Humor In The C-Suite

What if laughter could be your secret weapon for better leadership? International comedy expert Stefano Iaboni has spent over 20 years proving that humor isn't just entertainment—it's a powerful business tool that drives innovation, reduces stress, and builds stronger teams. As founder of Smile Solution, Stefano works with tech companies and startups to transform workplace culture throug...

In this episode of "Humor in the C Suite," host Kate Davis welcomes Lizzie Schreier, an esteemed veteran in digital transformation and strategy. Kate and Lizzie delve into the intriguing intersection of leadership, humor, and digital innovation, exploring how humor plays a pivotal role in fostering an extraordinary work culture. Lizzie shares her vibrant career path, recounting her diver...

Host Kate Davis welcomes negotiation expert Fotini Iconomopoulos. Fotini brings her wealth of experience negotiating for top corporations and shares how humor plays a pivotal role in her negotiation techniques. The discussion delves into how humor can disarm potential conflicts and foster communication in even the most tense business situations. Fotini explains that her distinctive approach to neg...

In this engaging episode of "Humor in the C Suite," host Kate Davis steps into the spotlight to address the many questions from her audience about the intersection of humor and leadership.  Key Takeaways: Humor Enhances Leadership : Humor makes leaders more relatable and trustworthy, helping them to inspire and connect with their teams, thereby increasing leadership effectiveness. Commun...

In this week's episode of “Humor in the C Suite,”  host Kate Davis sits down with Aneace Haddad, a distinguished C-suite executive coach, to explore the intersection of humor and leadership. Aneace shares insights from his remarkable journey from tech entrepreneur to executive coach, highlighting how his midlife transformation led him to discover his passion for people over technology. During...

In this engaging episode of "Humor in the C Suite," host Kate Davis chats with Hugh Forrest, Co-President and Chief Programming Officer of South by Southwest (SXSW). Forrest shares his insights on how humor and creativity intersect to foster an extraordinary work culture, drawing from over three decades of his experience at SXSW. From its humble beginnings as a local music event in 1987,...

In this episode of "Humor in the C Suite," host Kate Davis introduces Sara Schulting Kranz, renowned author, speaker, and executive coach. Sara shares her compelling journey of personal transformation, following a life-altering trauma. The episode unfolds her innovative approaches to leadership coaching, where she integrates her experiences into a unique framework focused on change, resi...

Welcome to another engaging episode of Humor in the C Suite with your host, Kate Davis, featuring the vibrant Heather Tolley-Bauer. This captivating episode unfolds Heather's fascinating journey from a banking executive in PR to a stand-up comedian, as she shares rich anecdotes and pearls of wisdom on using humor as a transformative tool in leadership. With laughter and insight, Heather demon...

Welcome to the first episode of 2025 of "Humor in the C Suite," where host Kate Davis dives into the intersection of humor and leadership. As the new year unfolds, Kate reflects on the previous year’s episodes filled with insightful discussions from guests representing diverse industries such as publishing, construction, and economics. This episode marks a departure from tradition, as Ka...

In this episode of "Humor in the C Suite," host Kate Davis welcomes Melissa Hurley, VP of Learning and People Development at Bill Gosling Outsourcing, for an engaging conversation on how humor influences leadership and workplace culture. The episode kicks off with Kate's enthusiastic introduction of Melissa and a recount of how they met during a high-intensity leadership development...

In this engaging episode of "Humor in the C-Suite," host Kate Davis welcomes Colin Brook, an industry leader from Wika Instruments with an impressive career in engineering and management.  Throughout the conversation, Colin reflects on how humor, when used thoughtfully, can disarm contentious situations and promote mutual respect among team members, regardless of geographical or generati...

Why “Vajeans”? You’ll have to listen to find out! In this episode, Kate Davis and Bridgett Burrick Brown weave humor into the challenges of authenticity and self-acceptance. The title, inspired by a hilarious moment during their conversation, sets the tone for an episode full of laughs, personal insights, and transformative ideas about embracing imperfection. Bridgett’s candid exploration of her j...

