Leading With Empathy & Allyship

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

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

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

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

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

What’s the difference between social power and personal power? And how is our personal power tied to our sense of belonging? In Episode 127, Ritu Bhasin, Belonging and Leadership Speaker, Consultant, Author, and Expert at bhasin consulting inc., joins Melinda in an insightful conversation on unlocking the beauty of belonging. Drawing from Ritu’s book, We’ve Got This: Unlocking the Beauty of Belonging, they share their stories of navigating the path to belonging and delve into the strong connection between authenticity, personal power, and belonging. They discuss the importance of healing work and how this impacts our ability to be better allies, leaders, and advocates of inclusive spaces. They also explore ways to embrace our sense of belonging by building our core wisdom and stepping into our personal power. About Ritu Bhasin (she/her) Ritu Bhasin [RIH-thoo bah-SEEN], LL.B. MBA, is an award-winning speaker, consultant, author, and internationally recognized expert in DEI, leadership, belonging, anti-racism, and empowerment. Since 2010, Ritu has worked with hundreds of top organizations and senior leadership teams around the world and has presented to hundreds of thousands of people globally. She is a certified cultural competence coach and a certified neuroscience strategies coach, as well as a yoga and mindfulness teacher and practitioner, and very shortly she will complete a trauma professional certification program. Ritu’s personal experiences with adversity and her desire to help others have led her to work as a social activist for over twenty-five years. She has won numerous awards and distinctions for her work, including: Success Magazine’s Woman of Influence, The Women’s Center Leadership Award, and the South Asian Bar Association Diversity Award, among others. Ritu’s second book, the bestseller We’ve Got This: Unlocking the Beauty of Belonging, was released in 2023 (June). Her first book, the bestseller The Authenticity Principle: Resist Conformity, Embrace Differences, and Transform How You Live, Work, and Lead, was released in 2017. Ritu lives in Toronto, Canada. When she is not working, you’ll find her traveling around the world to eat, swim, hike, dance, and chill. Visitempovia.co to find educational resources and highlights from this episode. Connect With Ritu LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ritubhasin Facebook: facebook.com/riturbhasin1 Twitter: twitter.com/ritu_bhasin Instagram: instagram.com/ritu_bhasin Connect With Us YouTube: youtube.com/@empovia Twitter: twitter.com/empoviaco Facebook: facebook.com/empovia Instagram: instagram.com/empovia LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empovia Production Team Creator & Host: Melinda Briana Epler Co-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst Chan Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles [Image description: LEA promo and photos of Ritu Bhasin, a South Asian woman with long curled black hair, nose ring, white lace blouse, and gold wristwatch; the brown book cover of We've Got This: Unlocking the Beauty of Belonging; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.] Support the Show.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In Episode 115, Melinda shares talks from previous Empovia events made by Black leaders Daisy Ozim, Angel Acosta, and Ashantè Fray that tackle the impact of Black history on our present and future. At Tech Inclusion 2019, Daisy discusses the long-term impacts of intergenerational trauma and how it is perpetuated through technology. She dives into 10 things allies can do to help create systemic change. In Angel’s talk on mindfulness and healing in tech at Tech Inclusion Global Summit 2020, he shares the power of mindfulness and healing practices to support ourselves through trauma from the global health crisis and racial divisiveness. At Tech Inclusion Conference 2020, Ashantè talks about the importance of intersectional allyship. She taps into ways allies can support people from intersectionally underrepresented groups, such as learning to acknowledge our privileges in various spaces, recognizing the impact of microaggressions, and understanding where we are in our allyship journey. For more, visit https://empovia.co/podcast/. About Daisy Ozim (she/her) Daisy ​​Ozim is the Founder of DaisyOzim.co. She works at the epicenter of multidimensional education and awareness, technology, social justice and public health. Her goal is to help the public understand the ways in which these sectors coalesce to improve public, interpersonal and individual health. As a public health practitioner, she has spent the past 10 years involved in community organizing, youth development and working on various public health projects. LI: linkedin.com/in/daisyozim/ FB: facebook.com/DaisyOzimCo TW: twitter.com/daisysuniverse_ IG: instagram.com/daisysplanet_/ About Angel Acosta (he/him) For the last decade, Dr. Angel Acosta has worked to bridge the fields of leadership, social justice, and mindfulness. Angel has supported educational leaders and their students by facilitating leadership training, creating pathways to higher education, and designing dynamic learning experiences that weave leadership development with conversations about inequality and healing for organizations. He designed the Contemplating 400 Years of Inequality Experience and is the Creative Director at the NYC Healing Collective. LI: linkedin.com/in/dr-angel-acosta-1886653b/ FB: facebook.com/AngelAcosta16 IG: instagram.com/dr_angel718/ About Ashantè Fray (she/they) Ashantè Fray (she/they) is a Black bisexual woman who is the owner and founder of Synchronized Souls Inc., which works in Corporate Wellness to aid organizations with their wellness programs and wellbeing of their employees. She helps companies to reduce their employee healthcare costs and absenteeism, boost employee morale to reduce turnover and improve workplace productivity through wellness webinars and speaking events, lunch and learns, and tarot readings as team activities. LI: linkedin.com/in/ashant%C3%A8/ IG: instagram.com/_synchronizedsoulsinc/ [Image description: LEA promo and photos of Daisy, an African American woman with long black hair in twists; Ashantè, a Black bisexual woman with short pink hair; Angel, an Afro-latino male with dark hair and facial hair; and host Melinda, a White woman with blonde and Support the Show.

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

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