ABOUT OUR GUEST:  H.J. Dewes is a strategic leader with a proven record leveraging cross-functional teams to achieve optimal results. He is currently a Business Development Manager at ABB where he has spent his 30+ year career across diverse roles in business development, strategy, sales, marketing and channel, operations and logistics.  Prior to joining ABB, H.J. was an Enlisted Operations Specialist in the United States Navy where he earned the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.  H.J. is an active or former member of the Hydraulic Institute, the National Electrical Manufacturer’s Association, The Water Council, The Midwest Energy Research Consortium and several other associations all with a focus on helping their members to find more efficient and sustainable solutions. He has been named the EPIC Industry Person of the Year and to the ABB Circle of Excellence.  He is an active member of the Empowering Women in Industry community where is engaged ally – bringing diverse voices to the table for discussion, learning, and support.  An allyship thought leader, H.J. works tirelessly every day to bring about equity in the workplace.  CONNECT WITH H.J. DEWES LinkedIn  X (Twitter) EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSEqual Opportunity?  Different Starting Lines VideoEmpowering Women in Industry MembershipEmpowering Women in Industry MagazineEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual Events (Including Book Club and Membership Circles) QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“Show up.  Be there.”“By showing up, I grew. Showing up is not just good for the people I am trying to support. It’s also good for me.”“Lean all in.  Forget the fear.”“Be curious and open minded.”“Recognize that you don’t have to be perfect.”On Allyship: “Really showing up for the people that you believe in. Being willing to take a stand.  Being willing to take a risk. Being there.”“We all have paradigms that shape the way we live. They are so strong and embedded in who we are. Sometimes it is little bit hard to challenge our assumptions. One of the things that is really important about being an ally is to challenge your own assumptions.”“I think one of the things we forget is people are being allies for us all the time. Maybe you don’t necessarily realize that there are people there supporting you that are helping to pave a path for you and create opportunity for you.”“As you grow in your career, you start to earn more privilege and influence. Using that privilege to help others who might just need a nudge, help, or support.  Working to use that privilege to create opportunities.”On being an active ally: “Recognize that you are going to screw up.  Recognize that this is a journey for us as well. Know that the people you are trying to be allies for are not expecting you to be perfect in any way, shape, or form.” 

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Giovanna Gray Lockhart moved to Yarmouth, Maine full time three years ago. Her national experience spans work in government from an advisor to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York to national nonprofit leadership as a member of the Board of Directors for StoryCorps. Previously, Lockhart held senior roles at venture-backed companies, as the Senior Director of Impact at The Wing and as Chief Strategy Officer at The Riveter. Immediately prior to coming to the Center, she provided strategic consulting, advising executive level clients across the country on philanthropy, advocacy, board-building, and communications. Lockhart sits on the Board of Trustees for the Waynflete School in Portland CONNECT WITH FRANCIS PERKINS CENTER Website  Instagram  Facebook EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSSIGN THE PETITON for Frances Perkins Homestead National Historic LandmarkFrances Perkins:  Learning ResourcesBooks on Frances PerkinsHistory Channel:  Triangle Shirtwaist Factory FireEmpowering Women in Industry MembershipEmpowering Women in Industry MagazineEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual Events (Including Book Club and Membership Circles) QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“When a door opens, you must walk through it.”“I really feel like we are at a turning point where you don’t have to hide who you are to be powerful and lead.” “A woman in her early thirties that is totally unafraid and out there advocating for people. She really believed in what she was doing.”“She had fears and insecurities, like we all do, but when you have that vision and determination that is what drove her.” “I came to Washington to work for God, FDR, and the millions of forgotten, plain, common working men.”On Frances’ impact: “She was the pioneering advocate for economic security, social justice, labor rights, and the policy issues surrounding that. The kinds of protections that she secured are the cornerstones of modern policy and our society today: social security, minimum wage, forty-hour work week, unemployment insurance, and banning of child labor.” Frances’ Driving Force:  “When she saw these injustices and these working conditions and how people were kept in poverty through generations, there is a policy that needs to be put in place.  Me helping people one at a time as a social worker is wonderful but there needs to be something more impactful and all encompassing.”Only 12 out of ~430 National Park sites have been specifically created to recognize women’s history. 

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Meaghan Ziemba is an industrial tech writer, brand storyteller, and marketer for industrial manufacturers.  She has a B.A. and M.A. in Professional and Technical Writing from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and has been writing for manufacturing since 2008. Meaghan also hosts a live video broadcast series called Mavens of Manufacturing. The series focuses on women in the sector and aims to attract younger generations to join manufacturing or engineering career pathways to help close the skills and gender gaps. Meaghan is a proud mother of three. She enjoys cooking, CrossFit, and a great cup of coffee or a glass of whiskey.  CONNECT WITH MEAGHAN  LinkedIn  Instagram   CONNECT WITH MAVENS OF MANUFACTURINGWebsite   YouTube   CONNECT WITH Z INK SOLUTIONSWebsite   LinkedIn   EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSManufacturing Day WebsiteSmart Girls HQWomen in STEM Gap Study by AAUWGoldie BloxProject ScientistInspiring the next generation of female engineers | Debbie Sterling | TedXEmpowering Women in Industry MembershipEmpowering Women in Industry MagazineEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual Events QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“Especially with young girls, we need to encourage innovation not perfection.”“We’re programmed to squirm at that word - failure.”“We need to start stepping out of our own personal experiences and stop assuming someone is coming into a conversation with malicious intent.”“When you put yourself in that position of the person who doesn’t know and you want to learn, other people are comfortable enough to have those authentic conversations with you.”“The reason I became an entrepreneur is because, for most of my work experience, I couldn’t show up as myself.”“Manufacturing is the great equalizer.”Closing the manufacturing skills gap: “We need to help the general public really understand why manufacturing is important and what it does, as a whole, for our country.”“Bring awareness to the financial opportunities that are available through each pathway.  Bring awareness to how manufacturing helps communities flourish.”“There are a lot of communities that don’t even realize manufacturing is in their backyard. Encourage manufactures to be proactive and open up their doors and let their community members come in… to see what they are making and why they are making it.”“Why are stories important to this industry?  Because you need that emotional connection with your audience. If you don’t have it, they are not going to care. They are not going to know what they don’t know.” 

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Martie Edmunds Zakas has been Mueller Water Products’ CEO since August 2023 and served as President and CEO from August 2023 to May 2024. She previously served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Mueller Water Products since 2018. She has directed Mueller’s strategic planning, corporate development, investor relations and corporate communications activities since joining the Company in 2006. Prior to joining Mueller, Martie spent five years with Russell Corporation where she held a variety of positions culminating in her role as Corporate Vice President, Chief of Staff, Business Development and Treasurer, until its 2006 acquisition by Berkshire Hathaway. From 1993 to 2000, Martie served as Corporate Vice President, Director of Investor Relations and Corporate Secretary for Equifax, Inc., a global data, analytics and technology company. She began her career as an investment banker at Morgan Stanley. Martie earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College (now Randolph College), a MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business and a Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law. She is a Director of Mueller Water Products and BlueLinx Holdings, Inc., and is a former Director of Atlantic Capital Bancshares, Inc. She serves on the Board of Trustees of the University of Virginia Darden School Foundation. CONNECT WITH MARTIE  LinkedIn   CONNECT WITH MUELLER WATER PRODUCTSWebsite   X (Twitter)  LinkedIn YouTube EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSEmpowering Women in Industry Conference RegistrationEmpowering Women in Industry MembershipEmpowering Women in Industry MagazineEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual Events QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“I am really honored to be a female leading a manufacturing company in the U.S. because you do not see as many female CEOs of public manufacturing companies.  By seeing the unexpected, I think it will help us all move forward and hopefully in the future we will see more female CEOs in the manufacturing industry. Then it becomes expected.”Inclusion: “Importantly, if you feel included and feel part of that team then I think we then are going to get the benefits of hearing all the different voices, ideas, and backgrounds such that we can have collective success.”“You want to feel that the contributions you are making or the organization you are working with are making important contributions.”“You need to have your own personal set of values.  As you go through this, ensure you have your baseline of what your values are and you ensure that is an integral part of the work that you are doing.”Most important skill: “Be adaptable and be curious. Because whatever the headlines are today, they are going to change.”“Observe what you see that you like and that you may want to emulate.  As importantly, see what you don’t like. You can take that and say I do not want that to be part of my toolkit.” 

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Cheryl Merchant has 40 years of leadership and management experience in manufacturing. She has held leadership positions with industry giants like GM, Mazda, Ford, and Lear Corporation and led teams in the U.S., Mexico, Canada and throughout Europe and Asia. Cheryl spent 19 years as the President and CEO of Hope Global, a manufacturing company with over 2,000 employees and operations in the U.S., Mexico, Czech Republic, China, and Brazil. During that period, Hope Global grew five times in revenue and became a Tier II leader in the Automotive Industry.  In 2019, Cheryl joined Taco as President of Taco Family of Companies, North America. In March of 2020, Cheryl was promoted to CEO of Taco Family of Companies Global operations. Since taking the helm, Taco has doubled in revenue, expanded the workforce by 350 team members, acquired a new business unit in England and currently have global operational facility expansions of over 243,000 sq, ft. underway.  CONNECT WITH CHERYL  LinkedIn   CONNECT WITH TACO COMFORT SOLUTIONS - WEBSITESMain Website  HydroFlo Pump Solutions  Taco Italia Taconova CONNECT WITH TACO COMFORT SOLUTIONS – SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook  X (Twitter)  Instagram LinkedIn YouTube EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSEmpowering Women in Industry Conference RegistrationEmpowering Women in Industry MembershipEmpowering Women in Industry MagazineEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual Events (Including Book Club and Membership Circles) QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“Whatever you think you’re going through, you are not alone.”“Constitution said we the people for the people; it didn’t say we the men for the men.”“That is what it is about.  Just trying to make people the best they can be.”“Women are needed everywhere.  They are needed are boards and needed in management because they bring a whole new perspective. ““People are different and that is special. We need to push that; not look down on it.”“Ownership is everyone’s responsibility.  Putting your name on your job.”“I believe that every single person is important. We cannot get it done by ourselves.”“Mentality is the hardest thing in the world to change. It’s in everything you hear.  The mental barriers are so ingrained.”“I make a point of having at least 5 mentees at all times if I can.”“Think about how you want to be remembered.  Now go live your life. Go be how you want to be remembered.”“Strive to be the leader you always wanted.”“To the women who blazed the trail before us, you are going to forever have our gratitude.  To the women who are currently on the trail, let us all stay focused and keep up the great work. For the women to follow, reach out your hand.” 

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Tiffany Waddell Tate (she/her) helps individuals and companies reimagine the future of work through coaching, digital education, and training & development for organizations and teams. As an in-demand coach, consultant, speaker and thought leader, she has been featured on Well + Good, The Everymom, The Muse,  and a variety of podcasts. She is a master in coaching professionals to learn, lead, and grow at work while being true to their authentic selves and building their personal brand. Tate earned her BA and MA from Wake Forest University, and is a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, Diversity Educator, and MBTI Certified. Tiffany is also the founder of Career Maven Consulting.  This team is on a mission to help people become the CEO of their professional lives, and organizations retain great people through career advancement support & leadership development rooted in clarity, confidence, and agency for all. CONNECT WITH TIFFANY  LinkedIn  Instagram CONNECT WITH CAREER MAVEN CONSULTING LinkedIn  Instagram  Website EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSCareer Maven AcademyHow to Ally for #BlackWomenatWorkEverymom Article:  How to Support Black Women at WorkEmpowering Women in Industry ConferenceEmpowering Women in Industry MembershipEmpowering Women in Industry MagazineEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual Events QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“Do good work on purpose.”“Part of my coaching practice is helping people to not just react to things that are happening to them but be really thoughtful about what their non-negotiables are, what they want to learn, and what they want to earn.  Get comfortable naming those things, talking about them, and making decisions based on those things rather than just responding to situations that they find themselves in.”“People should get really clear on what matters to them as humans who are working so they have thoughtful intention in both spheres.”“I think people often under sell and they under pitch because they think they have to do more to prove themselves.”Career Coaching Framework:  Clarity, Confidence, and AgencyCareer branding documents should be STICKY: Skill-based, Tailored, Intentionality, Confidence,  Keep it real, You“Skills language is the value add.  This is what you do and how does what you do add value to the organization.” “Having a career strategy can mean having a really clear list of the things you want to learn/do or the problems you want to solve. Or it could be an clear awareness of your known boundaries or personal catalysts.”“Right now is what we have. Be really thoughtful about right now as you are planning for the future.”

