TomorrowZone Catalyst

In this episode of the TomorrowZone Catalyst Podcast, host Deborah Reuben talks with John Fenton, executive coach and "CEO Sensei," to explore what it really takes to lead through complexity and build a future-ready firm.   With decades of leadership experience, John shares why transformation isn't about collecting the latest tools. It's about upgrading your thinking, aligning your actions with pu...

In this Future Shaping Leaders episode of the TomorrowZone Catalyst Podcast, host Deborah Reuben talks with Shannon Seaver, CEO of The AI Whisperers and Executive Director of createMPLS.   Shannon shares how she's using AI to help teachers reclaim time, simplify complexity, and re-center the human connection in learning. Her platform transforms a single lesson into multiple personalized experience...

**Special Series** From Spark to Shift: How Smart Leaders Are Navigating AI Adoption    In this episode of the TomorrowZone Catalyst Podcast, host Deborah Reuben talks with Harsha Boralessa, creator of the Reframe & Reset Your Career Podcast . They explore how transformational leaders can think differently about career growth in a world shaped by AI and constant change.   Harsha shares insights fr...

In this episode of the TomorrowZone® Catalyst Podcast, Deborah Reuben and Jennica Burgh sit down together for a candid, thought-provoking conversation about the patterns, insights, and surprises that defined 2025. They also share how they are preparing for the year ahead.   As they explore the year's themes, Jennica and Deborah reflect on what they saw across client work and within their own team....

**Special Series** From Spark to Shift: How Smart Leaders Are Navigating AI Adoption   In this episode of the TomorrowZone Catalyst Podcast, host Deborah Reuben chats with Skip Wehner, a seasoned entrepreneur and Manager of Education at NEFA, to explore how curiosity can unlock innovation. With over 30 years in equipment finance and a strong background in manufacturing and business growth, Skip of...

In this episode of the TomorrowZone Catalyst Podcast, host Deborah Reuben chats with David Newman, speaker, advisor, and author of Market Eminence , about the future of influence inside organizations.   Today's innovation leaders face a new challenge: being heard in a sea of digital noise, internal politics, and shifting priorities. It's not enough to have great ideas. If your voice isn't seen as...

**Special Series** From Spark to Shift: How Smart Leaders are Navigating AI Adoption.    In this episode of the TomorrowZone® Catalyst Podcast, host Deborah Reuben chats with Nick Fong, Chief Marketing and Technology Officer at AP Equipment Financing. Nick brings a unique dual lens as a creative marketer and tech strategist, sharing how his team is navigating AI adoption with experimentation, inte...

Reinvention doesn't always require a revolution. In this episode of the TomorrowZone Catalyst Podcast, host Deborah Reuben sits down with Eileen Schoonmaker, President of the Americas at PEAC Solutions, for a grounded conversation about what it really takes to lead lasting transformation.   Eileen brings decades of experience navigating operational change in complex, highly regulated environments,...

Emotional intelligence isn't a soft skill; it's a strategic advantage in digital transformation. In this episode of the TomorrowZone Catalyst Podcast, host Deborah Reuben chats with Lilian Starr, Director of Operations at First Citizens Bank Equipment Finance, about reimagining customer experience, empowering teams, and fueling operational innovation through a people-first lens.    Lilian introduc...

Many leaders are rethinking what it really means for teams to thrive. In a business landscape filled with pressure, disruption, and shifting expectations, there's a growing recognition that high performance starts with something deeper than strategy or structure.   In this episode of the TomorrowZone® Catalyst Podcast, host Deborah Reuben talks with Dr. André Martin, organizational psychologist, a...

**Special Series** From Spark to Shift: How Smart Leaders are Navigating AI Adoption.    In this episode of the TomorrowZone® Catalyst Podcast, host Deborah Reuben sits down with Chelsey Barron, Senior Vice President at LEAF Commercial Capital and Chair of the ELFA Innovation Committee, for a conversation that challenges the status quo in the equipment finance industry.   Chelsey shares real-world...

In this episode of the TomorrowZone® Catalyst Podcast, host Deborah Reuben talks with Martha Galley, Chief Sustainability Officer at Calix, about the mindset shifts that helped her organization gain traction with AI adoption.   Instead of chasing the latest tech, Martha explains how her organization began their AI journey by identifying where they could create the most value for their customers. T...

