Leadership Portraits

A conversation about working with others and making room for what comes next

Monica Cartwright describes herself as having been raised in operations. She began answering phones at a bank, found that she enjoyed solving customers’ problems, and grew through stretch assignments offered by leaders who saw her potential. Her experience spans financial services, customer operations, revenue operations and business transformation.

In this conversation with Jennifer Wright, Monica explains why clarity and partnership shape her leadership. People need to understand the goal, what is expected of them, and how their work affects others. She also makes a point of asking colleagues what she might be missing, especially when a project appears to be going well.

Monica shares how reaching out for feedback helped her build working relationships and improve her work. She speaks candidly about being an introvert, learning to build connections beyond her employer, and keeping those relationships alive without needing something from every conversation.

The conversation also turns to the human judgment needed alongside AI, the value of communication and self-awareness, and the importance of checking whether your work still supports the future you want. Monica is exploring how to apply what she has learned to ideas of her own while remaining open to opportunities in operations and transformation.

“you don’t have all the answers and you’re not always right.”

On self-awareness and asking colleagues to challenge an approach

“How do I ensure the success of this project, this task, this initiative?”

On moving past fear of criticism and focusing on the work

“I think you kind of box yourself in if you expect and follow a straight path.”

On learning from an indirect career path

Monica Cartwright has spent more than 25 years leading teams, improving customer experiences and helping organizations navigate change. During a 21-year career at Equifax, she progressed from project management to vice president, leading customer operations, revenue programs and business transformation initiatives. Based in the Atlanta area, she brings a practical perspective shaped by the people and day-to-day work behind business results.

Monica on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mdcartwright/

Leadership Portraits is a gallery of inspirational leadership, exploring the stories, experiences, and qualities that shape how people lead. Hosted by Jennifer Wright, the podcast shares conversations about the people behind the work. Follow for more conversations at LeadershipPortraits.com.

Leadership Portraits podcast: https://leadershipportraits.com/podcast/

More conversations: https://leadershipportraits.com/

Jennifer Wright on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferwrightexecuwright/

Contact Jennifer: [email protected]

Stacy Kamigaki is a fractional CMO, firm owner, and Leadership Voices coauthor whose work centers on growing businesses and developing the people behind them. In this conversation on Leadership Portraits, she joins Jennifer Wright to explore how the leaders we see shape the leaders we become—and why there’s room for more than one way to lead.

The conversation begins with Stacy’s move into fractional leadership and what it means to take responsibility for marketing as part of a company’s leadership team. From there, she shares her approach to mentorship: understand each person’s strengths, interests, and ambitions, then help them grow with those differences in mind. She also reflects on what younger generations are teaching established leaders about speaking up and seeing the whole person.

At the center of the episode is Stacy’s Leadership Voices chapter, “See It Be It.” Writing it helped her connect experiences across her career, while conversations with eight leaders revealed how differently people describe the qualities they value. A young Sunday school student’s dream of becoming a nurse or doctor brought the idea into focus: the examples around us can expand what we believe is possible.

Stacy encourages emerging leaders to begin with self-awareness, seek feedback, and notice where their strengths can meet a real need. She also shares the story of a company rebrand that brought people from multiple acquisitions together around a shared identity. What made that work meaningful was the team’s sense of ownership in the result.

The conversation closes with the value of learning across disciplines, books Stacy returns to, and the advice she’d offer her younger self: slow down, reflect, recognize the people who have helped you, and ask who you want to become—not only what you want to accomplish.

“And that’s really important because it all comes down to the people.”

On bringing people into a shared identity

“I guess I’m just a student at heart, but I love going into those sessions and just learning something new.”

On curiosity and continuous learning

“Not just what I want to do, but what do I want to be?”

