Curious Monica

How do you define success? For Nina Vaca, it was starting a business at 25 to connect people to opportunities.

Born in Ecuador, Nina moved to the U.S. with her family in search of more opportunities. Watching her parents work multiple jobs, she learned the values of diligence, determination, and authenticity. Discovering her passion for serving others at 17, Nina pursued her entrepreneurial dreams wholeheartedly.

Today, in 2024, Nina Vaca embodies the American Dream as a pioneering Latina entrepreneur, philanthropist, and global leader. Over 28 years, she has transformed Pinnacle Group from a one-woman IT staffing firm into a powerhouse providing workforce solutions across industries. Beyond business, Nina is deeply involved in philanthropy, supporting numerous global causes. Appointed as Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship by President Barack Obama in 2014, Nina is a beacon of inspiration.

Outside of work, Nina cherishes life to the fullest. An avid triathlete for two decades, she has redefined failure and emphasizes the importance of living fully. She also treasures time with her husband and four children in Dallas, Texas.

As we celebrate Women's History Month this March, we are honored to share Nina's remarkable journey. Connect with Nina Vaca on LinkedIn and visit her website at ninavaca.com. For more inspiring stories, subscribe to Curious Monica by InnovatorsBox, where host Monica H. Kang shares compelling narratives.

Visit curiousmonica.com for more.

Click here for the episode shownotes, video, mentioned resources, episode transcripts, and more.

The best dream jobs you find may be jobs you don't see online. Looking back, Nancy Ngo shares how her career and many opportunities came to her because she proactively sought to learn more about the world. Stepping into everything with curiosity, openness to learning, and being kind helped her become the leader she is today, overseeing multi-industry B2B and B2C communication and marketing.

Her internship at TIME magazine opened her eyes to the world of media and communication. She loved stepping into this world. She had read about it in magazines throughout her childhood. Thanks to her mother's hairstyling business, she had the opportunity to access all different types of magazines and normalize diverse storytelling early on. She honed her leadership skills as she continued to build her career in communication at Google, IBM, TechChange, the US government, and more in 9 cities and six countries. But perhaps what's more inspiring than her impressive resume is her humanness. She loves her family and friends, and she ensures that we make time for our mental well-being and dancing if that's your way of destressing. She invites you to be open to new experiences to make the fullest out of your life.

As we honor Women's History Month this March, we are happy to share Nancy's inspiring journey into communication and leadership. Connect with Nancy Ngo on LinkedIn. Looking for stories that inspire you and motivate you?

Subscribe to Curious Monica by InnovatorsBox, where host Monica H. Kang unfolds inspiring stories.

Visit curiousmonica.com for more stories.

Click here for the episode shownotes, video, mentioned resources, episode transcripts, and more.

Be open and stay curious. It may lead you to new opportunities that you didn't expect. Looking back at all her chapters in education, Krista Purnell shares how staying open-minded helped her thrive and grow.

From a 5th-grade math teacher in New York to now the Director of School & District Success at Gradient Learning, Krista has been devoted to education and social impact for over 18 years. The secret to her impactful leadership has been the balance of empathy and excellence. A delicate balance of two key leadership skills that she led as she learned how to empower and inspire youth while managing stress, burnout, and work/life balance while educators continue to be underpaid and overworked. Still, she persists and shows up because she has seen how good education changes people for good. Good karma comes back in her students and the schools she works with and she is eager to see more. You move mountains with others not alone.

As we honor Black History Month this February, we are humbled to share Krista's inspiring journey into education and leadership. Connect with Krista Parnell on LinkedIn and her organization. Ready for a narrative that transcends boundaries?

Subscribe to Curious Monica by InnovatorsBox, where host Monica H. Kang unfolds stories that inspire. Visit curiousmonica.com for more empowering interviews.

Click here for the episode shownotes, video, mentioned resources, episode transcripts, and more.

How do you build a career in science and education? It's a question Dr. Jonathan D. Madison, Program Director for the Metals and Metallic Nanostructures Program at the National Science Foundation (NSF), has been asking to be where he is today.

In our conversation, Jonathan shares how he got into science as a career, how he honed his leadership skills, and what helps him manage his time and energy with all the different workloads he has as a leader today. He also shares how we need to rethink how we address the lack of representation in STEM and helps us look at it scientifically.

Most importantly, he reminds us that humility, communication, and patience are important leadership skills and values to hone. Whether you are new to science and metallic nanostructures or not, you'll walk away being inspired and empowered. As we honor Black History Month this February, we proudly spotlight Jonathan's insightful journey into science and inclusive leadership. Connect with Jonathan Madison on LinkedIn and contact his team at NSF (National Science Foundation).

Ready for a narrative that transcends boundaries?

