R.O.G. Return on Generosity

81. Tara Collingwood - Nutrition to Fuel Your Mission

81. Tara Collingwood - Nutrition to Fuel Your Mission
“​​It's difficult to change some of those behaviors. Get into the why. Find out what's motivating you to make this behavior change. That's super powerful.”
Guest Info:
Tara Collingwood is a nationally recognized expert and spokesperson on nutrition, fitness, and health promotion and is quoted in a variety of media including television, radio, newspapers, magazines, and websites. Tara was the co-host of Emotional Mojo, a national television show where she was the resident nutrition and health expert from 2013-2015. She is a past National Media Spokesperson for the professional organization of 80,000 Registered Dietitians, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND).  Tara appeared regularly as the “Diet Diva” on the national morning television show, The Daily Buzz for 10 years until the show ended in 2015. Tara is the author of Pregnancy Cooking & Nutrition for Dummies (2012) and co-author of Flat Belly Cookbook for Dummies (2014) and All In One Pregnancy (2016).
Tara is currently the sports nutrition consultant to the United States Tennis Association (USTA), and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Tara is a nutrition and movement performance coach at the prestigious Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute where she teaches senior executives how to manage their energy. Tara was the team dietitian for the Orlando Magic NBA team for eleven years and University of Central Florida (UCF) Athletics for twelve years.                                                                               
Tara owns Tara Gidus Nutrition Consulting, LLC in Orlando, FL. A dynamic speaker, she motivates groups large and small on various topics such as achieving a healthy weight, preventing disease, maximizing energy, aging well, enhancing sports performance, pregnancy nutrition, and creating a positive body image.
As a consultant, she has worked with numerous companies including Walt Disney World, Rodale Publications, Tupperware, Canyon Ranch Spa, Rosen Hotels, Vijuvia Life Centers, United Behavioral Healthcare, and others. As the official nutritionist for runDisney for three years, she offered nutrition tips to runners on the runDisney blog as well as at the EXPO for all Disney races. Tara was a health blogger and the Healthy Eating Expert on the health information website www.healthline.com for five years.  Tara has previous experience improving the diets of senior executives through her work with the Rippe Health Assessment at Advent Health Celebration. She has also overseen numerous weight loss research projects.
Tara graduated from Purdue University earning a Bachelor’s Degree with a double major of Dietetics and Nutrition, Fitness, and Health. She continued on at Purdue, earning a Master of Science Degree (MS) in Health Promotion, specializing in health behavior and worksite wellness programs. She is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist (RDN) with the Commission on Dietetic Registration and Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist (LDN) in the state of Florida. Tara holds a Board Certification as a Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD). Tara is also a Certified Personal Trainer with the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM-CPT).  Tara was inducted into the Purdue University Alumni Hall of Fame in the School of Nutrition Science in 2013 for her many accomplishments in the field of nutrition.
Volunteering is something important to Tara as evidenced by her continued commitment to the Restoration Ministries for Women. For six years, Tara gave a lecture biweekly to a group of women who are on a six-month rehabilitation program after their release from prison. She taught them how to eat right and exercise in order to feel their best to beat their addictions and get their lives on the right track. Tara has served as the Co-Chair of the Silent Auction for the American Cancer Society’s Orlando Chapter. She is a Past President of the Dietetic Association in Orlando and served as the Awards Chair for the Florida Dietetic Association. She has received numerous awards including the esteemed Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year from the Florida Dietetic Association.
Tara appears frequently as an expert on various television stations and shows including ivillage Live, Orlando NBC, CBS, ABC, and Fox stations, Central Florida News 13, CW Network, Ivanhoe Broadcast News, and The Golf Channel. She has been quoted in over 1000 various print and online publications including the Associated Press, New York Times, and the Orlando Sentinel as well as various magazines including Women’s World, Self, Fitness, Shape, Women’s Health, Her Sports, Men’s Health, People, Vegetarian Times, Runner’s World, Club Business International, Cooking Light, Family Circle, Fit Pregnancy, American Baby, Prevention, and more. She has been quoted on various websites including webmd.com, ediets.com, aol.com, usnews.com, cnn.com, msnbc.com, and more. Tara is an avid runner and has completed one ultra marathon, eighteen full marathons including the prestigious Boston Marathon four times, as well as countless half marathons and other races. Tara lost her husband Stephen Gidus to cancer in 2012. She married John Collingwood in 2015 and they are busy raising her two sons, Basil (14), Levi (12), and two stepsons Maxim (18), and Samuel (16).
Favorite Quote:
"That which doesn't kill us makes us stronger." — Nietzsche
R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:
All of us have something to improve. It could be our physical fitness, emotional wellbeing, mental health or spiritual direction, meaning clarify about the purpose of our lives.
What’s something you really want to change or improve?
What is the reason you want to change it or improve it?
Your homework this week is to choose one thing, then ask yourself the “five whys”. Drill down to find the heart of the matter. Once you get there, write it down. Set your goals based on your “why”, your truth and your purpose. Do the planning and preparation needed to set up for success.
Resources:
DietDiva.net
Coming Next:
Episode 82: Our special guest is Kimberly Brown.
Credits:
Tara Collingwood, Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.

