Technology tends to be the enabler of change at most organizations, and Gina Ruebensaal helps people and organizations manage that change. From working on the ground for the Federal government in Afghanistan to helping lead one of the largest tech acquisitions in history, she helps clients understand how to use tech and data to make decisions faster and better. She advises students and job seekers to embrace the fast-paced change technology brings to all of our lives and to learn how to use it, not just understand it. Gina shares stories of growing up as a child of diplomats (she has lived in Tel Aviv, Bangkok, Geneva and Washington, D.C.) and provides thoughtful advice on the types of skills critical to working on a global scale. Tune in to hear more advice and tips on how to adapt to the fast-paced world of change we all live in.

About Our Guest

Gina Ruebensaal has more than 20 years of experience advising leaders in the technology and national security arenas. She has focused her career on affecting meaningful transformation in large and complicated organizations, based on a deep understanding of how people and organizations manage change. Most recently, Gina drove VMware's chief operating officer's executive change strategy for VMware's ambitious SaaS transformation. This included advising operations leadership on prioritization, potential friction points, and on leading 4k+ employees through one of the largest tech acquisitions in history. Before pivoting to the technology industry, Gina spent 15+ years consulting for U.S. national security agencies. Her areas of expertise include transformation, strategy development and implementation, futures analysis and leadership. She leveraged those capabilities to advance a variety of initiatives in the Federal government, including countering IED networks, critical infrastructure development, analytic modernization, public-private partnerships, and a major agency transformation. She lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area, where she enjoys spending as much time with her family as possible, travel and yoga.

About the Global Careers Podcast Series

This podcast presents inspiring stories from seasoned professionals who have embraced a global role and reaped the benefits. We offer practical advice and insider tips across a broad swath of industries and fields around the world about what it is like to work globally. If you love adventure and thrive on taking risks and operating outside your comfort zone, join us as we explore the ins and outs of pursuing an international career!

About GW-CIBER

The George Washington University Center for International Business Education and Research (GW-CIBER) promotes the nation’s capacity for international understanding and economic enterprise related to the theme of Institutions, Resilient Globalization and Sustainable Competitiveness.

Despite a broad cross-domain background, Tim Gilday has always had a particular passion for technology and science, which has helped lead him to his current role as a futurist thought leader working with government, industry and academic leaders. He shares how he gets to spend every day doing what he loves: learning, being curious, and figuring out how tech and societal trends can bring positive impact to his clients (U.S. Federal agencies). He encourages listeners to embrace the accelerated pace of change in tech; to not be afraid of it, but to learn and leverage it to help you do your job better, faster and more easily. He sees an intersection between democratizing tech and a global mindset —and as a GW MBA alumnus, he has some specific advice for grad students.

About Our Guest

Tim Gilday is a futurist thought leader focused on the ethical and optimal application of emerging technology for the U.S. government and society. He collaborates with government, academic and industry leaders to identify global risks and opportunities, as well as those posed by the increasing pace of technological innovation, and develops policy and practices to guide agency digital transformation and readiness to embrace disruption. Tim has an undergraduate degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Maryland - College Park and an International Business MBA from the George Washington University. Cosmology, physics and emerging technology have been lifelong passions.

About the Global Careers Podcast Series

This podcast presents inspiring stories from seasoned professionals who have embraced a global role and reaped the benefits. We offer practical advice and insider tips across a broad swath of industries and fields around the world about what it is like to work globally. If you love adventure and thrive on taking risks and operating outside your comfort zone, join us as we explore the ins and outs of pursuing an international career!

About GW-CIBER

The George Washington University Center for International Business Education and Research (GW-CIBER) promotes the nation’s capacity for international understanding and economic enterprise related to the theme of Institutions, Resilient Globalization and Sustainable Competitiveness.

