The Rooted Leader - Minisodes for Leaders on the Go

Afreen Gootee: From 32 Years in Education to Thought Leader in Cultural Awareness and Trauma-Informed Care.

Her Linked In headline is perfect: Trained by Life. Proven in Classrooms. Transforming your Culture.In this episode of The Leader Journeys my guest is Afreen Gootee, a Bengali Muslim educator, mother, and grandmother who retired after 32 years in education and founded Thoughtful Minds Consulting in March 2020. Afreen shares how her work training educators through the Virginia Education Association led to workshops on cultural awareness, trauma-informed care, group dynamics, and stress management for schools, nonprofits, private sector organizations, senior living communities, and students. Drawing on her multicultural family and classroom experience, she explains unconscious bias, the importance of understanding students’ and coworkers’ lived experiences, and trauma’s impact on behavior and learning. Afreen describes facilitating “aha” moments through reflection and role play, including helping senior living staff understand residents’ transitions as trauma. She also discusses self-care, unplugging, hobbies, boundaries, learning to say no, and finding her work now feels valued.

I’m so glad you could join us. 🌿

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01:08 Welcome

1:46 My Guest, Afreen Gootee

02:49 Educator for over 30 years

05:03 Pivoting After Retirement

06:25 Her Passion for Cultural Awareness

09:01 The Importance of Trauma Informed Care

13:37 How She Manages Stress

20:04 The Best Part

25:03 The Importance of Time with Family

27:25 Our Lightning Round

32:19 Thank you Afreen

In this Leader Journey episode of the Rooted Leader Podcast, I welcome Erin Conlon, a former practicing attorney turned solo entrepreneur, executive coach, facilitator, and keynote speaker whose work is also informed by stand-up comedy.

Erin shares how being laid off early in her legal career during the recession, taking “side quests” like campaigning and comedy, and later working in a stable but non-growth law firm role led to an epiphany about not wanting to spend 60 hours a week disconnected from impact and human connection and possibility.

As she considered next career options, she explains why she chose to be a coach over a therapist for its future-oriented focus on who clients want to become. We talk about her portfolio career and values of possibility, courage, and transformation, and how her professional identity allows her to connect with clients, especially lawyers seeking “more.”

Together, we explore self-compassion, struggle as part of growth, inspiration from Erin’s father’s career change, gardening metaphors, joy in roses, and Erin’s interest in speaking at leadership conferences about using failure to cultivate courage.

00:00 Leader Journeys: Erin Conlon, from Practicing Attorney to Coach and Keynote Speaker with a New Perspective on Possibilities

00:45 Welcome

02:23 Her Current Self

03:42 The Possibilities for Transformation

05:24 The Journey: From Practicing Attorney toward Self- Discovery

09:06 The Big A-ha Moment

14:23 How Her Experience as an Attorney Informs Her Practice

17:08 Her Life Inspirations and Role Models

20:51 The Best Part of the Continued Journey

22:50 The Time for Growth and Iteration

25:41 The Importance of a Good Flower

29:50 Nurturing our Own Selves

Erin’s Book recommendation: A Good Person by Kirsten King

Dr. Colleen Saringer on Suicide Prevention at Work, Blue-Collar Leadership, and Boundaries

Trigger Alert: this podcast episode contains the topic of suicide prevention in the workplace. In this episode of the Rooted Leader Podcast’s “Leader Journey” series, the host speaks with Dr. Colleen Saringer, and her company Dr. Colleen Saringer Speaks who describes her mission to address suicide prevention in the workplace by focusing on how work risk factors—such as incivility, ostracism, and social undermining—can contribute to anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts, especially in blue-collar industries like construction. She shares how her blue-collar background and her father’s work-driven suicidal crisis shaped her purpose, and discusses audience responses to her talks and the resistance leaders may have when workplace culture is identified as part of the problem.

Dr. Saringer also recounts leaving corporate life after earning her PhD, navigating doubt and rejection in speaking, and maintaining strong boundaries through daily fitness, early mornings, and consistent rest, while finding joy in travel, especially Spain.

