Leadership Recalibrated™

Everyone's telling women to use AI. Learn it, embrace it, or get left behind.So women do. And then they get penalized for it.In this episode, I dig into the research and I came with receipts. Most importantly, I share some positive stats we don't hear about.If you are a first-time manager trying to figure out how to lead with AI, or a senior leader who's done waiting for the system to catch up, this one is for you.Her Executive Ascent Leadership Programs: https://community.herexecutiveascent.com/pages/program-offeringsThe ResearchLeanInhttps://leanin.org/research/ai-women-gender-gap-datahttps://leanin.org/education/what-is-attribution-biasHBShttps://d3.harvard.edu/the-gender-divide-in-generative-ai-a-global-challengehttps://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=66548HK / Peking Universityhttps://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5255039Monday Girlhttps://itbrief.ca/story/canadian-women-report-greater-anxiety-over-ai-at-workUNESCOhttps://www.unesco.org/ethics-ai/en/articles/tackling-gender-bias-and-harms-artificial-intelligence-aiDev Barometer:https://www.bairesdev.com/blog/dev-barometer-q1-2026-ai-accountabilityDeloitte:https://ceo-na.com/technology/women-and-generative-ai-the-adoption-gap-is-closing-fast-but-a-trust-gap-persists/UN Global Compacthttps://unglobalcompact.org/compactjournal/silicon-ceiling-how-ai-risks-rewiring-workplace-inequalityNaturehttps://news.stanford.edu/stories/2025/10/ai-llms-age-bias-older-working-women-researchILOhttps://www.weforum.org/stories/2026/03/ai-gender-parity-womens-history-month-jobs/

We've all been handed the same playbook — eat less, move more, push through. And most of us have followed it faithfully while still feeling exhausted, disconnected from our bodies, and no closer to actually feeling well.Joana Castro has a different theory about why that is. And the answer isn't another supplement, another diet, or another wellness trend.Joana is a food therapy expert and founder of My Own True Balance, who sits at a rare intersection of nuclear medicine, biomedical engineering, and traditional Chinese medicine. After spending years inside the corporate world while quietly rebuilding her own health — following years of being dismissed by the medical system — she built a practice that merges Eastern and Western science in a way that most people in either field haven't managed to do.In this episode, we talk about why the way most women have been eating their entire lives has been working against them, what traditional Chinese medicine understands about the female body that Western medicine is only beginning to catch up to, and why real healing was never supposed to be fast. It was supposed to be steady.This is a conversation about food as medicine, about learning to understand your own body's makeup, and about what it looks like to stop chasing fixes and start owning your energy.About Our GuestJoana Castro is a creative polymath and food therapy expert bridging science, TCM, and holistic health. With a background in nuclear medicine, biomedical engineering, and TCM food therapy; she turned personal health struggles into a mission: helping people to achieve balance through food, so they can truly own their energy. As Founder of My Own True Balance, Joana helps busy professionals reclaim vitality through food therapy. She specializes in female health (menstrual & menopause), burnout recovery, energy/focus, and digestion—fueled by science, ancient wisdom, and real results.Connect with JoanaLinkedin Profile: linkedin.com/in/joanadscastro/Website: https://myowntruebalance.comFood Therapy Session: https://myowntruebalance.com/food-therapy-consultationUse promo code: TAKE10 to receive a 10% discount, valid on your first purchase, on the My Own True Balance website.

