In Episode 7 of The Leadership Dance podcast, host Alissa Hsu Lynch speaks with Chief Marketer and Communicator Arielle Patrick, of Ariel Investments. They discuss Arielle's upbringing in a culturally rich environment, her path from Princeton to public relations, and the importance of staying curious and finding joy in the career journey. Arielle shares insights on how her background in musical theater and dance has influenced her leadership style, the significance of diversity in corporate America, and her advocacy for diverse artists through her personal art collection.

Throughout the conversation, they discuss the need for effective communication and storytelling in driving change within organizations and in creating a fulfilling career. She highlights the impact of diversity on consumer choices, particularly among younger generations, and shares her personal passion for serving on nonprofit boards, including American Ballet Theatre and Yellowstone National Parks Foundation. Arielle also emphasizes the significance of building authentic relationships vs. networking and talks about the confidence required as a young leader to reach the C-suite. As a new mom, she shares her tips for prioritizing family and career and discusses the importance of self-care and learning how to say no. Finally, she reflects on the need to trust yourself as your career develops and facing whatever challenges life brings you.

Connect with Arielle:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akpatrick1

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariellepatrick/

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👉Follow and connect with Alissa: https://linktr.ee/theleadershipdance

#womeninleadership #C-suite #boarddiversity #careeradvice #breakingbarriers #theleadershipdance

In this episode of The Leadership Dance podcast, host Alissa Hsu Lynch sits down with Carla Vernón, CEO of The Honest Company, to not only talk about her impressive accomplishments but also to delve into the unique challenges she’s faced as a woman of color in corporate America. During their conversation, Carla shares her journey from a rambunctious dancer raised in Buffalo, New York, to corporate CEO, touching on the importance of representation, dealing with failure, and what she’s learned from her dance background. Carla also reveals her alter ego as Your Sister in the Corner Office (SITCO), reflecting on her role as a first-time CEO and sharing advice for the next generation of leaders. She discusses the mission of The Honest Company, the value of building a diverse board of directors, and how she relies on a network of mentors, family, and friends to keep her moving forward.

You won’t want to miss this fun episode, chock-full of wisdom from a true trailblazer!

To learn more about Carla and The Honest Company:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlainspired/

• Instagram: @carlainspired

• www.honest.com

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https://theleadershipdance.substack.com/s/the-leadership-dance

👉Follow and connect with Alissa: https://linktr.ee/theleadershipdance

#thehonestcompany #womeninleadership #womenCEO #boarddiversity #careeradvice #onceadanceralwaysadancer #breakingbarriers

In Episode 5 of The Leadership Dance, Norman Chen, CEO of The Asian American Foundation (TAAF), shares his journey from growing up as an Asian American in a predominantly white community to becoming a leader in advocating for the safety, belonging, and prosperity of the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. We dive into the value of cultural identity and what he learned about business, leadership, and family during his 20 years of living in Hong Kong. He reveals why he decided to become an activist after moving back to the United States, discussing the rise of anti-Asian hate in America. Norman draws parallels between business and the sport he loves, basketball, and he talks about how knowing yourself and what you're good at can lead to a fulfilling life and career.

To learn more about Norman and TAAF:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/normanlschen/

• Twitter: @taaforg

• Instagram: @taaforg

• Website: http://taaf.org

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#theleadershipdance #aapi #diversityinleadership #taaf #careeradvice #careertransitions

In Episode 4, Alissa is joined by celebrated ballerina Susan Jaffe, now the Artistic Director of American Ballet Theatre (ABT), America’s National Ballet Company. “Discovered” by Mikhail Barishnikov at the age of 18, Susan shares stories from her 22-year career as an international ballet star and discusses the moves she made following her retirement from her stage career that propelled her to become a pioneering leader in the ballet world. She delves into her experiences overcoming imposter syndrome, the importance of diversity and inclusivity in dance, and the lessons she learned about courage, risk-taking, and patience throughout her career. Susan also talks about why she’s excited about what’s next for ABT and how experience has taught her how to manage challenges with love, joy, and grace.

Connect with Susan on Instagram: @susanjaffeofficial

Support American Ballet Theatre: www.abt.org

Alonzo King LINES Ballet Blog: https://blog.linesballet.org/

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#theleadershipdance #ballet #diversityindance #womeninleadership #leadership #americanballettheatre #abt

In this episode of The Leadership Dance, Alissa chats with Shweta Maniar, Global Director of Healthcare & Life Sciences at Google Cloud. In addition to being a health tech executive at Google, Shweta is a board director, a dancer, a mom, AND an almond farmer. We explore her cultural upbringing as a second-generation South Asian American, her journey from healthcare to technology, and the challenges of navigating corporate environments as a woman of color. Shweta also shares how embracing her uniqueness got her to where she is today and tips on how she’s able to get a good night’s sleep.

In Episode 2 of The Leadership Dance, Alissa is joined by Jocelyn Mangan, CEO and Founder of illumyn Impact and illumyn. Jocelyn is a visionary leader dedicated to solving board diversity who started two social impact ventures focused on accelerating diversity in corporate boardrooms. The conversation explores how her curiosity led her to the tech industry with companies including OpenTable and Ticketmaster, the challenges she faced as a woman in leadership, and the importance of networking and mentorship. Jocelyn discusses her passion for bridging the gap between underrepresented executives and board opportunities and how each of us can identify our superpowers. She also shares insights on how she balances being an entrepreneur and mom while staying focused on her dreams.

In this first episode of the Leadership Dance, Alissa shares her unconventional journey from a professional modern dancer to a successful business executive and board director. She discusses the challenges she faced in transitioning careers, the importance of embracing one's unique background, and how to leverage personal experiences for professional growth. Alissa shares what she learned from dance, including performing under pressure, agility, resilience, and the ability to create one's own path to success. She talks about three key strategies for success, encouraging listeners to choreograph their own leadership dances.