In this episode, Christopher Wellise , Global VP of Sustainability at Equinix, dives into his unique journey at the crossroads of environmentalism and business. Christopher shares his experiences in taking calculated risks, from moving from a government research role into tech marketing to persuading C-suite executives who once resisted sustainability to become its champions. Reflecting on his most impactful moments, Christopher reveals that his career breakthroughs came when he challenged the s...
Dec 05, 2024•32 min•Season 4Ep. 72
In this podcast episode, we’re thrilled to welcome Nezha Alaoui , CEO of Women Choice. From her time working at the United Nations, Nezha saw firsthand the urgent need to uplift women on a global scale. Her experiences led her to establish Women Choice, an organization that operates at the powerful nexus of business, government, and institutional influence, focused on driving measurable impact. Nezha shares her insights on the importance of having a clear vision to mobilize others toward change....
Dec 05, 2024•43 min•Season 4Ep. 73
In this episode, Tony Martignetti , Founder of Inspired Purpose Partners, explores the role of extreme curiosity as a powerful driver for meaningful impact. Tony shares his insights on what it takes to be a Catalyst—a courageous force willing to take bold action while inspiring others to join in. He discusses the art of bringing stakeholders along on a change journey without compromising the heart of a vision, cautioning against letting an idea morph into a “Frankenstein” just to please everyone...
Dec 05, 2024•36 min•Season 4Ep. 71
In this episode, Amnah Ajmal , Executive Vice President of Market Development for Mastercard EEMEA, joins Shannon Lucas and Tracey Lovejoy to discuss her transformative journey as a Catalyst. Starting from her early days in Pakistan, Amnah’s determination to challenge cultural norms led her to a career marked by resilience, independence, and a focus on empowering others. She shares real-world strategies for leading big, transformative change, which has been a hallmark of her career. Amnah believ...
Dec 04, 2024•41 min•Season 4Ep. 70
In this episode, we chatted with Yvette Standberry , former Head of Innovation at Mathematica, about her journey as a Catalyst leader. Yvette shares how her commitment to "learning by doing" shaped her success. She shared the importance of recognizing patterns across systems to create efficiencies and how learning to tell compelling stories helps bring stakeholders on board at the right time. She emphasizes the importance of empowering others in the change process, cautioning that Catalysts can ...
Nov 27, 2024•43 min•Season 4Ep. 69
Ralph Loura , Co-founder of Sustainable IT.org and former CIO – Catalytic Transformation is 99% Mindset In this episode, we sat down with Ralph Loura, seasoned tech executive, former CIO at HPE and Clorox, and Co-founder of Sustainable IT.org , to discuss the unique dynamics of being a Catalyst executive. Having recently shared his wisdom at Davos and UN Climate Week, we were thrilled to learn from Ralph about insights from his personal catalytic journey. Ralph unpacks how the ability to see the...
Nov 27, 2024•43 min•Season 4Ep. 68
Manoj Govindan , a Venture Leader with a 30-year career, takes us through his transformative path from engineering to becoming a strategic force in business and innovation. Manoj reflects on his early influences, particularly his upbringing in India, where he was steered into engineering despite his passion for politics and policy. His journey led him to the U.S., where he embraced his true identity and transitioned from technical roles to business analysis and consultancy. Early in his career, ...
Nov 27, 2024•41 min•Season 4Ep. 67
In this episode we had the great fun of having two amazing guests, Stephen Kelner , President & Tiffany West , Head of Programming at Ascent Leadership Networks. Collectively they bring decades of experience working with some of the world’s largest organizations to drive change. As we discussed the challenges Catalyst leaders face, they shared two great insights into how aligning motivations can unlock transformation. To help reduce resistance to change, we need to align to the motivations a...
Nov 20, 2024•45 min•Season 4Ep. 66
In this episode, Meghann Brock , Director of Innovation for The Permanente Medical Group Northern California region, shares her insights on how to match catalytic speed to what she calls “the organizational speed limits.” Our desire as Catalysts to move quickly and get things done at speed can feel good at first, but she points out, as we leave people behind in our desire to move quickly, it will actually take us longer to get to the finish line. This can be particularly true in heavily regulate...
Nov 11, 2024•38 min•Season 4Ep. 65
In this episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Dominick Bizzarro , a Catalyst executive and former Chief Strategy Officer at MVP Healthcare, now an executive coach specializing in guiding women and humanistic leaders into top leadership roles. Dominick shared valuable insights on driving change within large organizations, emphasizing the importance of kindness, involving others in realizing a shared vision, and fostering self-awareness. He highlighted how supporting Catalysts in his organ...
