WINGS for Growth presents "Showing up as a leader" with Stephanie Herseth Sandlin. 24th President of Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota — the first woman to lead the university in its 160-year history.

Stephanie says what grounds her, is her upbringing and the influence of her mom and grandma. She talks about mentorship as about giving and take relationships. She says, "There is power and privilege, in the roles and responsibilities of mentors that they have and how to enlist that to expand opportunities. She agreed with me that mentoring is a skill, and it needs to be learned."

The highlight for me is Stephanie thoughts and ideas about opportunities for local businesses and universities to partner together to innovate to achieve business growth post-pandemic.

We had a very insightful discussion about how to manage change. I will not spoil your listening experience, find out for yourself.

Quotes:

1. Your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then you're a leader.
2. You can't let 80 to 90% of your energies be consumed by trying to persuade the 10 to 20% of the people who may not be ever inclined to do the work.
3. I've learned the most about myself and how to be a better leader when I have come up short.

Guest Bio:

Stephanie Herseth Sandlin serves as the 24th president of Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota — the first woman to lead the university in its 160-year history. As a result of her leadership, the university is implementing its transformational Viking Bold: The Journey to 2030 strategic plan and has launched Viking Bold, the largest and most comprehensive campaign in its history.

Herseth Sandlin graduated summa cum laude from Georgetown University and cum laude from the Georgetown University Law Center. Called to public service, she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2004, where she went on to serve four terms. She was the first woman elected to the U.S. House from South Dakota and the youngest woman serving in Congress during that time.  

Following her time in Congress, Herseth Sandlin became a partner in a Washington, D.C., law firm and later joined Raven Industries in Sioux Falls, as the company’s first general counsel and vice president of corporate development.

Herseth Sandlin is celebrated for her leadership in the advancement of women, her commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as her policy work centered on agriculture, renewable energy, veterans’ education, and tribal affairs. She was named to TIME’s “40 Under 40” list of New Civic Leaders in 2010, was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame in 2017, and in August of 2020, was named to USA Today Network’s select list of “Women of the Century,” in recognition of her significant contributions to the state of South Dakota and the country. 

Herseth Sandlin is married to former Texas Congressman Max Sandlin, an attorney and former Chairman of the Board of Feeding South Dakota. She and Max live in Sioux Falls with their son, Zachary. 

About WINGS:

Many women reach the cusp of leadership and never make the leap. WINGS is strategically positioned to serve this population. 1st woman founded nonprofit, academically-backed, High-Touch, Results-Oriented, 10-month leadership program that fosters mindset and behavior which leads to systematic change. WINGS’s - accelerates thousands more women toward leadership roles in a way that’s never been done before.

Sign up to be a WINGS Mentee or Mentor at www.wingsforgrowth.org.

WINGS for Growth presents "Showing up as a leader" with Deborah Waters. Debbie Waters is the Global Head of Private Bank Operations and Technology at Citigroup. Also, Debbie leads the Commercial Bank Technology and Institutional Clients Group (ICG).  Debbie has a passion for Diversity and leads Diversity for her division.

We talk about some crucial topics with Deborah, such as transitioning from managing yourself to managing large teams, balancing work life being as a first-time mother, establishing executive presence and promoting inclusion at the workplace, having tough conversations and resilience through a crisis. She says: “resiliency is not just for leaders. Resiliency is for anybody and everybody. And if you can be resilient and you can adjust with those changes, then you will be successful.

Quotes:

1. Challenges build character.
2. You have to be a little uncomfortable to be comfortable with Inclusion.
3. You must manage your own career. No one is responsible for your career but you.
4. As you grow in ranks, you have to make decisions with less and less information.
5. Volunteer for stretch roles. It is the best way to get visibility and build an impactful network.

Guest Bio:

Deborah Waters is the Global Head of Private Bank Operations and Technology provides solutions for Citi’s Private Bank franchise helping enable them to offer highly sophisticated institutional-level solutions along with traditional private banking offerings. Also, Debbie leads the Commercial Bank Technology and Institutional Clients Group (ICG) Cross Product Technology which creates Tech Utilities that can be leveraged across ICG such as Portal, Sales and Research. Debbie has a passion for Diversity and leads ICG O&T Diversity.

Debbie has been with Citi for over 25 years. Prior to her current role, she led Client Centric and Equities Technology (CCET), supporting the following ICG businesses: Equities, Research, Citi Velocity, and Markets Sales. Debbie also held various roles in the Markets Technology organization, including the Global Technology Head for Investment Bank, Markets and TTS Sales, and ICG Client Analytics, as well as Municipals and Global Securitized Markets. 

