Join us each week for a deep, real, and actionable discussion about how to be a better ally and advocate, and lead with empathy. Topics we’ve discussed include advancing racial equity, intergenerational racial trauma, xenophobia and anti-Asian racism, mental health, anti-Muslim discrimination and Muslim identity, Indigenous power and leadership, amplifying Latinx experiences, advocating for people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ leadership, being an ally for trans and gender nonconforming colleagues, collectively healing from trauma, and more. This is for beginners and activists alike - we are all on a journey with more to learn!

Leading With Empathy & Allyship Podcast

In Episode 113, Gabriela de Queiroz, Principal Cloud Advocate Manager at Microsoft, joins Melinda in an impactful discussion on building global inclusion through community. They dive into the importance of building inclusive communities to address the global gap in access and opportunity. They discuss how people can start to advocate for social change by finding out what issues they're passionate about and recognizing what they can give back, no matter how small. They also explore key lessons from building inclusive communities that can help global leaders manage their teams more effectively.


About Gabriela de Queiroz (she/her)

Gabriela de Queiroz is a Principal Cloud Advocate Manager at Microsoft. She leads and manages the Global Education Advocacy team focused on AI, Machine Learning, and Data Science.

Before that, she worked at IBM as a Program Director on Open Source, Data & AI Technologies and then as Chief Data Scientist at IBM, leading AI Strategy and Innovations.

She is actively involved with several organizations to foster an inclusive community. She is the founder of R-Ladies, a worldwide organization promoting diversity in the R community, present in more than 200 cities in 60+ countries with over 100,000 members. She is also the founder of AI Inclusive, a global organization that is helping increase the representation and participation of minorities in Artificial Intelligence.


Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!

For more about Empovia (formerly Change Catalyst), visit https://ally.cc. There, you’ll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.


Connect With Gabriela de Queiroz On Social

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrieladequeiroz/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/gdequeiroz
Instagram: https://instagram.com/gabkroz

Connect With Us On Social

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@empovia
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empovia/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/empovia/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/empovia
Twitter: https://twitter.com/empoviaco

Production Team

Creator & Host: Melinda Briana Epler
Co-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst Chan
Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles


This videocast is made accessible thanks to Interpreter-Now. Learn more about our show sponsor Interpreter-Now at www.interpreter-now.com.
[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Gabriela de Queiroz, a Latina with short black hair and brown eyes, black shirt, and gray neck scarf and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]

Building Global Inclusion Through Community With Gabriela de Queiroz

In Episode 114, Claudia Miller, Career Coach at Claudia T. Miller, LLC, joins Melinda in an empowering conversation about strategies and guidelines we can all implement to help close the gender wage gap. They explore mindset shifts and techniques that underrepresented identities can use to build confidence and better negotiate what they are worth. They elaborate on the importance of organizations implementing pay transparency policies. They also discuss how HR folks and people leaders can develop a talent pipeline to create a stronger pathway to leadership for women in the workplace and address compensation & equity gaps.


About Claudia Miller (she/her)

Claudia Miller is a sought-after Career Coach and she's helped her clients land fulfilling jobs in less than 90-days all while getting on average a 54% in salary increases ($30k-$140k).

She also partners with companies and organizations in identifying rising stars within their organizations and providing strategic insights and support in developing a leadership and talent pipeline with a focus on Women and Women of Color. Due to her efforts, she's worked with Top Fortune 500 Clients and has been featured multiple times in Forbes, MSNBC, Thrive Global, and Business Insider put her in their top global list of Top Innovative Career Coaches.


Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!

For more about Empovia (formerly Change Catalyst), visit https://ally.cc. There, you’ll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.


Connect With Claudia Miller On Social

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudiatmiller/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claudiatmiller/

Connect With Us On Social

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@empovia
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empovia/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/empovia/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/empovia
Twitter: https://twitter.com/empoviaco

Production Team

Creator & Host: Melinda Briana Epler
Co-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst Chan
Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles

[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Claudia Miller, a Latina with long brown hair, round pearl earrings, and a white/black patterned sleeveless dress; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]

Closing The Gender Wage Gap With Claudia Miller

In Episode 115, Melinda shares talks from previous Empovia (formerly Change Catalyst) events made by Black leaders Daisy Ozim, Angel Acosta, and Ashantè Fray that tackle the impact of Black history on our present and future. At Tech Inclusion 2019, Daisy discusses the long-term impacts of intergenerational trauma and how it is perpetuated through technology. She dives into 10 things allies can do to help create systemic change. In Angel’s talk on mindfulness and healing in tech at Tech Inclusion Global Summit 2020, he shares the power of mindfulness and healing practices to support ourselves through trauma from the global health crisis and racial divisiveness. At Tech Inclusion Conference 2020, Ashantè talks about the importance of intersectional allyship. She taps into ways allies can support people from intersectionally underrepresented groups, such as learning to acknowledge our privileges in various spaces, recognizing the impact of microaggressions, and understanding where we are in our allyship journey.

About Daisy Ozim (she/her)

Daisy Ozim is the Founder of DaisyOzim.co. She works at the epicenter of multidimensional education and awareness, technology, social justice and public health. Her goal is to help the public understand the ways in which these varying sectors all coalesce with one another in order to promote an improvement in public, interpersonal and individual health. As a public health practitioner, she has spent the past 10 years involved in community organizing, youth development and working on various public health projects.

About Angel Acosta (he/him)

For the last decade, Dr. Angel Acosta has worked to bridge the fields of leadership, social justice, and mindfulness. He completed his doctorate in curriculum and teaching at Teachers College, Columbia University. He continues to consult for organizations like the NYC Department of Education, UNICEF, Columbia University and others. Over the last couple of years, he has designed the Contemplating 400 Years of Inequality Experience--a contemplative journey to understand structural inequality. He's a proud member of the 400 Years of Inequality Project, based at the New School. He is also the Creative Director at the NYC Healing Collective.

