Women Amplified

This episode features a conversation with Pearl Cleage, an American playwright, novelist and poet, and Laysha Ward, the executive vice president and chief external engagement officer at Target.

Together they explore the power of truth, the responsibility of storytelling, and the praise poem, “We Speak Your Names,” which was commissioned by Oprah Winfrey in celebration of sisterhood and women.

Cleage offers wisdom, sage advice and insightful stories that will leave you energized and inspired!

Pearl Cleage

Pearl Cleage is an Atlanta based writer who is currently Distinguished Artist in Residence at the Alliance Theatre. She also serves as Atlanta’s first Poet Laureate. She is the author of more than a dozen plays, including “Blues for an Alabama Sky,” and “Flyin’ West,” and was recently awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Dramatists Guild. Her most recent play, “Something Moving: A Meditation on Maynard” will open at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. in September 2023. The play will have an Atlanta production at the Alliance in 2024. She is the author of 8 novels, including the New York Times bestseller What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day, which was also an Oprah Book Club selection. Cleage was recently honored with the Paul Robeson Award by Actors’ Equity Association and the Actors’ Equity Foundation. She is co-author with her husband, writer Zaron W. Burnett, Jr., of the praise poem We Speak Your Names, and In My Granny’s Garden, a book for children. Cleage and Burnett also collaborated for ten years on the performance series “Live at Club Zebra!”

Laysha Ward

Laysha Ward is an accomplished C-suite executive with thirty years of leadership experience at Target. In 2017, Ward was named executive vice president, chief external engagement officer, overseeing Target’s enterprise-wide approach to engage and deepen relationships with cross-sector stakeholders to drive positive business and community impact. In 1991, Ward began her career with Target as a member of the store sales and management team of Marshall Fields in Chicago. In 2000, she was named director of community relations and promoted to vice president of community relations and Target Foundation in 2003. In 2008, President Bush nominated, and the U.S. Senate confirmed Ward would serve on the board of directors of the Corporation for National and Community Service, the nation’s largest grantmaker for volunteering and service, which she continued to serve as board chair under the Obama Administration. Later that year, she was promoted to president of community relations and the Target Foundation. She serves on the Aspen Institute Latinos and Society Advisory Board and the Stanford Center for Longevity Advisory Council, is a member of the Executive Leadership Council, the Economic Clubs of New York and Chicago, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, The Links, and serves on the boards of Greater MSP, the Minnesota Orchestra, and the Northside Achievement Zone, as well as United Airlines and Denny’s Corporation for-profit board of directors. She received a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University, master’s degree from the University of Chicago, and an honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs. She and her husband, Bill, reside in Minneapolis, MN.

Additional Resources

* Subscribe to Laysha’s Lessons from the C-Suite newslett...

THE PROBLEM:

“I am the director of a non-profit where a significant portion of staff represents a younger generation. Workplace dynamics have been challenging for me as a leader, trying to manage employees who are not well-equipped with coping and resiliency skills. Additionally, there is a gap in their ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously and the stress that comes with busy times.

“This generation is great at setting boundaries and prioritizing their emotional well-being — which, to some extent, limits their reaching existing goals or setting stretch goals to grow the organization. While I come from a generation where hard work and long hours are par for the course, I do NOT place the same expectations on my staff and I am very cognizant of their needs and bandwidth. Over the last several years I have implemented improved compensation, benefits, and PTO. I am also very in tune to their commitment to social justice.

“Yet I basically live in constant fear that they are going to quit — because they are burned out, or offended by something said or done — and I will be back at square one. It is hard to reconcile the needs of the staff with the needs of the business and our big visions for growth. How do I manage these dynamics?”

THE SOLUTION:

Tune in to hear from our guest expert Rebecca Stone, senior vice president of customer solutions marketing and chief marketing officer of Cisco Meraki.

Together with Celeste, she’ll help our listener unpack some of what’s really going on, and find practical solutions — and perspective — that can help bridge the intergenerational management gap she’s facing.

