In this episode of Journeys to Leadership , we explore the journey of Jennifer Dorian, President and CEO of WABE, Atlanta’s NPR and PBS affiliate. From her early beginnings at Pizza Hut and Coca-Cola to her dynamic leadership at Turner Broadcasting, where she launched the award-winning streaming platform, Filmstruck, Jennifer reflects on her path to success. She emphasizes the importance of embracing change, advocating for innovation, and cultivating resilience. Through her leadership at WABE, s...
Dec 04, 2024•25 min•Season 3Ep. 8
In this deeply moving episode of Journeys to Leadership , acclaimed poet Tina Chang opens up about the heartbreak of losing her father at a young age and how that profound loss became the foundation of her first poetry collection. With raw honesty, Tina recounts her struggles with language, being separated from her mother, and navigating life as an outsider—experiences that shaped her voice as a writer and a leader. Now the first female Poet Laureate of Brooklyn and Director of Creative Writing ...
Nov 25, 2024•24 min•Season 3Ep. 7
In this captivating episode of Journeys to Leadership , Mary Pat Matheson, CEO of the Atlanta Botanical Garden, shares her incredible journey from her adventurous childhood to leading one of the nation's top botanical gardens. Discover how serendipity, resilience, and calculated risks led her to transform the Atlanta Botanical Garden into a world-class destination, spearheading a groundbreaking expansion with sustainability at its core. Mary Pat reveals the power of mentorship, the importance of...
Nov 13, 2024•28 min•Season 3Ep. 6
On this episode of Journeys to Leadership, join President Zak as she delves into the remarkable leadership journey of Jennifer Grant Warner, the President and CEO of the Fernbank Museum of Natural History. Jennifer shares her unique path from a small-town upbringing to leading one of Atlanta's premier science institutions. Learn how she has transformed the museum’s programming, guided it through the pandemic, and spearheaded innovative STEM initiatives, all while staying rooted in empathy, curio...
Oct 30, 2024•24 min•Season 3Ep. 5
In this episode of Journeys to Leadership , Agnes Scott College president Leocadia Zak interviews Penny Rogers Collins, a trailblazing IT executive and advocate for women in STEAM. Penny reflects on her unlikely path from a single mother struggling to make ends meet to becoming a highly respected leader in technology. Her story is one of resilience, determination, and the power of learning. She shares how she found her footing in tech, one library visit at a time, driven by a commitment to self-...
Oct 16, 2024•20 min•Season 3Ep. 4
In this compelling episode of Journeys to Leadership , President Leocadia Zak sits down with Veronica Maldonado-Torres, President and CEO of the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. From aspiring recording artist to influential business leader, Veronica shares her transformative journey of self-discovery and resilience. Learn how she navigated the complexities of entrepreneurship, championed small businesses, and advocated for minority communities in the corporate world. Veronica’s story is one...
Oct 02, 2024•21 min•Season 3Ep. 3
In this inspiring episode of Journeys to Leadership , Agnes Scott College President Leocadia Zak sits down with Carol Tomé, the current CEO of UPS. Carol shares her remarkable journey from humble beginnings in Jackson, Wyoming, to becoming one of the most respected leaders in global logistics. Tune in to hear Carol's thoughts on risk-taking, leading with authenticity, and the importance of developing future leaders. From her early career in finance to her transformative years at Home Depot and U...
Sep 18, 2024•24 min•Season 3Ep. 2
In this powerful episode of Journeys to Leadership , President Zak sits down with Jen Hidinger-Kendrick, co-founder and Chief Gratitude Officer of Giving Kitchen, a nonprofit organization providing emergency assistance to food service workers. Jen shares her inspiring story of perseverance, community building, and how she turned personal tragedy into a beacon of hope. Jen’s journey is a testament to the power of resilience and leadership with purpose.
Sep 04, 2024•28 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Meet Dr. Maxine Cain, an accomplished People Leader dedicated to transforming the lives of women business leaders and entrepreneurs in STEM fields. As a senior human resources expert and innovative entrepreneur, Dr. Cain is recognized for her pioneering approaches to business, strategy, diversity, equity, inclusion, and STEM. Dr. Cain is the Founder & President of STEM Atlanta Women, Inc., a non-profit 501c (3) organization committed to Enlightening, Educating, and Empowering women and girls...
