In this episode of Her Way AAPI, we are joined by Shelley Lee, Professor of American Studies, History, and Humanities and Affiliate of Urban Studies at Brown University. She also co-organizes their Asian Pacific American and Diaspora Studies working group and was formerly the chair of Comparative American Studies at Oberlin College. Born in Seoul in the 70’s and raised in the intersection of Silicon Valley’s tech boom and demographic change, Professor Lee grew up immersed in ethnically diverse c...
Aug 25, 2025•30 min
In this episode, we speak with Dawn King, Teaching Professor at the Institute at Brown for Environmental and Society, and Dean of the College for Curriculum at Brown University. Professor King shares insights on her career in sustainability education and policy, focusing on the impacts of local food economics and urban sustainability. She discusses her early interest in food systems, inspired by the multifaceted nature of food and its cultural ties. King explains her role at Brown University, wh...
Aug 18, 2025•29 min
In today’s episode, we welcome Mrs. Frey Dagne, a film director and actress best known for her 2021 short film Raine. Though she always carried a deep passion for filmmaking, Dagne reflects on how breaking into the industry required full immersion. She learned to study films relentlessly to understand the nuances of the whole business and slowly gain credibility. Dagne unpacks how her acting experience informed her leadership as a director, particularly in her most complex work Raine, where she ...
Aug 15, 2025•26 min
In today’s episode, we speak with Winnie Lu, Co-Founder of Fly Tot, known for its pioneering travel products. Drawing from her own long-haul flights between Asia and California, Lu shares how she identified a gap in the airline industry and validated a widespread need from fellow parents for comfort devices. She reflects on building the product organically and iterating the initial business model for greater ease and a less cumbersome travel experience. Lu talks about the challenges of integrati...
Aug 12, 2025•19 min
In this episode, we met with Dr. Christa Hasenkopf, Director of the Clean Air Program at the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago. Dr. Hasenkopf discusses her work at the intersection of air pollution policy and technology, discussing the global implications of air quality monitoring. She details her transition from academia to a career that integrates technology, policy, and environmental governance, highlighting her work in non-profits, private sectors, and governmental applica...
Aug 08, 2025•24 min
In this episode we’re joined by Ida Hempel, Vice President at Galvanize Climate Solutions. Ida shares her journey of working at the intersection of climate, technology, and investment, sharing how her passion for the natural environment converged with her interest in clean energy and climate tech. Ida shares her experience building an institutional-scale investment firm tailored for energy transition and climate solutions. She explores the challenges and strategies of scaling climate solutions s...
Aug 05, 2025•22 min
Today we’re speaking to Professor VanRiper, Lecturer of Environmental Studies and Co-Director of the Sustainability Exchange at Washington University in St. Louis. Professor VanRiper discusses her passion for sustainable sanitation and systems thinking, highlighting her international work and interdisciplinary approaches to community-based conservation. VanRiper’s research in container-based sanitation in Haiti demonstrates the impact of immersive fieldwork and collaboration with local communiti...
Aug 04, 2025•28 min
In today’s episode, we welcome Justina Chen, young adult novelist known for North of Beautiful and A Blind Spot for Boys. Justina reflects on discovering the power of words from a young age and wanting to venture into investigative reporting and foreign journalism, industries that felt countercultural to her at the time. We discuss her journey into young adult fiction and how her mother’s dedication to building bridges within the Asian American community profoundly shaped the stories she tells. ...
Jun 14, 2025•26 min
In this episode of Her Way podcast, we sit down with Alice Siu, the Associate Director of Stanford's Deliberative Democracy Lab. Alice delves into the applications of deliberative polling in modern politics and its impact on public engagement. She shares her personal journey to her current role, highlighting the importance of listening and respecting diverse experiences in democratic processes. The conversation covers issues like climate change, the role of youth in combating political polarizat...
Jun 02, 2025•27 min
In this episode of Her Way Climate, we speak with Allison Wolff, the co-founder of Vibrant Planet, a tech platform specializing in advanced analytics for climate hazards including wildfires, floods, and droughts. Allison discusses how Vibrant Planet uses sophisticated machine learning models to provide real-time data for improving ecosystem health and community risk management. She shares her journey from Silicon Valley tech roles at eBay, Google, and Meta to founding Vibrant Planet, driven by a...
