on fixing the problem. And we did. And in the short term that was very uncomfortable. We sat in front of the Pentagon press corps and took their questions, and we went to Capitol Hill and informed the members of Congress on what had been done and not been done and why. But in the long term, by owning failure, we were able to focus on fixing the problem rather than just trying to manage responsibility and accountability, and it turned out to be a much better approach. So, sometimes the most important lesson is to own failure.   Naviere Walkewicz 07:09 I'm so glad you shared that, ma'am, because I think some people have a fear of failure, but there are many times when failure is inevitable, and to your point, owning it is the right approach. Something you said when you're sharing that, it made me think about us as cadets and our core values: integrity first. And that really resonated with how your approach was. Would you say that was born for you at the Academy and kind of through your career that's where it stayed, or has that always been part of your fabric?   Dr. Heather Wilson  07:36 I think the Academy was absolutely formative in that way, in the Honor Code. And, you know, integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do, now replaces what was there when I was a cadet, over the archway there. But I think that's woven into the fabric for airmen, and it's part of our culture, and it drives you. And I think — you know now we look at, how do we evaluate officers? It's the same way I now evaluate leaders — any leaders that work with me — and it's the way I evaluate myself: accomplish the mission, lead people, manage resources and make your unit better, all on a foundation of values. But it's that last part of it: all on a foundation of values. If you don't have that, the rest of it almost doesn't matter. You can try to make your unit better, but if you're lying about it, nobody's going to trust you. If you're leading people and managing resources, but you don't have integrity, it doesn't matter. So, integrity first, and that commitment to trying to be honest and direct with people builds those relationships of trust, which lasts for decades throughout a career.   Naviere Walkewicz  08:53 Absolutely. And the key word, I think, that foundation you talked about — how has that foundation served you in leadership as you've explored other areas outside of the military, amazing roles leading UTEP, also at the South Dakota School of Mines, in higher education? I'm sure that there's a translation of what that looks like. Can you share maybe an example of how that came into play?   Dr. Heather Wilson  09:15 Sure, it happens all the time. I think in any leadership position, whether you're in corporate life, in community life and a nonprofit, or in higher education, leading with a foundation of values, being honest, complying with the law, following the rules or changing the rules. It doesn't mean — that's one of the things that I think is probably important for leaders. You get to a point as a leader where your job is not just to follow the rules, but to look at the systems and identify the rules that need to be changed, but to be direct and honest about that too. Where it's not “Well, I think this rule doesn't make any sense, so I'm going to skirt it,” or “I'm not going to tell people that I've complied with something and I haven't.” In fact, you know that happened to me this morning. I got a disclosure that I was supposed to sign for a report that was published yesterday to the director of National Intelligence on a committee that I serve on, and they sent this kind of notification on what you can talk about publicly, and all of those things, and I hadn't given up my right to speak publicly about unclassified matters, and I responded, “I understand what you've said. I want to let you know that this is how I interpret this, and this is the way I'm going to act.” I was very direct about it. “I didn't give up my First Amendment rights as a citizen because I worked on your task force.” So, very direct. And I think that directness is something that — not all cultures are that way, including higher education culture. I have to be a little bit careful about that sometimes — the airman's tendency to have a frank debrief isn't always the way other cultures and work cultures are. They're just not always like that, so, I have to be a little bit careful sometimes that I don't crush people's will to live or something.   Naviere Walkewicz  11:13 I was actually thinking about that as you were speaking how, if you have the foundation, especially from the military, we kind of understand that directive approach and certainly those core values that we know of. And I'm curious, how do you adapt as a leader to those who maybe don't have that foundation? How do you bring them up to speed and kind of help them establish that?   Dr. Heather Wilson  11:32 Well, it's a two-way street. It means that I have to understand the culture that I'm in and the way in which I talk with senior faculty may be slightly different than the way I might talk to somebody who just got off a flight line and was too low and slow on final or something, you know? But at the same time with both a sense of humor and a little bit of grace… It was really funny when I was at South Dakota Mines, my provost was a long-time academic. And of course, I had served in Congress for 10 years as well. And he once said something to me that just made me crack up. He said, “You know, you are the least political president I've ever worked with. And the funny thing is, you're the only one that was really a politician.” And he said, “You remind me more of a military officer.” And I thought, “Yeah, that's probably true.” But I was fairly direct as a member of Congress as well. And so, I've just found that that works better for me in life, I guess.   