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  As the founder of Tech & Thrive, Denise Acosta Musselwhite leverages her extensive experience to empower diverse technology professionals. Notably, Denise stands out as one of the few Latina women globally to have held both Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Board Chair positions—achievements held by only 5% of professionals worldwide. She has made significant contributions across various sectors, including education, technology, and nonprofits. Denise's innovative T.H.R.I.V.E. Operating System™ underpins personalized development programs that are delivered through tailored consulting, and individual or group coaching, fostering significant growth and retention. Her legacy is marked by her commitment to transforming technology leadership, underscored by her impactful collaborations with over 10 Nobel Peace Laureates through her work with the PeaceJam organization..CONNECT WITH DENISE AND TECH AND THRIVE LinkedIn  Tech and Thrive Website EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKST.H.R.I.V.E Quiz:  http://www.techthrive.me/Complimentary "Embracing Your Unique Drivers" e-workbook: https://techthrive.me/driversMission Impact Academy:  https://www.themia.world/Empowering Women in Industry Conference RegistrationEmpowering Women in Industry MembershipEmpowering Women in Industry MagazineEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual Events QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“Don’t wait for someone else to create your future.”“The pandemic was going to actually move us backwards because of the challenges that women face uniquely during the pandemic with their kids home and their need to work from home more.”“My work was never something that was on the side. It was part of my identity and part of my whole life. I love technology that much and I love working with people that much.”“The thing that resonates with me the most that I see as a common thread is a deeper clarity of who they are themselves as a leader and moving away from what their employer, or their supervisors, have told them about themselves.”“We, as human beings, want to feel satisfied in our lives more holistically than just in our work.”T.H.R.I.V.E Operating System – “The number one step is transparent assessment to really uncover who you are as your unique leadership self.”T.H.R.I.V.E Operating System – “Voicing your vision step is encouragement, a challenge to people, to record themselves on audio, giving a TED talk that is for them about what they have learned about themselves.”“When you are clear on who you are, all kinds of stuff happens. You cannot unsee it anymore.”“For anyone working in a male dominated industry, the fact that we are ashamed to talk about our successes and about ourselves holds us back.”“Women are always looking for how they are not ready instead of how they are ready.”“We want to be 150% ready when really science tells us we really just need to be 50% ready for the role and we can fill in the rest with growth.”“Every single woman who is listening to this should be talking about artificial intelligence and the way it changes the work that we do.”

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  DeIla Ray is a seasoned welder with a deep love for the skilled trades. Her career began as a traveling pipe welder, taking her across the country. In recent years, DeIla discovered a new passion for inspiring the next generation. She will be entering her 3rd year as a welding instructor, sharing her knowledge and experience with future welders.DeIla's dedication extends beyond the classroom. She is a prominent figure in the industry, serving as the Vice President of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Central Missouri Chapter #341 and the National Tradeswomen Committee Co-Chair. This year, DeIla will be installed as the President of NAWIC Chapter #341 as well as the National Tradeswomen Committee Chair. With the unique blend of experience, passion, and leadership, DeIla’s journey from welder to instructor is a testament to her dedication to the trades. DeIla's insights will be valuable to anyone interested in the skilled trades.CONNECT WITH DEILA AND ALPHA DUO LinkedIn  DeIla IG  Alpha Duo IG  Facebook EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSEmpowering Women in Industry Conference RegistrationEmpowering Women in Industry MembershipEmpowering Women in Industry MagazineEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual Events QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“Seeing what is possible is what kept drawing me in. Every time I would level up and succeed in something.  It was still that added attraction of I have done it and continue to do it.” “Accepting the chaos.”“Looking back now, if I would not have said yes to trying something new I would not be where I am today.  That is one of the coolest things.  It is like a ‘whose done it’ story.  I never had the experience and look where it took me – just from saying yes and taking on a challenge.”“There is just something about putting that hood down; I was immediately drawn to it. It was, ‘How much more can I get?  Do I have to sleep? Can I keep doing this?’”“The opportunity of the trades is what enticed me in the beginning. Realizing I was one of the only on the only ones there was also a little enticing. I am a pretty bold person; I beat to my own drum most of the time.““I am creating a space here for other women and young girls to see that they can do it too.” “Male dominated taking away the light on the fact that women can be there too. If we can say ‘male populated; there it indicates there be more males there but it does not mean that males are the only ones that can dominate in that field.”“Imposter syndrome can creep up on people.  They do not think you are supposed to be there so why should you think you are supposed to be there. You should know that, if are going to insert yourself somewhere and put time and effort into it, you deserve to be there.”  “If you have that thought, that desire, don’t let it fade away.  Try it out.  You may find your passion and not even realize it.”“If you can imagine it, you can create it. If you can dream it, you can become it.”  William Arthur Ward

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Sanya Mathura is the Founder of Strategic Reliability Solutions Ltd based in Trinidad and operates in the capacity of Managing Director and Senior Consultant.  She works with global affiliates in the areas of Reliability and Asset Management to bring these specialty niches to her clients. Sanya possesses a strong engineering background with a BSc in Electrical & Computer Engineering and MSc in Engineering Asset Management.  She has worked in the lubrication industry for the past decade and has used her background across diverse industries both locally in Trinidad and Tobago, regionally and internationally.  She is the first person (and female) in her country (Trinidad & Tobago) to attain an ICML MLE (Machinery Lubrication Engineer).  She is also the first female in the world to achieve the ICML VPR & VIM badges, full list here. CONNECT WITH SANYA AND STRATEGIC RELIABILITY SOLUTIONS Sanya's LinkedIn   Company LinkedIn  IG  Website  Facebook EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSEmpowering Women in STEM:  Personal Stories and Career Journeys from Around the WorldEmpowering Women in STEM:  Working Together to Inspire the FutureEmpowering Women in Industry – Early Bird Conference Registration!Empowering Women in Industry MembershipEmpowering Women in Industry MagazineEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual Events  QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“It’s all about being able to see the change.  And be that change for others. It’s not about us. It is not about the ones breaking the barriers.  It is about the ones that are coming behind us.” “You cannot evolve if you keep doing the same things.” “Women change the way we think about certain things. It cannot be done the same way every time.”“One of the things I have seen change is people are more open; more willing to listen to the woman in the field.”“At the end of the day, gender should not be tied to job performance.”“One of the main barriers I still see are women who are pregnant in the industry.  While they’re pregnant, after their pregnancy, and during their parenthood.  For example, we are not getting PPE that is fitted for pregnant women.”

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Stephanie Slocum is on a mission to normalize engineering, technology, and STEM women in leadership. She helps women become influential leaders while having a life, and she helps organizations committed to gender equity in STEM create work environments that retain and engage their women. After two engineering degrees and 15 years working in a technical structural engineering consulting role, Stephanie wrote her Amazon.com category bestselling book, She Engineers, to help other women engineers have careers on their own terms. She also founded her own firm, Engineers Rising LLC, focusing on closing the women’s retention and leadership gap in STEM. As a mom of three girls, engineer, author, and professional speaker, Stephanie is determined to help women step into their power, redefine leadership norms, and use their unique genius to impact the world. CONNECT WITH STEPHANIE LinkedIn   Facebook  IG  Engineers Rising Website  EmailEPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSShe Leads STEM 100 Leaders ReportIntentional Power BookEmpowering Women in Industry MembershipEmpowering Women in Industry MagazineEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual Events QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“I entered a workforce where I felt like I didn’t fit. I felt like there was something wrong with me.”“I would observe that my male colleagues were treated a little bit differently. It was hard to pinpoint exactly what was going on other than I feel like I have to spend a lot more time, effort, and energy convincing people that I know what I am talking about.”“The only way you conquer that ‘hard’ is by having the support system around you, even if it is just one person.”“In the United States, we still have a very strong messaging issue around STEM that says if you are good at science and math that you should go this direction.  There is this discounting of the other skills that allowed me to succeed in may engineering degree around leadership skills, communication skills, and power skills.”“Women feel betrayed.  They feel, in a way, that they were brought up to come to science, technology, engineering, and math. We want you here. And they come into the workforce and wonder where is all that support now?”“The number one thing that people pointed to and said, ‘this moment in my career changed my trajectory in a positive way forever was a mentorship moment. Mentorship also went right along with self-advocacy.”

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Dr. Nicole T. Rochester is a Board-certified pediatrician, TEDx and keynote speaker, and the CEO of Your GPS Doc, LLC, an innovative company committed to eliminating health disparities and bridging the gap between healthcare providers, patients, and family caregivers. Dr. Rochester was inspired to start her company after caring for her late father and witnessing the complicated healthcare system from the other side of the stethoscope. Dr. Rochester has been featured on television and radio, is a frequent podcast guest, has an active presence on social media, and has contributed to numerous digital publications. Dr. Rochester is a powerful and engaging speaker and presents locally and nationally about navigating the healthcare system, elevating the patient and family caregiver voice, diversity, equity and inclusion in the healthcare workforce, and eliminating health inequities. CONNECT WITH NICOLE LinkedIn   Facebook  IG  Your GPS Doc Website EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSTedX Talk: Overcoming Invisibility:  The Doctor-Patient RelationshipRacism, Sexism, and the Crisis of Black Women's HealthNPR:  How Poverty and Racism 'weather' the body, accelerating aging and diseaseLinkedIn Article - The Empathy Gap:  Revisiting the 90 Second EncounterDocumentary:  The Color of CareEmpowering Women in Industry MembershipEmpowering Women in Industry MagazineEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual Events (Including Book Club and Membership Circles) QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“In order to be your healthiest self, you have to have wealth.  You have to have power, You have to have influence. Those qualities are not what we typically see in women, black women, and women of color.”“Racism and sexism literally changes your biology.  It is a form of stress.  It is a form of trauma. Stress and trauma change the hormones your body produces which has an effect on your blood vessels.”“Racism and sexism also impact the care. We receive different care as a result of the biases on behalf of providers that may not even be aware that they have sexist or racist beliefs.”“There are literally today, in 2024, neighborhoods in black communities across the U.S. where there are no grocery stores.”“Black doctors are 5% of physicians.”“Health care would look completely different if we all approached patients and families with empathy. If we took the time and explored and invested in understanding how our patients got to where they are. ““What would it look like for us to put humanity first?”

ABOUT OUR GUESTS:  Carol Morgan Cox is the founder and CEO of Speaking Your Brand®, a coaching and training company that helps high-performing, purpose-driven women entrepreneurs and professionals create their signature talks and thought leadership platforms. Carol is host of the weekly 5-star rated Speaking Your Brand® podcast and during election seasons serves as a Democratic political analyst on TV news. Carol was named as one of Orlando's Women of the Year in 2021 and has been featured in Forbes. Through her company and content, her mission is to empower more women to find and use their voice, to tell the stories that need to be told, and to activate ideas for change.As Lead Speaking Coach and Personal Brand Strategist with Speaking Your Brand®, Diane Diaz has coached dozens of speakers in crafting their signature talks, TED-style talks, and virtual presentations  Diane has been speaking for over 15 years to groups of all sizes, including keynotes delivered on stage to audiences of 500+ people, smaller business and association groups of 10-20 people, and lunch and learn style sessions with 20-50 people or more. She has also hosted events, moderated panel discussions, and led workshops and training sessions both in person and virtually. Diane has also been a guest expert on podcasts, radio, and television. Diane regularly speaks on the topics of storytelling, personal branding, LinkedIn strategy, and women's empowerment. CONNECT WITH CAROL LinkedIn (Primary)   Twitter  IG  Email CONNECT WITH DIANE LinkedIn EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSSpeaking Your Brand WebsiteSpeaking Your Brand PodcastSpeaker Archetype QuizDiane's Comedy Debut on LinkedInEmpowering Women in Industry MembershipEmpowering Women in Industry MagazineEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual Events  QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“Share your truth.  Imagine the impact that will have.”“Being able to articulate and communicate your message to your audiences is the way to establish leadership.”“You’re taking the audience on a journey; not just receiving information. They are having an experience with you.“Feels really physiologically vulnerable to stand in front of a group of people and speak to them."“Storytelling often requires a little bit of vulnerability.  You are telling a story which requires openness and a personal touch.”“We often want to separate our business brands from our personal brands.  They are not separate; they are all the same brand.”“Humor in your presentations is important no matter what your topic is. Laughing is a form of social bonding.  It connects us as a speaker with our audience.”IDEAL Storytelling Framework: Imagery, Dialogue, Emotion, Action, and Lesson. 