Nov 11, 2024•43 min•Season 4Ep. 64
In this episode, Andre Christian , founder of Evoke IQ and former VP of Innovation and Product Design at SES Satellites, shares his journey of discovering his unique value as a Catalyst and how it has shaped his leadership approach. Andre begins by discussing the realization of his unique skills. Throughout his career, he often felt like a "jack of all trades, master of none," until he connected with the Catalyst community. This experience helped him understand that his ability to anticipate cha...
Nov 11, 2024•36 min•Season 4Ep. 63
In this episode, we connect with Tricia Carey , Former Chief Commercial Officer at Renewcell, a leader with decades of experience in the industry. Tricia shares her insights on overcoming resistance to change by emphasizing the importance of knowing your audience and building strong relationships. She highlights how understanding the motivations and needs of different stakeholders is key to driving transformation. Tricia underscores this with her belief that "it's not companies who do business t...
Nov 06, 2024•28 min•Season 4Ep. 62
In this episode, we connect with Chuck Patrick , Head of Strategic Program Management at AXIS Capital. Chuck shares his journey and how he has carved out a unique role helping executives turn transformative ideas into reality. He emphasizes the "Mobilization of Great Ideas," guiding leaders through the process of moving from vision to execution and iteration. Chuck discusses how great Catalysts excel at getting others to embrace change by viewing the organization as an ecosystem, building trust,...
Oct 31, 2024•40 min•Season 4Ep. 61
In our conversation with Patrick Vanbrabandt , CEO of the Carya Group, he shares his journey from a self-described "extreme nerd" to a leader deeply focused on understanding and empowering people. Patrick reflects on his early passion for technology and how it evolved into a fascination with how people work together and achieve success. This shift in focus led him to realize that technology should serve people, not the other way around. Over time, this perspective became central to his leadershi...
Oct 23, 2024•36 min•Season 4Ep. 60
This episode features Deborah Reuben , CEO of TomorrowZone, as she shares her experiences leading transformative change in the commercial equipment finance and leasing industry, an area often resistant to innovation. Deborah emphasizes the importance of a human-centered approach to innovation. She explains that while technology plays a crucial role, the success of any transformation depends on bringing people along in the process. Deborah believes that considering the human side of change is ess...
Oct 16, 2024•41 min•Season 4Ep. 59
In this insightful episode, Alexis Haass , former Chief Sustainability Officer at Arcadis and a seasoned leader in sustainability, shares her journey and lessons learned about driving transformative change in large organizations. Reflecting on her time at Adidas, Alexis highlights the importance of having strong allies. Building relationships with leaders who share your vision can drive significant change, such as adopting 100% recycled polyester. Allies not only provide support but also help pu...
Oct 10, 2024•38 min•Season 4Ep. 58
In this episode, we are thrilled to welcome Susie Coelho , a best-selling author, television personality, lifestyle expert, and entrepreneur, who is currently the founder and CEO of Susie Coelho Enterprises. Susie’s journey, marked by her incredible drive and resilience, showcases her ability to reinvent herself and succeed in diverse fields. Susie emphasizes that hard work and necessity are critical drivers of success. She never borrowed money from anyone, relying solely on her ability to gener...
Oct 02, 2024•47 min•Season 4Ep. 57
In this episode, we sit down with Scott Kirsner , CEO of Innolead. Scott shares his journey from his early days being a Catalyst at the Boston Globe, where he helped build the newspaper’s first website, to founding Innolead in 2013. Since launching InnoLead, Scott has had his finger on the pulse of the latest trends and insights about corporate innovation. In this conversation, Scott shares some key takeaways from their latest research,"The Future of the Innovation Team" including innovators' to...
Sep 25, 2024•44 min•Season 4Ep. 56
In our latest episode, we feature Ashley Alebiosu , Manager of CxO Experiences at Salesforce and recipient of the 2024 Salesforce SWN Women of Impact Award. Ashley is renowned for her relentless drive to achieve and her exceptional ability to get things done, even when it feels like she's doing "too much." Her journey highlights the importance of balancing high-impact action with moments of reflection to see the bigger picture. Ashley shares her experiences and strategies for maintaining this ba...
Sep 18, 2024•38 min•Season 4Ep. 55
In our latest episode, we talk with Marianthe Evangelidis , Director of Sustainable Finance & Investment at LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group), where we discuss how knowing yourself and your values can help you evaluate opportunities, make decisions and lead you to your most fulfilled life. Marianthe shares the courageous decision to embark on a two-year sabbatical with her husband, sailing from the UK to New Zealand, which was driven by their shared values of adventure, learning and sustain...