About Ashantè Fray (she/they)

Ashantè Fray (she/they) is a Black bisexual woman who is the owner and founder of Synchronized Souls Inc., which works in Corporate Wellness to aid organizations with their wellness programs and wellbeing of their employees. She helps companies to reduce their employee healthcare costs and absenteeism, boost employee morale to reduce turnover and improve workplace productivity through wellness webinars and speaking events, lunch and learns, and tarot readings as team activities.


For more about Empovia, visit https://ally.cc. There, you’ll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.

Connect With Daisy

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/daisyozim/
Facebook: facebook.com/DaisyOzimCo
Twitter: twitter.com/daisysuniverse_
Instagram: instagram.com/daisysplanet_/

Connect With Angel

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dr-angel-acosta-1886653b/
Facebook: facebook.com/AngelAcosta16
Instagram: instagram.com/dr_angel718/

Connect With Ashantè

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ashant%C3%A8/
Instagram: instagram.com/_synchronizedsoulsinc/

Connect With Us

Tiktok: tiktok.com/@empovia
Instagram: instagram.com/empovia/
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empovia/
Facebook: facebook.com/empovia
Twitter: twitter.com/empoviaco

Production Team
Creator & Host: Melinda Briana Epler
Co-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst Chan
Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles

[Image description: LEA promo and photos of Daisy, an African American woman with long black hair in twists; Ashantè, a Black bisexual woman with short pink hair; Angel, an Afro-latino male with dark hair and facial hair; and host Melinda, a White woman with blonde and red hair.]

Black History: Past, Present, & Future

In Episode 116, David Glasgow, Executive Director of the New York University Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, joins Melinda in an enlightening discussion on how to have inclusive conversations about identity in the workplace. They explore key skills for having identity conversations, such as adopting a growth mindset and acknowledging where we are on the controversy scale when we disagree with others' perspectives. They also discuss why it's important to recognize unproductive forms of communication, which David refers to as avoid, deflect, deny, and attack (ADDA). They also touch on how leaders can create an inclusive culture by showing empathy to team members who make mistakes in these conversations.


About David Glasgow (he/him)

David Glasgow is the executive director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging. He has written for a range of publications including the Harvard Business Review, HuffPost, and Slate, and served as an Associate Director of the Public Interest Law Center at NYU School of Law. He's the co-author of SAY THE RIGHT THING: How to Talk about Identity, Diversity, and Justice (Atria Books).


Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!

For more about Empovia (formerly Change Catalyst), visit https://ally.cc. There, you’ll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.


Connect With David Glasgow On Social

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-glasgow-118b8847/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dvglasgow/

Connect With Us On Social

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@empovia
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empovia/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/empovia/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/empovia
Twitter: https://twitter.com/empoviaco

Production Team

Creator & Host: Melinda Briana Epler
Co-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst Chan
Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles

[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of David Glasgow, a White man with salt and pepper hair, facial hair, light blue shirt, and blue suit and tie; beside him is a blue book cover— with an illustration of diverse people— of SAY THE RIGHT THING: How to Talk about Identity, Diversity, and Justice; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]

Fostering Inclusive Conversations At Work With David Glasgow

In Episode 117, Dima Ghawi, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Influencer at Dima Ghawi, LLC, joins Melinda in an informative discussion on how to bridge the generational divide in the workplace. They explore the four main generations in the American workforce, what motivates employees from different generations, and why organizations should recognize diverse work styles across multigenerational teams. They also discuss how managers can support the incoming younger workforce to build well-rounded teams and create a purpose-driven workplace.


About Dima Ghawi (she/her)

Dima is Middle-Eastern in her genes, American in her heart, and a global citizen in her spirit. She ignites the untapped potential in individuals across the globe, empowering them to shatter limitations and become courageous, purpose driven leaders. Her own journey is one of escaping confinement, crossing continents, and transforming her life’s purpose. Harnessing the power of her story, Dima is committed to inspiring individuals to attain personal and professional growth.

Through keynote speeches, workshops, and executive coaching, Dima shares her unique leadership transformation journey with one goal in mind: motivate and activate those around her to reimagine their potential and grow into leaders.

Dima draws from two decades of corporate experience leading global teams and developing future leaders worldwide. She has worked across the United States, Europe, Asia, Middle East, and Africa for several Fortune 100 companies including IBM, Merrill Lynch, and Intuit. She has honed a keen expertise in developing leaders to meet the demands of the global workforce.

Dima’s memoir Breaking Vases received many awards including Writer’s Digest 2018 Grand Prize Award, Best Indie Book Award, Readers’ Favorite Award, National Indie Excellence Award, and Nautilus Book Award.

She has been recognized for her services with the 2014 President of the United States Bronze Volunteer Service Award, the 2019 Baton Rouge Business Report “Influential Women in Business,” 2014 Baton Rouge Business Report’s “Forty Under 40” Award, and the 2016 Louisiana State University “Esprit de Femme Award.” She has been featured in numerous publications for her professional and philanthropic work.


Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!

For more about Empovia (formerly Change Catalyst), visit https://ally.cc. There, you’ll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.


Connect With Dima Ghawi On Social

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dimaghawi/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100050491089661
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dghawi
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dima.ghawi/

Connect With Us On Social

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@empovia
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empovia/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/empovia/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/empovia
Twitter: https://twitter.com/empoviaco

Production Team

Creator & Host: Melinda Briana Epler
Co-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst Chan
Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles

[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Dima Ghawi, a Middle Eastern American woman with curly long brown hair, purple halter dress, and golden round earrings with spiral pattern; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]

Bridging The Generational Divide With Dima Ghawi

. At Odwalla, as Director of Strategic Marketing, she grew consumer loyalty while guiding teams nationwide just after their IPO.

