What if the vigilance you developed just to survive as an out professional is actually your sharpest executive asset?

In this episode of The Q Suite, hosts Ken Kundis and James Gunselman sit down with veteran communications executive Allison Kahn, who has executed global internal communications for some of the world’s biggest and most trusted companies, reaching hundreds of thousands of employees across dozens of countries.

Allison unpacks how working-class roots, self-funding her education, and queer lived experience built an unmatched degree of emotional intelligence (EQ)—the instinctual ability to read a room, find safe harbors, and navigate complex boardroom dynamics. Moving past empty buzzwords, she offers a candid critique of the corporate slogan "bring your whole self to work," makes the case for why communications must report directly to the CEO, and shares an enterprise roadmap for leading with authenticity and nuance across global markets.

Key Takeaways:

• EQ as an Executive Superpower: Translating the instinctual "room scan" for safety into elite stakeholder alignment and risk management.

• Scrappy Roots to the C-Suite: How early experience in alternative media and nonprofits creates versatile enterprise leaders.

• The "Whole Self" Reality Check: Balancing authenticity with professional decorum and intentional boundaries.

• Communications at Enterprise Scale: Crafting cohesive global narratives while honoring conflicting local cultural and legal standards.

• The True Seat of Comms: Why internal communications belongs as an independent function advising the CEO—not buried in HR or Marketing.

Episode Chapters:

00:00 - The Superpower of Lived Experience

00:29 - Meet Allison Kahn

02:12 - From Grassroots Media to Enterprise Comms

05:59 - Pitching Scrappy Skills to Big Business

08:16 - The Executive "Invisible Cape"

10:30 - Communicating Across Global Markets

13:51 - Working-Class Roots & Building Networks

19:03 - Belonging & Conquering Imposter Syndrome

20:40 - Ditching Performative Corporate Platitudes

25:15 - Why Comms Belongs Directly with the CEO

28:12 - Rethinking "Bring Your Whole Self to Work"

33:52 - Everyday Advocacy as Risk Management

35:36 - Rapid Fire: Retiring Corporate Clichés

37:29 - Mentoring Moment: Dropping Assumptions

Connect & Subscribe:

• Website & Transcripts: https://www.theq-suite.com

• Subscribe on YouTube: @TheQSuite

• Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music

• Follow us on LinkedIn & TikTok: @TheQSuite

“What are we gonna do about Morrey?”

“What do you mean? He’s gay.”

“What do you mean, what do we do about him? I’ve got his back.”

Early in his corporate career, Morrey Atkinson (Chief Technical Operations Officer, Vertex Pharmaceuticals) faced the moment every LGBTQ+ professional dreads: having your identity questioned behind closed boardroom doors.

What could have been a career roadblock turned into a defining lesson in allyship, executive sponsorship, and what real leadership looks like.

Tomorrow, Morrey takes his seat at the table on The Q Suite to talk biopharma innovation, navigating massive M&A integrations, and why authenticity isn’t an HR checkbox—it’s an operational necessity.

#TheQSuite #ExecutiveLeadership #LGBTQinBusiness #Biotech #LeadershipDevelopment #WorkplaceInclusion #AllyshipInAction #CorporateCulture

In this episode of The Q Suite, co-hosts Ken Kundis and James Gunselman sit down with Nancy Del Pizzo, Partner and Co-Chair of the Intellectual Property Group at Rivkin Radler LLP. Nancy takes us behind the scenes of her multifaceted career—from her early roots as a writer and consultant navigating the covert norms of New York publishing, to rising through the ranks of high-stakes corporate law as an openly LGBTQ+ partner and community leader.

Nancy delivers an unvarnished masterclass on why your personal story is your most valuable, proprietary asset. We explore the cognitive drain of "covering," the critical distinction between workplaces that merely tolerate diversity versus those that fully embrace it, and how she boldly flipped the script by interviewing prospective law firms on their culture before accepting an offer. Plus, Nancy breaks down the cutting-edge intersections of emerging technology, AI prompts, and IP litigation.

In this special episode of the Q Suite, co-hosts James Gunselman and Ken Kundis introduce the concept behind the Q Suite and share their own powerful mentoring moments. Tune in to this episode to see how it all started!

A moment of inspired networking gave Reginald Charlot the door into his dream job: helping to shape the New York visitors' experience. Join us for a conversation about what it means to lead with heart in one of the world's most dynamic industries.

Long-time retail executive and former VP at Ulta Beauty, Paul DeSousa has navigated a career as an out executive by focusing on authenticity. This has informed his management style and his life experiences. Listen to Paul DeSousa on episode 3 of The Q Suite.

In this episode, our Global Data Power Woman, Anne Levine, talks about her journey through the halls of government, through personal evolution, and landing her in her new role as consultant. We cover themes of data governance and it's impact on our daily lives, how to architect a career and personal pivot, and who has inspired her along the way.

The Financial Services industry can be a massively competitive place. Sometimes, you have to perform a little. Fortunately for Douglas Figueredo, he had been training to do just that since childhood.