Melinda Briana Epler has more than 25 years of experience elevating brands and developing business innovation strategies for startups, Fortune 500 companies, and global NGOs.

As CEO of Empovia (formerly Change Catalyst), Melinda is a strategic diversity, equity, and inclusion advisor for executives, entrepreneurs, investors, and activists around the world. As part of her change making work, she is an inclusive leadership coach, trains executive and management teams, and builds learning and development solutions for clients. 

Melinda is the author of How to Be an Ally (McGraw-Hill) and the host of the popular "Leading With Empathy & Allyship" podcast. She is also a TED speaker, award-winning documentary filmmaker, and former marketing and culture executive. She speaks and writes about diversity and inclusion in tech, allyship, and empathy.

You can learn more about HOW TO BE AN ALLY at MelindaBrianaEpler.com

Today’s Pioneering Woman is Martha Coston. Martha Jane Coston was an American inventor and businesswoman who invented the Coston flare, a device for signaling at sea, and the owner of the Coston Manufacturing Company. Thank you, Martha Coston!

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Learn more about our story and mission at: www.wonderwomentech.com

Podcast Hosted by Lisa Mae Brunson, Founder of Wonder Women Tech

Sound Engineering by Cari Favole

Original Music score by Carleigh Strange

Today's guest is Dr. Yolanda Kerney. Dr. Yolonda joined the United States diplomatic corps as a Foreign Service Officer in 2004. She served as Counselor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Mission to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean, and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Jamaica; Cultural Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in the Republic of Cameroon, and Economic Officer and Chief Consul at the U.S. Embassy in the Republic of Guinea. 

Dr. Yolanda is the recipient of several Department of State Meritorious Honor and Superior Honor awards, and the Lois Roth Award for Excellence in Cultural Diplomacy. She is a proud alumna of Howard University from which she earned undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees in music history and literature, and religious studies.  Before joining the Foreign Service she served as a music historian at the United States Library of Congress.

Learn more about the power of believing in yourself and thriving in your self-knowledge in today's episode!

Today's Pioneering Woman is Bessie Blount Griffin. Bessie Blount Griffin was an American writer, nurse, physical therapist, inventor and forensic scientist. As a part of Blount's physical therapy exercises, she taught World War II veterans who had lost the ability to use their hands, new ways to perform everyday tasks by substituting the use of their teeth and feet. She would tell them, “You’re not crippled, only crippled in your mind." As a nurse and physical therapist, she also cared for and worked closely with Theodore Edison, son of famed inventor Thomas Edison. Thank you for your Pioneering Contributions, Bessie Blount Griffin!

Learn more about our story and mission at: www.wonderwomentech.com

Podcast Hosted by Lisa Mae Brunson, Founder of Wonder Women Tech

Sound Engineering by Alicia Pichette

Encore Editing by Cari Favole

Original Music score by Carleigh Strange

Illustrated Artwork by Jessenia Hernandez [email protected] on Instagram

Our guest today is Angie Brown. Angie is Vice President of Technology at The Home Depot. She and her team lead the Merchandising Development Organization, Technology Enablement functions and Enterprise User Experience.

Prior to her current position, Angie served as Vice President of Technology – Stores, where she led the company’s in-store technology systems. During this time Angie and her team reimagined several experiences such as self-checkout and implemented the order management system which powers The Home Depot’s interconnected retail offerings.

Angie began her career at The Home Depot in 1998 as an entry-level software developer and has held roles of increasing responsibility since that time. She earned a degree in management Information Systems from the University of Georgia.

Angie has completed Harvard University’s Authentic Leader Development program and Carnegie Mellon Heinz College’s CIO Certificate program. Angie serves as the VP Advisor for Women’s Link, Home Depot’s internal resource group dedicated to supporting female associates grow their careers. Angie also serves on the board of Junior Achievement of Georgia and Technology Association of Georgia.

Outside of work, Angie enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters.

Learn more about living a true work-life balance in this week's episode.

Today's Pioneering Woman is Sara Blakely. Sara is an American businesswoman and philanthropist. She is the founder of Spanx, an American intimate apparel company with pants and leggings, founded in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2012, Blakely was named in Time magazine's "Time 100" annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Thank you for your Pioneering Contributions, Sara Blakely!

Learn more about our story and mission at: www.wonderwomentech.com

Podcast Hosted by Lisa Mae Brunson, Founder of Wonder Women Tech

Sound Engineering by Alicia Pichette

Original Music score by Carleigh Strange

Illustrated Artwork by Jessenia Hernandez - @sen.i.a on Instagram

Today's guest is Natasha Potashnik. Natasha is a recovering academic - she studied theoretical mathematics at Yale and then Columbia, getting her PhD from the latter in 2016.  During her time there, she both performed research in algebraic geometry and taught math (to both undergrads and promising high schoolers). 

Towards the tail end of her graduate program, Natasha realized that academia wasn't the right fit and started to investigate a career in data science, eventually participating in a bootcamp program for transitioning academics, where she got to design a recommendation system for the Dota 2 video game.  She subsequently got a job as a Data Scientist at Schireson Associates, a data science consulting firm. 

