

The Will to Change: Where Leadership Meets the Courage to Evolve
Jennifer Brown
Why is change so difficult and yet so necessary?
We live in a world that is increasingly complex, unpredictable, and demanding of our resilience. The challenges we face are not just external but deeply personal, asking us to redefine who we are, what we stand for, and how we lead.
Transformation isn't just a possibility, it's an imperative.
On The Will to Change, Jennifer Brown invites listeners to explore the deeper dimensions of leadership, resilience, and human connection. Each month, we feature both thought-provoking conversations with a guest who inspires new ways of thinking, as well as Jennifer's reflective mini-episodes that dive deeper into themes like courage, growth, and the art of navigating uncertainty.
This isn't just about leadership in the workplace - it's about leadership in life. Together, we'll examine the systems and beliefs that shape us and uncover how to lead authentically, inclusively, and boldly in a rapidly changing world.
If you're ready to stretch beyond the familiar, embrace new perspectives, and discover the will to evolve—for yourself and others—this podcast is for you.
To learn more, visit http://jenniferbrownspeaks.com/
We live in a world that is increasingly complex, unpredictable, and demanding of our resilience. The challenges we face are not just external but deeply personal, asking us to redefine who we are, what we stand for, and how we lead.
Transformation isn't just a possibility, it's an imperative.
On The Will to Change, Jennifer Brown invites listeners to explore the deeper dimensions of leadership, resilience, and human connection. Each month, we feature both thought-provoking conversations with a guest who inspires new ways of thinking, as well as Jennifer's reflective mini-episodes that dive deeper into themes like courage, growth, and the art of navigating uncertainty.
This isn't just about leadership in the workplace - it's about leadership in life. Together, we'll examine the systems and beliefs that shape us and uncover how to lead authentically, inclusively, and boldly in a rapidly changing world.
If you're ready to stretch beyond the familiar, embrace new perspectives, and discover the will to evolve—for yourself and others—this podcast is for you.
To learn more, visit http://jenniferbrownspeaks.com/
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 21, 2019 • 40min
E63: Unconscious Bias Meets Conscious Action- How Pipeline is Using Tech to Elevate Consciousness and Create Gender Equity
Katica Roy, CEO and Founder of Pipeline Equity, joins the program to discuss her diversity story, including being the daughter of refugees who escaped from Hungary after the 1956 revolution. She reveals how her company's software as a service (SaaS) technology uses AI to assess, address and take action against the unconscious gender biases costing the U.S. alone $2 trillion each year. Discover how technology can help leaders to make better decisions and operationalize their commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

May 30, 2019 • 51min
E62: Making the Invisible, Visible: The Power of Intentional Storytelling in Shifting Cultures
Brian McComak, Senior Director and Head of Inclusion and Diversity at Tapestry, joins the program to discuss how to make visible the invisible elements of our diversity, and why he decided to join the DEI Practitioner's Program. Brian shares key takeaways from the program and shares lessons for other DEI practitioners.

May 25, 2019 • 1h 3min
BEST OF THE WILL TO CHANGE: Centering Lost Voices: How Our Listening Can Shape Stories and Shift Narratives
Professor, author, storyteller, and filmmaker, Murray Nossel joins the program to discuss his diversity story of growing up gay in South Africa and discusses the healing power of listening and hearing on a deep level. Murray also turns the tables on Jennifer and asks her to share her own origin story of moving from being a professional singer to her current work in diversity and inclusion. Discover the importance of valuing your own story and how to shape our stories for maximum impact.

May 22, 2019 • 49min
E61: Full Circle: One Practitioner's Journey to Ensuring Dignity and Equity in Healthcare
Dorcas Lind, Assistant Vice President and Head of Diversity & Inclusion at Montefiore Medical Center, joins the program to discuss her diversity story, and why she decided to join the DEI Practitioners Program offered through Jennifer Brown Consulting. She reveals the biggest takeaways that she has received from participating in the program, and shares advice for other DEI practitioners.

May 10, 2019 • 1h 4min
E60: The Simple Truth-Closing the Gender Pay Gap by 2030
Kim Churches, the Chief Executive Officer of the American Association of University Women, joins the program to discuss a report by the AAUW called The Simple Truth, which outlines how the gender wage gap has stagnated over the past 20 years. Kim reveals why policy changes alone are not enough to create real change, and the underlying paradigm changes that need to occur in order to close the gender wage gap. Discover how technology can be helpful, and the changing expectations of the next generation of workers.

May 3, 2019 • 57min
E59: Leading Las Vegas: How Former Mayor Jan Jones is Taking the Fight to Gender Equity in the Workplace
Jan Jones Blackhurst, Executive Vice President for Communications and Government Relations at Caesars Entertainment Corporation and former 2-time mayor of Las Vegas, joins the program to discuss how Caesars is working towards achieving 50/50 gender parity in management by 2025. Jan shares her one-of-a-kind journey of becoming the first ever female major of Las Vegas and what she learned from that experience. She also reveals the culture shifts that need to happen in the workplace in order to attract and retain women.

Apr 26, 2019 • 34min
Minisode #25: Reflections on Compassion Fatigue and Self-Care
In this minisode, Jennifer shares her thoughts on several pertinent (and previously released) episodes from The Will To Change on the topics of compassion fatigue and self-care. You'll discover the importance of thinking about your thinking, the potential pitfalls of sharing our story in unhealthy ways, and the healing power of community.

Apr 20, 2019 • 58min
BEST OF THE WILL TO CHANGE: Mental Health, Self-Care and Resiliency: Mitigating the Structural Violence of Inequality
Dr. Bandy Lee, psychiatrist and internationally renowned expert on violence, shares her diversity story of growing up as a Korean woman in the Bronx during the 1970s and how it informed her research and career interests. Dr. Lee discusses the psychic toll of structural violence and exclusion, and how inequality creates psychological distress for all members of society. She also reveals tips for staying optimistic even in the midst of adversity, and shares self-care tips for advocates.

Apr 20, 2019 • 52min
BEST OF THE WILL TO CHANGE: Perspective Switch: Healing Trauma through Healthy Storytelling
Nkem Ndefo, founder of Lumos Transforms and creator of the Resilience Toolkit, joins the program to discuss the difference between healthy and unhealthy storytelling, and the importance of self-regulation. Nkem also shares insights about the physical, mental and emotional costs of feeling unsafe at work, and what we need to do to increase our personal resilience. Discover the positive outcomes that can come from modulating our emotions, and how to balance the need to fight and challenge oppression with the benefits of calm and peaceful visioning.

Apr 19, 2019 • 57min
E58: Sharing The Playbook: How Atlassian Is Creating A More Equitable Organization
Aubrey Blanche, Global Head of Diversity & Belonging at Atlassian, joins the program to discuss the research that Atlassian has done about creating more equitable organizations, and why they have chosen to make that information available to the public. Aubrey also reveals a language shift that they are using at Atlassian, and the importance of having conversations at a team level. Discover the innovative approaches that Atlassian is taking when it comes to gender diversity and the skill sets that DE&I professionals need to develop.


