EP 114: Resilience and People-First Leadership with Oksana Lukash

In this episode of Thriving in Intersectionality, Dr. Lola Adeyemo sits down with Oksana Lukash, Chief People Officer, business owner, and leadership advisor with more than 20 years of experience helping teams scale, navigate chaos, and build cultures where people can thrive. Oksana shares her powerful journey as an immigrant who grew up during the fall of the Soviet Union, spent formative years separated from her mother, and later rebuilt her life in the United States. She also speaks candidly about becoming a teen mom, navigating divorce and blended family life, and how those lived experiences shaped her approach to leadership. Together, Lola and Oksana explore what it means to lead with humanity, build cultures that last, and grow your career through value — not just time in role. In This Episode, We Discuss: Oksana’s immigration story and how resilience shaped her leadership style Becoming a teen mom and navigating career growth simultaneously The pivotal manager who gave her a chance — and why mentorship matters Why career growth is about impact and value, not tenure How to build your voice beyond your employer’s brand Treating people the way they need to be treated Why culture is difficult to replicate — and why it matters more than ever Practical advice for professionals looking to advance in today’s workplace About Our Guest Oksana Lukash is a Chief People Officer, business owner, and leadership advisor who’s spent 20+ years helping teams scale, survive chaos, and actually enjoy working together. She blends strategy with psychology, candor with compassion, and believes culture is the only real competitive advantage. When she’s not building high-performing teams, she’s challenging leaders to think bigger, speak up, and stop settling for mediocrity. Connect with Oksana Website: https://oksanalukash.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ksusha45/Business: People, Culture, You, LLC Connect with Lola Dr. Lola Adeyemo is the CEO of EQI Mindset and founder of Immigrants in Corporate. She partners with organizations to build cultures of belonging through ERGs, strategy, and storytelling. Website: https://www.drlola-adeyemo.comCommunity: https://www.immigrantsincorporate.orgLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlolaadeyemo/ 🎧 Want to take a deeper dive and engage? Listen now and reflect via Substack.  What lessons from your journey are shaping how you lead today? Send us Fan MailSupport the showThank you for listening to Thriving in Intersectionality with Dr. Lola Adeyemo.This podcast explores how identity, lived experience, and leadership intersect in today's workplace and beyond. Through conversations with leaders, founders, educators, entrepreneurs, and changemakers, we uncover stories and insights that help people thrive across the many intersections of their lives.💬 Have a thought about this episode? Send a Fan Mail message directly through Buzzsprout. I'd love to hear what resonated with you.❤️ If you find value in these conversations, consider becoming a supporter of the show. Your support helps us continue amplifying diverse voices, meaningful stories, and leadership insights from across industries and experiences.⭐ Follow, share, rate, and review the podcast to help others discover these conversations.📬 Continue the conversation - read the companion reflections on Substack🌍 Immigrants and first-generation professionals can join our free community at:www.immigrantsincorporate.orgConnect with Host Dr. Lola Adeyemo on LinkedIn.Keep thriving in your intersections. Your story matters.