In the latest episode of "Leadership Simply Smarter," Vanessa Kelly welcomes two different legal perspectives on in-house and outside counsel. First, Effie D. Silva discusses her journey from attorney to Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary of Del Monte Corporation and how being “comfortable” makes her feel stagnant. Then, Maria Fracassa Dwyer, Member-in-Charge at Clark Hill’s Detroit office, shares her perspective as outside counsel and what her unique upbringing taught her about teamwork. 

By sharing their experiences and philosophies, Effie D. Silva and Maria Fracassa Dwyer provide valuable takeaways for leaders across fields, whether you are in the legal profession or another industry.

This podcast is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice or a solicitation to provide legal services. The information in this podcast is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute, a lawyer-client relationship. Listeners should not act upon this information without seeking professional legal counsel. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast represent those of the individual speaker only and are not necessarily the views of Clark Hill PLC.

In this episode of Leadership, Simply Smarter, host Vanessa Kelly sits down with Cassie Springer Ayeni, founder of Springer Ayeni Law Firm, for an impactful conversation on navigating your professional career while walking through grief.

There’s rarely room for grief in the professional world. And that’s something Cassie knows firsthand, having endured profound loss just as she was launching her own firm. Having also suffered an unexpected death, Vanessa invites Cassie to discuss and share how tragedy influenced her work, what employers can do better for employees experiencing bereavement, and what returning to work looks like. 

This is not a grief podcast but a leadership conversation that finally makes room for the human being inside the professional — and refuses to pretend those two things are separate.

If you lead people. If you have lost someone. If you work next to someone who is grieving right now, and you do not know what to say — this episode is for you.

This podcast is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice or a solicitation to provide legal services. The information in this podcast is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute, a lawyer-client relationship. Listeners should not act upon this information without seeking professional legal counsel. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast represent those of the individual speaker only and are not necessarily the views of Clark Hill PLC.

In this episode of Leadership: Simply Smarter, Clark Hill employment attorney Vanessa Kelly sits down with Donna M. Hughes, JD, PCC — Founder and CEO of Hughes Solutions, LLC, and former Chief People Officer of EmblemHealth, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit health insurers. 

Donna’s career is anything but a straight line: From law firm attorney to in-house counsel, through the fast-paced world of pharmaceutical mergers and acquisitions, to the C-suite of a major healthcare organization, she now coaches the very executives she once stood alongside.

Navigating the demands of a global executive role, Donna discusses the “curve of change” framework for leading teams through transformation, why reaching the C-suite does not mean the work on yourself is done, and what the leaders who most need coaching are least likely to say out loud.

This podcast is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice or a solicitation to provide legal services. The information in this podcast is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute, a lawyer-client relationship. Listeners should not act upon this information without seeking professional legal counsel. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast represent those of the individual speaker only and are not necessarily the views of Clark Hill PLC.

In this episode of Leadership: Simply Smarter, host Vanessa Kelly sits down with Michele Meyer-Shipp, Executive Director & Board Chair of the Fritz Pollard Alliance Foundation, an organization that strives to reflect diversity across all aspects of the NFL. 

Michele brings a rare dual perspective, leading from both the boardroom and executive seat, and she doesn’t shy away from the hard questions. We dig into why she’s a big fan of feedback, how the Fritz Pollard Alliance strives to fulfill its mission, and how her leadership influences her family. 

Whether you lead a team, a nonprofit, a company, or a cause, this episode will challenge you to think smarter about inclusion and give you the tools to lead it with both courage and clarity.

This podcast is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice or a solicitation to provide legal services. The information in this podcast is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute, a lawyer-client relationship. Listeners should not act upon this information without seeking professional legal counsel. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast represent those of the individual speaker only and are not necessarily the views of Clark Hill PLC.