Future Shapers: Next-Gen Leadership Stories

What does Field of Dreams have in common with becoming a partner at a leading law firm? BRG Director Thanh Do sits down with Missy L. Griffin from Gibbs Giden for a wide-ranging conversation on the measured sacrifices, leaps of faith, and quiet discipline that define a legal career done right. Missy reflects on how early and engaged involvement in professional organizations—including the ABA's For...

BRG Director Jason Kuckkan and Moyo LaBode, former chief merchandising officer at Leslie's Pools, discuss the concept of personal agency and career stemming from Dr. Peter Attia's book Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity . They reflect on how intentional decision-making and ownership of one's health, choices, and career shape meaningful professional growth. Their conversation highlights the...

In this episode, BRG Associate Director Nancy Cherashore and Natalia Zibibbo, counsel at Freshfields, discuss leadership by highlighting Watership Down's themes of empathy, trust, and adaptability. They share personal stories about returning from maternity leave, leading teams across different countries, and taking on leadership roles early in their careers. Their conversation emphasizes the impor...

BRG Director Jean-Gabriel Despeyroux and Mathilde Saltiel, a partner at Latham & Watkins LLP, discuss the evolving nature of leadership through personal experience and insights drawn from the TV series New Amsterdam. They highlight the importance of humility, emotional intelligence, trust, and a collaborative, service-driven mindset encapsulated in the question, "How can I help?" Their conversatio...

Li Li, a director at BRG, and Michelle Bock, a partner at Squire Patton Boggs, reflect on their global career journeys and explore cultural and professional complexities of international leadership. Through personal stories of growth, mentorship, and cross-border collaboration, they share key lessons on next-generation leadership, emphasizing the power of mutual respect, inclusion, and adaptabilit...

BRG Director Crosby MacDonald and Hugh Meighen, a partner at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, reflect on the leadership qualities of Robert F. Kennedy, drawing from The Last Campaign by Thurston Clarke. They explore how empathy, emotional intelligence, and purposeful conviction shaped Kennedy's ability to build trust and lead effectively. They emphasize the value of balancing humility with confidence, l...

BRG Director Garrett Mann sits down with Shannon Cermak, Vice President, Ambulatory at Loyola Medicine, to discuss her unique journey from teacher to healthcare executive, highlighting how her background in education has shaped a people-centered leadership style rooted in mission-driven purpose. Their conversation evolves into the importance of trust, empathy, and kindness in effective leadership...

BRG's Nelida Abi Saab and Lucy Preston, a senior associate at Mantle Law, delve into Adam Grant's Think Again , using its themes of open-mindedness, effective communication, and constructive dialogue as a lens to reflect on their own leadership journeys and the distinction between managing and truly leading. They highlight the importance of fostering respectful environments that encourage feedback...

BRG Director Matthew McSheaffrey and Alex Lerner, a partner at Stewarts, explore key insights from Simon Sinek's influential books Start with Why and Leaders Eat Last , discussing the power of understanding one's "why," leadership as a service, and the importance of creating a "circle of safety" that fosters innovation and team growth. They also reflect on Sinek's "Why, How, What" framework, the v...