Nina studied Theater Arts and Psychology at Cornell University. In addition to writing the first and second editions of Nature, Culture, and the Sacred, Nina co-edited 2010’s Moonrise: The Power of Women Leading from the Heart (Park Street Press), which explores the flourishing, passionate forms of leadership emerging from women (and some men) on behalf of the Earth through the prism of more than 30 essays from diverse women leaders.


Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!

For more about Empovia (formerly Change Catalyst), visit https://ally.cc. There, you’ll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.


Connect With Nina Simons On Social

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nina-simons/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ninasimonsauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ninabioneers
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1ninasimons

Connect With Us On Social

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@empovia
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empovia/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/empovia/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/empovia
Twitter: https://twitter.com/empoviaco

Production Team

Creator & Host: Melinda Briana Epler
Co-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst Chan
Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles

[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Nina Simons, a White woman with short curly brown hair, a colorful beaded necklace, and black shirt; beside her is the light blue book cover of Nature, Culture, & the Sacred: A Woman Listens For Leadership; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]

Reinventing Leadership As An Intersectional Ally With Nina Simons

In Episode 119, Natalia Villalobos, VP of Inclusion at The New York Times, joins Melinda in a transformative discussion on ways to empower individuals to be agents of change within organizations. They delve into the importance of active listening and learning about the workplace culture to understand the change model before taking action. They explore creative and practical ways to collaborate as a team on solutions to drive meaningful change together. They also discuss how leaders can give people grace throughout the change process by cultivating a learning-oriented workplace culture and providing support and resources to help everyone navigate the change.


About Natalia Villalobos (she/her)

Natalia Villalobos is the first Vice President of Inclusion Strategy & Execution at The New York Times. There she is responsible for the DEI strategy for 5,800+ employees within the US and internationally.

Prior to joining The Times, Natalia was Google's "Feminist-in-Residence" leading internal and external global diversity programs. She created Women Techmakers, Google’s outreach program for women in technology. Natalia also led DEI for Developer Relations, Google’s outreach organization for developers.

She believes in meeting and listening to users where they are with an empathetic, human-centered yet data-focused approach. Natalia has applied her background in civil rights and social movements to the tech industry where she is a recognized leader in gender equality and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) broadly.

Natalia has been featured in USA Today, CBS News, Newsweek, Inc. Magazine, BBC, Business Insider, and more. She has enjoyed speaking at Stanford, Harvard Business School, SXSW, Tech Inclusion, among others. She is currently on the board of Micro and the Tribal Link Foundation.

In 2010, Natalia founded 300 Acres, a digital storytelling campaign that went viral to save 300 acres of the Ecuadorian rainforest for the Quichua people. Prior to Google, Natalia had a successful career as a Community Manager for Yahoo!, Digg, The Institute for the Future, Get Satisfaction, The Seasteading Institute, and StyleMob. As a public face and voice for companies, and as a conduit for global online/offline communities, Natalia was an effective advocate for products and experiences totaling 400M+ users.


Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!

For more about Empovia (formerly Change Catalyst), visit https://ally.cc. There, you’ll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.


Connect With Natalia Villalobos On Social

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalianvillalobos/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nataliaenvy

Connect With Us On Social

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@empovia
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empovia/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/empovia/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/empovia

Production Team

Creator & Host: Melinda Briana Epler
Co-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst Chan
Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles


[Image description: LEA promo and photos of Natalia Villalobos, a mixed-race White-presenting cisgender woman with long wavy brown hair, gold dangly earrings, pendant necklace, and button-up blush shirt; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]

How To Empower Agents Of Change With Natalia Villalobos

What does 10 years of work in DEI look like? How do you transform an industry? And why is Change Catalyst changing to Empovia? In episode 120, Melinda Briana Epler, Founder & CEO of Empovia (formerly Change Catalyst) and Wayne Sutton, Co-Founder & Advisor of Empovia, kick off season 10 with a reflective conversation on a decade of DEI work across various industries, including their impactful work in building inclusive tech ecosystems. They discuss Empovia’s mission to empower inclusive innovation and the launch of a new accessible eLearning platform that provides individuals with actionable steps, tools, and frameworks to create positive change.

Use code LEApodcast25 for an additional 25% off our eLearning courses: https://empovia.co/elearning

About Melinda Briana Epler (she/her)

Melinda Briana Epler has more than 25 years of experience elevating brands and developing business innovation strategies for startups, Fortune 500 companies, and global NGOs.

As CEO of Empovia (formerly Change Catalyst), Melinda is a strategic diversity, equity, and inclusion advisor for executives, entrepreneurs, investors, and activists around the world. As part of her changemaking work, she is an inclusive leadership coach, trains executive and management teams, and builds learning and development solutions for clients. 

Melinda is the author of How to Be an Ally (McGraw-Hill) and the host of the popular "Leading With Empathy & Allyship" podcast. She is also a TED speaker, award-winning documentary filmmaker, and former marketing and culture executive. She speaks, mentors, and writes about diversity and inclusion, empathy, and entrepreneurship.


About Wayne Sutton (he/him)

Wayne Sutton is a serial entrepreneur and founder of the Icon Project (501c3 non-profit) and the co-founder of Empovia (formerly Change Catalyst). Sutton’s experience includes years of establishing partnerships with large brands to early-stage startups. As a leading voice in diversity and inclusion in tech, Sutton has been featured in TechCrunch, USA Today, and The Wall Street Journal. In addition to mentoring and advising entrepreneurs, Sutton’s life goal is to advocate for the awareness of humans to address their mental health.

