Workday Playdate

“Instead of spending time trying to find yourself, you should use that time to create yourself.”  - Mark Metry Failed it! Fam, we'd like to introduce you to our guest, Mark Metry. Mark is a Forbes featured keynote TEDx speaker, host of a global top 100 podcast, bestselling author, documentary series cast member. Once upon a time, he couldn't make direct eye contact with anyone and barely had friends, due to various issues like mental health, social anxiety, being a first generation immigrant, experiencing poverty, and more. Now, he dedicates his life to being of service to others by making an impact in the industries of mental health, careers and personal branding, speaking, and documentary filmmaking. In today’s episode, Mark talks to us about: Entrepreneurship at a young age Overcoming social anxiety Shifting negative thoughts and fine tuning them to positive, actionable steps forward   Links from show discussions: Four Hour Cookbook Book a Laugh Break with improve it!   About the Guest (in his words):. As a 23 year old, I've been featured on over 250+ podcasts and media like Forbes, Mindvalley, Influencive, Inc Magazine, Huffington Post, Fearless Motivation, Spartan and many others. My podcast, Humans 2.0. In total, my thoughts, views, podcasts, and videos have been viewed over 50+ Million times. My podcast hit #96 of the top podcasts in the world with Tim Ferriss, NPR, Lewis Howes & Gary Vaynerchuk. I am an international (virtual) speaker at conferences, schools, and Fortune 500’s delivering meaningful & transformative current edge applicable knowledge through speaking engagements, panels, host, MC, workshops, and more. I am a podcast strategist consulting funded start-ups, founders, entrepreneurs, creators and organizations to sustainably start, grow & brand build their way through the competition in the age of vanity metrics with marketing experience for over 13 years and accumulation of over 100M+ overall impressions. Over the past several years I have dedicated time to teaching professionals, entrepreneurs, and anyone who wants to learn how to optimize and maximize their LinkedIn results and teach a Linkedin Training 2.0: https://bit.ly/2RwZtYw   About the Host: Erin Diehl is the founder and Chief “Yes, And” officer of improve it! and host of the failed it! Podcast. She’s a performer, facilitator and professional risk-taker who lives by the mantra, “get comfortable with the uncomfortable.” Through a series of unrelated dares, Erin has created improve it!, a unique professional development company that pushes others to laugh, learn and grow. Her work with clients such as United Airlines, PepsiCo, Groupon, Deloitte, Motorola, Walgreens, and The Obama Foundation earned her the 2014 Chicago RedEye Big Idea Award and has nominated her for the 2015-2019 Chicago Innovations Award. This graduate from Clemson University is a former experiential marketing and recruiting professional as well as a veteran improviser from the top improvisational training programs in Chicago, including The Second City, i.O. Theater, and The Annoyance Theatre. When she is not playing pretend or facilitating, she enjoys running and beach dates with her husband and son, and their eight pound toy poodle, BIGG Diehl. You can follow the failed it! podcast on Instagram @learntoimproveit and facebook, and you can follow Erin personally on Instagram @keepinitrealdiehl here. You can also check out improve it! and how we can help your organization at www.learntoimproveit.com. We can’t wait to connect with you online!  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“Seeing is believing y’all. So you have to see what it is you want in order to believe it.”  - Erin Diehl Failed it! Fam, you were absolutely meant to hit play on today’s episode. What is one thing you want to cultivate, manifest, and bring into existence in your life? Listen in as Erin takes us through her five step plan on how to get what you want! In today’s episode, Erin talks to us about: The 5 step process to ask for what you want - TODAY Changing your perspective to seeing is believing How to use failure improvisation   Links from show discussions: Vision Setting Episodes Episode 34 Episode 36 Episode 38 The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron Asana Book a Virtual Workshop with improve it!   About the Host: Erin Diehl is the founder and Chief “Yes, And” officer of improve it! and host of the failed it! Podcast. She’s a performer, facilitator and professional risk-taker who lives by the mantra, “get comfortable with the uncomfortable.” Through a series of unrelated dares, Erin has created improve it!, a unique professional development company that pushes others to laugh, learn and grow. Her work with clients such as United Airlines, PepsiCo, Groupon, Deloitte, Motorola, Walgreens, and The Obama Foundation earned her the 2014 Chicago RedEye Big Idea Award and has nominated her for the 2015-2019 Chicago Innovations Award. This graduate from Clemson University is a former experiential marketing and recruiting professional as well as a veteran improviser from the top improvisational training programs in Chicago, including The Second City, i.O. Theater, and The Annoyance Theatre. When she is not playing pretend or facilitating, she enjoys running and beach dates with her husband and son, and their eight pound toy poodle, BIGG Diehl. You can follow the failed it! podcast on Instagram @learntoimproveit and facebook, and you can follow Erin personally on Instagram @keepinitrealdiehl here. You can also check out improve it! and how we can help your organization at www.learntoimproveit.com. We can’t wait to connect with you online!  