Hearth2Heart

Leading Through Story: Immigrant Women in Engineering | Claudia Gomez-Villeneuve and Sara Mighan What does it mean to lead through story—especially when your path into engineering has been shaped by family expectations, immigrant identity, gender, caregiving, language, and the pressure to keep proving yourself? Recorded live at the CCWESTT Conference in Calgary, this special Hearth 2 Heart episode...

Reclaiming Your Worth Through Telling Your Story | Serena Arora How do you tell your story—when the world keeps asking you what you are, instead of who you are? In this episode of Hearth 2 Heart, Gayathri Shukla sits down with author, yoga therapist, and Ayurvedic practitioner Serena Arora to explore a deeply personal journey of identity, lineage, and coming home to oneself. Drawing from her book...

Between Worlds: Navigating Identity and the Stories We Carry | Lina Bahlawan & Yemi Adefulu What happens when two people from vastly different cultures come together not just to share stories, but to write a book about the in-between spaces of identity? n this Hearth 2 Heart episode, host Gayathri Shukla speaks with Lina Bahlawan and Yemi Adefulu, co-authors of Adventures of a Migrant Heart, about...

Dreaming Boldly: From Surviving to Thriving | Najah Al-Atassi What does it take to thrive as an immigrant woman—not just survive? In this episode of Hearth 2 Heart, Gayathri Shukla speaks with Najah Al-Atassi, founder of Al-Atassi Leadership Consulting and its Peaks Program, about the emotional resilience, bold dreaming, and grit it takes to build a life—and leadership—on your own terms in Canada....

New Year Special: What Brings Us Home | Stanley Opara What does it mean to feel at home—across lands, timelines, and technologies? This New Year special features an openhearted dialogue, where host Gayathri Shukla and guest Stanley Opara weave together their personal stories of migration, identity, and imagination. From oil-rich Nigeria to the majestic Rockies, this episode journeys through the pa...

Unlearning Silence: Reclaiming Empathy as a Leadership Strength What does it mean to lead with empathy in a world that seems increasingly polarized and divided? In this episode of Hearth 2 Heart, Gayathri Shukla sits down with Dr. Vidya Chamundeswari - senior scientist at Eupraxia Pharmaceuticals and Chair of the Board at Lotus STEMM (2021-2025) - for a heartfelt conversation on unlearning silence...

Reimagining Belonging for Women of Colour in the Workplace | Dr. Golnaz Golnaraghi What does it mean to belong when your lived experiences are not always reflected in the very systems meant to support your growth? In this episode of Hearth 2 Heart, Gayathri Shukla sits down with Dr. Golnaz Golnaraghi, founder of Accelerate Her Future, for an intimate and powerful conversation about the career deve...

Belonging in Academia: Is PhD right for you? | Gayathri Shukla In this solo episode, Gayathri sharers her raw, unfiltered thoughts on one of her major career: whether to pursue a PhD. Re-entering academia after two decades in industry and entrepreneurship, Gayathri pulls back the curtains on the hard questions, doubts, and insights that shaped her choice to enter University of Calgary's inaugural...

Moving Beyond the Inner Critic | Kalyani Pardeshi What if the harshest critic you ever faced…was inside your own mind? In this episode of Hearth 2 Heart, Gayathri Shukla is joined by TEDx speaker and award-winning author Kalyani Pardeshi, who shares her deeply personal journey of overcoming burnout and self-bullying. Drawing on her bestselling book Beyond the Inner Critic, Kalyani unpacks the cons...

Redefining Motherhood and STEM: A Healing Journey | Kinia Romanowska What happens when we redefine success by balancing the masculine and feminine energies in our lives? In this episode, Gayathri sits down with Kinia Romanowska, founder of Pros&Babes, to explore how these energies—logic and intuition, structure and creativity—manifest not as gendered traits but as complementary forces that drive p...

Building Brave Spaces to Innovate and Belong | Andrea Silverstone and Carrie McManus Content Warning: This episode includes mention of domestic and sexual abuse in the context of Sagesse’s work. Please listen with care. "Belonging is what makes vulnerability survivable." In this episode of Hearth 2 Heart, Gayathri Shukla sits down with Andrea Silverstone and Carrie McManus from Sagesse to explore...

Decolonization & Belonging: Lessons from Coming of Age | Elaine Alec What does decolonization have to do with belonging? More than you might think. In this powerful conversation, Gayathri Shukla sits down with Elaine Alec, author, speaker, and Indigenous leader, to explore her new book, Coming of Age, and lessons such as: - The real meaning of decolonization—beyond the fear and misconceptions - Ho...

