Atalanta Diaries Breakthrough Women in Conversation with Enma Popli

Swati Shetty is a producer based in Los Angeles and the Founder & Director of Samosa Stories. She is a Pharmacist and MBA by education. Swati began her entertainment career at StarTV, followed by Disney. Earlier, as President of Balaji Motion Pictures, Swati put together a successful slate of films, starting with The Dirty Picture, the first-ever female-driven film that had extraordinary succe...

Asha Kharga is the Chief Customer and brand Officer and a Member of the Group Executive Board of the Mahindra Group. In her role, Asha leads Group Corporate Brand, Group Corporate Communications, and Mahindra Culture Festivals for the Group. She is responsible for building two big capabilities for the Group – one on Customer Experience and the other is the Customer Data Platform – the largest repo...

Zainab commenced her career with the Brunei Shell Joint Ventures Companies in 1983, accumulating valuable international experience in countries like Oman, Qatar, the UK, Netherlands, Norway, and the ASEAN region. She actively contributed to multicultural teams, enriching her global perspective. In her role as the HR Director of Brunei Shell Petroleum from September 2017 to July 2023, Zainab played...

Kim Kirkconnell joined Kimberly-Clark in 1990 as a System Analyst.  Her leadership journey began as an ITS Team Leader for Manufacturing, which led to her taking on the positions of Organization Effectiveness Project Manager, IT Director of Kimberly-Clark Global Professional Division, IT Strategic Planning Director, and Senior Director of ITS KCP Business Partner KCP. Kim is currently the Vice Pre...

Vedika Bhandarkar, Chief Operating Officer for Water.org, is responsible for the operating efficiency and effectiveness of Water.org and for the attainment of strategic objectives and annual organizational goals. She works closely with the CEO, the executive team, and the President of WaterEquity to support the mission and vision of Water.org. She previously served as Water.org's Chief Global...

Annette Clayton serves as the chief executive officer for Schneider Electric North America. She is responsible for the business strategy and developing and fostering new growth business models in the areas of sustainability, decarbonization, and renewables for the company's largest operating region, which generated $12 billion in revenue in 2022. She is also a member of Schneider Electric'...

Kristal Turner-Childs served as a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper for 25 years. She was the first African-American female Deputy Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police. She has also distinguished herself as the first African-American female to command a troop and the second African-American female to obtain the rank of Major in the history of the Pennsylvania State Police.  Kristal Turner...

Shabnam Virmani is a national award-winning documentary filmmaker, writer, and artist. She is the founder of the Kabir Project, which was initiated in 2002 as a response to the Gujarat riots that propelled her on a quest for understanding. Over the past two decades, she has delved into the philosophy of mystic poets like Kabir and Shah Latif through a deep engagement with their oral folk tradition...

Devita started her entrepreneurial journey at the age of 24 by founding the Vu Group in California, a leader in high-end consumer electronics. Vu Televisions has a revenue of Rs.1000 Cr ($130 Million) that has sold more than 3 million televisions to date. Her passion for technology, leadership and innovation has led Vu to become the highest-selling Indian-owned TV brand in the world, and her speec...

In this edition, we delve into a thought-provoking article from the Wall Street Journal that sets Enma's thoughts in motion, leading her to pause and reflect on her journey. As we walk alongside Enma, we'll uncover how conservative mindsets have an impact on the progress of women in the workplace and sometimes even hold them back. Enma takes us on a journey into these attitudes, identifyin...

Mridula Jain's journey is a testament to her dedication to innovation and entrepreneurship. In 1987, with only eight handlooms, she embarked on a transformational path that redefined the shawl industry. Her infusion of vibrant designs, bold colors, and contemporary aesthetics breathed new life into traditional shawls, setting Shingora Shawls on a trajectory of trendsetting success. With a visi...

Sandhya is the founder of Aavishkaar - A Center for Science, Arts, and Technology that aims to make teaching science and math effective, efficient, and fun. The program aims to encourage hands-on learning through models, experiments, experience, and projects. This is where teachers become the storytellers, and the experiments/models become the props.  Sandhya is an electrical engineer, a math &amp...

