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Ready to unveil Game-Changing Secrets of Effective Leaders? Look no further than todays guest, Jacklyn Osborne. Jacklyn Osborne is Managing Director at Financial Services and a experienced Data Management executive responsible for the design, development, delivery, and adoption of a best-in-class Data Management program to ensure regulatory compliance, support operational efficiency, and facilitate digital transformation. Osborne has over fifteen years’ experience in data governance, client data management, change delivery, and information security in the public and private sectors, including seven years at HSBC where she was the Global Banking & Markets, Chief Data Officer. With a Bachelors in Business Administration and a Masters in Engineering Management from George Washington University Jacklyn is a member of the American Society of Management Engineers, the National Association of Female Executives, and National Association of Professional Women. She lives in the suburbs of Connecticut with my husband, three young boys and beloved spirited pub Diesel. Weekends are the most cherished times and spends them doing everyday things like playing sports, hosting parties, and baking cookies with the boys. As part of her own life journey, she started a Blog and have have recently launched a Podcast with the same name 52 Weeks of Me. The goal of the Podcast is to help others find their best self through a collection of open discussions with professional experts and well as individuals sharing their own success stories as we all strive for work-life balance. MAIN TAKEAWAYS: Jacklyn is responsible for working with data, which people think involves her doing cybersecurity, database engineering or owning data- that’s not her job. What she actually does is enable and ensure the right data gets to the right place, and the right people at the right time. Her job also involves the hot topic AI and making sure the accurate data gets into the right place. AI is moving fast, with a lot of unknowns such as privacy, ethics and concerns about feeding private data into a public database. There’s definitely legitimate reason to think through AI, the “sexy legs” of data, Jacklyn said, and building that foundation of AI is not sexy. Jacklyn said trial by error (winning or learning), parenthood- the patience and persistence, and a self-care journey are things that make her a better leader and shape who she is at the moment. Immediately responding can have a negative reaction. Slowing down is imperative. Fun fact: Jacklyn was born in a car so her instinct to move fast and respond quickly was innate. Changing her perspective and slowing down helped her a lot. Opening the floor for others to speak and not worrying about always speaking and having an answer to everything immediately was forward thinking in her leadership journey. As a leader, you can burnout so making yourself “redundant” is being able to influence the collective community to function in your absence. When leaders care about people and try to do everything around the clock it can create a more stressed team. Leaders being able to go have self-care and allow the team to step up and be empowered should be the goal.. Taking vacation can empower your team. Vacation … affording it. Can you really not afford one due to the financial situation? Vacation or holiday can be staying at home and taking a break from work, chilling in your garden and not worrying or being at work. Jacklyn started her new job at the beginning of the 2020 pandemic and it made it harder to have connections with people. Only remote work will definitely affect the work relationships for this next generation. Perfection is not required for success. We’ve all made mistakes and can get back up. Executive leadership is about being human. - Jacklyn Osborne

Today's guest expert shares insights on how large organizations can nurture and empower rising leaders and unready organizations. Kwofe Coleman is President & CEO of the Municipal Theatre Association of St. Louis (The Muny). After beginning his Muny career in 1998 as an usher, he has advanced through the administrative ranks at The Muny, including staff accountant, house manager, digital communications manager, director of marketing and communications, managing director, and became president of the nation’s oldest and largest outdoor musical theatre since 2021. As President & CEO, Kwofe leads the historic theatre into its 105th season of producing live musical theatre on a grand scale. He maintains overall accountability, responsibility and authority for the management of the business and affairs of The Muny in accordance with its mission. Through this role he continues to embrace and articulate the artistic and institutional vision, develop progressive income streams and new strategic initiatives to deepen the organization’s community engagement, educational and outreach efforts. Kwofe was instrumental in navigating the theatre through the pandemic. He also played a key role in The Muny’s successful $100 million Second Century Capital Campaign. Kwofe is the board president of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) and is an active contributor to the St. Louis community, serving on the Commerce Bank Advisory Board, St. Louis University High School Board of Trustees, Cor Jesu Academy Advisory Council, and as a founding board member of Atlas School. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Saint Louis Club and supports various social service organizations. In 2020 Kwofe was recognized by The St. Louis Business Journal in its “40 Under 40” class. He was a Fellowship Advisor for the DeVos Institute of Arts Management at the University of Maryland (2018) and a recipient of The St. Louis American’s Salute to Young Leaders Award (2015). In addition to his Muny work, Kwofe consults for various concerts, artist development, management and production projects, including executive producer for 2020’s A New Holiday, a short musical film created by LIFE Creative Group and broadcast on local PBS networks. MAIN TAKEAWAYS: Alex worked at a women’s shelter in his early 20s, which he said was emotionally taxing at times. Kwofe was a death penalty investigator for the Southern Center for Human Rights and built relationships with each person he worked with to understand their unique situation. Kwofe said the work had great value to him and any discomfort he felt didn’t trump the client's reality. Doing the best job possible for the client required an emotional investment for the client to have trust in his work.   You can do everything right in a job and do your absolute best and there’s no change. You have to figure out how to advance over the issue.  Kwofe started from the bottom, but he’s now here, at the top. At 16 years old, he worked at the Muny as an usher and advanced through the administrative ranks at The Muny, including staff accountant, house manager, digital communications manager, director of marketing and communications, and managing director, and became president of the nation’s oldest and largest outdoor musical theatre since 2021. Kwofe said he stayed because it was a great opportunity and a community-based and important art institute in St. Louis. People are more aware of who they are individually and comfortable with who they are. The stories and plays at the Muny aren’t rewritten but show a wonderful world of diversity.  To prepare the leadership that comes up after you, train those who look and don’t look like you. Invest in the next generation. (ie have internship and education programs for college and high school students) and show them the art form and opportunities available to...

