The Empowering Women Podcast

June 23 marks International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) , a global celebration of the women designing, building, and shaping the future around us. In this episode of the Empowering Women Podcast, Shannon sits down with Jossie Haines - Princeton-educated engineer, technical Emmy Award winner, former VP of Engineering at Tile, and executive coach for women in technology leadership. With more th...

What happens when women find a community that truly sees them? In this special bonus episode of the Empowering Women Podcast, host Shannon Bumgarner sits down with Empowering Women in Industry founder Charli Matthews Carruth to talk about the vision behind the inaugural Carolinas Conference and the power of connection in industry. Together, they explore why community matters, how mentorship and ad...

May is Mental Health Awareness Month - a time to pause and rethink how we care for ourselves and the people around us. Because the truth is, many of us are running fast… and, let’s be honest, running tired. In this episode of the Empowering Women Podcast, Shannon sits down with workplace wellbeing expert, keynote speaker, and author Jen Fisher to explore a powerful idea: hope isn’t just a feeling—...

May 6 is National Skilled Trades Day — a day dedicated to celebrating the makers, builders, and problem-solvers who quite literally shape the world around us. In this episode of the Empowering Women Podcast , Shannon sits down with Rebecca Heustess , certified tile installer, lead tile setter at Grazzini Brothers & Company, and the 2025 Empowering Women in Industry Tradeswoman of the Year . Re...

 April is Neurodiversity Month - a time to expand how we think about communication, intelligence, progress, and belonging.  In this episode of the Empowering Women Podcast , Shannon sits down with writer, keynote speaker, and neurodiversity advocate Sarah Kernion , the voice behind Inchstones™ , a movement redefining how we measure progress for children with profound autism and for the caregivers...

March is Women’s History Month.  This month and this year’s International Women’s Day theme, Give to Gain, invites us to rethink what it means to open doors.  In this episode of the Empowering Women Podcast, Shannon is joined by Katie Fortunato, co-founder and EVP of Hire Innovations, who is working to fix what’s broken in today’s hiring systems.  She is challenging ghosting, phantom job posts, an...

March brings us International Women’s Day—and with it, this year’s powerful theme: Give to Gain .  In this special episode of the Empowering Women Podcast, Shannon is joined by Emily Lampkin , a trusted advisor to women leaders and Founder of the Women Leaders Series, whose new book Duct Tape and White Lies delivers the honest, practical leadership advice women have been craving.  Together, they e...

 February is a month that calls us to lead with heart and purpose —and this conversation delivers both.  In this episode of the Empowering Women Podcast , Shannon is joined by Dr. Natoshia Anderson , engineer turned educator, CEO and Founder of The Anderson Strategy Group, and host of the STEMming in Stilettos™ podcast. Together, they explore what it really takes to build STEM programs that last —...

January is National Mentoring Month , and we’re kicking off Season 8 of the Empowering Women Podcast with a powerful conversation on what mentoring really means today.  Shannon is joined by Kathryn Spitznagle , author of Rock Star Millennials , leadership coach, speaker, and founder of Mentoring Women Millennials . Kathryn shares her journey from a “self-proclaimed lousy leader with a quick temper...

 It’s the season of giving—and today, we’re unwrapping one of the most transformative gifts of all: the gift of mirrors .  In this episode, Shannon sits down with Dr. Sheila Gujrathi , biotech entrepreneur, physician, and trailblazer whose career has taken her from Harvard to the helm of Gossamer Bio—and into the heart of human-centric leadership. You may know her from her TED Talk, “Shattering th...

  This Veterans Day, we’re honoring those who’ve served—and continuing the conversation on what service looks like after the uniform comes off.  Shannon is joined by Lt. Col. (Ret.) Kathy Lowrey Gallowitz , Founder and CEO of Vanguard Veteran , an organization dedicated to equipping civilians to become Veteran Champions. Kathy’s mission is clear: bridge the gap between military and civilian life a...

  🔊 Description   It’s Women in AI Month — and we’re diving into the human side of artificial intelligence.   Shannon is joined by Lei Comerford, an award-winning executive coach, certified AI consultant, and leadership facilitator who brings 25+ years of experience in healthcare, hospitality, and professional services. In this fast-paced and thought-provoking conversation, Lei unpacks what it me...

🔊 Description:   What really powers manufacturing? People.   In this Manufacturing Day episode, Shannon is joined by Ellen Sieminski , a lean expert, continuous improvement coach, and board member of the Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME) . With 25+ years in the industry, Ellen brings deep experience and fresh perspective on how women, allies, and curious leaders are shaping the futur...