80. Sharon Browning - Listening: An Act of Love

80. Sharon Browning - Listening: An Act of Love
(Listening) “It's a very tiny thing, but it is foundational to all relationships. It's foundational to social change and transformation. We're not moving anything unless we listen. It really is a macro skill that very often gets treated as a micro skill. I love it because it's small.”
Guest Info:
Sharon Browning, Esq. coordinates JUST Listening, a social enterprise fostering personal and  social change and transformation through the practice and teaching of mindful listening and communication skills. The work of JUST Listening is twofold: the facilitation of training workshops, retreats, and ‘difficult’ conversations, focusing primarily on those working with marginalized individuals and groups, and the training for and supervision of Listening projects in which volunteers JUST Listen to people on the social margins. She is an attorney, teacher, trained spiritual guide, and motivator.
Favorite Quote:
For the bottom line belief: Love is all there is.
For action/activism: “Make the world work, for 100% of humanity, in the shortest possible time, through spontaneous cooperation, without ecological offense or the disadvantage of anyone.” —  Buckminster Fuller
And I would add…Do this with relentless compassion and radical humility.
R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:
Every conversation can change the world. Especially if we listen.
What gets in the way of us Just Listening? 
Our Inner monologue
Our Socio-cultural filters
Our Ego
Other key takeaways include:
How do we define “we”? Only plausible definition is the earth and all living things on it.
What would it mean for you to live with Relentless compassion? 
What would that look like to live with Radical humility?
Last and most importantly: love, love, love.
Resources:
JustListening.net
Coming Next:
Episode 81: We will be joined by Tara Collingwood
Credits:
Sharon Browning, Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.

