Black Women Talk Work

By Myriha BurceSociety & Culture Business Careers

Black Women Talk Work episodes

June 24, 2020 Ep 18: A Conversation On Changing The Narrative - How Kroger Head of Corporate Communications and Media Relations, Kristal Howard Commits To Showing Up As Her Authentic Self And Disrupting The Corporate Status Quo
Today's episode features Kristal Howard, Head of Corporate Communications and Media Relations at Kroger. Kristal completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Houston, studying Public Relations/Advertising, Retail and Consumer Science. With more than 13 years in the PR industry, and roles spanning agency, freelance and in-house for corporate brands, Kristal is very much so a trailblazer in the PR world, most notably named One of the Top 25 African American PR Millennials to Watch in a 2017 Huffington Post feature.

Listen as we discuss Kristal's journey to leading corporate communications for the world's third largest retailer, including navigating the competitive dynamics of the PR/Communications industry, the power and importance of using her voice while often being the youngest leader and the only Black woman in the room, and why she argues that showing up as your authentic self is your competitive advantage.
1 hr 8 min
June 10, 2020 Ep 17: A Conversation On Personal Branding And Blackness In Medicine - How Dr. Kristamarie Is Using Her Platform To Pull Back The Veil On Being A Black Woman In Medicine
Today's episode features Dr. Kristamarie Collman, a family physician current practicing in Charlottesville, Virginia. Dr. Kristamarie completed her BS in Public Health from Rutgers University - New Brunswick and completed her Doctor of Medicine from New York Medical College.

Listen as we discuss Dr. Kristamarie's journey into medicine, including her perspective on how medical school prepared her for life as a practicing physician, the systematic challenges that black students often encounter on the road to medicine and how she is now using her platform to encourage others to overcome naysayers and adversity in pursuit of their professional and personal dreams.

35 min
June 03, 2020 Ep 16: A Conversation On Working Through Trauma While Working From Home
On today's episode we explore processing the trauma of recent events, including the murder of George Floyd, the subsequent nationwide protests and impact of COVID-19, while working from home. We welcome Diana Jean-Louis, licensed clinical social worker, psychotherapist and owner of Chicago-based private practice, JL Family Services to the show as we discuss mental health coping strategies and resources, how to deal with quarantining and working from home alone, as well as how to safely navigate engaging with social media during this moment.
1 hr 8 min
May 06, 2020 Ep 15: A Conversation On A Career Centered In Self - How Alexis Robertson Made the Pivot From Practicing Attorney to Legal D&I Leader by Looking Inward and Following The Thread
Today's episode features Alexis Robertson, Director of Diversity and Inclusion at law firm, Foley & Lardner. After about a decade as a practicing attorney, a candid conversation with a career coach and some self reflection, Alexis embraced the fact that being a litigator was not fulfilling to her. This realization sparked her journey to legal recruiter and eventually D&I leader.

Listen as we discuss how she made the career pivot, some of the unique D&I challenges of the legal field, and how a little self awareness, self care and self love will land you right where you need to be.
1 hr 25 min
February 19, 2020 Ep 14: A Conversation On Culture and Corporate Controversy: How H&M Head of Inclusion & Diversity, Ezinne Kwubiri Drives Dialogue That Matters, With Heritage and A Human Touch As Her Guide
Today's episode features Ezinne Kwubiri, North America, Head of Inclusion & Diversity at H&M. Graduating with her B.A. in Accounting from Howard University, the early years of Ezinne's career saw her climbing the ranks to eventually land as Senior Audior at Viacom before coming to the realization that accounting was not the long term path for her. She ultimately transitioned into a role in Change Management and was on the ground in the midst of the resurgence of Diversity & Inclusion conversations in the workplace as we know it today. So in 2018, when H&M found itself in the midst of global backlash over the racist "Coolest Monkey in the Jungle" ad, a newly created D&I leadership role at the company presented Ezinne with her next adventure in her professional journey, North America Head of Inclusion & Diversity at H&M. Listen as we discuss the challenges Ezinne has faced and overcome in taking on such a public facing D&I leadership role, how her identity as a black woman and her Nigerian heritage impact how she approaches her work, how she responds to criticism in the midst of work-related controversy, and what, in her opinion, makes a strong and effective D&I leader.
1 hr 18 min
February 12, 2020 Ep 13: A Conversation On Trusting The Organic Path: How U.S. Air Force Veteran Tiana Clark Transitioned from Teacher to Tech Leader & Cultural Change Agent
Today's episode features Tiana Clark. When I had the chance to speak with Tiana for Black Women Talk Work, she was a Sales Enablement Leader at Microsoft, however she was very recently promoted to Microsoft 365 Marketing Director for Enterprise Commercial. Tiana completed her B.S. in Political Science from the University of Maryland and her M.S. in Educational Leadership from St. Mary's University. She is also a Diversity and Inclusion leader at Microsoft and the larger Chicago community, as well as the Creator and Executive Producer of Soci Circle, an award-winning web series that focuses on sparking D&I conversations amongst tween girls. Listen as we discuss how Tiana charted her own career path from the U.S. Air Force, to rising through the ranks working in Army CounterIntelligence, to teaching middle school history, and now being a Marketing and D&I leader in the Tech Industry. We'll also discuss the impact of starting D&I conversations at an earlier age for young girls, potentially laying a stronger foundation for navigating this topic later in life and in the workplace.
47 min
August 14, 2019 Ep 12: A Conversation On Black Women In Beauty - How NARS Cosmetics Executive Cara Sabin Is Making Space and Building Community For Black Women On The Rise In The Industry
Today's episode features Cara Sabin, Vice President of Marketing at NARS Cosmetics and Co-Founder of 25 Black Women in Beauty.