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Dannette Nelson (Dani), uses she/her/hers pronouns and is a seasoned diversity leader and expert with over 20 years of experience in legal, human resources, and DE&I. She has successfully led in the startup space at companies like LinkedIn and Gusto. With a law degree and a master's degree in HR Management, she's demonstrated her commitment to personal development.  Currently, Dani is the owner of Stone Soup Diversity consulting where she transforms workplaces into thriving inclusive communities – specializing in providing tailored programs and solutions for diversity, equity, and inclusion. CONNECT WITH DANNETTE (DANI) Stone Soup Diversity Consulting   LinkedIn EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSStory of Stone SoupThe Invisible KnapsackPrivilege Video LinkYouTube Channel:  Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black ManBook:  Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black ManDare to Lead Podcast:  Aiko Bethea on Inclusivity at Work:  The Heart of Hard ConversationsEmpowering Women in Industry MembershipEmpowering Women in Industry MagazineEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual Events (Including Book Club and Membership Circles)Shannon Bumgarner Linked In QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“Put the broccoli in the brownie. You want to get the nutrients in there but it is okay to still make it taste good.”“Challenge I have seen is implementing diversity initiatives in a performative way. What I mean by performative is there is nothing really behind why the diversity initiative is being implemented.  There is no conversation.  It is being implemented for the sake of being implemented; for ‘keeping up with the Joneses’”. “People need to be vulnerable in those moments that matter.”“DEI&B is not compliance training – it is a discussion. It is not a lecture.  It is a time for us to come together and get comfortable with the uncomfortable. And then be able to share that conversation with others.”“Part of the diversity journey is meeting people where they are.  Not where you think you should be.  There is no finger pointing.  There is no shaming.  There is no blaming around the teaching, training, and learning of diversity.”“Want to make sure a company knows who they are first.  And then being able to incorporate DEI&B initiatives within the mission, vision, and values.” “Without a story, people are not going to attach to it. They are not going to see themselves. They are not going to be able to explain it to others.”

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Liz Hansen is the owner and photographer at Chicago Boudoir Photography, a boutique studio that empowers women to feel confident in their bodies, relationships, and lives. Liz opened her business in 2018 and quickly grew it to be pthe Chicago area's premier boudoir studio. She also coaches photographers to reach their dreams through her online coaching program, Million Dollar Studio Program. Liz has been featured on the TEDx stage, on National Public Radio and with the Association of International Boudoir Photographers. Liz holds a BA in Art and an MA in Education. She lives in the Chicago area with her husband, two teenage daughters and their French bulldog named Quarantina. CONNECT WITH LIZ  Photo Studio Website   Coaching Program Website EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSLiz Hansen TEDx TalkEmpowering Women in Industry MembershipEmpowering Women in Industry MagazineEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual Events (Including Book Club and Membership Circles)Shannon Bumgarner Linked In QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“My mission in life is to help women be empowered.”“I believe that every woman at every age at any stage of your journey, it’s worth celebrating.”“I think there are really important reasons for every one at every stage to document themselves, to feel pampered, and to feel beautiful.”“The only confidence you need is the confidence to show up.”“In so many aspects of our lives, we are nervous to do things not because we are not able to do them, but just because they are new.”“There are these things in life that require us to put aside our ego, put aside our fears, and allow ourselves to be vulnerable and try new things.”“When you keep a catalog of those things you’ve achieved; it allows you to achieve even more.”“My goal is to help women see a REAL version of themselves.”“Professional headshot is no longer your grandma’s headshot… You can create a set of images that represent you for who you are. You are a brand.”“Sit down with the photographer and come up with three words that you want to convey with your pictures.“It is hard to be what you cannot see.”

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Dina Boggess is a results-oriented procurement and integrated supply chain executive with a proven track record of delivering top tier performance and driving digital transformation within Fortune 500 companies.She’s held progressive leadership roles with scopes including direct material, indirect goods and services as well as new product development.  She’s also spent time in multiple industries including retail apparel with Tween Brands, industrial manufacturing with Ingersoll Rand and Trane Technologies and the logistics industry with XPO.Dina is an advocate of helping support women in industry and devotes time to coaching and mentoring to aid others in unlocking their greatest potential.  She also participates in and supports organizations such as the Women In Manufacturing (WiM) national trade association and the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC). CONNECT WITH DINA           LinkedIn   EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSCowbell LinkGratitude Journal for WomenEmpowering Women in Industry MembershipEmpowering Women in Industry MagazineEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual Events (Including Book Club and Membership Circles)Shannon Bumgarner Linked In QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“Sometimes being courageous does not have to be this gigantic, really tough thing that you step into. It could be something really small that does not seem like a lot for you.  But it is really impactful to the other person.  Courage can be big or small.”Dina’s mantra, “Grit. Grace. Gratitude.”“Courage is a heart word. The root of the word courage is cor - the Latin word for heart. In one of its earliest forms, the word courage meant "To speak one's mind by telling all one's heart.” – Brene BrownCourage:  “Stepping into unknown purposefully with your head held high.  Tackling that challenge head on.”“Showing up is courageous.  Sometimes we overthink.  It is just showing up and letting what will be, will be.”“Fake it till you become it.”Connection:  “Be mindful to not just gravitate towards the people that are naturally in your circle. Be purposeful.  Find other (connections) that you would not normally have in the day-to-day.”Connection: “Be really thoughtful on how and what connections you are going to keep.” On Purpose Over Time:  “Whatever your (purpose) answer is, that is the answer for right now. It does not mean that is what it has to look like go forward. “ “There is no such thing as perfect work life balance. There is an integration of the two where you are going to have peaks and valleys. It’s how you comingle those.”On Grace:  “Self-compassion and kindness; not only for others but for yourself.”“Create space and time for trust and honesty on your team. If you can cultivate that, it is priceless.”

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Jennifer is a speaker, agent of change, vitality + high performance leadership coach and integrative practitioner.  Her true passion is working with ambitious + conscious leaders to create their true wellness by breaking free permanently of their core wounds/blocks, expand their leadership by fanning their unique INFLUENCE so they can live the soul-aligned life that they were created for with Ease & FLOW. …CONNECT WITH JENNIFER  LinkedIn  Instagram Facebook Jennifer Watson Leadership Website    EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSMy Human Design WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry MembershipEmpowering Women in Industry MagazineEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual Events (Including Book Club and Membership Circles)Shannon Bumgarner Linked In QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“There are two moments in someone’s life.  The first is the day you were born.  The second is when you realize why.”“Sometimes you have to take a leap and build your wings on the way down.” “When you step into your calling, it is a true spiritual journey”“When you stay more in alignment, you are more in your frequency.  When you are in frequency, everything you desire as a leader of your deeper purpose of impact is going to happen at rate that feels accelerated and with ease, joy, and flow.”“When you are truly stepping into your deeper purpose, your calling, you are stepping into a growth zone. You will be starting to do things differently in all areas of your life.  It is going to be required of you.”“When you step into your calling, it is a true spiritual journey”“If you can understand that good things shall pass and bad things shall pass, yet you still have who you are and the gifts you have to give to the world.  It’s all good.”“If we can sit in the mastery of what we are trying to create, the journey of it, knowing our gifts will always be there.  It allows us to empower ourselves to know we are significant with and without successes. This is just a journey of mastery of our self with our unique gifts.”“When you are doing things that are aligned with you, stepping in your truth, and aligned with your core values; your frequency starts changing.”“We feed off each other’s frequency.  It’s called masterminding.  When you start elevating your creation, your team feeds off of that. Your ability to take care of you first helps influence everyone around you.”“When we have a lot of chaos in our brain, writing it and speaking it physiologically takes it out of our head and purges it through the body. So now the brain has space for a solution.”“Your brain is so brilliant.  It wants to work for you, but it needs room.”“When you actually believe something and you say you are going to do it. And you do not do it for yourself.  Your brain starts not trusting you. Actually starts giving you activities that are far from the activity you want to trust yourself in.”“How can we create empathy for someone else if you do not have empathy for yourself.”  

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Tiffany is a Certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner and Yoga Teacher. She is an experienced executive leader and transformational coach who has a passion for helping others thrive by guiding them to shift their mindset, take action towards goals and embrace self-care. An explorer at heart, with a never ending curiosity for learning new things, she is constantly expanding her education and has received additional training in Nutrigenomics (DNA Testing), Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA), Bioenergetics, Hypnotherapy (Board Certified), Quantum Biology and Biophysics. CONNECT WITH TIFFANY    LinkedIn   Instagram Facebook Tiffany Cagwin Website  Tiffany's Email   EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSMy Human Design WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry MembershipEmpowering Women in Industry MagazineEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual Events (Including Book Club and Membership Circles)Shannon Bumgarner Linked In QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“If you understand your why, there is something liberating about learning how to work with that.”Reason for the shortage: “We are being drained of our energy for many reasons and we are not filling up with the right inputs.”“There is rhythm our body is programmed to be attuned to.”“Unfortunately, we reach for the abundance of energy in the wrong ways – caffeine, comfort foods, etc.  Your body is in survival mode and you’re doing everything you can to get to moment to moment.”“The only inputs that can restore the body’s charge come from whole food (that actually has the charge from nature), the sun, the natural water, and grounding from the earth.”Survival Mode:  “ When we are stuck in the fight or flight modes.  There is no rest or digest.  No parasympathetic mode.  It is like the light switch is always on.”Burnout:  “When that (survival mode) has been the case way too long.” Burnout: “It can be described as metabolic chaos.”“Creativity, I think, is what drives all of us. When you are so depleted, there is no space for that.”“I am so addicted to being busy because it feels productive.”“Requires us to let go of stuff that we think is important but is actually not.”On action steps: “Start with the things that make the biggest impact. As soon as you start to feel a little bit better, you will be amazed at what other space opens up.”On action steps: “Look at existing routines to see if they can be tweaked.”

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Jamie Dandar McKinney, MBA, is the best-selling author of Speak Up, Sister! The Professional Woman’s Guide to Confidence and Success as well as a certified professional coach for businesswomen, a keynote speaker, and a virtual workshop leader.  Jamie ignites action by sharing key lessons learned while working her way up in heavily male-dominated industries.  Recognized by the Denver Business Journal as a Top Woman in Energy, she jokes that her stilettos have steel-toes.  Jamie is fully immersed in her company mission to empower women to ditch doubts, speak up, and achieve the careers they deserve and desire. CONNECT WITH JAMIE         LinkedIn   Instagram  Jamie McKinney Website  Jamie’s Contact Page   EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSSpeak Up Sister BookLink to Jamie's Positive Intelligence Program - Including Assessment ToolPositive Intelligence WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry MembershipEmpowering Women in Industry Conference Oct 5Empowering Women in Industry MagazineEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual Events (Including Book Club and Membership Circles)Shannon Bumgarner Linked In QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“I feel good from the inside out. When you are centered in your confidence, there are no secrets to that. There is no competition; it’s about collaboration. Lifting each other up.”“Turning obstacle into an opportunity.”“Confidence is an inside game.  The mistake sometimes people make.  They are seeking external validation for their confidence.”“Your authentic self is your most powerful version of you.”“Only way self-doubt wins is if we let it. We have a lot more power and control than we realize.”“Positive Intelligence (PQ) is a measure of your mental fitness. It’s the ratio of how your brain defaults to either positive or negative thoughts.”“What you can control is what you do with it once you hear it.”“Some people go through life never actually hearing their self-doubt, simply feeling it.”“Our body speaks our truth louder than our words all the time.”“Name it to tame it.”Our self-doubt has names.  Nine primary saboteur voices: Controller, Hyper achiever, Restless, Stickler, Pleaser, Hyper vigilant, Avoider, Victim, and Hyper rationale.   “Self-Doubt does not discriminate.  When you are playing big, setting big goals, and you are stepping out of your comfort zone; that is when your self-doubt wants you to listen. Our brains are wired to protect us.”“You can turn the impossible to possible when you silence those saboteurs and lean into your sage voices where your full potential and power truly lives.”