Sep 11, 2024•37 min•Season 4Ep. 54
In our latest episode, we chat with Renee Henze , the Chief Sustainability Officer at IFF (International Flavors and Fragrances). Renee highlights the powerful intersection of work and personal passion. She describes her journey into sustainability as an unexpected opportunity to combine her professional expertise with her deep commitment to the environment. For example, she recounted her role at DuPont, where she was involved in creating sustainable practices for salmon farming. This role allow...
Sep 04, 2024•43 min•Season 4Ep. 53
In our latest episode, we chat with Jackye Clayton , VP of Talent Acquisition and DEIB at Textio, and Katee Van Horn , Chief People Officer at Web Pros – who are the acclaimed hosts of the Inclusive AF podcast. Jackye and Katee discuss their journeys as Catalysts for change in DEIB, highlighting the importance of transparency, resilience, and meeting people where they are to overcome resistance and drive meaningful transformation in organizations. They emphasized creating inclusive environments ...
Aug 28, 2024•48 min•Season 4Ep. 52
In our latest episode, we sit down with Marti Grimminck , a global business executive, social entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and futurist designer. As the founder and CEO of International Connector, Marti shares her journey, highlighting her Catalyst nature and her passion for driving change through innovative solutions and projects. Marti discusses her transition from entertainment production to founding International Connector, emphasizing the importance of seeing the interconnectedness in div...
Aug 21, 2024•29 min•Season 4Ep. 51
In our latest episode, we sit down with Melora Zaner , the Chief Design Officer at TIAA, who integrates her punk rock roots with a strategic design vision to lead transformative change. Starting her journey as a songwriter and lead singer in a punk band, Melora learned the power of creating meaningful connections through art, storytelling, and design. This foundation has shaped her professional ethos of being “firm in intention but flexible in form”, guiding her through diverse roles in her care...
Aug 13, 2024•40 min•Season 4Ep. 50
In our latest episode, we sit down with Jason Fraser , a seasoned Product and Design Leader with a mission to save the world. Jason believes one of his Catalyst superpowers is helping people shift their view a little bit, gain insight and then make forward progress. He shares the application of his superpowers with early-stage founders, as well as his work with government clients, especially his role in helping the Air Force establish its first software innovation lab for the Department of Defen...
Aug 06, 2024•38 min•Season 4Ep. 49
In our latest episode, we chat with Franck Cormier , the Lead Partner and President of Smarttasking Inc. He shares insights from his extensive career, having held roles at AT&T, Orange Business Services, Ciena, and Vodafone, focusing on driving innovation and transformation. Franck shares a leadership philosophy grounded in three key principles that were born from a client complaint that led to a strategic pricing review. First, there is the need to "think the future from the future," which ...
Jul 30, 2024•42 min•Season 4Ep. 48
In our latest episode, we chat with Ian Wright , Founder and CEO of the Disruptive Innovators Network. Known for his innovative leadership, Ian shares his journey from the public sector to building a community of innovators. During the conversation, Ian discusses lessons from his early career, emphasizing that change often fails when people don’t stop to understand the problem they’re trying to fix. This realization led him to adopt a more thoughtful approach, focusing on understanding the probl...
Jul 23, 2024•38 min•Season 4Ep. 47
We loved our engaging chat with Lenin Oyuga , Head of Telco Digital Partnerships MEA at Mastercard. With his extensive background in technology strategy and business leadership, Lenin is renowned for making cutting-edge technology applicable and influential across continents, including Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. In this episode, Lenin shares his approach to being a Catalyst for change within large organizations. He discusses the crucial roles of innovative thinking and strategic execut...
Jul 17, 2024•35 min•Season 4Ep. 46
We jump into a chat with an outstanding guest from the world of commerce, Sharon Gee , the Senior Vice President of Sales and Partnerships at Feedonomics. Known for her energetic leadership and innovative approach to business, Sharon brings a ton of experience from global companies like BigCommerce, BORN Group, Tribal DDB, and more. During the episode, Sharon shares her philosophy on driving transformation within large organizations and the crucial role of catalysts in sparking growth and innova...
Jul 10, 2024•41 min•Season 4Ep. 45
In our latest episode, we chat with Christina Rapsomanikis , the Global Vice President of Digital & e-Commerce at Mars. Known for her dynamic leadership and transformative vision, Christina takes us through her journey from fast-paced innovation to embracing a more intentional and tranquil approach. Christina opens up about a turning point when her health forced her to slow down. Initially resistant, she discovered that this shift allowed her to work more mindfully, enhancing both her impact...
Jul 02, 2024•30 min•Season 4Ep. 44
