R.O.G. Return on Generosity

39. Nathalie Walton - Expectful

39. Nathalie Walton - Expectful
“One of the ways that we're generous is, is by holding the space to have those conversations because people need to have those difficult conversations…I think we're most generous when we listen to our users and provide an avenue to have conversations about things where people just aren't having conversations about.”
 
Guest Info:
Nathalie is the CEO of Expectful, the #1 meditation and sleep platform for expecting and new parents.  Nathalie was introduced to meditation in 2002 during a visit to a Buddhist Ashram in Thailand.  She participated in a three-day silent meditation retreat where she was introduced to meditation.  Her at-risk pregnancy led her to download Expectful.  Weeks after delivering her son, Everett, she took an advisory role at Expectful and eventually was offered the CEO role by the founder, Mark Krassner.
She has spent the last decade in leadership roles at Airbnb, Google, and eBay. Nathalie has an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and B.A. in Economics from Georgetown University. 
Nathalie lives in San Francisco with her husband, Max, and their one-year old son, Everett. 
 
Favorite Quote:
"It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it. Life is long enough, and a sufficiently generous amount has been given to us for the highest achievements if it were all well invested. But when it is wasted in heedless luxury and spent on no good activity, we are forced at last by death’s final constraint to realize that it has passed away before we knew it was passing. So it is: we are not given a short life but we make it short, and we are not ill-supplied but wasteful of it… Life is long if you know how to use it." — Seneca
Resources:
Nathalie on Twitter (@NathalieGWalton)
Expectful.com
Expectful on Instagram (@Expectful)
The Extreme Work Life Balance of Being a Woman Business Leader During Covid-19
Expectful’s New Chief Executive Experienced the Trauma She Just Raised Millions to Solve
Birthing While Black
Bedtime Ritual Tips
SleepDiplomat.com
Credits:
Nathalie Walton, Expectful. Production team: Ian Devitt, Sheep Jam Productions, Nani Shin, qodpod network

38. Jennifer Brown - Inclusive Leadership

38. Jennifer Brown - Inclusive Leadership
"When you're Advocate Level [Phase 4 in Jennifer's Inclusive Leader Model], you're really swinging every day, fearlessly, tirelessly, unapologetically. You don't wait for permission." — Jennifer Brown
 
Guest Info:
Jennifer Brown (she/her) is an award-winning entrepreneur, speaker, author, and diversity and inclusion expert who is deeply passionate about building more inclusive workplaces where more of us can feel welcomed, valued, respected, and heard. As the Founder and CEO of Jennifer Brown Consulting (JBC), a certified woman and LGBT-owned firm, Jennifer and her team design and execute inclusion strategies that have been implemented by some of the biggest companies and nonprofits in the world.
She is also the bestselling author of two books, Inclusion: Diversity, The New Workplace and The Will to Change (2017) and How To Be An Inclusive Leader: Your Role in Creating Cultures of Belonging Where Everyone Can Thrive (2019), a shortlist winner of the O.W.L. Award, and winner of the 2019 Nautilus Book Awards' Business & Leadership category.
Her podcast, The Will to Change, is downloaded by nearly 15,000 listeners per month, and she is a sought-after keynote speaker and expert for leading research institutions and business schools. She lives in New York City with her partner of over 20 years, Michelle. You can learn more at www.JenniferBrownSpeaks.com
 
Favorite Quote:
"Culture eats strategy for breakfast." — Peter Drucker
Resources:
JenniferBrownSpeaks.com
Jennifer on LinkedIn (JenniferBrownConsulting)
Jennifer on Twitter (@JenniferBrown)
Jennifer on Instagram (JenniferBrownSpeaks)
Jennifer on Facebook (JenniferBrownSpeaks)
How to Be an Inclusive Leader
LGBT Workforce - The Diversity and Inclusion Imperative
Uncovering Talent: A New Model for Inclusion (Deloitte, 2019)
Emerge Stronger (Jennifer Brown Consulting)
A Guide to Gender Identity Terms
Jennifer's Podcast: The Will to Change
WICT - Women in Cable Telecommunicaitons
Credits:
Jennifer Brown, Holly Kalyn, Pproduction team:  Ian Devitt.  Sheep Jam Productions, Nani Shin,  QodPod network

