Grady Crosby is a dynamic senior-level executive leader and corporate officer for Johnson Controls, which was honored to be called one of the world’s most ethical companies under his leadership from 2014-2020, and was ranked 18th on the 2020 list of the 100 best corporate citizens by CR Magazine. In his role he is responsible for driving Johnson Controls’ global strategies regarding diversity, equity, inclusion, sustainability, government relations, and its philanthropic endeavors to maintain the company’s commitment to improvement. In our conversation, we focus on how companies can engage with their communities, and how to create pipelines when there may be a gap within the areas of talent and diversity. As with Grady, we truly believe that this work only gets done through our collective power, and the more we can link arms and walk together to create these spaces, the more inclusive we can become, and the better we are as a country and as a people.

I am so excited to share with you the conversation I had with Rob Michalak, who has done some incredible things and works for a company that I love, Ben & Jerry’s. Rob is the Social Mission Special Projects Director there, and the core of his role is to ensure that their products and missions can thrive together. In our conversation, we talked about internal and external accountability, and how Ben & Jerry’s works to create equity and justice through the entire supply chain, from farmers to customers, and putting their values into action.

Today I am talking with a woman who has done so many amazing things in our community and in her career. Lydia Smith is the director of diversity and inclusion at Kohl’s. She leads the development and execution of the company’s diversity and inclusion strategies. Outside of her role there, she is also the co-owner of Social X, a young professional diversity and inclusion consulting group, which provides professional development and connections in order to attract and retain talent in the city of Milwaukee. In our conversation, we discuss the importance of business resource groups and listening sessions between associates and executives in order to achieve true understanding, and how that plays out within the organization.

I am so excited to share with you the conversation I had with Cristy Garcia-Thomas, the Chief External Affairs Officer at Advocate Aurora Healthcare, one of the top 10 largest healthcare systems in the United States. She is responsible for shaping the overall experience for patients, team members, and community partners in a broad and very strategic way. We talk about the relationship between diversity, equity, and inclusion on overall health, and how Advocate Aurora Healthcare is investing in their community and partnering with community groups in order to address the life expectancy gap. As Cristy says, “It takes a village,” and I’m sure you will enjoy hearing how AAH is investing in theirs.

I am so excited to share with you my recent conversation with Melinda Briana Epler, the Founder and CEO of Change Catalyst, which works to create inclusive tech ecosystems through strategic advising, startup programs, and resources. In our conversation, she shares how her personal experiences gave her the opportunity to see inequalities as a result of the corporate culture, and how it inspired her to start Change Catalyst in order to have a bigger impact in the tech space. She shares the importance of recognizing the change you can affect, and how to influence those who may be able to do more. I really enjoyed our conversation, and whether you are in tech or outside of it, I know you will too.

Today I am talking with Sadiki Etienne, who has spent the last ten years partnering with leaders at some of the world’s most influential organizations to address global development challenges and enhance economic inclusion. Throughout his career, he has applied his experience in operational strategy, program implementation, and public policy reform in over 25 countries! I am particularly excited to talk with him from the perspective of us both doing the work of social entrepreneurship, and how we use these skills to help facilitate change in small and big ways in a consistent effort to make the world a better place.

I am so excited to be here with Julia Wuench, leadership and career coach, whose mission it is to enhance personal fulfillment at work and in life. In our conversation, we dive into what it means to be a necessity-entrepreneur, and the work she does with Helius to help entrepreneurs. She also shares the unique definition shared by Helius for what it looks like to be successful, and how the concepts of shifting qualifications can also be applied to corporate, university, and other large organization settings. I so appreciate the modeling of the work that she does, and the use of her time, talent, and treasures to to create an example of what this could look like and how this can be achieved. Julia also wanted me to share with you that she has created an online course called Maximizing Your Potential at Work and in Life. And she has even created a discount for Uplifting Impact listeners! It is normally priced at $99, but use the code “UPLIFTINGIMPACT” and get $74 off, making it only $25.

Today we have empathy warrior Corey Ponder with us. He has over 10 years of professional experience as a policy analyst in the public and private sectors and is a huge believer in the power of human connection and how that can drive impact. In our conversation, we really dig into the exploration of the idea that we all have some level of privilege, and how we can use that to leverage the voices of those around us to uplift them. He also shares the two lenses through which he approaches DEI work, and how to address the idea that we all have to be experts in order to do work in this space. I truly enjoyed this conversation, and I know you will too.

I am so glad that you’re here joining us today for such a wonderful conversation I had with Isioma Nwabuzor, an attorney in the Milwaukee area. Currently, she works with Robert W. Baird, an employee-owned financial services firm, supporting the firm’s US and UK transactions in its private equity business. Isioma is a DREAMer, and in this episode, she shares some of the unseen and unknown hardships of what it is like to be an immigrant in the US, how companies can do a better job of being inclusive, and she also shares information about her organization, The Dreamer Next Door Incorporated and the work they are doing to lift others as we rise.

Ashley Ladd is the Manager of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at Hubspot, a global tech company, and I am so excited to have her own the show today. Hubspot is vital to the work we do here at Uplifting Impact, and after our conversation, it reinforces that I am so happy to use their platform. Ashley’s work is proof that this organization is a leader for D and I work in the tech space, and in our conversation, she shares the role of employee resource groups as part of a larger D and I strategy, and the importance of intersection and ally-ship within these groups.