Apr 25, 2025•25 min
In this episode, we are joined by Celine Teoh– Unicorn CEO coach, team coach, and Stanford lecturer on Leading Effective Teams. Born and raised in Malaysia and shaped by global experiences across the U.K., Singapore, and the U.S., Teoh reflects on her early career in banking and consulting, where she honed the ability to navigate various industries, adapt quickly, and present to senior executives. From here, she realized that the “people side of things” was equally as important as the intellectu...
Apr 11, 2025•23 min
In this episode of Her Way Climate, we interview Lila Preston, Head of Growth Equity at Generation Investment Management, a Sustainable Management firm co-founded by Al Gore and David Blood. Lila shares her unconventional career trajectory from grassroots conservation work in Chile to leading sustainable investments. She explains Generation’s philosophy of integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into traditional investment processes to achieve long-term financial returns....
Mar 28, 2025•25 min
In this next episode of Her Way AAPI , we welcome Krystal Ka’ai, the former Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders under the Biden Administration. The first Native Hawaiian to lead this Initiative, Ka’ai also worked on Capitol Hill for nearly 15 years, where she was the Executive Director of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC). Raised in Hawaii, Ka’ai recalls not only seeing a lack of diversity, but greater...
Mar 13, 2025•29 min
In today’s episode, we are joined by Karen Polle, an equestrian athlete representing the Japanese National Team, a 2024 Paris Olympics Alternate, and an Asian Partner Rider at Hermés. Polle shares her exposure to this sport growing up in New York City and dives into the mental rigors of training, emphasizing how the psychological preparation is more difficult than the physical aspect at times, especially in a sport “where my partner is a 1200 pound animal who has it's our own thoughts, opinions,...
Mar 06, 2025•19 min
In today’s episode, we are joined by Cari Pang Chen, Director of Innovation, Strategy & Planning at the Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program (FFRP). At FFRP, she plays a crucial role in helping formerly incarcerated individuals transition into firefighting careers through comprehensive training, certifications, and mentorship. We discuss the significant barriers these individuals face, including low wages—just over a dollar an hour—and the struggle to transfer the valuable skills gained dur...
Feb 13, 2025•27 min
In this episode we welcome Claudia Polsky, the founding director and a clinical instructor at Berkeley Law's Environmental Law Clinic. Prior to the clinic, Claudia worked as the Deputy Attorney General for the Environment Section of the California DOJ for fourteen years. In our conversation, Claudia delves into the clinic's work in training law students to bridge the gap between theory and practice. She shares how the clinic's multi-tool approach equips students with skills beyond litigation, pr...
Jan 30, 2025•34 min
In this episode of Her Way Climate, we speak with Professor Sommer, a clinical instructor at Harvard's Emmett Environmental Law and Policy Clinic. Professor Sommer shares her journey from litigator at the DOJ to Deputy General Counsel at the White House Council on Environmental Quality and now an educator. She discusses the similarities and differences between these roles, her passion for working with students, and the various impactful projects at the law clinic, including amicus briefs and com...
Jan 23, 2025•25 min
In this episode, we delve into the journey of Mauria Finley, Vice President of Google Store and Google Fi Wireless, Founder and CEO of multi million companies Allume and Citrus Lane, and adjunct lecturer at Stanford University. Finley shares her experiences of overcoming educational disparities, the impact of her work on major tech products like Netscape and Gmail, and her transition from startups to big tech. Finley also discusses her role at Google, blending technical and managerial skills, an...
Jan 16, 2025•26 min
In this episode, we welcome Christine Luong, the sustainability manager of Palo Alto. She shares her transition from pre-med to environmental policy, sparked by volunteering at an environmental justice organization. Christine discusses the development of Palo Alto's Climate Action Plan and the increasing governmental effort she has led to reduce emissions by 80 percent by 2030. She discusses leading diverse initiatives, developing Palo Alto's Climate Action Plan, and the crucial role of local go...
Jan 03, 2025•28 min
In the next episode of the series Her Way AAPI , Her Way spotlights Wendy Nguyen , co-founder of Stand with Asian Americans and Asian Americans Rise, two movements dedicated to amplifying Asian American political voices. As the daughter of Vietnamese refugees, Nguyen reflects on how being a beneficiary of the American system fueled her commitment to advocacy and equity. In the wake of the Atlanta spa shootings, she co-authored a pivotal open letter in the WSJ. She then established two nonprofits...
