In this candid conversation, Susan MacKenty Brady sits down with Mark Servodidio—CEO, cofounder of PGP Solutions, and former global CHRO and Fortune 300 President—to explore how real transformation happens when leaders double down on people. From building community through teams to creating cultures of trust and accountability, Mark shares powerful lessons from his leadership journey—where humility meets high performance and purpose drives results.
Jun 06, 2025•29 min•Season 3Ep. 9
What does it really take to lead with impact in a world full of change? In this episode, Tamla Oates-Forney—change-maker, people-centered executive, and advocate for inclusive leadership—joins Susan MacKenty Brady for a candid conversation about leading from your Best Self, even in uncertain times. Tamla shares how a personal health scare transformed her outlook, deepening her commitment to joy, purpose, and people. She opens up about how leaders can rediscover themselves, show up more authentic...
May 23, 2025•24 min•Season 3Ep. 8
In this episode of the Better Understanding podcast, change maker Lori Spicer Robertson invites us to live in our vision, not our circumstances. She shares how returning to your Best Self—especially during times of uncertainty—is a daily practice rooted in calmness, curiosity, and joy. From redefining emotional expression in leadership to building intentional work tribes and setting personal boundaries, Lori offers practical wisdom on how to lead with authenticity, create inclusive environments,...
May 06, 2025•31 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Dr. Astrid Sheil, Dean of the Simmons University School of Business and former Fortune 500 executive, shares how leading from your Best Self means embracing humility, learning from mistakes, and building trust. In this short episode, she reflects on personal growth, leadership challenges, and what it takes to inspire others while staying grounded in your values.
May 06, 2025•9 min•Season 3Ep. 5
In this episode of the Better Understanding podcast, Susan MacKenty Brady interviews Pete Church, a driving force behind the culture at Point32Health. Their conversation dives deep into what it means to lead inclusively and authentically in today’s workforce—especially in a complex, ever-evolving healthcare landscape. Pete shares powerful reflections from his own leadership journey, drawing from 30 years of experience creating work cultures where employees feel seen, valued, and heard. From supp...
Apr 14, 2025•37 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Susan MacKenty Brady welcomes Dr. Astrid Sheil, Dean of the School of Management at Simmons University. A former Fortune 500 executive and government affairs specialist, Dean Sheil has expertise in corporate communication, corporate social responsibility, strategic planning, board development, fundraising, crisis communication, and negotiation and bargaining. Astrid discusses the importance of leading from your "best self," drawing on her experiences of both wins and setbacks. She emphasizes the...
Feb 27, 2025•28 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Sophia Kianni, founder of Climate Cardinals and the youngest UN advisor in U.S. history, shares her journey in climate activism, offering insights into her work and leadership approach. She discusses Climate Cardinals, which focuses on making climate education accessible across languages, highlighting challenges while sharing success stories. Throughout the conversation, Sophia provides actionable insights and inspiration for young people passionate about climate activism and leadership.
Feb 06, 2025•25 min•Season 3Ep. 4
We were born for this. In this episode, Dr. Nadya Zhexembayeva, "The Reinvention Guru," shows us why reinvention is the key to thriving in today’s constantly changing world. She explains that by adopting an adaptation mindset, tools, and skills, we can navigate both big and small disruptions in our daily lives. Nadya challenges us to quiet our minds, stay flexible, and identify adaptations to excel in every area of life by focusing on what energizes us and our teams, and celebrating every win as...
Jan 29, 2025•28 min•Season 3Ep. 3
In S3, Ep. 2, innovator and social entrepreneur Jessica O. Matthews, the self proclaimed "love child" of Bill Nye the Science Guy and Beyoncé, explores the power of innovation as a lifestyle, emphasizing how embracing creativity and a growth mindset can lead to personal and professional transformation. She shares stories from her journey, including challenges faced while developing innovative solutions and lessons learned from overcoming obstacles. Through candid discussions on topics like impos...
