The Inclusion Bites Podcast

In this thought-provoking episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast, Joanne Lockwood welcomes Mary Lynn Parnell for an exploration into the real meaning and lived experience of cultural agility. The conversation weaves through Mary Lynn’s extraordinary multicultural upbringing—born in the US to Haitian parents, raised in Montreal, and now settled in Spain—unpacking how her identity has been shaped by...

In this episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast, Joanne Lockwood speaks with Celeste Warren about equity by design and what it takes to build truly inclusive workplaces. Celeste shares formative family stories, including her father’s experience as the first Black teacher and principal in his community, and uses those lessons to explain how trust, resilience, and persistence shape her approach to in...

In this episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast, Joanne Lockwood speaks with Andrea D. Carter about belonging as infrastructure and why it must be treated as more than a feel-good concept. The conversation draws a clear distinction between DEI as an accountability framework and belonging as the lived experience that enables people to thrive at work. Andrea explains her five indicators of belonging:...

In this episode of Inclusion Bites, Joanne Lockwood speaks with Dr. Gwen Patrone about fear, resilience and the process of living more authentically. Gwen describes how military training, professional experience and personal reflection helped her learn to slow fear down, analyse it and repurpose it into strength rather than letting it control her. The conversation also explores Gwen’s lived experi...

In this episode, Joanne Lockwood speaks with leadership advisor Susan Drumm about what it takes to make inclusion truly stick inside organisations. The conversation focuses on blind spots, patterns of thinking, and the way leaders can widen perspective through curiosity rather than resistance. Susan explains how tools such as the Enneagram can help teams understand differing motivations, balance c...

In this episode, Jo Lockwood speaks with sex and intimacy educator Xanet Pailet about what it takes to restore intimacy in long-term relationships. The conversation focuses on how emotional disconnection, shame, stress, and routine can cause sex and closeness to fade over time, and why expanding the definition of sex beyond penetration can open up new possibilities for connection. Xanet shares par...

In this episode, Joanne Lockwood speaks with learning and development specialist Nikie Forster about how playful methods can make training more inclusive and effective. The conversation centres on LEGO Serious Play, custom activities, and other hands-on techniques that help participants feel comfortable, contribute in their own way, and engage more deeply with learning. Joanne and Nikie explore th...

In this episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast, Joanne Lockwood speaks with Fredrik Härén about how difference fuels creativity, innovation and better problem-solving. The conversation ranges from cross-cultural travel and multicultural parenting to the value of questioning inherited assumptions and making up your own rules. Fredrik shares stories from living across Asia, returning to Sweden, and...

In this episode, Joanne Lockwood speaks with bushcraft instructor and life coach Tom Gold about men’s wellbeing, identity, and the pressures that shape how men show up in the world. The conversation centres on the idea of moving beyond performative toughness and creating spaces where men can be present without having to fix, explain, or always speak. Tom shares how his work outdoors, especially wi...

In this episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast, Joanne Lockwood speaks with Nena Gilreath, co-founder of Ballethnic, about redefining ballet through African dance concepts, cultural truth, and community inclusion. The conversation explores how the company emerged from a desire to move beyond the traditional ballet mould and create a form that feels more expressive, accessible, and representative o...

Joanne Lockwood is joined by HR consultant and keynote speaker Solveiga Jaskunas to explore what “belonging beyond borders” looks like when you build a life and career in a new country. Solveiga shares her journey from Lithuania to the United States, including the early shock of navigating hiring processes, interviews, and everyday communication while being judged through the lens of accent and as...

Joanne Lockwood is joined by business strategist and creative catalyst Janet Tanguay for a wide-ranging conversation about turning dreams into action through visioning, connection, and inclusive practice. Janet shares how her work as a “super connector” grew from years of supporting aspiring entrepreneurs, and how creating a safe, welcoming space helps people be more authentic about what they real...

Joanne Lockwood is joined by Silvia Causo and Adrianne Arendse, co-founders of Lead and Belong, to explore how healing happens through human connection—and what that means for workplaces. They share the personal roots of their work: Silvia’s experience supporting a mentally ill family member and her path into trauma-aware coaching, and Adrianne’s lived experience of mixed heritage and growing up i...