On reflection and the advice she’d give her younger self

Stacy Kamigaki | Fractional CMO and firm owner, yorCMO

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacykamigaki/

Your Story. Your Brand. — October 28, 2026, 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. as listed by BPW Colorado. Attend in Denver or via Zoom. Details and registration: https://www.bpwcolorado.org/event-6860933

Read Stacy’s chapter, “See It Be It,” in Leadership Voices.

www.LeadershipVoicesBook.com

Dare to Lead — Brené Brown

Good to Great — Jim Collins

Traction — Gino Wickman

Host: Jennifer Wright

Podcast: Leadership Portraits

Leadership Portraits is a gallery of inspirational leadership, exploring the stories, experiences, and qualities that shape how people lead. Follow for more conversations about the people behind the work.

www.LeadershipPortraits.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferwrightexecuwright/

Episode Summary

Lisseth Zouhbi is a Chief Human Resources Officer with 25 years of experience, a coauthor of multiple leadership anthologies—including Leadership Voices—a speaker, and a mother of two. In this conversation on Leadership Portraits, she shares the philosophy and frameworks that have shaped her career and her approach to developing leaders at every level.

At the center of this conversation is Lisseth’s concept of the Emotional Compass—a five-step framework for navigating emotional intelligence in the workplace. The steps move from self-awareness (identifying what triggers your emotions) through understanding the “why,” reading the situation and those around you, responding with intention, and finally reflecting on what you learned. In hybrid and remote work environments where reading tone and body language is harder than ever, she argues this skill is becoming non-negotiable for effective leadership.

Lisseth also speaks candidly about change management in the age of AI—a topic she sees as fundamentally a people challenge, not a technology one. For her, soft skills like critical thinking, communication, and emotional intelligence are more essential now than ever, precisely because AI cannot replace the human judgment required to validate, question, and act on its outputs.

She shares how her organization built a tiered leadership development program covering senior executives, middle managers, and emerging leaders—and what skills she believes every aspiring leader must prioritize. Her advice to her younger self is both simple and powerful: make mistakes, don’t be hard on yourself, and never stop pushing forward.

Lisseth Zouhbi embodies the kind of leader she encourages others to become—one who never stops learning, invests deeply in the people around her, and leads with curiosity, resilience, and heart.

“I tell my kids and I tell my team: never stop learning. Always be curious, because no one’s going to take that away from you.”

On continuous learning and curiosity

“It’s like having your own personal compass—because you need to understand how to navigate your personal emotions to drive whatever outcome that you are seeking.”

On the Emotional Compass concept

“Always persevere. Continue to push yourself, regardless of what the outcome is, because it just helps to continue to build who you are and who you’re going to be.”

Closing message

Learn more about Leadership Voices - the book that Lisseth recently co-authored.

www.LeadershipVoicesBook.com or

on Amazon at: https://a.co/d/0gA6vRwF

Connect With Us and Learn More about Leadership Portraits

• Host: Jennifer Wright
• Podcast: Leadership Portraits
• Description: Leadership Portraits is a gallery that pays homage to the exceptional individuals who have not only led great teams but have also ignited inspiration and motivation in the hearts of their followers. This unique collection of portraits delves into the core qualities that define extraordinary leadership, capturing the essence of those who have left an indelible mark on their respective fields
• Follow for more conversations that explore the stories, struggles, and insights behind modern leaders

www.LeadershipPortraits.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferwrightexecuwright/

Structure and Soul The case for human-first operational leadership

If you've ever felt like you're holding your entire business together with sheer willpower — this episode is for you.

Jen Wyatt is the founder of Elite BizOps and has spent over eleven years helping business owners build the operational systems that let them breathe again. She's a fractional operations expert, a soon-to-be author, and someone who brings a genuinely unique perspective to leadership — one shaped by an art and fashion design background, an MBA, life as a military spouse, and more than a decade of figuring out how people actually work best.

In this conversation, we get into all of it — the messy, the practical, and the refreshingly honest.

In this episode we talk about:

• Why her art background made her a sharper operational thinker
• The "my way or the highway" mindset and why it no longer works
• How to lead remote and hybrid teams with fairness and flexibility
• Using AI responsibly without losing the human touch
• What fractional leadership really looks like day-to-day
• The boundaries and systems she uses to protect her own time and energy
• Why her biggest leadership goal is to work herself out of a job

A few of our favorite moments: "Collaboration fosters innovation. The 'my way or the highway' mindset just fosters the status quo."

"The key commodity moving forward is going to be the human touch."

"In a vacuum, we can create any kind of story we want about any situation. Stop the stories. Keep it simple."