Ted Giovanis is President and founder of the Jayne Koskinas Ted Giovanis Foundation for Health and Policy that conducts research in the health policy and clinical arenas. He was previously President of T. Giovanis & Company, LLC and TGC, LLC health policy and reimbursement consultancies, specializing in strategic reimbursement advice and advocacy on behalf of a wide variety of clients. Ted’s w...

Matt Phillips is a leading expert on accelerating innovation. For over 20 years, Matt has been an in-demand advisor to the Fortune 500, large nonprofits and rapidly growing mid-sized companies. As the founder of Phillips & Co., a Chicago-based innovation strategy firm, Matt leads a team of researchers, strategists and inventors who help organizations invent new products, services and businesse...

In this "best of" episode, we explore the power of humor in leadership through highlights from five insightful guests: Todd Hirsch, Danny Goldberg, Allen Grinberg, Amer Kaissi, and Brittanny Kreutzer. Discover how each leader uses humor to build connections, inspire teams, and create positive workplace cultures. Simplifying Complex Ideas Economist Todd Hirsch shares how humor can break d...

In this special "best of" series, we're highlighting three incredible leaders who have mastered the art of using humor to inspire, connect, and lead their teams to success. Oskhar Pineda shares how lightening up and incorporating humor into everyday leadership creates a people-first culture where employees feel at ease, fostering stronger relationships and collaboration. With decade...

Erin Hatzikostas is a former Corporate CEO turned Professional Pot-Stirrer.  Erin is an internationally-recognized leader on the impact of authenticity in the workplace. She is the founder of b Authentic inc , where she’s leading a movement to eradicate the workplace of its BS and make it a fundamentally more authentic place.  Erin is the best-selling author of You Do You(ish) , a TEDx speaker , c...

As Director of Information Technology Services for York Region, Richard leads the planning, delivery and support of information technology for almost 4,500 employees, 300 applications and over 11,000 computers and mobile devices. Richard has over 30 years of experience working in information technology. He has a background in computer networking which, over his career, he has translated into a wel...

Judd Shaw is an adventurer, storyteller, and agent of change, blending his background as a lawyer and CEO of Judd Shaw Injury Law with a passion for helping others. Judd chased professional success up the "I made it Mountain," only to discover its hollow rewards without genuine human bonds. Through introspection, therapy, and collaboration with professionals, Judd developed the CURE fram...

Em Stroud is the Comic Coach. Who speaks on a range of subjects including how laughter and fun can impact on leadership, teams and culture. How tools and ideas from the world of Improvisation, Comedy and Clowning can impact business success and team performance as well as leadership. Stroud is a best selling author, Clown and successful entrepreneur who has been described as “innovative, witty, en...

Anne is currently the Vice President of Education at the Healthcare Distribution Alliance (HDA). In this role she is responsible for all educational activities, including Diversity Equity & Inclusion, internally and externally. Before joining HDA in 2016, Anne provided education and certification management for both healthcare and trade associations, to include multiple associations at SmithBu...

Charlene Wheeless is a multifaceted powerhouse in the business world. She blends over 30 years of extensive experience in leadership, communications, and operations with a personal journey that exudes authenticity and resilience. As a highly sought-after keynote speaker, leadership advisor/coach, and author, she has empowered executives and teams globally to achieve breakthrough performance and tr...

Lori Saitz is a nationally recognized stress eradication expert, award-winning author, speaker, broadcaster, trainer, writer, executive coach, and employee wellbeing consultant. As the founder and CEO of Zen Rabbit, a forward-thinking health and wellness company, she is dedicated to guiding business leaders toward creating and nurturing healthier, more productive work environments. With a comprehe...

Chris Dyer, a celebrated keynote speaker with over 15 years of experience, specializes in company culture and remote work. As a CEO, his leadership led his companies to be recognized as best workplaces and to feature on Inc Magazine’s fastest-growing companies list five times. Renowned for his expertise, Inc Magazine named him the #1 Leadership Speaker on Culture. He is the author of three bestsel...

Since 2005, Allan Ebedes has led Excellence Canada, formerly known as the National Quality Institute. Working with the Board of Directors, he is responsible for setting the strategic direction of Excellence Canada and delivering on its business plan and mission. Allan began his business career as a Chartered Accountant (CA) at Coopers & Lybrand, now PWC. He then became a partner at a small fur...