Climb Higher With Her

Kean alumna Patricia Barksdale ’95 shares how her high-touch, people-first leadership style helped create a team that feels like family and a client base that spans generations. She draws on her more than 30 years of experience to offer insight into the human side of financial planning, guiding clients through life’s toughest moments and using her own fear as motivation to grow and prepare for what comes next. 

Brigitte Jean-Louis, director of mission advancement at YWCA Princeton, shares her journey from uncertainty to purpose-driven leadership. She opens up about the impacts of grief, early career setbacks, mentorship and advocacy. Her story highlights the power of asking for help, knowing yourself and building a career rooted in your values. 

Karla Elrod shares her journey from engineering to Wall Street and beyond, highlighting the power of transferable skills, self-advocacy and resilience in overcoming bias. 

Kean University Distinguished Professor Robin Landa discusses how authenticity, differentiation and intentional design shape powerful, values-driven leadership. The best-selling author shares strategies for standing out, earning trust and leading with clarity and delivers actionable insight to help aspiring authors and professionals take bold next steps in their careers. 

The book "Leadership by Design" is available at Amazon.com

Felicia Bourke shares lessons of her journey from chemist to award-winning senior executive at Quest Diagnostics. She reflects on how courage, clarity and confidence have shaped her leadership style and offers practical advice for emerging professionals. 

Former NJ State Assemblywoman and Kean alumna Shavonda E. Sumter ’96 joins Darlene Repollet, First Lady of Kean University, to discuss her bold path from student government to the state legislature. She reflects on the early experiences that shaped her commitment to public service, the importance of advocacy in women’s health, voting rights, and mental health access, as well as what it means to “bring your own folding chair.”  

Kean alumna Sara Peña ’96 reflects on her path from being a first-generation college student to serving in Governor Phil Murphy’s administration. In this candid conversation with Darlene Repollet, First Lady of Kean University, Sara opens up about the early challenges of navigating higher education, the mentors and communities that helped her find her voice, and how founding the Boys to Leaders Foundation helped her create opportunities for young Latino men. Her story is a powerful testament to grit, faith and the importance of showing up for yourself and others.