Nov 02, 2024•34 min
In today’s interview, we are joined by Rachel Quon, Head of Operations at Just Women’s Sports and a pivotal member of their startup team. Just Women’s Sports is a media company founded during the pandemic dedicated entirely to women’s sports. Rachel herself is a former soccer player for the Canadian national team and the NWSL's Chicago Red Stars. During her time as a student-athlete at Stanford, she experienced firsthand the highly competitive culture of college soccer, which was the pinnacle fo...
Sep 06, 2024•23 min
We're kicking off the school year, and our new series HER WAY CLIMATE with an interview with Deborah Sivas, an Environmental Lawyer and Director of the Environmental Law Clinic at Stanford Law School. Professor Sivas shares her experience working in the nuanced intersection of climate policy and environmental law. Sivas predicts that due to a conservative Supreme Court, there will be less and less judicial environmental protection as court decisions continue to water down protective litigation, ...
Aug 08, 2024•32 min
In the next episode of the series Her Way AAPI where we highlight Asian American female leaders, Her Way welcomes Mae Lee, department chair and professor in Asian American and Ethnic studies at De Anza College. Raised in New York City, Professor Lee grew up in predominantly white neighborhoods and schools with few Asian peers. She shares how her perception of herself shifted from identifying primarily as Chinese to embracing an Asian American identity after attending Stanford University. She des...
Apr 01, 2024•35 min
In today’s episode, we are joined by Jean Kwok, award winning, New York Times and internationally bestselling Chinese American author. Kwok is the author of novels Girls in Translation, Mambo in Chinatown, Searching for Sylvie Lee, and more. Her work has been published in twenty countries and taught in universities, colleges and high schools across the world. In this episode, Kwok shares how she overcame hardship when immigrating from Hong Kong to Brooklyn at five years old. Kwok explains how he...
Mar 19, 2024•22 min
In the first episode of the series Her Way AAPI where we highlight Asian American female leaders, we are joined by Margaret Abe-Koga, former mayor of Mountain View and current candidate for Santa Clara County Supervisor. Born and raised in the Peninsula, Margaret became a translator for her Japanese parents and personally witnessed the discrimination one receives without a voice. She then took various positions in local government and was mentored by several prominent politicians including Anna ...
Mar 02, 2024•22 min
Her Way Climate hosts a spotlight on Lauren Weston, the Executive Director of Acterra, a Bay Area nonprofit dedicated to bringing people together to create local solutions for a healthy planet. Lauren has nearly two decades of leadership experience in fundraising, philanthropy, and advocacy from several well-regarded education nonprofits including the Breakthrough Collaborative, Hiller Aviation Museum, and the YMCA. In this spotlight, Lauren discusses the core programs of Acterra, ranging from b...
Feb 25, 2024•43 min
In this episode we explore the journey of Abby Greubel, co-founder of ELETE, an online platform connecting collegiate athletes with youth athletes. Abby shares how she navigated the complex process of founding ELETE by interviewing Stanford athletes, gathering valuable insights into what they desired from ELETE and leveraging their network for feedback. Despite the challenges of running ELETE while being a full-time student athlete, Abby emphasizes the importance of staying true to one's path, s...
Dec 31, 2023•25 min
In today’s episode, we are thrilled to be joined by Christine Su, a global product executive and the current Head of Product for AI Recommendations at eBay. Su previously founded PastureMap, a startup that helps ranchers make climate-friendly and profitable decisions and also led global content moderation strategy at Twitter. With a background in humanities, Su dives into how she developed the confidence to lead AI initiatives at large companies and shares the profound impact she believes genera...
Oct 13, 2023•32 min
Welcome back to Her Way podcast! To start off the 2023-2024 school year, we are joined by Mo Fong, the executive director of STVP, the Stanford Engineering Entrepreneurship Center. After emigrating from Taiwan to the United States at an early age, Fong studied chemical engineering before pursuing her passion for education and entrepreneurship. As she began to learn about systemic education reform, Fong shares about how the few people in education with a dual business background motivated her to ...
Sep 22, 2023•26 min
In today’s episode, Her Way welcomes Charu Ramanathan, the Co-Founder and CEO at Vitalxchange, a digital health platform that provides a safe parenting ecosystem and network to coach parents in helping support their children’s needs. Charu describes herself as the “chief, cook, and bottlewasher,” where she does anything that needs to be done, but primarily drives strategy and product development. With a background in biomedical engineering and as the founder of multiple successful companies incl...
May 18, 2023•27 min