79. Fred Maahs - Universal Design for Leadership

79. Fred Maahs - Universal Design for Leadership
“My utopia is someday, we're not going to be having this conversation. Access - just is. People with disabilities - just are, and everything is normalized…People with disabilities aren't, “the others”. We're not just a slice of the demographic. We're just part of society and not thought of differently.”
Guest Info:
Fred Maahs, Jr. is a passionate and recognized leader in the international disability community and in corporate America.  He is also a renowned champion for diversity and inclusion. 
After more than 30 years as a corporate executive, Fred founded FJM Solutions, LLC in 2019 and Maahs Travels in 2021.  As a consultant, Fred is focused on underserved and underrepresented populations, especially people with disabilities. He is an accessibility travel and tourism expert and internationally recognized keynote speaker who finds solutions for “Fostering Inclusion Universally.”  Also, in 2019, Fred joined Tarita Davenock and Travel for All as a partner and Chief Operating Officer.  Travel for All is headquartered in Canada and provides global, accessible and inclusive travel experiences tailored to the unique needs of each traveler.  In 2020, Fred was named Editor of a new digital magazine, Melange Accessibility for All, and he served on President Joe Biden’s Campaign ‘s Disability Policy committee. In addition, he is currently working with individuals throughout Central America and the Caribbean to plan and present at the 5th Continental CBR Congress of the Americas and the Caribbean.
Fred is a Board Director and a Past Chair of the American Association of People with Disabilities, was a Director and Past Vice Chair on the National Easterseals Board of Directors where he led the Marketing and Development Committees, served on the Board Development Committee for The Arc of the United States and was chosen to lead the Corporate Sponsor Council for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.  He serves on the Advisory Committee for 360-Access, and he also serves on the Disability:IN (formerly known as the US Business Leadership Network (USBLN®)) Disability Equality Index Advisory Committee and its Honorary Advisory Board for the America’s Disability Rights Museum on Wheels.  He also serves on the Advisory of the Board Committee for Voiceitt, and the Advisory of the Board Committee for GesturesUp, both are Israeli-based IT startups focused on helping people with disabilities to communicate more effectively and to live more independently.
Fred has served on three panels at the White House regarding issues that impact the lives of people with disabilities. He has presented on the issues faced by people with disabilities when traveling by air to the United States Department of Transportation.  Invited by the King Foundation, Fred delivered a speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 2013, along with Presidents Obama, Clinton, and Carter, as well as a number of renowned celebrities and civil rights leaders. On that day, Fred represented the nation's disability population during the "Let Freedom Ring" Celebration commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. This was the first time that the disability population was included in the anniversary events.
Fred has been the subject of many publications and articles for his accomplishments as a person with a disability and for being a devoted champion for the disability population.  Fred has shared his personal and professional journey with countless audiences around the world during events that include the inaugural Dubai Accessible Tourism International Summit in 2019, the New Jersey Conference on Disability and Employment, the National Mentoring Summit in Washington, D.C., the Annual National Convention for The Arc, the Ruderman Foundation Summit for Inclusion, the Digital Arts Festival for Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the Center for Corporate Citizenship Leadership Series and Annual Conferences, and in numerous worldwide publications. He has delivered keynote speeches and participated in Town Hall and panel discussions on numerous topics that impact people with disabilities.
In 2019, he represented Travel for All during the inaugural Dubai Accessible Tourism International Summit in Dubai, sharing the stage with accessible tourism experts from around the world. In early 2020, he traveled to Israel and worked with Israel’s Ministry of Tourism to assess and promote accessible tourism in Israel on behalf of Travel for All. Late in 2020, Fred was invited back to Dubai to assess and report on accessibility for hotels, resorts, museums, parks, and historic sites.
In 2019, Fred received the “Belief in the Power of Young People Award” from City Year, presented to him for “extraordinary leadership and unwavering commitment to ensuring all children have the opportunity to reach their full potential and building the next generation of leaders.”  In March of 2019, Comcast NBCUniversal announced the Fred J. Maahs, Jr. Assistive Technology Grant Fund. The fund, named in Fred’s honor for building the partnership with Easterseals and for his service on the Easterseals National Board of Directors, supports a variety of technology programs and services, from braille-equipped handheld computers to augmentative communication devices. In May of 2019, Fred was recognized by Big Brothers Big Sisters of America as a “Defender of Youth” for his unparalleled commitment to youth in America, to ensure all kids have a path forward. Fred was selected as the “2015 Humanitarian of the Year” by the The Buoniconti Fund - the fundraising arm of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, for all of his work and advocacy on behalf of people with disabilities across the country. He was chosen by the Governor of Delaware as Employee of the Year in 2002 and was the first recipient of the John Jefferson Memorial Courage Award in 2002. He has also received numerous marketing and communications awards throughout the Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey area.
He has been involved in many community-based volunteer efforts for Easterseals, served as Vice Chairperson for the Mayor of Wilmington’s Access Wilmington Committee, and served on the Winterthur Museum and Gardens Access Advisory Board. 
Fred has worked for some of the country’s largest Fortune 50, 100, and 500 companies.  He joined Comcast in December of 2007 and until April, 2019 was the Senior Director, Community Impact, Comcast Corporation, and Vice President, Comcast Foundation.  He was responsible for the strategic leadership of Comcast’s national strategic partnerships with organizations including City Year, Easterseals, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, The Arc, numerous relationships with Native American organizations, and a variety of diverse partnerships at the corporate and regional level.  In addition, he helped to create and then served on Comcast’s Joint Diversity Council and was an Executive Champion of the MyAbilities Network – one of Comcast’s Employee Resource Groups.  Fred began his career at Comcast responsible for the company’s national signature employee engagement programs - Comcast Cares Day, a world-wide annual day of community service, and the annual United Way Employee Giving campaign, as well as the Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship Program.
From 2004 to 2007, Fred worked for ARAMARK where he assumed the newly created role of Director of Community Relations with a focus on developing and implementing the company's Star Teams initiative - a strategic, company-wide employee engagement program. This initiative encompassed more than 12,000 managers across North America and the UK and focused on strategic Star Team activities with an overarching goal to build business and enhance company image. His strategic leadership and successful teambuilding abilities led to millions of dollars in new business, stronger relationships with clients and local national and international communities, new career opportunities for employees, as well as increased employee participation in community service activities.
Prior to joining ARAMARK, Fred was the Director of Communications for Easter Seals Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore from 1998 to 2003, where he was responsible for all media, public and government relations, as well as internal and external communications for 13 locations throughout Delaware and Maryland. He also served on the National Easter Seals Communications Committee.
During his career in financial services for some of the nation’s largest and oldest financial institutions, Fred served as Vice President of Marketing for CoreStates Bank of Delaware. While there, he was responsible for internal and external communications to customers and employees, event marketing and promotional programs for new national account acquisition, and marketing programs for 610 regional bank branches.  Prior to that, he worked for Bank of New York (Delaware).
He also served as one of the founding members of the National Advisory Council for the Arts for Boys & Girls Clubs of America.  He served on the Community Involvement Roundtable at the Center for Corporate Citizenship, Boston College’s Carroll School of Management. He served on United Way Worldwide’s Global Corporate Leadership Advisory Council, is a former member of United Way of Southern New Jersey and Greater Philadelphia’s Employee Campaign Cabinet, and served as the first Co-Chair of the Greater Philadelphia Corporate Volunteer Council.  In addition, he served as a WICT mentor and as a Big Brother in the Big Brothers Big Sisters Beyond School Walls program in Philadelphia.
He received his B.S. in Business Management from West Chester University, an A.S. in Business from Widener University, is certified in Corporate Social Responsibility Leadership from the Center for Corporate Citizenship at the Carroll School of Management at Boston College, and resides in Wilmington, Delaware.
Favorite Quote:
“Never let anyone tell you that you can't” — Fred Maahs, Jr.
R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:
Four Ways to Think Differently:
Use your lived experience to recognize the needs and engage to ensure others are included.
Expand your definition of “we”. Become a “For All” leader.
Challenge your beliefs about people with Disabilities. Recognize the toxicity of ableism.
Don’t let anyone tell you can’t. Including you.
Resources:
Travel-For-All.com
ReadMelange.com/accessibility
MaahsTravels.com
Coming Next:
Episode 80: We will be joined by Sharon Browning, Founder - JUST Listening.
Credits:
Fred Maahs, Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.