37. Kevin Schnieders - Servant Leadership

37. Kevin Schnieders - Servant Leadership
"If you don't love them [people], don't lead them." — Kevin Schnieders
Guest Info:
Kevin Schnieders is the CEO and President of EDSI. Striving to be the solution for companies and people in transition, EDSI is a workforce development, customized training and consulting company. The company focuses on providing innovative solutions to close workforce skills gaps around the country. Kevin started with EDSI as a Training Consultant in 1994. He gained additional responsibilities as the firm’s HR Manager and Director of Operations, before serving six years as the Chief Operating Officer. In 2007, he assumed the role of CEO, or as he refers to it, the “Chief Servant Leader,” and the company has quadrupled in revenue and number of locations, added 600 new employees and increased profitability since Kevin made this transition. This success can be attributed to putting others first, listening closely to their insights and needs, and helping them understand their unique strengths. Kevin says, “I had the humility to understand that I had purchased a great company, a tremendous respect for the legacy left by our Founder, and an unwavering desire to help people.”  
Outside of EDSI, Kevin mentors a high school student for Building Bridges, a charity that inspires children to believe in themselves by connecting them with caring adults. He has also been a partner to a grade-school student at Cornerstone Schools since 2007 and serves as Vice President for the Rainbow Connection, an organization that helps dreams come true for Michigan children with life-threatening illnesses and provides support to their families.  Kevin is also the President of the Berkley (MI) Education Foundation
He has a Master of Science in Learning and Organizational Change from Northwestern University and an undergraduate degree in English and Secondary Education from Albion College.
 
Favorite Quote:
"Always be more interested than interesting." — Mark Goulston, PhD
Resources:
Kevin on Twitter (@KevinSchnieders)
EDSI Solutions
B Corp Impact Report
The Servant by James Hunter
The Motive by Patrick Lencioni
Credits:
Kevin Schieders, EDSI Solutions. Production Team: Nani Shin, Sheep Jam Productions, qodpod

36. Shameka Young - Cognizant

36. Shameka Young - Cognizant
 
Guest Info:
As Cognizant’s VP and Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion (D&I), Shameka Young is responsible for driving a more integrated global and regional approach to diversity and inclusion through data insights across the employee experience. She represents Cognizant as a founding partner on The World Economic Forum’s initiative on racial justice, and has been the Executive Sponsor for our African American and Latinx Affinity Group, most recently leading our response to racial unrest in the US. Shameka also serves as a Regional Advisor for our Women Empowered group.
 
Prior to her role in D&I, Shameka spent more than eight years consulting in Cognizant’s Communications, Media and Technology (CMT) Practice. Before joining Cognizant, Shameka spent 14 years in Accenture’s Communications and High-Tech Practice, providing strategic and technical consulting services to national and global companies in the telecommunications, high-tech and retail industries
 
 
Favorite Quote:
"Closed mouths don't get fed." 
Resources:
Shameka on LinkedIn (Shameka-Young)
Cognizant on Twitter (@Cognizant)
WICT (Women in Cable and Telecommunication) 
World Economic Forum
Committed to building a more equitable and just workplace
Three steps are required to join the initiative:
Racial and ethnic equity must be placed on the board's agenda
Companies must make at least one commitment towards racial and ethnic justice in their organizations
Companies must put a long-term strategy in place towards becoming an anti-racist organization
Making Juneteenth Count
History of Juneteenth
What is Juneteenth?
10 Things We Want White People to Do to Celebrate Juneteenth
The Road to Gender Equality, One Conversation at a Time
Credits:
Shameka Young, Cognizant. Jennifer Schelling, Production Team: Nani Shin, Sheep Jam Productions, QodPod

