On this episode of Skipper, I speak with Dr. Claire Sterk. Before stepping down just last year, Sterk served as the 20th president of Emory University, a prestigious private research university located in Atlanta, Georgia. Sterk is also the Charles Candler professor of Public Health at Emory. For the past two decades, Sterk has served as a social scientist, academic leader, and administrator at Emory. Prior to becoming president in 2016, Sterk served as the university's Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. A globally-renowned thought leader, her work has deepened understanding of social and health disparities, infectious diseases, specifically HIV/AIDS, community engagement, and the importance of mentoring and empowering woman leaders. Among many other research accomplishments, Sterk is recognized as the first person to identify the risk of HIV infection due to unprotected sex among crack addicts. Her academic publications include three books and over 125 peer-reviewed articles. Born and raised in the Netherlands, Sterk received her PhD in Sociology from Erasmus University in Rotterdam, and her undergraduate degree from the Free University in Amsterdam.

On this episode Dr. Sterk and I discuss her journey, setbacks along the way, and advice to those of us looking for that inspirational spark!

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On this weeks episode I'm joined by Sid Banerjee. Banerjee is the Founder and Vice Chairman of Clarabridge, a company that specializes in using AI-powered text and speech analytics, to enable brands to extract insights from customer interactions in order to grow sales, ensure compliance and increase operational efficiencies. The company has raised close to $119 million in funding across six rounds, including an $80 million investment in 2013 . Sid provides executive leadership and strategic direction and is a well-known expert in customer experience, business intelligence, and text mining. Over his career, Sid has amassed nearly 20 years of business intelligence leadership experience. Clarabridge was named a leader in AI-based text analytics platforms by Forrester and it was named one of the best places to work in 2020 by the Washington Business Journal. 

On this episode of Skipper, I speak with Russell Shaw, head of school at Georgetown Day School (GDS). GDS is considered to be one of the top high schools in the US and is consistently placed in the top 35 high schools nationally. Having studied at Yale University and receiving a Klingenstein Fellowship from Columbia University's Teachers College, Russell is an experienced professional in the world of education.

Russell speaks on his journey to GDS, the things he learned along the way, and advice to those still searching for that inspirational spark. 

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In this episode I speak with Dr. Jack Flyer, a cardiologist and entrepreneur. Previously the Chief Resident at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Jack is the founder and managing partner of Cardiocare, a progressive cardiology practice with a focus on preventative care. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University, Medical Doctorate from Duke University, and Masters in Business Administration from Columbia University. 

In this episode Jack discusses the things he loves about cardiology and why he decided to pursue medicine. We talk about his journey to medicine, some of the obstacles he's had to face, and most importantly, advice he would give to those who are still looking for the thing they love. 

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On this weeks episode I'm joined by Jeff Grass. Grass is the CEO and co-founder of HUNGRY Marketplace, a business meant to disrupt the catering market. Through the company's platform, catering is done through individual chef's as opposed to restaurants, changing the catering game for good. In a recent round of fundraising, HUNGRY marketplace raised $20million with a $100 million dollar valuation. Notable investors include Jay-Z, Usher, Kevin Hart, and several NFL players. Prior to Hungry, Grass founded and led 3 separate companies in the span of 20 years. He started his first company PayMyBills.com, shortly after business school, and sold the company for $67 million. He then helped found buySAFE, an e-commerce service for which he raised over $30 million in venture funding. Lastly, before co-founding Hungry, Jeff co-founded LiveSafe, a mobile application designed to protect communities by enabling users to report crimes or dangerous situations to their neighbors. If you are a college student, you likely had to download the LiveSafe app for school. That is Jeff, who now serves as the Chairman of the Board for LiveSafe as well. 

In this episode of Skipper, I speak with Pati Jinich, award winning Chef and TV host. Pati's show, Pati's Mexican Table, is aired on PBS and Amazon Prime to approximately 28 million viewers in the US alone. The show has received three daytime Emmy nominations for  Outstanding Culinary Host (2x) and Outstanding Culinary Series. The show has also won three James Beard Awards for Best Culinary Television program (2x) and for Outstanding Personality/TV Host. She is also the author of two cookbooks which are being sold at retailers across the country.

Pati discusses her path to cooking and why she was attracted to the culinary world. In addition, we discuss setbacks on her journey and advice she would give to those still searching for the thing they love. But most importantly, Pati tells us her favorite dish that we all need to try at home :)

Link to Pati's Website: https://patijinich.com/

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In this episode of Skipper, I speak with Brad Linde, professional Jazz saxophonist and teacher. Brad has worked with some of the greatest names in Jazz including Lee Konitz, Freddie Redd, Barry Harris, Ted Brown, Wadada Leo Smith, Ran Blake, and Matt Wilson. He is also the founder of the Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra and other small bands which he leads.

In this episode, Brad speaks on his passion for music and what inspired him to pursue it full time. He discusses the power of improvisation in music and in our daily lives, and walks us through some of the harsh realities of being a musician in today's world.

Look for Brads new album released today: Urbane Outfit

Brad's website: https://www.bradlinde.com/

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On this episode of Skipper, I speak with Jeffrey Goldberg, Editor In-Chief of The Atlantic magazine. In addition to his current role as editor, Jeffrey is an award winning reporter and author. His 2006 book entitled Prisoners: A Story of Friendship and Terror, was hailed as one of the best books of 2006 by multiple publications including the LA Times, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. Jeffrey's journalism has secured him many accolades including the Magazine Award for Reporting for his coverage of Islamic terrorism and the 2005 Anti-Defamation League Daniel Pearl Prize. He is also the winner of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists prize for best international investigative journalist; the Overseas Press Club award for best human-rights reporting; and the Abraham Cahan Prize in Journalism.

In this episode, Jeffrey discusses the start of his journalism career, memorable experiences, and advice to those who have yet to find what makes them tick. 

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On this second inaugural episode of Skipper, I speak with Abby Greensfelder. Greensefelder is the founder and CEO of Everywoman Studios, a purpose-built media company whose mission is to tell female-focused stories that might not otherwise be told, and that can have a positive impact on our culture.

Everywoman Studios is Greensfelder’s second entrepreneurial venture. She is also a co-founder of Half Yard Productions, an award-winning production company specializing in non-fiction series and documentaries, including the global franchise Say Yes to the Dress for TLC, fan favorite How the States Got Their Shapes for History and critically-acclaimed The Last Alaskans for Discovery.

Prior to starting Half Yard Productions, Greensfelder was senior vice president of programming and development for Discovery Channel, where she launched brand-defining programs, including Deadliest Catch, MythBusters, and the award-winning Planet Earth.

Greensfelder and I discuss her experiences and journey through the world of production, why and how she decided on production, and advice she would give to the younger generation on how to find that passion that we are all looking for.

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On this inaugural episode of Skipper (1/2), I'm joined by Randy Street. Randy is a New York Times best selling author and a managing partner at ghSMART, a leadership advisory firm whose mission is to help great leaders amplify their positive impact on the world. As managing partner, Randy works with top level executives, boards, and presidents to help them lead their companies and organizations to success through their hiring process.

In 2008, Randy co-authored Who: The A Method For Hiring. The book was wildly successful and soared to the #1 best selling book on Amazon out of 24 million titles! It would continue on to be a bestseller amongst every major bestseller list in the US, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly. 

On this episode, Randy and I discuss his book, how he decided on business as his career, and of course, his advice to young people on how to find what makes us tick!

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