Natasha has worked on an array of projects and products, mostly with media publishers and focused on revolutionizing TV advertising, a team she came to lead development for.  As Schireson became Known, Natasha transitioned to building and leading a brand new team and capability, Media Science, focused on scientifically planning, buying, and optimizing advertising for brands.  Her Media Science team is now at almost 100 people (a team inclusive of data scientists, engineers, data analyst, media strategists, and media specialists) and continues to aggressively grow within the Known rocket ship.

Learn how we can do more to break gender barriers.

Today's Pioneering Woman is Edith Clarke. Edith was the first woman to be professionally employed as an electrical engineer in the United States, and the first female professor of electrical engineering in the country. Thank you for your Pioneering Contribution, Edith Clarke!

Learn more about our story and mission at: www.wonderwomentech.com

Podcast Hosted by Lisa Mae Brunson, Founder of Wonder Women Tech

Sound Engineering by Alicia Pichette

Original Music score by Carleigh Strange

Illustrated Artwork by Jessenia Hernandez - @sen.i.a on Instagram

Today's encore episode's honored guest is Dr. Ellen Ochoa, Ph.D., who became the first Latina in space aboard the shuttle Discovery in 1993. Dr. Ochoa eventually became the Director of NASA's Johnson Space Center until her retirement in 2018, and is now Chair of the National Science Board.

Lisa Mae Brunson, Founder of Wonder Women Tech, explores Dr. Ochoa's incredible career path, the importance of building pathways for others, and celebrating those that came before her. Ever wondered what outer space smells like? We have the answer! Dr. Ochoa's fascinating life in space and her down-to-earth spirit will be an inspiration to all listeners. This out-of-this-world episode shouldn't be missed!

Today's Pioneering woman is Nikki Giovanni. Yolande Cornelia "Nikki" Giovanni Jr. is an American poet, writer, commentator, activist, and educator. Giovanni's work explores race, gender, sexuality, and the African American family. Her poetry was political and worked to uplift the black experience in the arts and as part of the Black Arts Movement. Thank you, Nikki Giovanni!

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Learn more about our story and mission at: www.wonderwomentech.com

Podcast Hosted by Lisa Mae Brunson, Founder of Wonder Women Tech

Original Sound Engineering by Alicia Pichette

Re-Edited for Encore by Cari Favole

Original Music score by Carleigh Strange

Illustrated Artwork by Jessenia Hernandez [email protected] on Instagram

Trigger warning - this episode contains references to themes of gender identity, sexual assault, and suicidal ideation, which some individuals may find distressing.

Today’s guest is someone we’ve had the honor to have on our stage as a speaker for Wonder Women Tech, and she is an award-winning trans activist and Top Voice in highlighting the challenges and policies affecting trans humans and trans rights. 

Celia Sandhya Daniels is a healthcare management consultant who educates, empowers, and advocates for transgender and gender-diverse individuals in the corporate world, public sector, and academic and medical institutions through her "Bathroom to Boardroom" advocacy. 

As an Asian Indian trans woman born and raised in a conservative family in southern India, she writes and speaks passionately about the struggles and challenges she faced in her family, work, and community in the United States and India.

She has built an ecosystem of alliances with local businesses, police departments, therapists, doctors, churches, and civil rights organizations in the US and India to educate them about bullying, transgender violence, discrimination, healthcare policies, and economic empowerment.

Celia is recognized as one of the Top 20 LGBTQ+ leaders in Biopharma and the Top 10 LGBTQ+ Voices on LinkedIn in the US and Canada. She is also a Top 100 LGBTQ+ Women in DEI worldwide along with Laverne Cox, Wanda Sykes, Lily Tomlin, and others. 

She is the Founder and CEO of Rebekon Consulting, serves on the Executive Board of Trans Can Work Inc, and is the VP of PFLAG and Stonewall Democrats of Ventura County, California.

Today's Pioneering woman is  Giuliana Tesoro.   Giuliana Tesoro   was an Italian-born American chemist who earned more than 125 patents, with her most notable consisting of improvements in fabric comfort, practicality, and flame resistance. 

Thank you, Giuliana Tesoro!  

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Learn more about our story and mission at: www.wonderwomentech.com

Podcast Hosted by Lisa Mae Brunson, Founder of Wonder Women Tech

Sound Engineering by Cari Favole

Original Music score by Carleigh Strange

Illustrated Artwork by Jessenia Hernandez [email protected] on Instagram

In an episode full of love and inspiration, Lisa Mae Brunson, Host of the Podcast and Founder of Wonder Women Tech, interviews Viktoriya Chaplytska, Vice President of Quality Engineering at Weedmaps.

Listen in as Viktoriya takes us on a story around the world, and we dive deep into the values we cherish and the importance of learning from your own journey.

Today's Pioneering woman is Dr. Antonia Novello. Antonia Coello Novello is a Puerto Rican physician and public health administrator. She was a vice admiral in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and served as 14th Surgeon General of the United States from 1990 to 1993. Novello was the first woman and first Hispanic to serve as Surgeon General. Thank you, Dr. Antonia Novello!

