Happy Wednesday and welcome back to the Intersection Podcast! In this episode, I have the privilege of speaking with Gizelle Clemens, Director of Alumni and Donor Engagement at National Medical Fellowships. Gizelle is a fervent leader working at the intersection of disability, gender, and race. She is both a disruptor and unifier driving systemic organizational change

Giselle shares her personal experience as a Black disabled woman and the challenges she faced in getting a proper medical diagnosis. She emphasizes the importance of representation, highlighting how having a Black female doctor finally led to her medical issues being identified and treated.

In this conversation, we discuss…

• Gizelle’s commitment to health equity.
• The challenges faced by people with disabilities in the workplace and how organizations can create cultures of equity and belonging.
• Her vision for disability justice, which includes eliminating barriers to transportation, housing, and access to resources.

This episode is a must-listen for organizational leaders. Giselle challenges us to take action and make our workplaces and communities more accessible for people with disabilities, which ultimately benefits us all.

Resources:
Gizelle Clemens Linkedin
Crip Camp
DisabilityLead
Emily Blum

One thing I know for sure is that doing the work of DEI and social justice can be emotionally draining. Finding ways to nurture yourself is critical. Which is why, on this week's episode, I'm honored to speak with Taylor Elyse Morrison. She is the Founder of The Inner Workout, Facilitator, and Podcast host. Inner Workout is Taylor’s brainchild, born out of her mission to help others beat burnout through sustainable self-care practices. Inner Workout is a personal development tool inspired by yogic philosophy. It has been featured in various well-known platforms such as Forbes, Entrepreneur, and PopSugar. Taylor talks about the origins of Inner Workout and shares why she felt it was a necessary invention. She discusses the five dimensions of well-being, which are physical, energetic, mental and emotional, wisdom, and bliss.

Resources:
Taylor Elyse Morrison's Linkedin

Welcome back to the Intersection Podcast! In this episode, I have the privilege of speaking with Corliss Gardner, the Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer at Old National Bank. Corliss began her career in finance and, like many of us, found her passion in creating more equitable and inclusive workplaces. .

We discuss Corliss's background, beginning with her early start in banking and how she navigated spaces often being “the only” .

In this conversation, we discuss…

• The importance of mentorship and sponsorship in navigating your career.
• the challenges and successes she faced often being the only Black woman in professional spaces.
• the significance of building support networks and communities to foster a sense of belonging and combat isolation.
• insights into her collaborative approach, partnering with stakeholders to ensure DEI lens is embedded in processes and practices.

This episode is a must-listen for those commited to driving meaningful change in organizational culture. Corliss Gardner's experiences and insights provide valuable guidance for navigating professional spaces, embedding DEI into business practices, and envisioning a future of true belonging.

Resources:

Corliss Garner’s Linkedin

Welcome back to the Intersection Podcast! This week’s conversation is with Jamaal Glenn, an Entrepreneur, Professor, Writer, and Speaker. Jamaal is the founder and CEO of an investment holding company that advises on strategy, investment execution, and corporate governance.

In this conversation, we discuss…

• Why offering remote work options are critical to attracting and retaining top talent
• the importance of experimenting with generative AI to extend the capabilities of existing workers versus fearing it
• the imperative of embedding diversity and inclusion in both the input and output for shaping AI technologies
• why empathy and experimentation are crucial skills for leaders

Join us for this very interesting conversation. Thank you for tuning in!

Resources:
Jamaal’s Linkedin
Jamaal’s Substack
Jamaal’s Website

Happy Wednesday, and welcome back to the Intersection Podcast!

This week I am speaking with Author, Activist, and DEIB Champion Ericka Carmona-Vega. Ericka is a former Human Resource Executive who left the corporate world to pursue her dream of transforming the way we think about leadership. Ericka is also the founder of Flor y Canto Academy.

Ericka’s soon to be published book, RISE: The West Awakens, is a revolutionary take on how ancestral knowledge and wisdom can inform how we lead today.