Belonging at the Intersections: Hidden Struggles in STEMM What does it mean to belong when you’re constantly navigating the weight of cultural expectations, professional ambition, and personal identity? In this episode of Hearth 2 Heart, Gayathri Shukla is joined by Dr. Roopali Chaudhary, founder of Lotus STEMM, for a deeply personal conversation about the intersectional struggles South Asian wome...

How to Stay Curious by Embracing Your Inner Scientist | Dr. Tarah Lynch What if curiosity could be your greatest tool for fostering collaboration and belonging? In this episode, Gayathri sits down with Dr. Tarah Lynch, a scientist and diversity advocate, to explore how embracing your “inner scientist” can transform the way you approach diversity, teamwork, and emotional resilience. Dr. Lynch share...

Moving Beyond the DEI Backlash | Erin Davis Conversations about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in today’s climate feel more polarized than ever. But what’s really behind the backlash? And how do we continue pushing forward when the work feels under attack? In this thought-provoking episode, Gayathri sits down with Erin Davis, an award-winning gender equity expert and inclusive leadership s...

Being Unapologetically You Originally recorded in 2021, Gayathri chats with Evelyne Nyairo, founder of Ellie Bianca Beauty, about how authenticity and the power of community can shape your success. Evelyne shares the entrepreneurial story behind her brand, her commitment to empowering women, and the importance of building community through storytelling. From embracing your unique gifts to breaking...

How to Build Courage by Leaning Into the Unfamiliar How do we find the courage to face what is unfamiliar? Change is a fact of life—but it’s also a powerful opportunity for growth. In this episode, Gayathri reconnects with Stephania Romaniuk, a Ukrainian-Canadian mezzo-soprano, educator, and her collaborator on the Lioness project, to explore how leaning into the unknown builds courage, creativity...

How to Build Community & Belonging for Women in STEM Have you ever felt isolated or as the “only” in the room? Do you long for a sense of connection and acceptance in professional spaces where you are underrepresented? In this episode, Gayathri sits down with Kathy Nelson, an accomplished engineer and advocate, to explore what it means to build community in STEM spaces. Kathy reflects on her perso...

Activating Allies: Showing Up Even When It’s Hard, with Dr. Jocelyn Peltier-Huntley One of the biggest fears about allyship is the worry of saying or doing the wrong thing. Many people want to show up and support others but hesitate, unsure how to act without causing harm or misunderstanding. In this episode, Gayathri speaks with Jocelyn Peltier-Huntley, a mechanical engineer, Vanier Scholar and E...

Balancing Empathy with Accountability, with Erin Thorp Is it possible to lead with empathy while still holding your team accountable for achieving shared goals? In this episode of Heart to Heart, host Gayathri dives deep with Erin, leader, coach, and author, to tackle the common fear that empathy weakens accountability. Erin shares her journey from engineering to becoming a champion for empathetic...

Embracing Discomfort: My Experience with Vipassana "Last month, I attended my first 10-day Vipassana silent meditation retreat. Many asked how it went, and I am opening my heart to share candidly in this episode." "As an entrepreneur and EDIB (equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging) practitioner, I embarked on this journey hoping to deepen my practice of concepts like embracing discomfort, un...

Navigating Belonging in Male-Dominated Workplaces with Monica Hernandez "I feel a sense of belonging when I am connected, time passes without notice, and I truly connect with the person I am with." In this episode of Hearth 2 Heart, Monica, an engineer with over 20 years of experience and founder of Infinity Growth, shares her journey of overcoming gender bias. Host Gayathri and Monica discuss the...

Exploring Trauma-Informed & Ethical Storytelling with Dr. Meghna Bhat Content Warning: This episode includes discussions on trauma and gender-based violence which may be triggering for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised. "We don't just bring our intergenerational cycles of trauma but also intergenerational cycles of wisdom." – Dr. Meghna Bhat In this episode, Dr. Meghna Bhat, a renowne...

How to Craft A Powerful Land Acknowledgement, with ALotOfPoetry Land Acknowledgements are a crucial part of reconciliation, recognizing historical and ongoing relationships with Indigenous peoples. However, these acknowledgements can easily become scripted and lose their impact. In this episode, Gayathri and her guest, A Lot of Poetry, a Nigerian-South African Poet now based in Mohkinstis, explore...

Vulnerability: Is There Such a Thing as Too Much? A Deep Dive with Dr. Roselle Gonsalves In this part-2 of a two-part episode, we delve deep with Dr. Roselle Gonzales as she draws from her impactful work in inclusion and reconciliation, and insights from her poignant book, "The Ordinary Turned Precious." We explore how vulnerability not only allows us to show up as our true selves but also plays a...