Expressions of Leadership

In this episode of Expressions of Leadership , Henri Yonet takes us through a remarkable creative journey shaped by two very different influences: an artistic mother and a scientific father. From experimenting with chemistry, music, and photography as a child to studying classical music, songwriting, and arranging at Santa Monica College and Berklee, Henri learned to see both creative possibilitie...

In this episode of Expressions of Leadership , host Michele Kawamoto Perry speaks with Nike Doukas , actor, director, teacher, accent coach, and Artistic Director of Antaeus Theatre Company in Los Angeles. A member of Antaeus for roughly 35 years, Nike shares her journey from artist to artistic leader and reflects on what theater, directing, teaching, and coaching have taught her about leadership....

What happens when you stop waiting and start pursuing what truly matters? On this episode of Expressions of Leadership, Michele Kawamoto Perry sits down with TT for a deeply personal conversation about resilience, leadership, purpose, and finding the courage to follow a new path. From growing up in Colorado with a Broadway singer and actress as his mother, to facing a rare kidney disease at age si...

In this episode of Expressions of Leadership , host Michele Kawamoto Perry welcomes Sheila Cutchlow, a producer, classically trained chef, business development executive, actor, and storyteller whose remarkable career has spanned entertainment, media, culinary arts, live event production, and entrepreneurship. Sheila shares how growing up in Iowa and stepping into student leadership at the Univers...

In this episode of Expressions of Leadership , Michele Kawamoto Perry sits down with Maya Persaud , founder of Espero Atelier in Paris, and Sanam Hasan , documentary filmmaker and Sr. PR Manager at BFI Festivals, for a conversation about  leadership, human dignity, confidence, trust, and the power of meaningful work . Maya shares how Espero evolved from its origins during the refugee crisis into a...

In this episode of Expressions of Leadership , host Michele Kawamoto Perry welcomes Linda Smiley, a researcher, educator, speech-language pathologist, and community leader whose career has centered on helping people communicate, connect, and create meaningful change. Linda shares lessons from an academic career that included more than 200 peer-reviewed research publications, work with children and...

What does it take to lead under extraordinary pressure, and how do our greatest setbacks become the catalyst for becoming a better leader? In this episode of Expressions of Leadership , Michele Kawamoto Perry speaks with Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, writer, entrepreneur, and inventor Ethan Prochnik for a captivating conversation about curiosity, courage, and continuous reinvention. From reporting...

Host Michele Kawamoto Perry welcomes Nona Bayat, fitness entrepreneur, content creator, and host of the Her Health Podcast . What began as sharing workout videos during college has evolved into a global platform dedicated to helping women build strength, confidence, and lifelong health through evidence-based information. In this conversation, Nona shares her journey from aspiring physician to trus...

Host Michele Kawamoto Perry speaks with Emmy-nominated writer-producer, showrunner, author, and podcast host Melinda Hsu to explore her remarkable journey from growing up as an aspiring storyteller in Bangor, Maine, to leading some of television's most acclaimed series, including Lost , The Vampire Diaries , Nancy Drew , and FOX's The Interrogator . Melinda reflects on the influence of her immigra...

Host Michele Kawamoto Perry sits down with Corey Brown, entrepreneur, technologist, musician, and author of The Expert Prompt , to explore a career built on curiosity, continual reinvention, and a passion for helping others succeed. Corey shares how growing up in a third-generation graphic arts family, teaching himself HTML in the early days of the internet, working alongside Seth Godin, and launc...

Award-winning photographer Timothy White has spent more than four decades creating iconic images of some of the world's most recognizable figures. In this episode of Expressions of Leadership , host Michele Kawamoto Perry explores the remarkable journey behind the camera, discussing Timothy's new memoir, Life Through My Lens , his unconventional path into photography, and the creative mindset that...

Host Michele Kawamoto Perry sits down with Certified Sommelier Erika Parjus to explore her remarkable journey from a painfully shy child to a respected leader in the hospitality and wine industries. Erika shares how curiosity became her greatest strength, leading her from working in restaurants at fifteen to building award-worthy beverage programs, working harvest in Oregon's Willamette Valley, an...

In this episode of Expressions of Leadership, host Michele Kawamoto Perry speaks with Saurabh Narain, President and CEO of the National Community Investment Fund (NCIF), to explore his journey from a successful career in global banking to leading an organization dedicated to strengthening underserved communities through innovative finance. Saurabh shares the values that shaped him, the pivotal les...