Jan 08, 2025•37 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Our featured guest, Lindsey Otradovec, is an esteemed leader making a significant impact at Intuitive, a leading robotic surgery and biotechnology company. As the Regional Vice President of Sales, she leads a $3 billion business with a diverse team of over 500 employees. In this episode, Lindsey opens up about her journey of courageous leadership, sharing how she has led authentically during one of the most challenging times in her career and personal life. She reflects on leading by example fro...
Dec 17, 2024•29 min•Season 3Ep. 1
In the final episode of season two of the Better Understanding podcast, Tiffany Dufu, founder and CEO of The Cru and the author of the best-selling Drop the Ball, joins host Susan MacKenty Brady for a compelling conversation about what employers need to do to retain women in their organization and make them feel valued, how to boldly inspire a vision, and what it means to thrive. Don't miss Tiffany's epiphanies!...
May 11, 2023•36 min•Ep. 12
In the 11th episode of season two of the Better Understanding podcast, Sally Helgesen, a renowned expert on women’s leadership, shares insights on how the landscape for women leaders has changed since the 1990 publication of her seminal book, The Female Advantage: Women’s Ways of Leadership. She and host Susan MacKenty Brady discuss leadership challenges in new normal of the peri-pandemic world and how leaders need to be curious and imaginative as they work to build inclusive relationships, team...
May 01, 2023•46 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Dr. Richard Safeer, Chief Medical Director, Employee Health and Well-being, at Johns Hopkins Medicine, and the author of A Cure for the Common Company: A Well-Being Prescription for a Healthier, Happier, and More Resilient Workforce, shares his six building blocks that help leaders create a well-being culture in their organization.
Apr 25, 2023•37 min•Ep. 10
Amy Purdy is a 3-time Paralympic medalist and trailblazer in Paralympic Snowboarding, a New York Times best-selling author, and the host of a critically-acclaimed podcast about resilience called “Bouncing Forward.” She and host Susan MacKenty Brady discuss her remarkable journey, grit, and courage that has propelled her to success in every aspect of her multifaceted career.
Apr 07, 2023•21 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Masih Alinejad, the Iranian-born activist, journalist, and author, shares her extraordinary story of advocating for women’s rights, freedom, and political change in Iran—at great personal risk.
Feb 06, 2023•18 min•Season 2Ep. 8
In the seventh episode of season two of the Better Understanding podcast, Dorie Clark, Wall Street Journal best-selling author and expert at self-reinvention, and host Susan MacKenty Brady discuss how thriving in leadership shifted during the pandemic — and in the post-pandemic world. Dorie encourages listeners to flex their muscles of reinvention to remain fresh and innovative and avoid stagnation.
Jan 24, 2023•37 min
Whitney Johnson shares how she made the leap from surviving in leadership to thriving — with resilience and support. She also brilliantly explains how the S Curve of learning allows people to continually experience personal growth. Learning, she says, is the "oxygen of human growth," and if "you're not learning, you're dying." Listen and learn!
Jan 10, 2023•31 min•Ep. 6
In the fifth episode of season two of the Better Understanding podcast, guest Natalie Martinez, CEO of Strong Women, Strong Girls , a non-profit organization that champions the next generation of female leaders through innovative, multi-generational mentoring programs, shares how she defines courage, the strategies she draws on to thrive in leadership, and the importance of helping girls to build confidence from a young age and encouraging them to lean into their greatness....
Dec 09, 2022•29 min•Season 2Ep. 5
In the fourth episode of season two of the Better Understanding podcast, guest Lt. Gen. Leslie Smith , the 66th Inspector General of the U.S. Army, explains why it's critical for leaders to build trust within their team. Trust, he says, is the bedrock of any organization and is key to success. How to build that trust? Lt. Gen. Smith emphasizes that embracing one's authenticity, listening, and investing in people cultivates an environment where people are comfortable taking risks and sharing new ...