78. Tiffany Yu - Disability Is Not a Bad Word

78. Tiffany Yu - Disability Is Not a Bad Word  
​​”Just because I exist means that I have a gift to impart on the world . . . It hurts my heart that so many of us feel devalued because of the way that our body and our mind works differently. And I think that the challenge for companies is how can you find what that gift is?”
Guest Info:
Tiffany Yu is the CEO & Founder of Diversability, an award-winning social enterprise to elevate disability pride; the Founder of the Awesome Foundation Disability Chapter, a monthly micro-grant that has awarded $58.5k to 59 disability projects in 9 countries; and a content creator with almost 160k+ followers across platforms. She serves on the San Francisco Mayor’s Disability Council and was a 2020 Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Sustainable Development Impact Summit. At the age of 9, Tiffany became disabled as a result of a car accident that also took the life of her father.
She started her career in investment banking at Goldman Sachs and has also worked at Bloomberg and Sean Diddy Combs' REVOLT Media & TV. She is a 3x TEDx speaker and spoke on 5 sessions at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos. She has been featured in Marie Claire, the Guardian, and Forbes.
Favorite Quote:
"The work of the mature person is to carry grief in one hand and gratitude in the other and to be stretched large by them. How much sorrow can I hold? That’s how much gratitude I can give. If I carry only grief, I’ll bend toward cynicism and despair. If I have only gratitude, I’ll become saccharine and won’t develop much compassion for other people’s suffering. Grief keeps the heart fluid and soft, which helps make compassion possible." — Francis Weller
R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:
Use inclusive language in onboarding and ask, “What accessibility needs do you have to thrive in this environment?”
Start or join an ERG (Employee Resource Group) for Disabled Employees. It can be called Disability Interest Forum, Disability Employee Resource Group or whatever you think best represents the talent you aim to support. Leverage the thought leadership and community from Diversability.
Resources:
TiffanyYu.com
Tiffany Yu on Facebook (ImTiffanyYu)
Tiffany Yu on Twitter (@ImTiffanyYu)
Tiffany Yu on Instagram (@ImTiffanyYu)
Tiffany Yu on TikTok (@ImTiffanyYu)
Tiffany Yu on Clubhouse (@ImTiffanyYu)
The Disability Empowerment Endowed Fund
Diversability.com
Diversability on FaceBook
Diversability on Twitter
Diversability on Instagram
Diversability on TikTok
Diversability Community Facebook Group
Diversability Leadership Collective
Accentuate Report : Enabling Change
The Curb Cut Effect Explained
The Curb Cut Effect
The Awesome Foundation
ADAanniversary.org
Coming Next:
Episode 79: we will be joined by Fred Maahs, Founder and CEO of Maahs Travel.
Credits:
Tiffany Yu, Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.

