The Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast

In this special Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast episode, Laurel Donnellan speaks with 2024 Compassionate Leader Circle Awards honorees Comfort Dondo and Asia A. Pope.  Comfort Dondo narrates her impactful journey from overcoming domestic violence in Zimbabwe to establishing Phumulani in Minnesota—a beacon for culturally tailored support for survivors of gender-based abuse. Her initiative ensu...

In this compelling episode of The Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast, we delve into the transformative journeys of Ish Orkar and Devon Henry, two leaders who are reshaping the landscapes of equity and social justice. Ish Orkar, Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer at the ACLU, draws from her rich background in law, social work, and nonprofit leadership to champion inclusive environments and advoca...

In this enlightening episode of the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast, we delve into the impactful work of MedZed, a pioneering organization transforming healthcare for the Medicaid population. With a staggering 3-5% of this group accounting for up to half of all medical expenditures, MedZed's mission is crucial: "To inspire and enable better health." Join us as we explore how their hands-on ap...

In this episode of the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast, Laurel Donnellan sits down with Paul Angles, founder of Angles Inc., to uncover the secrets behind his expertise in leveraging LinkedIn for individuals and organizations. Paul shares how he helps companies connect with their most strategic partners, build impactful networks, and unlock the platform’s full potential. Paul discusses his wo...

In this insightful episode of the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast, Laurel Donnellan sits down with Gar Grannell, CEO of Mohawk Global and a 2024 CLC Awards honoree, along with Rachael Marwood, Mohawk’s Director of Marketing. Together, they share how Mohawk Global has become a model of compassionate leadership, prioritizing the well-being of both employees and clients alike. Gar and Rachael di...

In this reflective and heartwarming episode of the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast, co-host Laurel sits down with Darryl to discuss his journey into what he calls "retirement"—a life chapter full of purpose, connection, and legacy-building. Darryl shares the transition from a demanding corporate career to prioritizing his most important role yet: raising his two remarkable sons. With a unique...

Darryl Brown interviews Laurel Donnellan in a deeply personal and reflective conversation in Laurel's powerful conclusion to the "Meet the Co-Hosts" series on the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast. Laurel opens up about her father’s declining health and the emotional complexity of anticipating grief while continuing to build a life of purpose. She shares how the profound experiences of love, lo...

In this captivating episode of the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast, co-host and founder Laurel Donnellan sits down with Darryl Brown to explore the remarkable journey that took him from an aspiring basketball player to an influential media professional. Darryl shares his unforgettable experience trying out for the Boston Celtics, a dream moment that showcased his dedication and passion for th...

In this episode of the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast, co-host Darryl Brown sits down with other co-host Laurel Donnellan to uncover other chapters of her life that have shaped her into the leader she is today. From her high school days of bringing people together to her transformative years at Cornell University, Laurel shares how she thrived in a global culture different from her small-tow...

Welcome back to the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast! In this heartwarming and insightful episode, I, Laurel Donnellan, have the pleasure of interviewing my co-host, Darryl Brown, as we continue our "Meet the Co-Hosts" series. This time, we delve into Darryl’s transformative college years at Fordham University in New York City. Following up on his earlier reflections about childhood, Darryl hi...

Join us for a beautiful journey into Laurel's life as she shares pivotal moments that shaped her into the compassionate leader she is today. In this special series, the podcast delves into personal narratives that illuminate the essence of leadership through compassion. In this first chapter, Laurel unfolds her path, beginning with the transformative inspiration that led her to Cornell University'...

CLC Podcast is kicking off a series where we dive deep into our lives, sharing the pivotal moments that have molded our paths. I’m your host, Laurel Donnellan, joined by my co-host, Darryl Brown. In today’s heartfelt and inspiring episode, I sit down with Darryl as he opens up about his childhood in a predominantly black neighborhood in a predominantly white town just outside of NYC. Darryl’s stor...