Wayne is a past TED attendee in 2012. With a passion for education and storytelling, Wayne has spoken at several universities and major internet and technology-focused conferences such as Stanford, UC Berkeley, Duke, UNC, NC State, TEDx, World Wide Web(WWW) Conference, O’Reilly Web 2.0 Expo, South By South West (SXSW), DockerCon 2015 and for the U.S. Embassy Jamaica during Global Entrepreneurship Week 2015.


For more about Empovia, visit https://ally.cc. There, you’ll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.


Connect With Melinda

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melindaepler
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melindabrianaepler
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mbrianaepler
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/changecatalysts

Connect With Wayne

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/waynesutton/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wayneesutton
Twitter: https://twitter.com/waynesutton
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waynesutton/

Connect With Us

YouTube: youtube.com/@empovia
Twitter: twitter.com/empoviaco
Facebook: facebook.com/empovia
Instagram: instagram.com/empovia
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empovia

Production Team

Creator & Host: Melinda Briana Epler
Co-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst Chan
Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles


[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket; and host Wayne Sutton, a bald Black man with salt and pepper beard, glasses, and a dark gray shirt.]

How Change Catalyst Became Empovia

What are the strategies for managing cultural change? How can we measure the impact? And what are the emerging trends that may have an influence? In Episode 121, Toby Mildon, founder & director of Mildon, joins Melinda in an action-oriented discussion on creating organizational culture change. They explore various change management models and strategic frameworks leaders can implement to drive DEI initiatives and measure their impact across teams. They tackle the importance of DEI practitioners taking a human-centered approach to problem-solving and using data to identify and address significant issues in the workplace. They also share insights on emerging DEI trends and the future of diversity, equity, and inclusion in business.


About Toby Mildon (he/him)

Toby Mildon, a leading expert in diversity and inclusion with a proven track record of success in helping some of the UK's largest companies - including the BBC, Deloitte, Sony, and HarperCollins Publishing - improve staff retention, brand innovation, productivity, and performance.

Toby's lifelong passion for D&I stems from his personal and professional experiences with inequality, and his belief that building a culture of inclusive growth is essential for organizational success. He created the Inclusive Growth Culture Program to help businesses like yours implement real change and avoid superficial diversity initiatives. If your company has more than 250 employees (or is expecting to grow to this size), Toby is the right person to help you drive your business forward and achieve new heights.

Moving beyond superficial diversity initiatives and building a culture of inclusive growth is essential because it addresses the underlying issues of inequality and creates a sustainable framework for continued growth and success. Companies that focus on this approach see better results, both in terms of revenue growth and employee engagement.

Diverse and inclusive workforces contribute to brand innovation and productivity because they bring together different perspectives and experiences, which can lead to more creative solutions and better decision-making. Studies have shown that diverse companies outperform their peers in terms of revenue growth and profitability. Looking to the future, Toby sees D&I becoming increasingly important for business competitiveness. He encourages companies to prepare themselves for these developments by prioritizing D&I and making it an integral part of their organizational strategy. By doing so, companies can become leaders in their industry and attract and retain top talent.


Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!

For more about Empovia, visit https://ally.cc. There, you’ll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.


Connect With Toby Mildon On Social

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobymildon/

Connect With Us On Social

YouTube: youtube.com/@empovia
Twitter: twitter.com/empoviaco
Facebook: facebook.com/empovia
Instagram: instagram.com/empovia
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empovia

Production Team

Creator & Host: Melinda Briana Epler
Co-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst Chan
Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles


[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Toby Mildon, a White man sitting in an electric wheelchair with low haircut, salt and pepper beard, and navy blue long-sleeve shirt; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]

Managing Cultural Change In The Workplace With Toby Mildon

What does it take to maintain confidence and resilience while engaging in equity work? How can self-grace and allyship help underrepresented changemakers?

In Episode 122, Cory Ervin-Stewart, Founder and CEO of Stewart Consulting and Management, LLC, joins Melinda in a candid conversation on navigating the challenges of equity work as a marginalized changemaker. They share personal insights from their experiences in interracial relationships and discuss the importance of self-reflection and self-care practices to address the harmful effects of marginalization. They also explore ways allies can support and advocate for individuals engaged in equity work.


About Cory Ervin-Stewart (she/her)

As a coach, facilitator, and consultant, Cory designs and leads transformative change efforts for individuals and organizations. She is a successful social impact leader whose specialty areas include diversity, equity, and inclusion; racial justice; deconstructing and addressing bias; fundraising; effective team building; business development; project management; and strategic planning.

She is a trusted voice amongst nonprofits, community-based organizations, and Fortune 500 companies and has helped numerous businesses design and integrate successful culturally competent business models and high-performing teams. Cory is motivated to drive positive culture change and inclusive environments that lead to a more just world for all! With a sincere desire to level the playing field, she is also an active volunteer and mentor within her community.

Cory is the founder of Stewart Consulting & Management, where she helps organizations and businesses adopt socially just practices that improve internal health and advance external results. She also serves on a variety of Boards of Directors for organizations addressing the intersection of race, gender, and class.


Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!

For more about Empovia, visit empovia.co. There, you’ll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.


Connect With Cory Ervin-Stewart On Social

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cervinstewart

Connect With Us On Social

YouTube: youtube.com/@empovia
Twitter: twitter.com/empoviaco
Facebook: facebook.com/empovia
Instagram: instagram.com/empovia
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empovia

Production Team

Creator & Host: Melinda Briana Epler
Co-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst Chan
Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles


[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Cory Ervin-Stewart, a Black indigenous woman with short, curly black hair, brown glasses, and white long-sleeved shirt; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]

Doing Equity Work As A Marginalized Changemaker With Cory Ervin-Stewart

How does a lack of diversity limit one's cognitive potential? What steps can leaders take to cultivate radical equality and belonging?