Learn the Surprising Secret to Success from a Guest Who Reveals Why Being Your Own Best Friend is Key. When discussing player determination in the realm of golf, the name Christian Heavens is most likely to be included. Christian keeps his nose to the grindstone and his eye on the ball in all aspects of his life as a pro golfer and CEO of Tour Line Golf. His tenure in the sport reflects a career-low round of 61, earned in a Florida pro golf tour event, and he’s accomplished 25 tournament victories, including the St. Louis Publix Open this past May. Following a standout collegiate career, Christian made his mark professionally as a member of the PGA Tour Canada in 2012. The stealth player recorded his first two victories on the Florida Professional Golf Tour that same year and went on to compete on the Golf Channel’s Big Break, ABC’s Season 2 of Holey Moley, the Latin America Tour, and on Florida professional tours. An alumnus of the First Tee of Greater St. Lous, Christian represented the organization at the 2006 First Tee Open at Pebble Beach and in 2010 competed in the U.S. Amateur at Chambers Bay. His outstanding academic and golfing skills earned him a First Tee Scholars scholarship to Georgetown College in Kentucky, where he captured the All-American Inaugural Gimmie Golf Professional Invitational in 2018. A two-time, first-team All-Conference member of the Mid-South Conference, as a junior Christian won first place in the final individual standings at the MSC Championships. For his efforts, he was named MSC Golfer of the Year and went on to earn third-team NAIA All-America honors. In each of his final three seasons at Georgetown, he finished in the top 12 of the MSC Championships. MAIN TAKEAWAYS: Christian Heavens isn’t your “traditional” golfer. He got into golf at a time when golf for a Black man was not the norm. His grandfather, Levester Heavens, a firefighter, taught him to play golf when he was a little kid. Christian shared his grandfather’s love for the game. Not compromising who you are despite the norm is important in maintaining your identity. Christian still loves hip-hop, and R&B and brings pieces of himself to the golf course. You can be you and still enjoy golf and feel welcome at a golf course or country club, he said.   Alex tells a story about a joke he made during an interview, that the interviewer said they didn’t understand so they didn’t select him out of the top three candidates. Alex said he was just being himself and that should never change. Christian said the Black golf community is small and they talk. Code-switching is one obstacle they feel at a professional level. It can be exhausting as there’s sometimes pressure to adapt or code-switch in the golf world. Being himself is one of the things that drives them to make golf more accessible.  Alex said there’s a difference between code-switching and being various versions of yourself. Christian said he has an at-home, chill, country club side that makes him feel comfortable.  “You have to learn to go where you are celebrated not tolerated. Just being you, there will be people who rock with you and those who aren’t going to rock with you. Even if you put on a persona, it will still be people that like you and those that don’t. Be you and find and attract the people who genuinely like you. You can collaborate with your energies.”- Christian Heavens Confidence and building confidence, or faking it until you make it is key. Act as if you belong there and know where you’re going. It will get you through many doors.  Success breeds confidence. In golf, there are no coaches. On the golf course, the player can be their own worse enemy criticizing their techniques. But we have to speak to ourselves like we would someone else. You have to catch yourself and be aware of it to combat that. Be your own best...

It's no surprise that ChatGTP is trending, but will it and the internet cause the rise or fall of society? Guest Julie Owono shares her insight on this valuable topic.  Julie Owono is the Executive Director of Internet Sans Frontières (Internet Without Borders), an inaugural member of the Facebook Oversight Board, and the Executive Director of the Content Policy & Society Lab, a project of the Progam on Democracy and the Internet at Stanford University. At the intersection of Business and Human Rights, her work focuses on creating channels of collaboration between different set of actors of the Internet. She is particularly interested in finding policy and technical solutions to foster collaborations for a better content moderation on online platforms. Julie is an Affiliate of the Berkman Kleine Center on Internet and Society at Harvard University, a member of the Global Partnership on AI (AI) created by France and Canada, of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on AI for Humanity, of the WEF Council on the Connected World. She was also a member of UNESCO’s Ad Hoc Expert Group (AHEG) for the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, a Member of the World Benchmarking Alliance’s Expert Committee on Digital Inclusion, and a Civil Society member of the Global Network Initiative’s Board. Julie graduated in International Law from La Sorbonne University in Paris, and practiced as a lawyer at the Paris Bar. MAIN TAKEAWAYS: Julie Owono has been defending freedom of expression for many years, especially so women of color can use the space to express themselves and their rights to dignity.  When advocating for the right to speak online, how do you navigate misinformation and hate speech on the internet versus freedom of speech? Alex asks. The purpose of the internet is to be a space where no government or company can stop us from expressing ourselves, but in 2016 it was recognized as needing some kind of intermediary intervention to make sure this space of expression doesn’t harm security & other values we care about, Julie responds. Julie, a Cameroon native, lived in Russia as a “visible minority,” and as a teen faced Neo-Nazis while in the park with friends. They talked to two to three Nazis who at first wanted to attack them. They were all just 15 years old. One of the Neo-Nazis said his favorite singer was Whitney Houston, a Black singer who looked like her. An important interchange occurred between the Black teens and Nazis teens that created dialogue about racism.  It’s important to be confronted with things you don’t agree with to educate and be educated. This must be done in a non-harmful way and dialogue should always prevail.   It can be exhausting to fight against propaganda and misinformation especially when some are backed by the governments. At times, the internet and social media is used to influence government policy. Platforms will be weaponized and companies have to be proactive to keep spaces safe, Julie said.  People weaponize by stealing identities and creating deep fakes using AI. From comedians having Twitter accounts created in their name to presidents who were sick giving a speech the next day…there have been times when platforms have been misused. Metaverse can be exciting by breaking the physical barrier and giving youth and others learning opportunities beyond their reach  While technology can fix lots of problems, it may need guardrails, Alex said. We can’t look for technology to solve our social problems. It’s not the AI we worry about, it’s the creators. Who creates the AI and with what are they instilling it with.

