Madam Policy

Trailblazer Deidre DeJear is the first Black woman to earn a major party’s nomination for Iowa Governor. A passionate advocate, Deidre is no stranger to the rush of a good election cycle. From being an organizer on President Obama’s 2012 campaign to being the Iowa Campaign Chair for Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2020 presidential campaign, Deidre has tirelessly campaigned for candidates and causes she believes in. She was even at the center of a campaign as the Democratic nominee for the Iowa Secretary of State race in 2018.

Deidre joins hosts Dee Martin and Yasmin Nelson to talk about the 2022 campaign trial and about her top priorities, including education. According to Deidre, “Our children are worth fighting for the best education system possible.” With a background in journalism, Deidre reminds everyone that in today’s political climate it’s important to balance facts with emotion. Tune in as Deidre shares her advice for her 24 year-old self, “You are enough.”  For more words of wisdom from Deidre, download today!

"All who follow stand on the shoulders of giants," said FBIAA Executive Director and former FBI Special Agent Jean O'Connor. In this Madam Policy episode, hear from those giants: the FBI's first female FBI Agents Susan Malone and Joanne Misko.

Joanne and Susan share their stories about going to and through Quantico, working cases, and inspiring the next generation of women Agents. "We wanted to be agents first, and we just happened to be women." Listen to the incredible stories and journeys from the trailblazing Nun and Marine.

Don't miss this episode! 

Dr. Xanthe Scharff, or Madam X according to her childhood nickname, has made it her goal to "bring people together and make space" for those not always at the front of the conversation. She is the CEO and Co-Founder of The Fuller Project, a global newsroom dedicated to reporting on women and publishing with leading outlets. Xanthe has also been recognized by the Leadership Center for Excellence as a Top 40 under 40 visionary leader, been honored with a Genius Grant from the Helen Gurley Brown Trust, and is the founder of Advancing Girls Education (AGE) Africa.

This week, Xanthe sits with hosts Dee Martin and Carolyn Spector to discuss the importance of uplifting women's voices in journalism and partnering with local women reporters around the world to cover global stories. They also discuss social media's role in journalism and how the power of journalism can make an impact around the world.

Tune in to hear about the gender and racial disparities in healthcare and the workforce that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and more stories covered by Xanthe and The Fuller Project.

"Data does not mean we know the future; it just means we can quantify our uncertainty." Kristen Soltis Anderson, renowned pollster and author, wrote that in her ground-breaking book The Selfie Vote: Where Millennials Are Leading America.  Widely recognized for having her finger on the pulse of the electorate, some of Kristin's accolades include being one of Elle's "Most Compelling Women in Washington;" Time's "30 Under 30 Changing the World;" and Washingtonian's "100 Tech Titans." 

A founding partner of Echelon Insights, Kristin sat down with the Madam Policy team to share her midterm 2022 insight with hosts Dee Martin, Yasmin Nelson, and Liam Donovan on this special episode discuss all things midterms 2022. Want to know which issue is more compelling for voters—reproductive choice or the economy? Tune in! What will happen in key Senate races in Georgia, Nevada, and Pennsylvania? Tune in! What is the role of social media on the elections? Tune in! As the 2022 midterms are less than a week away, this is an episode you won't want to miss!

Renowned author and inspiring change-maker Nicole Lynn Lewis put herself through the College of William & Mary as a teen mother, starting as a freshman when her daughter was just three months old. Author of her memoir and NPR Best Book 2021 honoree, Pregnant Girl: A Story of Teen Motherhood, College, and Creating a Better Future for Young Families, Nicole has been named a CNN Hero and won the Roslyn S. Jaffe Award. She has appeared on CNN, NBC Nightly News, Good Morning America, and many others, and her journey has been covered in the Washington Post, the Baltimore Sun, TeenVogue, and the Chronicle for Higher Education.   Now the Founder and CEO of Generation Hope, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping young parents and families succeed through all levels of education, Nicole is shaping policy and creating history every day. On the latest episode of Madam Policy, hosts Dee Martin, Yasmin Nelson, and Adriney Chepeian sit down with Nicole to discuss her journey overcoming obstacles as a young mother in college and how it inspired her to help others.