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Karen Laos, Communication Expert and Confidence Cultivator, is on a mission to eradicate self-doubt in 10 million women by giving them simple strategies to ask for what they want in the boardroom and beyond.Coached by her father, Karen first recognized the power of confident communication when she successfully negotiated her first flea market purchase at six years old. She now guides women to transform self-doubt into self-confidence resulting in more clients, job promotions, and negotiation wins. With 25 years serving as C-Suite advisor and commanding coveted stages such as Google, Starbucks and NASA, Karen leads the frontline of best practices for creating results through confident communication. She guides corporations and individuals with a proven model and is known for her actionable tips and ability to build trust quickly. During her corporate career, she led a team of facilitators while traveling the globe consulting industry leaders on the seemingly soft skills that impact the bottom line.Karen is the author of Trust Your Own Voice: Growing Your Influence Through Confident Communication, as well as the host of her highly ranked podcast, Ignite Your Confidence, equipping women to stop holding back and start taking their seat at the table. Following her lifelong dream to live in Manhattan, she rented an apartment there for the month of her 50th Birthday.CONNECT WITH KAREN       LinkedIn   Instagram  Karen Laos Website    EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSBook:  Trust Your Own VoiceIgnite Your Confidence PodcastEmpowering Women in Industry MembershipEmpowering Women in Industry Conference Oct 5Empowering Women in Industry MagazineEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual Events (Including Book Club and Membership Circles)Shannon Bumgarner Linked In QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“Trust yourself.”“That moment when I realized I didn’t need permission was a huge ‘ah ha’ moment for me.”“It’s amazing how many people are still held back and that is why they don’t speak up.”“You want to show up in your presence, in your voice, and in your body language as if you are the expert. Because if you don’t come across as confident then how would someone want to buy anything from you.”“Every time we open up our mouths we have the opportunity to influence someone.”PPU Introduction Guide:  Say something personal, professional, and unique about yourself. “When we are confident, we have a better ability to be able to influence others because we come across as more connected and we come across with more clarity.”“When you are sharing your story back to someone who shared something, and you’re attempting to connect with them, your part should not be more than 45 seconds.  Once it gets longer than that,  the other person shuts down, feels dismissed, or both.”“Every word has a job.  Does that word do the job?   Is it needed to do the job?”

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Jaclyn Herrera is the Chief Marketing Officer and Bridgebuilder at ChasmBridge, a CHIEF member. Whether planning for long term brand management or driving revenue results, Jaclyn brings a strategic mind with clear road paths and measurable results.She specializes in high growth-oriented businesses that are aiming to make a transaction, enter new markets, dramatically improve revenue results or that are going through major cultural change. Through a relentless focus on the customer experience, Jaclyn has increased revenue opportunities through lead generation by $6M/month, improved total cost of ownership of technologies through aftermarket pull through by 28%, and designed customer journey maps that improve experience and engagement with NPS results as high as 9.Her incredible leadership has resulted in many personal and business awards including - business industry recognition, marketing recognition for product launches and exhibition results, and project industry recognition. CONNECT WITH JACLYN     LinkedIn   Instagram  Continuity Consequence Agency     EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSBlack-owned Business DirectoriesGuide to Customer Journey MappingHBR Article on Blind HiringEmpowering Women in Industry MembershipEmpowering Women in Industry Conference Oct 5Empowering Women in Industry MagazineEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual Events (Including Book Club and Membership Circles)Shannon Bumgarner Linked In QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“You need to be intentional about how others experience you.”“Find your voice and find your voice early. Don’t be afraid of it.”“So many people sit and wait for the opportunity to come to them. Just doing your job isn’t the only way to make that happen.”What does a good customer experience look like?  Combination of the transactional customer experience and the lifecycle experience (considering all those touch points in between). “Elevating what you’re delivering from the person’s expectations of you.”What should we avoid when we’re trying to create positive customer experiences? “Not doing what you say you’re going to do.”Customer Journey Mapping - Key questions to think about:(1)   What is the customer going through when they need a product like ours?(2)   What are the touch points that us, as a company, is giving that person as they are trying to understand our product or evaluating our competitor’s product?(3)   What digital tools are we using to communicate along that way?On Blind Hiring: “Allowed me to understand the content of their (candidates) character and the capabilities as it relates to the role.”

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Bolanle Williams-Olley is the CFO and co-owner at Mancini Duffy, a national design firm with a 100+-year-old history and tech-forward approach based in New York City, where she oversees the firm's financial and operational performance. She has over 15 years of experience working in the AEC industry with a strong background in financial analysis and strategic initiatives. At her core, she thrives on building relationships between finance and management teams to ensure the overall financial success of projects and her firm. Bolanle is passionate about service and is the founder of several impact organizations including: ·        SheBuildsWaves:a collective of women who make waves in the built industry by engaging each other and striving for more, together·        SheBuildsMoney: a company to help small design firms with financial solutions to empower these firms to be successful and thrive, financiallyCONNECT WITH BOLANLE Instagram     LinkedIn     Twitter    CONNECT WITH MANCINI DUFFY Website   Instagram     LinkedIn     Facebook    Twitter EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSLink to the book “Build Boldly:  Chart Your Unique Career Path and Lead with Courage”NOMA Project PipelineRaising Smart GirlsFederal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Article WTW Gender Wealth Equity StudyEmpowering Women in Industry MembershipEmpowering Women in Industry Conference Oct 5Empowering Women in Industry MagazineEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual Events QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“Character speaks for you.”“Pivotal moments in my career was when I was truly myself. Represented myself.  And I was bold.”“If workplaces are not flexible, then there is not going to be an opportunity for me to even progress.”“It’s a domino effect.  Racial discrimination affects education. It affects housing. It affects job opportunities. All of these things translate and affect why that gap (wealth) is so wide.” “Be aware of the water you are swimming in.”Bold Framework:  B is Be Yourself.  D is Don’t Wait, Do it Now.“Feel the fear and do it anyway.”

The opinions voiced in this podcast are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. To determine which strategies or investments may be suitable for you, consult the appropriate qualified professional prior to making a decision. ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Amy Westbrook is a certified life coach and professional wealth coach.  Using her corporate background in neuroscience, she has developed innovative neuropsychological tools and high performance strategies to help ambitious professionals get out of their own way to achieve extraordinary success faster, easier and on their own terms.  Amy is a Co-Active Certified coach (CPCC) and a member of the International Coaching Federation.  She was also one of the original coaches on the Capital One Money Coaching team.  Amy spent 18 years as an award winning sales representative focused in the area of neuroscience and turned her passion for people into a successful coaching business in 2015.  She's always had a passion for numbers and completed her MBA early in her career. CONNECT WITH AMY Website   Instagram @MoneyMojoCoach     LinkedIn     Facebook @moneymojocoach   WATCH ON YOUTUBEEPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSEmpowering Women in Industry MembershipEmpowering Women in Industry Conference Oct 5Empowering Women in Industry MagazineEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual Events (Including Book Club and Membership Circles)Shannon Bumgarner Linked In QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“You have to be able to experience worth, happiness, joy. You have to be able to experience that now.  What makes you think $10,000, $100,000 is going to make a difference.”“Born (from those experiences} is an interpretation.  That interpretation is shame, guilt, resentment, and unworthiness.”“You cannot feel empowered to move forward if you’re focused in the past.”“We don’t have the language to talk about money.  Money is a new thing for our brain… It’s lumped in with the other reward pathways.”“For women, we’re not real clear on what wealth means to us individually.”“Important first step is what are my values and what life do I want to create.  Being intentional with that life.”“I’ve climbed the ladder and it’s up against the wrong building.”“Money really is just numbers on page but we assign value to it. You have to look at the meaning you assign to it.  That is born from your past experiences – what your parents said about money, what your church said about money, what your community said about money, what your best friend thinks about money, and your own experiences.”Different Layers of Thinking in the Brain:  Mindset – Limiting Beliefs – Identify“Emotional identities define are potential.”“Women are taught to shrink their way to wealth.”“Women need to stop the shame for women that are doing well and willing to say I am doing well. Let’s clap, say congratulations, and teach me how to do it.”<

The opinions voiced in this podcast are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. To determine which strategies or investments may be suitable for you, consult the appropriate qualified professional prior to making a decision. ABOUT OUR GUESTS:  Julie Schatz is a Certified Financial Planner™ and partner at Investor’s Capital Management in Menlo Park, CA. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame and worked for large chemical companies such as Hercules Inc., Dexter Corp, Loctite, and Henkel for 20 years, as a field engineer installing automated equipment across the USA and Singapore, and then in technical sales. At the age of 40, Julie decided she was ready for a new career, so she went back to school to study personal financial planning while raising two young children.  Julie loves helping her clients achieve their goals through comprehensive and personalized strategies. She specializes in tax planning and continuously updates her skills through additional coursework and professional meetings throughout the year. CONNECT WITH JULIE Fees Only Website   Forum Financial Website (Aug’23)     Julie LinkedIn    WATCH ON YOUTUBE EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSUS Bureau of Labor Statistics Wage DataEarnings of STEM and Non-STEM WorkersRaising Smart Girls OrgEmpowering Women in Industry MembershipEmpowering Women in Industry Conference Oct 5Empowering Women in Industry MagazineEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual Events (Including Book Club and Membership Circles)Shannon Bumgarner Linked In QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“Planning and saving helped put in the place to be able to do that career change.”“Usually one person in a couple takes the lead when it comes to finances.  The person more interested is the more engaged person and 60% of the time that is the woman.”Common fear women have is their retirement security and avoiding running out of money.“Advocate for yourself.  Even if you don’t think you deserve it or if you think other people deserve it more, go for it.  That is so much data that shows that women tend to underestimate or undervalue what their skills are worth.”  “Each of us has to become comfortable in our own skin. We have to become comfortable with who we are and what we can do. If we are comfortable, we are less likely to feel the need to keep up with the Joneses or a social media influencer. We’re not buying things to satisfy some discontent within ourselves.”“It’s okay to do a little extra something here and there, but keep your big picture in mind.”

The opinions voiced in this podcast are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. To determine which strategies or investments may be suitable for you, consult the appropriate qualified professional prior to making a decision.Investment Advice offered through WCG Wealth Advisors, LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor. Utor Wealth is a separate entity from The Wealth Consulting Group and WCG Wealth Advisors, LLC. ABOUT OUR GUESTS:  Jenifer SapelJen is a recovering over-achiever who overcompensated financially after living with a mother who struggled financially after divorce.  She describes her childhood home as one that pretended tough subjects didn’t exist:  rape, death, sex, and of course, money.  Her drive to succeed, curiosity, and astonishing ability to problem solve, helped propel her success in financial services winning awards and often being the only woman leader in the room.  She started Utor Wealth after tiring of long-winded meetings and over-emphasis on products and sales quotas.  Utor is latin for:  to use, to employ, to enjoy.  Jen believes that every dollar we touch and how we send it out into the world is shaping both the world we live in and the one we aspire to.  Every woman deserves to do it intentionally and with confidence, that is exactly how she helps her clients. Carol ParrishCarol serves as a "financial air traffic controller" for women, navigating their finances like an air traffic controller manages airplane traffic. In ever-changing circumstances, she manages the "air traffic" to create a customized flight plan guiding powerful women to their ideal destinations.   After a career in sports marketing, Carol jumped into financial services, another male dominated field, and quickly realized the need for change around women and money.  She is passionate about helping women ditch the negative thoughts, shame and judgment around money (often created by men). Carol’s interest in aerospace and engineering began at an early age, growing up with her engineer father who ran a plate glass plant, and her twin brother helps build handheld ultrasounds. Her dreams of becoming an astronaut were put on hold when she discovered her extreme dislike for small spaces.CONNECT WITH JENIFER, CAROL, AND UTOR WEALTH Utor Wealth Website   Jenifer Instagram     Jenifer LinkedIn    Carol Instagram     Carol LinkedInWATCH ON YOUTUBEEPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKS2022 Global Gender Wealth Equity ReportThe Gender Wealth Gap – Why It Matters and What You Can Do to Change ItEmpowering Women in Industry MembershipEmpowering Women in Industry MagazineEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Book ClubEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual Events

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Dr. Cat Shrier began her career in legislative offices, campaigns & agencies. After joining an environmental consulting firm where scientists & engineers turned brownfields into playgrounds on projects driven by regulations with public funding, she knew her career would lie at the intersection of science, engineering & policy on water & sustainability.  Dr. Cat has completed degrees in water science and engineering while gaining work experience in Business Development, Project Management & Tech Services. As head of Water BD & Sr PM, she became the first woman eligible for an Engineering Associate bid at a Global Firm.   She often works on “impossible” or “wicked” water problems, bringing people together into communication, collaboration & commitment to results on ASR Regulatory Clarity, Water-Energy Nexus, Climate Adaptation, Reuse and other Water Innovation & Policy challenges.   Dr. Cat founded WaterCitizen as an online media company and virtual education & engagement nonprofit for water and environmental professionals, civic leaders & innovators. She has interviewed 100s of water leaders & innovators on cutting-edge issues, publishing stories & videos for WaterCitizen Media.  With her years of experience in the industry and as an entrepreneur, Dr. Cat is uniquely positioned to help women leaders be a driving force in this industry.    CONNECT WITH DR CAT AND WATERCITIZEN Dr Cat LinkedIn   Dr Cat Facebook  Water Citizen Foundation EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSWorld Water DayUN 2023 Water ConferenceUN Sustainable Development GoalsEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Book ClubEmpowering Women in Industry Mentorship CirclesEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual EventsShannon Bumgarner Linked In Women OF Water GET REAL Virtual SummitRegistration Link:  Women of Water Get Real Virtual SummitMonday-Friday, March 20-24, 2023 during UN Water WeekMonday-Friday, March 27-31, 2023 “Encore” WeekJoin WaterCitizen for a Series of 45 Extraordinary Interviews With Women Water Leaders from Utilities, Nonprofits, Tech Companies, and Associations, Including Engineers, Lawyers, Public Administrators, Operators, Plumbers, Environmental Scientists, Social Scientists and Coaches on Challenges and Opportunities at ALL Career Stages Including·       Attraction/Education·       Recruitment/Early Career·       Retention/Development·       Advancement/Leadership·       PLUS Career Re-Entry! Join from wherever you are for a FREE online public education, engagement, and empowerment experience!