Ever wonder why leaders need to be more deliberate in communication?Special guest Khari Brown shares compelling insight on this specific topic. Brown is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Spark the Journey. Khari joined Spark the Journey in 2001 as the organization’s Executive Director and became CEO in 2015. At the time Khari joined, he was Spark the Journey’s only employee and has since built the organization from a niche program that reached only 50 students per year to a burgeoning organization that is currently supporting more than 500 students and has grown by 400% since 2012. By expanding its program offerings and leveraging the power of hundreds of trained volunteers on daily basis, Spark the Journey has been remarkably successful in helping its students overcome the barriers that limit most low-income students. Under Khari’s leadership, Spark the Journey has seen 61% of its graduates’ complete college on time, a rate that is nearly three times that of similar students nationally. Khari received both a Bachelor’s degree in American Studies and a Master’s degree in Education from Tufts University. A two-time captain of the Tufts basketball team, he played professional basketball in Helsinki, Finland upon graduating from college. After his playing career ended in 1995, he spent six years coaching high school and college basketball in the Boston area. He also owned and operated a fitness and sports performance business serving individual clients and offering clinics and camps for high school and college athletes. Khari’s involvement working with urban teens through his various coaching experiences led him to pursue a career in expanding educational opportunities for low-income youth. Khari and his wife are the proud parents of two children who attend DC Public Schools His Personal Quote: “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” – Malcolm X MAIN TAKEAWAYS: Fun fact: Khari Brown played basketball with President Barack Obama at Camp David. He said he was invited by White House workers who also volunteered for Spark the Journey who were tasked with arranging basketball games for the president.  Deciding your strengths and weaknesses is tough. Khari said he started with what he liked to do and it drew him to his passion. Starting as a team-of-one, he brought in people to help with what he didn’t know. Lesson: Surround yourself with smart people to learn from and pick people who compliment your strengths.  When having to let an employee go, it’s not about harming the person, it’s about helping the team accomplish their mission. Making decisions as a leader may not always be a positive experience for stakeholders. You won’t make everyone happy, but use the information you have to make the hard calls to promote the mission of the organization and do what’s best for the team. Communication skills depend on the perception of others. You may think you’re a great communicator, but others may perceive you differently. Same as a leader. People may interpret your leadership skills differently than what your intentions are as a leader. Communication must be deliberate. You’ll make mistakes, but how you respond as a leader can lead to growth.  Set an example for the people on your team as to how you respond to internal and external challenges. The way you carry yourself is important, because your team will follow your cues and that’ll become part of the work culture. It’s easy to forget your progress. Take a second to stop and reflect. As a leader, don’t be dissuaded by your mistakes. Recognize your progress. Validate and recognize your team for the progress you all made. Build your team with people who believe in your mission and want to help. It creates your team culture.  When working with a volunteer workforce must be motivating with good...

Looking for ways to think more creatively? Guest Don Wettrick shares his insight on how we can think more creatively about your business or brand. Don Don Wettrick is the founder and CEO of The STARTedUP Foundation, which hosts Innovate WithIN- Indiana's innovation and entrepreneurship programming and competition. He is also the author of “Pure Genius: Building a Culture of Innovation,” which aims to create innovation mindsets in our schools. Don is known for his award-winning work as a teacher, educational and innovation consultant, and educational speaker. Wettrick has also hosted a podcast for the past five years, where he has interviewed some of the top entrepreneurs, authors, and thought leaders in the country.  In his spare time he enjoys spending time with his wife of 27 years, Alicia, and his three children.  MAIN TAKEAWAYS: When researching it’s such a time for creativity and innovation. How do you engage yourself in new ideas and thought processes? Problems are opportunities for solutions- Don Wettrick. Complaining and talking about issues garner conversations and brainstorming. Conversations with people and solving challenges that people present can present opportunities to learn.   If you don’t like something or know how to do something, know more people who do and have conversations with them about it.  Many people don’t make space in their day to learn, be inspired, or brainstorm.  Taking in information and uploading it is a mental process. It’s detrimental to our brains to overindulge in social media and pornographic content (still a taboo subject). People get stuck on the endless scroll. It’s damaging our brains and natural thinking process.   The hardest things to do in the world are the things you say you are going to do.   If you want to set a goal, don’t tell anybody. You’ve told your brain you’re 90% there.” Fear sometimes keeps us from accomplishing the things we want to accomplish. We fear not reaching our goals. 