35. Annie Howell - Crown Media Family Networks

35. Annie Howell - Crown Media Family Networks
 
Guest Info:
Annie Howell Chief Communications Officer at Crown Media, home of Hallmark Channel. She is a communications, training and coaching executive with over 30 years of experience leading teams that excel in strategic communications, television publicity and promotion, crisis communications, public relations, reputation management, brand launches, events and awareness building, talent management, publicity and social media. She is a writer and an ICF certified executive coach. In prior roles, she co founded training and PR company, The Punch Point Group. Before that, Annie led the communications departments for several media companies including Discovery Communications US Networks Division and AMC Network's SundanceTV and held numerous positions at two national public affairs agencies, Ogilvy & Mather and Powell Tate. She sits on the executive board of directors of the Alliance of Women in Media where she has co-chaired the annual Gracie Awards for five consecutive years. She is a regular speaker on topics including communications, leadership, executive presence, influence, personal brand, career pivots and networking.
Favorite Quotes:
“Kill‘em with Grace/Kindness.”
“If you need a friend, it’s too late to make one.”
"If you invited the voices in your head to a dinner party, you'd ask those assholes to leave your house" — Brené Brown
“Reaction is a Motion, Response is Thought, Be Thoughtful.”
“Don’t get in a fight with a pig, because you’ll both get dirty and the pig likes it.”
 
Resources:
Annie on Twitter : (@Anniehowellpr)
Annie on LinkedIn : (@annie-howell-b512063)
2021 Best Consumer-Activated Corporate Donation Initiative
Crown Media Gold Halo Award in Consumer-Activated Corporate Donation Initiative
The PunchPoint Group
chief.com
Credits:
Annie Howell, Crown Media.. Production team: Nani Shin, Sheep Jam Productions, QodPod

34. Justin Connolly - The Walt Disney Company

34. Justin Connolly - The Walt Disney Company
 
Guest Info:
As President of Platform Distribution for Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution (DMED), Justin Connolly oversees all third-party media sales efforts for distribution, affiliate marketing and affiliate-related business operations for all of the Company's direct-to-consumer services and linear media networks; content sales agreements for General Entertainment, Studios and Sports; as well as global theatrical film distribution and the Disney Music Group.
 
Connolly and his team are charged with leading and integrating all distribution activities across theatrical and physical home entertainment, including domestic and international theatrical distribution of all films produced and released by Walt Disney Studios, Walt Disney Feature Animation, Pixar Animation Studio, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios, Blue Sky Studios and Searchlight Pictures.
 
Connolly and his team also work to maximize Disney’s opportunities in media markets by managing all aspects of North American distribution, affiliate marketing and affiliate-related business operations for all the services provided by Disney and ESPN media networks including, among other services: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Freeform, FX, FXX, FXM, National Geographic and Nat Geo Wild, and related WATCH, HDTV, video-on-demand, the ABC Affiliate Relations and Marketing team, and interactive television and retransmission consent agreements for The Walt Disney Company’s eight-owned ABC stations.
 
He spearheads global app distribution deals for The Walt Disney Company’s direct-to-consumer streaming services –including Disney+, ESPN+, and Movies Anywhere. Connolly is also responsible for the distribution of film and television programming via home entertainment, broadcasting platforms, digital platforms, SVOD and pay networks.
 
Connolly came from Media Networks where he was Executive Vice President, Affiliate Sales and Marketing, Disney and ESPN Media Networks –overseeing all aspects of domestic distribution, affiliate marketing and affiliate-related business operations for all the services provided by Disney and ESPN media networks.
 
Previously, Connolly served as Senior Vice President, College Networks, and was responsible for setting the strategic direction, overseeing content acquisition and scheduling, and working collaboratively with all ESPN business units to maximize distribution, viewership and revenue opportunities for Longhorn Network and SEC Network. Before working with the college networks, Connolly served as Senior Vice President, National Accounts for Disney & ESPN Media Networks.
 
Prior to joining ESPN, Connolly worked in the corporate finance group for The Walt Disney Company’s corporate treasury department in Burbank, Calif.
 