Nov 21, 2022•24 min•Season 2Ep. 4
In the third episode of season two of the Better Understanding podcast, guest Molly Fletcher, renowned speaker, author, and former sports agent, reflects on how she built her muscles of courage from a young age and shares with host Susan MacKenty Brady tips on how to manage demands placed on us to avoid burnout.
Nov 08, 2022•31 min•Season 2Ep. 3
In the second episode of season two of the Better Understanding podcast, host Susan MacKenty Brady and Carla Harris, Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley, discuss Carla’s new book, Lead to Win: How to Be a Powerful, Impactful, Influential Leader in any Environment, and her “pearls” of intentional leadership—qualities, including authenticity and inclusivity, that leaders must cultivate to maximize their impact.
Oct 17, 2022•28 min•Season 2Ep. 2
In the first episode of season 2 of the Better Understanding podcast, Arrive and Thrive authors Lynn Perry Wooten and Janet Foutty reunite with Susan MacKenty Brady to discuss how their best-selling book and its 7 Impactful Practices have emerged as a timeless framework for women leaders on their leadership journey.
Oct 03, 2022•30 min•Season 2Ep. 1
In the 11th episode of the Better Understanding podcast, I get to talk to retired Brigadier General Tom Kolditz. Tom is the Founding Director of the Doerr Institute for New Leaders at Rice University and one of the top leadership experts in the world.
Feb 15, 2022•29 min•Season 1Ep. 11
In the 10th episode of the Better Understanding podcast, I get to talk with DEI legend Dani Monroe. Dani serves as a trusted advisor and thought leader to chief diversity officers and senior executives, including leaders at MetLife, Novartis, Pfizer, and even the CIA. Dani believes in and encourages taking risks because only by taking action can we move forward.
Oct 26, 2021•28 min•Season 1Ep. 10
In the 9th episode of the Better Understanding podcast, I'll introduce you to Sonya Jacobs. Sonya is the Chief Organizational Learning Officer for the University of Michigan and the Senior Director for Faculty and Leadership Development at Michigan Medicine. She is also Special Advisor to the President of the University on culture. She believes that leading inclusively means building relationships with people you don't know. And that starts with listening to and understanding their unique storie...
Oct 05, 2021•28 min•Season 1Ep. 9
In this episode of the Better Understanding podcast, I'll introduce you to Stuart Kliman, a Partner at Building Industry Partners, which is a leading private equity investment firm. Stuart talks about inclusion as both an objectively good end and also as a necessary means to better business results. He believes industries will lose if they can't attract and retain a diverse workforce that can help them better serve an ever more diverse customer set. Download episode transcript...
Aug 31, 2021•29 min•Season 1Ep. 8
In this episode of the Better Understanding podcast, Liberty Mutual Executive Vice President of Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Dawn Frazier-Bohnert acknowledges that as adults we’re often rewarded for what we know versus our willingness to be open to learning. She shares that being open to learning and growing unlocks new ideas and possibilities.
Jun 22, 2021•24 min•Season 1Ep. 7
In this episode of the Better Understanding Podcast, Deloitte’s Vice Chair of External DEI, and member of Deloitte’s Management Committee Terri Cooper asks listeners to take inventory of the people in our inner circles and to reflect on how we can embrace more diversity within our personal and professional inner circles.
Jun 08, 2021•26 min•Season 1Ep. 6
In this episode of the Better Understanding Podcast, Chief Human Resources Officer and Organizational Change and Culture practice lead for Hudson-Lake Kim Cerda asks listeners to be willing to hold up the mirror. This, at the end of the day, is what it takes to lead inclusively.
May 25, 2021•30 min•Season 1Ep. 5
In this episode of the Better Understanding Podcast, Simmons University President Lynn Perry Wooten shares how the power of stories and agility might just be the secret sauce to leading inclusively.
May 11, 2021•23 min•Season 1Ep. 4
