Athena's honoring Black History Month In this captivating podcast with La Keisha Landrum Pierre, Co-founder and General Partner of Emmeline Ventures.

Join us as we unpack La Keisha's journey, from Harvard Business School to launching Sahara Media Company across Africa, to founding a venture capital fund. Tune in for an enriching conversation with a trailblazer who is shaping the future of entrepreneurship and social change.

La Keisha shares insights from her groundbreaking VC fund dedicated to championing emerging female founders focused on women’s health, wealth, and well-being. Discover La Keisha's unconventional approach to business challenges, blending analytical prowess with a deeply spiritual mindset to driving sustainable change as she helps reshape the landscape of venture capital.

As Athena pursues its global expansion efforts to help more STEM women rise up and realize their ambitions, RippleNami serves as a prominent channel partner by empowering women in Africa. In Athena's new Lifting While Climbing Podcast, we'll learn from Jaye Connolly-LaBelle, Chairman & CEO @ RippleNami as she showcases her 10-year journey of creating economic opportunities throughout Africa from hiring, educating, and mentoring tech women in the areas of big data and traceability.

Tune in to gain intimate access to Jaye's pioneering path as she levels-up tech women across sub-Sahara Africa. RippleNami's core values of hiring only locals enables these underrepresented populations to enter the digital economy while mitigating corruption with traceability through blockchain.

Don't miss out on this transformative case study that embodies Athena's vision of what's possible when we lift others while climbing.

Athena is GOING GLOBAL in 2024, launching new products, programs, and member benefits! We're excited to share this sneak peek at the all new Lifting While Climbing (LWC) podcast. The new format amplifies the voices and experiences of women and allies in STEM, delivering actionable strategies, tactics, and techniques to the Athena community. 

Hosted by Holly Smithson, Athena CEO, the LWC podcast serves as a beacon of inspiration for those seeking or seeking to provide mentorship, sponsorship, and allyship. 

With a blend of storytelling, expert interviews, and practical advice, this new podcast creates a virtual mentorship space where listeners gain inspiration, guidance, and a deep sense of community. Whether you're a seasoned leader, a student aspiring to enter STEM fields, or simply passionate about fostering equity and inclusivity, Athena's new Lifting While Climbing podcast is a B-12 shot for all those committed to advancing more women leading in STEM.

Athena founder Barbara Bry joins us in the B4S studio for this very special edition of B4S. 

As the STEM community prepares to gather for Athena's 25th Anniversary Gala and LWC Summit on October 26, we invite you to listen as Barbara shares the origins and genesis of Athena.

This B4S will reignite your determination and grit as we shift the question of diversity from WHY? to WHY NOT!? to rise above the headwinds and launch, unwavering, into the next 25 years!

Athena is honored to welcome Soo Nadarajah, Head of Global Data Sales and GTM @ AWS, to the Blueprint for Success studio. Soo is an authentic and engaging visionary who shares riveting anecdotes from a stellar career that includes "learning, adapting, and innovating" at some of the most pivotal times for BlackBerry and AWS.

Click to watch or listen, and be ready to take notes! Beyond her own Blueprint for Success moving from Engineer to Executive, you will be inspired by her surprising superpower, gain new perspectives into the powerful value of your STEM foundation, and learn that it's time to get comfortable with AI - no matter who you are or where you are on your career journey. 

Dr. Andrea Cubitt's path to success began with a childhood fascination with chemistry, which ultimately paved the way for remarkable academic and professional achievements. Armed with a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the prestigious University of Sheffield and a first-class honors degree (B.Sc) in medical biochemistry from the University of Birmingham, she further honed her expertise through postdoctoral training at Weill Cornell Medical College and the University of California San Diego. During this time, Andrea played a crucial role in the inception of the green fluorescent protein ("GFP") development, contributing significantly to the scientific community.

Despite facing shyness early on, Andrea realized the importance of networking and strategic thinking in propelling her career forward. Overcoming her initial reservations allowed her to build a strong professional network and make significant strides in her field.

Watch or listen as Dr. Andrea Cubitt shares valuable insights into crafting a successful personal brand, leveraging one's passions to fuel career growth, and conquering fear to uncover new opportunities for personal and professional development. She emphasizes that bravery does not imply the absence of fear but rather the courage to face and overcome it.

Summer is here, and it's sizzling in the Blueprint for Success studio as we welcome Cari Gallman, Chief Compliance & Ethics Officer @Bristol-Myers Squibb.

How does a Princeton political theory grad and Harvard-trained attorney achieve executive-level leadership at a STEM company? Learn and level up as you listen to Cari's Blueprint for Success, which includes dead goldfish that altered her career path, embracing uncomfortable moments, invaluable mentors that strengthen her leadership muscle, and riveting real-world stories that demonstrate the business case for diversity.

As we launch Phase II of #Athena25, this year-long digital media celebration is showcasing the undeniable impacts of Athena's Corporate Partner Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). What we learn from these insightful stories can inform your strategies to amplify the voice of women across these companies and sustain your strategic business goals. 

Our Blueprint for Success podcast shines a light on Fatima Oguz, Director of Engineering and Sri Cressy, Director of Engineering as leaders of QWomen, Qualcomm's ERG, and the vision and execution of these focused leaders. 

As QWomen's board chair and vice chair, Fatima and Sri are driving change and their journeys serve as a testament to the transformative power of perseverance and determination. Through their leadership, they pave the way for countless women and male allies to thrive in a diverse and inclusive work environment.

There is something for everyone in this edition, so WATCH or LISTEN to gain actionable insights from the mission, programs, and global impact of QWomen, which boasts over 25 chapters and 10,000 members worldwide.

Meet Chanda Owens, VP of Quality @ Cue Health for Athena's Blueprint for Success podcast. As a black woman and engineering student at UC Berkeley, it was clear her career path would be neither easy or comfortable. Intuitively, Chanda knew it was essential to find a support system early in her academic career and push through the struggle of feeling all alone and the shame of the struggle itself. She took her chemical engineering degree and her industry passion and refused to take no for an answer before landing an internship at Johnson & Johnson that would turn into an impressive 18-year stint.

In the face of micro-aggressions and a demoralizing culture, Chanda ultimately reached a turning point in her career. "I realized, I'm no longer going to dim my light in order to placate others who leave me feeling not good enough." Chanda continued by revealing how she nearly left engineering altogether .... and the moment that changed the direction of her career.

Listen or watch to learn how Chanda effectively managed these career twists and turns, combined with her love of the industry and her tenacity to push forward, that ultimately defines her illustrious journey as a highly respected STEM executive.