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“It’s one of those moments where it was like, we did very little, but also like that’s the impact you have is that you make a space for someone else to exist.” - Betsy McCann Failed it! Fam, happy pride month! On today’s episode we have Pack at Embroker’s Vice President of People Operations with us, Betsy McCann! Listen in as she tells us how she helps her peers create a better and safer workplace for individuals at work, and the importance of celebrating and accepting the LGBTQ+ community as the workplace shifts and evolves. In today’s episode, Betsy talks to us about: Disrupting HR + transgender employees Inclusivity and how to celebrate LGBTQ+ communities at work Workplace evolution A Disney reference that will blow your mind   Links from show discussions: How to Talk to your Trans Employees Book a Virtual Workshop with improve it!   About the Guest: Dr. Betsy McCann (she/her) is an enthusiastic optimist birthed in the tender fires of the Midwest. Growing up as a queer kid on a farm in a small town, she learned a lot about loving nature, raising pigs, and the necessity of authentically loving yourself. Currently residing in Salt Lake City’s mountain paradise, Betsy enjoys hiking, bicycles, and ice cream. On her journey she has been a speech coach, taught pit composting in Guatemala, and has used her time in the pandemic to fall more in love. Currently, she spends her days with the Pack at Embroker as Vice President of People Operations where she fails every day and is thrilled to be creating magic while building the future of Insurtech.   About the Host: Erin Diehl is the founder and Chief “Yes, And” officer of improve it! and host of the failed it! Podcast. She’s a performer, facilitator and professional risk-taker who lives by the mantra, “get comfortable with the uncomfortable.” Through a series of unrelated dares, Erin has created improve it!, a unique professional development company that pushes others to laugh, learn and grow. Her work with clients such as United Airlines, PepsiCo, Groupon, Deloitte, Motorola, Walgreens, and The Obama Foundation earned her the 2014 Chicago RedEye Big Idea Award and has nominated her for the 2015-2019 Chicago Innovations Award. This graduate from Clemson University is a former experiential marketing and recruiting professional as well as a veteran improviser from the top improvisational training programs in Chicago, including The Second City, i.O. Theater, and The Annoyance Theatre. When she is not playing pretend or facilitating, she enjoys running and beach dates with her husband and son, and their eight pound toy poodle, BIGG Diehl. You can follow the failed it! podcast on Instagram @learntoimproveit and facebook, and you can follow Erin personally on Instagram @keepinitrealdiehl here. You can also check out improve it! and how we can help your organization at www.learntoimproveit.com. We can’t wait to connect with you online!  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Failed it! Fam – Why so serious? On today’s minisode, our very own improve it! Facilitator, E.J. Cameron, is here to talk to us about why creating a connection with your team through laughter is so important in the work place and beyond!   About the Guest: (Pronouns: He/Him/His) He's lived in Chicago for nine years, where he has graduated from and performed at The Second City, iO and Comedy Sportz. He was a recipient of The Second City Training Center’s Bob Curry Fellowship in 2016 before joining the cast of the e.t.c.’s 43rd revue, Grinning from Fear to Fear and e.t.c.'s 44th revue. Prior to moving to Chicago, E.J. received his BFA in Acting at Columbus State University (not Ohio!) and performed with multiple troupes. He is represented by Paonessa Talent and is an avid pro-wrestling fan who loves the color purple. Follow @Ej_Cam19 on Twitter and Eeeezeejeeezus19 on Instagram!   About the Host: Erin Diehl is the founder and Chief “Yes, And” officer of improve it! and host of the failed it! Podcast. She’s a performer, facilitator and professional risk-taker who lives by the mantra, “get comfortable with the uncomfortable.” Through a series of unrelated dares, Erin has created improve it!, a unique professional development company that pushes others to laugh, learn and grow. Her work with clients such as United Airlines, PepsiCo, Groupon, Deloitte, Motorola, Walgreens, and The Obama Foundation earned her the 2014 Chicago RedEye Big Idea Award and has nominated her for the 2015-2019 Chicago Innovations Award. This graduate from Clemson University is a former experiential marketing and recruiting professional as well as a veteran improviser from the top improvisational training programs in Chicago, including The Second City, i.O. Theater, and The Annoyance Theatre. When she is not playing pretend or facilitating, she enjoys running and beach dates with her husband and son, and their eight pound toy poodle, BIGG Diehl. You can follow the failed it! podcast on Instagram @learntoimproveit and facebook, and you can follow Erin personally on Instagram @keepinitrealdiehl here. You can also check out improve it! and how we can help your organization at www.learntoimproveit.com. We can’t wait to connect with you online!