Mar 04, 2024•23 min•Season 2Ep. 6
In this episode, we feature Rachel Wilson '05, currently the Managing Partner at The BFM Fund, after her role as Principal and Head of Operations at Collab Capital. With over a decade of international experience spanning industries such as Food & Beverage, Automotive, Tech, Healthcare, Music, Fashion, and Media, Rachel is a seasoned professional. During her tenure at Collab Capital, a prominent VC Firm based in Atlanta, GA, she spearheaded VC operations and fund governance processes. This en...
Feb 09, 2024•22 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Rickey Bevington is an Emmy award-winning journalist and the dynamic President of the World Affairs Council of Atlanta. Graduating magna cum laude from Barnard College of Columbia University with a degree in Comparative Literature, Rickey has established herself as a distinguished personality in the media landscape. Recognized as the "Best On-Air Personality" by the Georgia Association of Broadcasters, Rickey was the acclaimed host of National Public Radio’s "All Things Considered" in Atlanta. H...
Jan 05, 2024•25 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Dr. Eloisa Klementich CEcD is the President and CEO of Invest Atlanta. She has successfully created programs, initiatives, and policies in support of equitable economic growth and community empowerment objectives. She has significant experience in small business, economic and community development, operational efficiencies, problem-solving, and financial stewardship. Dr. Klementich is a motivated team builder with strategic, innovative, and tactical economic development expertise supported by st...
Dec 01, 2023•27 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Rachel May is the Co-Founder and Producing Artistic Director of Synchronicity Theatre in Atlanta, GA. She has directed over 25 productions for Synchronicity Theatre. Her directing work has been seen in and around Atlanta at Actor’s Express, Aurora Theatre, Theatre Gael, Dad’s Garage, and the University of Georgia. In addition to her executive role at Synchronicity, she actively teaches and leads workshops across Atlanta, and has made a tremendous impact on the theatre industry across the city....
Nov 10, 2023•22 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Katherine Saez is a 22-year Truist veteran and serves as Truist's Georgia Regional President. She received her BSBA from the University of Florida and her MBA from Georgia State. She serves as the senior leader in the Georgia Market. She is responsible for directing and integrating client management business development efforts with privately-held companies operating in business banking, commercial, middle market, and commercial real estate, as well as nonprofit and governmental entities....
Nov 10, 2023•20 min•Season 2Ep. 1
NAACP Image Award Nominee Lynae Vanee is a multifaceted performer, poet, influencer, writer, and actress hailing from Atlanta, Georgia. A graduate of Spelman College and Boston University with a Master's Degree in African American Studies, Lynae uses her digital platforms to speak on race, feminism, politics, and inclusivity. Lynae's viral videos have garnered over 20 million views across platforms and have garnered the attention of several celebrities, major networks, and the general public. Hi...
Dec 02, 2022•23 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Heidi Rew is a Georgia native. She is a national voiceover talent, actress, host, and former radio DJ. She has worked in multiple markets, with nearly a decade of experience in the entertainment industry. She specializes in commercial, Industrial/Narration, and Promotional voiceover. Her work can be heard in commercials for various companies, including AutoNation, GE , Hallmark , Jiffy Lube, Build-a-Bear, Subway, and Belk , to name a few. She is also the co-owner of Atlanta Voiceover Studio, whi...
Nov 09, 2022•29 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Loretta J. Ross is an activist, public intellectual, and scholar. She has written about and advocated for reproductive justice and the history of African American women. Ross started her career in activism in social justice in the 1970s, working at the National Football League Player's Association, the DC Rape Crisis Center, the National Organization for Women, and the National Black Women's Health Project. The Center for Democratic Renewal, the National Center for Human Rights Education and Sis...
Oct 19, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Dr. Saycon Senglboh '00x is a tony award-nominated and award-winning actress with a gift for dramatic storytelling and soaring vocal prowess . An Atlanta native of Liberian descent, she is passionate about the power of education, as evidenced by her service on the board of the Monrovia Football Academy, the first school in Liberia to combine formal education with the development of careers in professional soccer. Saycon currently stars in ABC's reboot of "The Wonder Years" as Lillian Williams, a...
May 18, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Layli Miller-Muro has been a powerful influence and an active leader in getting justice and creating change for women worldwide. She founded the Tahirih Justice Center, serving as the Chief Executive Officer for over 20 years. She has led the organization in its service to over 30,000 women and girls while promoting the further development of laws to protect women. She has received numerous honors for her work, including being named one of the “100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs of 2012” by Goldm...
