Thriving in Intersectionality

(Veterans/Military Appreciation Month Series) In honor of Military Appreciation Month , this episode celebrates service, transition, and purpose-driven leadership through a conversation that bridges military, corporate, and public service spaces. Dr.  Lola Adeyemo  sits down with  Cinnamon Clark  — a U.S. Navy veteran, Chief Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Officer at the California Department...

In honor of Veterans Month , this episode celebrates service, transition, and purpose-driven leadership through a conversation that transcends military, corporate, and nonprofit spaces. Dr. Lola Adeyemo sits down with Chris Thorne , a U.S. Navy veteran turned business and community leader, to explore what leadership looks like beyond the uniform. Chris shares powerful lessons from his 30-year mili...

Episode Description To close out Global Diversity Month, Thriving in Intersectionality presents a special storytelling episode — three powerful stories of courage, transition, and belonging shared live during the “Belonging Beyond Borders” virtual event on October 29, 2025 , hosted by Immigrants in Corporate Inc. In this reflective and inspiring episode, host Dr. Lola Adeyemo brings together voice...

In this honest and inspiring solo episode, Host Dr. Lola Adeyemo explores the power of recalibration — the intentional act of learning, realigning, and moving forward after the moments that didn’t go as planned. From canceled contracts to failed partnerships and unexpected career pivots, Dr. Lola opens up about her own experiences with “ false starts ” and how they’ve shaped her leadership, courag...

🎧 From Boardrooms to Brain Health  She climbed the ranks on Wall Street. Then she left it all behind to become a doctor. Dr. Manna Semby has a lot to say about reinvention, resilience, and thriving in midlife. In this episode of Thriving in Intersectionality , Dr. Lola Adeyemo speaks with Dr. Manna Semby , founder of Aruna Personalized Medicine , functional medicine doctor, and former Vice Presid...

"Two truths can coexist: you can be proud of your career and ready for something new." In this powerful conversation, Dr. Lola Adeyemo chats with Celeste Warren—founder of Celeste Warren Consulting and co-founder of Destination STEM —to explore what it really means to lead with authenticity and create lasting change. Celeste brings her full self to leadership: Black woman, mother, wife,...

Two organizational psychologists walk into a bar in Portland, 2008. The bartender? Dr. Victoria Mattingly—though she didn't have the "Dr." yet. Fresh out of college during the Great Recession, she was pouring drinks to fund volunteer research work. That chance encounter became the pivot point of an extraordinary career—from serving drinks to earning a PhD, from corporate burnout to...

Episode Description What happens when a DJ who started spinning tracks at 16 becomes a startup advisor, college professor, and business growth expert? He is building and developing, leveraging all of his diverse skills!. Corey Hart's journey through the "entrepreneurship spectrum" spans nightclub ownership, restaurant turnarounds, food tech innovation, and mental health scaling - al...

A milestone celebration and heartfelt reflection on 100 episodes of authentic storytelling Episode Overview What started as a simple mission to capture immigrant workplace and career stories in August 2022 has blossomed into something far more profound. Join Dr. Lola Adeyemo as she reflects on the incredible journey from "Immigrants in Corporate" to "Thriving in Intersectionality&qu...

What if the " wrong " career moves are actually the right ones? And what happens when a physician decides the traditional path isn't enough? For Dr. Meklit Workneh, the answer to these questions was a journey that took her from Ethiopia to Stanford, through public health fieldwork, FDA regulatory medicine, and ultimately to leading AI-integrated clinical trials at Moderna. Her story...

What happens when a 16-year career break becomes the foundation for a more purposeful professional life? Priya Venkatesan's story challenges everything we think we know about linear career paths and proves that "starting over" can actually mean starting stronger. From computer science in India to business systems analysis at UC Davis, Priya's journey through immigration, visa r...

What do you do when you realize you don't want to be " a cog in a very big machine "? For Dr. Maggie Marcus, the answer was a career pivot that led from the CIA to the classroom to leading a family foundation—all while raising bilingual children and teaching the next generation of educators. Her journey proves that seemingly "winding" career paths often have invisible thre...