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Chloe Arsenault is a second-year student in the Civil and Mining Engineering Technician program at Collège Boréal. Having been involved in the skilled trades for some time, she noticed the lack of female role models in these industries. It was the spark Chloe needed to use her voice in women's empowerment movements; sharing her skills and personal stories to help pave the way for women in male-dominated careers and the mining sector. She is continuing to break new ground by participating in the Miss Ontario Regional Canada Pageant 2023 where she will continue to share her platform.  For Chloe, being a title holder means having a purpose, a vision, and a goal. Applying your platform and being a role model are key components her pageantry journey.  Making a difference has always been very important to her and she is looking forward to using this opportunity to recognize the hard-working women in the skilled trades and as well as the women in the mining industry.  CONNECT WITH CHLOE Instagram   FacebookWATCH ON YOUTUBE EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSCensus.gov Women’s History Month InfoInternational Women's Day WebsiteEmpowered Women in Trades WebsiteTED Talk:  What if Women Built the World They Want to SeeEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Book ClubEmpowering Women in Industry Mentorship CirclesEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual EventsShannon Bumgarner Linked In “QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“You can always build yourself better.”“Just try for it.  Try something new.  You never know what will come out of it.”“I realized I also love being feminine.  Because of my choice of career, doesn’t mean I need to define myself to be just a welder or a carpenter where I have to stay within my trade where I can’t show my feminine side.”On being the only female in her studies:  “You have to be strong minded.  You have to keep that attitude that I am going to be part of the change.  Some things I am going to have to face so that the future generation of women won’t have to feel that.” “I cannot be afraid to ask for help.  I think that can be an issue sometimes when women think, ‘If I put myself in that position, it shows I am weak.’ ”“Another great part about women being in these industries now is not only is it empowering for women, but I think men are starting to realize that they are not superman either. They are starting to realize that they too can ask for help.”“With the evolution of women in the trades, it’s the same story with pageantry. That’s where I found a love for it. In pageantry, we look for a role model – a leader. Somebody who wants to make a difference. That’s where having a strong message and point; being able to use social media and that crown/sash to make a difference.  That’s what it comes down to

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Carolyn Alessi is the Regional Director for Community Health and Well Being for Trinity Health of New England. Here she provides project and leadership support to the Joan C. Dauber Food Pantry, social care and clinical integration within the surgical service lines and safety net clinics, and has oversight of the Hospital Violence Intervention program.  Her expertise is in seeing the “big” picture. She is strategic in her approach to partnerships, working with diverse stakeholders to rally towards a common goal, facilitating crucial conversations and producing strong outcomes from the partner’s collective work. Since being at Trinity Health Of New England, Carolyn has been instrumental in raising over $1.6M to support the programs in the Hartford market. In 2022, she received the exclusive Paradigm for Parity Women on the Rise award for her efforts to recruit 4 companies to join the Paradigm for Paritycoalition including her own organization which signed the pledge to have diversity of women represent 50% of C-Suite and Board roles over the next 5 years. Carolyn currently holds the position as State Leader for Million Women Mentors CT Chapter, a national network that encourages women and girls to pursue and persist in STEM. During her time as State Leader, she has grown the organization from 18 members to now over 300 members within the network. CONNECT WITH CAROLYN AND MILLION WOMEN MENTORS (MWM)Carolyn LinkedIn MWM LinkedIn  MWM Instagram (@MWM-CT)   MWM Facebook (MWMentorsct)WATCH ON YOUTUBEhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXORze0AIyEEPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSParadigm for ParityMillion Women MentorsStrengthsFinder 2.0 BookEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Book ClubEmpowering Women in Industry Mentorship CirclesEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual EventsShannon Bumgarner Linked In  QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“Lead with confidence”Two factors that contributed to her healthcare leadership success: (1) Having a really strong, broad network. (2) Learned how to build internal allies“Once you build certain allies, it’s amazing how other leader (especially senior leaders) give you that respect. They look at it ‘you’ve already gained the respect of my peer so there is something there that allows for that relationship to be trustworthy. I am going to lean on that and build that ally with you as well’.”On being a strategic giver: “The people that you invest in, they should be the ones that have the potential to move up and then look down and do the same thing.” “Pivoting and going into other role really does help your decision making more effective. It comes down to taking small risks for greater reward.”“I have pivoted toward how can I leverage my strengths?”Factors for Health Disparities: (1) Lack of Wi-fi access, (2) Lack of access to grocery store,

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Lauren is a mindset speaker, the author of “Go With Your Gut: Then Keep Going”, and the host of the podcast, Go With Your Gut.  Lauren is committed to motivating, inspiring, and leading others who feel stuck personally and professionally. She loves to use her experiences and what she's learned to help others learn to manage their mindset, find the opportunity in difficulty, and grow through their fear.  CONNECT WITH LAURENWebsite LinkedIn  Instagram   FacebookInstagram:  Live Life with LaurenFacebook:  Living Life with LaurenWatch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uia-YlHdCOQEPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSBook:  Go With Your Gut:  Then Keep GoingGo With Your Gut PodcastAbby Wombach - How to Come Together, Unleash Our Power, and Change the GameEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Book ClubEmpowering Women in Industry Mentorship CirclesEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual Events QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“We want to put ourselves, or keep ourselves, in a box of what we think we should do.”“Nobody can relate to perfection.”“Make fear your friend.”“Go out there.  Whatever you are going to do, have fun with it. Even if it does not go how you think it is going to go.  Tweak it.  And move on.”“I have gone where I thought I needed to go.  Most of it I have no background in.”“I had absolutely no idea where I wanted to go but I knew there was a way to get there.”“When you take the labels and limitations off of yourself, it is incredible and powerful.”On reimagining your path: “It starts by letting ourselves dream.  We honestly do not do that enough. Dream about the things that seem absolutely crazy to you. Dream about what would it look like.  Where would you be. “On overcoming fear:  Listening to your body.  “Being able to recognize it. Learning how to calm your body down and not lead your mind, that anxiety and fear, take over.  That is the self-doubt coming out in you.”“Fear looks absolutely different for everyone. Once you think you have it conquered, it will find a new way (to return).”On overcoming fear: “Get yourself out of that comfort zone as much as you as can. Do it intentionally.”

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Miranda Eisermann is an Early Talent Program Manager at Trane Technologies. Miranda has her Bachelors in Business Management, Minor in Human Resources from Upper Iowa University and Masters of Education Professional Development from the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. She has over 19 years of multi-functional experience (14 years at Trane Technologies) in the areas of project management, human resources, training and development, safety, marketing, finance and leadership. Miranda’s energy and drive come from uplifting our people, culture and communities, owning actions and doing what is right, always. Miranda’s husband has also works at Trane Technologies, reside in Holmen, WI and have 2 boys, Keenan is a sophomore and Konley is in 7th grade. They spend our evenings and weekends watching their kids play football, basketball and baseball.CONNECT WITH MIRANDALinkedIn  EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSCNBC Article "How Tapping Into Early Talent Can Help Companies Fill Positions Faster"Women in Manufacturing (WiM)Paradigm 4 ParityEmpowering Women WebsiteEmpowering Women Slack ChannelEmpowering Women Events (Including Meet Ups)WATCH ON YOUTUBEhttps://youtu.be/c8qf4XDDcS4QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“It’s a journey of figuring what you want to do and what you want to be.”“Embrace the journey. Take all the skill sets that you can from each of the roles. ““Sometimes we just need a little confidence boost or someone else to push us to say ‘you can do this.’“Sometimes we fear that uncomfortable zone. We just need someone to give us that little bit of a confidence booster.”On the value of groups like Empowering Women in Industry and Women in Manufacturing:  “Making time for development.  It’s part of the problem that we all have. We don’t make time for it; we do not block that time to completely focus on it.”On having a diverse career journey:  “For me it’s been about skill building.  Getting the extra pieces on your resume and realizing you need to diversify…. Makes me understand the business better and build those connections.”What drew Miranda to early talent:  “Helping people find what they truly want to do and love to do.”Critical element of early talent program:  “Early talent to realize you are going to play a part of the puzzle. You’re going to play a part in the department and you’re going to make a difference.”Critical element of early talent program:  “Early talent being able to focus on diving in head first and asking the questions.”

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Alison Lange was raised in West Texas, bringing with her a legacy of hard work and service. She waited tables 10 hours a day to put herself through college, graduating Magna Cum Laude from Angelo State University with a bachelor’s degree in communications and an English minor — all within three years. She spent the next 25 years becoming a marketing leader in San Antonio where she has served education, tourism, culinary, literacy, health, technology, home services, government, non-profit and corporate sectors.Alison’s leadership at Shafer Services Plus helped it achieve its top two performing years in the company’s 135-plus-year history. Additionally, she oversaw rebranding and launched Shafer Serves, a philanthropic program that has donated more than $55,000 in equipment and services to local non-profits and community members such as Boys and Girls Clubs of San Antonio, SA Youth, Guide Dogs of Texas, military veterans and The San Antonio Food Bank.CONNECT WITH ALISONLinkedIn  Instagram   FacebookEPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSAbby Wombach - How to Come Together, Unleash Our Power, and Change the GameWomen in HVACRExplorethetrades.orgShafer Services PlusEmpowering Women WebsiteEmpowering Women Slack ChannelEmpowering Women Events (Including Meet Ups)VIEW ON YOUTUBEhttps://youtu.be/Jiq2njDeS0UQUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“Dare greatly and fail forward.”“I love inspiring people, leading people, and teaching people. That is what lit a spark in me.”On career diversity: “Marketing and business development are the threads that have consistently run through my career…. How do I best use my skills to build a product or service that gets the word out there?”“My superpower has been building the bridge from point A to point B.”Takeaway:  Same page meetings and using those to create true alignment.”“I think there’s so much more pressure on women.  We’re not allowed to screw up. I think there is vey much a double standard. Men’s sins are more forgivable.”“We (female leaders) have to give ourselves permission to fail and fail bigger.”Wolfpack:  “Cheering from the bench for who is on the field.”“If we, as women, don’t lay down those bricks to build that path, who is going to?”Normalizing the trades:  “We as parents, as leaders, we have to make it an option (trades).”

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Kamille Tacub is the current reigning Miss Hawaii International. She’s a 23-year-old Honolulu, Hawaii resident currently working for Starbucks as a 4-year partner and trainer. She is her store’s representative for all round table quarterly meetings, and recently was selected to be 1 out of 5 to represent her store and district at a collaborative season with some members from the corporate Starbucks offices.  Kamille uses the power of her platform as a youth ministry leader, mentor at her local church, and with the children that visit her store. One of her platforms is suicide prevention which she shared in July 2022 as she placed in the Top 10 at the Miss International Pageant.  She loves going to the beach, volunteering in her community, and visiting her pageant family in Kona. Kamille has walked in various fashion shows from Orlando to NYFW as well as neighboring island to island fashion shows.  CONNECT WITH KAMILLEPersonal Instagram     Miss Hawaii International Instagram    Hawaii International Pageants   Facebook EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSTen Facts About BullyingStop Bullying Government SiteAutism Moms of KonaAnti Sex Trafficking Org in HawaiiEmpowering Women WebsiteEmpowering Women Slack ChannelEmpowering Women Events (Including Meet Ups)QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYSKamille has two platforms:  (1) Suicide and Depression and (2) Anti Sex Trafficking.Importance of platform:  “I am really happy that my story was able to help someone that was in the same situation as me.”“Finding organizations and networks to help people get through that (suicide) was what really helped me.”“I still as a 23-year-old struggle with my self-confidence.”“All of those bad things that have happened in my life, past and current, has made me who I am. Building me a thicker skin and being more confident in myself.”“What I love about pageantry is the community service.  Giving back to the community.  Having a purpose and having a why. ““I walked out of the Miss International Pageant with more confidence in myself.”About bullying: “I remember in that moment I was just thinking, ‘What did I do to deserve this?’…  I still don’t know, to this day, why I am such an easy target. “Response to bullying:  “I am not going to let that (person not liking me) define how I am going to live the rest of my day, the rest of my week, or the rest of my year.”  Make sure you have mentors to guide you.