In our conversation, Ericka and I discuss…

• Her upcoming book series 'Rise', which aims to validate culturally relevant leadership philosophies and empower readers to embrace their unique leadership styles
• the challenges of leading across different generations
• the need for leaders to move away from punitive and fault-finding approaches, and celebrate individual talents, strengths, and empowerment
• why it’s important for leaders to be generous with their wisdom and knowledge, and to walk with gratitude and abundance

Join us for this heartfelt conversation. Thank you for tuning in!

Resources:

Ericka’s Instagram

Ericka’s Tiktok

Happy Wednesday, and welcome back for another episode of the Intersection Podcast! I’m excited to host Thane Kreiner, co-founder of the Black Corporate Board Readiness program at Santa Clara University with Dennis Lanham. In addition to this role he is a board member, Advisor, and former CEO with over 30 years experience starting and growing enterprises.

In our conversation, Thane and I discuss the mission to increase Black representation on corporate boards. We tackle this conversation by discussing…

• The programs powerful framework of “for us, by us” that can be used for any organization seeking to build community and sustainability
• Obliterating the myth that there are no qualified Black executives for board roles
• and the impact of anti-DEI rhetoric on this movement and others like it

Thane elaborates how BCBR has evolved into a community and movement. The program has over 280 alumni and 130 corporate board seats occupied by graduates.

Join us for this enlightening conversation on driving diversity and empowering Black leadership in corporate governance. Thank you for tuning in!

Resources:

Thane Kreiner’s Linkedin

Dennis Lanham Linkedin

Black Corporate Board Readiness

BCBR History

BCBR Application

Welcome to this episode of the Intersection Podcast! Today, I’m privileged to host Suzanne Jakstavich, Human Resource Executive, Leadership Coach and proud mom. Suzanne has a deep commitment to developing people and culture strategies that empower talent, foster growth, and drive business success.

Suzanne's leadership journey was shaped by personal experiences, including growing up with disabled grandparents and observing her parents' work environments. Her people-centric approach emphasizes psychological safety, curiosity, and vulnerability as essential elements of leadership.

In our conversation, Suzanne delves into the challenges facing organizations today, such as:

• managing multi-generational workforces
• navigating work-life integration
• and combating burnout in hybrid work environments.

She underscores the importance of leadership capabilities in allyship, mentorship, and sponsorship to create inclusive and affirming workplaces.

Balancing her career while caring for her autistic son has taught Suzanne the importance of resilience, self-reflection, and finding supportive communities.

Her advice for leaders centers on adopting a growth mindset, prioritizing learning, and remaining curious amidst change.

If given a magic wand, Suzanne would improve employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, recognizing the transformative power that everyone can bring to the workplace..

Join us as we explore the dynamic intersection of leadership, inclusivity, and workplace culture with Suzanne Jakstavich.

Thank you for listening!

Resources:

Suzanne Jakstavich’s Linkedin
Aspire Chicago

Welcome to this week's episode of the Intersection Podcast! We are excited to have Kate North, a workplace strategy expert, to explore hybrid work and its impact on inclusive workplaces.

As a principal at Global Workplace Analytics (GWA), Kate brings over 30 years of experience as a trusted advisor to business, HR, and real estate leaders. Her passion lies in crafting transformative workplace strategies that align organizational culture with business goals.

Kate is dedicated to helping organizations optimize hybrid work arrangements to boost innovation, engagement, and inclusivity.

The highlights of our discussion about the future of the workplace:

• The challenges and opportunities surrounding hybrid work models.
• Why we must be intentional when designing hybrid workplace models to ensure inclusive cultures.
• The significance of gathering employee feedback, testing different approaches, and prioritizing employee experience.
• Why it is imperative for leaders to be empathetic and transparent when leading in hybrid models

Thank you for listening! You can also follow Kate North for more on hybrid work, and the future of the workplace

Thank you for listening!

Resources:

Hybrid work article
Inclusivity article
Kate North Linkedin