In Episode 123, Ellen Petry Leanse, Author, Speaker, and Podcast Host of The Brain and Beyond, joins Melinda in a thought-provoking conversation about the neuroscience behind ethical leadership. They explore how you can engage both hemispheres of the brain to break free from binary thinking and develop the ability to recognize biases. Ellen introduces the concept of homogeneity hijack, how it impacts workplace culture, and why it hinders our ability to be responsive, curious, and open to possibilities. They also discuss essential leadership traits that create space for radical equality and belonging.


About Ellen Petry Leanse (she/her)

An acclaimed Silicon Valley innovator, former Stanford University instructor, TEDx speaker, and published author, Ellen Petry Leanse works at the crossroads of spiritual, creative, and scientific inquiry.

Her career at Apple established her as a digital pioneer and the catalyst of history’s first online connection between a technology company and its users. Continuing on this course, she challenged assumptions as an entrepreneur, a leader at Google, in venture capital, as a C-level executive, and as a global innovation advisor.

Ellen is the author of “The Happiness Hack,” a neuroscience-based guide to life satisfaction, the originator of popular Stanford courses including “The Neuroscience of Creativity and Innovation,” a TEDx speaker delivering an early warning on the cognitive and emotional consequences of our rising tech reliance, and a contributor of articles on ethical leadership, functional neuroscience, and gender equality to publications including Huffington Post, Business Insider, Inc.com, CNBC, Self, and Women’s Health.


Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!

For more about Empovia, visit empovia.co. There, you’ll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.


Connect With Ellen Petry Leanse On Social

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellenleanse/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/chep2m
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chep2m/

Connect With Us On Social

YouTube: youtube.com/@empovia
Twitter: twitter.com/empoviaco
Facebook: facebook.com/empovia
Instagram: instagram.com/empovia
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empovia

Production Team

Creator & Host: Melinda Briana Epler
Co-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst Chan
Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles


[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Ellen Petry Leanse, a light-skinned female elder with white hair, black top, orange jacket, and silver dangling earrings, and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]

Exploring The Neuroscience Of Ethical Leadership With Ellen Petry Leanse

When is cultural transformation crucial for teams and organizations? What can leaders do to empower people in times of change?

In Episode 124, Marissa Andrada, Culture Master & Kindness Catalyst, joins Melinda in a solution-focused discussion on transforming workplace cultures. Marissa draws from her experience in planning and executing culture change across different industries. She shares insights on how we can harness the transformative power of kindness through transparency, empowerment, collaboration, and co-creation. She also explores the importance of building leadership capability and developing incentive programs to encourage people across organizations to meet their goals for transformation.


About Marissa Andrada (she/her)

Marissa Andrada is a master of activating organizational hyper-growth and turnaround through the transformation and creation of dynamic, diverse and inclusive cultures. With over 25 years of experience of integrating people and leadership capability into the foundation of business strategies, she has energized brands to codify their purpose and values while accelerating company growth and industry-wide change, inspiring a movement for employee well-being and opportunity.

Marissa is passionate about leading with authenticity and helping people and organizations unleash human potential to lift personal and overall company performance. She has been the key catalyst in transforming cultures and driving performance at a multitude of consumer brands, most recently as the first chief people officer at Chipotle Mexican Grill. Prior to Chipotle, Marissa led human resources at Kate Spade & Company and partner resources at Starbucks Coffee Company. Earlier, she served as senior vice president and head of human resources at GameStop Corporation and at Red Bull North America. She is currently serving as an independent board director at Krispy Kreme, Inc. where she is also the chair of the Remuneration and Nomination Committee. She also serves as the chair of the Dean’s Advisory Board at the College of Business and executive in residence at California State Polytechnic University at Pomona.

Marissa hosts live weekly conversations with leaders from various industries on how they are creating inclusive cultures and what advice they can share to lead through transformation on her CultureCast with Marissa podcast.

Marissa is a founding member of the Society for Human Resources Executive Council, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Workplace Dignity Council and the CNBC Workforce Executive Council and a 2020 American Business Award Gold Stevie winner.


For more about Empovia, visit empovia.co.


Connect With Marissa

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marissaandrada/
Twitter: twitter.com/MarissaAndrada
Instagram: instagram.com/marissaandrada/

Connect With Us

YouTube: youtube.com/@empovia
Twitter: twitter.com/empoviaco
Facebook: facebook.com/empovia
Instagram: instagram.com/empovia
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empovia

Production Team

Creator & Host: Melinda Briana Epler
Co-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst Chan
Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles


[Image description: LEA promo and photos of Marissa Andrada, an Asian Mixed Race Woman with long brown hair, tortoiseshell glasses, gold blouse, and white blazer, and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]

Changing Workplace Cultures: From Planning To Execution With Marissa Andrada

In Episode 125, Megan Carle, Author and Consultant at Carle Consulting, joins Melinda in an insightful conversation on ways to address workplace bullying. They draw from Megan’s book, WALK AWAY TO WIN: A Playbook to Combat Workplace Bullying (McGraw Hill), to discuss various forms of workplace bullying and how to recognize and respond to these harmful behaviors. They share their own workplace experiences and dive into opportunities for leaders and allies to advocate for individuals who have experienced mistreatment and foster a safe workplace culture for everyone's overall well-being.


