Michelle Markwart Deveaux is the Founder and Owner of FaithCultureKiss, a voice and business coach who takes your voice and business to the next level. She is an award-winning actor and vocalist and has hosted workshops and masterclasses on business ownership, entrepreneurship, voice work, and acting. For the past 20 years, Michelle has worked with countless entrepreneurs and business owners to realign their goals and raise their voices.

Michelle holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Patten University and a Master of Arts degree in Worship, Theology, and the Arts from Fuller Theological Seminary.

Your voice starts from your toes and climbs through your diaphragm, building power and purpose before you even speak a word. It resonates in open spaces, creating a scale of understanding and reasoning—and it's powerful.

Whether you use your voice as a performer or a business owner, Michelle Markwart Deveaux, the Founder of FaithCultureKiss and the SpeakEasy Cooperative, believes that when we decide to cultivate our voices, we lean into our superpower and our true self shines through.

In this episode of The Women's Advocate, Sarah sits down with Michelle to discuss what it means to own your voice as a female business leader. Michelle also shares how COVID-19 has impacted the arts and entertainment industry, the importance of artists during this pivotal time and how solopreneurs create their space.

Susan Freeman is a Stevie Award-winning CEO as well as the Founder of Freeman Means Business and Co-Founder of The Conscious Inclusion Company. Armed with her expertise in communication, she's dedicated herself to helping people achieve workplace equity in professional environments. Susan is also a speaker, coach, author, and host of the podcast, Wonder Women in Business.

In today's episode of The Women's Advocate, Sarah sits down with Susan Freeman, public speaker, CEO, and Founder of Freeman Means Business and The Conscious Inclusion Company.

Susan has made effective communication the thread that connects each step of her career. Susan helps clients understand their authentic selves and the beauty of clear and consistent communication and she has plenty of wise words to share about creative ways to tackle and talk about unconscious bias.

Kathryn O'Connor Gardner is the co-founder of Park Bench Capital, a financial services firm that focuses on diverse founding teams that always include at least one female leader. Prior to this, she worked as a senior vice president and corporate credit research analyst within AllianceBernstein's high-yield research group, focusing on the energy sector. She oversaw all energy-related investments for traditional high yield portfolios with roughly 35 billion in assets under management.

Kathryn is also a founding board member of the Haas Center for Gender, Equity, and Leadership, which seeks to build the economic case for supporting workplace diversity, and is a member of the Haas Dean's Advisory Circle. She has more than 20 years of experience serving as an advisor for startups on strategy, financial analyst, and capital market transactions

Throughout her illustrious career, Kathryn O'Connor Gardner has gained valuable tips and insights on how to bring your A-game in everything that you do. From being an investment banking analyst to market researcher, being a startup consultant, and a women's advocate, Kathryn is an inspiring example of a Lady Boss that truly does it all.

In this week's episode of #TheWomensAdvocate, Sarah sits down with Park Bench Capital Co-founder, Kathryn O'Connor Gardner, to discuss how women can take charge of their career and support one another in male-dominated fields. They'll also discuss the challenges of parenting in the time of Covid-19, adapting to change, the role of women in times of crisis, and how to assert your value in the workplace.

Nancie McDonnell Ruder is the President of Noetic Consultants, working with brands to define their markets, clarify their strategies, and build agency-client relationships. Before working with Noetic Consultants for the last 18 years, she started her career at the renowned Leo Burnett USA as a director before moving on to Noetic Consultants.

Her past and current clients include AKQA, AT&T, Wells Fargo, Discovery Channel, General Motors, Inc CEO Project, Whirlpool, Leo Burnett Global, Nike, and many more.

While many companies have switched to remote work, staying connected with the right people has never been more critical. Nancie McDonnell Ruder, President of Noetic Consultants, works with brands to redefine their strategy, analyze their target audience, and revitalize their marketing campaigns.

Sarah Nichols and Nancie McDonnell Ruder, President of Noetic Consultants, sit down to discuss personal branding and addressing social justice issues in the workplace. Nancie uses a section from Brené Brown's book Dare to Lead to reassess personal and client goals and shares how she found her voice.

Cynthia Pong is a lawyer-turned-career coach, feminist career strategist, speaker, and the Founder of Embrace Change, an organization that provides mid-career women of color professionals with tailored coaching and training. Cynthia is also the author of Don't Stay in Your Lane: The Career Change Guide for Women of Color. After studying law at NYU and practicing as a public defender for 6 years, Cynthia decided to change course. Now, she's on a mission to empower women of color to get the money, power, and respect they deserve.

Cynthia has been featured far and wide on Refinery29, HuffPost, Fast Company, and more. She is also a LinkedIn Top Voice for job search and career. When it comes to career strategies, she breaks it down easily and always keeps it real.

What does your career path look like in the next 6-months, year, or the next five years? No clue? No worries; there's a book for that.

Cynthia Pong, career coach, ex-lawyer, and author of Don't Stay in Your Lane, is here to talk to you about the importance of addressing race, gender, and gaslighting in the workplace. She highlights the issues that women and men of color face in professional environments and when trying to climb the corporate ladder—and how to breakthrough.

Host Sarah Nichols sits down with Cynthia Pong, career coach, Founder of Embrace Change, and author, to discuss her life's mission to empower women of color in the workplace. Cynthia recalls her transition from working as a lawyer to operating in a field that helps women make space for themselves in their organization. She also talks about the steps you need to better communicate with your coworkers and unpacking racial mental trauma.

