Lunch with Leaders: Influence Extraordinary Authentic Women in STEM Careers for Empowerment

In this inspirational episode of "Lunch with Leaders," Shruti Rustagi, leadership development expert and author of "Fearless Productivity," joins Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya to discuss the mindset and strategies required for women in STEM to thrive as leaders. Key topics include overcoming the middle management trap, embracing fearless productivity, the importance of self-defined...

This episode of "Lunch with Leaders" with Uma Subramanian and Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya explores how professionals—especially women in STEM—can bridge the perception gap to become visible and sought-after leaders. Uma Subramanian shares actionable frameworks for building influence, communicating value, and developing a powerful leadership reputation. Key topics include the SOAR framework...

In this powerful episode, faith-driven business leader Peter Snell shares actionable leadership strategies rooted in objectivity, biblical principles, and authentic mentorship. Listeners learn how to overcome fear of failure, transform anxiety into gratitude, make high-stakes decisions, and build sustainable business models—especially in the oil and gas industry. Whether you're leading a team,...

In this empowering leadership podcast, Marc & Adaeze sit down with Mark Pittman, founder of Concord Leadership Group and author of "The Surprising Gift of Doubt." They discuss redefining success, overcoming impostor syndrome, embracing self-doubt as a tool for growth, and the challenges—and privileges—of leadership. Listeners dive into actionable frameworks like the Four Quadrants of...

African Women in STEM founder ⁠Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya⁠⁠⁠ reflects on August as Black Business Month, celebrating successes and outlining opportunities for women in STEM. Key programs highlighted include Women in STEM AI Roundtables, the new Restore Wellness Program, and the upcoming Ascension Conference in Atlanta. This podcast garners top 5% global ranking, offers networking, mentorship, and a...

Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya⁠ welcomes Mahir Laul , founder and CEO of Velric , to explore future-proof leadership, hiring transformation, and adaptability in the era of AI. Mahir shares how embracing flexibility, valuing people over place, and focusing on skills (not just credentials) empower both candidates and companies. The conversation reveals actionable hiring tips, the value of continuous upsk...

Explore how Carlotta Berry, PhD , a pioneering Black woman professor in electrical and computer engineering, transforms STEM education and visibility through her leadership, advocacy, and creativity. In this inspiring conversation with Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya , discover the origins of "Black in Engineering" and "Black in Robotics," strategic insights for combating AI bias, an...

In this episode of Lunch with Leaders, Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya ⁠ leadership strategist and founder of African Women in STEM, dismantles the myth that hard work alone leads to promotions. She reveals the hidden mechanisms behind career advancement—why timing, personal branding, visibility, and strategic relationships matter more than annual performance reviews. Packed with real career stories, ac...

Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya hosts Stephanie Georges , a veteran strategist and founder of the Meraki Dignity Project . They dive into women’s unique challenges during career and life transitions—touching on everything from workplace expectations, caregiving, and identity shifts to the need for dignity, intentionality, and safe, inclusive tech. The conversation explores how AI and data models margina...

In this insightful podcast episode, Dr. Wanjiru Golly, PhD , founder of Cultural Synergy Solutions , joins Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya to explore cultural synergy, identity, and leadership. Discover how invisible identities—such as socioeconomic background—shape success, why women in STEM often downplay achievements, and strategies for leveraging your full identity as a strength. Learn actionable st...

In this episode, globally respected breathwork teacher Annelies Richmond shares her journey from professional ballerina battling burnout to international meditation and leadership trainer. She discusses the science and power behind breathwork practices like SKY Breath Meditation and Ujjayi breathing to help women in STEM and professionals handle chronic stress, boost career resilience, and reclaim...

In this empowering solo episode of "Podcast," Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya ⁠ tackles the critical issue of perception versus reality for women in STEM, especially women of color and Black women. She explores how decision-makers’ biased or incomplete stories about you can stall your career, regardless of your hard work and results. Through personal anecdotes, research insights, and actionabl...

Adaeze Iloeje-Udogalanya⁠ discusses with Anatola Araba exploring how imagination and storytelling drive innovation, especially for women in STEM. Several points were raised, including the necessity of integrating creativity and technical skills, building hopeful narratives, and using frameworks like DREAM (Designing Regenerative, Equitable, Abundant Models) to reimagine the future. The episode fea...

