How to Change the World

Gloria Feldt, Co-Founder and President of Take the Lead Not-so-fun-fact: Did you know that fewer than 20% of top leaders across all sectors are women? Thankfully there are extraordinary people like Gloria Feldt who are trailblazing the way and vigilantly fighting for gender parity. Gloria is the Co-Founder and President of Take the Lead, a nonprofit focused on preparing, developing, inspiring, and propelling women to leadership positions. And that's after she rose through Planned Parenthood's ranks to serve as President and CEO of the national organization from 1996-2005. Oh, and she's a New York Times best-selling author too. Phew. This week she joins the podcast to share her incredible journey, the wonders of internal and external barriers to leadership, and how we can make the world a more equal place. You can learn more about her organization at www.taketheleadwomen.com

Mi-Ai Parrish, Professor at ASU's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication Mi-Ai Parrish, former publisher of The Arizona Republic and current professor at ASU's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, joins us to discuss her path from intern to publisher, how she came to trust her instincts, and handling a barrage of death threats after taking a stand for what she believed in.

Ellis Palmer, Senior Broadcast Journalist of BBC News "Change doesn't always mean making something different. Sometimes it's about contending with the way things are." Ellis Palmer, Senior Broadcast Journalist at the BBC, joins the podcast this week. Ellis was born super early, resulting in cerebral palsy. He opens up about growing up, living, and working with a disability. We chat about the changes that would make everyday better – like accessible Tube stations. Get your day on the right track with Ellis's story.

Hanna Miller, CEO and Founder of Ringmaster Hanna is the CEO & Founder of Ringmaster, where she works with teams to understand their gifts and maximize their talents. We talk with Hanna about the importance of leaning into your strengths to create lasting and meaningful change – and we also chat about her time in the circus.

Sean Mendez, Director of Solidarity Sports On June 14, 2017, the Grenfell Tower fire in West London claimed seventy-one lives. It was one of the deadliest fires in Britain over the past century. Sean Mendez has close ties to the community devastated by the fire. He runs Solidarity Sports, a nonprofit that works with at-risk and disadvantaged youth. That night, Sean lost children he worked with and members of their families. Sean talked to us with grace and passion about the devastating impact of the tragedy, fighting for justice for the families affected, and facing the unimaginable.

Rick McCartney, CEO and President of InMedia Rick McCartney came out as a gay man at the age of 47 and it changed his life. We talk about his incredible journey – from what it's like to come out when you have a family to navigating new relationships and the unknown. Rick is President and CEO of InMedia, a multimedia development company, so we talk a little business along the way too.

Debi Chess Mabie, Executive Director for The Dunbar Pavilion: An African American Center for Art and Culture 100 years ago, the Dunbar School in Tucson, Arizona opened its doors as a segregated school. It was the only school in the city that served African-American children up until 1951. As you can imagine, it's a place with a complex history. We dive into that history with Debi Chess Mabie and discuss her work to revitalize the space and elevate the contributions of African-Americans in Tucson. We also discuss her 100-year view, what a legacy means, and how no matter what - our plans are constantly subject to change.

Drena Kusari, General Manager of Southwest Region for Lyft Drena discusses her experience living through the war in Kosovo as a teenager, leaving for the United States for her last year of school, and how it shaped her as a person. Today, she is the General Manager of the Southwest Region for Lyft and she dives into how she got there, what she loves about her job, the change happening in ridesharing, and how Lyft is providing solutions to community challenges to create opportunity.

Grace Gamez, Program Coordinator of American Friends Service Committee One of the biggest life changes anyone can experience is becoming justice system-involved. Going through the system means enduring a broken, confusing process that turns lives upside down and changes people forever. Grace Gámez shares with us her personal story of involvement with the criminal justice system, the changes that need to happen to make improvements, and the impact that opening up to share a personal story has on the storyteller.

Carlos Terrazas, Access Consultant of Disability Resource Center at U of A Change is not always for the better. Change is often thought of as a good thing, new human rights protections or funding for education, but what happens when change is forced upon us that we didn't ask for? Not all change is welcomed. This week on the podcast, Carlos Terrazas talks with us about living with uninvited change when he became paralyzed at 19 years old in a rollover car accident. Hear how he hasn't let that become a negative point in his life.