Most of us were taught to solve problems alone. To carry the weight of our careers on our own shoulders. To wait until we had the perfect answer before raising our hand or reaching out.But what if that instinct is exactly what's keeping you stuck?In this episode of Leadership Recalibrated, I sit down with Saeideh Fard, CFO at Introhive and one of the most intentional network builders I have had the pleasure of meeting. Saei has spent 25 years in executive finance roles across some of North America's most ambitious growth-stage technology companies. And she credits a significant part of that success not to technical expertise alone, but to a concept she calls the Power of Three.The idea is simple. The impact is anything but.This is a conversation for anyone who has been playing small, waiting to be discovered, or solving everything alone when the network they need is already two steps away.About Our GuestSaeideh Fard — known as Saei — serves as CFO at Introhive, a B2B SaaS organization bringing client intelligence, data and automation solutions that drive growth in North America and Europe's top legal, accounting, and consulting firms. Previously, Saei was the SVP, Finance at PointClickCare, the leading Electronic Health Record technology partner to North America's senior care industry; CFO at Tulip Retail, a SaaS technology leader in retail store associate mobility and a Kleiner Perkins and Salesforce Ventures portfolio company. Earlier, she served as Group CFO at Traveledge and Kensington Tours, overseeing teams across luxury leisure, corporate, and technology divisions across Canada, US and Bermuda. Her C-Suite career spans transformation roles focusing in high organic growth and M&A environments. Saei started her career as a CPA with PwC. She holds both Canadian and US CPA designations, and is an alumni of the Queens (Smith) School of Business. Her championed causes include helping women, youth and immigrants achieve their leadership potential.Connect with Saei on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/saeidehfardLearn more about Introhive at introhive.com

You built the business from the ground up — and for a long time, being at the center of everything worked. But somewhere between steady revenue and real scale, that same drive starts working against you. Decisions stack up, the team stalls, and the operation gets messy. Sound familiar?In this episode of Leadership Recalibrated, I sit down with Nana Obeng, Strategic Operations Partner and Fractional COO, to talk about the critical — and often painful — mindset shift every scaling founder eventually has to make: stepping out of the role of operator and into the role of architect.Nana breaks down why high-achieving women are particularly susceptible to becoming the bottleneck in their own businesses, what the warning signs look like before they become a crisis, and how to build the kind of decision infrastructure that lets your business grow without everything running through you.They also get into the role of AI in modern leadership — how to use it to accelerate your thinking and pressure test decisions without letting it replace the executive judgment that no algorithm can replicate.If you're leading an established, revenue-generating business and starting to feel the friction of your own growth, this conversation will meet you exactly where you are.About Our GuestNana Obeng is a Strategic Operations Partner and Fractional COO for women CEOs leading established, revenue-generating businesses navigating the shift from steady growth to structured scale. She helps founders strengthen how their companies operate so growth becomes intentional, disciplined, and sustainable.With over 15 years of experience across engineering, corporate strategy, and entrepreneurship, she brings systems thinking and executive-level judgment to complex growth decisions. After starting her career in structured corporate environments, she realized she wanted to see more direct impact where strategy translated quickly into results.After earning her MBA and co-founding a consumer brand, she saw a consistent pattern. Ambitious women were building exceptional businesses while also carrying significant responsibilities outside of work. What they needed was not more tools. They needed the right operational partner.Today, she partners with women CEOs leading established, revenue-generating businesses to reduce operational noise and scale with clarity, financial discipline, and operational leverage.Connect with NanaWebsite: https://www.highpointconsulting.online/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nana-obeng/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hipt_consulting/

Most companies build Employee Engagement teams when what they need first is an Empowerment team.Yvonne helps growth-stage companies tackle scaling challenges—and one of the biggest gaps she sees is companies trying to fix engagement without first creating empowerment.In this episode, we explore the difference between engagement and empowerment, why companies default to measuring engagement (and why it doesn't work), what empowerment actually looks like at scale, and how to build systems that empower people to do their best work.This is for leaders at growth-stage companies who are watching engagement scores drop and wondering why their initiatives aren't working.About Our GuestYvonne Jackson is a strategy, talent, and AI governance advisor who works with leadership teams navigating organizational misalignment and rapid technological change.She helps executives clarify decision authority, align talent and strategy, and build operating systems that allow organizations to execute during periods of growth, transformation, and disruption.Her perspective is shaped by leadership roles at Apple Inc. and Whirlpool Corporation and an MBA from the University of North Carolina.She is also the creator of EDEN (Ethical Decision & Engagement Norms), a framework exploring how AI and digital systems reshape power, governance, and human autonomy inside modern organizations.Through this work, Yvonne helps leaders identify emerging organizational risks and design decision systems that support ethical, human-centered transformation in the age of AI.Connect with YvonneWebsite: www.socialedg.comLinkedIn: linkedIn.com/in/yvonnejacksonBook a discovery call: calendly.com/socialedg/discovery

