S8E8: Strengthening Your Leader Identity with BWL Alums

In this episode, Laura hosts an alumni panel of Black Woman Leading alums from the  Early Career and Mid-Career Programs (LaKeisha Williams, Jabina Coleman, and Valerie Black) for an honest, reflective, and deeply affirming conversation about what it means to strengthen your leader identity as a Black woman. Each guest shares her personal journey, from the early narratives that shaped her understanding of leadership to the mindset shifts, breakthroughs, and heart work that helped her step into a more aligned, confident, and purpose-driven version of herself. The alums discuss how their perceptions of themselves as leaders have grown since participating in the Black Woman Leading® program, and how their sense of agency, confidence, and clarity have expanded.  Additionally, they discuss navigating boundaries to stay aligned with their values and the role of community in supporting them along their leadership journeys.   The conversation is rich with wisdom, lived experience, vulnerability, and community. It highlights the transformative power of intentional leadership development and the importance of spaces where Black women can be seen, supported, and celebrated.   Guest Bios: ::LaKeisha Williams LaKeisha Williams is a dedicated wife and mother, an insurance professional with over 11 years of experience, and a lifelong learner who holds multiple designations in both commercial and personal lines insurance. She is also a jewelry entrepreneur of more than five years, passionate about connecting with new people and building meaningful relationships through sales. Outside of work, LaKeisha loves to laugh, spend time with her family, explore new places, and create joyful experiences through travel with her husband. Whether in the corporate world or her growing business, she leads with heart, expertise, and a genuine love for helping others shine. Connect with LaKeisha on LinkedIn here.   ::Jabina Coleman Jabina Coleman, known nationally as The Lactation Therapist, is a reproductive psychotherapist, maternal health researcher, and Philadelphia's first Black non-nurse International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. Trained first as a behavioral scientist at Penn State and later clinically as a Social Worker at the University of Pennsylvania, she has become one of the most compelling voices advancing Black maternal health equity, perinatal mental health, and community-centered lactation care. Her current doctoral training in Health Science at Thomas Jefferson University further deepens this work to bring evidence, rigor, and lived expertise into the rooms where systems, policy, and practice are shaped. Jabina is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Breastfeeding Awareness & Empowerment (BAE) Culture, a community-rooted, Black women–led health equity ecosystem builder that weaves reproductive justice, trauma-informed care, and perinatal mental health to support Black families, strengthen racially concordant care, and eliminate disparities in breastfeeding and maternal healthcare. She is also the Co-Founder of the Perinatal Mental Health Alliance for People of Color within Postpartum Support International — a national collaborative that builds capacity, community, and equity in perinatal mental health care for BIPOC families. She currently serves as Chair of the Pennsylvania Breastfeeding Coalition, Adjunct Professor in Drexel's Human Lactation Program, and a health equity consultant with Temple University, where she was previously the Director of Health Equity, Training & Quality Improvement. As a mother of two, her personal lived experience has shaped and informed her professional lens, deepening her commitment to centering care that is grounded in humanity and dignity. Her signature call to action, "Everyone wants to hold the baby, who will hold the mother®?" has impacted national discourse, shifted culture, and catalyzed a new standard for accountability in Black maternal health. Connect with Jabina on LinkedIn here.  Follow her organization BAE on Instagram here.   ::Valerie Black Valerie Black-Turner serves as director of community partnerships for the Kansas Health Foundation and has been with KHF since 2002. Her responsibilities include building and maintaining trustworthy relationships with community organizations and agencies whose missions align with the Foundation's values and who serve communities impacted by racial and health inequities in Kansas.  Before becoming the director of community partnerships, Valerie held previous roles as KHF's community impact officer, senior community  organizer and information technology officer. Valerie received her bachelor's degree in business administration from Wichita State University with an emphasis in business management and received her Master of Divinity degree from Phillips Theological Seminary. She is a member of Dellrose United Methodist Church and serves as lead minister of worship and as Christian Education Coordinator.  Connect with Valerie on LinkedIn here   BWL Resources: Now enrolling for both the January  sessions of the Early Career and Mid-Career programs.  Learn more at https://blackwomanleading.com/programs-overview/ Full podcast episodes are now on Youtube.  Subscribe to the BWL channel today! Check out the BWL theme song here Check out the BWL line dance tutorial here Download the free Black Woman Leading Career Reset Kit - https://blackwomanleading.com/career-reset-kit/   Credits: Learn about all Black Woman Leading® programs, resources, and events at www.blackwomanleading.com Learn more about our consulting work with organizations at https://knightsconsultinggroup.com/ Email Laura: [email protected] Connect with Laura on LinkedIn Follow BWL on LinkedIn Instagram: @blackwomanleading Facebook: @blackwomanleading Youtube: @blackwomanleading  Podcast Music & Production: Marshall Knights  Graphics: Dara Adams Listen and follow the podcast on all major platforms: Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher iHeartRadio Audible Podbay