Leaders in the Arena

In this episode of Leaders in the Arena, hear from Lauren Hall, President & CEO at First Things First, as she discusses their aim to serve at-risk families while expanding their reach to a global impact. First Things First has served the Chattanooga area since 1997 by providing resources to people that helps them build healthy relationships. As a nonprofit focused on strengthening families and...

In this episode of Leaders in the Arena, hear from Jaclyn Mothupi, Director of Social Innovation at The Wond'ry, as she discusses the importance of inclusive climate innovation. As the co-creator of the Climate Innovation Accelerator in Nashville, TN—learn from Jaclyn on what it looks like to co-create with a community using the frameworks and mindsets of social innovation. Fostering a climate...

In this episode of Leaders In the Arena, hear from Carlene Blanding, VP of Human Resources / Integrated Supply Chain at Shaw Industries, as she chronicles her journey toward becoming an empathetic leader. Learn how her experience through the COVID-19 pandemic shaped her leadership ability by walking alongside those in hard circumstances. Empathy is the ability to understand another person's t...

Hear from Jeana Lee, Chief of Staff to the CFO at Unum, as she discusses how to create engagement and sustain collaboration across multiple teams in an institution. Learn more from Jeana about the intricacies, challenges, and successes of implementing strategic change in a corporation.  Championing strategy and change across a corporate organization is no simple task. To have hundreds or even thou...

In this episode of Leaders in the Arena, hear from Tom White, former Senior VP of Investor Relations at Unum, as he shares how and why to implement an ESG strategy in a consistent, measurable way in a business landscape that demands more than maximizing profits. Success in business is no longer simply the amount of revenue. Today's “stakeholder” expands far beyond the shareholders to encompas...

The need for human-centered healthcare has never felt more vital than it does now. Personal experiences lead and shape healthcare professionals in their work, fostering empathy with their patients and driving administrators to implement human-focused systems. In this episode, hear from Nicole Brown, Manager of Community Benefits and Diversity at CHI Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga, TN, as she chr...

Attempting to forecast the future may seem daunting or even impossible. But strategic foresight is a planning-oriented discipline that provides structured methods and tools for navigating unidentified unknowns. Rather than rely on gut feelings, leaders can confidently lean into the unknowns and find success while avoiding setbacks. Hear from Kristin Leydig-Bryant, Founder and CEO of Clarity at Wor...