What if the reason you're overwhelmed isn't a lack of effort, but a broken system? In this episode, Shirah Huff, creator of The Kinetic Method™, shares how what started as a personal survival tool — protecting her time with her family while still chasing career ambitions — evolved into a repeatable system she's now teaching others.We also dig into why the traditional tools we rely on are actively setting us up for guilt, failure, and burnout. We explore how leaders are operating from memory instead of systems, why interpretation is the silent killer of workplace culture, and how trust might be the most underrated leadership skill of all.If you've ever felt like you're doing everything right but still falling behind, this episode is the reset you didn't know you needed.About Our GuestShirah Huff is the creator of The Kinetic Method™, a structured execution framework designed for high-performing leaders who are experiencing execution drag despite having clear vision and strong capability.With advanced degrees in mathematics, finance, and organizational performance, Shirah has spent her career architecting clarity inside complex systems — from corporate environments to growth-stage organizations. She is known for her ability to see patterns others miss, dissolve complexity into structure, and convert scattered ideas into measurable outcomes.Rather than teaching productivity tactics, Shirah builds personal and organizational operating systems that help leaders reduce decision fatigue, align initiatives to strategic value, and convert time into measurable return.Her work sits at the intersection of identity, execution architecture, and strategic leverage helping leaders move from overwhelmed and busy to precise, intentional, and high-impact.Connect with ShirahWebsite: www.huffblueprint.comThe Kinetic Method™: memberup.com/kinetic-method

What happens when a high-achieving, award-winning corporate professional hits a wall she never saw coming? In this episode, I sit down with Julie Lafleur — former corporate full-timer turned wellness practitioner — to unpack the hidden cost of people-pleasing, chronic overperformance, and the culture of silence around burnout.Julie shares how her own burnout became the unexpected catalyst for a career pivot rooted in purpose, and how she now helps leaders and organizations heal from the inside out.This conversation is a wake-up call for anyone still running on autopilot in their career. Whether you're a leader trying to better support your team, or someone quietly wondering if there's a better way to show up at work and in life, this episode is for you.About Our GuestFor over 20 years, Julie Lafleur successfully operated inside high-performance corporate environments, including global roles at Microsoft. Burnout didn’t end her ambition. It refined it. She became deeply interested in what actually sustains joy, resilience, and performance over the long term, and why self-awareness is a leadership advantage, not a luxury. Today, Julie works at the intersection of AI and human energy, helping women and corporate teams recognize their stress patterns before those patterns shape their leadership. She blends ancient wisdom with science-informed tools and translates them into practical strategies for modern work. She also serves as an Enterprise Solutions Lead with Empressa AI, supporting women in building AI fluency and visibility in this defining technological era. Connect with JulieWebsite: julielaf.comLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/julie-lafleurDiscover Your Dominant Element: https://julielaf.com/five-elements-assessment/ 

I asked my LinkedIn community: "What is one concrete thing you wish leaders would do right now to better support their people?"The responses were honest and powerful.Then, at a networking event, I heard a C-suite executive say that to sponsor a woman, she needs to see a commitment to 80-100 hour weeks.This episode shares responses from my community and what they revealed: people are exhausted, overextended, and navigating a world that feels increasingly unstable. They don't need leaders demanding more. They need leaders who actually see them.I share what people-first leadership looks like and why it matters.Did this episode resonate but leave you wondering how to lead differently? I work with senior women leaders navigating these exact challenges. Visit herexecutiveascent.com.

