EMERGE Everywhere

Episode description: 

Stephanie Cohen quickly rose through the ranks at Goldman Sachs to become one of the youngest members of the bank’s senior leadership, joining just a small handful of women at that level. In her new role overseeing consumer and wealth management for the organization, she shepherds a vision for diversity and inclusion that prioritizes broad consumer access to high-quality financial solutions. In this episode, Jennifer and Stephanie discuss how the bank is leveraging fintech and personalized solutions to meet diverse consumer needs, while empowering clients and customers to reach their financial goals.

Speaker bio: 

Stephanie Cohen is global co-head of Consumer and Wealth Management at Goldman Sachs, a member of the firm’s Management Committee, and global executive sponsor of the Women’s Network. Prior to her current role, Stephanie drove strategy, M&A, strategic investing, and partnerships as the firm’s chief strategy officer. She also spearheaded Launch With GS, the organization’s $500 million commitment to invest in diverse-led companies and investment managers, and GS Accelerate, the firm’s in-house innovation engine. Stephanie joined Goldman Sachs as an analyst in 1999, was named managing director in 2008, and became a partner in 2014.

From his term as the 59th mayor of New Orleans to his nearly two decades leading the National Urban League, Marc Morial has been one of the country’s most influential advocates for civil rights. In this episode, Jennifer talks with Marc about important influences in his early life, why he feels building coalitions is like making gumbo, and how the National Urban League is continuing the important legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s campaign for economic justice.

How can a global powerhouse of media and technology best leverage its resources to build a more diverse and inclusive workplace and world? Newly appointed Chief Diversity Officer at Comcast NBCUniversal, Dalila Wilson-Scott, takes that challenge on every day, in addition to leading the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation and heading the company’s community impact work. In this episode, Jennifer and Dalila discuss corporate responsibility, strategies for raising the bar on diversity and inclusion through policies and programs, and the role media can play in cultivating positive change.

Episode Description:

After a remarkable 30-plus year career at the largest U.S. bank, JPMorgan Chase, Alice Rodriguez was called upon to lead its recently announced $30 billion initiative providing economic opportunities for underserved communities, especially Black and Latinx communities, over the next five years as Head of Community Practices, Engagement and Inclusion. Daughter of an immigrant and current chairwoman for the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Alice shares insights about her perspective and goals for supporting underserved communities across the country.

Speaker Bio:

Alice Rodriguez has more than 30 years of extensive banking experience with JPMorgan Chase and its predecessors, starting in her native Texas. Alice holds a BBA in Management from the University of Texas at Brownsville. A few of her many community and business leadership recognitions include Hispanic Lifestyle Magazine’s Latina of Influence, Hispanic Business Magazine’s Corporate Elite, and Northwood University’s Distinguished Women’s Series Award. Northwood University. Alice is married and has a blended family of seven children.

From her seat at The Aspen Institute, Judy Samuelson has led a 10-year campaign to disrupt Milton Friedman’s narrative that corporations solely exist to maximize shareholder value. The past two years have provided some watershed moments. In 2019, public statements from the Business Roundtable and World Economic Forum signalled corporate leaders were embracing stakeholder capitalism – a mission to serve customers, suppliers, workers, and communities, rather than solely shareholders. But 2020 has severely tested these principes, from the pandemic to racial unrest and political divisiveness. In the wake of all this, have CEOs’ actions supported their words? In this episode, Judy discusses how corporations have responded to current crises, what it means for the future of stakeholder capitalism, and how businesses can succeed in tomorrow’s economic and social landscape.

In the final episode of the year, Financial Health Network President and CEO Jennifer Tescher takes a moment to look back on the engaging conversations she had with her guests and the three silver linings that emerged from this challenging year: a growing energy around stakeholder capitalism, racial equity, and empathy. This momentum offers a sense of hope for healing and transformation in the coming year. EMERGE Everywhere will be back in January 2021 with new episodes. Happy holidays!

Health and financial health are inextricably intertwined. As income and wealth increase or decrease, so does physical well-being. This is especially apparent in underserved communities, which have disproportionately borne the financial and health impacts of COVID-19. The close connection between health and wealth underscores the need for cross-industry leaders to identify challenges and develop integrated solutions to support wellness. Dr. Richard Besser, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and former acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is one of the leading voices on health equity. In this episode, Jennifer talks with him about this connection, the challenges facing the American healthcare system, and how we can create a system that supports health and financial wellness for all.

AARP Foundation President Lisa Marsh Ryerson joins Jennifer to talk about the importance of partnerships to address the financial health needs of people as they age. In the midst of a global pandemic that is having an outsized impact on older people, forging these partnerships is more critical than ever. Listen in as they discuss the financial health, physical health, and racial disparities affecting older Americans, and how an integrated financial health ecosystem is key to finding solutions. 

By offering robust benefits and resources, employers are ideally positioned to improve worker financial health while also improving their own bottom lines. One company that has integrated financial health into the workplace effectively is Prudential Financial. In this episode, host Jennifer Tescher explores the tools critical to build financial resilience with Prudential’s Yanela Frias, President of Retirement, and Jamie Kalamarides, President of Group Insurance.

For Jelena McWilliams, the mission of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)  – to maintain stability and public confidence in the nation’s financial system – is a personal one. After immigrating to the U.S. with only $500, she put herself through undergraduate and law school to become one of the leading voices for financial inclusion. In this episode, Jelena shares with Jennifer what it’s like to head the FDIC during a time of such extreme economic hardship and uncertainty, revealing her keen sense of empathy for the challenges currently facing the most financially vulnerable Americans.