Rebecca Stone

Rebecca Stone is the senior vice president of customer solutions marketing and chief marketing officer of Cisco Meraki. In this dual role, she is responsible for messaging, positioning, and product marketing across the Cisco Networking portfolio. With more than 20 years of experience in marketing B2B technology products, Stone has consistently demonstrated the value and return of marketing programs on sales. Her in-depth understanding of the customer journey, combined with a data-driven approach, has helped her achieve 5-10x growth in marketing-generated pipeline throughout her career. Prior to joining Cisco, Rebecca held marketing leadership roles for SaaS technology start-ups. Most recently, Stone was the vice president of marketing at LiveRamp, where she was responsible for product marketing, lead generation, sales development and marketing communications. On top of the business results she delivers, Stone has a track record of building an adaptable culture and transforming her teams to create an impact where it matters most. She is passionate about inclusivity.

Celeste Headlee

Celeste Headlee is a communication and human nature expert, and an award-winning journalist. She is a professional speaker, and also the author of Speaking of Race: Why Everybody Needs to Talk About Racism—and How to Do It, Do Nothing, Heard Mentality, and We Need to Talk. In her twenty-year career in public radio, she has been the executive producer of On Second Thought at Georgia Public Radio, and anchored programs including Tell Me More, Talk of the Nation, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition.

Many of us assume that the more successful we are, the less susceptible we’ll be to that sense of irrelevance that often comes with aging, both professionally and socially.

But the truth is, the greater our achievements and our attachment to them, the more we notice our decline, and the more painful it is when it occurs.

So what can we do, starting now, to make our older years a time of happiness, purpose, and success? 

Arthur Brooks will tell you how to do just that AND create your very own “Happiness 401K plan” in this episode, which is an encore replay from a 2022 Pennsylvania Conference for Women breakout session.

Drawing on data, interviews, and personal experience, you will learn how to navigate transitions and set yourself up for increased happiness as you age.

Arthur Brooks

Arthur C. Brooks is a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Harvard Business School, where he teaches courses on leadership and happiness. He is also a columnist at The Atlantic, where he writes the popular “How to Build a Life” column. Brooks is the author of 12 books, including the 2022 #1 New York Times bestseller From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life. Brooks began his career as a classical musician, leaving college at 19, and performing with ensembles in the United States and Spain. In his late twenties, while still performing, he returned to school, earning a BA in economics through distance learning. At 31, he left music and earned an MPhil and PhD in public policy analysis, during which time he worked as a military analyst for the Rand Corporation. Brooks then spent the next 10 years as a university professor at Syracuse University, where he taught economics and nonprofit management. In 2009, Brooks became the president of the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC, one of the world’s most influential think tanks, which he led for a decade. During this period, he was selected as one of Fortune Magazine’s 50 World’s Greatest Leaders and was awarded seven honorary doctorates. Originally from Seattle, Brooks currently lives outside Boston, with his wife Ester Munt-Brooks, who is a native of Barcelona. They have three adult children.

Celeste Headlee

Celeste Headlee is a communication and human nature expert, and an award-winning journalist. She is a professional speaker, and also the author of Speaking of Race: Why Everybody Needs to Talk About Racism—and How to Do It, Do Nothing, Heard Mentality, and We Need to Talk. In her twenty-year career in public radio, she has been the executive producer of On Second Thought at Georgia Public Radio, and anchored programs including Tell Me More, Talk of the Nation, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition. She also served as cohost of the national morning news show The Takeaway from PRI and WNYC, and anchored presidential coverage in 2012 for PBS World Channel. Headlee’s TEDx talk sharing ten ways to have a better conversation has over twenty million total views to date. @CelesteHeadlee

Additional Resources

* Learn more about today’s guest at

The Women Amplified listener featured in this episode of “That’s a Good Question” is leading a remote business unit with ambitious goals, a steep climb ahead, and limited resources.

She’s struggling with the tricky juggling act of keeping her team engaged — while avoiding the balance and burnout conundrum — and without compromising her hands-off leadership style.

Through active problem solving, practical advice and shared experiences, our host Celeste Headlee and guest expert Brooke Bass of Liberty Mutual team up to help. Our listener will gain actionable tips and strategies to identify the right priorities to focus on, work “smarter” but not “harder,” and ultimately create a balance that allows her team to shine with autonomy and freedom.

Are you struggling with an issue at work — or at home? Submit your question here and we’ll try our best to help on an upcoming episode of “That’s A Good Question!”

