Welcome to Leaders Rising, where we explore the development journey of leaders who’ve risen from the ashes of adversity, examining the leadership gifts born from their experiences, the challenges that have held them back, and the moves they’ve made to transcend hardship and openly face the ragged edges that still remain.   Growing up amidst the chaos brought forth by his mother’s drug addiction, Christian Espinosa often struggled with a deep sense of guilt for having been born into his mother’s life well before she was ready to be a parent. As a young child, he watched as his mothe ..read more

  Welcome to Leaders Rising, where we explore the development journey of leaders who’ve risen from the ashes of adversity, examining the leadership gifts born from their experiences, the challenges that have held them back, and the moves they’ve made to transcend hardship and openly face the ragged edges that still remain.   Having spent the early years of her life in her family’s predominantly black community in West Philadelphia, Lisa Savage-Phillips’ life turned upside down during her third-grade year when the Philadelphia public school system—along with many other communities in ..read more

  Welcome to Leaders Rising, where we explore the development journey of leaders who’ve risen from the ashes of adversity, examining the leadership gifts born from their experiences, the challenges that have held them back, and the moves they’ve made to transcend hardship and openly face the ragged edges that still remain.   For most of his life, Johnny Perez had operated under the notion that pain and abuse were normal parts of love and relationships that everyone was simply expected to endure. It wasn’t until going through a difficult divorce that a therapist nudged Johnny to look ..read more

  Welcome to Leaders Rising, where we explore the development journey of leaders who’ve risen from the ashes of adversity, examining the leadership gifts born from their experiences, the challenges that have held them back, and the moves they’ve made to transcend hardship and openly face the ragged edges that still remain.   Described by his parents as a quiet, anxious and depressed child, Jacob Ratliff always sensed he didn’t fit in. This became painfully apparent to him during the summer after his sixth grade year, when his family left their upper-scale home in Virginia and moved t ..read more

  Welcome to Leaders Rising, where we explore the development journey of leaders who’ve risen from the ashes of adversity, examining the leadership gifts born from their experiences, the challenges that have held them back, and the moves they’ve made to transcend hardship and openly face the ragged edges that still remain.   For years Stephanie Thornton Plymale, struggling with feelings of inferiority and fear of what others may think, hid the unusual and messy details of her past from her colleagues, from her employees, and even from her closest friends. One of her fondest memories ..read more

  Welcome to Leaders Rising, where we explore the development journey of leaders who’ve risen from the ashes of adversity, examining the leadership gifts born from their experiences, the challenges that have held them back, and the moves they’ve made to transcend hardship and openly face the ragged edges that still remain.   A self-described reluctant leader, Daniel Hall has shied away from leadership positions for much of his career. Early experiences of childhood trauma eroded his sense of self-worth and safety in connecting to others and he responded by forming a protective and co ..read more

  Welcome to Leaders Rising, where we explore the development journey of leaders who’ve risen from the ashes of adversity, examining the leadership gifts born from their experiences, the challenges that have held them back, and the moves they’ve made to transcend hardship and openly face the ragged edges that still remain.   Growing up, Michelle Mitchell often felt she was living in the shadow of her older siblings. The youngest of seven, “It was a full house,” Michelle remembers, even before her mom adopted her two first cousins, bringing the total number of children to nine. “My ol ..read more

  Welcome to Leaders Rising, where we explore the development journey of leaders who’ve risen from the ashes of adversity, examining the leadership gifts born from their experiences, the challenges that have held them back, and the moves they’ve made to transcend hardship and openly face the ragged edges that still remain.   When Amy Childers enrolled in the art school as a recent high school grad, her family wondered “What the hell is she going to do with her life?” Riding a wild child streak in her youth, she often found herself in trouble, mixing with what others might deem the wr ..read more

  Welcome to Leaders Rising, where we explore the development journey of leaders who’ve risen from the ashes of adversity, examining the leadership gifts born from their experiences, the challenges that have held them back, and the moves they’ve made to transcend hardship and openly face the ragged edges that still remain.   With the television blaring, ten-year-old Daryl Boffman wedged between his sisters on the couch to eat his Thanksgiving dinner… a warm bowl of grits. As his mom sat down to join them, she began to openly pray over her bowl. With each outwardly expressive word of ..read more

  Welcome to Leaders Rising, where we explore the development journey of leaders who’ve risen from the ashes of adversity, examining the leadership gifts born from their experiences, the challenges that have held them back, and the moves they’ve made to transcend hardship and openly face the ragged edges that still remain.   One of the truest gifts in Sue Hough’s life has been family, in all its many forms. Born in Seoul, Korea, Sue was abandoned as a baby. “My adoption form said I was given up because I had “double lids” which signified that I wasn’t full-blooded Korean. This meant ..read more