She has also served as the COO for Markets Technology during her tenure. Prior to moving into Markets Technology, Debbie managed Markets and Operational Risk Technology for the organization where she started as a developer for risk. Before joining Citi, Debbie spent five years in the aerospace industry working for GE and Martin Lockheed.

About WINGS:

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Many women reach the cusp of leadership and never make the leap. WINGS is strategically positioned to serve this population. 1st woman founded nonprofit, academically-backed, High-Touch, Results-Oriented, 10-month leadership program that fosters mindset and behavior which leads to systematic change. WINGS’s - accelerates thousands more women toward leadership roles in a way that’s never been done before.

Sign up to be a WINGS Mentee or Mentor at www.wingsforgrowth.org 

WINGS for Growth presents "Showing Up as A Leader" with Ghazale Johnston, former Managing Director of Accenture, and now the Founder and Principal of Joon Solutions.

There was a pivotal moment in Ghazale’s career when she realized there was a second chapter to her story and she wanted to do something different; thereafter, she became the COO for a startup called DayMaker. 

She says, being from an immigrant family, meant that you do not have social capital the way that people do; you know that no one will ever owe you anything, so you have to keep trying your best every time and get it right on your own. Being a first-generation immigrant, I fully agree with this.

During our fun-packed conversation, we also asked Ghazale how to restore trust once it is shattered. I heard this expression before: “Trust arrives on foot but leaves on horseback.” In other words, building trust can take a very long time, but breaking trust can happen in an instant. Ghazale’s advice is to own your mistakes and be honest.  

Quotes:

1. Empathy is about putting yourself in other people’s shoes and recognizing what you will never understand about someone. Listen and learn, don’t assume. 
2. Always choose to do what is right over what is easy. 
3. If you are a mother don’t plan past 6 months, there are many unknowns, and it can overwhelm you.   
4. I want to be remembered by how I treated people, not how I delivered the business process. 
5. Profit and Purpose can and should exist in the same concept.

Guest Bio:

As Founder and Principal of Joon Solutions, Ghazale Johnston advises rapidly growing companies on business development, client integration and workplace engagement. She is also an active angel investor and serves as advisor to early stage CEOs/ Founders. Ghazale specializes in purpose-driven businesses as well as companies focused on solving societal issues that disproportionately affect the lives of women and minorities. She is regularly involved in programs that address the emotional and educational needs of children impacted by trauma and poverty, which includes serving on the board of directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Carolinas. Her focus on education extends to her leadership roles at North Carolina State University. Ghazale is currently serving as the Vice Chair of the NC State University Foundation Board, is on the Leadership Council for the Wolfpack Women in Philanthropy and is a member of the Wolfpack Investor Network. 

Prior to launching Joon Solutions, Ghazale served as the Chief Operating Officer for Daymaker- a compassion platform that helps companies engage their employees through intentional acts of giving and service. Ghazale continues to advise Daymaker on strategic priorities and growth initiatives. 

Ghazale formerly spent 20 years at Accenture where she was a Partner/Managing Director in the Financial Services practice. In 2013, she was a winner of the Charlotte Business Journal 40 under 40 award.

Ghazale loves telling stories and helping others tell their stories. She creates content, provides coaching and speaks publicly on various topics including helping women re-enter the workforce; advancing social causes; and the gifts and lessons she has gained as an immigrant. 

Ghazale lives in Charlotte with her husband, Andy. They have two children, Alex (15) and Millie (13) and a sweet Schnoodle named Duffy. Her "perfect day" includes a 5 mile run, traveling with her family and/or enjoying delicious food with friends. 

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WINGS for Growth presents "Showing up as a leader" with Jane Chwick, a former Goldman Sachs Partner.

Jane is a former partner of Goldman Sachs where she had a 30-year career in technology. We had a very candid conversation with Jane about pros and cons of long career in one company, managing ups and downs during the business crisis, innovation vs. risk , and finally balancing work and life. 

This episode is filled with frank and bold advice from Jane. 

Jane now serves 5 boards as a technologist and enjoys her time with her children and grandchildren. She says this is her second career, except now she makes a lot more time for herself and her family.  