Brooke Bass

Brooke Bass is the senior vice president and manager, property claims for Global Retail Markets US. She leads a department of 2,400 professionals that handle personal and small commercial property claims in the US and provide customers peace of mind when they need it most. Bass began her career with Liberty Mutual Insurance in 2004 as a consultant in corporate strategy & research (CS&R), where she worked on engagements for all SBUs. Prior to her current position, which is based in Boston, she was VP & manager of corporate strategy & research, and prior to that assistant vice president and assistant claims product manager for personal markets property claims. Bass holds a BS in environmental engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. She obtained her CPCU designation in 2007.

Celeste Headlee

Celeste Headlee is a communication and human nature expert, and an award-winning journalist. She is a professional speaker, and also the author of Speaking of Race: Why Everybody Needs to Talk About Racism—and How to Do It, Do Nothing, Heard Mentality, and We Need to Talk. In her twenty-year career in public radio, she has been the executive producer of On Second Thought at Georgia Public Radio, and anchored programs including Tell Me More, Talk of the Nation, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition. She also served as cohost of the national morning news show The Takeaway from PRI and WNYC, and anchored presidential coverage in 2012 for PBS World Channel. Headlee’s TEDx talk sharing ten ways to have a better conversation has over twenty million total views to date. @CelesteHeadlee

Additional Resources

* Do you have a problem? Let’s solve it! Tell us about your work/ life challenge here and you could be featured on an upcoming episode of “That’s A Good Question!”

* Sign up ...

Today we hear from Mónica Guzmán, author of I Never Thought of It That Way: How To Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times; and senior fellow for public practice at Braver Angels.

Guzmán believes that by asking the right questions, we can regain lost connections with friends, family and colleagues across all political divides.

In this conversation, Guzmán shares what questions to ask to overcome uncertainty so we can connect, understand, and learn from people whose worldviews are different from ours.

This episode is proudly sponsored by Invited MBA.

Mónica Guzmán

Mónica Guzmán is a bridge builder, journalist, and entrepreneur who lives for great conversations sparked by curious questions. She’s director of digital and storytelling at Braver Angels, the nation’s largest cross-partisan grassroots organization working to depolarize America; host of live interview series at Crosscut; and cofounder of the award-winning Seattle newsletter, The Evergrey. She was a 2019 fellow at the Henry M. Jackson Foundation, where she studied social and political division, and a 2016 fellow at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University, where she researched how journalists can rethink their roles to better meet the needs of a participatory public. She was named one of the 50 most influential women in Seattle, served twice as a juror for the Pulitzer Prizes, and plays a barbarian named Shadrack in her besties’ Dungeons & Dragons campaign. A Mexican immigrant, Latina, and dual US/Mexico citizen, she lives in Seattle with her husband and two kids and is the proud liberal daughter of conservative parents.

Celeste Headlee

Celeste Headlee is a communication and human nature expert, and an award-winning journalist. She is a professional speaker, and also the author of Speaking of Race: Why Everybody Needs to Talk About Racism—and How to Do It, Do Nothing, Heard Mentality, and We Need to Talk. In her twenty-year career in public radio, she has been the executive producer of On Second Thought at Georgia Public Radio, and anchored programs including Tell Me More, Talk of the Nation, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition. She also served as cohost of the national morning news show The Takeaway from PRI and WNYC, and anchored presidential coverage in 2012 for PBS World Channel. Headlee’s TEDx talk sharing ten ways to have a better conversation has over twenty million total views to date. @CelesteHeadlee

Additional Resources

* Learn more about Mónica Guzmán at moniguzman.com

* Get free shipping on all our speaker titles — including Guzmán’s I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times — when you shop our independent partner bookstore at Bookpeople.

* Do you have a work/life problem?

Gail Devers is not a stranger to a challenge. The five-time Olympian, nine-time World Champion and three-time Olympic gold medalist in track and field was one of the fastest women alive for almost two decades. 

But the hurdles she faced off the track, battling Thyroid Eye Disease (TED) and Graves’ Disease, were just as daunting as those she faced on. 

As we celebrate Women’s Health Week, take some time to listen to this harrowing story of resilience and perseverance. Devers pushed forward to find answers and allies — while combating the lack of control she had over the competitive diseases racing through her body.