Slow down to speed up. It sounds like a paradox but it's how better decisions get made.Cass Cooper, known as the "Chaos Whisperer", helps leaders interpret chaos instead of reacting to it. And it starts with slowing down enough to ask the right questions.In this episode, we explore how curiosity uncovers what urgency hides, why asking "why" multiple times reveals systemic issues, and how corporate culture's obsession with speed creates poor outcomes.We also discuss building relationships instead of managing tasks, understanding different personality types, the post-pandemic shift toward meaningful work, and why leaders need to rethink meetings and arbitrary deadlines.This is for leaders caught in constant urgency who want to lead more intentionally.Slow down. You'll get there faster.About Our GuestCass Cooper is a writer, speaker, and leadership strategist who helps organizations navigate complexity and lead with clarity. With more than twenty years of experience across sales, organizational development, and leadership advisory work, she is known for translating messy people challenges into practical, scalable strategies. Through keynotes and workshops, Cass challenges leaders to rethink so-called “soft skills” as core business capabilities and build people-centered systems that support accountability, resilience, and long-term performance.Social Media ChannelsInstagram@KnowBetterToDoBetterTikTok @Just_Cass2.0LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/cassrcooperhttps://ww.linkedin.com/company/know-better-do-better-consultingWebsiteswww.IamCassCooper.comwww.knowbetterdobetter.co

Your team is watching everything you do. When you message them on vacation. When you skip lunch for another meeting. When you don't take time off.Rekha Narang, Senior Director at Microsoft, learned this the hard way after burnout forced her to take a six-month leave.In this episode, we talk about her journey from burnout to balance and what changed when she stopped proving and started modeling. We discuss why burnout isn't about time (it's about mental load), the moment she knew something had to change, and why she now takes time back unapologetically.We also explore self-care as selfless (not selfish), why your team needs you well (not just present), and how modeling balance matters more than saying the right things.If you're a leader struggling with balance, this conversation will resonate.About Our GuestRekha Narang is a Director of Partner Technology, Global Channels Partner Solutions for Microsoft.  Her team's mission is to build Microsoft Cloud technical capability and capacity across the Canadian partner ecosystem to accelerate innovation and digital transformation with AI.  Rekha is a leader focused on building leadership within her team and those around her.  Her passion and purpose are to help people grow beyond what they might think is possible for themselves.  You can find Rekha on LinkedIn.

In this episode, Nikki Maginn shares a powerful and unexpected career journey from nuclear engineer to project manager and emotional intelligence educator. Drawing from her experience inside highly technical, male-dominated environments, Nikki unpacks why emotional intelligence is not a “soft skill,” but a critical leadership capability, especially for engineers and women navigating complex workplaces.The conversation explores the often-overlooked mental health challenges within engineering and technical fields, the pressure many women feel to downplay their femininity, and the cost of leadership that prioritizes tasks over people. Nikki makes a compelling case for investing in relationships at work, leading with authenticity, and building cultures where people feel supported, seen, and valued.This episode is a thoughtful reflection on leadership, legacy, and what it really takes to create workplaces that don’t just perform but sustain and evolve for the next generation.About Our GuestNikki Maginn is a nuclear engineer, pilot, and former Division I athlete who has built her career at the intersection of technical excellence and human-centered leadership. With experience leading multimillion-dollar engineering and logistics programs and shaping innovation in the nuclear startup space, Nikki knows what it takes to thrive in high-stakes technical environments.​But her true passion lies in reimagining how engineers are developed. As the founder of Inside Out Engineering, she pioneered a course that brings emotional intelligence into STEM education—first launched at the University of Tennessee and now expanding through industry and academic partnerships. Nikki’s work equips engineers and technical leaders with the courage, curiosity, and communication skills needed to collaborate, lead, and create with impact.Connect with Nikki:LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/nikki-maginnInside Out Engineering - https://www.insideoutengineering.comYouTube - Inside Out Engineering Podcast - https://www.youtube.com/@InsideOutEngineering