Wonder how to build positive relationships at work at home? Dr. Sohee Jun discusses tips to encourage you. As a top leadership coach, keynote speaker, leadership development expert and Amazon best-selling author, Dr.Jun works with emerging leaders and executives to unleash their untapped power for themselves and their teams. During her 20+ years in the corporate world, she has helped leaders transform themselves from frustrated executives to insightful, impactful, and inspired leaders who are engaging employees in exciting new ways and driving their organizations to great success. Sohee works with world-renowned Fortune 500 companies in entertainment, production & media, start-ups, gaming, financial services, and engineering -- helping high performing leaders, emerging leaders and executive teams identify and strategically capitalize upon moments of shift and challenge as opportunities for powerful growth and change. Most recently, Sohee served as Executive Director of Organization and development and Change Management at Warner Bros. Entertainment. She previously held internal leadership positions at Countrywide Financial Corporation and Jacobs Engineering Group as well as various HR consulting positions at Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Washington Mutual. MAIN TAKEAWAYS: * There’s more success when you have fun with your work. * All healthy relationships are transactional. Dr. Jun asks about the definition of transactional  and if it is just a 1:1 interaction. Alex said it should not ever be one-sided. Transactional means being willing to give of yourself in a healthy way and there’s a value in the exchange. * There’s more room for giving when building relationships, but if it’s not reciprocated for too long in the workplace, the value shifts and the employee can feel like it’s not worth it. * In the workplace, employees are the givers in the relationship but leaders must ask, do their employees  get value from them in the transactional relationship? It may not always be monetary, but can be kudos and appreciation.  * Time and value are the best things to give in a relationship and it applies to the leader/employee relationship. Leaders must ask how they can provide support and help employees grow in their career. This is valuable to workers. * Alex really likes Goku and would love a Goku t-shirt! However,  if he gave Dr. Jun a Goku t-shirt she’d be unimpressed. Of value to her would be a mani-pedi :) The example demonstrates that everyone doesn’t value the same things and leaders  have to do the work to learn what their employees value.  * There are layoffs but it’s talent that companies want to keep due to their assets and they want to ask those players what they value in an intentional and purposeful way. * How do you decide how to give someone what they need vs what they want when it comes to value? Dr. Jun comes upon this often in coaching and handles it by saying “yes” to what they want but “and” to what they need to support them better. “Yes, … and…” statements give them both.  * Mindset is everything in how you define success. Success takes steps and time. * Listening creates a level of validation. Feeling heard and understood can help shift mindset. Introducing other options and solutions may be easier to absorb. * The thought of ”not negotiating with terrorists,” leads to no one talking and no one learning. It leaves leaders in conflict. Being willing to listen to ideas, not in line with ours, even if we don’t agree, can lead to more conversation and more value as we learn from one another. * In the office, how hard do you push to get your point across? Dr. Jun said you have to look at how triggered you are and know how to handle the trigger. Take a step back and even ask to come back to it later.  * The hardest thing is to look inward and see how you are centered...

Lawrence E. Adjah, MBA, M.Ed, M.Div. is an Author, Spiritual Advisor, Host, Community Builder and relationship thought leader who has been on a mission to help high achieving professionals and communities establish and strengthen their most important relationships [with God, people & themselves (mind & body)]. He’s widely known for his work around the issue of loneliness in the digital age, founding and leading a movement, Our Family Dinner (Family Dinner Foundation), which reached nearly 50,000 young adults across nearly 40 cities around the world for over a decade. His work has been featured in Ebony, Black Enterprise, Essence, The Chicago & Miami Tribunes and other nationally syndicated news and media outlets. He currently serves as Host and panelist for the Just Heal, Bro global tour for mental health and wellness amongst men, and hosts the show “Watch God Work.” He is a licensed and ordained Minister (of the Gospel), a Prepare-Enrich Certified Marriage Counselor, Chaplain & Coach who leads a successful private gospel-based practice which specializes in one-on-one & couple-based spiritual advisory, direction, (pre) marital counseling & chaplain and life coaching services for professionals & professional organizations, in and out of season professional athletes, traveling healthcare and other remote professionals including deployed military and more. Lawrence began his career at McKinsey & Company, after being an All-American track & field athlete. Lawrence holds a B.A., from Harvard University, an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business, an M.Ed from The University of Texas at Austin with distinction and a Masters of Divinity (M.Div) from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary where he was a faculty-selected recipient of the Preaching Award from the Division of Practical Theology and the John D. Tate awardee. MAIN TAKEAWAYS: It [Community]still matters because humans need proximity, energy, and interaction to thrive. For example, showing up in times of crisis vs a phone call shows the need for connection and human interaction. Lawrence said, “hearing the claps of celebration in person satisfies proximity and connection.” We learned during the pandemic what we should never take for granted.  However the pandemic and the conditions it created opened up opportunities for connecting with people from all over the world.  When it comes to time management, Adjah expresses that everyone has a choice to make, and prioritizing your time is part of the way to make those decisions when it comes to your family and career.   We want to do it all but we have to prioritize and be comfortable with what we can’t do. If you try to do everything you end up doing nothing.  Trying to do it all at the same time is what Adjah calls the “Cheesecake Factory Effect”…we get so much information daily and we must choose. Time management is a struggle. It’s hard to have a quality life with depth and it involves choosing who and what to spend your life interacting with. We must make choices of what’s most valuable to us without feeling we are diminishing the value of other options. Living intentionally vs following the societal norm or traditions, is imperative to not have regrets.  Adjah said you can’t control regrets at the end and he decided to live more intentionally with his time because he wants no regrets if he has no more time left. Knowing you put in work to intentionally be present and intentionally act success.  If you think the cost of success is too high wait till you get the bill for regret.” We all desire to recreate ourselves and we must be honest that Ai and robot use is possibility. The motive behind it is important. How can using robots make humanity better and improve the good of society? It can be exciting but...