Quotes:

1. Biggest risk of innovation is not innovating. 
2. Gliding for a while is better than leaving completely. 
3. Getting things done is how you exude leadership.
4. Being authentic does not mean you are letting your guards down; it is about growing with values and integrity.
5. Love what you do but you do not need to love what you do all the time. 

Guest Bio:

Jane is a former partner of Goldman Sachs where she had a 30-year career in technology, including most recently as the Co-Chief Operating Officer of the technology division.  As Co-COO she was responsible for financial and business planning, setting the technical strategy and the management of an 8,000-person organization within the firm.  While at Goldman, Jane served on many governance committees, including the firm’s Finance Committee, the Firm Wide New Activity Committee and the Technology Risk Committee, and she was the co-chair of the Technology Division Operating Committee.

Jane currently serves on a number of boards for corporate and not for profit organizations including ​Voya Financial, MarketAxess, People’s United Bank, Thoughtworks and Essent Group.  She is the chair of the Technology, Innovation and Operations Committee at Voya Financial and at Essent and is the chair of the Risk Committee at MarketAxess.  In addition, Jane is on the Executive Board of Trustees and the Vice Chair of the Queens College Foundation. Jane previously served on the boards of the Berkshire School and Girls Who Code. 

Jane earned an undergraduate degree in Mathematics from Queens College, and an MBA with a concentration in quantitative analysis from St. John’s University.

About WINGS:

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Many women reach the cusp of leadership and never make the leap. WINGS is strategically positioned to serve this population. 1st woman founded nonprofit, academically-backed, High-Touch, Results-Oriented, 10-month leadership program that fosters mindset and behavior which leads to systematic change. WINGS’s - accelerates thousands more women toward leadership roles in a way that’s never been done before.

Sign up to be a WINGS Mentee or Mentor at www.wingsforgrowth.org 

WINGS for Growth presents "Showing Up as a Leader" with Halé Behzadi. Being a passionate banker and an amazing business leader, Halé says authenticity is core to her leadership.    

Halé discusses how to study the landscape before making any decisions about your job situation. Halé talks about how she was able to grow her business during crises. She says staying close to your team, reminding them that their wellbeing is a priority and giving them tools to be productive is how you sustain during a crisis. She says if they are not productive at home, they will not be productive at work.

In the spirit of being candid, we asked Halé if she was often misunderstood to be soft spoken or too nice. She says when you have a body of work and that consistently points to great outcomes, it helps debunk that myth of being too nice or soft spoken. She says someone once told her that she has an iron fist in a velvet glove.

Quotes:

1. Careers are not linear, they have turns and twists which are part of your success story.  
2. Building consensus and bringing people along by persuasion is far more powerful than by force.
3. Authenticity is an alignment of thought, words and actions. 
4. If you keep showing up as a leader the same way every time, that's your brand.

Guest Bio:

Halé Behzadi is a Managing Director and Global Market Manager of the Western Region at Citi Private Bank and is a member of the North America Private Bank Leadership Team. She is directly responsible for leading the ultra-high net worth private banking practices in seven offices in California, Arizona, and Washington. Halé Co-Chairs Citi’s California Leadership Council and is the Executive Sponsor of Citi’s North America Diversity Committee. Most recently, Halé chaired the Mentoring Committee at Citi Private Bank and served as the Business Sponsor of Citi’s Pride Network for Southern California and the Women’s Network for Northern California.

Halé is a graduate of Georgetown University with a BA in Economics where she is an active member of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security. Throughout her career she has played an active role in numerous civic and charitable organizations that provide social services, education, and healthcare in the local community.

Currently, Halé serves on the Board of Trustees for Viewpoint School as a member of the Executive Committee, in addition to chairing the Advancement Committee. She has previously held a number of leadership roles including Vice Chair and Chair of Committee on Trustees where she was focused on recruiting more diverse board members, especially women. Halé sits on the advisory board of the Iranian American Women Foundation. She is also a member of the Executive Committee and Board of Governors of the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation. Halé was recently recognized as a Deborah Award recipient by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) for her leadership and civic contributions exemplifying the qualities and ideals of ADL.

About WINGS:

Hope you like what you heard. Give us your feedback and let us know what are other topics you like to hear about. Follow us on:

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WINGS is strategically positioned to serve this population. 1st woman founded nonprofit, academically-backed, High-Touch, Results-Oriented, 10-month leadership program that fosters mindset and behavior which leads to systematic change. 