Joanne Lockwood is joined by Dr Khutso Madubanya for a wide-ranging conversation about difference, identity, and what it takes to reclaim self-worth when the world keeps trying to define you. Khutso reflects on growing up in apartheid-era South Africa, the power and meaning of her name, and how patriarchal expectations around women, marriage, and motherhood shaped a fierce drive for independence....

Joanne Lockwood is joined by wisdom speaker and coach Bobbi Barrington for a candid conversation about resilience, reinvention, and the cost of living an inauthentic life. Bobbi shares her lived experience of transitioning later in life and the profound changes that followed—losses alongside new freedom, joy, and a renewed sense of possibility. Together they explore how self-trust is built, how fe...

Joanne Lockwood speaks with Amrit Dhaliwal, CEO of Wolfinch, about what it takes to scale high-quality home care without losing the human connection that makes care work effective. Amrit shares how he entered the sector, what he learned from running a franchise as an “outsider”, and why he believes home care can be redesigned through a purpose-led franchising model. Together they unpack the struct...

Hannah Cohen joins Joanne Lockwood to unpack what it means to navigate life with a visual impairment that many people don’t immediately see. Hannah shares how her sight loss developed, what “blindness as a spectrum” looks like in practice, and the constant recalibration involved in work, travel, shopping, and social situations when the world assumes you can see what everyone else sees. Drawing on...

Joanne Lockwood is joined by Maria Gallucci, a multi-award-winning realtor and author of Raised in Silence, to explore the realities of growing up as a hearing child of Deaf adults. Maria shares how American Sign Language shaped her family life, how she often became the bridge between Deaf and hearing worlds, and what it taught her about being seen, understood, and included. Together they unpack c...

Joanne Lockwood is joined by learning and development leader Amanda Van Der Heiden to unpack what it really means to “organise chaos” and spark belonging at work. They explore why belonging is more than a DEI policy line—it’s a felt experience of being seen, heard, and valued—and how that feeling can be created (or undermined) through everyday communication, leadership habits, and organisational c...

Joanne Lockwood is joined by speech-language pathologist, author, and inclusive fashion founder Denise Cesare for a wide-ranging conversation about self-love, resilience, and what it means to be seen and heard when your voice and body don’t match social expectations. Denise describes living with spasmodic dysphonia after a car accident, the impact of years without a reliable speaking voice, and wh...

Joanne Lockwood is joined by AJ Hannah, founder and creative director of FWDIO Studios, to talk about what it takes to build an indie animation studio committed to unapologetically queer, more representative storytelling. AJ shares why “a gayer and more colourful Disney” isn’t just a tagline, but a response to mainstream decisions that dilute or censor LGBTQ+ narratives and limit who gets to lead...

Joanne Lockwood is joined by coach and leadership specialist Sile Walsh to unpack what it means to go beyond performative inclusion in organisations. They explore how inclusion shows up in everyday leadership practice, and why psychological safety and a well-designed environment often matter more than surface-level gestures. Sile shares how identity, culture and lived experience shape how we are p...

Joanne Lockwood speaks with author and speaker Naseem Rochette about what it means to survive a life-altering traumatic event and consciously choose a different story afterward. Naseem recounts being hit and run over by a car three times in a pedestrian crosswalk, the physical aftermath (including ongoing effects of a traumatic brain injury), and the emotional impact of navigating other people’s r...

Joanne Lockwood is joined by Dr Cedric Howard to explore how leadership, learning, and belonging intersect in higher education and beyond. Cedric reflects on the formative crisis that shaped his career: the Rodney King verdict and the racialised unrest it triggered on his campus, where his instinct to de-escalate and protect community became a turning point into educational leadership. From there,...

Joanne Lockwood is joined by holistic health advocate Dariya Krasnova to explore what it means to “raise vibrations” through authenticity, self-responsibility, and more conscious approaches to wellbeing. Dariya shares her migration journey from Vladivostok to Munich and then Glasgow, reflecting on integration, belonging, and the importance of genuine human connection. Together they discuss how ide...