77. Fausta Ballesteros - Communities of Contagious Compassion

77. Fausta Ballesteros - Communities of Contagious Compassion  
“It (generosity) is contagious, right? It's a pay it forward.  When someone is generous with me, you want to do it to others.. You find yourself wanting to be better, to be more generous to others, to give back.”
Guest Info:
Fausta Ballesteros is the VP of Culture Experience Cognizant Softvision. She manages the global employee, candidates and customer experience with the brand.
She has more than 20 years of experience working for and with both tech/IPO startups and multinational companies such as Cognizant, Softvision, Shell, Globant, Unilever, American Express and Urban PR. Always in Communications, PR, Branding and Marketing.
She is from Argentina but has lived in New York since 2007 with her husband and 4 boys.
She manage a diverse, multicultural and remote team of +30 people from Latam, North America (US & Canada), APAC (India, Australia and Philippines) and Europe (Romania, Lithuania, Ukraine and Poland). Worked also with Change Management Initiatives and M&A team to integrate teams before and after an acquisition.
Culture Experience: Talent, Candidate and Employee Experience. EVP (Employee Value Proposition) & Employer Branding.
Brand Awareness: events calendars, speaking and awards opportunities. Partnership and sponsorships.
Global head of Talent Marketing Strategy and plan with special focus in Eastern Europe (Romania, Ukraine), Latam (Argentina and Mexico), North America.
In 2006 she was the co-director of Gesto both a marketing-to-women communications company and a community that stimulates women to find their own space. Today she is the executive sponsor of the Woman Guild at Cognizant Softvision, and a Makers honoree. (an initiative that connect and inspire executives at the forefront of equality initiatives, impacting real change at work and beyond)
She has a BA in Communications from Austral University, a Master in Marketing from San Andrews University (both in Argentina) and last year participated in the Yale Women Leadership Program.
I make things happen with positive energy and enthusiasm. Most of the time with the strengths and talents of my team. As an Orchestra conductor putting people together, both to complement each other's skill sets but also to compliment one another. Always empowering and celebrating people so everyone can bring out their best.
I'm always in forward mode, and can't help myself to think how we can go bigger or better to make an impact, or to change a reality. I'm creative, flexible, an entrepreneur, and full of new ideas. I can't settle for mediocrity. I work with a "transforming while performing" approach. Everything can be improved. When there is a crossroad I find another way, nothing is impossible, I keep going.
One of my biggest strengths are my empathy and people instincts. I'm sensible and care about people, I'm constantly creating connections, engaging with people personally and building relationships and trust.
I work hard, I'm brave to confront ambiguity and have the energy to rise to new challenges. I do a lot of research when I have to face a new reality and do not linger in my comfort zone.
Favorite Quote:
Let your life not be a sterile life. "Be useful." "Leave it on." "Light up.” 
“Never let a good crisis go to waste.” — Sir Winston Churchill
R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:
Be humane and compassionate
Be the conductor 
Charge your battery
Shine your light
Resources:
 Fausta Ballesteros on LinkedIn (in/FaustaBallesteros)
Fausta Ballesteros - VP of Culture XP
Coming Next:
Episode 78: We will be joined by Tiffany Yu, CEO & Founder of Diversability.
Credits:
Fausta Ballesteros, Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.