Naviere Walkewicz  12:37 You were sharing how, you know, I think it was the provost that said that you really didn't remind him as someone that was very political, even though you're the only politician he's known. And so what was your time like serving in Congress? I mean, that's 10 years you did, I think, correct?   Dr. Heather Wilson  12:52 I did. And again, I didn't expect to serve in Congress. My predecessor became very seriously ill shortly before the filing deadline for the election that happened in 1998, and my phone rang. It was a Thursday night. This happens to me. I don't know why, but it was a Thursday night, and my phone rang. I was working in Santa Fe, cabinet secretary for Child Welfare, and it was Sen. Pete Domenici, the senior senator for the state of New Mexico. And he said, “You don't know anything about this, but I'm coming to New Mexico this weekend, and I want to talk to you about running for Congress.” Well, that's a quiz; that's not a question. Because a quiz has a right answer, which is, “Sir, I'd be happy to talk to you about whatever you want to talk about.” He's a United States senator. So, we talked about all kinds of things, and he called me from the airport when he was heading back to Washington that Sunday night, and he said, “Look, if you will run, I will help you.” And I decided to run. It was eight days before the filing deadline. I talked to my predecessor — he was fighting skin cancer — and said, “Look, why don't you just focus on fighting cancer? Two years from now, if you want to run again, you can have this seat back. I'll try to do my best for the next two years.” And then 30 days later, he died. I mean, you're not supposed to die of skin cancer. And so, I ended up serving for 10 years in the Congress in a very difficult swing district that I probably shouldn't have won in the first place. But I enjoyed the service part of it. I enjoyed the policy work part of it — intellectually challenging. Some of the partisan silliness I didn't like very much. And then when I left the Congress, ran on successfully for the Senate and became a university president. One of the great things — I tell people now that I was released from Congress early for good behavior. But it was nice to be in a town where people were waving at me with all five fingers. I mean, it was wonderful. So, I enjoyed the service, and I enjoyed a lot helping people — doing casework and things. But it was also a little bit less of a partisan time where you could try to listen and learn and serve well and try to serve your constituents without just being under attack mercilessly and in social media, or something. It was maybe perhaps a different age.   Naviere Walkewicz  15:25 Well, I chuckled when you said waving with all five fingers. That got a good one out of me. I thought about when you're in that, because that wasn't something you were looking to do, and this seems to be a bit of a theme in your leadership trajectory as well. You've kind of been tapped on the shoulder, and you know, for the ones that you didn't apply for or run for, plan for, have been such transformative positions in your life.   Dr. Heather Wilson  15:50 Yeah, and I think maybe that happens to people more than we might acknowledge, because when we're planning our lives, we think we know what's going to happen, but in reality, we adapt to situations that develop and opportunities open that you didn't know were there or someone asked you to take on a special project and that leads you in a direction that you didn't anticipate. So while mine seem particularly unusual in these very different chapters of my life, I don't think it's all that unusual. We just look forward and project in straight lines, and when we look backward, we tell a story in a narrative and it's not always a straight line. But I've been blessed to be asked to do some things. And perhaps in our relationship, my husband and I, he doesn't like change. I love it, and so in our relationship, he's kind of the keel and I'm kind of the sail, and together, we go places.   Naviere Walkewicz  16:56 That's awesome. And I think that particular time and journey in your career serving in Congress was probably one that you established new tools in your leadership toolbox. Were there any that particularly stood out — moments, either when you were having to, you know, forge new policy or achieve things that you hadn't prior? Because Congress is a kind of different machine.   Dr. Heather Wilson  17:21 Yeah, it's a very big committee, and it's not executive leadership. And so I'm probably more predisposed to executive leadership than just being on committees. It takes a very long time to get anything done in Congress, and our government is intentionally designed that way to protect us from tyranny. So you have to take that philosophical approach to it, even if you're frustrated day to day. I did learn how to get things done by giving other people credit. And there were several times — the changes to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is probably one example — where I had sponsored legislation in the House. It had taken quite a bit of time — changing Congress. There were continued problems, and I went to others and tried to put them in positions of leadership and support them. And ultimately, it was a Senate bill that passed, but