Curiosity at Work

In this episode of the Curiosity at Work podcast, Dr. Julie Pham sits down with Michael Jacobson, an award-winning national leader in organizational performance management and the Deputy Director at King County’s Office of Performance, Strategy, and Budget. During the conversation, Michael shares insights into his extensive work establishing King County’s performance management systems, including...

In the latest episode of Curiosity at Work, host Dr. Julie Pham welcomes Rico Quirindongo, the Director of the Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) for the City of Seattle. Together, they dive into how curiosity shapes the workplace and the dynamic role it plays in city planning. Rico shares insights into the structure of his office, which comprises 50 people, including planners and...

In this episode of Curiosity at Work, Dr. Julie Pham chats with Joe Sky-Tucker, CEO of Business Impact Northwest, to explore how curiosity shapes leadership and culture in the nonprofit world. Joe shares stories from his journey—moving from a micromanager to a leader who deeply listens to his team and finds creative ways to say "yes" whenever possible. Joe talks about the power of promoting from w...

In this episode of Curiosity at Work, Dr. Julie Pham is joined by Jennifer Strachan, CEO of inReach, a nonprofit organization that leverages the power of storytelling to reshape cultural narratives. Jennifer shares insights from her 25-year career in public and commercial media, including her experiences as an Emmy Award-winning producer. She discusses how inReach has navigated a major organizatio...

In this episode of Curiosity at Work,"Dr. Julie Pham sits down with Rachael Steward, the Deputy Director of Housing Operations at Seattle Housing Authority. Rachael brings a wealth of experience from her 20-year career in public service, including roles in higher education and public housing. She shares her insights on fostering curiosity in a diverse and dynamic workplace. Rachael provides an in-...

In this episode of Curiosity at Work, Dr. Julie Pham sits down with Amythst Shipman, Director of Project Management at Food Lifeline, Western Washington's largest hunger relief organization. Amy shares her experiences and insights on how curiosity plays a vital role in their mission to fight hunger. Learn about the diverse roles within Food Lifeline, from warehouse employees to grant writers, and...

Join Dr. Julie Pham in this engaging episode of Curiosity at Work as she sits down with Mikaela Kiner, founder of Reverb, a people operations consulting firm. Mikaela shares her extensive experience in HR and entrepreneurship, offering valuable insights into cultivating curiosity, self-awareness, and clear communication in the workplace. Tune in to learn how Mikaela's approach to curiosity and rel...

Join Dr. Julie Pham in an enlightening conversation with Elizabeth Scallon, a dynamic leader in the tech world. Elizabeth has an impressive background spanning higher education, startups, industry, and funding. Currently, she holds the title of Director of Corporate Incubation at HP, where she helps bring innovative ideas to life and make a significant impact. In this episode, Elizabeth discusses...

In this episode of Curiosity at Work, Dr. Julie Pham chats with Jim Loter, Deputy Chief Technology Officer at Seattle IT, about how curiosity drives innovation and fosters a positive workplace culture. With a rich background in higher education, local government, and libraries, Jim shares valuable lessons from his career. Jim discusses the importance of self-awareness, his journey from self-critic...

Join Dr. Julie Pham as she has an insightful conversation with Joe Todd, a longtime public servant and the Deputy City Manager at the City of Bellevue. Joe is also the vice chair of the African American Commission for Washington State. In this episode, Joe shares his journey, experiences, and the values that guide his leadership style. ✨ Episode Highlights: Building and nurturing enduring relatio...