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Mary Verrone is the founder of Change Management Pros consulting where she is passionately committed to driving great user experiences for those whose jobs change due to systems, tool, process, or organizational change.   Mary is an industry thought leader, strategist, experienced speaker, trainer and mentor in Organizational Change Management with a wealth of global experience. She is a certified Change Practitioner with Prosci and LaMarsh, Project Management Professional (PMP) from PMI and Six Sigma White Belt. CONNECT WITH MARY LinkedIn   You Tube - Change Mangement Pros    Website EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSProsci Methodology OverviewProsci ADKAR ModelHBR Article: Managers, What Are You Doing About Change Exhaustion?Empowering Women October 13 2022 Conference RegistrationEmpowering Women WebsiteEmpowering Women Slack ChannelEmpowering Women Events (Including Meet Ups)QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYSHBR Definition of Change Fatigue:  “feeling apathetic towards or overwhelmed by too many organizational changes in a row.”“73% of organizations report they have change saturation but only 20% do anything about it.”Symptoms of Change Fatigue:  (1) People are overly emotional. (2) Change resistance. (3) People complain more.What Can You Do About Change Fatigue:  (1) Watch for it.  Check in on people. (2) Have an inventory of all that is going on and its impact. (3) Prioritize those changes. “People are told to change but they don’t know how”Prosci:  “You track the user experience and there’s five stages a user goes through.”  The stages are:  awareness, desire, knowledge, ability, and reinforcement (sustainability) (ADKAR).When change isn’t done well:  “A lack of trust now.  You are not going to trust future changes.  Somebody does one bad one and your like ‘ugh’. “Change Mistake:  “Project teams don’t think about the users.  They don’t have a choice; they are going to have to accept it. Change Mistake:  “To not have a strong sponsor.  A lot of projects I am on do not have a sponsor.”

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Erin Galloway is the founder of The Habitized Life & Habitize Publishing where she helps individuals, families, and large corporations create customized mindful, healthy habits for home, school and work.  Erin’s entire career has focused on behavior change and how small choices add up to have a big impact. Much of this work has been in supporting families, communities, and schools in building healthy environments that lead to long-term, multi-generational wellbeing. She has served on the leadership team that is opening and operating two innovative early childhood education centers for both The Ohio State University and Johns Hopkins University, along with launching unprecedented international service-learning initiatives for both institutions. Erin earned a Master's degree in Child and Human Development from The Ohio State University. She is comfortable with being uncomfortable, a problem-solver, and listens to her instincts.CONNECT WITH ERIN LinkedIn   Instagram    Website EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSErin Galloway Author PageAtomic HabitsEmpowering Women October 13 2022 Early Bird RegistrationEmpowering Women WebsiteEmpowering Women Slack ChannelEmpowering Women Events (Including Meet Ups)QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“Momentum over motivation.”“Figuring out where the flow and the ease is for you during certain seasons of your life. How to make yourself feel good about how your choosing your habits and priorities every day.”“I often talk about imperfect habits where people can be most successful.  The ones where they say, ‘These are my anchor habits. These are my non-negotiables.’  This list should be really small.”“Sometimes habits don’t serve us and we have to know when (this is).”“I think a lot of the public messages, especially those on social media, are either you are good or bad at habits. I like to talk to people about trying to accept that you’re not have all of your habits equally prioritized at the same time.”“Try to connect a habit more to an emotion than to an outcome.”“Stick to some level of repetition.  Repetition creates comfort.  It creates expectations.  It reduces yelling and stress.”“Some habits are sustainable and some are situational.”Tip #1:  Create a list of habits and prioritize them.  Make this list as short as you can.  Rank them for your good, better, and best days.Tip #2:  When you are in the new habit building phase, don’t reinvent the wheel.  Find an app or system that already exists and use that tool. Try it for a short period of time. 

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Erin Twamley is an award-winning children’s book author and educator. Through her educational consulting group STEM Superheroes™ Erin leads hands-on encounters for kids and writes publications focused on  STEM. She aims to share the careers, stories and superpowers of women in STEM careers to spark their interest and build girls' confidence in STEM. She is the coauthor of the award-winning children’s book series, Everyday Superheroes, published by WiseInk and award-winning STEM project-based books by Nomad Press. Her latest book with coauthors Joshua Sneideman and Katie Mehnert, is Everyday Superheroes: Women in Energy Careers.  It was recently released on July 25, 2022 from WiseInk. Erin leads monthly virtual hands-on encounters for USA Girl Scouts Overseas and writes for magazines including Reinvented Magazine, the nations’ first print magazine for Women in STEM. WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/9YFOqTGRdxQCONNECT WITH ERIN LinkedIn   Instagram  Twitter  Facebook   Website CONNECT WITH STEM Superheroes LinkedIn   Instagram  Twitter  Facebook   Website EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSEveryday Superheroes:  Women in STEM CareersEveryday Superheroes:  Women in Energy CareersEunice Newton FooteMae Among the Stars by Roda AhmedEmpowering Women October 13 2022 Early Bird RegistrationEmpowering Women WebsiteEmpowering Women Slack ChannelEmpowering Women Events (Including Meet Ups)A FEW QUOTES FROM OUR CONVERSATION…“One of the challenges I always had as an educator and even a parent was finding books that had diverse and modern-day role models for my kids.  And really I am talking about women.”“A lot of barriers when it comes to reaching a diverse population.  Sometimes we have to expand our mindset of who we’re trying to reach.”

Episode 8 (Season 4) ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Kristin Winkle Beck, Kristin Winkle Beck is an enthusiastic coach, optimistic problem solver, and servant leader. Kristin brings a mix of energy, collaboration, and perseverance to her work as an executive coach, entrepreneur, and strategic nonprofit leader. She thrives on building relationships, tackling new challenges, and delivering exceptional results. Kristin had her own “Great Resignation” in 2017 taking a personal sabbatical to rest, recharge and refocus her career.  To jumpstart the next chapter of her career, Kristin completed a coaching program accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) which led to the creation of her own executive career coaching and consulting firm, Pivot Point Professionals, LLC. In 2019, she also became the Executive Director for Social Venture Partners Charlotte, a nonprofit organization which invests financial, human and social capital to strengthen innovative nonprofits who are tackling the community’s greatest challenges.CONNECT WITH KRISTIN LinkedIn   Instagram    Email  WebsiteEPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSSocial Venture Partners CharlotteThe First 90 DaysEmpowering Women October 13 2022 Early Bird RegistrationEmpowering Women WebsiteEmpowering Women Slack ChannelEmpowering Women Events (Including Meet Ups)QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“You won’t learn anything if you don’t do something.”“This is a game of momentum.  You have to take some type of action. No growth comes from inside your comfort zone.”“There is something that can be gained in that stillness.  That liberation from obligation. I want to encourage people to do what you can with where you are.  The clarity will come from the action or, in this case, the inaction.”“People are the key to your next role. Network authentically like you are”“I really help people become intentional about what is in the realm of possibility of what they might consider.”Portfolio Career: “For so long we were focused on finding that one perfect job that checked all the boxes. For me, I realized I may never find that perfect job.  And that is okay.” Focused on “doing the right thing at the right time.”Career Transition Mistakes: (1) “They isolate – they think they should be able to figure it out on their own. There is power in connection.” (2) “Not recognizing that there is grief here.  People become very methodical but weren’t not robots.  There is emotion here. “Emotion (exists) in the highs and lows of job searching.” (3) “We put too much emphasis on the resume. Put too much time and energy into application tracking systems and online portals. We forget that the people making hiring decisions ARE people.”

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Jacquie Abram, is the international best-selling and award-winning Author featured in FORBES of Hush Money: How One Woman Proved Systemic Racism in her Workplace and Kept her Job.  Before Jacquie began her journey as an Author and DEI and Antiracism Consultant, she had a career in higher education that she was very good at and that she enjoyed. A career that paid her a lucrative income which, as a single mother of two girls, was the only income that allowed her to provide for her family.  A career that spanned nearly two decades and should have been a successful one. But it wasn’t. Throughout her career, she experienced racism in the workplace and not the kind you see in movies, books, and TVs shows about racism that occurred decades ago during a time when it was more overt and easily spotted, but the kind of racism that is more covert, hidden, and harder to prove.As her career was derailed multiple times by multiple employers, she suffered racial trauma that, to this day, she has not fully recovered from. And when the same thing happened to others including both of her girls after they began careers of their own, she pulled herself out of corporate America, writing the Hush Money books inspired by true events and co-authored by her girls.WATCH ON YOUTUBEhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb_OS4F0eB0&t=8sCONNECT WITH JACQUIE LinkedIn   Instagram    EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSHush Money:  How One Woman Proved Systemic Racism in her Workplace and Kept her JobHush Money:  The Cost of Being Black in Corporate AmericaEmpowering Women Award Nominations - Due June 30thEmpowering Women WebsiteEmpowering Women Slack ChannelEmpowering Women Events (Including Meet Ups)QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“One thing that I committed to, when I decided to answer the calling, is to really use the pain that I have experienced in my own life and to turn it into power for others. I won’t be silenced regardless of what is happening because we need to give a voice to the voiceless.”“What I experienced in my career was more sinister, more nefarious because it was hidden.  It was harder to prove. More covert.  Because of that covert nature, you couldn’t tell whether or not what you were experiencing was really racism.”“It damaged me psychologically…. I found myself suffering from racial trauma . “The reason I found myself on the verge of suicide is I thought something was wrong with me.”“There wasn’t something wrong with me; there was something wrong with the system that allowed me to be harmed in this way.”“(As a black woman) When you are working in your position, you never really get to a chance to just breathe. You as always operating in a state of hypervigilance.”“When a racist leader targets us; we’re not just up against them. They use their power and influence to inspire others in the organization to conspire with them.”“When you are being discriminated against, they are attacking you but they’re ultimate goal is to take away your livelihood.  They does something horrible to you&

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Carla Vallone, is a marketing and communications strategist for business-to-business organizations and leaders who are commercializing highly-technical, mission-critical products and services.  Marrying business-to-business insights and buying habits with an organization’s inherent expertise, Portavoce PR mobilizes marketing strategies the remove barriers to activation, generate leads and accelerate the sales process.  She builds marketing communications strategies that are approachable for companies that don’t yet have mature marketing practices. Carla leads her team of specialists to create and deliver content that generates leads in the AI, technology, software, robotics, life science, medical device, biotech, HVAC, manufacturing and industrial spaces.  During her 20-plus years in public relations and marketing, Carla has worked for and represented Fortune 100 companies as well as dynamic start-up companies. In 2011, she founded Portavoce Public Relations, an award-winning marketing communications agency located in Greater San Diego. CONNECT WITH CARLA AND PORTAVOCE PR LinkedIn  Instagram  Twitter  Facebook  WATCH THIS INTERVIEW ON YOUTUBE https://youtu.be/LzxGjvTAH2gEPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSMay is Share A Story Month in the UKNational Storytelling Network:  What is Storytelling?Your Brand PromiseEmpowering Women WebsiteEmpowering Women Slack ChannelEmpowering Women Events (Including Meet Ups)QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYSWhy tell your story at all?  “Storytelling is a way to attract other like-minded people and really flag in the world what is important to you, what your goals are, and it helps you achieve those goals.”“It creates a foundation to ask for what you want.”“Storytelling can help you build your reputation and your authority around a certain subject matter or skill.”“The 21st Century is the era of telling your own story because now there are all the channels where we can do our own talking for ourselves.”“Find third party proof point on what your story is relevant now.”“There are different stories for different environments.  You are not trying to throw everything into your story. You have to think about what is my goal?”Promoting your story: “You do need to know where your people live that you’re trying to get your message out to. “Think about “How am I going to amplify my story with photos, video, or audio?“One mistake I often see with people when they want to start their own personal brand is they bite off more than they can chew.  They think they have to be on every social platform.  Keeping it fresh is important.”“Storytelling comes in different lengths.”