About Megan Carle (she/her)

Megan Carle spent 30 years rising steadily through the ranks at Nike, finishing her career there as Vice President/General Manager of Basketball for North America, where she drove businesses featuring superstars like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Kevin Durant. She was elevated multiple times to roles no woman had ever held, including stints leading international teams in London and Amsterdam. She founded Carle Consulting LLC, where she gives workshops on handling workplace bullying and creating an inclusive culture of connection and trust. She is the author of the book WALK AWAY TO WIN: A Playbook to Combat Workplace Bullying (McGraw Hill).


Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!

For more about Empovia, visit empovia.co. There, you’ll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.


Connect With Megan Carle On Social

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-carle/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MeganMCarle

Connect With Us On Social

YouTube: youtube.com/@empovia
Twitter: twitter.com/empoviaco
Facebook: facebook.com/empovia
Instagram: instagram.com/empovia
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empovia

Production Team

Creator & Host: Melinda Briana Epler
Co-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst Chan
Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles


[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Megan Carle, a White woman with long dark blonde hair, rhinestone stud earrings, and black blazer, and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]

How To Address Workplace Bullying With Megan Carle

How can male allies help cultivate a supportive workplace environment? And what does it look like to build a male allyship program?

In Episode 126, Brian Boche, Solution Architect at Boche Networks, joins Melinda in an empowering conversation around strategies for encouraging men to become better allies. Brian delves into his allyship journey and shares insights from developing and co-leading multiple allyship programs for individuals from underrepresented backgrounds. He also discusses simple and effective ways to engage men and drive meaningful change in the workplace.


About Brian Boche (he/him)

Brian has been in the tech industry for the past 20 years in a multitude of roles including network engineer, sales engineer, and sales engineering leader. His true passion lies in co-leading an allyship programs as well as building programs delivering monthly events, an allyship bingo card with 25 actions men can start taking today as well as fireside chats and panel discussions with business leaders to showcase the importance an ID&E culture and specifically an emphasis around allyship. Brian's passion comes from the desire to remove the misogyny that exists in our lives and at work all while removing the hurdles that women must overcome to achieve parity in regard to equal pay for equal work, opportunity to leadership positions, and a work environment free of micro-aggressions, "mansplaining" and the like. He is excited to share his personal examples of allyship as well as focusing in on how to build an allyship program as well as the how and why to become an ally.


Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!

For more about Empovia, visitempovia.co. There, you’ll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.


Connect With Brian Boche On Social

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-boche
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brian.boche.1

Connect With Us On Social

YouTube: youtube.com/@empovia
Twitter: twitter.com/empoviaco
Facebook: facebook.com/empovia
Instagram: instagram.com/empovia
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empovia

Production Team

Creator & Host: Melinda Briana Epler
Co-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst Chan
Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles


[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Brian Boche, a bald straight White male with blue/white plaid shirt; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]

How To Encourage Men To Be Better Allies With Brian Boche

What’s the difference between social power and personal power? And how is our personal power tied to our sense of belonging?

In Episode 127, Ritu Bhasin, Belonging and Leadership Speaker, Consultant, Author, and Expert at bhasin consulting inc., joins Melinda in an insightful conversation on unlocking the beauty of belonging. Drawing from Ritu’s book, We’ve Got This: Unlocking the Beauty of Belonging, they share their stories of navigating the path to belonging and delve into the strong connection between authenticity, personal power, and belonging. They discuss the importance of healing work and how this impacts our ability to be better allies, leaders, and advocates of inclusive spaces. They also explore ways to embrace our sense of belonging by building our core wisdom and stepping into our personal power.


About Ritu Bhasin (she/her)

Ritu Bhasin [RIH-thoo bah-SEEN], LL.B. MBA, is an award-winning speaker, consultant, author, and internationally recognized expert in DEI, leadership, belonging, anti-racism, and empowerment. Since 2010, Ritu has worked with hundreds of top organizations and senior leadership teams around the world and, as a professional speaker, she has presented to hundreds of thousands of people globally.

She is a certified cultural competence coach and a certified neuroscience strategies coach who has personally coached over a thousand people, as well as a yoga and mindfulness teacher and practitioner, and very shortly she will complete a trauma professional certification program.

Ritu’s personal experiences with adversity and her desire to help others have led her to work as a social activist for over twenty-five years, volunteering with dozens of organizations and mentoring dozens of youths and young professionals. She has won numerous awards and distinctions for her work, including: Success Magazine’s Woman of Influence, The Women’s Center Leadership Award, the South Asian Bar Association Diversity Award, the Indo-Canadian Chamber of Commerce Female Professional of the Year Award, the City of Toronto’s William P. Hubbard Award for Race Relations, and Western University’s Young Alumni of the Year Award.

Ritu’s second book, the bestseller We’ve Got This: Unlocking the Beauty of Belonging, was released in 2023 (June). Her first book, the bestseller The Authenticity Principle: Resist Conformity, Embrace Differences, and Transform How You Live, Work, and Lead, was released in 2017.

Ritu lives in Toronto, Canada. When she is not working, you’ll find her traveling around the world to eat, swim, hike, dance, and chill.

To explore Ritu’s empowerment tools and resources for individuals, visit her personal empowerment blog, www.ritubhasin.com.


Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!

For more about Empovia, visit empovia.co. There, you’ll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.


Connect With Ritu

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ritubhasin
Facebook: facebook.com/riturbhasin1/
Twitter: twitter.com/ritu_bhasin
Instagram: instagram.com/ritu_bhasin

Connect With Us

YouTube: youtube.com/@empovia
Twitter: twitter.com/empoviaco
Facebook: facebook.com/empovia
Instagram: instagram.com/empovia
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empovia

Production Team

Creator & Host: Melinda Briana Epler
Co-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst Chan
Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles


[Image description: LEA promo and photos of Ritu Bhasin, a South Asian woman with long curled black hair, nose ring, white lace blouse, and golden wristwatch; the brown book cover of We've Got This: Unlocking the Beauty of Belonging; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]

Unlocking The Beauty Of Belonging With Ritu Bhasin

What is conscious empathy? How can humor help engage people in DEI efforts?