which had been shaped in the background by multiple people, including me, and I was OK with that. And the same thing happened on pieces of legislation about public lands in New Mexico. I remember I came out in favor of doing something in northern New Mexico with respect to some public lands, and I got out ahead of Pete Domenici and he was not happy about that. He was very clear about not being happy about getting a little bit ahead of him on it. But in the end, the piece of legislation there that was signed, and another one on Zia Pueblo were Senate bills. They weren't House bills. But I had moved things forward on the House side, and it didn't matter to me that that it said “S” rather than “H” in front of the name of the bill. So as long as you don't really care about who gets the credit, you can get a lot done in the Congress.   Naviere Walkewicz  19:11 That is a powerful lesson. And somewhere in the back of my mind, I think there's a Contrails quote, and I can't remember all of it, but I remember the end of it is, “…if you don't care who gets the credit.”   Dr. Heather Wilson  19:11 Yeah, that was probably one of the short ones. Schofield's quote was — we all did pushups for those.   Naviere Walkewicz  19:30 Yes, I had a starting moment. I was about to get down…   Dr. Heather Wilson  19:35 … and start to sweat…   Naviere Walkewicz  19:37 … and take my punishment. That was wonderful, ma'am. I'm glad we actually went back and did that journey.   Dr. Heather Wilson  19:42 When I think about my service in the Congress, where I made the most difference, it was in committee work, and particularly on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, where I served for a significant amount of time, including post-9/11. And I think that work, because the Intelligence Committee, most of it is in private, it's dealing with really hard, really important issues, and you don't bring your staff there. You have to do the work. And I think probably that's where I did some of my most important work as a member of Congress, was in Intelligence.   Naviere Walkewicz  20:18 Thank you for sharing that. Who are some other influencers, some key influencers in your life, that have maybe walked alongside you or helped you in these different roles that you've carried in your amazing career.   Dr. Heather Wilson  20:31 Oh, they're different people at different times, but certainly as a young person, my grandfather was very important to me. My grandfather had been one of the first flyers in the RAF in World War I, and then came to America in 1922 and flew in the Second World War for what became the Civil Air Patrol. So he did sub search off the Atlantic coast, and varied parts, around to bases, in New England. So, he was important to me as a child. My dad died when I was young. My dad also had been enlisted in the Air Force. He was a crew chief and also a pilot, commercial pilot, after he got out of the service. So I grew up around airplanes and my grandfather was very important to me, and there were other people along the way. When I was a cadet, there was a group commander, Lieutenant Colonel — it's funny, you still remember… anyone who remembers my middle initial, I know it's like, “Oh, this may not be good,” but Robert L. Rame, Lt. Col. Robert L. Rame was the 4th Group commander and my first Air Officer Commanding. General — sorry, Maj. William S. Reeder. He was an Army officer and had been a prisoner of war in Vietnam. Really, I was terrified of disappointing him. It's funny, I just got a Christmas card from him. Life's long, right?   Naviere Walkewicz  21:53 Wow. What connections. I'd like to kind of go back a little bit to your grandfather. You said he was really important to you in your life. Can you share maybe some of the ways he influenced you? Obviously, you're third-generation aviator in your family. Is that how you knew you're going to go into service?   Dr. Heather Wilson  22:08 Well, the Academy wasn't an option until I was a junior in high school, and so I knew I was going to college, but I didn't really think about where. And then they opened the Air Force Academy to women when I was a junior in high school. So, my grandfather had two sons, and he had five grandsons, and me. But he was pretty — I would say — the way he might say it is he was pretty sweet on me; he and I were very close. We used to play chess after school when I was in high school, and I remember once we just finished playing chess, and I was a senior in high school — so, my grandfather was an aviator; he was also a mechanic. He could use any tool, I mean, he was just amazing with his hands. And I had learned a new tool in school, and I took out a piece of graph paper and I drew a drew a curve, and I said, “Grandpa, do you think you could find the area under this curve?” And he said, “Well, I'd probably count up the squares and estimate from there on the graph paper.” And I then I showed him something new and it was called calculus, and it was the first time in my life that I realized I had a tool that my grandfather didn't have. He had a high school education and had gone into the RAF during the First World War, and he was a great mechanic and a really good man, but I realized that there were opportunities for me that maybe my grandfather never had.   Naviere Walkewicz  23:56 I actually got chill bumps when you shared that. Pretty powerful. Thank you so much. Can you talk about, throughout your career — you said if people remember your middle initial, and I'm sure that many on the military side would, because you're amazing… Have you learned from anyone maybe that is not a mentor of you, but someone that has kind of come under your wing? Can you share some leadership lessons that you've learned from those serving alongside and under you?   