Uwe Dockhorn is the CEO at Liberating Lifestyles, and the founder of The AIM-Experience™: a 3-step transformational experience for in-demand professionals and their spouses or life partners.  He believes in cultivating the internal certainty and clarity that improve your outcomes financially in business, and emotionally in relationships. What motivates him daily is to see his clients’ success through his The AIM-Experience™. To date he has delivered more than 17,000 live sessions on The AIM-Experience™ worldwide in the last 15 years. Uwe has worked with high achievers and their VIPs - Very Important Partners) in almost every industry, role, and lifestyle, helping them achieve lasting results in 8 hours or less The Main Takeaways:

How do you maintain company culture with remote workers? Special guest Michael Arena Ph.D. thoroughly explores this topic. Michael Arena Ph.D. is the chief science officer and co-founder of the Connected Commons, a research consortium that brings together business and academic thought leaders to develop and apply organizational network solutions. He is also a faculty member in Penn’s Masters in Organizational Dynamics program. Arena most recently served as the vice president of talent and development at Amazon Web Services (AWS), where he leveraged network analysis to enable employee growth, organizational culture and innovation.  Prior to joining Amazon, Michael was the chief talent officer for General Motors Corporation where he helped to facilitate the business transformation, which is highlighted in his book Adaptive Space. Michael also spent two years as a visiting scientist with MIT’s Media Lab researching human networks and he acted as a design thinking coach within the Stanford School. Main Takeaways: Arena’s research centers around networks, how people interact with each other and how remote, hybrid, and in-person work environments impact employees and social culture within organizations. About 50% of daily influencers are identified as the informal networks within organizations and the influencers who may not be high on the organizational chart are often  highly trusted and valuable assets to their team and company. The two types of connections are bonding and bridging connections. Bridging connections are those who link up teams. Remote = a 30% loss of the bridge connections and building back in a remote environment has been a struggle. The debate of back in the office vs remote can be decided with science.  Arena says  employees love remote work and the flexibility, but  some companies have eliminated the remote model. A hybrid model can be good for well being, productivity and life balance.   Looking  at data at the time of need is key in the debate about work models. A disconnection from workmates can occur with remote only, but a blend can contribute to connections being reestablished. A large amount of people want to work remote but also want to reconnect with colleagues. The autonomy to choose and have flexibility is what most desire, but it’ll take time to work the anxiety out of the in-office, remote or hybrid model debate for each company and team.  We are social beings that communicate through social signals and we lose that with remote only work. Moderation is needed to find the smart  balance for social connections within both remote and physical offices and teams and still enjoy our human existence. Hustle vs Human Experience… don’t let your soul be stolen by organizational goals. You can’t lose you in the midst of your success. Don’t let it override you. You have to set boundaries, goals and commitments to yourself.  In your career, don’t be scared to create personal boundaries. If you’re not pushing up against  that boundary of failure you’re not being your brilliant self.  Failure isn’t the opposite of success, it's part of it.  If you don’t dance with the boundary of failure you’re not breaking through. Push through and flirt with it and see what will happen.  The way you show up in your network matters as much to your success as your ability to perform and can account for 30-40% of your performance.  It matters to your career who you are around. Find the energizers and you can create a much better effect. 

