The Calm in the Storm: VPM CEO Jayme Swain on Emotional Intelligence & Crisis Management

💡 Like, subscribe, and comment: Which RVA leader should we feature next?👥 Book a complimentary leadership coaching call → https://fulfilledcc.com/Join host KC Long as she sits down with Jayme Swain, President and CEO of VPM and the Virginia Foundation for Public Media.In this episode of Leading the Way in RVA, Jayme shares her remarkable journey from a UVA government major to a leader in national and local public media, including key roles at NBC4 New York, CNN Atlanta, PBS, and NPR.Jayme Swain's professional journey, sparked by early influences like Mr. Rogers and NPR, transitioned from the high-speed environment of commercial media, including Foxsports.com and Madison Square Garden, to a leadership role in public media as the CEO of VPM. Throughout her career, she mastered the essential leadership skill of maintaining "calm in the storm," a principle that proved vital when navigating VPM through significant crises, such as the sudden elimination of federal funding. Swain emphasizes practical advice on resilience, self-advocacy, and the core importance of authenticity and self-knowledge in career decisions. Furthermore, she highlights the strategic application of Emotional Intelligence (EQ)—focusing on empathy and emotional regulation—to manage teams through the pandemic and funding crises. Her success is also attributed to leveraging mentorship from figures like PBS CEO Paula Kerger and proactive networking by openly sharing career goals.