What happens when personal loss becomes the catalyst for finding your voice? For Simone W. Johnson-Smith, a personal loss in 2021 ended six years of procrastination and launched a movement that now reaches over 100 countries. From Jamaican immigrant to U.S. diplomat to award-winning author and podcast host, Simone's story is about recognizing the psychological realities of living between cult...

A solo episode with a twist featuring the voices of Dr. Christina Padilla, Summie Yeung, and Horatio Morgan What if the most powerful diversity and inclusion tool in your workplace isn't a training manual or policy document, but something as simple as food? In this special solo episode with a unique blend format, Dr. Lola Adeyemo explores the stories we tell through food, the bridges we build...

From a $3,500 investment to an eight-figure tech company—all without VC funding. Neelima Parasker's story spans 25 years in corporate tech before making the leap to entrepreneurship at age 40+. This isn't just a business success story—it's a masterclass in career evolution, strategic risk-taking, and turning industry frustrations into innovative solutions. About Our Guest Neelima Pa...

What does it take to completely reimagine your career in a new country? Dr. Ekaette Joseph-Isang proves that it's never too late to bloom where you're planted—even when that means leaving medicine behind to become a transformation coach. In this powerful episode, Dr. Ekaette shares her remarkable journey from practicing internal medicine in Nigeria to becoming a sought-after growth and t...

What happens when cutting-edge neuroscience meets precision engineering in the pursuit of human optimization? You get a revolutionary approach to health that's changing how high-performers think about their bodies and brains. In this powerful episode, Dr. Lola Adeyemo chats with Dr. Gina D'Andrea-Penna and Gil Acevedo, co-founders of Nexus Fitness, who are bringing scientific rigor to th...

What does it really mean to take a risk in your career? Dr. Stanley Lewis, founder and CEO of A28 Therapeutics , discovered that staying in a "safe" job was actually the riskiest move of all. His mentor's profound insight - "You risk never knowing what could be" - changed everything. In this compelling episode, Dr. Lewis shares his evolution from practicing physician to bi...

  June and July - those pivotal months right between your year's ambitious start and when we accept that the year is ramping down. That means it's time for a career pulse check! In this timely solo episode, host Lola Adeyemo guides you through a three-part mid-year assessment designed to help you evaluate where you stand professionally and what adjustments you might need to make for the...

  "What does it take to build a thriving career when you're navigating multiple intersectional identities?" Dr. Janine Lee knows firsthand. As the Global Head of Learning at a Fortune 500 tech company, Dr. Lee has spent nearly 20 years breaking barriers while building an impressive multifaceted career. In this episode of Thriving in Intersectionality, she shares how being an America...

In this electrifying episode of Thriving in Intersectionality, host Lola Adeyemo welcomes Saundra Pelletier, a powerhouse in women's health innovation and a fierce advocate for women's empowerment. As CEO, President, and Interim Chair of Evofem Biosciences, Saundra shares her journey from a one-room apartment on welfare in Maine to revolutionizing women's reproductive health – all w...

In this enlightening episode of Thriving in Intersectionality, host Lola Adeyemo welcomes Dr. Cristina Padilla, a distinguished Latina leadership scholar, consultant, and coach. Dr. Padilla shares her journey as a first-generation Mexican American navigating professional spaces, her approach to culturally relevant leadership development, and valuable insights for Latinas and other professionals of...

  In this episode of Thriving in Intersectionality, host Lola Adeyemo speaks with Craig DeLarge, a digital healthcare strategist and mental health advocate whose remarkable 45-year career spans pharmaceutical giants, academia, and global leadership. Craig began as a fashion design major before switching to marketing and has subsequently led to an impressive career trajectory through marketing rese...

  In this insightful solo episode of Thriving in Intersectionality, host Lola Adeyemo challenges the traditional one-to-one mentorship model and introduces a powerful alternative: creating your personal board of directors. Drawing from her experience serving on multiple nonprofit boards and navigating her own career as an immigrant woman of color in STEM, Lola shares a strategic approach to assemb...

  In this episode of Thriving in Intersectionality, host Lola Adeyemo welcomes Eric Hellon, whose career journey spans graphic design, real estate expertise, and social entrepreneurship. Eric shares how his intersectional identities as a multiracial individual and "girl dad" have shaped his career decisions and professional growth. With experience as a real estate agent, broker, certifie...