Eve Aronoff Trivella competed in the 56-kilogram weight division. To mention a few, she earned a Bronze medal in the 1982 World Judo Championships at the age of 19 and finished 7th in the 1987 World Championships. She was a member of the historical First Women’s Olympic Judo Team of 1988 where she earned 6th place. She medaled in 14 National Championships: 12 senior and 2 junior. She is a 5 time U.S Open champion. Aronoff Trivella was the recipient of the prestigious Olympian Award sanctioned by the U.S Olympic Committee. The award is in recognition of athletes who have made significant contributions to the various Olympic disciplines. Additionally, she was elected to the United States Judo Association Hall of Fame as an outstanding female competitor. Other honors include the Phyllis S Harper Sportsmanship Award from the United States Judo Federation in 1984, Resolution 10-1983 from the City of Yonkers New York in recognition of her excellence and contribution to the sports world, Metropolitan Judo Association for Outstanding Female Competitor for the year 1978-1979, and Coach of the Year at the New York State Championships for the year 2019. Aronoff Trivella has been the proud founder and owner of Eve’s Ultimate Body Training LLC since the 1980s, teaching private one on one fitness and or Judo sessions as well as group. She also has created a fitness Judo workout for beginners, intermediate or advanced, using a combination of fitness exercises and Judo techniques without a partner which has been very useful during the Covid 19 pandemic. Main Takeaways: Women’s judo and the intricacies and strategies of the sport How the artful fighting sport of judo translates into the strategies of life. (Ie practice, preparation, and goals.)  The importance in organizing and balancing life, happiness and purpose when  managing a full plate in your career and personal lives.  Strategizing your health plays a direct role in your overall success and how it shouldn’t be last on our list. Exercise = energy  Overcoming life changing obstacles. At 6 years old, Eve battled rheumatic fever and a life threatening, debilitating and painful condition taking away her ability to walk. In that storm, she was introduced to the world of judo.  Being “stuck” in life or going through a painful situation can sometime lead to having to do awkward, uncomfortable things to build strength and change your life in the future.  Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, because taking the negative and turning into positive is the success. If you try there’s no failure. Achievement and success is in trying and winning. Navigating a male dominated sector: Eve’s place in the male dominant sport of judo and her advice to women. Be yourself, do your thing, do it to the best of your personal ability and drown out the surroundings.  Eve’s advice: Take a breath, focus, prioritize and take one step at a time especially when managing a busy lifestyle. Do things that make you happy. Things you enjoy and want to do all day. Build on that joy in your profession, life and daily routine. End  your day with something that makes you feel good and have faith and belief in yourself. 

How do you keep your team engaged in a recession? WAEPA CEO Shane Canfield and The EnerGeo Alliance's VP of Communications and External Affairs, Gail Adams unpack this topic. M. Shane Canfield brings more than 25 years of experience in insurance and non-profit leadership to WAEPA. Shane came to WAEPA in 2016 and served previously as Executive Director of the Council on Employee Benefits. He has spent most of his career in the pooled-risk group/affinity insurance industry. In his role as WAEPA CEO, Shane is responsible for strategic planning and leadership, managing stakeholder relationships, and serving our Board of Directors in organizational oversight. With extensive experience in coalition building, government relations, and reporting to Boards, Shane leads WAEPA by consistently prioritizing member satisfaction, membership growth, and retention. He earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from George Mason University, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Washington Adventist University, and is a board member for the Council of HR Management Associations, member of LIMRA, PIMA, International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP), and is a past board member of the ASAE Business Services Inc. Additionally, Shane holds various certifications, including CEBS, RHU, CAE, SPHR, and SHRM-SCP. Gail Adams is the Vice President of Communications and External Affairs at the EnerGeo Alliance, an international upstream energy trade association. She has more than 20 years of experience in the environment and natural resources public policy arena and working with states and local governments. She has more than 30 years’ experience in public affairs, non-profit organizations, and governmental affairs. She is a former Presidential Appointee as Director of the Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs (OIEA) for the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), Immediate Office of the Secretary where she managed relationships between the DOI and Governors, state and local elected officials and the more than 6000 stakeholders and organizations that represent interests related to DOI. She also had a key role on the President’s Task Force on Travel & Competitiveness and helped to craft the nation’s National Travel and Tourism Strategy which brought the United States from 10th in the world back to first in market share for world tourism. Adams is a former television news anchor, public affairs show host, and radio personality. She is also a certified grants writer. Adams is a graduate of Louisiana State University. Main Takeaways: A unique behind-the-scenes view of how the energy and life insurance industries are fairing through the recession.  There are a variety of ways to motivate people internally with training,  progressive opportunities and in the community through collaborative work. Programs that bring diversity, equality and inclusion should never be put on the chopping board due to budget cuts as these initiatives create a stronger and more talented workforce to move your company forward. Professional development during the recession may include innovative thinking, changes in career direction, and obtaining additional training to pivot for employees. Always use the ART method when interacting with your employees. Be Authentic, have Representation and show Transparency.  Learn the importance and spectrum of the energy industry and the imperative nature of life insurance. 

Alex D. Tremble is an award-winning speaker, author, executive, and leadership expert who advises some of our nation’s most senior level leaders on how to shape their company’s culture to attract, retain and develop diverse and highly effective leaders. In addition to his speaking, coaching, and consulting, Alex is the host of The Executive Appeal podcast, which is focused on providing ambitious leaders with the leadership and career advancement skills required to excel as senior and executive leaders.  Alex began his career as the youngest Federal Government employee to create and manage three Federal Government-wide senior leadership development programs, and quickly went on to establish his own leadership development company, GPS Leadership Solutions LLC., while publishing two bestselling leadership books ("Reaching Senior Leadership: 10 Growth Strategies Every Government Leader Should Know” and “The GPS Guide to Success”) geared towards helping leaders gain influence and attain career success. Alex is honored to be a Fellow of The Aspen Institute's Socrates program. He is also a Leadership Center for Excellence 40 under 40 honoree, was spotlighted as a top leader to know by the International Association for Talent Development, and is passionate and committed to helping our leaders across the world reach their highest potential; personally, and professionally. Finally, Alex also serves as the Chief Culture Officer for America’s second largest national conservation corps; American Conservation Experience. Alex received his Bachelor's degree in sociology and psychology from William Penn University and his Master's degree in industrial and organizational psychology from the University of Baltimore. When he is not working, he enjoys reading, watching documentaries, and going on long hikes with his wife. Please visit AlexTremble.com to gain the tools and strategies your organization needs to develop the culture and leaders needed to accomplish its mission. Main Takeaways: If people don't know you need help, they're not as willing to help you Be thankful for your bad supervisors Don't avoid the pain Find time for you