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Jamie Dandar McKinney, MBA, is the best-selling author of Speak Up, Sister! The Professional Woman’s Guide to Confidence and Success as well as a certified professional coach for businesswomen, a keynote speaker, and a virtual workshop leader.Jamie ignites action by sharing key lessons learned while working her way up in heavily male-dominated industries.  Recognized by the Denver Business Journal as a Top Woman in Energy, she jokes that her stilettos have steel-toes.  Jamie is fully immersed in her company mission to empower women to ditch doubts, speak up, and achieve the careers they deserve and desire.CONNECT WITH JAMIE LinkedIn  Instagram  JMD Consulting Website  Facebook Group  Contact Page  Phone: (347) 92 – SHERO EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSSpeak Up Sister!  The Professional Women’s Guide to Confidence and SuccessSpeak UP to Level UP Course LinkWomen in Leadership InfographicMcKinsey Women in the Workplace - 2021 Report31 Best Madeline Albright Quotes About Making a DifferenceEmpowering Women WebsiteEmpowering Women Slack ChannelEmpowering Women Events (Including Meet Ups)QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYSJamie’s purpose: “Empower women to ditch doubts, speak up, and achieve the careers they deserve and desire”“Rehearse until it’s verse. Life is one big rehearsal.”“I didn’t have to be the most experienced person in the room, I didn’t have to be the smartest, or the most male as long as I did one thing – carry myself with confidence. Lead with confidence.  That became my secret sauce.”Secret to confidence: “Your confidence is not about them; it’s about you.  It’s about how you show up for you.”What rattles your confidence:  (1) The unfamiliar and (2) High stakes.  “Take steps to familiarize the unfamiliar.“Ditching doubts has a lot to do with mindset.  Words matter.  The words that we’re telling ourselves are having an impact on our actions that follow.”“The cells in our body are eavesdropping on our words.”Your confidence currency: “Your confidence account works just like your bank account. It has your name on it.  You control the password. You make the decisions about how to grow it, how to invest it, and how to spend it…. The only way someone can make a withdrawal from your account is if you give them permission.”Being a Broken Rung Fixer:  (1) Getting credit for your work (2) Creating visibility and (3)  Building the MAC team (Mentors, Allies, and Champions)Soundbite:  “Short, succinct statement that contains ~ 20 word or less and it’s said in 10 seconds or less.” 

Episode 4 (Season 4) of the Empowering Women PodcastABOUT OUR GUEST:  Perri Richman is a strategist and marketer blending leadership at complex global public corporations with advisory of private placement portfolio companies to further ESG principles and winning innovation for consumers, businesses and investors. She has guided communications, brand and digital efforts for industrial technology giants, involved with dozens of M&A transactions and integrations, new product and service innovation commercialization, and award-winning Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) and social impact efforts.Perri’s passion is bridging corporates and funds with early-stage and privately held companies to advance entrepreneurship and strengthen corporate competitiveness. She is the co-founder of a technology platform called JASPY, and advises women, minority owned early-stage companies as well as biotechnology, enterprise & financial technology, industrial, social impact and professional services companies. CONNECT WITH PERRI LinkedIn  Twitter  The Brand PromiseCONNECT WITH JASPYLinkedIn  WebsiteWatch on YouTube.EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSSlipnot Website (Company Referenced in Podcast)Foghorn (Company Referenced in Podcast)Online Personal Leader Brand TrainingEmpowering Women WebsiteEmpowering Women Slack ChannelEmpowering Women Events (Including Meet Ups)QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“Manufacturing chose me; I did not choose it…I wanted to work with manufacturers to modernize and stay competitive.”What Lead Perri to JASPY and Cultivating Innovation:  “Ability to pull together both the intelligence that corporates need with the business productivity that we know manufacturing companies value in order to really accelerate innovation.”“Twelve industries that are expected to disrupted by technology and challenger start-up companies in 2022.”“These early-stage start-ups – they’re unencumbered, fast, and purpose-driven.  They know their problem, their customer and they are being funded.”Manufacturers need to partner up; they need to think differently outside of that “if it’s not created here” mindset and innovate with these start-ups or private companies.”On Personal Leader Branding :  “Science that looks at behavior, image, and perception that is really designed to create methodical and meaningful lasting change for people.  Makes people stronger and people make businesses stronger…. What better place to do that than with early stage companies?” “The most distinctive brand assets and the most memorable thing about a company’s brand is the people.”

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Vanessa Mathews ,as the founder and chief resilience officer of Asfalis Advisors, the co-owner and host of the Business Resilience DECODED podcast, and an adjunct professor at Savannah State University, is unmatched in her experience and knowledge with a unique ability to translate complex topics with personal anecdotesVanessa is a catalyst for change in the world of business and entrepreneurship. She has a passion for women and the black community in highlighting the systemic challenges minority professionals face in the public and private sectors. Her desire is to create forward moving change and decrease the wealth inequality gap in these communities, by sharing her knowledge and expertise through her energetic and encouraging approach. CONNECT WITH VANESSA LinkedIn  Twitter  Learn More About Vanessa as a speakerCONNECT WITH ASFALIS ADVISORS (@AsfalisAdvisors)BUSINESS RESILENCE PODCAST (@BRDECODED)LINKSManaging the Wealth Crisis DownloadMcKinsey Study:  The Economic Impact of Closing the Racial Wealth GapVideo – Racial Wealth Gap ExplainedBloomberg:  The Historic Issues Behind the U.S. Racial Wealth GapForbes Article: What The 3Ps Of The Triple Bottom Line Really MeanEmpowering Women WebsiteEmpowering Women Slack ChannelEmpowering Women Events (Including Meet Ups)QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYSOn What Brought Vanessa to Become a Thought Leader in Racial Wealth Inequity:  Experiences of my grandparents, my great-grandparents, and my parentsVision for my marriage “We’re hear to change positively change the trajectory of our last name and to create wealth.”Murder of George Floyd in 2020Current state of the black dollar is at a very critical state of emergency (> 50% of black businesses have gone out of business since COVID)What is Racial Wealth Gap?  “The difference in assets between an ethnic group and another group.” These disparities look like “ the lack of social capital or the lack of access to financial capital.”900% asset wealth gap between white and black families. “Nothing is untouched by racism.”“People became property for profit. That is where the wealth gap began.”“Perception acts as a lens through which we view reality.  Perception is a matter of life and death for black people, literally.”“The United States used poverty, cruelty, and totalitarianism to force us to do what they wanted us to do as people.”“It’s systemic, its intentional, and it’s built into the fabric, the DNA, of every single thing that we do”“Changing the policies and the systems, it changes the impact and it changes our trajectory.  It changes your wealth.  It changes our community.”“Crisis, from a business perspective, impacts your operations, profitability, and your reputation.”

Nicole Calhoun is a high-energy and results-oriented professional who has worked with diverse multi-cultural teams around the world. She brings 25 years of corporate and technology experience to her training workshops. Nicole’s technical experience includes enterprise level technology systems with such roles as Software Engineering, Business Systems Analysis and Project Management.  Her industry knowledge includes Financial & Merchant Services, Retirement & Payroll Services, Manufacturing and Automotive.  Nicole’s work experience includes companies like: JP Morgan Chase & Co., General Motors, Delphi, Detroit Diesel, National Steel Corporation and Electronic Data Systems (now DXC). As a certified John Maxwell Team trainer and coach, Nicole is prepared to deliver content that adds value through an inspiring, engaging, and exciting experience that you will enjoy.  CONNECT WITH NICOLEWebsite   LinkedIn  Learning Circle WaitlistWatch on YouTubeEPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSSkills Assessment from NicolePresence by Amy CuddyAmy Cuddy TED Speaker PageBook:  Unlocking Your Authentic Self:  Overcoming Imposter Syndrome, Enhancing Self-confidence, and Banishing Self-doubtEmpowering Women WebsiteEmpowering Women Slack ChannelEmpowering Women Events (Including Meet Ups)QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“The more I began working with women I began to realize I wasn’t alone. We have this struggle, I realize, as women that we want to advance and we want more but we feel like we’re stuck.”“One day I realized that we’re not one of the guys and we’re not supposed to be. Many times we start trying to emulate what is around us because we think that is how we want to advance.”“Yes we learn from each other, but we need to stay true to who we are. We need to be courageous enough to be who we are.”“What I’ve learned is we will never be fully satisfied until we find out who we are and allow that person to show up everywhere, even in the workplace.”“As women our tendency is to overlook our own value…. We tend to diminish our own work - what we have done and what we have accomplished. We play it down and praise the work of others.”“We’re all a package of talents, skills, and abilities, but we don’t even see them because we underplay our own accomplishments.”Executive Presence:  “Confidence gives that person that ‘wow factor’. When you become comfortable with who you are that confidence shows up.”Imposter Syndrome:  “No matter the level; we all struggle with it… It comes from a lack of self-discovery or when we’re challenging our limits.”Universal Misconception of Humility: “T

Episode 1 (Season 4) of the Empowering Women PodcastABOUT OUR GUEST:  Cherie Hicks is a thought leader in leadership development, program design, facilitation, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She considers herself a learning technology champion, with experience in developing and implementing virtual learning strategies using a variety of different platforms. As a member of the Leadership Excellence team at Trane Technologies, she manages several different women’s development programs designed to help empower, connect, and support women leaders. Cherie currently serves as the Vice President of Marketing on the Board of Directors for the Association of Talent Development ‚ Charlotte Chapter. She has a Bachelor of Science in Human Services from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in Charlotte, NC and a Master of Science in Adult Education from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro, NC. CONNECT WITH CHERIELinkedIn  Watch on YouTube.EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSAssociation for Talent DevelopmentWho’s On Your Personal Board of Directors?Email Shannon for Peer Coaching Circle InfoEmpowering Women WebsiteEmpowering Women Slack ChannelEmpowering Women Events (Including Meet Ups)QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“Meet people where they’re at. Show people that you can develop in a way you never expected.”“Storytelling is a powerful tool.  Who better to hear it from than other women who go through the experience and are successful leaders? Much more so than myself.  I am creating a network of women that are supporting each other.”Common Areas Where Women Can Focus Their Development:   (1) Being more of a critical and strategic thinker and (2) Enhancing your business acumen skills.On Critical and Strategic Thinking:  “You have to understand how to create (strategic) plans and how to execute on those plans.”On Business Acumen:  “Regardless of the field you’re in, it’s still important to know the business because the bottom line matters.  Leaders want to know what is going to be my return on investment.  Understanding the business matters; it’s actually how you can build relationships, gain credibility, and enhance your brand.”Women Leadership Program Suite – Key Reasons for Design:  (1) Emerging Leader – How do we get that pipeline ready?, (2) High Potential – Accelerating development of their skill set for executive leader readiness, and (3) Larger Audience – Providing development opportunities economically to improve leaders overall.Leadership Development at Smaller Organizations: “Leverage partnerships with local vendors, online resources (TED talks), local development organizations, and LinkedIn. Don’t feel as if you have to have a big budget to offer a quality program.”Program Development Focus:  “What should the program be about?  Guess what… your target audience will let you know. Look at the learners as the voice of your customers.”