Connect with Jen: Find Jen Wyatt on LinkedIn and follow her newsletter on operational leadership. Her book on operational leadership is coming soon — one you'll want to watch for.

https://www.elite-biz-ops.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennferwyattmba/Connect With Us and Learn More about Leadership Portraits

Connect With Us and Learn More about Leadership Portraits

• Host: Jennifer Wright
• Podcast: Leadership Portraits
• Follow for more conversations that explore the stories, struggles, and insights behind modern leaders

www.LeadershipPortraits.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferwrightexecuwright/

In this episode, Jennifer sits down with Lauren Fox, a seasoned project management leader whose path to leadership looks nothing like a straight line. Lauren opens up about her unexpected entry into project management, the challenges of leading high‑performing teams, and the personal work required to grow beyond people‑pleasing into a grounded, confident leadership style.

Together, they explore the realities of leadership — the emotional load, the role of boundaries, the messy middle of growth, and the courage required to hold space for both yourself and your team. Lauren shares how listening more deeply, understanding what people truly need, and redefining fairness transformed the way she leads. She also speaks candidly about therapy, grace, and the internal journey that’s shaped her more than any job title ever could.

This episode is full of heart, honesty, and practical wisdom for leaders at every stage — especially women who are unlearning old rules and choosing healthier, more sustainable ways to show up at work and in life.

• How Lauren “fell into” project management — and why it stuck
• Leadership growing pains and navigating strong personalities
• Setting boundaries at work without losing compassion
• Fairness vs. sameness: learning what each person truly needs
• Why listening is a leader’s most underrated skill
• How therapy and self-awareness shaped her confidence
• The power of genuine women’s networks
• What’s next as Lauren steps outside her comfort zone

• “People needed to be heard. They didn’t need me to assess it — they needed me to understand.”
• “Fairness isn’t giving everyone the same thing. It’s giving people what they need.”
• “If you’re walking around with yourself all day, don’t be the meanest voice in your own head.”
• “I’m not here to tell my team what to do — I’m here to make it possible for them to do what they do best.”

Lauren Fox is a seasoned project management leader with more than a decade of experience guiding teams and navigating complex transitions in the medical device industry. Though she leads today with clarity and steadiness, her path didn’t begin that way. She spent years overextending herself — saying yes, carrying others’ emotions, and pushing past her limits — until burnout forced her to rebuild her approach from the inside out.

Now, she brings that hard-earned wisdom into her work and her writing, including her chapter Boundaries Don’t Make You a B‑!$@& Word in Leadership Voices. She hopes her journey helps other women reclaim their energy, confidence, and boundaries one brave decision at a time.

Connect with Lauren:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/-lauren-fox/

• Host: Jennifer Wright
• Podcast: Leadership Voices
• Follow for more conversations that explore the stories, struggles, and insights behind modern leaders

www.LeadershipVoices.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferwrightexecuwright/

Barbara (Bosslady) Heil-Sonneck

Let’s Collaborate for Impact and Growth” Opportunity Architect and Connector – Real Estate & Investments – Nonprofit Focus for Social Impact – CEO and World Traveler.

With over two decades of management experience and a focus on real estate investments, she is dedicated to driving community impact in all her endeavors. This commitment has led her to her current roles as a General Partner in multifamily real estate syndication and an Advisory Board Member in 2 companies.

At the heart of her professional journey is a commitment to strategic wealth building and empowering others through her expertise in organizational setup, fostering growth, and innovative thinking.

In her advisory roles, she leverages her knowledge to tackle operational challenges, teambuilding, collaboration and focus on investor relations.

If you would like to connect with Barbara you can find her at www.BarbaraHS.com or on LinkedIn: Barbara Heil-Sonneck

Her books are available on Amazon at:

Real Women in Real Estate

Powerful Female Immigrants

The Venus Approach to Real Estate

About Leadership Portraits:

Leadership Portraits is a curated collection of extraordinary individuals who have mastered the delicate brushstrokes of influence, resilience, and vision. Each portrait is a testament to the unique leadership styles that have shaped industries, communities, and legacies. Explore the nuanced narratives behind each face, and let these captivating images inspire your own journey of leadership excellence. Join us in celebrating the diverse stories that define leadership in its myriad forms—captured, framed, and showcased for your inspiration.

