Lessons from Leaders

Kate Moynihan is with us this week. I have known Kate for years and have always admired her leadership savvy. Kate is the Executive Director of Seva Foundation, a foundation working in over 20 countries to increase the capacity of local hospitals, and develop sustainable eye care programs. Kate, like nearly all leaders, has seen a drastic change in leadership over the course of the pandemic. She t...

I am here with Polly Dunford, the President and CEO of IntraHealth International. Polly has been someone we have been trying to get on our podcast for a long time - since she took this role at IntraHealth in March of 2020. “It was a crazy time to take over an organization. I started on March 16th, the exact day that the world went virtual…” In this episode, Polly shares what it felt like to meet s...

This week is a special episode as we have a Lessons from Leaders Alumni, William (Bill) Abrams, and the successor to his position at Trickle Up, Nathalie Laidler Kylander.   This episode is unique in that we are able to walk through their experience of transitioning from one CEO to another, including what the overlap time looked like, how they walked it with grace and respect for one another, and...

This week, we have Paige Alexander, CEO of The Carter Center, as our guest on Lessons from Leaders. As I have long been watching the work of The Carter Center, it is a pleasure to sit down with Paige. We jump right into the conversation: What is it like to lead right now? How has communication changed? What are you hearing from your organization? Transparency, authenticity, and togetherness, are a...

This week I sit down with Indira Kaur Ahluwalia, whose work I was initially drawn to  due to all she has been doing for racial and ethnic equity. Indira has built her career on enabling equality systemically on the strength of individual differences initially establishing Development and Training Services (dTS) in 2002 to build gender equality and social inclusion.   I like to say she comes to thi...

This week I sit with John Stephens who is the CEO of The BOMA Project. John brings a unique leadership lens to his position with BOMA because he has served as a board member, a position for an organization that was funding BOMA, and then interim CEO. From each role, John was able to grow his view of how to best service the organization.  “It helped me launch, having those close relationships with...

Wild Network has been a strong, and foundational support of the Lessons from Leaders podcast over the last 3 years so to have Fiona here with me today is amazing! I like to call our first interaction a meeting of two sisters from different mothers, it was instant connection and friendship.  In this episode, we start by discussing vision. Fiona has such a gift of seeing where things can grow and be...

Welcome back, leaders. We hope that this new year brings innovation and reaching new limits. It is so exciting to start off the new year with leader Brigit Helms, who is the Executive Director at Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University. Brigit's impact has reached corners of the world from Africa, to Asia, to Costa Rica, Latin America, and beyond. In her travels an...

Our last episode of the new year has arrived and we are thrilled to be in the chair with Caroline Anstey.  As we wrap 2021, it feels right to be with Caroline, the CEO of Pact who began her role just 2 days after the national lock down.  It is safe to say the leaders 5 years ago would have never imagined virtually leading organizations. At the beginning of the pandemic there was large concern over...

"How do we start healing so we can see each other?"  On this day, in late November, the month of gratitude, I sat in pure amazement listening to Vivian Anderson speak on her journey, experience, and passions. What began as watching a viral video led to years of dedicated, door-knocking, on the ground work.  "I can't watch another child being harmed," Vivian shares. Which i...

This week I sit down with Susan Sygall, who co-founded Mobility International USA over 40 years ago.  “With a donation of $500, it all began.” We shared a laugh as Susan mentioned this, because $500 has turned into 40 years, and incredible, life changing impact for so many.  Susan, a wheelchair rider, has a personal and professional commitment to disability rights, as well as women’s issues. She s...

Welcome back, we are thrilled to host Esther Benjamin, CEO and Executive Director of World Education Services. I have known Esther for many years, through organizations and position changes; it is fulfilling to see the successes she has accomplished and contributions she has made, and to be able to share those moments with you. From Sri Lanka, her family was seeking opportunity which Esther has cr...

“I was reading recently, about the return to office post Covid. You have a window to try new things and re-imagine your work place because it will get harder in the next few months.” Jeanne has been someone I have been wanting to sit down with for months. As the President and CEO of Internews, an international media support nonprofit, I felt who could be better to sit in the leaders chair during a...