This episode is sponsored by Horizon Therapeutics.

Gail Devers

Gail Devers is a five-time Olympian, nine-time World Champion and three-time Olympic gold medalist in track and field who was one of the fastest women alive for almost two decades. Amid this unprecedented feat, Gail has also been living with Graves’ disease and symptoms of Thyroid Eye Disease (TED) for more than 30 years.After a harrowing two-and-a-half-year quest for answers about her health, Gail was diagnosed with Graves’ disease in 1990, just two years before winning her first Olympic gold medal. Her journey back to the track was nothing short of spectacular, especially after overcoming near career-ending symptoms, including extreme weight loss, fatigue, and insomnia. Gail also experienced symptoms of TED including eye pain, dryness, irritation and bulging eyes.In a decorated 25-year track career that followed, Gail has been recognized as an American sporting icon. By winning back-to-back 100m Olympic gold medals, and three World Championships in 100m hurdles, Gail cemented herself as one of the most dominant female sprinters of our time. She has since been inducted into both the National Track and Field and the United States Olympic Halls of Fame.Today, Gail enjoys volunteering and giving back to the community through organizations that include The Boys and Girls Clubs of America and the Atlanta Track Club. She also coaches hurdles for her daughter’s high school track team, mentors world-class athletes, and loves spending time with her family, two dogs and their rabbit.

Celeste Headlee

Celeste Headlee is a communication and human nature expert, and an award-winning journalist. She is a professional speaker, and also the author of Heard Mentality and We Need to Talk: How to Have Conversations that Matter. In her twenty-year career in public radio, she has been the executive producer of On Second Thought at Georgia Public Radio, and anchored programs including Tell Me More, Talk of the Nation, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition. She also served as cohost of the national morning news show The Takeaway from PRI and WNYC, and anchored presidential coverage in 2012 for PBS World Channel. Headlee’s TEDx talk sharing ten ways to have a better conversation has over twenty million total views to date. @celesteheadlee

Additional Resources

* To learn more about Thyroid Eye Disease and to find a TED Eye Specialist near you, visit FOCUSonTED.com.

* Learn more about Gail’s athletic accomplishments at Olympics.com

* Do you have a work/life problem? Let’s solve it!

D-Nice is best known as a DJ having spun for President Obama during his inaugural ball – and as the creator of the phenomenon, Club Quarantine, a livestream dance party that lifted us up and brought joy to the masses during the height of the pandemic, when we needed it most. 

In this episode, which is a replay of a conversation from the 2022 Pennsylvania Conference for Women, Target’s EVP and chief external engagement officer Laysha Ward talks with D-Nice about his career, reinvention, mental wellness, music and allyship. Together they explore his gift for creating community and ways you can do the same.

Our Guest: D-Nice

D-Nice is not only a pillar of hip-hop but is continuing to steer pop culture with his journey taking him from the streets of Harlem all the way to The White House. The legendary artist, DJ, and photographer has moved millions on wax, on stage, and now online with his revolutionary virtual Club Quarantine. The latter paved the way for numerous Instagram Live series. More importantly, Club Quarantine raised millions for first responders, HBCU’s, and more. D-Nice’s global influence has been acknowledged time and again including the NAACP Image Awards naming him Entertainer Of The Year, TIME magazine nominating him for 2020 Person of the Year, and EBONY magazine including him on the 2021 Power 100 list. After spreading hope online, he is back to making records and rocking stages. D-Nice kicked off 2021 co-curating the Official Playlist of the Biden + Harris inauguration. Soon after, he performed at the official in-stadium Super Bowl LV pre-show. D-Nice continued the year taking his talent from his sold out Club Quarantine Live at the Hollywood Bowl to the iconic Met and Kennedy Center Honors Galas. After bringing in 2022 on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, he opened at the NBA All-Star Game and helped provide the soundtrack for the 94th Academy Awards. Most recently, D-Nice headlined and co-produced a special sold out presentation of Club Quarantine Live at the legendary Carnegie Hall. D-Nice continues to innovate and inspire, leaving an indelible mark on the entertainment industry.

