SEASON FINALE: Natalie Poindexter (Black-American) passionately pursues more inclusive, authentic leadership and systems - you can call her a disruptor, and she's proud of it! After dedicating part of her career to the healthcare sector, Natalie strategically shifted her focus to assist businesses in their pursuit of funding, with a particular emphasis on grant funding. In this episode we discuss: our new partnership, Net-Do Community; how a serendipitous moment with Mark Cuban opened doors; and teaching people how to maneuver in the grant world.  Join the Career Safari Community for more ..read more

In many regards, Dr. Christine Ngaruiya (Kenyan-American), considers herself an outsider. Being born in the US to immigrants - then moving to Kenya and living there as a Kenyan-America. Nevertheless, throughout her life she has been brave enough to make her voice heard. She found a space to channel her voice within the medical research field, exploring topics around noncommunicable diseases. At the time of this recording she was a Director and Associate Professor at Yale School of Medicine. She has now taken on a new role at Stanford University's medical school.  In this episode we discus ..read more

Early in her career, Amanda Koonjbeharry (Guyanese American) found herself in different leadership positions in her home state of Minnesota. As a public servant she led the statewide Super Bowl LII anti-sex trafficking committee. She was then the Director of Public Policy where she co-led several projects on public safety and policing during the aftermath of George Floyd's murder.    In our conversation she reflects on her experience being a young government leader, racial disparities in Minnesota and the weight of being one of a few women of color in leadership.    Watch f ..read more

Janine Hernandez's (Colombian American) story is equally about her journey back to herself AND all the amazing work she does as an author and book coach. Not many can say they wrote their first book at 12! Yet while she was making her career dreams happen, she was also faced with one of the darkest moments of her life - finding herself in a relationship with someone that was verbally/emotionally abusive. Then as she left that relationship and healed, her creative spirit reached new heights. In this episode we discuss - the signs of narcissistic abuse, writing her first book at 12 and pushing p ..read more

Before the recent upheaval in the tech sector, we had an all encompassing conversation with Emily Tsitrian (Greek-Armenian American) about the excitement and challenges of being in the tech community. Emily has led several teams at different tech startups. She reflected on her journey by writing, "Make Me the Boss: Surviving as A Millennial Manager in the Corporate World," to help first time managers successfully lead teams. In our chat we discuss our experiences in the tech world - including the obstacles that prevent women and people of color from being hired to the risky decisions hiring ma ..read more

In our Season 2 premiere, we have a free-spirited conversation with Dr. Tiffany Ingram. Tiffany is so firmly rooted in her family's history and the legacy of being a Black Detrioter, it's no surprise that she has blossomed and continues to shine as bright as she does. At several points in her life she tenaciously took chances on building a new life for herself and creating safe spaces for others.     We explored - why she loves doing "the most", her role as influencer on her platform Policy & Fashion - a space for plus sized professional women to thrive and what her doctorate res ..read more

Season Finale Dr. Christine Chin-Sim (Jamaican) found herself dealing with a major life change at 42. For the past two decades she was a devoted mother and housewife, but it was time to face her divorce and rebuild her life  - and that she did! In the years that followed, Dr. Christine got her PhD in Psychotherapy in Marriage and Family Counseling. Now with her growing YouTube community and practice, Leverage 4 Change, she helps people navigate relationships, attachment styles and changes in their life.  She chats with us about her life changes and answers audienc ..read more

When someone's profession includes words like "dream builder" our ears perk up. Ariane Hunter was on a well respected path in her career. She studied information system, received her MBA and had the salary/benefits many people aspire to. But at some point, she realized she wasn't on her authentic path. Now 10 years later, as the founder of My Mentors Circle and a coach to dozens of entrepreneurs - she has never looked back.    We talk about what finally made her start her own business, how she's helped people define and live a life of their dreams. We also ask her advice on how work ..read more

Rediate Tekeste (Ethiopian-American) entered a new phase of leadership as Sr. Brand Director when she realized that everything we do ties back to our emotional intelligence and self-awareness. "You can't lead from a place of emptiness." We explore why it's important to work through your emotions and triggers as you grow in leadership, the balance of working with creatives, and how she is giving Ethiopian-Americans an opportunity to reconnect with Ethiopia.  For More Visit Our Website Episode Edited By: Women of Wayland Podcast   ..read more

Dr. Illona Willken (South African) has reinvented her career more than anyone we've interviewed so far - from being a ballet teacher, school teacher, project manager in weapons and ammunition to ultimately becoming a medical doctor at 48. While she started her career journey not wanting to have a career at all - she quickly realized that if she and her children were to have a better lifestyle, she would have to be all in. We have an introspective conversation about the difficulties of being a working mom to how her personal battle with chronic fatigue changed the course of her career.  Fo ..read more