To learn more about the leaders featured here go to www.leadershipportraits.com. You can read articles about the guests and view video clips.

If you know a leader who would make a great portrait, please use the nomination link to submit their nomination - you may nominate yourself.

https://leadershipportraits.com/nominations/

Connect with us:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadership-portraits

Connect with Podcast Host Jennifer Wright:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferwrightexecuwright/

About Community Assistance Center:

Community Assistance Center (CAC) provides basic needs assistance for neighbors to prevent homelessness and hunger while promoting self-sufficiency and empowering them to thrive.

We pursue this mission through a series of services to residents of Sandy Springs and Dunwoody, Georgia:

• Financial Assistance
• 3 Food Pantries
• Thrift Store
• Adult Education
• Career Center
• CAC Cares 4 Kids – backpacks, summer lunches, coats for winter, gifts at Christmas
• Volunteer Income Tax Assistance

To help support the CAC visit: https://ourcac.org/

Francis K. Horton, III grew up in Mississippi and graduated from Mississippi State University with a B.S. in Computer Science. After graduating from Mississippi College School of Law in 1987, Francis served as Staff Attorney for the Department of Justice until 1994.

In 1995 he was appointed by the International Mission Board to an overseas post where he did a variety of mission, community development and disaster response work.

He and his family have lived and served in Pakistan, Thailand, India, Singapore and Turkey. Francis has directed responses to several major disasters and worked in community development projects in more than 16 countries.

He stepped into his current position of Chief Executive Officer of Community Assistance Center in 2021 and moved to Sandy Springs.

About Leadership Portraits:

Leadership Portraits is a curated collection of extraordinary individuals who have mastered the delicate brushstrokes of influence, resilience, and vision. Each portrait is a testament to the unique leadership styles that have shaped industries, communities, and legacies. Explore the nuanced narratives behind each face, and let these captivating images inspire your own journey of leadership excellence. Join us in celebrating the diverse stories that define leadership in its myriad forms—captured, framed, and showcased for your inspiration.

To learn more about the leaders featured here go to www.leadershipportraits.com. You can read articles about the guests and view video clips.

If you know a leader who would make a great portrait, please use the nomination link to submit their nomination - you may nominate yourself.

https://leadershipportraits.com/nominations/

Connect with us:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadership-portraits

Connect with Podcast Host Jennifer Wright:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferwrightexecuwright/

In this episode of Leadership Portraits, host Jennifer Wright sits down with Brian Dedischew, a fractional strategic leader specializing in CIO and CTO roles, to discuss the emerging trend of fractional leadership in the business world.

In an era of rapid business evolution, a new role in executive leadership is emerging: fractional leadership. This model, particularly prevalent in startups, is reshaping how companies access high-level expertise. To gain deeper insights into this trend, we conducted an in-depth interview with Brian Dedischew, a fractional strategic leader specializing in CIO and CTO roles.

"Surround yourself with what you want to be. So, if you want to make millions of dollars, you should be surrounding yourself with people who make millions of dollars. If you want to be the best leader possible in your space, make sure you're surrounding yourself with those same types of leaders." - Brian Dedischew

Brian Dedischew, a dynamic business strategy executive with over 20 years of experience, excels in leading large-scale security transformation programs and managing multimillion-dollar budgets to drive innovative solutions and strategic growth. His expertise in translating complex security challenges into global solutions, coupled with his passion for supporting small and medium-sized businesses, makes him a versatile leader in fostering innovation across various industries. When not spearheading organizational transformations or optimizing operational excellence.

Discussion Topics:

• The rise of fractional leadership in various C-suite roles (CFO, CMO, CRO, CTO, CIO)
• Challenges and benefits of working with multiple companies as a fractional leader
• Strategies for effective time management and networking in a fractional role
• The importance of surrounding yourself with people who align with your goals
• Creating an environment that encourages creative problem-solving and innovation
• The future of fractional leadership and its impact on traditional executive roles

Resources Mentioned

Change Your Paradigm, Change Your Life – August 21, 2021, By Bob Proctor

Find on Amazon

Sebastian Enges Video: We Always Do What We Value Most

Find on YouTube

Connect with Brian Dedischew:

To learn more about Brian, you can connect with him on LinkedIn

About Leadership Portraits:

Leadership Portraits is a curated collection of extraordinary individuals who have mastered the delicate brushstrokes of influence, resilience, and vision. Each portrait is a testament to the unique leadership styles that have shaped industries, communities, and legacies. Explore the nuanced narratives behind each face, and let these captivating images inspire your own journey of leadership excellence. Join us in celebrating the diverse stories that define leadership in its myriad forms—captured, framed, and showcased for your inspiration.