Episode 15 (Season 3) of the Empowering Women PodcastABOUT OUR GUEST:  Wende Goble is a curious, fact finder who does not like the word NO and CAN’T when finding creative outlets to solve problems, who leaps tall orders during disasters and will find generators and deliver water in a quick nano second in an emergency situation.  Friendships and networking are her game; she loves to hear others stories of their life goals and careers, everyone that crosses her path has an interesting story.  Her career path has been non-traditional filled with peaks and valleys that has given Wende grit and grace and has allowed her to view all situations as an opportunity.Wende’s career path has included various roles in the Supply Chain sector in Master Planning, Capacity Planning, Buyer, Category Management, and Logistics within medical, apparel, mining equipment, and currently in HVAC markets.   She has been recognized for CEO and Chairman awards with VF Corporation for successfully managing a systems integration project and Trane Technologies for humanitarian relief for hurricanes in Puerto Rico and Lynn Haven, Florida.Her absolute passion is within the arts.  Wende grabbed the opportunity to launch her own successful photography business.  Photography has allowed her the opportunity to capture special events for others; creating an environment of comfort for a person to express their authentic self.  Photography is now a hobby that channels a creative outlet when life becomes too structured.CONNECT WITH WENDELinkedIn  Watch on YouTube.EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSGrit:  The Power of Passion and PerseveranceMargaret Heffernan: Forget the Pecking Order at Work (Super Chicken TED Talk)Empowering Women WebsiteEmpowering Women Slack ChannelEmpowering Women Events (Including Meet Ups)QUOTES“There is no such thing as no.  Everything and anything is possible.”“I do not like to be put in a box.  I like to be outside of that box. I want to be different.”The Gift of Grit:  “I am going to do this for me not for anybody else.”Wende’s number one mantra:  “It’s all about relationships. I’ve learned so much from individuals that have been one of my resources along the line.”“I wanted the core of my brand to be all about relationships.  It’s where I am today; authenticity and relationships is key.”Imposter Syndrome: “ There are days when I have the black crow on my shoulder. They like to chatter all around and you just have to put them in a corner.”The Power of No.  Wende uses this in two ways:(1)   In Setting Boundaries(2)   Avoid Saying No to Possible:  “Open yourself to possibility.”“There were times when we thought ‘we can’t do this’.  But you would pick me up or I would pick you up. We were never on the same page as quitting.”On crucial conversations: “I tend to second guess myself when I bring up a topic that I passionately believe in but do not want to hear

Episode 14 (Season 3) of the Empowering Women PodcastABOUT OUR GUEST:  Michelle Taylor is the New Product Quality Director for Trane Technologies where she leads the North America Commercial HVAC new product quality team in delivering product development excellence within the new product development lifecycle and the quality transformation process.  She is also responsible for leading the Quality strategic decisions team to deliver the strategic focus/direction for the business unit over the next 5 years.  Michelle’s diverse leadership journey includes 10 years at Cummins in areas such as: Defense & Government business development, Global Diversity Procurement and Global Warranty governance. Michelle’s leadership as Global Diversity Procurement Director generated $200M in diverse spend resulting in Cummins induction into the Billion Dollar Roundtable recognized globally for those corporations who attain more than $1B in diverse spend.  Michelle was then promoted to Executive Director, Global Supplier Quality responsible for the enterprise Supplier Quality transformation. Here she led a global team of 400 quality engineers, managers and directors.Michelle has been acknowledged for her exemplary performance as a former business entrepreneur and as a Procurement/Supplier Diversity Leader. She has received several awards including the 2013 Supplier Diversity Advocate of the Year Award, Mid-States Minority Supplier Development Council and the 2014 Top 25 Women in Diversity. Michelle also received the 2005 New Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the Indianapolis Black Chamber of Commerce and the 2007 Center for Leadership Development Entrepreneur of the Year Award.   CONNECT WITH MICHELLELinkedIn  EmailWatch on YouTube.2021 USO Trot For the Troops Sign UpWorld Quality Month - American Society for QualityWorld Quality Day - November 11Billion Dollar RoundtableQuality 4.0Gallop Article:  Great Resignation is Really the Great DiscontentSCORE - Small Business Assistance2021 Empowering Women Award WinnersEmpowering Women WebsiteEmpowering Women Slack ChannelEmpowering Women Events (Including Meet Ups)QUOTESOn World Quality Month:  “I view quality as an outcome.  It has a characteristic.  You can improve profitability and enhance your brand and reputation through quality.  Quality is in everything we do and that we touch.  We bring it to the workplace through collaboration and connection.  From there we create champions.”On key leadership skills: “Servant leadership – really having the capability to listen to the development needs of others and then helping others to reach their potential.  As leaders we oftentimes forget that that is really the purpose of being a leader is for the people.  Putting the people first is so critical.” http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Episode 13 (Season 3) of the Empowering Women PodcastABOUT OUR GUEST:  Amy Crosby is a degreed electrical engineer leading customer experience for drives at ABB. She has been in the Industrial Automation field for over 20 years, starting her career as a Field Service Engineer. Over her career, Amy has developed a passion to grow STEM talent from early career new hires to late career professionals. By highlighting the strengths of every individual and by providing feedback and growth opportunities for developmental areas, she is able to guide professionals in their career to roles that suit their uniqueness.  Amy is positive, determined and always on the lookout for actions and suggestions to move her work forward. On a personal note, she has been married to Keith for 22 years and they have 3 children; a 21 year old daughter, an 18 year old son and a 15 year old daughter. Being a working and involved mom has always been important to Amy as well as guiding other female engineers as they navigate life changes and learn how to advocate for themselves. CONNECT WITH AMYLinkedIn  Instagram   EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSHarvard Business Review "From Purpose to Impact"Brene Brown on Comparative SufferingPersonal SWOT AnalysisEmpowering Women WebsiteEmpowering Women Slack ChannelEmpowering Women Events (Including Meet Ups)QUOTES“I have been told that, based on where the stroke happened in my brain, I am a miracle. I could or should still be bedridden.”“Overall it’s been a long and hard road.  I couldn’t have done it without the love and support of family and friends.”On things that came out of the tragedy:  “Being able to enjoy life and everything that comes with it. Before my stroke, I was on autopilot; running from one obligation to another. Now I am a lot more mindful of my experiences.” “Look at your situation and find things you can control. Focus on those things. Pick yourself up and move forward.”“We all have setbacks.  Mine was just bigger than most. It’s how we move forward from those setbacks that matters.”“I was able to go back to work 6 months after my stroke.”“You don’t really realize how much you impact other people until something like this happens.”On her efforts within the STEM field:  “Introducing high school students to STEM is really where we need to start.”On her school board work:  “What I really like about this school district; preparing kids for life not just for college. Giving them many opportunities to see what they would like to do; individualizing for each child.  Not expecting them all to go down one path.”Mentoring and career advice:  “Own your career.  Too many times, as females, we think our talents will be noticed. But we really need to own our career and direct it where we want it to go.”

Episode 12 (Season 3) of the Empowering Women PodcastABOUT OUR GUEST:  Karen Laos is a keynote speaker specializing in communication and leadership. She is fiercely committed to equipping women in business to speak with clarity and stand out with unshakable confidence.Over her 20+ year career, she has had rave reviews from Facebook, Google, Netflix, Sephora, Sony, NASA, Uber, Fidelity, Charles Schwab, Trip Advisor, Bacardi, Levi's, Microsoft, AT&T, UnitedHealthcare and Johnson & Johnson.She got her start in human resources at Gap Inc and oversaw training & development at Decker Communications, where she led a team consulting executives on how to influence through your presence and message.Karen’s style is approachable, fun, and engaging. She connects quickly and leaves audiences feeling empowered with practical tools to apply immediately..CONNECT WITH KARENLinkedIn  Website  Facebook Group  Instagram  Twitter  Ignite Your Confidence PodcastEPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSThe Atlantic "The Confidence Gap" ArticleUntamed Book LinkThe Confidence Code Book LinkEmpowering Women WebsiteEmpowering Women Slack ChannelEmpowering Women 2021 Event Info (Including Registration)Empowering Women Events (Including Meet Ups)QUOTES“We can actively choose to have the power of self-agency.”“I grew up believing that you needed to look to an authority figure to tell you what to do.”“My dad always taught me I could do anything I wanted with enough determination and persistence. He taught me how to negotiate at a young age so I’ve never really been afraid to ask for what I want or to be confident.”“Most people wouldn’t think I was not confident. But on the inside there would be times would I feel scared to really show be true self.”On the Empowering Women Community:  “What I didn’t expect was the incredible women I see each month when we have a call. I didn’t expect how this help blossom my career, connections, and ultimately community.”On her upcoming talk at the Empowering Women Conference (3C’s to Command Any Room with Confidence): “I am also a ‘recovering rambler’. I love to help women stop rambling and get to the point…so they can be seen and heard; more visible.”On ways we give away our power – over apologizing: “Let excuse me or thank you for understanding be your default (not I am sorry).”  On trusting your gut:  “ Start by asking yourself, ‘How do I feel about this?’ and then dive deeper.”

Michelle Gymiah, is the Director of Equality Pays, a gender and ethnicity equality consultancydedicated to closing workplace pay gaps.  With gender pay gap reporting regulation, possible ethnicity pay gap reporting and a workplace talent shortage looming, redressing gender and racial inequalities in the workplace is more important than ever.Michelle is a passionate advocate for enabling women (and men) to progress in their careers in a way that suits their outside of work responsibilities and lifestyle choices. She does this by empowering workplaces to radically rethink how they can support their employees to thrive at work.Michelle has over 8 years’ experience of working at the Equality and Human Rights Commission and holds a Masters in Human Rights from The University of Manchester.Michelle is a regular contributor to numerous podcasts, business magazines, and international conferences.CONNECT WITH MICHELLE AND EQUALITY PAYSLinkedIn Equality Pays WebsiteEPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSCorporate Pay Gaps Resource HubBurning Glass Technologies STEM Study U.N. Pay Equity SiteWikipedia Equal Pay DayEmpowering Women WebsiteEmpowering Women Slack ChannelEmpowering Women 2021 Event Info (Including Registration)Empowering Women Events (Including Meet Ups)QUOTES“No is just information.  No means next opportunity.”“I was terrified of saying, ‘I’ve just found out that my predecessor was paid more than me; why is that?’ What I started to do was to internalize why that might be the case.”“Systematically when you look at the workplace, how it was put together and who it was put together for, it was never put together for the likes of you and me in mind. It was designed in such a way that one person would be the breadwinner and by default that would be a man.  Then you would have someone who would take care of everything else and by default that would be women.”“It’s a real systematic challenge in trying to ‘flip the script’ in terms of focusing on productivity and output as opposed to presenteeism and the idea of you can only be productive; you’re only really working if you’re in the office, if you’re being micro-managed, if we can see you at your desk.”“We internalize the idea that it’s not safe for us to ask for more. It’s not safe for us to challenge the status quo.”“We generally as women, especially women of color, we are socialized to not put ourselves at the center of what we’re asking for. We’re socialized to think about other people – think about your team, think about your family, the workplace, your colleagues, think about the system as it were.”On negotiation:  “It’s really important to get connected to that purpose.  To help you feel that you have a steady foundation as the emotions go up and down (through the negotiation process).”On negotiation: “You are going to get ‘nos’.  If it was easy and you always got ‘yeses’, then everybody would be doing it and this would not be a conversation”

Episode 10 (Season 3) of the Empowering Women PodcastGUEST:  Anna Nguru, Product Management SpecialistBIO:  Anna Nguru, an inspiring multi-faceted leader, is a mechanical engineer, immigrant, activist, social media content creator, and rising entrepreneur. She recently launched her journey in Product Management using her successful experiences of aligning business strategy and engineering principles to improve processes, systems and profitability. Previously, Anna has held roles in different industries in tech as a mechanical engineer and engineering coordinator.With her uplifting commitment to the immigrant community, Anna is facilitating a mental health program within the Carolina Refugee Resettlement Agency (CRRA). She is also a strong advocate for women in STEM with her strongest asset being her resilient mindset. CONNECT WITH ANNALinkedIn  Instagram (@ann_linda2)   Email Watch on YouTube.NON PROFITS ANNA SUPPORTSCRRA – Welcoming Families, Rebuilding Lives (carolinarefugee.org)Homepage | National Domestic Workers Alliance | National Domestic Workers AllianceDonate to USA for UNHCR (unrefugees.org)HIAS - Welcome the stranger. Protect the refugee. EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSEmpowering Women WebsiteEmpowering Women Slack ChannelEmpowering Women 2021 Event Info (Including Registration)Empowering Women Events (Including Meet Ups)QUOTES“I remember telling the CRRA director how amazed I was at the number of opportunities available here (United States) and, quite frankly, it was overwhelming.” “Two weeks (before flight to the United States) we got a call that you have been selected to go to Charlotte, NC. We had to sell everything… it was tough, I was homesick for sure.”“I came here at 19; I’ve left all my childhood, my friends, my extended family (behind).  It is like starting over with one suitcase and my mom had probably $200 for the entire family.”On her Social Media start: “I had so much pressure for someone who is supporting herself, I thought of ways and ideas to be able to make side income.  I definitely went the influencer route. It all started out with my passion which has always been supporting women in STEM, specifically women of color. ” “As women in STEM, it’s difficult out there. We’re not noticed.  We’re not recognized. Specifically engineers.”On being the one or the only:  “Every day you will experience microaggressions.  Best way to deal with it to understand how to advocate for yourself” On Imposter Syndrome:  “Coming from no opportunities to opportunities, you are like ‘ok, it’s real; it’s happening.  I am somebody.  I am an engineer.’ Do they trust me to do the job?”On her immigrant mental health program:  “With immigrants, the topic of mental health has such a stigma. My goal is to normalize mental health for immigrants.”