In Episode 128, Karith Foster, CEO, Co-Founder, Author, Humorist & DEI Consultant at Inversity Solutions, joins Melinda in a conversation about using humor and empowerment to improve inclusion. They discuss how we can practice conscious empathy to expand our understanding of each other's experiences and foster noble compassion. They also explore easy steps to transform the toxicity in DEI work into positive energy, such as focusing on commonalities, creating a 'brave space' for everyone to embrace authenticity, and engaging in introspection.


About Karith Foster (she/her)

Karith Foster is a Diversity Engagement Specialist and creator of the groundbreaking INVERSITY™ methodology and other signature programs. She is creating a seismic shift in diversity and culture change in academic institutions, organizations and corporations across America. These new conversations are revolutionizing the way we address issues of diversity and leadership.

Karith brings the perfect blend of humor, knowledge and experience while conveying the ever-present need to address diversity, inclusion and effective communication. Karith leaves her audiences feeling engaged, connected, inspired and encouraged to commit to the journey of mutual respect, acceptance and a greater sense of belonging.

As a speaker, humorist, TV & radio personality, author, entrepreneur, wife, and mother, Karith is a positive force of change with her sense of duty, service—along with her riotous sense of humor. “If you can laugh at it you can get through it,” is her motto and the invaluable lesson she seeks to instill in others.

In addition to being CEO of INVERSITY™ Solutions, Karith is also the Founder of F.R.A.M.E the Foster Russell Alliance for Meaningful Expression a 501(c)3 non-profit, whose mission is to inspire free speech, inclusion, social change and empowerment through education and mentorship on college and university campuses.

Karith was featured in two hit documentary films “Can We Take a Joke?” and "No Safe Spaces'' which have garnered accolades in The Washington Post and TIME Magazine, as has her TEDx Talk “The Art of Defying Stereotypes: Learning to be True to Your Voice.” Karith has also made appearances on Imus in the Morning, Fox & Friends, MSNBC, Howard Stern, Comedy Central, VH-1 and Oprah.

Karith is an alumna of Stephens College and Oxford University. She is also a visiting expert for the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program at Stanford University and a 7-time repeat guest lecturer for Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business course, "Reputation Management."

The words “no” and “impossible” are not in her vocabulary as evidenced by her career path, life challenges, chosen adventures and desire to help others.


For educational resources and highlights from this episode, visit ally.cc/KarithFoster.


Connect With Karith

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/karithfoster/
Twitter: twitter.com/karithfoster
Instagram: instagram.com/karithfoster/

Connect With Us

YouTube: youtube.com/@empovia
Twitter: twitter.com/empoviaco
Facebook: facebook.com/empovia
Instagram: instagram.com/empovia
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empovia

Production Team

Creator & Host: Melinda Briana Epler
Producer: Christina Swindlehurst Chan
Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles


[Image description: LEA promo and photos of Karith Foster, a mixed-race Black woman with curled black and brown hair, statement earrings, and pink blouse; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]

Using Humor & Empowerment To Improve Inclusion With Karith Foster

What are the key principles of inclusive design? How can we use those principles to create equitable and anti-oppressive products and services?

In Episode 129, Sandra Camacho, Inclusive Design Consultant, Educator & Strategist at Sandra By Design, joins Melinda in an informative discussion on techniques for designing anti-oppressive products & services. They discuss the importance of centering the needs of marginalized communities and considering intersectional identities throughout the product development and design process. They also dive into ways we can challenge and disrupt oppressive norms and systems to promote solutions that are accessible and beneficial for all individuals.


About Sandra Camacho (she/her)

Sandra Camacho (She/Her) is a multicultural Inclusive Design consultant, educator, and strategist based in Paris, France. She’s also the founder of the Inclusive Design Jam, a global community and academy on inclusive and equitable design. She started her career at Google, where she spent 8 years working in product, innovation, and learning & development in the U.S. and Europe. She left in 2018 to pursue her dreams of designing for social impact under the alias Sandra By Design. Today, she helps product and design teams around the world build thriving work cultures and socially impactful solutions.


Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!

For more about Empovia, visitempovia.co. There, you’ll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.


Connect With Sandra Camacho On Social

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sandracamacho
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sandrabydesign
Instagram: https://instagram.com/sandra.bydesign

Connect With Us On Social

YouTube: youtube.com/@empovia
Twitter: twitter.com/empoviaco
Facebook: facebook.com/empovia
Instagram: instagram.com/empovia
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empovia

Production Team

Creator & Host: Melinda Briana Epler
Co-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst Chan
Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles


[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Sandra Camacho, a Latina woman with long dark brown hair and light olive skin in an olive green jacket; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]

Designing Anti-Oppressive Products & Services With Sandra Camacho

What exactly is political intelligence? And why is it important to have in the workplace?

In Episode 130, Cari Guittard, Chief Strategy Officer & Partner at ChangeX & purposewerx and Leadership Professor at Hult International Business School, joins Melinda in a conversation around the constructive approach to addressing politics within the workplace. Drawing from her multiple experiences in the DEI, ESG, and political fields, Cari delves into practical tools to develop our political intelligence. She discusses why this skill set can be necessary for advancing our careers and positioning ourselves as purpose-driven leaders, the importance of curiosity in political conversations, and how it can enhance our situational awareness to adapt effectively to moments of transition or crisis. She also taps into how organizations can respond to anti-wokeness in a way that opens the door for creativity and creates positive change at work. 