Guest Host: Laysha Ward

Laysha Ward is an accomplished C-suite executive with thirty years of leadership experience at Target. In 2017, Ward was named executive vice president, chief external engagement officer, overseeing Target’s enterprise-wide approach to engage and deepen relationships with cross-sector stakeholders to drive positive business and community impact. In 1991, Ward began her career with Target as a member of the store sales and management team of Marshall Fields in Chicago. In 2000, she was named director of community relations and promoted to vice president of community relations and Target Foundation in 2003. In 2008, President Bush nominated, and the U.S. Senate confirmed Ward would serve on the board of directors of the Corporation for National and Community Service, the nation’s largest grantmaker for volunteering and service, which she continued to serve as board chair under the Obama Administration. Later that year, she was promoted to president of community relations and the Target Foundation. She serves on the Aspen Institute Latinos and Society Advisory Board and the Stanford Center for Longevity Advisory Council, is a member of the Executive Leadership Council, the Economic Clubs of New York and Chicago, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, The Links, and serves on the boards of Greater MSP, the Minnesota Orchestra, and the Northside Achievement Zone, as well as United Airlines and Denny’s Corporation for-profit board of directors.

This episode features a woman whose talent has no limitations: award-winning actress, entrepreneur, producer, women’s advocate, and New York Times bestselling author Reese Witherspoon!

Over the years, we’ve had the chance to see her shine on screen, as a producer behind the curtain, as an entrepreneur, and today in conversation with award-winning journalist Lisa Ling.

We will explore what Reese is doing to elevate women’s stories, change the narrative for women and help chart a new path forward. Part actionable tips and part inspiration, you will walk away empowered to navigate your career, take risks and find your purpose. 

This conversation was originally recorded at the December 2022 Massachusetts Conference for Women.

This episode of Women Amplified is proudly sponsored by Cisco.

Additional Resources:

* Do you have a work/life problem? Let’s solve it! Tell us about your challenge here and you could be a guest on an upcoming episode of “That’s A Good Question!”

* Sign up for the Women Amplified email list to receive a notification every time a new episode drops!

* Join us as we welcome Tina Fey to Philadelphia this October 19th! Registration opens Thursday, April 20th at 9:00am ET. Learn more and sign up for the PACFW newsletter to be the first to know about new speaker confirmations.

Reese Witherspoon & Lisa Ling Episode Transcript

Ling:

Well, I just want to launch into things because we all know that you are a hugely successful actress and producer and entrepreneur, and those things don’t always go hand-in-hand. Not all incredibly successful Hollywood actresses are also successful entrepreneurs. So I want to just ask you what you think the Reese Witherspoon secret sauce is? What are some of the essential qualities that you think have contributed to your success?

Reese Witherspoon:

Well, first of all, thank you for saying that. If I think really about my early beginnings and where my motivation comes from, I definitely think, I grew up in a military family, so there was very much a sensibility, a sense of duty, of giving back. You know, about being on time and being professional and being responsible to people. So that was a really good early foundation for me. And also, my mother was a nurse for 40 years and an educator at a university. And her dedication to her job, her love and passion for her job, really ignited in me this work ethic that I think has stayed with me through the years.

Lisa Ling:

So you would say work ethic has probably been the driver behind all of it?

Reese Witherspoon:

For sure. And I think also a passion for what I do. Even from when I was a really little girl, five years old,

Today’s episode features leadership trailblazer and former IBM CEO Ginni Rometty in conversation with Fortune’s Ellen McGirt. From navigating a challenging childhood to becoming one of the world’s most influential business leaders, Rometty is a unique leader and an amazing role model for business leaders everywhere.

This conversation, originally recorded for the 2023 California Conference for Women, explores the pivotal milestones from Rometty’s life and career to form a blueprint for how we can use “good power” to advance our careers, inspire our teams, improve companies, and create healthier societies.

With a mix of personal experiences and actionable coaching advice, walk away with invaluable lessons around authentic leadership and ways to redefine power to drive meaningful change for ourselves, our organizations, and our communities. This conversation originally took place at the 2023 California Conference for Women.

This episode is sponsored by Cisco.