There is so much to learn from Grace Schroeder, a visionary leader who helps businesses get to the heart of the problems quickly by identifying, integrating and harmonizing existing apps and tools into a business's platform through Slingr, the company she founded in 2011. She shares how she began her career in finance (after earning a degree in psychology), but evolved to tech when she realized it was what she was most attracted to in her job at the time. She explains how she listened to what made her happy, which eventually led her to found her own company. Slingr is based in Miami, but the vast majority of its workforce is in Mendoza, Argentina. Tune in as Grace explains that it's never been a better time to look for jobs for people who are truly curious and willing to train themselves to notice what excites them — not just to take a job from one of many resume postings.

About Our Guest

Grace Schroeder is the founder and CEO of Slingr, a low-code platform company. She is a notable tech leader recognized for driving the company towards innovation in the low-code/no-code sectors. With a rich software development and business background, she has positioned Slingr as a key player in low-code solutions, bringing both the platform and professional services that make custom application development accessible to businesses of all sizes. Her approach combines technical vision with strategic business insights, emphasizing efficiency, innovation, and empowerment in the digital landscape.

About the Global Careers Podcast Series

This podcast presents inspiring stories from seasoned professionals who have embraced a global role and reaped the benefits. We offer practical advice and insider tips across a broad swath of industries and fields around the world about what it is like to work globally. If you love adventure and thrive on taking risks and operating outside your comfort zone, join us as we explore the ins and outs of pursuing an international career!

About GW-CIBER

The George Washington University Center for International Business Education and Research (GW-CIBER) promotes the nation’s capacity for international understanding and economic enterprise related to the theme of Institutions, Resilient Globalization and Sustainable Competitiveness.

Being a subject matter expert on U.S.-China and U.S.-Taiwan relations has been the main constant of Greer Meisels’ career as she worked for the U.S. Treasury, a financial services trade association, and now Intel, one of the world’s largest companies. She admits she’s no technologist but is required to think through and apply her global knowledge to advise on policy, geography and geopolitics as business and technology intersect — and she advises listeners that there will most likely be a tech component to almost any field they choose. She shares stories of her global experiences and offers candid perspective on a few of her greatest career challenges thus far, including moving to China for a year and leaving her partner, friends and family back in the U.S.

About Our Guest

Greer Meisels is the inaugural director of external affairs at Intel Corporation, where she is responsible for building relationships and strategic partnerships that strengthen Intel's position as an industry leader. She came to Intel from the Institute of International Finance (IIF), the global association of the financial services industry, where she served as chief of staff to the president and CEO for more than four years. Prior to joining the IIF, she held several positions in the International Affairs division of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, including as senior advisor to the under secretary of international affairs. Her work at Treasury also focused on the U.S.-China economic relationship as well as on investment security issues on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) specializing in emerging technologies and biotechnology. Earlier in her career, Greer worked at several think tanks and was also a visiting lecturer at the China Foreign Affairs University, in Beijing. While hailing from Dallas, Texas, she has lived in New York City, Beijing, Boston, Taipei, Washington, D.C., and now Baltimore. She is also fortunate that her work has taken her around the globe, mostly to Latin America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. She graduated from Harvard University with her A.M. from the Regional Studies East Asia Program in 2012 and received her B.A. from Hunter College, City University of New York in Political Science with a dual concentration in East Asian studies and Art History in 2007. In her spare time, Greer sits on the Board of Watershed Collaborative, a non-profit organization that offers PreK-12 teachers affordable and engaging web-based courses, coaching, and instructional resources. She is also an enthusiastic novice fly fisherman and a wannabe cheesemonger.

About the Global Careers Podcast Series

This podcast presents inspiring stories from seasoned professionals who have embraced a global role and reaped the benefits. We offer practical advice and insider tips across a broad swath of industries and fields around the world about what it is like to work globally. If you love adventure and thrive on taking risks and operating outside your comfort zone, join us as we explore the ins and outs of pursuing an international career!