  September has us juggling back-to-school, conferences, fall festivals, and holiday prep before we can even say “pumpkin spice.” Feeling like you’re already running on fumes? You’re not alone. And that’s why today’s episode is pure gold.  I’m joined by Marisa Wheeling Ciesluk —burnout survivor, recovering perfectionist, and Chief Firestarter at MWC Leadership. With over 20 years of experience in...

On this special Women’s Equality Day episode, host Shannon Bumgarner sits down with Maria Brinck —leadership advisor, founder of Zynergy International, and author of The Leadership We Need: A New Mindset for a Brighter Future.  Maria’s career has spanned continents and boardrooms, but her mission is simple: to transform the way we lead. In this conversation, she shares why the leaders of today can...

  ABOUT OUR GUEST :   With several decades of leadership experience in the staffing sector, Todd Warner recognized the need to disrupt the status quo and create a full-service staffing deliverable that meets the needs of today’s hourly workers while delivering a reliable flexible workforce at some of the largest manufacturing and distribution facilities in the U.S.   Prior to joining MyWorkChoice,...

ABOUT OUR GUEST :   Noël Kreidler, a recovering perfectionist, is known for passionately supporting college students in finding and succeeding in careers they love.  She is an Associate Director of Career Development at the Santa Clara University Career Center and has 30+ years of work experience in talent acquisition, human resources, and career services. As a person with a lifelong physical disa...

  ABOUT OUR GUEST :   Jennifer Black is a powerhouse of grit, strategy, and results. With decades of experience leading cross-functional teams for multi-billion-dollar companies, she’s known for driving innovation, building strong teams, and moving complex initiatives forward with clarity and confidence.   She currently serves as Mission Critical Senior Principal Program Manager at Trane Technolog...

  ABOUT OUR GUEST :   Sameedha Mahajan, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP ND, is an Architectural Designer at HDR, currently involved in critical infrastructure projects and aviation architecture in the USA. As a graduate of KRVIA, India, and Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, her journey as a first-generation immigrant and a woman of color in the Architecture-Engineering-Construction industry has been bot...

ABOUT OUR GUEST :   Shannon Tymosko is a driven, enthusiastic Electrical Apprentice and proud member of IBEW Local 105. With a passion for learning and a thirst for new challenges, she brings a unique combination of attention to detail and diverse skills to every project.   As a skilled trades ambassador, Shannon advocates for alternative career paths, educating and mentoring individuals on the be...

  ABOUT OUR GUEST :   Jenny Mitchell is an executive coach, a podcaster, and a published author who is on a mission to help people have more meaningful conversations. She is a lifelong learner who holds an executive coaching degree from Royal Roads University, a CFRE fundraising designation, and a Doctor of Musical Arts from SUNY Stony Brook in piano performance.  Jenny is the Founder & CEO of...

ABOUT OUR GUESTS :   Daryl Anne Estill is an experienced Project Manager and Leader in the commercial MEP construction industry; spanning semiconductor, pharmaceutical, offices, CNG stations, and multifamily markets.  In addition to her direct role as a PM, she is integral to strategic planning, training and development, process improvements, and mentorship for her organization.  As a public speak...

  ABOUT OUR GUEST :   Dr. Janet Polach is a global authority in executive coaching, team development, and leadership. With her unique ability to elevate leaders from the minutiae to drive unparalleled organizational success, she serves as a trusted strategist and advisor to senior executives worldwide. Janet has expertly coached an array of executive and frontline leaders across the U.S., Europe,...

ABOUT OUR GUEST :   Bose Akadiri is a Motivational Speaker, Corporate Trainer and founder of Goal and Grind LLC where she partners with high achievers to turn their dreams into their reality using her 5 step Vision and Goals Method(™). Renowned for her dynamic corporate workshops where Bose empowers dreams, elevates teams and transforms organizations. In addition to Goal and Grind, she has led a d...

ABOUT OUR GUEST:   Stephanie Hajducek is a Project Specialist for Enbridge – Project YaREN. Project YaREN is a proposed low carbon ammonia production and export facility in Ingleside, Texas, being developed by Enbridge and Yara. Stephanie has also held positions with industry leading companies such as Bechtel, ChevronPhillips, Citgo, Steel Dynamics and The Chemours Company. In January 2022 Stephan...