The Will to Change: Where Leadership Meets the Courage to Evolve

Patrick O'Neill, author, consultant and mediator, joins the program to reveal his diversity story and shares insights about the need for greater wisdom and inclusive thinking in the workplace and beyond. Discover the two forces needed for bridge-building, and a hidden opportunity for transformation.

Louise Chernin, President & CEO of the Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA) joins the program to discuss the benefits of being a LGBT-owned business entity and the efforts that the GSBA is making to have an impact both locally and internationally. Louise discusses her own diversity story, which includes moving from New York City to the Washington State, and the lessons and takeaways she lea...

Laura Garnett, performance strategist, motivational speaker and author, joins the program to discuss her own diversity story and how she came to the work of helping people tap into their unique genius. She also reveals the limits of mentorship and why working harder isn't always the answer. Discover a practice and methodology for finding your zone of genius.

Chuck Shelton, Founder and CEO of Greatheart Consulting, joins the program to discuss the work that he does engaging and equipping leaders from normative cultures to grow their business through inclusive leadership. Chuck shares his unique approach of inviting leaders into an "adventure" of inclusion.

Amber recently announced that she has accepted the position of Chief Diversity Officer at the national headquarters of the American Civil Liberties Union in New York City. In honor of her success, we are re-releasing her interview with Jennifer Brown!  Amber joins the program to discuss her own diversity story of growing up in the South and her experience of coming out as a member of the LGBTQ com...

Tania Katan, award-winning author, public speaker, playwright, and creativity expert, joins the program to discuss her diversity story and how it led her to value creativity in the workplace. Tania shares the story behind being the co-creator of the #ItWasNeverADress campaign, a social movement that has inspired over 50 million people worldwide to see, hear and celebrate women for the superheroes...

Kim Parker, Director of Social Trends Research at Pew Research Center, joins the program to discuss the results of some of Pew's research, including the differences among male and female leaders. She reveals some of the differences that exist between Generation Z and Millennials, and some of the broader trends that leaders will need to understand about the emerging workforce.

Lydia Fenet, the Managing Director and Global Director of Strategic Partnerships at Christie's Auction House and author of The Most Powerful Woman in the Room is You, joins the program to share her story of becoming a successful charity auctioneer. Lydia shares how she found her own auctioneering style, and how she was able to successfully negotiate a significant promotion and salary increase with...

Alphonso David, Chief Counsel for NY Governor Andrew Cuomo, shares his experience of living through a military coup in Liberia when he was ten years old, and his subsequent experience of moving to the United States and being taunted and bullied by his peers. Discover how Alphonso found the courage to be true to himself and become an attorney fighting for LGBTQ rights. He also discusses the work he...

Anti-aging activist and author, Ashton Applewhite, joins the program to discuss the importance of confronting ageism and how to create an inclusive culture for people of all ages. Ashton discusses the role of intersectionality in the aging process, and how we can change the way we think about what it means to get older. She also debunks some of the most common myths about aging.

Katica Roy, CEO and Founder of Pipeline Equity, joins the program to discuss her diversity story, including being the daughter of refugees who escaped from Hungary after the 1956 revolution. She reveals how her company's software as a service (SaaS) technology uses AI to assess, address and take action against the unconscious gender biases costing the U.S. alone $2 trillion each year. Discover how...

Brian McComak, Senior Director and Head of Inclusion and Diversity at Tapestry, joins the program to discuss how to make visible the invisible elements of our diversity, and why he decided to join the DEI Practitioner's Program. Brian shares key takeaways from the program and shares lessons for other DEI practitioners.

Professor, author, storyteller, and filmmaker, Murray Nossel joins the program to discuss his diversity story of growing up gay in South Africa and discusses the healing power of listening and hearing on a deep level. Murray also turns the tables on Jennifer and asks her to share her own origin story of moving from being a professional singer to her current work in diversity and inclusion. Discove...

Dorcas Lind, Assistant Vice President and Head of Diversity & Inclusion at Montefiore Medical Center, joins the program to discuss her diversity story, and why she decided to join the DEI Practitioners Program offered through Jennifer Brown Consulting. She reveals the biggest takeaways that she has received from participating in the program, and shares advice for other DEI practitioners.

Kim Churches, the Chief Executive Officer of the American Association of University Women, joins the program to discuss a report by the AAUW called The Simple Truth, which outlines how the gender wage gap has stagnated over the past 20 years. Kim reveals why policy changes alone are not enough to create real change, and the underlying paradigm changes that need to occur in order to close the gende...

Jan Jones Blackhurst, Executive Vice President for Communications and Government Relations at Caesars Entertainment Corporation and former 2-time mayor of Las Vegas, joins the program to discuss how Caesars is working towards achieving 50/50 gender parity in management by 2025. Jan shares her one-of-a-kind journey of becoming the first ever female major of Las Vegas and what she learned from that...

In this minisode, Jennifer shares her thoughts on several pertinent (and previously released) episodes from The Will To Change on the topics of compassion fatigue and self-care. You'll discover the importance of thinking about your thinking, the potential pitfalls of sharing our story in unhealthy ways, and the healing power of community.

Dr. Bandy Lee, psychiatrist and internationally renowned expert on violence, shares her diversity story of growing up as a Korean woman in the Bronx during the 1970s and how it informed her research and career interests. Dr. Lee discusses the psychic toll of structural violence and exclusion, and how inequality creates psychological distress for all members of society. She also reveals tips for st...

Nkem Ndefo, founder of Lumos Transforms and creator of the Resilience Toolkit, joins the program to discuss the difference between healthy and unhealthy storytelling, and the importance of self-regulation. Nkem also shares insights about the physical, mental and emotional costs of feeling unsafe at work, and what we need to do to increase our personal resilience. Discover the positive outcomes tha...

Aubrey Blanche, Global Head of Diversity & Belonging at Atlassian, joins the program to discuss the research that Atlassian has done about creating more equitable organizations, and why they have chosen to make that information available to the public. Aubrey also reveals a language shift that they are using at Atlassian, and the importance of having conversations at a team level. Discover the inn...

Claire Wasserman, founder of Ladies Get Paid, joins the program to discuss her own journey of what led her to create an organization and community dedicated to helping women empower and uplift themselves and others. Discover how to overcome self-doubt and the imposter syndrome and why women often feel the need to push themselves further than their male counterparts. Claire also reveals how to reac...

Mark Greene, senior editor for the Good Man Project, and author of The Little #MeToo Book For Men joins the program to discuss his own journey into exploring what it means to be a man, as well as the dangers of the "man box" culture and the negative impact that toxic masculinity has on a society as a whole. Mark reveals tips for creating safe spaces for men where learning and positive change can o...

Erin Uritus, CEO of Out & Equal Workplace Advocates, joins the program to discuss the growing number of employees in the workplace who identify as LGTBQ, and how to create a more inclusive workplace. Discover the "moment of truth" that companies are facing, and the international impact of corporate policies. Erin also reveals her vision for Out & Equal and what trends she finds most encouraging an...

Priya Parker, author of The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, and founder of Thrive Labs, joins the program to discuss the importance of creating an intentional structure that allows for inclusion and transformation. She reveals the formative experiences from her childhood that led her to her current work, and how leaders can activate diversity within their organizations.

Leadership coach, speaker, and author Karen Catlin joins the program to discuss her experience as a woman working in the tech sector and how those experiences and observations led to her to her current work helping people to create more inclusive workplaces. She reveals the urgent need for change, and what leaders need to do to attract and retain diverse talent. Discover the future of allyship and...