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“Failure is not for the weak at heart. It's not, you have to own your failures in persevere through it because they allow you to grow.” - Lisa Stokes Failed it! Fam, on today’s episode we have a sports and entertainment expert with us, Lisa Stokes! Listen in as she tells us stories of overcoming setbacks in her career, how 2020 was the hardest year of her professional and personal life, and how hardships can lead to some of your greatest gifts. In today’s episode, Lisa talks to us about: A day in the life of a sports business professional When life throws you unexpected hardships Resilience and perseverance   Links from show discussions: F Words at Work with improve it! Instagram & Twitter: @LisaAStokes NeverLoseYourCape.com   About the Guest: Lisa Stokes has been in the sports and entertainment world for over 15 years as a Director of Casting, Talent Booking and Athlete Marketing. With two years in non-profit public relations and 13 years at ESPN, she has extensive experience within all areas of television and film talent procurement, celebrity and athlete booking, as well as influencer castings. Through her career, Lisa has built a large team and managed many areas of the sports business world. Lisa works with agents, PR firms, publicists, production companies and movie studio clients on a regular basis. You can see her work in commercials for Sony Pictures, Netflix, Land Rover, Universal Pictures, Warner Brothers, Paramount, Kellogg and other major national companies and brands (campaigns can be seen in the “My Portfolio” tab). Negotiating and executing all talent contracts and strategies is also one of her seasoned skills. Lisa also was the casting director and booker for ESPN’s high acclaimed annual espnW Women + Sports Summit. In Lisa’s previous roles, she ran the talent content booking department for seven years, securing guests for all ESPN television shows. This also included visitors to ESPN who go through the “Bristol Car Wash,” the somewhat tongue-in-cheek term for the often-hectic schedule sports and entertainment celebrities undertake in appearing all over ESPN family of digital, social and linear networks. Lisa also worked for the Women’s Sports Foundation in public relations, managing logistics of events such as press conferences, satellite media tours and professional and Olympic athlete appearances. She also wrote stories for and edited publications, was a ghost writer for the CEO, president and founder, and worked with the media on increasing the foundation’s profile.Lisa graduated summa cum laude from Georgetown University with a graduate degree in Sports Business Management and Boston’s Suffolk University with a bachelor’s degree in communications and journalism.  Lisa is also graduate school professor at NYU and Georgetown University. The former college hooper also coached basketball at every level for 15 years. She resides in the Boston area with her husband and three young children.   About the Host: Erin Diehl is the founder and Chief “Yes, And” officer of improve it! and host of the failed it! Podcast. She’s a performer, facilitator and professional risk-taker who lives by the mantra, “get comfortable with the uncomfortable.” Through a series of unrelated dares, Erin has created improve it!, a unique professional development company that pushes others to laugh, learn and grow. Her work with clients such as United Airlines, PepsiCo, Groupon, Deloitte, Motorola, Walgreens, and The Obama Foundation earned her the 2014 Chicago RedEye Big Idea Award and has nominated her for the 2015-2019 Chicago Innovations Award. This graduate from Clemson University is a former experiential marketing and recruiting professional as well as a veteran improviser from the top improvisational training programs in Chicago, including The Second City, i.O. Theater, and The Annoyance Theatre. When she is not playing pretend or facilitating, she enjoys running and beach dates with her husband and son, and their eight pound toy poodle, BIGG Diehl. You can follow the failed it! podcast on Instagram @learntoimproveit and facebook, and you can follow Erin personally on Instagram @keepinitrealdiehl here. You can also check out improve it! and how we can help your organization at www.learntoimproveit.com. We can’t wait to connect with you online!  