Dr. Heather Wilson  24:24 Oh my gosh, I learn stuff every day from the people whom I'm privileged to work with. And one of the things that I learned over time was, and as you get more senior, the most important thing you do as a senior leader is hire good people who know things that you don't know, because it's not possible to know everything you need to know to lead a large organization. So, you have to organize yourself well and then get great people and let them do their job. So, I learn things every day. I was interviewing somebody yesterday that we're trying to attract to come to the university who is on the communication side of things — marketing and communication and branding. And you know that creative, visual side of my brain, if you did a brain scan, it would be like a dark hole. That's not a strength of mine. And so those kinds of things are — you have to realize what your strengths are, and then to fill in the team and put together a team, which together can accomplish the mission.   Naviere Walkewicz  25:34 I'd say your grandfather is still kind of, you know, influencing that. It's almost like you're filling your toolbox with all those areas.   Dr. Heather Wilson  25:43 That's funny you use that word. I've told this story before, but my father was both a pilot and a mechanic, and he built an experimental aircraft in our house, and we lived on this, kind of the last house that they would plow to on the end of the road in the winter, right? So, in a very small town, and at that time, there were still traveling salesmen, and the Snap-on tools guy would come probably every six weeks or so, and he had this, like red truck with an accordion thing on the back that looked just like the toolbox in the corner of the garage, right? And we knew that when the Snap-on tools guy came, do not go out. I mean, it was like Christmas for my dad. Do not interfere when the Snap-on tools guy is there. And so he'd go out and lean against the truck, and we could see him laughing and stuff. And eventually my dad would reach in his pocket and pull out his billfold and give the guy a bill, and he'd go back, and he'd lift up the back of the accordion thing and reach in there and give my dad a tool. And my dad would — then the truck would back out, and go on to his next stop. But my dad would take that tool and we'd scramble into the garage to see what he got and stuff. And my dad would usually put that tool in the box in the corner and then go back to what he was doing that day, working on his car or whatever he was doing. And it occurred to me that my dad didn't need that tool that day, but he collected tools, and someday he'd need that tool. And I think great leaders collect tools even when they don't need them today, because they're going to be times when you bring everybody to — you know, there's that great scene in Apollo 13, but it happens around the staff and Cabinet table, and it'll happen in your planning room as a pilot where you've got a new problem, and everybody brings in their tools and says, “OK, how can we make a carbon monoxide filter, or carbon dioxide filter, out of what we've got here on the table?” So, collect tools. And I think that's one of the things I learned from my dad.     Naviere Walkewicz  28:00 Oh, that is an amazing story. Can you share maybe a tool that you've had in your toolbox, that you learned way back when, maybe at the Academy, or as a young girl, that you've recently pulled out and used?   Dr. Heather Wilson 28:12 Well, one of them — I'm not so sure it's recent, but when I was a small business owner, there was a group in New Mexico called Quality New Mexico, and they taught small business owners the Baldrige Principles for quality management. And then I ended up being the Cabinet secretary for child welfare in New Mexico. So, I took over a foster care system, which was under a federal consent decree for not getting kids forever homes and an overly crowded juvenile justice system. I mean, every intractable social problem was — I realized after a while why I became Cabinet secretary for child welfare, because nobody else wanted that job. I mean it was a really difficult job, but I had these tools on quality management. I thought, “I think we can apply these same principles to improving foster care, to improving the juvenile justice system.” And so we did, and there's some things I was proud of there, but one of my last acts as Cabinet secretary before I ended up leaving and running for Congress was to sign the end of the federal consent decree that had been in place for 18 years that said that the state was not getting foster kids forever homes. We changed the system, but we did it using those quality management principles, which I had learned as a small business owner almost as a lark. So, there's one example. But, you know, we just went through a global pandemic. It was very much a pickup game. Nobody had ever been through that. So, we all got together and figured out how we could use the tools we had, including the research capability on my campus to be able to sequence DNA so that we could do testing on campus and get the results, ultimately, within six hours and then feed that back so we could detect disease before someone was symptomatic, so you could suppress disease on campus for those who had to be on campus. There's some things you can't do remotely. And so, we had our own testing system on campus, which was remarkable. Well, why'd we have that? Because we had some tools in the box.   