Subscribe to Curious Monica by InnovatorsBox, where host Monica H. Kang unfolds stories that inspire. Visit curiousmonica.com for more empowering interviews.

Click here for the episode shownotes, video, mentioned resources, episode transcripts, and more.

Embark on an enriching journey into the realm of sustainable procurement and supplier diversity with Kenyatta Z. Lewis, the founding Executive Director of Supplier Diversity, Sustainable Procurement and Training in Global Procurement for MGM Resorts International (MGMRI) in Las Vegas. Kenyatta is at the forefront of driving diversity and sustainability, but her path to leadership started from humble beginnings.

From her early days in the Army to crafting her career in hospitality, Kenyatta unfolds her story, revealing how her passion for positive change and advocacy for underrepresented voices emerged. In our conversation, she shares the transformative impact of her diverse experiences, illustrating how her journey through various roles prepared her for leadership in the dynamic intersection of industries within hospitality.

This February, as we honor Black History Month, we proudly spotlight Kenyatta's exceptional narrative and her influential contributions. Connect with Kenyatta on LinkedIn at Kenyatta Z. Lewis and reach out to her team at MGM Resorts International via [email protected].

Click here for the episode shownotes, video, mentioned resources, episode transcripts, and more.

Ready for a narrative that transcends boundaries? Subscribe to Curious Monica by InnovatorsBox, where host Monica H. Kang unfolds stories that inspire. Visit curiousmonica.com for more empowering interviews.

Meet Gary Ware, the creative force behind Breakthrough Play and author of 'Playful Rebellion' based in sunny San Diego. Gary's passion for infusing play into the workplace stems from a diverse background in music, education, and web design. Fueled by the realization that his dream job wasn't on the market, Gary took the innovative route and created his own path. Join us for an engaging episode as Gary shares his journey from a dreamer to an influencer, reshaping how we perceive play in professional spaces. Discover how this maverick challenges the status quo, empowering leaders and corporations to revolutionize workplace engagement. In honor of Black History Month 2024, Curious Monica is spotlighting Gary Ware and other trailblazing black leaders who are making a positive impact by forging unconventional paths. Follow Gary Ware on social media @GaryWare and explore more about his breakthrough ideas at breakthroughplay.com. Ready to be inspired? Subscribe today to Curious Monica by InnovatorsBox, hosted by the dynamic Monica H. Kang. Uncover more at curiousmonica.com.

Happy 2024! We are thrilled to return with new stories to inspire and empower you. We hope you have been well. Subscribe today to Curious Monica by InnovatorsBox, hosted by the Founder & CEO of InnovatorsBox, Monica H. Kang. The first episode will start in February 2024. Send us your questions and people you'd like us to interview at [email protected]. Learn more at curiousmonica.com.

In the final episode of Curious Monica Season 2, I reflect on all the conversations I've had this season to create a special advice column for innovators. The past few months have been about transition - transitioning into new workplace norms, new careers, and new ways of innovating. And my guests continued to remind me that greater purpose and intention are the heart of what we do. But what exactly does it mean to create and live for tomorrow? This episode summarizes some of the best answers to that question, and serves as an extra dose of inspiration (and curiosity) as the year closes.

Thanks again to all my guests and the InnovatorsBox team for making Season 2 happen. See you in the New Year with Season 3! Subscribe today. Curious Monica is hosted by Monica H. Kang and InnovatorsBox. Learn more at curiousmonica.com. Find summary notes here.

I'm curious. What are you curious about lately? How can we transform what we're curious about into actionable intention? In this very special edition of Curious Monica, I invite you to pause and be mindful with me as I lead you through an interactive reflection on curiosity. Yes! Instead of the usual guest interviews, I'm going to share various resources we developed to create an immersive experience for you to use this time to reflect, pause, and be curious. My hope is that you'll walk away from this special episode with new questions, and use this time to reflect, pause and set your intentions as you are mapping out your 2022 goals and intentions.

Subscribe today. Curious Monica is hosted by Monica H. Kang and InnovatorsBox. Learn more at curiousmonica.com. Find summary notes here

Good writing and speeches inspire you, motivate you, and make you feel heard. That's powerful and a skill to hone! So, I was always curious. What would it be like to do this full time, and how does one decide to want to become a speaker or a writer? I mean do you start wanting to become a speaker to have a career as a speaker and writer? No, not necessarily. Having deep curiosity and drive to learn can be the start to how you find yourself as a speaker or a writer. In this episode I speak with authors, speakers, and workplace communicators Don Khouri and Saleema Vellani about their journey into this profession and how others can be successful at it too.

Subscribe today. Curious Monica is hosted by Monica H. Kang and InnovatorsBox. Learn more at curiousmonica.com. Find summary notes here.