To learn more about the leaders featured here go to www.leadershipportraits.com. You can read articles about the guests and view video clips.

If you know a leader who would make a great portrait, please use the nomination link to submit their nomination - you may nominate yourself.

https://leadershipportraits.com/nominations/

Connect with us:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadership-portraits

Connect with Podcast Host Jennifer Wright:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferwrightexecuwright/

Amanda Witmond never expected her teaching career to unfold the way it did. Fresh out of college and stepping into her first classroom as a second grade teacher, she had no idea that within a few short years she would be thrust into a leadership role during one of the most challenging periods in modern education. But as Amanda reflects on her five-year journey as an educator, it’s clear that the unexpected twists and turns helped shape her into a dynamic leader with valuable insights to share.

There’s little doubt that whatever role Amanda takes on next, she’ll approach it with the same dedication, adaptability, and collaborative spirit that made her such an effective educator and leader. Her journey serves as an inspiring reminder of the wealth of talent and transferable skills that teachers possess – and the tremendous value they can bring to any organization lucky enough to have them.

To learn more about Amanda read her Leadership Portraits profile here: https://leadershipportraits.com/amandawitmond/

Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-witmond-profile/

Editor's Note: Since this episode was recorded, Amanda was offered and accepted a curriculum designer role at an Atlanta-based company. Join me in congratulating Amanda on this new, exciting venture.

Leadership Portraits is a curated collection of extraordinary individuals who have mastered the delicate brushstrokes of influence, resilience, and vision. Each portrait is a testament to the unique leadership styles that have shaped industries, communities, and legacies. Explore the nuanced narratives behind each face, and let these captivating images inspire your own journey of leadership excellence. Join us in celebrating the diverse stories that define leadership in its myriad forms—captured, framed, and showcased for your inspiration.

To learn more about the leaders featured here go to www.leadershipportraits.com. You can read articles about the guests and view video clips.

If you know a leader who would make a great portrait, please use the nomination link to submit their nomination - you may nominate yourself.

https://leadershipportraits.com/nominations/

Connect with us:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadership-portraits

Whether you’re an aspiring author, songwriter, speaker or simply someone looking to live a more creative life, the path to self-expression and fulfillment often lies in the stories we tell. In a recent episode of The Author’s Way podcast, host Jennifer Wright sat down with Brian Perry – a Singer-songwriter, authentic communication coach, copywriter, speaker and author – to discuss the transformative power of storytelling and how to embark on your own creative journey. We are re-posting that episode for the the Leadership Portraits podcast audience because there were so many insights that Brian shared that also applies to leadership.

For Perry, creativity has been a lifelong pursuit and outlet, though he didn’t always feel he quite fit in. “I felt like I didn’t make sense in most places…I was too sensitive, I felt too deeply,” he recalls of his youth. It was music that first provided an entry point, allowing him to channel those intense emotions.

To connect with Brian:

His most recent book is The Myth Of Certainty…And Other Great News.

You can connect with Brian at www.yesbrianperry.com and on FB, IG, & LI @yesbrianperry

His newest album, Yes, And at https://yesbrianperry.hearnow.com/

Leadership Portraits is a curated collection of extraordinary individuals who have mastered the delicate brushstrokes of influence, resilience, and vision. Each portrait is a testament to the unique leadership styles that have shaped industries, communities, and legacies. Explore the nuanced narratives behind each face, and let these captivating images inspire your own journey of leadership excellence. Join us in celebrating the diverse stories that define leadership in its myriad forms—captured, framed, and showcased for your inspiration.

To learn more about the leaders featured here go to www.leadershipportraits.com. You can read articles about the guests and view video clips.

If you know a leader who would make a great portrait, please use the nomination link to submit their nomination - you may nominate yourself.

https://leadershipportraits.com/nominations/

Connect with us:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadership-portraits