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“I wasn't responsible for my blindness, but I had to be accountable for my life and its outcomes. It's my life. I have to own it. It's your life. You have to own it.” - Chad Foster   Failed it! Fam, on today’s episode we have inspirational speaker, Chad Foster with us! He truly took lemons and made lemonade with the visual impairment he acquired in college. With his blindness, he has done so much more than thought possible – a Harvard Business School Leadership Program graduate who climbed the corporate ladder and only wants to share his story so people don’t have to go through what he’s gone through to learn what he’s learned. Please give a warm welcome to Chad Foster! In today’s episode, Chad talks to us about: Living life blind Overcoming challenges through resilience “Ambitionitis” #SargeTheGuideDog   Links from show discussions: Book an improve it! Virtual Workshop https://chadefoster.com/ https://www.facebook.com/FindChadEFoster https://www.instagram.com/FindChadEFoster https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadfoster https://twitter.com/ChadEFoster Blind Ambition Book   About the Guest: Chad Foster is a husband, a father, and an avid snow skier who is not just competing with his condition, he is competing with the world's most successful people. Chad believes he is not successful in spite of being blind, but rather he is successful because he is blind. He embraced his problem and turned it in to a solution. Can you imagine going blind as a teenager? When most people were preparing for the adventure of adult life, Chad Foster was watching the world he grew up in fade to black, but that didn't stop him from becoming the first blind person to graduate from the Harvard Business School Leadership Program and climbing the corporate ladder as a successful sales executive throughout his career. His financial strategies and decisions have resulted in the creation of countless jobs. Billions of dollars in revenue industry leading growth and best in class margins. He works at Red Hat, one of the most innovative tech companies and the world's largest open source software company, which was recently purchased by IBM for 34 billion. With determination, ambition and drive, he created what Oracle said would be impossible. He gave millions of people the ability to earn a living by becoming the first to create customer relationship software for the visually impaired. While with speaking invites from London to Beijing and the Atlanta Opera commissioning an opera inspired by his life story, Chad inspires people to overcome their own blind spots.   About the Host: Erin Diehl is the founder and Chief “Yes, And” officer of improve it! and host of the failed it! Podcast. She’s a performer, facilitator and professional risk-taker who lives by the mantra, “get comfortable with the uncomfortable.” Through a series of unrelated dares, Erin has created improve it!, a unique professional development company that pushes others to laugh, learn and grow. Her work with clients such as United Airlines, PepsiCo, Groupon, Deloitte, Motorola, Walgreens, and The Obama Foundation earned her the 2014 Chicago RedEye Big Idea Award and has nominated her for the 2015-2019 Chicago Innovations Award. This graduate from Clemson University is a former experiential marketing and recruiting professional as well as a veteran improviser from the top improvisational training programs in Chicago, including The Second City, i.O. Theater, and The Annoyance Theatre. When she is not playing pretend or facilitating, she enjoys running and beach dates with her husband and son, and their eight pound toy poodle, BIGG Diehl. You can follow the failed it! podcast on Instagram @learntoimproveit and facebook, and you can follow Erin personally on Instagram @keepinitrealdiehl here. You can also check out improve it! and how we can help your organization at www.learntoimproveit.com. We can’t wait to connect with you online!  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“Celebrating is so good for the soul. Celebrating the fails reminds everyone that they're human, that they're trying, and that they can come up with solutions to make the place they work, a place that they want to come to for years to come.” - Erin Diehl Do you lead a team at work and are prepping to go hybrid? In this episode, Erin reflects back from when the pandemic started to now and how much change we’ve endured. Listen in as she provides tips on how to lead rock star remote or hybrid teams! In today’s episode, Erin talks to us about: improve it!’s evolution Helpful tips for leaders during this time The importance of celebrating wins and losses   Links from show discussions: Book an Improve it! Laugh Break Minisode 1: How to Throw a Failure Party   About the Host: Erin Diehl is the founder and Chief “Yes, And” officer of improve it! and host of the failed it! Podcast. She’s a performer, facilitator and professional risk-taker who lives by the mantra, “get comfortable with the uncomfortable.” Through a series of unrelated dares, Erin has created improve it!, a unique professional development company that pushes others to laugh, learn and grow. Her work with clients such as United Airlines, PepsiCo, Groupon, Deloitte, Motorola, Walgreens, and The Obama Foundation earned her the 2014 Chicago RedEye Big Idea Award and has nominated her for the 2015-2019 Chicago Innovations Award. This graduate from Clemson University is a former experiential marketing and recruiting professional as well as a veteran improviser from the top improvisational training programs in Chicago, including The Second City, i.O. Theater, and The Annoyance Theatre. When she is not playing pretend or facilitating, she enjoys running and beach dates with her husband and son, and their eight pound toy poodle, BIGG Diehl. You can follow the failed it! podcast on Instagram @learntoimproveit and facebook, and you can follow Erin personally on Instagram @keepinitrealdiehl here. You can also check out improve it! and how we can help your organization at www.learntoimproveit.com. We can’t wait to connect with you online!  