76. Darlene Chapman-Holmes - Faster Together

76. Darlene Chapman-Holmes - Faster Together
“Get out of your comfort zone, because you can't grow unless you stretch.”
Guest Info:
Darlene Chapman-Holmes is the Director of Development at Women Business Collaborative where she creates partnerships for sponsors, advisory and leaders council and manages client accounts. The WBC is a network of leaders who work toward achieving parity with Equal Position, Pay and Power for women and people of color. Darlene works with women leaders to create impact and uphold over 66+ partners and resource organizations and over 350+ champions. Prior to her consulting, she served as Vice President of Development and Communications at Lutheran Social Services National Capital Area where she oversaw donor relations, communications and marketing. Darlene has held several positions in Sales and Marketing over her career. While at Saval Foods Corporation, she managed a team in corporate marketing and communications for the regional food distributor and Deli Brands of America, a national meat manufacturer and distributor across the U.S. She brings over 20 years of experience as a veteran of sales, contract negotiations, digital marketing, research, and communications. Prior to Saval, she was head of sales and marketing at National Public Radio where she oversaw the satellite sales engineering team and customer service staff that managed and served over 450 stations and producers. While at National Public Radio, she was responsible for generating millions of dollars and distribution of equipment for the Public Radio Satellite Service to support hundreds of public radio and television stations. Chapman-Holmes has served in many sales and marketing roles in the cable television industry including Viacom, BET, Retirement Living TV and Discovery Networks and led teams in digital marketing, project management, customer service, brand strategy, research, press and website management.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, Chapman-Holmes has served on several boards including: Girls Inc, The Children’s Cancer Foundation, Heartshare of New York, and Women in Cable & Telecommunications.
Chapman-Holmes has a B.S. in Journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park. She lives with her husband, and their two daughters in Maryland.
Favorite Quote:
 "God gave us two ears and one mouth....for a reason.  Listen more than you talk." — Darlene’s Grandmother
R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:
How well are we doing relative to the Women’s Business Collaborative Nine Action Initiatives?
Executive Women’s Leadership in Business:
Do you have a woman CEO or have a woman in the pipeline who is being sponsored and groomed to be the CEO?  
How many women do you have in the C-Suite and executive leadership positions with P+L  responsibility?
How many women are on your board?
Underrepresentation of women in business:
Does your organization hire and support women own businesses as vendors and partners?
How is your organization supporting women in capital and finance through partnerships and venture capital?
What is the representation of Women in C-suite Technology positions?
Equity for Women in Business:
What is your organization’s formal commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion?
Does your organization pay fairly? How could you find out?
How many women does your organization have in the pipeline for talent acquisition and promotion?
 In addition to these important considerations, here are recommendations on  how to be a generous leader:
Be empathetic - really care about others.
Collaborate to get further faster.
Be a mentor - take a chance on someone.
Resources:
 Darlene Chapman-Holmes on LinkedIn
WBC - Darlene Chapman-Holmes
Business Roundtable, Women Business Collaborative Partner to Highlight Progress Made on Gender Equity, Diversity
WBC Collaborative - Who Are We
WBC Collaborative - 9 Action Initiatives
WBC Collaborative - Targets
WBC Collaborative - Upcoming Events
Women Business Collaborative Rings The Closing Bell
Coming Next:
Episode 77: We will be joined by Fausta Ballesteros from Cognizant.
Credits:
Darlene Chapman-Holmes, Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.

75. Shirley Powell - Listen Without Judgement

75. Shirley Powell - Listen Without Judgement
“Do you care more about the relationship or do you care more about being right?”
Guest Info:
Shirley Powell is Senior Vice President of Communications at Cox Automotive, a global automotive services and software company whose vision is to transform the way the world buys, sells, owns and uses cars. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of family-owned Cox Enterprises, Inc.
Based in the Cox Automotive corporate headquarters in Atlanta, Powell leads and manages the day-to-day operations of the company’s communications organization, which includes internal and executive communications, public relations, industry relations, and reputation and crisis management.
Powell joined Cox Automotive with more than 30 years of strategic communications experience. Previously, she served as the executive vice president and chief communications officer at The Weather Company where she oversaw all internal and external communications, executive communications, corporate brand/reputation, issues management, community relations and social media strategies for all of Weather’s consumer and business-to-business brands.
Prior to The Weather Company, Powell held a variety of senior level corporate communications roles at Turner Broadcasting System, NBC Entertainment and Disney Channel.
She serves on the board of directors of Open Hand Atlanta and on the board of visitors for Temple University’s Klein College of Media and Communication. Previously, she served on the boards of The Atlanta Women’s Foundation, Leadership Atlanta, Women in Cable & Telecommunications, and Girls Inc. Atlanta.
Powell earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Temple University in Philadelphia and presented her with a Lew Klein in the Media Award in 2005, Women in Cable & Telecommunications Atlanta named Powell “Woman of the Year” in 2014.
Favorite Quote:
“Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans.” — John Lennon
R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:
Be willing to share your story.
Clearly and directly offer to support the success of others.
Avoid judgment.
Resources:
Shirley Powell on LinkedIn (in/ShirleyMPowell)
Coming Next:
Episode 76: We will be joined by Darlene Holmes
Credits:
Shirley Powell, Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.

