Season 3, Episode 8

In this episode, Deb DeHaas, CEO of Corporate Leadership Center, talks with Michelle Banks as she discusses her career journey and the key inflection points that led her to her current role as Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Kohl’s. Michelle articulates the many ways that Kohl’s is working to surpass its Diversity, Equity & Inclusion goals across the key pillars of people, community, and customers. She also highlights the valuable role Kohl’s Business Resource Groups (BRGs) serve, bringing diverse perspectives and strategic ideas to the table, and championing a culture of inclusion and belonging.

Season 3, Episode 6

Career transitions provide a valuable opportunity to pause and reflect before embarking on new ventures. Oftentimes, insights gleaned during this period help to guide future decisions, both professionally and personally. Having recently left JLL as Global Chief Human Resources Officer, Mary Bilbrey, CEO Perspectives Fellow, 2019, reflects on her career journey and lessons learned as a result of the pandemic. She also shares valuable perspectives on how companies can foster ongoing employee engagement and build a powerful corporate culture.

Season 3, Episode 4

Research shows that when it comes to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), women make up only 28% of the workforce and are significantly outnumbered by men in fields like computer science and engineering. This outcome underscores the fact that girls and women are often discouraged from pursuing studies in science and math, limiting their access and preparation to pursue these areas of interest.

In this episode, Dr. Tarika Barrett, Chief Executive Officer, Girls Who Code, and Denise Lintz, Vice President of Enterprise Portfolio Management and Technology Shared Services at USCellular discuss their commitment and ongoing efforts to close the gender gap in tech jobs by equipping girls with computing skills to take on future opportunities and careers in STEM.

Season 3, Episode 2

In the past few years, environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues have become a key priority for companies, as they work to define their ESG goals and link them to long-term sustainability and strategic planning. Long before the concept of ESG became popular, Grainger focused on these goals and built them into an integral part of their corporate values and leadership objectives. In this episode, Corporate Leadership Center CEO Deb DeHaas talks with Grainger’s Kathleen Carroll, Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer; Leading Women Executives Advocate; and Rebecca Derdiger, Senior Director of Diversity and Corporate Responsibility; Leading Women Executives Fellow, 2021, to learn more about Grainger’s ESG journey and how they bring value to their stakeholders through their ongoing efforts.

Season 2, Episode 8

 

 
Leading Women Executives hosted a virtual workshop in August focused on “Creating Workplaces That Work for Everyone” to address the challenges that all organizations are facing in the wake of the pandemic. Specifically, the discussion focused on the topics of: Reengaging and Retaining Talent, Rebuilding Culture and Reskilling Employees.

In this episode, three 2020 Fellows -- Jennifer Chuang, responsible for operations for Aon's top-down innovation initiatives, Aon; Sarah Huizingh, Global Marketing Director, Software & Services, Motorola Solutions; and Ashley Nasby, Director, Insurance Origination, NextEra Energy -- share their takeaways from the workshop and how they are applying those concepts within their organizations.

Season 2, Episode 6

 

 
As CEO of the American Red Cross of Illinois, Celena Roldan, CEO Perspectives Fellow, 2017, is responsible for leading her team, and thousands of volunteers, to serve communities in times of crisis. The past 18 months, in particular, have generated a wealth of leadership lessons in communication, transparency, building culture and affecting positive social change. In this episode Celena shares her perspectives on community leadership, as well as personal perspectives about the pandemic.

Season 2, Episode 4

 

 
The words we use to describe others in the workplace, particularly when it comes to evaluating performance, need to be chosen with care. Often, we use different words when describing men and women, which can have a profound impact on perceptions, decisions and opportunities. In this episode, Lori Mackenzie, co-founder of Stanford’s VMware Women's Leadership Innovation Lab; lead strategist, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Stanford Graduate School of Business; and Leading Women Executives Faculty Member, explores the “Language of Leadership” and how making strategic word choices can benefit leaders, their teams and their organizations.

Season 2, Episode 2

 

 
Succession planning requires a deep understanding of the company’s strategic objectives, as well as the interests and career goals of its valued leaders. In this episode, TransUnion’s Anne Leyden, Executive Vice President & Head of Human Resources and Katie Coleman, Senior Vice President, Human Resources; Leading Women Executives Fellow, 2014, discuss their perspectives on career development planning and share practical advice for how to implement successful succession plans.

Season 1, Episode 6

 

 
This year has been a particularly challenging one, requiring everyone to find new ways of living, working and practicing resilience. Fellows from the 2019 program reflect back on 2020, and how lessons from the Leading Women Executives program helped them be more effective leaders throughout this tumultuous time. Featuring Summer Collins, Associate Vice President, Design and Innovation at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas; Liz Henderson, Senior Managing Director at Aon; and Khai Yang, Director Data Strategy at Allstate.

Season 1, Episode 4

 

 
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced companies to accelerate their digital transformation strategies to meet their customers’ needs quickly, creatively and efficiently. In this episode, we explore the concepts of the Digital Rubicon and proximity, and how Ulta is applying these lessons to how they do business. Featuring: Rob Wolcott, Co-Founder and Executive Director of The World Innovation Network (TWIN); Clinical Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University; managing partner with Clareo; and faculty member for our sister program – CEO Perspectives; and Prama Bhatt, Chief Digital Officer, Ulta; Leading Women Executives Fellow, 2016.

Season 1, Episode 2

 

 
Peer boards are an integral part of the Leading Women Executives program. These carefully curated, smaller groups of 4-5 women are designed to help participants cultivate a strategic network and valuable resource for professional viewpoints.

In this episode, a peer board of 2018 Fellows explores how their professional connections flourished into personal friendships. Featuring: Ashley Hall, Managing Director, Tax, KPMG; Stephanie Knuth, Vice President Marketing, Kohler Global Faucets; Tiffani Micencik, Vice President, Hospital and Health Systems Division, Great Lakes Region, Allscripts; and Monica Mueller, Executive Director, Motorola Solutions Foundation; Senior Director, Inclusion, Diversity and Outreach, Motorola Solutions.