Naviere Walkewicz  30:37 Well, you've used those tools amazingly as you've navigated your career. How would you say that — because yours is… we talked about not being linear. It's kind of been multiple paths and…   Dr. Heather Wilson 30:50 Different chapters.   Naviere Walkewicz 30:51 Yes, I love that. Different chapters. How would you say that you've navigated leadership through that? And has there been a thread that's been common through all those different chapters that you've…   Dr. Heather Wilson  31:04 Yeah, we talked a little about integrity, and that certainly is there. But I when, when people say things like, you know, “Why are you at UTEP?” Or, “Why did you shift to higher ed?” Or, “Why did…” The mission matters so developing people matters. Defending the country matters. So, a mission that matters with people I like. And I realized that when you get down to it, you should do things that matter with people you like and if that's your filter, as long as you can put food on the table, there's a lot of different things you can do, but it should be something that matters with people you like. Otherwise, that time between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. can seem forever unless you're doing something you like.   Naviere Walkewicz  31:49 That is a powerful thread. Mission matters with people you like. How has your family supported you through this?   Dr. Heather Wilson  31:56 I live a blessed life. I tell this to students, and probably, as a younger woman, I wouldn't have said these things because I was so focused on being taken seriously, I suppose. But, I lightened up after time and realized, OK, I'm probably too serious. But the most important decision I've made in my life is not to go to the Academy or to run for Congress or to become a college president — none of those things are the most important decision I've made in my life. The most important decision I made in my life was to marry the guy I married. I married a guy who's actually retired Air Force now, but he was a lawyer. Despite that, he's a nice guy and sometimes, I think, particularly for women, there's always that fear that you're going to sit down when you're in a getting into a serious relationship, and it's going to be one of those conversations that says, “OK, we're thinking about making this permanent. Who's going to give up her career?” And it's not really a conversation, or at least maybe it wasn't in my era, but Jay never had that conversation with me. It was always we could do more together than either of us could do alone, and he has been so supportive of me. And, yeah, vice versa. But I had to go back east for something last week, and I knew that even in this big reception that I was in with all these people, that he wasn't going to be there, and if he was, he'd still be the most interesting guy in the room. So, I married well, and my family always — we're a very close family. And I think while my obligations to my family didn't end at the front porch, my family gave richness and dimension to my life that I never really anticipated as a young woman, and it's given me joy. Success seemed possible to achieve; joy always seemed like a gift from God, and I have had joy because of my family.   Naviere Walkewicz  34:18 Thank you for sharing that. You talk about when you're hiring, you choose people that kind of fill gaps, but it sounds like, also on your personal team, you want to make sure that you're choosing it, you know...   Dr. Heather Wilson  34:30 Yeah, you're going to be roommates for a long time. That matters. And there's the things that you just kind of have to get over. You know, I'm not going to clean around his sink, and he's not going to be bothered about the fact that my closet's color coordinated. I mean, we just live with that, right?   Naviere Walkewicz  34:49 I appreciate that about you so much. You talked a minute ago about some things you learned about yourself as a leader. You know, “Not take myself too seriously.” Can you share a little bit more about that journey on your own, like that personal leadership journey that you've made?   Dr. Heather Wilson  35:07 Yeah, and I think it's easier as you go on. And honestly, very early on, I was very often the only woman in the room, and so I wanted to be taken seriously. I was also very often the youngest person in the room. And so those two things made me want to be taken seriously. As I went on and got more responsibility, I realized that the truth is I am a very serious and successful woman. My husband would say that I was raised in the home for the humor impaired, and that I've been in therapy with him for over 30 years. So, I gradually learned to see the humor in life. I still am not one that stands up and tells jokes or something, but I see the humor in life and I don't take myself too seriously. The person that I watched who used self-deprecating humor better than any leader I've ever seen was actually Dave Goldfein. Everyone knew when he walked into a room, or if he stood up on a stage at a town hall meeting with a bunch of airmen or something — everybody knew that they were gonna laugh. At some point in that meeting we're gonna laugh, and not at someone else's expense, but at his. And it made people relax around him. He was very, very good at it. But I also knew that his self-deprecating humor was really a cover for exceptional competence, and I never underestimated that, but it made people relax and brought a little bit of joy to whatever intractable problem we were looking at.   