74. Debbie Epstein Henry - Take Smart Risks

74. Debbie Epstein Henry - Take Smart Risks
"You want to pay a lot of attention to what does interest you…is there a market need? Are you the type of person to fill whatever niche it is? What are other people seeking you out to do? That's enormously valuable because you're then assessing, what am I bringing to this?”
Guest Info:
Debbie Epstein Henry is an expert, best-selling author, public speaker, consultant and podcast host on careers, workplace dynamics, women and law. Debbie runs DEH Consulting, Speaking, Writing and consults with and speaks at private retreats, public events and conferences for companies, law firms and other professional service firms as well as non-profits. Her international work includes multiple engagements in The Hague as well as in Paris at the French Senate and in London and Vienna and other cities abroad. For more than 20 years, hundreds of news outlets have featured Debbie’s work including The New York Times, NBC Nightly News, The Wall Street Journal, National Public Radio, and The National Law Journal.
In 2020, Debbie launched a podcast, Inspiration Loves Company, where she explores how to do better and be better at life, work and everything in-between. She delves into issues including courage, women, technology, learning, race, entrepreneurship, careers, happiness, leadership, balance and more.
Debbie runs the DEH Speaker Series, offering quarterly programming by webcast with New York Times best-selling authors, TED speakers, and thought leaders. In 2007, she conceived of the Best Law Firms for Women initiative, a national survey she developed and ran for a decade with Working Mother to annually select the top 50 law firms for women and report on industry trends. Debbie is the author of LAW & REORDER, the #1 best-selling ABA Flagship book for 2011 and the co-author of another ABA best-selling Flagship book in 2015, FINDING BLISS. By 2008, her public speaking, press exposure and advocacy enabled her to build a national network of over 10,000 lawyers. From there, in 2011, Debbie co-founded Bliss Lawyers, a company employing high caliber attorneys to work on temporary engagements for inhouse legal department and law firm clients. In 2020, Bliss Lawyers was acquired by Axiom, the global leader in high-caliber, on-demand legal talent.
Debbie volunteers her time with a number of non-profits. She is President and chairs the Board of The Forum of Executive Women, a nomination-only, membership organization of the top 500 women in business in the greater Philadelphia region. Debbie also chairs Brooklyn Law School Women’s Leadership Circle which runs the Women’s Leadership Network, a national women’s law student and alumni initiative.
Debbie has received numerous awards including being named among the Philadelphia Business Journal‘s "Women of Distinction.” In 2017, she received the Anne X. Alpern Award, presented annually to a female lawyer who demonstrates excellence in the legal profession and who makes a significant professional impact on women in the law. Debbie received her B.A. from Yale and her J.D. cum laude from Brooklyn Law School. She recently moved back to the New York area where she lives with her husband; they have three sons.
Favorite Quote:
"Every movement reveals us." — Michel de Montaigne
R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:
Create hospitable work environments. 
Take smart risks.
Make your ask a give.
Resources:
Debbie Epstein Henry's Bio
DebbieEpsteinHenry.com
Debbie's Podcast - Inspiration Loves Company
Make Your Ask A Give - Debbie Epstein Henry
The Forum of Executive Women
The Forum of Executive Women Appoints New President and 2021-2022 Board of Directors
Coming Next:
Episode 75: We will be joined by Shirley Powell, Senior Vice President of Communications and Industry Relations at Cox Automotive.
Credits:
Debbie Epstein Henry, Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.`