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Failed it! Fam – Are you confident in your career? On today’s minisode, our improve it! Director of Talent, Cristy Mercier, is here to talk to us about owning your confidence at work and how it can benefit you both professionally and personally.   About the Guest: Empirical evidence has shown that improvisational training has the ability to improve an employee’s trust, teamwork, communication, presentation skills, creative problem solving, and can improve a company’s overall corporate culture. No one knows that better than Cristy Mercier, she’s studied and performed this amazing art form at many institutions, some of which are The Second City, the iO Training Center, the Annoyance, and Comedy Sportz . As the Director of Talent for improve it!, Cristy has conducted workshops across the country, leveraging improvisational techniques to improve employees’ skills in corporate settings, facilitating sessions for clients such as Exelon, Motorola Solutions, Groupon, Elkay Manufacturing, Accenture, The PrivateBank, Quicken Loans, Milhouse Engineering, Crowe Horwath, and many more.   About the Host: Erin Diehl is the founder and Chief “Yes, And” officer of improve it! and host of the failed it! Podcast. She’s a performer, facilitator and professional risk-taker who lives by the mantra, “get comfortable with the uncomfortable.” Through a series of unrelated dares, Erin has created improve it!, a unique professional development company that pushes others to laugh, learn and grow. Her work with clients such as United Airlines, PepsiCo, Groupon, Deloitte, Motorola, Walgreens, and The Obama Foundation earned her the 2014 Chicago RedEye Big Idea Award and has nominated her for the 2015-2019 Chicago Innovations Award. This graduate from Clemson University is a former experiential marketing and recruiting professional as well as a veteran improviser from the top improvisational training programs in Chicago, including The Second City, i.O. Theater, and The Annoyance Theatre. When she is not playing pretend or facilitating, she enjoys running and beach dates with her husband and son, and their eight pound toy poodle, BIGG Diehl. You can follow the failed it! podcast on Instagram @learntoimproveit and facebook, and you can follow Erin personally on Instagram @keepinitrealdiehl here. You can also check out improve it! and how we can help your organization at www.learntoimproveit.com. We can’t wait to connect with you online!  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“Start right now. Don't wait for anything to happen. Don't wait for the next car, the next house, the next relationship. Don't wait for something else to happen for you to start pursuing your dreams, to take one step towards your dreams.” - Sara Safari   Failed it! Fam, today we have an inspirational and passionate woman who converted sadness and darkness into a powerful, positive experience to help raise awareness, donate, and fight a cause that’s so important. Please give a warm welcome to Dr. Sara Safari! In today’s episode, Dr. Safari talks to us about: Outfluencer v. Influencer Not letting fears make decisions Women empowerment   Links from show discussions: Improve it! Five Day Challenge - scroll to the bottom and enter your email! http://www.sarasafari.com/ Climb Your Everest | Sara Safari | TEDxIHEParis Sara’s Instagram http://sarasafari.com/iwanttoclimbmyEverest/ Would you like to join Sara to the entire trip to Nepal?! Contact her at Sara@empowernepaligirls.com!   About the Guest: Dr. Sara Safari is an author, speaker, mountain climber, college professor, Electrical Engineer and advocate for women empowerment. She has received the award for The Global Citizen from United Nations Association in 2015. She is a board member and director of development in Empower Nepali Girls foundation. She also has received the award for Outstanding Practice with Broad Impact in the area of women and leadership from International Leadership Association in 2017. Sara will be the first Iranian in history to climb the Seven Summits, the seven highest peaks in each continent. She is climbing to raise funds for seven organizations who are empowering women.   About the Host: Erin Diehl is the founder and Chief “Yes, And” officer of improve it! and host of the failed it! Podcast. She’s a performer, facilitator and professional risk-taker who lives by the mantra, “get comfortable with the uncomfortable.” Through a series of unrelated dares, Erin has created improve it!, a unique professional development company that pushes others to laugh, learn and grow. Her work with clients such as United Airlines, PepsiCo, Groupon, Deloitte, Motorola, Walgreens, and The Obama Foundation earned her the 2014 Chicago RedEye Big Idea Award and has nominated her for the 2015-2019 Chicago Innovations Award. This graduate from Clemson University is a former experiential marketing and recruiting professional as well as a veteran improviser from the top improvisational training programs in Chicago, including The Second City, i.O. Theater, and The Annoyance Theatre. When she is not playing pretend or facilitating, she enjoys running and beach dates with her husband and son, and their eight pound toy poodle, BIGG Diehl. You can follow the failed it! podcast on Instagram @learntoimproveit and facebook, and you can follow Erin personally on Instagram @keepinitrealdiehl here. You can also check out improve it! and how we can help your organization at www.learntoimproveit.com. We can’t wait to connect with you online!  