Adaeze Iloeje-Udogalanya hosts Dr. Antonia Arnold-McFarland , a leader with 25+ years in STEM, known for her advocacy, mentorship, and history preservation. The conversation explores how engineering and process improvement principles help solve personal and professional challenges. Dr. Antonia Arnold-McFarland defines her role as a contemporary griot, stressing why legacy and storytelling matter—e...

This episode of Launching Leaders with Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya targets women in STEM experiencing pay and promotion gaps. Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya uses powerful math and real-life examples to highlight the compounding financial losses of underpayment and delayed promotions. The episode provides step-by-step guidance to calculate your personal career cost, emphasizes taking intentional action, a...

In this episode of Lunch with Leaders , host Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya interviews Nikki Barua , an award-winning entrepreneur and AI transformation expert. Nikki dismantles the myth of the linear career path, arguing that in the AI age, the corporate ladder has been replaced by a molecular, agile structure. She introduces the "People Squared" movement and the FlipFactor diagnostic, which helps pro...

In this solo episode of Lunch with Leaders , host Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya delivers a wake-up call about the cost of "passive patience" in career advancement. She dismantles the myth that keeping your head down leads to success. Adaeze explains how waiting and procrastination widen the career gap, especially for women in STEM facing systemic hurdles like the "broken rung" and...

In this episode of Lunch with Leaders , host Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya sits down with Bradley Hunt , an executive coach and co-founder of The Why Group . They explore the distinction between management (assigned from above) and leadership (earned from below).  Bradley shares insights on true succession planning, using a U.S. military command as a benchmark. He also champions The Leadership Challen...

Passive hope, career burnout, women in STEM leadership, autoimmune disease in women, career advancement, Restore Workshop, African Women in STEM, self-awareness. In this solo episode of Launch with Leaders , host Resources tackles the dangerous cost of "passive hope." ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ She dismantles the myth that putting your head down and worki...

Women in STEM, working moms, career-life integration, forced choice trap, STEM retention, biomedical careers, whole life scoreboard, Anokhi Kapasi, Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya, CLIP. In this episode of Launch with Leaders , host ⁠ Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ sits down with Dr. Anokhi Kapasi Sullivan , a biomedical consultant and founder of Solve for Mom . Together, they dismantle the "force...

Burnout in women, women in STEM wellness, high-achieving women, chronic illness, self-care for leaders, Tree of Life methodology, Restore Workshop, African Women in STEM. In this deeply personal solo episode of Launch with Leaders , ⁠ Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ shares her own two-year burnout and health crisis to open a critical conversation about the silent epidemic affecting women in STEM a...

In this episode of Lunch with Leaders , host Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya ⁠⁠⁠⁠ interviews psychologist Ncazelo Ncube-Milo . Internationally recognized for her culturally sensitive trauma work, Ncazelo discusses the global impact of the Tree of Life methodology , now used in 30+ countries. The conversation explores narrative healing , the power of storytelling in recovery, and how reclaiming cultural...

In this Season 1 finale of Lunch with Leaders , host Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya ⁠⁠⁠ synthesizes 50 episodes of leadership insights for women in STEM. As a leadership strategist and founder of African Women in STEM, Adaeze outlines five essential career shifts: Performance to Positioning, Expert to Leader, Proving to Conviction, Isolation to Connection, and Hesitation to AI Fluency . This episode se...

In this episode of Lunch with Leaders , host Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya ⁠⁠ sits down with leadership expert DeeDee Fisher to unpack the CPL Framework . As a TEDx speaker and leadership strategist, Adaeze guides a conversation focused on Compassion, Process, and Learning to help leaders in STEM amplify their visibility and influence. The discussion centers on emotional intelligence in 2026, offering...

Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya ⁠ , a leadership strategist, addresses the persistent promotion gap for women in STEM, particularly in 2026. She argues that while AI’s rapid evolution threatens to widen this disparity, strategically embracing AI is crucial for career advancement. Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya introduces a four-part framework: auditing AI usage, mastering one AI tool, making AI-driven impact...