Naviere Walkewicz  36:51 Well, you shared about sometimes when you're coming up through your leadership, you were often the only woman in the room and sometimes the youngest in the room. What would you like to share on your thoughts of what has that impact been, and what do you see as your legacy?   Dr. Heather Wilson  37:07 Well, there were some times, particularly early on, when women flying or women in positions of command was new, where you just had to do the job and realize that you were probably changing attitudes as you went and that it would be easier for those who came after you, and that's OK. I don't see that as much anymore. Although, when I was elected to Congress, I think probably 10% to 15% of the House was women. Now it's more than that, and once it gets to be more than 30% in any room, it doesn't sound — it's almost like you walk into a restaurant where it's all guys or all women, and you notice the difference in the room, the tones of the voices and things. Once you get to about a third, it feels like it's comfortable, but early on, I always was very conscious of it and conscious of the obligation to do well, because I was being judged not only for myself, but for an entire group of people. And so, I was sensitive to that, and wanted to make sure that I didn't, like — “Don't shame the family,” right? So make sure that you keep the doors open. As far as legacy is concerned, and I think back in my time as Air Force secretary, I would say there's two things that I hope linger, and they have so far. One is a change to the promotion system to make sure that we have the right kind of talent to choose from at all levels in the organization, and so that, I think, has continued to persist. And the other one that will be changed over time and has to be changed over time, had to do with the science and technology strategy of the Air Force and the need to stay ahead of adversaries. I think this is a completely separate conversation, but I actually think that that we are at greater risk of scientific and technical surprise today than at any time since the end of the Second World War. And if you go back and read books about engineers of victory, or there's a whole lot of books about how science and technology was brought to bear in prevailing in the Second World War. I think we're at risk now in a way that we've kind of become complacent about. So, science and technology strategy is something that I hope is a legacy.   Naviere Walkewicz  39:36 That's amazing, ma'am. And I think not only for our military, but you're able to influence that in the spaces that you are now.   Dr. Heather Wilson  39:43 Yeah, engaging the next generation, which is a heck of a lot of fun. You know, the University of Texas at El Paso is a wonderful institution — 25,000 students, half of them are the first in their families to go to college. About 70% or so come from families making less than about $45,000 a year. So, this is a university that transforms lives, and it's a university that — of my 25,000 students, over 5,000 are studying engineering. Another couple thousand are studying science, College of Nursing, College of Education. This has a tremendous impact on the region and on the lives of those who choose to educate themselves. And so it's a wonderful mission to be part of, and I think it's important for the nation. I think regions of the world who choose to educate their people in the 21st century will thrive, and those that don't are going to be left behind, and that's why I do what I do.   Naviere Walkewicz  40:44 Well, it clearly aligns with your foundation and your mission, ma'am, and I think that's outstanding. We're going to ask for Dr. Wilson's final thoughts next, but before we do, I'd like to take a moment and thank you for listening to Long Blue Leadership. The podcast publishes Tuesdays in both video and audio and is available on all your favorite podcast platforms. Be sure to watch, listen and subscribe to all episodes of Long Blue Leadership at longblueleadership.org. So, Dr. Wilson, I would love to take a moment to gather some of your final thoughts, what you'd like to share today.   Dr. Heather Wilson  41:21 Well, assuming that most of the folks who listen to this are either cadets or young officers or grads, I leave them with one thought, and that is, don't shame the family. Don't shame the family. People will look up to you because you are an Air Force Academy graduate, or you are an Air Force cadet. The standard is higher, so live up to the standard.   Naviere Walkewicz  41:50 Ma'am, we started with you being direct. You ended direct. I think that is amazing. Thank you very much. Thanks for being on Long Blue Leadership.   Dr. Heather Wilson  41:58 My pleasure.     KEYWORDS leadership, Air Force Academy, integrity, mentorship, quality management, Dr. Heather Wilson, military service, personal growth, career journey, unexpected opportunities, leadership, integrity, family support, women in leadership, public service, legacy, mission-driven, personal growth, collaboration, Congress     The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association and Foundation    

This week on Laughing Liberally Milwaukee, host Matthew Filipowicz is joined by comedian Syed to discuss how there are not enough desks or workstations to accommodate the federal remote workers being forced back into the office by Donald Trump and Elon Musk.Laughing Liberally Milwaukee's next live show is Saturday March 8th, 2025 at 8:00 pm at CSZ Milwaukee – 420 South 1st Street, Milwaukee. For details visit laughingliberallymke.com.