Take it from a pro on how to stand out from the competition. Like professional comedian and award winning actor Mark Christopher Lawrence. Mark Christopher Lawrence (MCL)is the 2012 recipient of the San Diego Critics Circle’s Craig Noel Award for Outstanding Actor Of The Year. He’s an international headliner that has worked with the likes of Sinbad, Jerry Seinfeld, Rodney Dangerfield, and Jeff Foxworthy as well as, having headlined clubs and colleges all over the USA and Canada. MCL is best known for his series regular role as Big Mike on the NBC TV series CHUCK. He recently completed production on the hit ADULT SWIM TV show BLACK JESUS and is recurring on The PureFlix Show Malibu Dan The Family Man. He can be seen on the Disney Channel’s original TV movie LifE Is Ruff and guest appearances on Lab Rats, Good Luck Charlie, Heroes, Weeds, My Name Is Earl, Reba, Grounded for Life, Crossing Jordan, and Amazing America with Sarah Palin. MCL is in pre-production on several projects as a writer and/or producer and has just released on PureFlix.com his hilarious talk show Pure Comedy, which he also hosts. On video, you can watch MCL’s work in The Pursuit of Happyness, The Island, Garfield, Terminator II, Fear of a Black Hat, and Cooties to list a few. Other awards and nominations that MCL has been blessed to achieve are as follows:  NAACP Award for Best Ensemble - Glasshouse 2010 San Diego Critics Circle Nomination for Best Actor - Boy Willie - Piano Lesson 2012 San Diego Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actor of the Year - A Raisin In The Sun/TopDog UnderDog 2012 San Diego Critics Circle Nomination for Best Actor - Walter Lee - A Raisin In The Sun 2012 San Diego Critics Circle Nomination for Best Actor - Lincoln - TopDog UnderDog Main takeaways from the episode: Key Takeaways Failures can help you grow. Some people do not start off as great right off the bat while others could get success initially but get failures later on. The point is to learn from this. Whether you are doing comedy, public speaking or a presentation, you should always be prepared for what you are talking about. You should practice to a point that you come off as authentic and unscripted to your audience.You need to know your material so well that you can go off on a tangent ans still stay on track. Nothing does well if you are not prepared for it. Always learn, watch and grow while you are working with people that are in positions that you want to be in. You can learn from your peer’s achievements and failures. Always take time to reflect on your life. Celebrate the wins and achievements that you have made while appreciating the growth. Looking back on where you have been also helps to direct where you want to go in the future. Remember to control what you can and let go of what you can’t. If you have certain dreams or aspirations that are unfulfilled, you will regret it. Don’t leave them at the table, instead go out and try it. Win or lose, the point is to try.

Are you challenged by comparison? Looking to overcome imposter syndrome? Guest Ryan Changcoco shares insight to tackle the challenge. Ryan is the founder and principal of the Changcoco Consulting Group. Prior to CCG, Ryan served as the Chief Executive Officer of CSurgeries and The Physician's Edge Group, as well as the Head of Product Strategy for Management Development and Director of Government Workforce at ATD. He also served in various lead positions at CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield and The Advisory Board Company. Ryan's experiences as an executive and product strategist led to his effectiveness as a consultant for several organizations. Ryan has expertise in digital marketing and strategy, new product development, content development, and executive operations. As former head of several startups, Ryan has led various efforts with seed-round and series A raises.  Currently Ryan serves as a senior advisor to several start-up organizations and associations including: The Senior Executives Association (SEA), Oji Life Lab, and Bedrock Learning. He is also the executive producer of The Gaslight Effect Podcast, hosted by renowned professor and psychoanalyst, Dr. Robin Stern, co-founder of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence.  Ryan is also serving as an Executive in Residence of insights, innovation, and experience for LeadersUp, a non-profit organization funded by Starbucks and Google to bridge the racial and economic divide for BIPOC talent within the U.S.​ Main Takeaways: Checking your imposter syndrome Having a transparent partner /colleague for real feedback The importance of hiring Knowing when to pivot “Leadership and management is the hardest job you’ll love.” How to providing support beyond critical feedback Trusting & building with angel investors & VC’s “First, the heart”

How can great leaders ask more questions? Hear communication strategist Skot Waldron share his insight for executive leaders. For the past 20 years, Skot Waldron’s work for clients such as J.P. Morgan Chase, CDC, Georgia Tech, Royal Caribbean, Sesame Workshop, The Home Depot, and The Coca-Cola Company has included national and international communication programs. Skot Waldron is an internal communication strategist who uses his extensive knowledge of brand development to build loyalty amongst individuals, teams, and organizations. Unlike most communication programs out there, Skot coaches leaders and employees to become liberators using programs that are simple, scalable, and sustainable for the long term.  He believes the influence you have, your alignment as an organization, and your ability to execute effectively all begin with you and how you communicate. Main Takeaways: A brand is its reputation. How others perceive you, what they believe about you, what you say when you are quiet, and what others say about you when you are not around, that’s your brand. For great brands, leaders must first induce positive first impressions, then maintain consistency, which will foster creditability and authenticity, and finally, trust, which will nurture loyalty. A multigenerational workplace is being created in order for both perspectives to contribute to the creation of something amazing. When you're not at your best as a leader, you can't give them your best because you can't radiate what you don't have. As a result, one must be conscious of himself, of others, and of the purpose to help others.