Mar 09, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Chanel Frazier is BlackRock’s Global Head of Business Strategy for the Portfolio Management Group (PMG) & Head of the Atlanta Innovation Hub. Originally from New York, she is taking the city of Atlanta, GA by storm. She is an internationally renowned strategist, as well as an attorney, public speaker, and innovative leader. She earned her A.B. in Government from Dartmouth College, her Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law and her Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Taxation from N...
Feb 16, 2022•29 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Dr. Andrea Abrams '93 has a B.A. in sociology and anthropology from Agnes Scott College, a Masters in anthropology, a graduate certificate in women’s studies, and a Ph.D. in anthropology from Emory University. She currently serves as Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Centre College and was the commencement speaker this past spring. Through the support of her family, belief in herself, and the courage to try despite not knowing what the outcome may be, Dr. Abrams has gone thro...
Oct 27, 2021•23 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Venessa Harrison is the President of AT&T Georgia. She is responsible for developing the overall strategic direction of AT&T’s public policy, economic development, and community engagement activities across the state of Georgia. She is committed to helping make a difference in the community and in the lives of others and has a passion for driving positive impact and social equity. Listen to her interview with President Zak as she tells us her journey from starting as a telephone operator...
Aug 18, 2021•20 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Jill Savitt is the President & CEO of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. Beginning her career as a reporter for WAMU, the NPR affiliate in Washington, DC, she graduated summa cum laude from Yale University. She served as the Acting Director of the Simon-Skjodt [Scott] Center for the Prevention of Genocide at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, before assuming the role as the President and CEO of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, GA in Mar...
Jul 28, 2021•31 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Listen to President Zak's conversation with the "incomporable" Amira Daugherty '19. Known as @AmiraUnplugged on social media, Amira is a 2019 graduate of Agnes Scott College who uses her gifts as a talented singer, writer, rapper, spoken word artist, and activist to inspire and empower those fighting for social justice causes. She also uses her creativity to create space to empower diverse groups of people to achieve their goals. She performs on the physical and virtual stages worldwide, and she...
Jul 14, 2021•23 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Yehimi Cambrón '14 is a full-time artist, activist, and national public speaker born in Michoacán, México and raised in Atlanta, GA. Cambrón’s artwork focuses on celebrating the humanity, resilience, and contributions of immigrants. Cambrón attended Agnes Scott College and graduated with a B.A. in Studio Art in 2014. In 2015, Cambrón became the first of two DACAmented educators placed in Georgia by TFA and served on TFA’s DACA Advisory Board for two terms. She incorporated her own business, Yehi...
Jun 23, 2021•23 min•Season 1Ep. 5
President Zak speaks with Dean Karen Goff, Dean of Students at Agnes Scott College, about her journey from receiving her bachelor's degree in psychology and history to her master's of Divinity and eventually pursuing a career in Higher Education.
Jun 09, 2021•19 min•Season 1Ep. 4
For more than 20 years, Rose Scott has been a driving force in the news and media world. She received a degree in radio, tv, film, and sports media at Indiana State University and became one of the first women in the country to host a daily sports talk show. Rose Scott is also a multi- Emmy Award-Winning Journalist, host, and executive producer of ‘Closer Look”, a compelling show that features a mix of local, national, and international stories and interviews. It airs weekdays at 1 P.M. and 7 P....
May 20, 2021•25 min•Season 1Ep. 3
She has over ten years of songwriting experience and has merged the two worlds of songwriting and music therapy to focus on one mission: To be a voice and a vessel for those that feel lost, forgotten, silenced, and who are hurting. As a music therapist, she wrote her first songs with her patients, both students, and inmates. Through her work, she realized her dream of independent songwriting and soon joined the Nashville music scene. Her music has overarching themes of empowerment, overcoming ad...
May 04, 2021•30 min•Season 1Ep. 2
As a graduate of Texas Christian University, Tennessee University, Leadership Dekalb, and the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Regional Leadership Institute, she serves as Chair of the Board of the National Civic League. She has served six terms as the Mayor of Decatur, originally taking office in 2016. She is a member of the Federal Policy Council, the Environmental and Natural Resources Committee and serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA). She has ...
Apr 21, 2021•21 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Welcome to Journeys to Leadership a new podcast show from Agnes Scott College hosted by President Leocadia Zak. Join her as she talks with women leaders from around the world about their journeys to where they are now. The first episode of Journeys to Leadership will premiere on Wednesday.
Apr 15, 2021•54 sec