Sign up to be a WINGS Mentee or Mentor at www.wingsforgrowth.org 

WINGS for Growth presents "Showing Up as a Leader" with Nikki Sumpter. Nikki is a Senior VP & Chief HR Officer of Atlantic Health System. She serves on many boards & has been awarded several awards for her work as a leader. Nikki talks to us about how she managed her career to be in the C-Suite much earlier than her plans, as a black woman. She shares with us her story about building a strong support team: her mother and grandmother are her biggest cheerleaders.   

Quotes:

• Feedback is a gift, but it is up to you if you like to use it or put it on the shelf and re-gift it to someone who needs it.
• I show up authentically and unapologetically everywhere. I do not let my cultural baggage dictate my life. 
• Be bold about things you want; make it big, don't think small.
• Don't be the victim of your circumstances.
• Joy is a focus before a feeling. 

Guest Bio:

Nikki Sumpter is passionate about solving problems in order to unleash the power of people to succeed, communities to thrive and organizations to grow. 

Currently serving as Sr VP and Chief HRO of Atlantic Health System (17,000 team members &  400+ sites of care). Under Nikki’s leadership, Atlantic Health was named to Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For (for the 12th consecutive year) 

While at JPS Health Network, she led enterprise-wide strategies founded on a commitment to excellent patient-centered care and a best-in-class workplace. Nikki and JPS were honored with a Press Ganey Commitment to Excellence Award for Employee Engagement for their successful redesign of employee recognition, benefit plans, and workforce and leadership development programs 

 BOARD/PROFESSIONAL SERVICE 

• Board of Trustee for Saint Elizabeth University 
• Member of the Board of Directors for the New Jersey Morris-Sussex-Warren Workforce Development 
• Member of the Board of Directors for Cornerstone Family Programs & Morristown Neighborhood House 
• Rutgers University – School of Management and Labor Relations Center for HR and Leadership Development – HR Advisory Board Member 
• WINGS for Growth, Inc. – Advisory Council Member 
• American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) 
• National Association of Health Service Executives 
• Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. 

RECOGNITION 

• Recognized by the Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey as one of the 2020 Woman of Achievement 
• 2018 Great Place to Work for All Leadership Award, designed to recognize the integral strategic and cultural influence of talented women leaders from Fortune 100 recognized organizations 
• Named Most Powerful Businesswoman by the National Diversity Council and Texas Diversity Magazine 

About WINGS:

Hope you like what you heard. Give us your feedback and let us know what are other topics you like to hear about. Follow us on:

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Many women reach the cusp of leadership and never make the leap. WINGS is strategically positioned to serve this population. 1st woman founded nonprofit, academically-backed, High-Touch, Results-Oriented, 10-month leadership program that fosters mindset and behavior which leads to systematic change. WINGS’s - accelerates thousands more women toward leadership roles in a way that’s never been done before.

Sign up to be a WINGS Mentee or Mentor at www.wingsforgrowth.org 

WINGS for Growth presents "Showing Up as a Leader" with Alexis Christoforous, a native New Yorker, an excellent cook & self-described Theater Geek. She resides in Manhattan with her husband and their three children.

She says that when the spotlight is on you, timing is key and solid teamwork is how you can get it all done. The media and entertainment industry is a highly competitive place and Alexis suggests to “succeed in it one has to be thick skinned, which comes with self love and confidence.” Her advice to married working women is “let your spouse know it’s a 50-50 situation and build that from the get go.”

Quotes:

1. Carry your head high, walk the way you want people to see you. 
2. If we don’t let people know what we need and want, they would not know, they are not mind readers, and we could be missing opportunities simply because we did not ask. 
3. Knowing your audience and getting to know your subject are two very critical aspects of storytelling.

Guest Bio:

Alexis Christoforous is a New York-based Anchor & Reporter for Yahoo Finance. She is an award-winning network television and radio journalist, whose career has spanned on-air roles at CBS News and Bloomberg.  

Alexis hosts her own show on Yahoo Finance Live weekdays from 2pm-3pm ET where she interviews market movers, business leaders & CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. She anchored the live coverage of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholder meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, and All Markets Summits in NYC and Washington, DC. She was also host of the weekly podcast “Electionomics.”

Prior to joining Yahoo Finance, Alexis was an Anchor and Correspondent for CBS News, where she appeared on “The CBS Evening News,” “CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood,” “CBS This Morning” and over 200 CBS affiliate stations across the country. Her business reports have also been heard on the CBS Radio Network and its flagship New York station, NewsRadio 880. 

