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

Welcome to this week's episode of the Intersection Podcast! We are honored to have Emily Voorde, Founder and CEO of INTO Strategies, a disabled-led firm dedicated to fostering inclusivity in moments, movements, and campaigns.

Emily’s journey from an AmeriCorps member to 2nd grade teacher and then serving as a liaison to Disabled Americans and K-12 educators in the Biden-Harris Administration is nothing short of inspiring. With a passion for justice and equitable access to education, Emily brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise on disability representation.

The highlights of our discussion:

• Emily shares insights from her career journey, including her experiences working on Pete Buttigieg's presidential campaign and in the White House Office of Public Engagement.
• We delve into the prevalence of disabilities in the U.S. and the importance of distinguishing between having a disability and disabled identity.
• Practical steps organizations can take to foster disability inclusion including using inclusive language, auditing accessibility, and collecting data on disability representation.
• The impact of disability inclusion on organizational culture and the competitive advantage it brings.

Thank you for joining this vital conversation. You can also follow Emily Voorde for more on advancing equity, inclusion, and accessibility.

Thank you for listening!

Resources:

INTOStrategies.com
@INTOStrategies on Instagram
@ShortyVoorde on Instagram
Emily Voorde Linkedin

Hello, and welcome back to the Intersection Podcast.

This is the third conversation in our series that celebrates and lifts up Black leaders. These conversations are near and dear to my heart. After spending years in Corporate America, often feeling unseen and unheard, I wanted to give voice to our unique experiences. This series provides resources, tools, and a community to let you know you’re not alone.

In this episode, "Owning Your Story - One Leader's Journey to Healing & Wholeness" with Nyerere Billups, we discuss how to empower and support Black employees. Nyerere is a senior pharmaceutical leader extensive experience developing innovative life cycle management strategies from clinical development to commercialization and launch

Nyerere is a people, culture and equity advocate. Believing that when we can show up full it benefits everyone.

In this episode we discuss:

➡️ The importance of therapy and coaching to provide a safe space for self-acceptance. .
➡️ The value of owning your authentic story and lived experience.

➡️ The parallels between therapy and coaching provide a safe space for self-acceptance.

➡️ Why you shouldn’t take assessments personally.

Thank you for being a part of this community as we acknowledge the contributions of Black leaders.

Thank you for listening!

Resources:
Nyerere Billups Linkedin

Hello, and welcome to this week's episode of the Intersection Podcast.

In this second installment of “A Love Letter to Black Leaders” we are delighted to have Shayna Hammond. Shayna is Founder & CEO of Lead For Liberation and IndigoWomen. Shayna centers spiritually-inspired and research based coaching methods to center Black leaders and entrepreneurs.

She is also an author with extensive expertise in leadership and life coaching, workplace culture redesign, business strategy, and education. Shayna recently founded Shayna Renee Media, where she delivers keynote speeches, co-curates liberatory events, and will soon launch a podcast (be sure to check it out).

This important series gives voice to our unique experiences as black leaders and provides resources, tools, and a community to let you know you’re not alone.

In this episode we discuss:

⚫ What motivates Shayna - from her early childhood experiences with discrimination to her career in education.

⚫ What liberatory leadership is and how it enables everyone to thrive, innovate and experience a sense of belonging.

⚫ The challenges often facing Black leaders as we navigate lack of support, grace and trust.

⚫ The imperative of self-preservation practices for Black leaders and how to center and make space for your own emotions.

Thank you for listening and being a part of this community as we acknowledge the immeasurable contributions of Black leaders.

Resources:
Shayna Hammond Linkedin
Lead for Liberation
IndigoWomen

Hello, and welcome back to the Intersection Podcast.

This is the first installment of three entitled "It’s Not You - Navigating Leadership As A Black Woman." The conversations over the next few weeks are near and dear to my heart. As a Black woman who spent 20+ years in Corporate America, often feeling unseen and unheard, I wanted to give voice to our unique experiences and provide resources, tools, and a community to let you know you’re not alone.

Over the course of the series, we'll explore what it’s like to work in environments that were not designed by us or for us. And before you turn away and say…"I'm not a black leader” I encourage you to listen as we can all learn and grow from each other.

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Heather Lofton, LMFT, Founder of Dr. Lofton, LMFT Therapy & Consulting. She holds a doctorate in Human Development and Family Studies with a specialty in systems therapy. Dr. Heather also served as Core Faculty and Staff therapist at The Family Institute at Northwestern University's Master of Science Marriage and Family Therapy program.

Her specialty areas of treatment are professional women with depression, anxiety, and work-life balance concerns. Dr. Lofton's primary area of research and treatment specifically focuses on high-achieving black female professionals.

In this episode, we discuss:

➡️ The research on stress, anxiety, and mental health issues among high-achieving Black professional women.

➡️ Real steps organizations can take to support Black Women leaders like ensuring access to coaches and therapists, eliminating flawed assessments, and systemic barriers. All of which positively impact everyone in an organization.

➡️ Resources you can use to support your own healing such as personal audits which assess the risks and costs of overwork and setting clear boundaries around self-care.

Thank you for being a part of this community as we acknowledge the immeasurable contributions of Black leaders present and past.

Thank you for listening!

Resources:

Book: The First, the Few, the Only

Dr. Adia Gooden website is here

Dr. Dara Winley website is here

Therapy for black girls website is here

Psychology Today

Dr. Heather Lofton Linkedin

Welcome back! I hope your 2024 is off to a healthy and nurturing start.

We’re kicking off this first episode of the season with a focus on money. Delving into what’s possible when organizations align financial objectives with their mission and values.

I’m thrilled to welcome Dana Britto, Founder & Principal of Cultivar Consulting. Dana is a bold champion for greater equity within nonprofit management and philanthropy. Her expertise as a Lender and Board Treasurer help organizations strengthen financial management systems which ultimately empowers leaders, teams, and the communities they serve.

Join us as we explore the critical intersection of equity and financial practices, and how embedding equity into financial decision-making fosters a more inclusive and just workplace.

In this episode, we discuss:

➡️ The common barriers nonprofits face when discussing finances, including our own personal trauma and negative associations tied to money and systemic oppression.

➡️ The criticality for open dialogue between Finance and other functions (including your Board) which fosters mutual understanding rather than siloed decision-making.

➡️ The power of storytelling to build trust and financial transparency within and outside your organization.

Thank you for being a part of The Intersection Podcast community! Stay tuned for more thought-provoking conversations, as we explore what’s possible when we commit to more equitable and just workplaces.

Resources:

Dana Britto Linkedin