About Cari Guittard (she/her)

Strategic purpose design, global thought leadership and high velocity social impact. Entrepreneurial within organizations galvanizing and building initiatives from scratch and externally, bringing unique opportunities, partners and resources together for purpose driven cross sector engagement.

The Un-Guided Missile. A nickname given to me by one of my former bosses and mentors for my relentless approach to connection, collaboration, and driving impact. From corporate diplomacy, political intelligence, foresight and futures strategy, women's leadership/gender intelligent design, ESG, DE&I, and next gen efforts. My brain is most on fire when I am engaged with clients building, branding and leveraging unique multi-discipline tri-sector partnerships (between government agencies, NGOs, companies and private citizens) to develop solutions to complex and urgent problems. And in doing so we make the world a better place. Together.

Award-Winning Professor. Keynote Speaker & Facilitator. Ghost Writer. Brand & Thought Leadership

An endless collector and distiller of wisdom and knowledge wherever I find it. Am most known for my external communications work -- as a speaker, facilitator, and writer -- even though I am also at home as a strategist, data analyst and researcher. Deeply passionate about applying branding principles, deep imagination and creative processes to every approach. I learned branding and the creative discipline directly from working with legends, seasoned leaders, and boards in the Advertising, Marketing and the Global PR space. Keith Reinhard, Charlotte Beers, Alan Siegel, Allen Rosenshine, John McNeel, Harris Diamond and Rich Edelman.

Purposeful, Practical, Global

In 2018, 2020, and 2021 Hult San Francisco awarded me The Most Inspirational Faculty and Faculty of the Year. It is an honor to be affiliated with and teach at Hult IBS and support the development of next gen global leaders. I develop and teach graduate leadership courses as well as electives in Political Intelligence for Work, Strategic Influence & Persuasion, Gender Intelligence, Crisis Management & International Negotiations.


For more about Empovia, visit empovia.co. There, you’ll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.


Connect With Cari

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/cariguittard/

Connect With Us

YouTube: youtube.com/@empovia
Twitter: twitter.com/empoviaco
Facebook: facebook.com/empovia
Instagram: instagram.com/empovia
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empovia

Production Team

Creator & Host: Melinda Briana Epler
Co-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst Chan
Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles


[Image description: LEA promo and photos of Cari Guittard, a White, cis gender female photographed in black and white with long blonde hair and dark button up shirt; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]

Navigating Politics In The Workplace With Cari Guittard

What is holistic resistance? How can we practice it to break historical narratives and challenge oppression in the workplace?

In Episode 131, Aaron Johnson, Professional Speaker at The CUT, joins Melinda in an honest conversation on the power of touch and the Black brute narrative in the workplace. They explore holistic resistance as a response to the profound impact of the Black brute narrative on African heritage men. They discuss ways this narrative shows up in the workplace, including through a lack of safe space where Black men can be vulnerable, set boundaries, and protect themselves when those boundaries are violated. They also discuss the relationship between White women and Black men and how each of us can advocate for anti-racism in the fight against oppression.


About Aaron Johnson (he/him)

My name is Aaron, and what lights me up right now is cultivating environments that allow black-bodied people to show up as their full tender selves. One of my goals is for black folks to be in spaces where connection to each other and the earth is accessible. One of the ways I am currently cultivating healing is my Chronically UnderTouched Project, where I support black men who have not had mindful, thoughtful platonic touch in creating their own holistic touch practices and care plan.


Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!

For more about Empovia, visit empovia.co. There, you’ll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.


Connect With Aaron Johnson On Social

Instagram: https://instagram.com/cut.project

Connect With Us On Social

YouTube: youtube.com/@empovia
Twitter: twitter.com/empoviaco
Facebook: facebook.com/empovia
Instagram: instagram.com/empovia
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empovia

Production Team

Creator & Host: Melinda Briana Epler
Co-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst Chan
Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles


[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Aaron Johnson, an African Heritage man with short black afro hair, black goatee and beard, tan turtleneck, and glasses, and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]

The Power Of Touch & The Black Brute Narrative In The Workplace With Aaron Johnson

How does generative AI impact teams? And what can we do to mitigate the impact of biased AI?

In Episode 132, Kieran Snyder, Co-Founder and CEO at Textio, joins Melinda in an insightful discussion about the impact of AI on workplace biases and inequities. They explore the potential harm and social biases perpetuated by generative AI, and look closely at how this applies to performance reviews. They also discuss the key factors business leaders should consider when adopting AI solutions in their teams, establish accountability systems that support DEI efforts, and safeguard confidential employee information.


About Kieran Snyder (she/her)

Kieran is co-founder and CEO of Textio, the platform for inclusive and equitable communications. After earning her PhD in linguistics at Penn, Kieran spent a decade creating the world’s most impactful language products at Microsoft and Amazon. In addition to developing linguistic capabilities like spelling and grammar-checking for more than 100 languages, she led the large-scale effort to integrate the Bing search engine into Microsoft Windows. Kieran is a world-renowned expert on language and bias at work, and her writing has appeared in Fortune, The New York Times, Slate, and the Washington Post.


Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!

For more about Empovia, visitempovia.co. There, you’ll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.


Connect With Kieran Snyder On Social

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kieran-snyder-60572987/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KieranSnyder

Connect With Us On Social

YouTube: youtube.com/@empovia
Twitter: twitter.com/empoviaco
Facebook: facebook.com/empovia
Instagram: instagram.com/empovia
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empovia

Production Team

Creator & Host: Melinda Briana Epler
Co-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst Chan
Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles


[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Kieran Snyder, a White woman with long brown hair, drop earrings, and black top; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]

How AI Impacts Biases & Inequities In The Workplace With Kieran Snyder

Empovia creates empowered learning and development solutions that drive inclusive and sustainable change.