About GW-CIBER

The George Washington University Center for International Business Education and Research (GW-CIBER) promotes the nation’s capacity for international understanding and economic enterprise related to the theme of Institutions, Resilient Globalization and Sustainable Competitiveness.

Fintech is a global industry that has enabled entrepreneurs to raise money through crowdsourcing all over the word. Yet it’s not as easy as it sounds without the help of an expert like Maureen Murat, who explains the complications that can arise with the combination of AI and machine learning, legal and cross-border regulation of blockchain and cryptocurrency, and cross-cultural communication and negotiations. Tune in as she shares stories of her adventures working in the Middle East and how she always does her research to prepare for cross-cultural engagement. She shares many of the lessons she’s learned, including the importance of clarifying situations in the moment to get through challenging situations, prioritizing what matters in both personal and professional life, and recognizing that it’s OK to change your mind!

About Our Guest

Maureen L. Murat is an attorney and principal of Crowdie Advisors, LLC*, a business consulting firm dedicated to helping entrepreneurs and small businesses with strategy, planning and problem-solving services when considering equity crowdfunding to raise capital. Maureen has worked internationally advising fintech companies, consulting and presenting on various topics such as crowdfunding, blockchain, and business strategy. Maureen has also taught Intro to Blockchain and the Law, Tokenomics and Cryptocurrency Regulations, and Smart Cities, Smart Government at the University of New Hampshire, Franklin Pierce School of Law. She is a member of the Crowdfunding Professional Association, a non-profit organization that focuses on growing the crowdfunding community globally and follows the blockchain/cryptocurrency industry. Maureen received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Nova Southeastern University, her graduate degree in Homeland Security with a focus on disaster management from American Military University, and her Law degree from the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law. She has worked through the Middle East and speaks Haitian Creole and French.

*Maureen is a Senior Attorney in the Policy Unit of the Legal Division at FDIC, where she works primarily on consumer protection-related issues, but the content of this interview represents Maureen’s point of view as Principal of Crowdie Advisors.

About the Global Careers Podcast Series

This podcast presents inspiring stories from seasoned professionals who have embraced a global role and reaped the benefits. We offer practical advice and insider tips across a broad swath of industries and fields around the world about what it is like to work globally. If you love adventure and thrive on taking risks and operating outside your comfort zone, join us as we explore the ins and outs of pursuing an international career!

About GW-CIBER

The George Washington University Center for International Business Education and Research (GW-CIBER) promotes the nation’s capacity for international understanding and economic enterprise related to the theme of Institutions, Resilient Globalization and Sustainable Competitiveness.

What does a degree in international peace and conflict resolution have to do with a career in the private sector? A whole lot, according to Andrea Gooz, who explains how her cross-cultural communication and negotiation skills have been applied to overcome and minimize obstacles for effective business across borders. She shares tips for working across cultures, noting that even after working in more than 75 countries with teams all over the world over the course of 20+ years, she still prepares to be surprised by the people she encounters and the experiences she has on the ground. Andrea admits that she’s no technologist but recognizes that she must understand the role technology plays in her field to do her job – and encourages everyone to do the same.

About Our Guest

Andrea Gooz is vice president for Global Citizen Services at General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT). GDIT is a global technology and professional services company delivering consulting, technology and mission services across the United States government, defense and intelligence community. GDIT’s Global Citizen Services business provides governments with leading-edge technology and services that ensure secure and efficient cross-border travel and trade. Ms. Gooz has more than 20 years’ experience leading international teams spanning 75 countries, providing services to U.S. and international government clients in the management of international migration. She holds a B.A. in Political Science and French from Messiah University, an M.A. in International Peace and Conflict Resolution from American University, and a certificate in International Migration Studies from Georgetown University.

About the Global Careers Podcast Series

This podcast presents inspiring stories from seasoned professionals who have embraced a global role and reaped the benefits. We offer practical advice and insider tips across a broad swath of industries and fields around the world about what it is like to work globally. If you love adventure and thrive on taking risks and operating outside your comfort zone, join us as we explore the ins and outs of pursuing an international career!