Favorite podcast: A little bit Culty00:00 Leader Journeys: Dr. Colleen Saringer - a PhD00:46 Welcome01:25 Dr. Colleen and her Pivot to Save Lives04:30 The Importance of Kindness05:53 Blue Collar Wrapped in a PhD Package09:53 Few Women Keynote Speakers14:18 The Resistance to Talk About Suicide Prevention in the Workplace15:47 Her Pivot20:34 The Fears and Doubts 22:59 The Importance of boundaries for her own well-being24:32 Her Advice to Others Seeking a Change26:43 Living Part of the Year in Spain

From HR Leader to Counseling Student: Christina McLaughlin on Identity Shifts, Balance, and Joy

Today, I share my conversation with a new friend, and fellow life-long learner and career counseling enthusiast, Christina McLoughlin.

Kathleen welcomes Christina McLaughlin, an Ottawa-based bilingual senior HR leader and consultant (HR with Christina) who left her full-time role as head of HR for a large Canadian union to pursue an online master’s in counseling psychology while rebuilding her career through part-time HR consulting.

Christina describes the identity opportunity of moving from expert to beginner, the grief and refocusing that followed her mother’s passing, and the role her daughter (a therapist) and husband (a later-life PhD student) played in inspiring her pivot. They discuss patience, empathy, embracing uncertainty, multicultural awareness, and the “gray” in coaching and counseling, along with fears, imposter syndrome, and the practical realities of starting a business.

Christina shares advice to act before motivation, say yes to moments, set boundaries, and prioritize joy, nature, learning, and balance.

Christina's favorite podcast: Talk about Talk with Dr. Andrea Wojnicki

00:00 Leader Journeys: Christina McLouglin From Head if HR to Counseling & Therapy Graduate Student01:02 Welcome01:39 Introduction: From Head of HR to Future Therapist02:51 Going back to school mid-life, mid-career04:43 A Gift from her Mother07:21 Not Taking anything for Granted08:19 Patience with12:47 No Longer Holding ourselves back as Women16:13 Flexibility and Freedom17:01 Inspired by her Adult Daughter and Husband20:16 "Never lose your joy for living"

Suzanne Summers spent her higher education career in highly diverse institutions in Texas, Indiana, and Maryland serving as a faculty member, academic dean, Assistant Vice President for Teaching and Learning, and Chief Academic Officer. Having begun her own college career as a community college transfer student, she is deeply committed to building resilient and thriving communities by expanding educational access and completion. She is a Fellow at the Gardner Institute, a national nonprofit committed to ensuring that all students succeed. She writes regularly about organizational change in higher education and is the founder of Collective Impact by Design, a consulting and coaching firm.

On our podcast episode, we discuss the impact of the Northwestern University Designing for Organizational Effectiveness Certificate (DOEC, we refer to it a lot), and how the human-centered design approach is so effective for creating efficiencies, problem-solving and innovation.

When I started The Rooted Leader Podcast, my eventual hope was to share stories of professionals who were reconsidering what their careers looked like.

Most are mid-career, led successful careers that served them and their families well, until they didn’t. And, as I was navigating my own journey away from a 30-year corporate career (one that I was VERY grateful for), I found these stories comforting.

I no longer felt alone in this desire to do more, to make an impact, and to live more into my values.

And, none of us are done yet! We all want to learn, create or connect.

I interview these guests, my friends, to share their journeys. From the initial tug to do something different, to exploring and experimenting.

So, if you might be feeling these same things, join us.

I hope that you see others exploring this phase of life with more meaning and purpose.

As part of The Rooted Leader podcast series, the Leader Journeys shares these interviews with amazing career shifters making the world a better place. I'm lucky to call them my friends.

Join us on Substack, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or where you find your favorite podcasts!