Cynthia Cleveland is a 5-time CEO and an expert in developing, translating, and monetizing intellectual property rights into major global consumer brands and new businesses across diverse industries. She has led companies that have generated over $4 billion in worldwide sales across consumer products, entertainment and retail and have helped countless companies build their brand and capitalize on the market to create new sales funnel and successful marketing campaigns. Cynthia is currently a Partner at CEO Coaching International, a leading coaching firm for growth-focused CEOs and entrepreneurs.

How do you foster resilience in your life? What mantras do you speak to yourself to keep going when times get tough? Maybe you don't think about your resilient nature, but it is one of the defining qualities of highly successful people. Cynthia Cleveland, Partner at CEO Coaching International and 5-time CEO/President, can attest to the power of resilience and its ability to help leaders find opportunity in the midst of a crisis.

In this episode of Women's Advocate, Sarah Nichols sits down with Partner at CEO Coaching International, Cynthia Cleveland. They discuss how companies can pivot in the midst of the pandemic, the power of women in leadership roles, and what inspires Cynthia to keep going in times of uncertainty. Cynthia also shares her journey from teacher to CEO while pregnant with her first child and the value of finding support within your closest circles. Stay tuned.

Jacquette Timmons is a financial behaviorist, speaker, coach, and the President and CEO of Sterling Investment Management. With her expertise, she has helped countless individuals understand their financial decisions and put them on track to financial freedom and well-being. Jacquette is the author of Financial Intimacy, a book that delves into relationship problems that may arise and how to mitigate them. She is also the More than Money podcast host, where she discusses the connection between psychology, emotions, and money.

Money is power—but you already knew this. But, did you know that understanding your motives behind using and negotiating financial situations is a much bigger indicator of your financial well-being? According to Jacquette Timmons, a financial behaviorist, money, and emotions go hand-in-hand. She has helped countless entrepreneurs, couples, and individuals clarify their goals, better understand their habits, and become financially healthy.

In this week's episode, host Sarah Nichols sits down with financial behaviorist, speaker, author, and President and CEO of Sterling Investment Management, Jacquette Timmons. They talk about negotiating a higher salary, how our emotions dictate our financial decisions, and how to create better habits by tracking our spending. Jacquette delves into what makes her unique, her source of inspiration, and the questions you need to address to take the first step towards financial well-being.

Sue Bunnell is the Senior Vice President and Managing Counsel for Wells Fargo as well as the President and Co-Chair of Leading Women in Technology (LWT), a women's professional development nonprofit. LWT's mission is to help professional women develop the skills and experience they need to achieve their goals. Recently, Sue also joined the Board for the Professional BusinessWomen of California, which provides skill development, networking opportunities, and inspiration to women at all levels.

As working women, it can sometimes feel impossible to change the opinions of those who don't respect or appreciate you. However, as women's advocate Sue Bunnell says, you can't tell people what to think—but you can show them why and how they need to respect you. Her advice? Work hard, show up, and find a group of women who will motivate you.

Join host Sarah Nichols in this episode of The Women's Advocate as she chats with Sue Bunnell, the President and Co-Chair of Leading Women in Technology (LWT), about how to find your power as a working woman. Sue shares her salty wisdom on approaching biases, negotiating job offers, and finding the fellow lady bosses that will hold you accountable. Stay tuned to discover how to reshape your career and get on the path to success today.

Elise Holtzman is the President and Founder of The Lawyer's Edge and the host of The Lawyer's Edge Podcast. The Lawyer's Edge focuses on empowering attorneys and teaching them the tools for success that aren't part of the law school curriculum. Her experience as a lawyer has given her expertise on where lawyers can improve their business and connect with clients. Elise has worked with practicing lawyers, professionals, and business leaders to further their business goals.

Our lives are defined by the ways we choose to build our character and the action we take to reach our goals. Each decision we make will help to define the importance we place on our lives and the relationships around us. Elise Holtzman, President and Founder of The Lawyer's Edge, takes her background in law and combines it with her coaching expertise to help companies improve their communication and achieve their goals.

In this week's episode, host Sarah Nichols sits down with Elise Holtzman, the President and Founder of The Lawyer's Edge, as they laugh and discuss the perception of part-time work in law firms, business development, and the importance of relationships. Elise recalls her career path and the difficulties she faced. She also dives into how our decisions can help define a better future. Stay tuned.

Sarah Nichols is the Founder and Managing Attorney at Nichols Law, P.C. She is also an author, coach, HR expert, and a public speaker with frequent speeches for private employers and associations providing managers with compliance and liability prevention training.

Sarah has over 20 years in the legal field and has guided hundreds of organizations from small businesses to Fortune 100 companies as they defend individual and class action claims before becoming a voice against discrimination in the workplace and closing the wage gap.

Sarah is also the host of the Women's Advocate Podcast.

What are your initial thoughts rights after you have been laid off? Surely, you're in shock and wondering what to do next but you should also start wondering if the basis for your exit in the company was legal. If it wasn't, what kind of claims are you eligible for and what things are you entitled to? See, most people are unaware of their rights and their thoughts often get muddled the moment they get that pink slip, but according to Sarah Nichols, that shouldn't be the case. And she has made it her mission to help marginalized groups find the answers to the right questions post termination.

In this episode of The Women's Advocate podcast, host Sarah Nichols gets interviewed by John Corcoran of Rise25 about what to do when you get fired unexpectedly. Sarah delves into who can make a claim and the common cases that she comes across with in her mission to be the voice of those who feel like they have none in the face of their employers. Stay Tuned.