Tune in to hear Nicole talk about the intersection of race, cultural bias, poverty, and parenthood. Nicole also gives great advice on finding your cheering squad and knowing your own worth. Count Madam Policy as part of your cheering squad, Nicole!  

"Do things that make you uncomfortable" is the advice that equity champion and tech industry leader Francesca McCrary would give to her 24-year-old self. On this week's episode, Director of Government Affairs for Dell Technologies, Francesca McCrary, joins hosts Dee Martin and Yasmin Nelson to discuss her successful career transitions, the importance of uplifting others, and what's next on the Dell policy agenda. Francesca also discusses her time on Capitol Hill and the lessons she learned about self-advocacy and the importance of being prepared.

Make sure to tune in to hear about Francesca's time at The Citadel Military College and how she is one of less than 200 Black women who have graduated from there. Also hear about how a group of women coming together to lift each other up led to Francesca being named a 2021 Top Lobbyist by the National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics. This is an episode you won't want to miss!

True equality lies in access to excellent education. That belief led entrepreneur and trailblazer Leelila Strogov to create her own education platform that helps students get into top colleges. On this week's episode of Madam Policy, hosts Dee Martin and Rebecca Brown sit down with Founder & CEO of AtomicMind, Leelila Strogov, to discuss the importance of celebrating children at every level, how collaboration is essential to successful education, and the importance of storytelling. An Emmy-nominated journalist and award-winning film creator, Leelila is keenly aware of the power of storytelling, and she shares her skills and craft with students to help them find and share their own stories during the admissions process. 

What's her inspiration? Leelila talks about how the women and educators who helped her as a child inspired her to want to provide quality education to others. Tune in to hear how Leelila is revolutionizing the education technology world and why it is important not to judge children at a young age.

Also, stay tuned to hear about Leelila's first short film and what she has planned next!

What is "future proofing"? Hear from Tisha Schuller, an energy policy thought leader who is proactively helping companies navigate the rapidly shifting energy landscape. This week, Founder and CEO of Adamantine Energy and host of the Energy Thinks podcast, Tisha Schuller, breaks down her multifaceted approach to energy development, which faces an unprecedented set of challenges evolving at breakneck speed. Whether she's working with oil and gas companies to develop a path to a decarbonized energy future or advising environmental NGOs and Think Tanks, Tisha effectively collaborates to bring everyone into the energy future together.

Tune into Madam Policy this week with hosts Dee Martin, Christine Wyman, and Adriney Chepeian as they discuss Tisha's alternate approach to policy discussions, environmental justice, natural gas prices from a policy perspective, and the importance of having women represented at the highest levels. Also tune in to hear about Tisha's exciting, upcoming book, Real Decarbonization: How Oil and Gas Companies Are Seizing the Low Carbon Future. Stay for Tisha's top tips to her 24- year-old former hippie self!

Heather Kennedy never thought her career would look like 20+ years with the same company. Why did she stay? Because of The Home Depot's unwavering commitment to its customers, its associates, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Join us this week as hosts Dee Martin and Yasmin Nelson sit down with The Home Depot's Vice President of Government Relations, Heather Kennedy, while she breaks down her 20 years of consistent growth and leadership with The Home Depot. Heather gives advice on how to be a successful lobbyist, including her important work on navigating Congress, critical supply chains, and the pandemic. If you're curious about her proudest career moment, tune in!

Heather also dives into her professional and personal commitment to diversity and education, including The Home Depot's partnership with Women Who Code and Ladies Who Launch, a nonprofit dedicated to elevating and empowering women and non-binary business owners.

Heather Kennedy never thought her career would look like 20+ years with the same company. Why did she stay? Because of The Home Depot’s unwavering commitment to its customers, its associates, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Join us this week as hosts Dee Martin and Yasmin Nelson sit down with The Home Depot’s Vice President of Government Relations, Heather Kennedy, while she breaks down her 20 years of consistent growth and leadership with The Home Depot. Heather gives advice on how to be a successful lobbyist, including her important work on navigating Congress, critical supply chains, and the pandemic. If you’re curious about her proudest career moment, tune in!

Heather also dives into her professional and personal commitment to diversity and education, including The Home Depot’s partnership with Women Who Code and Ladies Who Launch, a nonprofit dedicated to elevating and empowering women and non-binary business owners. Make sure to tune in to hear Heather’s thought-provoking idea for students just out of High School.