Antoinette Ellis saw a gap: Women were entering STEM fields, but they weren't staying. And traditional recruitment wasn't solving the problem.So she founded ACE & Co not just to place candidates, but to prepare women for what they'll face in tech and help companies build cultures where women can thrive.In this episode, we explore the shift from STEM to STEAM (why arts integration matters), creating safe spaces for women in male-dominated industries, mental health in tech workplaces, and the difference between authentic leadership and performative DEI.We also discuss the confidence gap that keeps overqualified women from applying, and what the next generation is demanding from corporate structures.This is about building environments where women don't just enter, but one that enables them to stay and advance.About our Guest:Antoinette Ellis is the CEO and Co-Founder of ACE & Co, a social enterprise dedicated to empowering women and girls to explore and thrive in STEAM careers. A certified Arts Integration Specialist and professional speaking coach, Antoinette bridges education and industry through leadership development, public speaking, and confidence-building programs. Her work aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #5 on gender equality, and she is the founder of the ACE & Co EmpowerHer Award Scholarship, in partnership with Toronto Metropolitan University. Through workshops, keynotes, and her Full STEAM Ahead podcast, Antoinette amplifies brave voices and helps the next generation lead with confidence and purpose.Links:LinkedIn - Antoinette EllisAce & Co WebsiteAce & Co: Full Steam Ahead Podcast (Apple)Ace & Co: Full Steam Ahead Podcast (Spotify)

Amy Pons left corporate to escape toxicity. What she found on the other side changed everything.Through healing and recovery, she discovered her life's purpose as an energy coach and healer. Now she helps others navigate their own healing journey through Unlock the Magic.This episode explores the journey from toxic corporate to purpose-driven work: the healing required, discovering your brilliance beyond corporate metrics, building businesses rooted in feminine energy and community, and supporting women.If corporate toxicity has broken you, this conversation shows what healing and purpose can look like.About our GuestAmy Pons comes from a long line of shamans…and was a 20 year corporate executive.  She is a certified life coach, intuitive energy healer, womanist podcaster, and facilitator of magic school.  Her work is focused on bridging the gaps between strategy, soul, and radical self-remembrance.  She is an absolute force for good and healing, pioneering the new paradigm of existence that all humans came here to experience.You can connect with Amy through:LinkedIn - Amy PonsUnlock the MagicInstagram - Women Making MovesInstagram - Unlock the Magic

Brain fog in meetings. Anxiety before big presentations. Sleep so disrupted you can barely function. And no one's talking about it.Menopause coach Lisa Boate joins me to break down what's actually happening during perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause, and why these transitions hit women at the peak of their careers.We discuss how hormonal changes affect cognitive function, emotional regulation, and leadership confidence. We also talk about the workplace stigma, why women aren't getting adequate support, and what needs to change in organizational culture.This conversation is for women navigating menopause and for leaders, colleagues, and loved ones who want to understand and support them better.Because the silence is costing us.About our Guest:Lisa Boate is the founder of Liberated Menopause, host of Transforming 45 and co-host of the Unmuted Podcast. She helps organizations create Menopause-Empowered Workplaces through professional learning, policy development, and the kind of honest conversations that shift culture—not just check boxes. Drawing on her 20-year career as an educator, she brings clarity, compassion, and real-world strategy to leaders who want to better support their midlife employees and strengthen retention, performance, and well-being. Based in London, Ontario, Lisa fuels joy through spending time with the wise women in her life and dance parties in her kitchen to 80s and 90s tunes.Links to Lisa's work online:Instagram - @lboateLiberated MenopauseTransforming 45 Podcast

Linda Fernandes Joseph knows career strategy. She's helped countless professionals navigate moves, negotiate offers, and position themselves for advancement.In this episode, we talk about what actually makes a career move strategic (hint: it's not just a better title), how to negotiate salary when you've been historically underpaid, and how return-to-office mandates are reshaping career decisions for women.We also dive into self-advocacy, understanding your market worth, and why embracing flexibility is becoming non-negotiable.If you're thinking about your next move, or just trying to navigate your current one strategically, this conversation is for you.About Our GuestLinda Fernandes Joseph is an award-winning author, Strategic Recruitment Partner at Top Tier Talent Group, and Director of Sales and Business Development at Her Executive Ascent Inc.With over 16 years leading recruitment strategy, Linda has built her career connecting exceptional talent with transformative leadership opportunities. She specializes in executive search for marketing and sales roles, helping organizations build the teams that drive business innovation.Linda's consultative approach centers on true partnership: understanding organizational culture, challenges, and objectives while creating lasting career opportunities for the talent she represents. She's passionate about helping women navigate strategic career moves, negotiate their worth, and position themselves for advancement.You can reach out to Linda on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindaBuy her book, You're Hired, at: https://hiredforward.com/