A seasoned marketing executive with over 25 years of experience, Cara currently oversees Brand Marketing, Digital and E-commerce, Channel Marketing and CRM/Consumer Insights at the iconic beauty brand. She completed her B.A. in Spanish from the University of Virginia, and went on to complete her MBA from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business.

In the midst of an industry undergoing a pivotal shift in understanding black women and creating more inclusive products as a result, Cara and her co-founder Ella Gorgla saw the opportunity to unite and uplift the groundbreaking women behind the brands. Listen as we discuss the lessons she learned during her rise in the beauty industry, and how she vows to pay it forward through 25 Black Women in Beauty.

Learn more about 25 Black Women In Beauty

Website: 25bwb.org

Instagram: @25_bwb

Essence feature: "25 Black Women Launches To Celebrate Black Women In The Beauty Business"
43 min
August 07, 2019 Ep 11: A Conversation On Corporate Law, Natural Hair, and Overcoming the Test - What Breast Cancer Taught TGIN CEO Chris-Tia Donaldson About Faith, Love, Hair, And Business
This week's episode features Chris-Tia Donaldson, Harvard Law School Graduate, Former General Counsel at Oracle, and Founder and CEO of Thank God It's Natural.

Listen as we take a deep dive into Chris-Tia's latest book, "This Is Only A Test: What Breast Cancer Taught Me About Faith, Love, Hair, And Business." Among many things, we discuss her experience attending an Ivy League university, the harsh realities she faced upon entering her first law firm, her inspiration for starting TGIN, and how a sudden breast cancer diagnosis in 2015 led her to revaluate everything, including her definition of success.

PURCHASE CHRIS-TIA'S NEW BOOK, "THIS IS ONLY A TEST, WHAT BREAST CANCER TAUGHT ME ABOUT FAITH, LOVE, HAIR, AND BUSINESS" THROUGH AMAZON HERE. ALSO AVAILABLE ON KINDLE!

Keep up with Chris-Tia and the latest happenings at TGIN on Social Media:

Chris-Tia Donaldson Instagram - @tginceo

Instagram - @tginatural

Twitter - @TGINatural

Facebook - @tginatural

Pinterest - Thank God It's Natural
1 hr 10 min
July 10, 2019 Ep 10: A Conversation On The Evolution Of Diversity And Inclusion - How D&I consultant Risha Grant is helping companies make a change, by placing people at the center of the charge
This week's episode features Risha Grant, a D&I consultant of 20+ years, international speaker, and author of the book "That's BS! How Bias Synapse Disrupts Inclusive Cultures and the Power to Attract Diverse Markets." Listen as we discuss how growing up in Oklahoma influenced her career path, the one major difference she sees in D&I today versus 20 years ago, and how long-term progress in creating inclusive work environments will require a little introspection from us all.

Show notes: To learn more about Risha Grant: rishagrant.com IG: @risha.grant Black Enterprise Article: https://www.blackenterprise.com/things-black-people-say-that-annoy-white-people/

Follow us! www.blackwomentalkwork.com Instagram: @blackwomentalkwork
1 hr 5 min
June 23, 2019 Ep 9: A Conversation On Emails, Networking, And Your Manager Relationship
Inspired by listener responses on the Black Women Talk Work Instagram page, today we discuss "the exclamation point obligation" in office emails, identifying your networking style, and evaluating your relationship with your manager. Articles referenced in episode: The Atlantic - How many exclamation points do you need to seem genuinely enthusiastic? Entrepreneur - 4 Behavioral Styles to Know When Networking Harvard Business Review - Women of Color Get Less Support at Work. Here's How Managers Can Change That. Follow us! www.blackwomentalkwork.com Instagram: @blackwomentalkwork
26 min