Alexis began her business news career at Bloomberg Television and Radio where she helped launch Bloomberg Television. She also anchored the national PBS program “Bloomberg Morning News” and was Bloomberg's first correspondent to report live from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. 

She has covered major events: The Great Recession, the 9/11 attacks and the internet bubble & burst.  Additionally, Alexis has interviewed many top celebrities including Sara Jessica Parker, Matt Damon, Madonna, and Ringo Starr.

Alexis is a graduate of Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of  Music & Art and Performing Arts. She graduated cum laude from New York University with a BA in Broadcast Journalism and has served as an adjunct professor at NYU.

About WINGS:

Hope you like what you heard. Give us your feedback and let us know what are other topics you like to hear about. Follow us on:

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Many women reach the cusp of leadership and never make the leap. WINGS is strategically positioned to serve this population. 1st woman founded nonprofit, academically-backed, High-Touch, Results-Oriented, 10-month leadership program that fosters mindset and behavior which leads to systematic change. WINGS’s - accelerates thousands more women toward leadership roles in a way that’s never been done before.

Sign up to be a WINGS Mentee or Mentor at www.wingsforgrowth.org 

WINGS for Growth presents "Showing up as a leader" with Christine Brown-Quinn. In today’s episode, you will learn about why and when it is crucial to have courageous conversations, how to seize an opportunity when you see it. Christine also talks about unwritten rules of being successful and what they are. She says, “It is not about confidence alone; you have to be courageous to achieve your dreams.” 

Quotes:

• It is not about courage; it is not about confidence.
• There is no such thing as security, there is only opportunity.
• You need a team at home to support your stretch role at work.
• The best way to manage conflicts is to align everyone to a bigger goal and make them see the bigger picture.
• Your Network is part of your job and success story.

Guest Bio:

Following nearly 30+ years in business, Christine Brown-Quinn, embarked on a new career in 2010 as The Female Capitalist® to share with professional women globally, practical, hands-on business strategies for career progression and work-life balance.  As a former Managing Director in International Finance, Christine is well versed in what it takes to forge a thriving career in highly pressurized, alpha environments. 

Through her webinars, workshops, and coaching Christine unveils what really matters in getting ahead in the corporate world.  She is also a published author: Step Aside Super Woman - Career & Family is for Any Woman (2010) and Unlock Your Career Success - Knowing the Unwritten Rules Changes Everything (2020), an Amazon #1 Best Seller in Business & Finance. Christine has an undergraduate degree in foreign languages from Georgetown University and an MBA in International Business from The George Washington University, where she currently serves on the Business School’s Dean's Board of Advisors as well as the Executive Committee of the GW Alumni Association.

About WINGS:

Hope you like what you heard. Give us your feedback and let us know what are other topics you like to hear about. Follow us on:

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Many women reach the cusp of leadership and never make the leap. WINGS is strategically positioned to serve this population. 1st woman founded nonprofit, academically-backed, High-Touch, Results-Oriented, 10-month leadership program that fosters mindset and behavior which leads to systematic change. WINGS’s - accelerates thousands more women toward leadership roles in a way that’s never been done before.

Sign up to be a WINGS Mentee or Mentor at www.wingsforgrowth.org.

WINGS for Growth presents "Showing up as a leader" with Michele Siekerka. Michele N. Siekerka, Esq., President and CEO of the New Jersey Business & Industry Association (NJBIA), leads the nation’s largest, most influential employers’ organization. In this episode, Michele talks about what it takes to be an entrepreneur and her journey of leadership experiences that shaped her to be who she is today. She is one of the most influential leaders in the state of New Jersey (NJ). She says showing up as a leader during a business crisis is about knowing where people are and being empathetic while holding them accountable.

Quotes:

• You cannot fake passion. It is about preparation and confidence, which shows your commitment to whatever you are doing.   
• What does not kill you makes you stronger.
• Women are innately entrepreneurial. To be an employer from being an employee, you need vision, dream but most importantly, you need a plan and cabinet of advisers.  
• Seize the day; something good happens every day.  
• To recover gracefully from mishaps, lean In, listen, reset, and own it. 

Guest Bio:

Michele N. Siekerka, Esq., President & CEO of the NJBIA, advocates on behalf of NJ's large & small businesses for policies that will make NJ more affordable & regionally competitive. Under Siekerka’s leadership, NJBIA’s award-winning research on outmigration documented the loss of $24 billion in wealth from NJ over 12 years & set the agenda in Trenton for the enactment of a series of important pro-business reforms.