In this episode we dive into executing mega projects. We are joined by⁠Paul Callender⁠ a Director at⁠ NEOM ⁠and Athar Syed Founder and Managing Director at Atreides Consulting.The ChallengeHow do you rapidly build and scale an organization from a small team to thousands of people while maintaining efficiency, alignment, and adaptability to deliver a $100B+ project?Continue LearningCheck out our new book⁠The Critical Path Career: How to Advance in Construction Planning and Scheduling⁠Subscribe to the⁠Beyond Deadlines Email Newsletter⁠Subscribe to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Beyond Deadlines⁠⁠⁠⁠ Linkedin Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠Check Out Our YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠.ConnectFollow ⁠⁠⁠⁠Micah⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Greg⁠⁠⁠⁠, and⁠⁠⁠Beyond Deadlines⁠⁠⁠ on LinkedIn.Beyond DeadlineIt's time to raise your career to new heights with⁠Beyond Deadlines⁠, the ultimate destination for construction planners and schedulers. Our podcast is designed to be your go-to guide whether you're starting out in this dynamic field, transitioning from another sector, or you're a seasoned professional. Through our cutting-edge content, practical advice, and innovative tools, we help you succeed in today's fast-evolving construction planning and scheduling landscape without relying on expensive certifications and traditional educational paths. Join us on⁠Beyond Deadlines⁠, where we empower you to shape the future of construction planning and scheduling, making it more efficient, effective, and accessible than ever before.About MicahMicah, an⁠Intel⁠ project leader and⁠Google⁠ alumnus, champions next-gen planning and scheduling at both tech giants. Co-founder of Google's⁠Computer Vision⁠ in Construction Team, he's saved projects millions via tech advancements. He writes two construction planning and scheduling newsletters and mentors the next generation of construction planners. He holds a⁠Master of Science⁠ in⁠Project Management⁠,⁠Saint Mary's University of Minnesota⁠.About GregGreg, an⁠Astrophysicist⁠ turned project guru, managed £100M+ defense programs at⁠BAE Systems⁠ (UK) and advised on international strategy. Now CEO at⁠⁠⁠Nodes and Links⁠⁠⁠, he's revolutionizing projects with pioneering AI⁠Project Controls⁠ in Construction. Experience groundbreaking strategies with Greg's expertise.Topics We Coverchange management, communication, construction planning,⁠construction⁠,⁠construction⁠ scheduling, creating teams, critical path method, cpm, culture, KPI,⁠microsoft project⁠, milestone tracking, oracle, p6, project⁠planning⁠, planning, planning engineer, pmp, portfolio management, predictability, presenting,⁠primavera p6⁠, project acceleration, project budgeting, project controls, project management, project planning, program management, resource allocation,⁠risk management⁠, schedule acceleration, scheduling, scope management, task sequencing, construction, construction reporting, prefabrication, preconstruction, modular construction, modularization, automation, Power BI, dashboard, metrics, process improvement, reporting, schedule consultancy, planning consultancy, material management

Mahwish Syed is an award winning fashion and interior designer, celebrated author, cancer survivor, and devoted mother. Her creations have adorned bodies and homes for over two decades, fostering spaces that nurture and heal. Featured in distinguished publications like New York Times, Architectural Digest, Elle Décor, and Hamptons Cottages & Gardens, her designs transcend boundaries. Her book "Purgatory to Paradise" unveils her triumphant cancer journey, showcasing how design became her healing sanctuary. Committed to empowering others, she advocates for personal paradises, affirming that genuine beauty is immediate and attainable for all. 1. http://www.msd-ny.com/press 2. https://elephantsandtea.com/survivorship/you-are-not-alone-and-i-love-you-too https://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/news/prodigy-press-wire/mahwish-syed-on-nature-informed-homes-with-meredith-oke-on-quantum-biology-collective-podcast 3. https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/15-decorators-create-delightful-scenes-inside-the-brooklyn-heights-designer-showcase 4. https://www.brownstoner.com/interiors-renovation/interior-design-trends-brooklyn-forties-fever-curves-facets-fringe-velvet-lighting-furniture/ 5. https://twistoutcancer.org/art/mahwishsyedandsherylannnoday/ 6. https://www.heyartifact.com/creations/912XN/