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“Matrescence is a very big deal and it changes you forever, personally and professionally, so any support that I can give to those women, I want to continue doing that.” - Christine Michel Carter  Failed it! Fam, today we have a parent, teacher, entrepreneur, speaker, author, and multi-passionate person. Please give a warm welcome to Christine Michel Carter!   In today’s episode, Christine talks to us about: Being a working mom A balanced, fluid workforce Advocating for others   Links from show discussions: Celebs on Sandwiches Improve it! F Words at Work Mom AF Book Christine’s Facebook Christine’s Website Twitter and Instagram: @cmichelcarter   About the Guest: Best-selling author Christine Michel Carter is the #1 global voice for working moms. Her writing has reached parents and working families in more than 150 countries. At home she’s Mommy to Maya and West, the two cutest damn kids on the planet. Featured in The New York Times and The Washington Post, Christine contributes to ForbesWomen as a senior contributor. She has written hundreds of articles with over one million views for several publications, including TIME and Parents. Christine’s insights have been included by other authors in their books. Her own best-selling children’s book Can Mommy Go To Work? was ranked as an “empowering book” and a “life changing book to guide feminist parenting.” Her book MOM AF is a sister circle in a book, inspired both by Carter’s life and her published articles. Christine clarifies misconceptions about working mom consumers and multicultural consumers for brands and serves as an amplifier of their personal truths. From delivering consumer insights and brand marketing content to helping HR and diversity teams attract and retain these hardworking professionals, Christine works with advertising agencies, research firms and companies to ensure they’re at the forefront of the minds of female consumers. Christine also works to advance policies on a range of health issues that affect women and families. She does this particularly through collaborations with other organizations focused on eliminating racial disparities in maternal health, addressing the social determinants of health, and a range of women’s health policy issues. Christine has worked with the Congressional Caucus on Black Women & Girls, the Fam Tech Founders Collaborative, the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on maternal and child care related issues. She has also received a Congressional Citation from the U.S. Senate for going “above and beyond in ensuring that Black Moms and Moms of Color have access to important health information for their children and families.” In addition to interviewing former Senator and the first female Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris, Christine has also worked on her maternal initiatives. Christine is the founder of Mompreneur and Me, the nation’s first free mommy and me professional development event. Christine’s co-hosted conference, The State Of Black Mothers In America, is the largest global conference for Black mothers. As an executive committee member of Mom Congress, Christine wants Black mothers around the world to stop suffering in silence.   About the Host: Erin Diehl is the founder and Chief “Yes, And” officer of improve it! and host of the failed it! Podcast. She’s a performer, facilitator and professional risk-taker who lives by the mantra, “get comfortable with the uncomfortable.” Through a series of unrelated dares, Erin has created improve it!, a unique professional development company that pushes others to laugh, learn and grow. Her work with clients such as United Airlines, PepsiCo, Groupon, Deloitte, Motorola, Walgreens, and The Obama Foundation earned her the 2014 Chicago RedEye Big Idea Award and has nominated her for the 2015-2019 Chicago Innovations Award. This graduate from Clemson University is a former experiential marketing and recruiting professional as well as a veteran improviser from the top improvisational training programs in Chicago, including The Second City, i.O. Theater, and The Annoyance Theatre. When she is not playing pretend or facilitating, she enjoys running and beach dates with her husband and son, and their eight pound toy poodle, BIGG Diehl. You can follow the failed it! podcast on Instagram @learntoimproveit and facebook, and you can follow Erin personally on Instagram @keepinitrealdiehl here. You can also check out improve it! and how we can help your organization at www.learntoimproveit.com. We can’t wait to connect with you online!  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.