Brain Aware Podcast

What makes career transitions so challenging? How can organizations retain their top talent? Legendary career development expert Dr. Beverly Kay joins us to share wisdom gathered across her remarkable 40+ year journey in the field. Dr. Kay reveals the development of her groundbreaking "Five P" model for career growth: Person, Perspective, Place, Possibilities, and Plan. She explains why...

What does it truly take to transform a global organization? Carlos Butler-Vale pulls back the curtain on his remarkable journey from higher education advocate to corporate change leader in this thought-provoking conversation. Carlos shares his pivotal realization while implementing McDonald's first-ever global DE&I strategy across 149 markets: successful change requires shifting from forc...

When we experience change, whether by choice or circumstance, our brains undergo a predictable series of reactions. Understanding these patterns can transform how we navigate transitions—both as individuals and as leaders guiding others through organizational shifts. Bob Bednarz, Director of Learning and Development at Advantage, shares his journey from "accidental trainer" to change man...

What happens when military discipline meets Hollywood creativity and Silicon Valley innovation? Naphtali Bryant brings this unique perspective to our conversation about leadership in times of unprecedented change. Drawing from his diverse background as a Marine Corps veteran and former HR executive at Netflix and Warner Brothers, Naphtali shares powerful insights about navigating uncertainty with...

What if your AI learning assistant woke you up to tell you about an urgent client cybersecurity breach, prepared personalized training materials, helped you practice key conversations, and joined you on the call to take notes? According to Bob Gerard, who leads Learning Ingenuity at Accenture, this vision of learning might arrive by 2026 rather than the distant 2035 future they originally imagined...

JD Dillon takes us on a fascinating journey from Disney theme park manager to learning and development leader, sharing powerful insights about enabling frontline workers and navigating workplace change. Drawing from his 25 years of experience "being a frontline worker, managing frontline teams, or enabling support for frontline employees," JD offers a refreshingly practical perspective o...

What does it take to create a workplace that truly works for everyone? Global talent advisor Stacey Gordon has dedicated her career to answering this question through her company, Rework Work. In this candid conversation with hosts Justin Reiner and Dr. Britt Andreatta, Stacey reveals her fascinating journey from law school dropout to DEI champion. She shares how leaving a prestigious but personal...

What happens in our brains when organizations announce major changes? Why do some people embrace change while others resist fiercely? And most importantly, how can leaders create more successful transformation experiences? Anthony Onesto, Chief People Officer at Suzy, takes us on a fascinating journey through his career—from failed accountant to strategic HR leader—while sharing hard-won wisdom ab...

Jennifer Brown's powerful journey from operatic singer to DEI trailblazer reveals the transformative potential of finding purpose after unexpected loss. After losing her singing voice, Jennifer discovered organizational development and diversity work, launching a 25-year career that would position her as one of the most influential voices in inclusive leadership. In this reflective conversati...

Al Dea shares his journey from management consulting to founding The Edge of Work, a leadership and talent development consulting firm focused on helping leaders build skills for today's workplace. He explores how navigating personal and professional change has shaped his approach to leadership development. • From technology transformation consultant to leadership development expert focused o...

Ready to discover what your brain has been trying to tell you about success? Welcome to the Brain Aware podcast, where we decode the neuroscience behind what makes people thrive at work and in leadership. As hosts, we bring unique perspectives – Dr. Britt Andreatta has dedicated her career to unraveling brain science related to change and learning, while Justin Reinert brings over two decades of l...