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Learn more about our story and mission at: www.wonderwomentech.com

Podcast Hosted by Lisa Mae Brunson, Founder of Wonder Women Tech

Original Sound Engineering by Alicia Pichette

Re-Edited for Encore by Cari Favole

Original Music score by Carleigh Strange

Illustrated Artwork by Jessenia Hernandez [email protected] on Instagram

This episode is sponsored by Amazon Alexa Shopping!

Claudia Clemente has sealed her future in an inspiring story that allows us to reflect on the magic that "all roads lead to home" -- or in this case, Amazon. In this episode, Lisa Mae Brunson, Founder of Wonder Women Tech, and the Host of the Wonder Women Tech Show Podcast, take a trip down memory lane where Claudia talks about her origin story growing up in Venezuela, having multiple cultural identities, and creating home wherever she is.

Claudia highlights her familial influences coming from a long line of powerful women who have charted STEM career paths--her sister is a rocket scientist!

Learn how Claudia forged a path to become a leader inside one of the largest companies in the world. She started at Amazon when it only had a handful of warehouses, and has grown with the company to now lead as Director of Product and Engineering at Amazon Alexa Shopping.

Today’s Pioneering Woman is Maya Burhanpurkar. Maya Burhanpurkar is a graduate of Harvard University, where she studied physics and computer science, and is now a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University. She is the founder of Adventus Robotics, an autonomous robotics startup specializing in automating power wheelchairs for hospitals and consumers, which won the 2020 Harvard i3 Innovation challenge, the 2021 Lemelson-MIT Student Prize, and the 2020 LPCE Launch Fund accelerator. She was also an Innovation Fellow at Harvard Business School and has worked in investing, from early stage VC to public global macro. In 2013, Maya traveled to the Arctic and produced an open-source documentary called 400PPM about climate change featuring author Margaret Atwood and astronaut Chris Hadfield. It was awarded the international Gloria Barron Prize. She also received a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal presented on behalf of the Governor General of Canada and was in Canada’s Top 20 Under 20.

Thank you for your Pioneering Contributions, Maya Burhanpurkar!

Learn more about our story and mission at www.wonderwomentech.com

Podcast Hosted by Lisa Mae Brunson, Founder of Wonder Women Tech

Sound Engineering by Alicia Pichette

Original Music score by Carleigh Strange

Illustrated Artwork by Jessenia Hernandez - @sen.i.a on Instagram

In this Encore of the debut episode of the Wonder Women Tech Show Podcast, Lisa Mae Brunson, Host of the Podcast and Founder of Wonder Women Tech, interviews the lovely Kimberly Wilson, Vice President, Multi-Platform Marketing for The Walt Disney Company Platform Distribution. In this episode we learn how Kimberly discovered the "happiest place on earth," while traveling a million paths to reach her true North. Enjoy a Pioneering Women in STEAM segment, and fall in love with Kimberly and Lisa Mae as they talk about taking a non-traditional path forward, taking leaps of faith, and being of service to others. Engaging, raw, funny, down-to-earth, and inspirational, you'll come away from listening to this episode as though you've just been given a "Word!" and the motivation you need to blaze your own trail for happiness, success, and self-discovery.

Today's Pioneering Woman Segment is Ava DuVernay. Ava Marie DuVernay is an American filmmaker, screenwriter, film and television producer. She is a recipient of a Primetime Emmy Award, two NAACP Image Award, a BAFTA Film Award and a BAFTA TV Award, as well as a nominee of an Academy Award and Golden Globe. Thank you, Ava DuVernay!

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Learn more about our story and mission at: www.wonderwomentech.com

Podcast Hosted by Lisa Mae Brunson, Founder of Wonder Women Tech

Original Sound Engineering by Alicia Pichette

Re-Edited for Encore by Cari Favole

Original Music score by Carleigh Strange

Illustrated Artwork by Jessenia Hernandez [email protected] on Instagram

In today's incredibly powerful episode, host and Founder of Wonder Women Tech, Lisa Mae Brunson, talks to South L.A. Tech Royalty, Cassie Betts about her journey as a Black woman in the tech industry. Cassie is the founder of MISLA, "Made in South LA". Her incredible drive for innovation has allowed her to become the tech giant she is today.

We are honored to amplify Cassie's story, and to share with our audiences a personal side to an often daunting industry. In this episode Lisa Mae and Cassie are never afraid to go deep, breaching topics from Cassie's experience as a homeless youth to the continual underestimating of BIPOC innovators. Listen in to hear a powerfully real and authentic conversation that will leave you feeling inspired.

There is no Pioneering Women Segment this episode.

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Learn more about our story and mission at: www.wonderwomentech.com

Podcast Hosted by Lisa Mae Brunson, Founder of Wonder Women Tech

Original Sound Engineering by Alicia Pichette

Re-Edited for Encore by Cari Favole

Original Music score by Carleigh Strange

Illustrated Artwork by Jessenia Hernandez [email protected] on Instagram