Content Note: This episode includes candid discussions about men's sexual health, vulnerability, relationships, and family dynamics. It also references the title of Kristina Denton's memoir, You Don't Know D**k: How I Healed My Daddy Issues Fixing Broken D***s. Listener discretion is advised. In this episode of Expressions of Leadership, host Michele Kawamoto Perry welcomes Kristina Denton, author...

In this episode of Expressions of Leadership, host Michele Kawamoto Perry sits down with acclaimed Irish singer-songwriter Mairéad Mac Mullan for a deeply personal conversation about authenticity, courage, creativity, and the lifelong journey of finding your true voice. From her early days in Dublin to touring alongside legendary artists such as Van Morrison, Natalie Merchant, Elvis Costello, and...

In this episode of Expressions of Leadership, Michele Kawamoto Perry sits down with Errol (E.J.) Fortenberry, financial advisor at Bernstein, former Boston College football player, and trusted advisor to founders, executives, professional athletes, and families navigating pivotal life transitions. E.J. shares the lessons that shaped his journey, from overcoming setbacks and learning the importance...

What can decades of studying human behavior teach us about leadership, trust, and ethical decision-making? In this episode of Expressions of Leadership, Michele Kawamoto Perry speaks with psychologist, ethics expert, author, and educator Dr. Jack Haynes. Over a remarkable career spanning more than 35 years, Jack has conducted hundreds of child custody evaluations, served in leadership roles focuse...

Michele Kawamoto Perry sits down with Dali Rivera—U.S. Army veteran, immigrant, author, speaker, and founder of DaliTalks—to explore how a deeply personal experience transformed into a mission to create safer, more compassionate communities. After witnessing her young daughter endure bullying, Dali began advocating for stronger prevention efforts and ultimately built a career helping parents, educ...

Host Michele Kawamoto Perry speaks with Ashish Shah, Founder and CEO of Revida Water, about reimagining one of the world’s most overlooked infrastructure challenges: industrial wastewater. Drawing on a career that spans Wall Street, private equity, operations, and consulting, Ashish shares how firsthand experience with fragmented wastewater systems inspired him to build Revida Water, a vertically...

In this episode of Expressions of Leadership, Michele Kawamoto Perry speaks with entrepreneur, innovator, and former Walmart executive Andy Ruben for a conversation about leadership, reinvention, and building what doesn’t yet exist. From his early days at Procter & Gamble to leading strategy, sustainability, and omnichannel innovation at Walmart, Andy shares the experiences that shaped his app...

Lauren Cantor’s career journey defies convention, from studying astrophysics at Columbia and working in an observatory in Chile to managing billion-dollar portfolios on Wall Street, earning an MFA in her 40s, and becoming an AI advisor and educator. In this episode of Expressions of Leadership, Lauren shares how curiosity, adaptability, and a willingness to take risks shaped her path across financ...

In this episode of Expressions of Leadership, Michele Kawamoto Perry speaks with musician and social entrepreneur Brad Wolfe about how a deeply personal loss shaped his life’s work, from creating music to founding Reimagine, a global community centered on healing, connection, and meaning. Together, they explore how people can move through grief and transform it into purpose through storytelling, c...

In this episode of Expressions of Leadership, Michele Kawamoto Perry speaks with Rachel S. Moore, President and CEO of The Music Center of Los Angeles—one of the largest performing arts centers in the United States. Rachel’s leadership journey began on stage as a professional ballet dancer with American Ballet Theatre before a pivotal turning point set her on a new path into executive leadership....

In this episode of Expressions of Leadership, Michele Kawamoto Perry sits down with Bob Riddle, a lifelong educator whose nearly four-decade journey, from math teacher to Head of School, offers a powerful perspective on what it means to lead with purpose, courage, and authenticity. Together, they explore the defining moments of Bob’s leadership, including coming out and leading with greater authen...

In this episode, Michele Kawamoto Perry interviews Katie Mednick, a founder and TEDx speaker who bootstrapped Spark TS into a North American rail industry leader before successfully exiting in 2025. Katie shares how she navigated complex regulations, built trust across unionized teams and regulators, and scaled a product under intense pressure. This conversation goes beyond entrepreneurship into t...