Nichol Ng is CEO and Managing Director of X-Inc Pte Ltd, the parent of a group of companies that has been in the food business since the 1930s. She oversees about 200 employees, more than 5,000 products, over 4,500 customers, and an annual turnover exceeding S$65 million. Together, the companies bring to life dreams in the food ecosystem – from foodservice and retail to logistics and property.   I...

Ettie has served as an educator and school leader at international schools in Israel, Singapore, China, Guatemala, Spain, and the USA and has also served as Adjunct Professor for various universities.  She has served as Secretary on the Board of the Academy of International School Heads and ECIS and participated on the Advisory Council for AAIE.  As a consultant to internationally mobile communiti...

Sandhya is a staff attorney in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division. She conducts legal research on constitutional issues and drafts judicial memoranda.  When Sandhya was two months old, she was diagnosed with a rare brittle bone disease called osteopetrosis, which caused her blindness.  Sandhya attended Rice University where she graduated Magna Cum...

Recognized as one of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Tech for five consecutive years, Jenny is a thought leader in HR, Human Capital Management, the Future of Work, and data analytics. She is the Founder of Actionable Analytics Group, an advisory firm that supports Human Capital Management and Education Tech startups from Seed to IPO. Her first book, Data Driven , was selected as one of the top 10 f...

Abha's architectural practice includes the restoration of 15th Century temples in Ladakh and Hampi, mosques, historic palaces, forts and caravansarais in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab. She has worked on Mughal gardens in Kashmir, urban and regional conservation in Kancheepuram and Shekhawati and conserving colonial heritage in Delhi, Nainital and Mumbai. She has prepared the UNESCO Nomi...

Nandini Dias, an independent Advisor to the Media and Entertainment industry, brings a wealth of experience as the former CEO of Universal McCann and Lodestar. She has consistently been ranked among the top 10 influential leaders in the Indian advertising and media industry by Economic Times for several years, being the sole woman leader in the initial two years. With almost three decades of caree...

Fatin Arifin is an advocate for entrepreneurship and youth development and has made a significant impact both locally and regionally as a catalyst for development. She has founded and co-founded various initiatives, including the Brunei Chevening Youth Forum (BCYF) in 2015, the Chevening Youth Forum – Southeast Asia in 2017, and for-purpose enterprises like the Young Professionals Network. Through...

In this Father's Day special edition of Atalanta Diaries, we delve into the profound impact fathers have had on the lives of my amazing guests as they embarked on their journeys.  These fathers have served as role models, mentors, and sources of inspiration, shaping the dreams and guiding the paths of their daughters. From sacrifices made to unwavering support, their influence has been immeasu...

Tanya Hart Little is the co-founder and managing partner of Hart Commercial. In addition to brokerage assignments, Tanya leads the strategic planning, operations, franchise, and corporate services accounts for the firm. With 35 years of experience in multiple aspects of commercial real estate, Tanya has built marketing and asset management platforms for some of North America's largest real est...

Bhavani Vadlamudi, a visionary in the field of Information Technology, is known for her expertise in ERP transformations and her innovative approach to business challenges.  Originally from the small town of Gudivada in India, Bhavani began her professional journey as a computer teacher at Aptech Computers. Driven by her passion for technology and a desire to make a broader impact, she pivoted int...

Dr. Linnie S. Carter is an educator, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. She holds significant positions as the Vice President of College Advancement at HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College, and the Executive Director of the HACC Foundation. She also serves as the President and CEO of Linnie Carter & Associates LLC, a consulting firm specializing in public relations, marketing, fun...

Annette Philip is a multi-award-winning musician, educator, and arts entrepreneur. A seasoned recording and touring artist, composer, pianist, and voice-over actor, she is a Grammy-nominated producer, an Emmy-nominated TV personality, and a bonafide sari connoisseur. At Boston's Berklee College of Music, Annette is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Berklee Indian Ensemble, a viral pheno...

In this special Mother's Day episode of Atalanta Diaries, we honor the amazing mothers and grandmothers who have made sacrifices, shown unwavering love, and inspired their daughters to become their best selves.  Our host pays tribute to her own mother, who encouraged her to pursue her dreams and has been the foundation of her success. We'll also hear from other Atalantas who credit their m...