Download Your Free Guide - 3 Things You Need to Know About Cancer:  https://www.katiedeming.com/cancer-101/Could your home be sabotaging your health?Dr. Katie is joined by Mahwish Syed, who transformed her own cancer diagnosis into a mission to help others create healing sanctuaries within their homes.  As both an interior designer and circadian biology expert, she bridges the gap between beautiful spaces and evidence-based health principles. From the lighting that guides our internal clock to the materials that surround us daily, our environment plays a crucial role in supporting - or hindering - our body's natural healing processes.Chapters:05:04 - The power of taking agency07:25 - Beauty's impact on biology011:39 - Lighting secrets for better health23:32 - What is biophilic design?29:35 - Create a healing coffee tableMahwish's unique perspective offers practical solutions for anyone looking to optimize their environment for better health, whether dealing with a serious illness or simply wanting to thrive.Learn how small changes in lighting, materials, and room layout can positively impact your sleep, energy levels, and overall health. Mawish shares specific tips that work even in rental properties or when finances are tight.Listen, and understand how to create an environment that works with your body's natural rhythms, rather than against them. Connect with Mahwish: https://www.claimyourparadise.com/Send us a text (include your phone number)Watch & Listen to Born to Heal on Youtube: Click Here Transform your hydration with the system that delivers filtered, mineralized, and structured water all in one. Spring Aqua System: https://springaqua.info/drkatie Don't Face Cancer Alone"The 6 Pillars of Healing Cancer" workshop series provides you valuable insights and strategies to support your healing journey - Click Here to Enroll MORE FROM KATIE DEMING M.D. Free Guide - 3 Things You Need to Know About Cancer: https://www.katiedeming.com/cancer-101/6 Pillars of Healing Cancer Workshop Series - Click Here to EnrollWork with Dr. Katie: www.katiedeming.comFollow Dr. Katie Deming on Instagram: The.Conscious.Oncologist Take a Deeper Dive into Your Healing Journey: Dr. Katie Deming's Linkedin Here Please Support the Show Share this episode with a friend or family member Give a Review on Spotify Give a Review on Apple Podcast DISCLAIMER:The Born to Heal Podcast is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for seeking professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Individual medical histories are unique; therefore, this episode should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease without consulting your healthcare provider.

Join D.O. for an inspiring conversation with Amir Syed, founder of GO Coaching and Chief Growth Officer at Lower. From immigrant roots to becoming one of the mortgage industry's most influential leaders, Amir shares his remarkable journey of perseverance, sales mastery, and the invaluable lessons learned along the way.

This week… High winds and rain blasted through the greater Seattle area in the form of a Bomb Cyclone. And viral food reviewer Keith Lee's trip to Seattle took a turn for the worse, or should I say worm-st, leading to the temporary closure of a local restaurant chain. Northwest Reports Producer and Co-Host Maleeha Syed and Seattle Weather Blog's Justin Shaw are here to break down the week. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.