Your Authentic Executive Podcast

"More than education, more than experience, more than training — resilience determines who succeeds and who fails." Diane Coutu's 25-year-old definition opens this conversation, and Lindsey Rai Kortan lives it. Lindsey leads Ronald McDonald House Charities of Omaha, an organization built for families fighting for their children's lives. While leading it, she privately navigated...

Bob Gerst spent weeks building one report. His managing partner kept three pages and threw the rest in the wastebasket. What Bob learned in that moment — from the man who hired him — shaped the next 50 years. That man was my Dad, Jim Peek: Bob’s first boss and lifelong mentor. My dad read the same poem every morning for half a century. He was passed over for partnership twice and never turned bitt...

Why do 70% of transformations fail—even for well-intentioned leaders? I sit down with Thomas Saller to explore what derails change initiatives. Thomas is partner at 5L Partners, serves senior leaders across Europe, and author of Work It Like a German. He doesn't coach clichés—he coaches complexity. Three critical blind spots: The neuroscience behind resistance – People aren't afraid of c...

How Redemption, Resilience, and Brokenness Feed the Multitude   Our newest episode is out now!  In Episode 6 of Your Authentic Executive , we sit down with Stephen Barbee—a former All-American athlete, mentor, and founder of Passion to Purpose Ministries. Stephen transformed his life from crack addiction and incarceration to finding a meaningful purpose, developing a faith-driven life, and inspiri...

CEO Mom: Leading with Grit, Grace, and Generational Wisdom   As we approach Mother’s Day, Episode 5 features a story that honors the profound intersection of leadership and legacy . Meet Kim Cappellano , CEO of Private Wealth and a mother of four, in her most courageous leadership act to date: sharing her deeply personal IVF journey for the first time. A private leader by nature, Kim steps forward...

How Freediving, Failure, and a 16-Year-Old Leader Built Executive Grit   – New Podcast Episode Out Now! What do freediving and boardroom leadership have in common?  In Episode 4 of Your Authentic Executive, I sit down with Robert Vause, an unconventional leader whose journey began at age 16, managing a service department—and has taken him everywhere from near-military flight school to the depths o...

In this episode of Your Authentic Executive , host Dr. Janyne Peek Emsick sits down with Nash Mahupete , the newly appointed CEO of QLI (Quality Living, Inc.) in Omaha, Nebraska. Nash shares his inspiring journey from his upbringing in Zimbabwe to leading a multiple-time Best Places to Work organization. Key Themes & Takeaways: A Journey of Resilience & Leadership Nash reflects on his form...

In this episode of Your Authentic Executive , host Dr. Janyne Peek Emsick welcomes Pat Kearns , a physical therapist, President, and CEO of QLI (Quality Living, Inc.) , an award-winning organization recognized multiple times as a Best Places to Work organization . Key Themes & Takeaways: Roots & Leadership Foundations Pat shares her upbringing in rural western Nebraska (Gordon, NE) , a com...

  In this debut episode of Your Authentic Executive Podcast , we sit down with Susan Courtney, retired Executive Vice President of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska, to explore her incredible journey from a small-town childhood in Minnesota to leading at the highest levels of corporate America. Susan shares insights from her early years, the impact of her family, and how golf played a pivotal rol...