Ginni Rometty

Ginni Rometty is the former chairman, president, and chief executive officer of IBM. She became CEO of IBM in 2012 and retired from the company on December 31, 2020. Rometty reinvented more than 50 percent of IBM’s portfolio, built a $25 billion hybrid cloud business and established IBM’s leadership in AI, quantum computing, and blockchain. Under Rometty’s leadership, IBM achieved record results in diversity and inclusion through programs that extended parental leave, made it easier for women to return to the workforce, and more. 

Rometty is the co-chair of OneTen, an organization that is combining the power of US companies to upskill, hire, and promote one million Black Americans over the next 10 years into family-sustaining jobs with opportunities for advancement. She is the author of GOOD POWER: Leading Positive Change in Our Lives, Work, and World (March 7, 2023; Harvard Business Review Press).

Celeste Headlee

Celeste Headlee is a communication and human nature expert, and an award-winning journalist. She is a professional speaker, and also the author of Speaking of Race: Why Everybody Needs to Talk About Racism—and How to Do It, Do Nothing, Heard Mentality, and We Need to Talk. In her twenty-year career in public radio, she has been the executive producer of On Second Thought at Georgia Public Radio, and anchored programs including Tell Me More, Talk of the Nation, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition. She also served as cohost of the national morning news show The Takeaway from PRI and WNYC, and anchored presidential coverage in 2012 for PBS World Channel. Headlee’s TEDx talk sharing ten ways to have a better conversation has over twenty million total views to date. @CelesteHeadlee

Additional Resources:

* Get free shipping on all our speaker titles — including Rometty’s Good Power: Leading Positive Change in Our Lives, Work, and World — when you shop our independent partner bookstore at Bookpeople.

* Connect with Rometty at 

Misty Copeland made history as the first African-American female principal ballerina at the American Ballet Theatre.

Her talent, passion, and perseverance enabled her to do what no one had accomplished before. In this episode, which is a replay of an extraordinary conversation from the March 2023 California Conference for Women, Target’s EVP and chief external engagement officer Laysha Ward gets up close and personal with Misty Copeland.

Together they talk about Copeland’s journey of resilience and courage through struggles with racism and exclusion. They also discuss her new book, The Wind At My Back, which celebrates the special connection Copeland made with her mentor Raven Wilkinson.

Listen in, and learn how mentorship and intergenerational relationships can propel your career and bring additional meaning to your life.

Our Guest: Misty Copeland

Misty Copeland is a principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre and the author of the New York Times bestsellers Life in Motion, Ballerina Body, Black Ballerinas, and the children’s picture book Bunheads, as well as the award-winning children’s book, Firebird. She made her Broadway debut in 2015’s On the Town, putting the show into the Broadway Box Top 10 for the two weeks that she guest starred as Ivy Smith. 

She’s been featured in the New York Times and on CBS Sunday Morning and 60 Minutes, and she was named one of Glamour’s Women of the Year and Time magazine’s 100 most influential people.

Copeland is the recipient of the Young, Gifted & Black Honor at the Black Girls Rock! Awards and the Springarn Medal, the NAACP’s highest honor.

Guest Host: Laysha Ward

Laysha Ward is an accomplished C-suite executive with thirty years of leadership experience at Target. In 2017, Ward was named executive vice president, chief external engagement officer, overseeing Target’s enterprise-wide approach to engage and deepen relationships with cross-sector stakeholders to drive positive business and community impact. In 1991, Ward began her career with Target as a member of the store sales and management team of Marshall Fields in Chicago. In 2000, she was named director of community relations and promoted to vice president of community relations and Target Foundation in 2003. In 2008, President Bush nominated, and the U.S. Senate confirmed Ward would serve on the board of directors of the Corporation for National and Community Service, the nation’s largest grantmaker for volunteering and service, which she continued to serve as board chair under the Obama Administration. Later that year, she was promoted to president of community relations and the Target Foundation. She serves on the Aspen Institute Latinos and Society Advisory Board and the Stanford Center for Longevity Advisory Council, is a member of the Executive Leadership Council, the Economic Clubs of New York and Chicago, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, The Links, and serves on the boards of Greater MSP, the Minnesota Orchestra, and the Northside Achievement Zone, as well as United Airlines and Denny’s Corporation for-profit board of directors. She received a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University, master’s degree from the University of Chicago, and an honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs. She and her husband, Bill, reside in Minneapolis, MN.