About GW-CIBER

The George Washington University Center for International Business Education and Research (GW-CIBER) promotes the nation’s capacity for international understanding and economic enterprise related to the theme of Institutions, Resilient Globalization and Sustainable Competitiveness.

One of the best perks of a global job is the travel — and this is definitely true for Megan Yarmuth, who says Doha Hamad Airport is the best in the world! Megan is head of PR for Ogilvy Doha, having finally gotten her chance to go global after working in the public relations industry in Washington, D.C. for years. She explains how she landed the position, including the important role networking has played throughout her career. Have a listen as Megan explains the skills PR professionals must have: great writing, relationship building, and the ability to think on their feet both creatively and strategically since the industry is both proactive and reactive. Add the global component and it gets even more complicated. Megan shares some of the lessons she has learned working in the Middle East with a global team and offers tips to listeners interested in pursuing a global career: network, have fun, and consider the Middle East and Asia, which need the skills and education American students can offer.

About Our Guest

Megan Yarmuth is an award-winning communications professional with more than 18 years of experience working for some of the biggest global PR agencies. Currently she is head of PR at Ogilvy Doha, where she leads the public relations team on accounts including Qatar Foundation and Qatar Tourism. She recently moved to Doha from Washington, D.C. with her husband and two school-age sons. In D.C., she worked for Weber Shandwick on public health and awareness campaigns for the CDC. Megan is also an entrepreneur who co-founded and managed a video production and digital media company, Rockhouse, as well as a GW alumna, having earned her MBA with a focus on marketing in 2009.

About the Global Careers Podcast Series

This podcast presents inspiring stories from seasoned professionals who have embraced a global role and reaped the benefits. We offer practical advice and insider tips across a broad swath of industries and fields around the world about what it is like to work globally. If you love adventure and thrive on taking risks and operating outside your comfort zone, join us as we explore the ins and outs of pursuing an international career!

About GW-CIBER

The George Washington University Center for International Business Education and Research (GW-CIBER) promotes the nation’s capacity for international understanding and economic enterprise related to the theme of Institutions, Resilient Globalization and Sustainable Competitiveness.

A career in brand management means that almost every day is a multi-tasking, fast-paced day filled with variety. This is exactly what enticed Tracy Haffner from the get-go, and she has tremendous experience in marketing and general management for some of the world's most prestigious brands: Saks Fifth Avenue, Reckitt, Kraft Foods and Avon. She is currently the chief operating officer for Woosh Beauty, and shares in this episode how she's growing this DTC beauty brand, emphasizing the need for excellent customer service — an element of marketing that seems to be getting lost in the digital space. Tracy shares both challenges and opportunities involved in running a global brand, including global supplier issues, multi-cultural consumer preferences, and the unique challenges in delivering beauty products direct to consumer (ask her about shading!).

About Our Guest

Tracy Roe Haffner has more than 30 years of marketing and general management experience in the consumer packaged goods industry. She started her career in 1992 after graduating with an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis, and then spent two years at Reckitt, 12 years at Kraft Foods, six years at Avon, and two years at Saks Fifth Avenue. For the past seven years, she has been running a small DTC beauty brand, Woosh Beauty, in New York City and enjoying the brand’s triple digit growth. Tracy’s experience in global marketing started at Kraft but was strengthened by her time at Avon as she headed up global marketing across three key categories: fragrance, skincare, and fashion and home. Now she is laying the groundwork to take Woosh Beauty to select international markets.

About the Global Careers Podcast Series

This podcast presents inspiring stories from seasoned professionals who have embraced a global role and reaped the benefits. We offer practical advice and insider tips across a broad swath of industries and fields around the world about what it is like to work globally. If you love adventure and thrive on taking risks and operating outside your comfort zone, join us as we explore the ins and outs of pursuing an international career!