Welcome back to Lessons from Leaders. This week, we are with Ann Warner, CEO of Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network - WREN.  “It is a privilege to be a CEO but it is also lonely, hard and exhausting. To try and figure it out where there is no formula, where the work is difficult — we are working on reproductive rights, economic dignity and justice, fighting against abortion bans and anti-trans...

Jeff Whisenant is an experienced leader in the nonprofit sector, with more than 30 years of experience in international development and relief, the president and CEO of ReSurge International.  We were thrilled to welcome him to the Lessons from Leaders chair where he is refreshingly open and honest about diversity, equity, inclusion, and gratitude.  "There were times where I brought my whole...

In this episode, Jovana begins with walking us down her journey to leadership. Jovana has been a member of IPPFWHR’s Board of Directors since 2014. She assumed the role of Chair in 2017 at the age of 28, making her the youngest Board Chair in IPPFWHR’s history, which is only just the beginning of the amazing accomplishments made by her.  Quickly I found how passionate about women's stories Jo...

“I didn’t wake up and decide it’s time to build a crowdfunding platform for a global community of 1.8 million Muslims. I didn’t even think about being an entrepreneur.”  This week I sit down with Amany Killawi, who has had such a unique and inspiring journey to where she is now, an honoree by INK Magazine’s top female founder.  Amany is the co-founder and COO of LaunchGood: a global crowdfunding p...

This podcast platform inspires me daily. The leaders that come “sit in the chair” leave me feeling hopeful, empowered, and encouraged each time. It is a pure gift to share the space with them.  Today, I share an extraordinary episode with the incredible DeAnna Hoskins, CEO and President of Just Leadership.  She shares her deepest motto, what speaks to her, and her guiding light. I just loved one o...

What is something you learned, perhaps as a child or adolescent, that you have since had to unlearn as you grew into an adult?  I recently read an article about just a few of the many things adults have to unlearn, and as leaders, these were the top three: People’s expectations of you are your responsibility.  Your value in an organization is based solely on the income you can bring in.  You must...

I am excited to bring this episode to you this week. This episode was actually recorded right at the 1-year mark of the pandemic, making the candor and honesty that Giselle Carino brings, fitting.  Giselle Carino is the CEO of the International Planned Parenthood Federation Western Hemisphere Region (IPPFWHR), which on June 3, 2020 launched a new feminist alliance through the combination of the wo...

His first episode has had a beautiful response and impact on leaders everywhere, and this week part 2 feels just as deeply valuable in its content. I am back for Part 2 of my conversation with Oussama Mezoui, CEO of Penny Appeal USA. Oussama starts this second part off in a way that feels deeply reflective. “Am I thinking about climate change in my decision-making? Am I thinking about gender issue...

I recently read an article about how the pandemic “leveled the playing field” for innovation. Small businesses took the opportunity to switch their beer and wine production to hand sanitizer, which grew their margins exponentially, restaurants were able to create space for customer “grocery shopping” experiences, and some have even called the pandemic an accelerant for the pace of social and techn...

When I started communicating with Emily Courey Pryor last spring, I knew right away that I wanted to have her on the podcast. Her previous experiences, her current work leading Data2X, and her passion for equality and leadership were all things that our listeners needed to hear. Then the pandemic hit, followed by a significant reversal of progress on gender equality, all while leading a busy organ...

In a time where the world continues to feel deep sorrow, stress, and strife, I am encourage by the leaders who brave the storm like Michelle Nunn, CEO of CARE.  I have such a fondness of CARE as I used to work for a likeminded NGO previously and this feels like an extension of my heart projects.  When I asked Michelle what she has learned as a leader in crisis, she said “I had to learn things anew...

Each week it is an honor and privilege to sit down with leaders from across the world to learn, to listen, and to share, but this week is particularly heartfelt as I have the chance to share with you, listener, one of my favorite people. Meet Dr. Kozhi Makai.  "In many ways I have an acquaintance with what it means to have moments of wisdom and to turn around the next moment and make a dumb d...