E.J. Reedy on Intentional Gravity: Fellowships, Ecosystem Building, and Nonlinear Careers in Midwest Innovation

Kathleen hosts E.J. Reedy, founder and CEO of Intentional Gravity and director of platform at Pace Healthcare Capital, to discuss his nonlinear career and community-building work across Midwest tech and life sciences. E.J. describes himself as a connector focused on creating “resonance” and helping people and ecosystems grow through meaningful relationships, drawing on experience across the Fed, philanthropy, VC, and startups.

He shares why he left full-time employment to gain independence, move faster, and pursue creative, impact-driven work after frustration affected his health. EJ explains Intentional Gravity as creating momentum that draws people together, and outlines his cohort-based fellowships, including Beyond the Bench and AI for Leaders, plus an iterated Chicago program now called Chicago Kaleidoscope. He reflects on experimentation, accepting one’s gifts, and finding joy in his son’s volleyball season.

00:00 Leader Journeys: Combining Innovation, Tech and Art for more Meaningful Connections

01:10 Welcome: Getting to Know E.J.

10:47 The Why Behind Intentional Gravity

17:08 Exploration and Iteration

22:12 Advice for Younger Self

25:01 Joy

26:09 Lightning Round Questions

27:24 Non-negotiable & Rest Ritual

In this episode of Leader Journeys, I talk with Amanda Byrd, a former corporate sales executive turned interfaith minister, executive coach, and hospice chaplain. She offers executive coaching and counseling with a spiritual lens.

Amanda shares her "non-linear" journey toward a career of more meaning and truth. She shares her experiences, her continued education to lean more into what was driving her from within, after a very successful career in sales.

We talk about the doubt that surfaces as we move into a new career not defined by title nor salary. We have a little fun talking about birds, the beach and a desire to read more fun books.

00:45 Welcome

01:59 Amanda Byrd, the Experimenter

03:53 Leaving Corporate Life

08:03 Taking care to replenish

10:33 Spirituality & Chaplaincy

13:11 Finding New Support Systems

14:41 Following a Long Career of Really Hard Work

15:28 Self-doubt & Identity

19:30 Advice to Others

23:47 Experimenting to find your path

Kathleen Wisemandle interviews Sarah Brown, PhD, as the first guest on The Leader Journeys podcast, sharing how they met through a former community for leaders ready for a new chapter.

Sarah, a school psychologist with a PhD and a two-time (soon three-time) author, describes her current threefold work: writing, speaking, and partnering closely with schools to improve outcomes by strengthening systems and supporting teachers, with a focus on ensuring all children learn to read.

Her best-selling books are:

* Effective Universal Instruction

* MTSS for Reading Improvement

She contrasts this with her prior role in educational technology and assessment, and explains her pivot was driven by valuing time differently after her father’s death, Zoom-heavy workdays, a desire for flexibility, and the need to write a book.

They discuss fears about perception and steady work, boundary-setting, motivators like problem-solving and planning, inspirations and mentors, advice to treat experiences as building blocks, and Sarah’s “lightning round” preferences and non-negotiables.

Leading with Empathy and Curiosity: Human-Centered Design for a VUCA WorldKathleen Wisemandle discusses empathy as a core leadership skill and explains how human-centered design thinking—rooted in empathy and curiosity—can be applied beyond product development to process design, leadership, development conversations, and networking.

She highlights IDEO and the Kelly brothers’ concept of “creative confidence,” the Stanford d.school mission, and the iterative design thinking cycle of empathizing, defining the problem, ideating, prototyping, and testing with users. In a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world, curiosity helps leaders challenge assumptions and understand stakeholders’ needs, desires, and motivations, illustrated by her leadership during COVID in pharma.

She shares a “seesaw” approach to connection from the “Think Fast, Talk Smart” podcast: Choose Connection Over Perfection —asking curious questions and actively listening.

We end with your own personal mini coaching session with three takeaways and reflection questions to build trust, psychological safety, and stronger relationships.00:00 Design Thinking in Leadership: Leading with Empathy and Curiosity01:01 Welcome01:31 Human Centered Design Thinking03:38 Design Thinking06:55 Design Thinking in Leadership11:46 Three Takeaways:13:16 Reflection14:56 Closure15:35 Resources and Community

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