We all understand the importance of mental health. But why is giving grace good for mental health? Guest Mitch Brooks breaks this down in detail. As Co- General Partner of High Street Equity Partners, Mitch's focus is on pre-seed and seed stage investments. While he reviews all categories at the early stage, he is particularly interested in the future of work, marketplaces, and health tech. Prior to founding High Street Equity Partners, Mitch worked with early and growth-stage companies as an investor and as an operator. Prior to venture, Mitch was the Chief Operating Officer of b2b SaaS company DSI. He started his career in corporate at FINRA and Caterpillar. Mitch holds a MBA from Florida A&M University, and lives in Washington, DC with his wife Cadene.  Main Takeaways: How can you make your voice heard without yelling? Once you get more confident in yourself and your accomplishments, you dont feel the need to be loud or take up space but people will respect your confidence and being authentic to yourself. How can you build confidence when you dont feel like you belong in certain spaces? ON a personal level, Mitch believes in nurturing confidence from an early age.As our generation has kids and we look to raise the next generation we should be more intentional to raising confidence to our kids and encourage them to reach their full potential and celebrate them on their journey. If we are committed or dedicated to something we can overcome those feelings that want to hold us back. We need to believe that we are more powerful and capable of doing so much more than we think we can do. Be very cognizant of where you can learn from. Always keep learning and improving more about your craft. You should keep an open mind and heart and constantly keep evolving and adapting to change. By being more bond and courageous, all of us will be better with time.

When you should you say no to a customer? Wes Michael shares a wealth of thought this subject and why you should think about it first. A market research industry veteran of over 40 years, Wes earned his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a BA in English from the University of Pennsylvania. In 2013, Wes launched Rare Patient Voice based on a novel approach to building a market research panel, one that enables patients and caregivers to share their voices with the researchers and companies developing products to improve patients’ lives. He structured the company on the core values of being a good resource for patients, a good partner to clients, a good employer to staff, and a good citizen in our community. Since then, Wes has seen the company grow, expanding from the US to Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, France, and Germany, completing thousands of projects, and providing customized service to hundreds of clients. He hopes that RPV’s work can help the lives of patients and caregivers who are able to participate in our studies, and of those who come after. Hobbies: Walking his dogs, piano, history, exercise Pets: Ace (mix of Beagle and Brittany) and Stanley the Chocolate Lab Likes: Hearing from patients who have enjoyed taking part in a study Dislikes: When no one qualifies for a study Fun Facts: Wes spent a year in Edinburgh, Scotland and ran cross country with the Hare & Hounds MAIN TAKEAWAYS: “You need to have a folder somewhere… where you say: IDEAS (...) Don’t loose track of these things” “Deadlines are important. We work towards deadlines. But you can negotiate, you can talk to them, let them know...” “You’ve got to look at what’s the fair amount. Somebody doesn’t deserve all of your time.”

Looking for advice on overcoming your fear of networking? Let Juliann Edwards of TC Energy share her journey that will reshape your perspective! Juliann Edwards is the Vice-President Energy Origination & Development at TC Energy, and in 2023 will be formally appointed to the Board of Directors of Bruce Power. Currently Edwards is the Chair for U.S. Women in Nuclear, Family Advocate for RSRT where she has raised over $600,000 and awareness for Rett Syndrome Research Trust with the intent of helping irradiate Rett Syndrome, a disorder her daughter Lily was diagnosed with in 2017.  She holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance and Marketing from the University of South Florida. Main Takeaways From This Episode: Networking In The Beginning Goal setting practices Women In Nuclear - Micro mentoring moments "Do it scared." - Alex How to make time for networking & your passions "Hard is not bad, hard is just hard.” - Juliann

Ever wonder how leaders get ahead by mentoring and taking risks? Should you try? If so, when? Shane and David share valid points to consider beforehand. WAEPA CEO Shane Canfield joined the organization in 2016, having most recently served as the Executive Director of the Council on Employee Benefits. He has spent most of his career in the pooled-risk group/affinity insurance industry. He has an MBA from George Mason, is a Certified Employee Benefit Specialist from the Wharton School of Business and the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, and is a Registered Health Underwriter from the American College. A 30-year career veteran, David Vela retired as deputy director, exercising the authority of the director of the National Park Service (NPS), in August 2020. In this role, he managed over a $3 billion dollar budget, more than 20,000 employees, and America's 419 national parks. In addition, Vela served as Chair for the Committee for the Preservation of the White House.  Main Takeaways: First impressions are important impressions You are not born a senior executive. But rather you get to learn certain skills throughout your life and career that you use. This is a lifelong journey and you should be encouraging and mentor those that are starting out as well as prepare to be mentored in turn. There are certain expectations and realities of the workforce that you have to learn when you are starting out. You need to have a development plan for those who are starting out. Strive for a balance between building expertise and passion and temper it with the reality of the business or organization that you are in by providing mentorship, support and encouragement in the process. Be humble when you receive hard feedback. You need to analyze the feedback that you receive and discover the intent behind it. Remember that there is always something to learn from feedback, even if you do not agree with it.