About GW-CIBER

The George Washington University Center for International Business Education and Research (GW-CIBER) promotes the nation’s capacity for international understanding and economic enterprise related to the theme of Institutions, Resilient Globalization and Sustainable Competitiveness.

If you're interested in breaking into the fashion marketing industry, Elizabeth Drori advises starting as soon as possible — even taking a retail job in college. In this episode, she explains that her passion for marketing stems from connecting with consumers through multiple touch points, learning what they want to buy, and then figuring out how to get them to buy in order to grow the business. The fashion industry adds a fun and exciting element to a marketing career — while embracing AI, digital marketing and eCommerce has completely changed marketing for most every industry around the world. But the heart of every great brand marketing campaign is clarity: the sharper and more focused you are, the better the results.

About Our Guest

Elizabeth Drori is the chief marketing officer at Sperry and is responsible for developing and executing Sperry's global brand strategy, delivering integrated marketing campaigns across all consumer touchpoints, and leading the brand's global communications, digital advertising, creative services and social media efforts. She brings more than a decade of experience guiding fashion organizations and driving revenue growth as head of marketing for Walmart's fashion business, leading an omnichannel marketing team focused on driving perception change and new customer acquisition, and serving in global brand management and strategy at Converse.

About the Global Careers Podcast Series

This podcast presents inspiring stories from seasoned professionals who have embraced a global role and reaped the benefits. We offer practical advice and insider tips across a broad swath of industries and fields around the world about what it is like to work globally. If you love adventure and thrive on taking risks and operating outside your comfort zone, join us as we explore the ins and outs of pursuing an international career!

About GW-CIBER

The George Washington University Center for International Business Education and Research (GW-CIBER) promotes the nation’s capacity for international understanding and economic enterprise related to the theme of Institutions, Resilient Globalization and Sustainable Competitiveness.

Study abroad experiences can transform your life, which is what happened to Forte Fellow Jennifer Baaklini after her first trip to Italy as an undergrad. She then went on to South Africa and spent a summer in India, eventually landing a job at the Institute of International Education (IIE) to promote the prestigious Fulbright program. In this episode, Jennifer shares how she continues to learn and apply her cross-cultural aptitude in concert with her digital marketing skills to deliver successful social media campaigns for her international clients. It's not an easy task because communicating on a global scale can be overwhelming, so she recommends clearly defining your audience and paying especially close attention to details to avoid mistakes, which can wreck a campaign. Giving a shout out to the GW MBA program, Jennifer highlights the skills gained through the program's group projects, specifically adaptability and versatility, which she values because they have helped her become a better consultant.

About Our Guest

Jennifer Baaklini is currently the director of digital strategy at FGS Global, a communications and public affairs consultancy with offices in 27 cities around the world. Jennifer specializes in advising clients on digital strategy to advance public diplomacy and foreign policy objectives, particularly related to the Middle East. Prior to FGS Global, Jennifer worked at the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs as well as the Institute of International Education (IIE) in social media management. She began her career as a journalist in the Philadelphia suburbs before living in New York City and Washington, DC. Jennifer holds an MBA from the George Washington University (’20) where, as a Forté Fellow, she focused on leadership management and marketing. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Journalism from the Schreyer Honors College at Pennsylvania State University (’11).

About the Global Careers Podcast Series

This podcast presents inspiring stories from seasoned professionals who have embraced a global role and reaped the benefits. We offer practical advice and insider tips across a broad swath of industries and fields around the world about what it is like to work globally. If you love adventure and thrive on taking risks and operating outside your comfort zone, join us as we explore the ins and outs of pursuing an international career!

About GW-CIBER

The George Washington University Center for International Business Education and Research (GW-CIBER) promotes the nation’s capacity for international understanding and economic enterprise related to the theme of Institutions, Resilient Globalization and Sustainable Competitiveness.