NASA’s first South Asian female flight director, Pooja Jesrani has a unique lens on building inclusive environments in high stakes circumstances.

As one of the 24 NASA Flight Directors, apart from guiding mission control Pooja is responsible for managing operations for all human spaceflight programs including the International Space Station (ISS), a habitable artificial satellite and microgravity laboratory that is maintained as a multinational collaborative project.

Pooja has managed life support and motion control systems on the ISS and has also been a capsule communicator (CAPCOM), speaking directly with the astronauts in space.

Recently, Pooja has been working to integrate mission operations for the upcoming commercial crew flights.

Key themes emerging out of our conversation:

• Bringing authenticity and vulnerability to leadership.

• Importance of building relationships as Individuals vs team members.

• Finding the balance, you can't have it all.

• Mentoring and Supporting other women.

• Setting your reputation at get go.

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Vedika Bhandarkar, Chief Operating Officer for Water.org, is responsible for the operating efficiency and effectiveness of Water.org and for the attainment of strategic objectives and annual organizational goals. She works closely with the CEO, the executive team, and the President of WaterEquity to support the mission and vision of Water.org. She previously served as Water.org's Chief Global Impact Officer and the Managing Director of India.

Vedika has more than 25 years of experience building teams and businesses with Indian and international financial institutions. Prior to joining Water.org in January 2016, she served as Vice Chairman and Managing Director at Credit Suisse Securities (India) Private Limited from 2010-2015. Previously, she served as the Managing Director and head of Investment Banking at J.P. Morgan, where she worked for over 10 years. She started her career with ICICI Limited in Mumbai.

Vedika serves as an Independent Director on the boards of several companies. She also serves as a board member of the Jai Vakeel Foundation, an institution focused on children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

Key themes emerging out of our conversation:

• Attitude and Competence.

• Seeing change as an adventure.

• Joy as a leader is the definition of success.

• Recognizing that you don't have all the answers.

• Fostering Allyship, building a network of cheerleaders.

• Trusting Your Gut by listening to your intuition and instincts.

• Embracing Humility, leaving behind preconceived notions and biases.

• Managing Imposter Syndrome: it doesn't go away, but learning how to manage it.

• Not Fearing Mistakes: considering the worst-case scenario when fearing mistakes.

• Embracing Setbacks, viewing them as opportunities. Learning from mistakes and taking ownership of them.

• Learning from the Past, you can't change it, so not obsessing over it. Prioritizing the present and future.

• Prioritizing Ruthlessly by being decisive. Making conscious choices instead of compromising.

Connect with Enma Popli on Linkedin:

>> https://www.linkedin.com/in/enmapopli/

Visit Enma Popli's website

>> http://www.enmapopli.com/

Brenda Soya is the Public Affairs Officer at the Consulate General in Mumbai. She directs public diplomacy and outreach efforts to reach 400 million people in western India, further U.S. policy, and strengthen people-to-people relations. She leads Consulate General Mumbai's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility organization and is committed to the aspirational goal of women's economic empowerment. Her State Department career includes working in Sierra Leone, the Holy See (Vatican), Togo, and Burkina Faso.

Brenda received a master's degree in security studies at the Naval War College in Newport, RI, and used that degree to teach International Relations at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. Brenda has a B.A. summa cum laude from the University of Colorado at Boulder, was a Presidents Leadership Class and a Boettcher scholar.

In this conversation, Brenda is sharing her personal ideas and not as a representative of any organization or of the U.S. Department of State.

Key themes emerging out of our conversation:

• Mind is Your Worst Enemy.
• The Many Layers of Culture.
• Recognizing and Managing Self-Doubt.
• Creativity as a Tool for Problem-Solving.
• Seeking Out Advice, When Ready for Feedback.
• Shadowing Adults to Broaden One's Perspective.
• Work-Life Integration: to Achieve Holistic Well-being.
• Living in a Diverse Community, Adapting to a Mountain Lifestyle.
• Making choices, serving one's Country, and sharing one's own Culture.
• Embracing Change: Focusing on the Potential for New Experiences.
• Navigating Cultural Differences, Cultural Faux Pas, or Cultural Shock.
• Being Open to Seizing Opportunities, Even if They Entail Uncertainty.
• Connection Between Language and the History and Culture of a Country.

Connect with Enma Popli on Linkedin:

>> https://www.linkedin.com/in/enmapopli/

Visit Enma Popli's website
>> http://www.enmapopli.com/