Slowing down isn't a setback, it's an accelerator. Pausing to gain clarity is what enables faster, more intentional progress.   In this episode of the TomorrowZone Catalyst Podcast, guest host Jennica Burgh sits down with Deborah Reuben to explore the surprising truth about clarity, busyness, and visionary leadership.   What if the constant pressure to hustle is actually holding you back from real...

**Special Series** From Spark to Shift: How Smart Leaders are Navigating AI Adoption.   AI isn't just an assistant; It's a consultant that challenges your thinking.   In this episode of the TomorrowZone® Catalyst Podcast, host Deb Reuben chats with Katie Thompson of Siemens Financial Services. A strategic leader at the intersection of syndications, sales enablement, and digital product delivery, K...

**Special Series** From Spark to Shift: How Smart Leaders are Navigating AI Adoption.   The real power of AI isn't in the technology itself, it's in how humans use it, understand it, and tell the story around it.   In this episode of the TomorrowZone® Catalyst Podcast, host Deb Reuben chats with Beth Bannerman: communications strategist, sustainability advocate, and CEO of Wild Sage Enterprises. W...

**Special Series** From Spark to Shift: How Smart Leaders are Navigating AI Adoption.   You don't need to be technical to lead with AI; you just need curiosity and follow-through.   That's the mindset fueling Stephen Lankler's approach to transformation as CTO of ElmBlue Equipment Finance. In this episode of the TomorrowZone Catalyst Podcast, host Deb Reuben chats with Stephen about his unconventi...

We're often so focused on finding answers that we forget to ask if we're even posing the right question in the first place.   In this episode of the TomorrowZone® Catalyst Podcast, host Deborah Reuben chats with co-host Alissa Bartlett about curiosity – not as a fluffy trait, but as a critical leadership skill. Drawing inspiration from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, they explore how asking...

**Special Series** From Spark to Shift: How Smart Leaders are Navigating AI Adoption.   The best AI use cases don't start with the tech; they start with real business problems.   In this episode of the TomorrowZone® Catalyst Podcast, host Deborah Reuben sits down with John Sokol, founder of LeadX, to talk about what it really takes to build a future-ready, data-driven sales engine.   With a backgr...

What if your untapped potential isn't in another productivity hack, but in coming home to who you really are? In this episode of the TomorrowZone® Catalyst Podcast, host Deborah Reuben sits down with speaker, coach, and peak performance expert Hilary Bilbrey to discuss The Authenticity Key , her new bestselling book that challenges leaders to redefine success from the inside out. Hilary shares why...

In this episode of the TomorrowZone Catalyst Podcast, Deborah Reuben chats with producer and certified AI Design Sprint facilitator Alissa Bartlett about moving AI conversations beyond the hype, toward practical outcomes. Together, they break down a simple, structured discovery process that helps teams identify business pain points, explore AI capabilities, and quickly connect the dots to high-val...

Innovation isn't just about technology; it's first about people. In this episode of the TomorrowZone® Catalyst Podcast, host Alissa Bartlett talks with Jennica Burgh about a side of innovation we don't spotlight enough: the human side. As Director of Operations at TomorrowZone®, Jennica shares insights from her unique journey, from clinical social work to operations leadership, and highlights why...

Most tech initiatives fail, and not for the reasons you think. In this episode of the TomorrowZone Catalyst Podcast, guest host Alissa Bartlett flips the script and interviews Deborah Reuben, CEO and Founder of TomorrowZone, about the surprising truth behind innovation success. They explore the Catalyst Sprint , a fast-paced, co-creative process that helps teams uncover the truth about what's real...

In this episode of the TomorrowZone® Catalyst Podcast, host Deb Reuben hands the mic to producer Alissa Bartlett for a jam session with Jennica Burgh and Deb herself on rethinking virtual meetings. What if meetings didn't drain your energy, but sparked real connection and collaboration instead? They explore how thoughtful design, intentionality, and even AI can help you reclaim your time and make...

In this episode of the TomorrowZone Catalyst Podcast, host Deborah Reuben chats with strategist and 33Dolphins Growth Strategy founder Paula Skaper, a courageous voice challenging the status quo on AI. Known for her bold, human-centered approach, Paula debunks common myths about AI replacing junior roles and explores what sustainable business growth really requires. Through real-world examples, Pa...

In this episode of the TomorrowZone Catalyst Podcast, host Deb Reuben chats with John Gamades and Beau Nordby, partners at OrangeBall Creative, to explore what happens when AI meets authentic human creativity. The world is changing fast, and while many leaders are asking, "Will AI replace me?" John and Beau are asking more powerful questions, like, "What should still be human?"   Together, they un...