This is our fourth Compassionate Leaders Circle Awards Ceremony. The CLC Awards celebrate the brightest and boldest in their respective fields. Our Honorees acknowledge our universal interconnectedness and use their influence to make a positive impact on people and the planet. These leaders are courageous, contemplative, collaborative, and care about the world they will leave behind. The honorees...

In this episode, we interview Riley McCormack , President and CEO of Digimarc. Digimarc is leading the charge in digital watermarking and cloud-based product data. Part of what drives this incredible company is its incredible culture.  When it started out, Digimarc had over 50 to 60 corporate values. Riley found this to be hectic and unrealistic, so he leveraged his employees to help him narrow it...

In this podcast, I explore the power of forgiveness with my dear friend Mark Anthony Lord . Mark’s passion for spiritual awakening led him to ordination as a Minister and has founded two successful spiritual communities. The Bodhi Spiritual Center in Chicago grew from a handful of members to thousands under his leadership, and Living The Course, a virtual, global A Course In Miracles community tha...

In this emotional podcast, our host Laurel speaks with Marina Aksyonova and Andrii Bezverkhyi of SOC Prime , an American enterprise cybersecurity company with Ukrainian roots founded in 2015. The company builds technology to support collective cyber defense. With about half of the company still based in Ukraine, Marina speaks to the company’s great ambition and values-based culture of strength dur...

KeyAnna Schmiedl has been asking the tough, uncomfortable questions all her life. Her interest in organizational behavior and organizational psychology started in college, where she was encouraged to ask those questions. Today, she advocates for one’s work experience to be inseparable from one’s life experience. She also stresses the importance of recognizing intersectionality in the workplace to...

Some key takeaways from this episode: -“Faith for me is knowing that I’m doing my part,” says Darryl Brown. It’s a way to live in hope and not fear. It means downsizing your ego. -There is evil everywhere. It’s better to focus on what you can do in your community than to try and act on things out of your control. -Reading and reaching out in the morning is essential. -You can’t stop with gratitude...

In this special episode, our co-host Darryl Brown interviews our other co-host Laurel Donnellan about the Donnellan Method. The two co-hosts take a trip down memory lane as Laurel talks about how she came up with the Method and the importance of taking compassionate, intentional action.

Lindsay Junk went from being kicked out of her first yoga class to President at YogaSix, a nationwide yoga studio featuring a range of practices.  YogaSix is unique in that the company offers yoga in places where inhabitants may not fit the stereotypical “yoga types.” This allows them to help yoga reach as many people as possible in an accessible way. Lindsay speaks on her time with YogaSix as par...

Three students, Aansha Sankla, Jessica Bryan, and Haena Kim join their professor Dr. David Corsun from the University of Denver to talk about their experience being a part of the Fritz Knoebel School of Hospitality, their time attending the 2023 Fritz Leadership Symposium with Compassionate Leaders Circle, and the future of hospitality.

This episode features an important discussion about mental health in the workplace. Amy Gilliland started a program called “How are you, really?” to address the mental health issues of the employees at General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT). Gilliland works tirelessly to ensure leadership learns to become comfortable with uncomfortable conversations. She also works to provide employees wit...

Gunjan Aggarwal is the co-founder of Learn With Leaders, an organization that allows high school students to invest in and explore their future careers.  Gunjan and I talk about the purpose of intellectual crushes, what they are, and how they allow us to act on our curiosity and explore our spiritual paths. Gunjan believes wholeheartedly in the power of cold-calling your crushes and putting yourse...

Darryl and Laurel dive into a conversation on courage with their captivating personal stories and insights. Courage requires self leadership and communicating your vision while letting others develop their own dreams. Courage is personal. Darryl speaks to his college basketball days. Laurel speaks to her experience giving up alcohol while working in the hospitality industry. Courage requires confi...

Learn about Martha Collard's gong practice which aims to elevate people's energies, helping them search within to find and live out their true calling. Martha is an executive coach, management consultant, and career counselor, and most recently she served as Vice President of Group Organizational Wellness for Lane Crawford Joyce Group.