Connolly, a Boston native and Sports Business Journal40 Under 40 Hall of Fame inductee, graduated from Harvard University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics in 1998 and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School in 2003.
 
Favorite Quote:
“To whom much is given, much is expected” 
Resources:
Justin Connolly on LinkedIn 
Disney Website
Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution
Credits:
Justin Connolly, Walt Disney Company, ESPN. Production team: Nani Shin, Sheep Jam Productions, QodPod Network

33. Nicky Westhead - Arloesan

33. Nicky Westhead - Arloesan
Imagine if leaders were measured and rewarded on their emotional intelligence, their empathy skills, their acts and demonstrations of generosity?
Guest Info:
Nicky is a Global Executive Leadership Pioneer, Coach and Group Engager blending thirty years as a Professional Certified and Organizational Leadership Coach, Chartered Psychologist, founder and entrepreneur in her business Arloesan, named after her welsh roots: Arloesan means pioneer and trail-blazer. She has worked in many countries and industries in roles as an executive senior leader, consulting director, team and people leader, facilitator and coach. Nicky is a lifelong adventurer and traveler, spouse/partner, is the Nexus Connector for her global family/friends (is a fun aunt), is a professional community advocate, mentor to high-school and college students, live performance and soccer aficionado, and world gin-collector. She brings an international and future-oriented perspective to her work, is agile and change resilient from moving for work and relocating over 12 times in the past 25 years between the UK, Europe and USA. She adds travels to China, South Africa and Brazil for sport and nature adventures to her repertoire of places visited. Outside of the business arena, she is an Ironman Leader Mindset Coach and Pilates expert on readiness and mental agility for international triathlon events; this keeps her actively on her toes!! 
Life motto and values: 'leverage connections for and to others.' Known as Nexus Nicky, I am a Connector and 'have no regrets.' Lean into it, why not? (Risk-taker!)
Favorite Quote:
"Experience life to the fullest edges."
Resources:
Nicky Westhead on LinkedIn
Arloesan.com
Arloesan on Twitter (@arloesan)
Credits:
Nicky Westhead, Arloesan. Production team: Nani Shin, Sheep Jam Productions, QodPod network

32. Matt Zelesko - Comcast - 2 to the 5th Power

32. Matt Zelesko - Comcast - 25
Being generous, expressing gratitude. And when we see success, rewarding that and encouraging that I think is is critical.
Guest Info:
Matt Zelesko is the SVP and Chief Technology Officer at Comcast. He leads the product organization, which focuses on delivering best in class products in three key areas: Digital Home, including xFi and Xfinity Home; Entertainment, encompassing X1, Flex and Stream; and AI & Discovery, focused on the AI, Voice, Discovery and Personalization platforms. He also leads several cross-company initiatives for Comcast, including user experience and design, and enterprise software strategy.
Prior to joining Comcast, Matt held corporate and technology leadership positions at both early-stage and established media companies, including Time Warner Cable and Joost. As Senior Vice President, Converged Technology Group, for Time Warner Cable, Matt drove technology strategy and product development across all video products, web properties, and converged services that enable the video and web experiences. At Joost, Matt served the company’s global technology organization as Senior Vice President of Engineering before stepping in as CEO to lead the company through a restructuring and successful acquisition. Prior to Joost, Matt was a founding member and Vice President of Engineering for Comcast’s Interactive Media (CIM) division that focused on delivering digital video over IP as well as a founding member and director for the Reference Design Kit (RDK) Management Entity chartered to drive and support adoption of RDK across the operator ecosystem.
Matt graduated with a B.S. in Computer Science from Cornell University and holds a M.S. degree from Stanford University. 
Favorite Quotes:
"Good leaders create followers. Great leaders create leaders." — Not sure of quote's origin; heard from the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks on a podcast
“Do the best you can until you know better, then when you know better do better.” — Maya Angelou
Resources:
1 TV & Streaming
Matt on Linkedin 
Matt on Twitter (@mzelesko)
Credits:
Matt Zelesko, Comcast, X1. Production team: Nani Shin, Sheep Jam Productions, qodpod