Siekerka has been at the forefront of efforts to build more effective workforce development alliances in NJ between academia, business & government. The NJBIA Postsecondary Education Task Force’s yearlong study of NJ’s highest-in-the-nation millennial outmigration produced a 13-point action plan that is driving policymakers’ discussions on how to retain our future workforce.

Siekerka came to NJBIA in 2014 from the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), where she last served in the critical position of Deputy Commissioner.  At DEP, Siekerka's role was key in restoring NJ after Superstorm Sandy: coordinating funding, outreach & resources to rebuild environmental infrastructure.

An attorney by trade, Siekerka was the president & CEO of the Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce, Sr. legal counsel & VP of human resources with the Automobile Association of America, & a partner in a Mercer County law firm.  She is also on the board of directors of Investors Bancorp; The NJ Chapter of the National Association of Corporate Directors; Choose NJ; the NJ Innovation Institute and Junior Achievement of NJ.
 
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Sign up to be a WINGS Mentee or Mentor at www.wingsforgrowth.org. Many women reach the cusp of leadership and never make the leap. WINGS is strategically positioned to serve this population. 1st woman founded nonprofit, academically-backed, High-Touch, Results-Oriented, 10-month leadership program that fosters mindset and behavior which leads to systematic change. WINGS’s - accelerates thousands more women toward leadership roles in a way that’s never been done before.

Sign up to be a WINGS Mentee or Mentor at www.wingsforgrowth.org 

WINGS for Growth presents "Showing up as a leader" with Mary Jo Jacobi. In this episode Mary Jo talks about her journey from being a switch board operator making min wage, to being an internationally known and acclaimed Crisis management expert. She believes in making her own luck. She says Financial security is foundational to your professional success. 

Quotes:

• Preparation coinciding with opportunities is how you make your own luck. 
• If you care about feelings, you will always have hurt feelings; you need to be thinking and doing with feelings 
• They say to do what you are passionate about, and I say do what you are interested in, and you can develop a passion for it
• Identify things that we are good at, things we like to do, and package them in a way an employer will consider 
• There are moments when you can be euphoric and show that euphoria, but you must be objective all the time

Guest Bio:

Mary Jo is an internationally-renowned expert in reputation, brand and crisis management and a trusted advisor on the complex dynamics of international corporate, economic and governmental relationships.  Her expertise was honed in the C suites of some of the world’s largest corporations and among the power brokers of Washington and Westminster.  

Today she leads a strategic business advisory practice and is the Non-executive Director for Employee Engagement at The Weir Group plc.  She is also an executive mentor with GLG and Criticaleye, an associate of International Marketing Partners and a member of the Leadership Council in the UK. 

In addition to devising award-winning global corporate brand strategies for the HSBC Group and Lehman Brothers, Mary Jo originated the often-copied use of airport jetties as vehicles for brand messaging and thought leadership.  She also played a pivotal role in managing the responses to three historic corporate crises:  as Executive Vice President of BP America in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon tragedy; during the investigation of Royal Dutch Shell’s mis-categorization of its proved oil and gas reserves and through its corporate restructuring; and throughout the securities fraud investigation of Drexel Burnham Lambert in the 1980s.

In the public sector Mary Jo was appointed to office by two American presidents (George H W Bush as Assistant US Secretary of Commerce and by Ronald Reagan as Special Assistant and later as a member of his Advisory Committee on Trade Negotiations); two British prime ministers (David Cameron and Theresa May) as a member of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments); and a reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, as one of Her Majesty’s Civil Service Commissioners).  Early in her career she served on the staff of the US Senate Committee on Commerce.

Mary Jo has been a non-executive director of Tate & Lyle plc and Mulvaney Capital Management and an executive director of Drexel Burnham Lambert, Inc.  She chaired the External Advisory Board of the UK’s Forensic Science Service and was a member of Dana Petroleum’s Advisory Board.  She has the distinction of being the first woman to chair a major professional sports organization, the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA, and she also served on the boards of the Ladies European (Golf) Tour and a variety of charitable organizations in the UK and USA.

Formerly a visiting fellow of the University of Oxford’s Centre for Corporate Reputation and the Leeds University Business School, she is a member of the international advisory boards of Spain’s IE University and of Oxford’s Rother mere American Institute.

A dual US-UK national, Mary Jo resides near Washington, DC, with her husband, Patrick Jephson, the former private secretary/chief of staff to the late Diana, Princess of Wales.