Madam Policy

What happens when impossibility walks into the room? That's the question Vice President of Omidyar Network Michelle Jawando asks daily. Tackling intractable, complex social challenges is her job, and she loves it. For as long as she can remember, Michele has intentionally mentored, taught, and created pathways for the women following in her footsteps. As Senior Advisor to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Michelle became famous for her mentoring walks around Capitol Hill—a skill she learned from the amazing women in her family, like her aunt, Dame Lois Browne-Evans. Hear from Michele how Dame Browne-Evans, Bermuda's first Black woman lawyer who also served as Attorney General, reinforced Michele's commitment to community and equality. Join hosts Dee Martin and Yasmin Nelson as they chat with Michele about creating diverse spaces, mentoring the next generation, modernizing global philanthropy, and changing impossible to possible.

Former Democratic National Committee spokesperson Xochitl Hinojosa helped rebuild the Democratic Party; led the communications strategy around the 2020 Democratic presidential nominating process; and was a spokesperson for the party during the General Election. A pro at delivering complex information effectively and deftly shaping policy, DNC Chair and Labor Secretary Tom Perez recognized Xochitl as a "strategic, tenacious leader who was indispensable to the DNC's success." Xochitl tells listeners about her passion for policy, that started at a young age as a member of a family who is heavily involved in Texas state politics. Hosts Dee Martin, Yasmin Nelson and Carolyn Spector dive into Xochitl's background and how she is continuing to shape policy as a managing director at Bully Pulpit Interactive. Xochitl also shares some advice that younger communications professionals won't want to miss!

Serena Rwejuna is a leader. Whether through her service as Calvary Women's Services Board President, her recent ascension to partnership at White & Case LLP, or her dedication to her extensive network of young women leaders, Serena leads by example and paves the way for others. Join hosts Dee Martin, Yasmin Nelson and Caitlin Sickles as they chat about the importance of representation in the legal space; how to recruit and retain diverse talent; and the importance of perseverance in accomplishing goals. Also, you won't want to miss the story of how Dee recruited Serena to the Calvary Board…and Caitlin…and likely Yasmin! All share Calvary's mission of providing housing, health education, and employment programs to help empower women experiencing homelessness in Washington, D.C. What's next for Serena at the helm of Calvary? Tune in and find out about some exciting upcoming events and opportunities! This episode is the perfect way to kick off 2022! Don't miss out! 

Returning to work after having children opened Lori Mihalich-Levin's eyes to the complexity of returning to work and the need for resources to ease that transition—for new parents and employers. Filling that void, Lori authored the bestselling book Back to Work After Baby: How to Plan and Navigate a Mindful Return from Maternity Leave; co-hosts the Parents at Work Podcast, and founded Mindful Return—a movement that helps new parents navigate parenthood and the return to work after parental leave. Join hosts Dee Martin and Yasmin Nelson as they dive into what drives Lori's passion to empower new working parents. This episode includes a discussion on parental leave in the United States; how to tackle the guilt that parents often face while trying to balance parthood and working; why taking steps to make your passions a reality is important; and how she is equipping parents with the tools they need to shape parental polices at their workplace. Also, Lori—who recently became a teacher on the Insight Timer app—gives some tips on how to incorporate meditation into our daily lives. This episode comes just in time for you to share some of Lori's products to a new parent for the holiday season!

Ilhaam "Illy" Jaffer is a woman on a mission: to lead the fight for a world without cancer. Illy, a savvy political veteran, is powerful, fearless, and tenacious. As Director of Federal Government Relations for the American Cancer Society, Illy amplifies the voices of cancer patients, shapes health policy, and helps ensure equity in the distribution of funds, inclusion in studies, and more. In a conversation led by hosts Dee Martin and Yasmin Nelson, Illy discusses how her work in federal and state politics helped make her a strong advocate for the important work of the ACS. She also dives into women's health, discussing reproductive rights and the importance of not dismissing early signs of illness, sharing her scary journey of being diagnosed with Lyme Disease. Illy leaves listeners with advice to trust your instinct, believe in your abilities, and validate yourself.

Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) delivers affordable, reliable, and clean natural gas service to nearly 22 million customers, making it the nation's largest natural gas utility. Leading the way, is Maryam Brown, President of SoCalGas. Maryam joined hosts Dee Martin and Christine Wyman to discuss SoCalGas' role in the energy transition, including the Company's recently-released study, The Role of Clean Fuels and Gas Infrastructure in Achieving California's Net-Zero Climate Goal. Maryam also discusses the importance of leading with intention; creating pathways to employment in the gas industry through internships; and why she believes that hard work always prevails. Also, Maryam shares some lessons from the kitchen including how cooking has helped to strengthen her relationships with some important women in her life. This is an episode that you don't want to miss!

Ninety years ago, there were more than a hundred Black owned banks, today there are only twenty. Nicole A. Elam, Esq., President and CEO of the National Bankers Association (NBA), is dedicating her career to making the financial services community more inclusive through increasing business opportunities, granting access to capital, and eliminating barriers for minority depository institutions. After starting her career in civil rights advocacy, she found a passion for helping underrepresented communities, which ultimately put her on a path towards public policy. Now, as a voice for change and an advocate for policy, Nicole's realm of experiences creates a full-circle moment making her uniquely positioned for her role. As a leader with so much responsibility, she offers advice on keeping a balance by staying present and keeping your priorities aligned with your passions.

Alyssa Farah is all communication, all the time. A dedicated senior government official, Alyssa spent over a decade breaking down complex issues—like COVID-19 and the war in Afghanistan—and communicating about them clearly for the American public. Having served as the White House Director of Strategic Communications, the youngest-ever Press Secretary for the Department of Defense, and the Press Secretary for the Vice President of the U.S., Alyssa is a go-to pro for harnessing the power of the podium. And that’s not lost on the private sector, where Alyssa recently served as a guest co-host on “The View” and provides keen political insight and analysis for major media outlets. Join hosts Dee Martin and Rebecca Brown as they discuss Alyssa’s career in government and shaping policy through strategic communications. Also hear about why Alyssa attributes a significant portion of her success to being a high school and college debater (Hint: Knowledge is power!). Plus, you don’t want to miss a sneak peek into what’s next for Alyssa!

Like what you heard in this episode of Madam Policy featuring Alyssa Farah? Check out some of our other episodes covering similar topics.

• Dana Perino: Policy Powerhouse, Media Maven, Idea Innovator  
• Beverly Kirk: Creating a Platform for Women Policy Experts
• Kelsey Knight: Supporting Virtual Connection During a Pandemic at Zoom

We're thankful for Civil Rights leaders who risked their lives in the fight for equality and those who continue the fight today. This week's guest, Paula Young Shelton, is the author of the award-winning Child of the Civil Rights Movement and an educator and Author-in-Residence at Georgetown Day School. The daughter of Civil Rights activist Andrew Young, Paula grew up learning directly from Civil Rights giants like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Representative John Lewis. Now, Paula continues to carry the torch for creating change by writing, teaching and speaking about equality and justice. In this episode you will hear how social media affects activism; what's next for Paula in the fight for equality; and the evolution of the role of women in advocacy. Paula also shares details about her new book, which is coming soon! Finally, listeners get to hear the true impact of Paula's teachings as former student, Anjali Martin-Shanker, joins the conversation as a special guest host. Anjali's conversation with Paula creates a full circle moment as the two share details about how Paula's lessons are relevant to events that are happening today. This special episode is hosted by Dee Martin, Yasmin Nelson and Anjali Martin-Shanker. 

FBI Special Agents put their lives on the line every day protecting our nation, and the FBI Agents Association (FBIAA) represents those Agents and honors their service. In a special episode of Madam Policy, host Dee Martin spoke to Jean O'Connor and Jerri Williams, both of whom served our nation as FBI Agents and continue to serve the nation, the FBI, and the families of FBI Agents in their post-retirement careers. This week at the G-Man Honors: A Salute to FBI Heroes, FBIAA will honor Jerri with its Distinguished Service Award. Jerri highlights the FBI's mission through her podcast, FBI Retired Case File Review, her books and her blogposts, providing authentic portrayals of the FBI and the important work of Agents. This annual fundraising event benefits the two FBIAA charities the Memorial College Fund and the Membership Assistance Fund. In this episode, Jean, who now serves as the Executive Director for the FBIAA, gives listeners a personal account of how her work ties into the significance of remembrance and honoring our country's service members, especially on the 20th anniversary of the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Don't miss this important and compelling episode!