The Leadership Lounge

In our inaugural episode, we explore the essence of social impact leadership through the lens of the Leadership Louisville Center. Join us as we uncover the ah-ha moments that inspire and transform individuals into impactful leaders. Discover why the Leadership Louisville Center stands as the largest leadership organization in the country and learn about our new brand, LeadingBetter™. We also introduce you to our groundbreaking initiative, The National Community Leadership Collaborative, featuring insights from Aaron Miller, Vice President; Holly Prather, Chief Operations Officer; and Cynthia Knapek, President and CEO of the Leadership Louisville Center. Hear firsthand how this collaborative effort aims to redefine community leadership on a national scale, fostering innovation and driving positive change. Whether you're a seasoned leader or aspiring to make a difference, this episode promises to illuminate the power of leadership in creating a brighter future for communities everywhere. Support the Show.

Carolyn Tandy, the SVP and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer for Humana, Inc., has had an amazing career, spanning from the White House to the Fortune 500. In this conversation we learn more about her journey, her mentors, and her vision for our community. The Leadership Louisville Podcast is possible with support from PNC Bank. Support the Show.

Dr. Tom Owen is a Louisville legend. An archivist with the University of Louisville for decades, a former member of the Louisville Board of Alderman, a former Metro Council member from district 9, a mayoral candidate, and a partner with the Leadership Louisville Center for over 40 years. Tom has enthralled audiences with his stories of Louisville history, and now we talk about his own leadership journey. Support the Show.

Aaron is joined by his friend (and former Leadership Kentucky classmate) Amy Luttrell, President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Kentucky. Amy came to Louisville to lead Goodwill in 2014 after decades with the organization in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Tennessee. They talk about the real work of Goodwill, which is often different than the perceived mission, and how Goodwill goes beyond jobs and into housing, education, transportation, and felony expungement. Support the Show.

Dan Mann is the Executive Director of the Regional Airport Authority, and he shares his journey from the military to airport management, the importance of building networks, and how to lead a critical piece of infrastructure through a global crisis. Special thanks to PNC Bank for supporting episodes of the Leadership Louisville Podcast Support the Show.

Mike Moll, SVP of PNC Bank, takes on the role of interviewer in this conversation with Cynthia Knapek, President of the Leadership Louisville Center. Topics include the science of leadership, the power of confidence and courage, and something about "leap and the net will appear." The Leadership Louisville Podcast is supported by PNC Bank Support the Show.

David Lopez came to Louisville in 2018 as the Chief Development Officer at Metro United Way. A Mexican-American originally from San Diego, David brings a fresh perspective to our city, and it's reflected in this conversation. We talk about his career, how he came to Louisville, and in particular what it's like to be an "only" in an organization. Support the Show.

Jerry Abramson is a legend in Louisville leadership. As a mayor for 21 years, a Lieutenant Governor, and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs to President Obama, he has seen our government work at all levels, and he brings those experiences to this conversation. We learn why he got into Public Service (versus "politics") and what he sees as his vision for the city of Louisville in the future. Support the Show.

Louisville Public Media President and General Manager Stephen George stops by the podcast to discuss his career journey - across multiple cities and multiple forms of media - to eventually come back to his hometown and lead an organization that has continued providing news throughout the pandemic and racial justice movement in Louisville. Despite challenges, the organization is expanding the newsroom in 2021. Join Aaron and Stephen for a great conversation on leadership, pivoting, and growing into the future. Towards the end of the episode, Stephen mentions the Center for Nonprofit Excellence (https://www.cnpe.org/) and Young Authors Greenhouse (https://www.youngauthorsgreenhouse.org/) Support the Show.

Dave Christopher is the Founder and CEO of AMPED (Academy of Music Production Education and Development) in the Russell neighborhood, and he's also leading the newly opened Russell Technology Business Incubator (RTBI). He and Aaron discuss the wisdom he learned from his father, how he started in tech by repairing his family's tube television, and how entrepreneurship can change lives. Support the Show.

Louisville native David Mattingly is a Peabody and Emmy Award-winning journalist with four decades of experience reporting domestically and abroad. For 23 years David had a front-row seat to history as a CNN National Correspondent, but he considers returning to his hometown to be his most rewarding assignment. Aaron and David discuss being present for history, from 9/11 and hurricane Katrina to COVID-19, and how trust in media is changing in our world of "fake news" and misinformation. Support the Show.

Colonel Pam Stevenson has had an incredible journey, from the West End of Louisville to the US Air Force (and stations around the globe) for 27 years - and then back to Louisville and into the Kentucky House of Representatives for District 43. In this episode she shares stories and leadership lessons from an amazing career and how she plans to collaborate with all of Kentucky to help build a better tomorrow for everyone. Support the Show.

Aaron gets a chance to catch up with a longtime friend, Mike Moll, Senior VP at PNC Bank. Mike grew and developed his leadership over a long career with PNC here in his hometown of Louisville. Mike and Aaron discuss how a career can evolve even if you're at the same company for a long time. They also discuss the two-way nature of mentoring relationships. Support the Show.

Aaron spends an hour with Dr. OJ Oleka and they discuss everything from leading during a pandemic, to education as a path out of poverty, to being black and politically conservative in 2020. At one point OJ mentions this book which we said would be in the show notes: Black Elephants in the Room: The Unexpected Politics of African American Republicans (George Gund Foundation Book in African American Studies), https://www.amazon.com/dp/0520291905/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_4P5XFb61MSCP0 Special thanks to PNC Bank for being our presenting sponsor. Support the Show.

Aaron and Jeff discuss how the nonprofit sector, which is the fourth largest employer in the commonwealth of Kentucky, is surviving during COVID-19 and how more members of our community can get involved in philanthropy to help make our city better for everyone. Support the Show.

New Louisvillian Christy Holly, the head coach of Racing Louisville F.C., talks to Aaron about the importance of family, why he likes cities with a river in the middle, and how he hopes to inspire a community. Support the show (https://www.leadershiplouisville.org/donate-to-scholarship-fund/)

In this episode, Evon Smith, CEO of OneWest talks with us about her journey to leadership and to Louisville – and what makes the West End a unique, vibrant place. Support the Show.

Aaron is back at it behind the mic and bringing you some fresh insight from our friend Ben Reno-Weber. His story is a fascinating example of how exposing ourselves to other cultures, worldviews, and even parts of town can inform the ways we bring change with us when we return home. Support the Show.

Lisa Benson is the leader of one of Louisville's largest media outlets, Louisville Business First, part of a national network of business journals. Aaron and Lisa discuss the challenges of becoming a leader just in time for 2020, gain an outsider's perspective on our city, and talk about pivoting content and events to virtual (and still keeping readers engaged). Support the Show.

Aaron Miller sits down with Walter Woods, who moved to Louisville in 2017 to lead the Humana Foundation. They discuss leadership, ego, getting out of your own way, racial justice, and the importance of being a mentor. Support the Show.