Redefining Ambition

Arielle Patrick is the Chief Communications Officer at Ariel Investments, a global asset management firm and the first Black-owned mutual fund firm in the United States. After graduating from Princeton University, she began her career at the renowned PR firm Weber Shandwick, where she skyrocketed to a VP role in under 6 years. She was eventually recruited by its competitor, Edelman, and rose to an EVP before landing her current role. One of Arielle’s self-described “superpowers” is being a connector and developing meaningful relationships. In fact, her boss, Mellody Hobson, named by Forbes as one of the world’s most powerful women, offered her a job after years of a mentor/mentee relationship. In this episode, Arielle discusses what her relationship was to “success” in the early days of her career, shares ways she stays present and practices self-compassion - she frequently reminds herself that she is kind, powerful, and strong - relays tough leadership lessons she has learned, and offers advice she would give to her younger self. We originally recorded this episode in the summer of 2022, when Arielle had added another title to her name: “mom.” Nine months later, Arielle vulnerably reflects on how motherhood has enabled her to find new purpose, meaning in her work, and outlook on leading with compassion.

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About the host: Jamie Vinick is the Founder/CEO of The Women's Network (“TWN”), the largest collegiate women's networking organization in North America. To learn more about TWN, check out our website: www.thewomens.network.

This podcast was produced and edited by Max Onderdonk.

Sam Saperstein is the Managing Director/Head of Women on the Move at JPMorgan Chase and Host of the Women on the Move podcast. After beginning her career as a journalist, Sam quickly realized that she had other career interests and headed to Business school to make a change. Upon graduation, she held a number of leadership roles and rose through the ranks at McKinsey & Company, Mastercard, and, later, JPMorgan Chase. In this episode, Sam highlights the key differences between sponsorship and mentorship (and the importance of both), shares how her definition of success has evolved over time, and opens up about her full-circle moment.

"To me, ambition does not only mean getting to the top of something. Ambition might be having a well-balanced life, doing something that you really enjoy doing while also being able to do things outside of work like [having] a family or personal interests...that are just as important to you as work."

Laura Liswood is the Co-Founder and Secretary General of the Council of Women World Leaders, which is composed of women presidents, prime ministers, and heads of government, the author of multiple books, and an acclaimed speaker and advisor. The Council’s mission is to promote good governance and enhance the experience of democracy globally by increasing the number, effectiveness, and visibility of women who lead at the highest levels in their countries. Her latest book, “The Loudest Duck,” is a business guide that explores workplace diversity to offer an alternate, nuanced approach to diversity to create a truly effective workplace for all. In this episode, Liswood opens up about the inspiration behind the founding of the Council, the intersection between DEI initiatives and leadership (and how they function in tandem to create a more equitable work environment), and what makes her most optimistic about Generation Z.

Ola Wadibia is the Vice President and Financial Literacy and Community Development Lead of Women on the Move at JPMorgan Chase & Co. Throughout her career, including her time at Prosperity Now, a non-profit that champions economic opportunity for low-income individuals and families, Ola's work focused on advancing financial stability and literacy, and gender and racial equity. In this episode, Ola, who "always uses gender, race, and class as a lens by which [she sees] the world," opens up about the importance of financial empowerment, especially for women and communities of color, setting boundaries, combating tunnel vision, and finding what sparks joy.

Find us on Instagram: @redefiningambition and @thewomens.network!

Michèle Penzer is a Managing Partner at the renowned New York City-based law firm Latham & Watkins. After attending Harvard University for her undergraduate degree and Yale University for law school, Penzer forged an impressive career in negotiation law and leveraged financial transactions, and was named as a leading woman lawyer in New York City by Crain’s Business in 2017. In this episode, Penzer imparts advice on facilitating successful negotiations, opens up about how she harnessed confidence in high-pressure professional environments, shares how her definition of success has evolved over time, and highlights that “it is so important for women to recognize” the significance of networking.

Dena Wimette is the Head of Innovation at Ben & Jerry's, the multi-million dollar, socially responsible ice cream staple that has championed causes ranging from climate activism to criminal justice reform. Wimette has spent over 15 years with the company, working in brand management and communications before becoming the driving force behind “all the new things” for the brand, as she puts it. She also teaches marketing part-time at Champlain College and manages a coffee brand and digital marketing service, both of which she founded with her husband. In this episode, Wimette peels back the curtain as to what the Ben & Jerry’s creative process is like (from celebrity collaborations to the ice cream “Flavor Lab”), shares how she exercises her creativity “muscle” beyond ice cream innovation, and explains the importance she placed on working with a company that “stood for more than the products.”

Dr. Ellen Censky, Ph.D. is the President and CEO of the Milwaukee Public Museum: Wisconsin’s Museum of Natural History. An acclaimed biologist, author of several books, and pioneer of the internationally-adopted BioBlitz program – which allows scientists to collaborate with communities to discover ecosystems “right in [their] own backyard” – Dr. Censky has forged an indelible scientific legacy. In this episode, Censky discusses how the BioBlitz program inspired young scientists to pursue interest in the field, shares entertaining anecdotes which were just “part of the job” while conducting research in the Caribbean Island of Anguilla, and emphasizes the importance of keeping an open mind and maintaining curiosity about our “amazing planet.”

Brittney Cummins, a Consultant at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and former mechanical engineer, and Megan Duley, a Major in the United States Army Reserve and entrepreneur, set off on two completely different tracks before crossing paths at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. After spending years working in the energy sector (Brittney) and serving in special operations, communications, and intelligence units (Megan), they re-evaluated their career choices and decided to pivot, ultimately meeting in business school. In this second episode of a two part conversation, Brittney and Megan share the value they have found in stepping outside of their comfort zones, reflect on how their own definitions of success have evolved - which include the “celebration of others’ success” and “leading with humility” - and emphasize the importance of surrounding yourself with people that “share your values but have lived a different life.”

Dr. Adaira Landry is an Emergency Medicine physician, Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School, consultant, and published author. An advocate for greater diversity in medicine, Dr. Landry avoids the “toxic concept” of achieving perfection and, instead, uses self-compassion to navigate her packed schedule. Dr. Landry penned a viral article published in Vogue titled “One ER Doctor Reflects on a Career of Being the Only Black Person in the Room,” that ignited powerful conversation on the importance of representation in medicine and beyond. In this episode, Dr. Landry imparts valuable advice on how self-reflection can inform meaningful mentorship, discusses challenges and disparities she has encountered as a woman of color in the medical field, highlights why she does not identify with the term ‘imposter syndrome,’ and shares how she “owns her day” by blocking off time for herself.

Dr. Andra Blomkalns, the first chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Stanford University and a professor of Emergency Medicine, is no stranger to being “the first.” In addition to becoming the first chair of her department at Stanford, Dr. Blomkalns graduated first in her class from medical school and became the first female residency program director at the University of Cincinnati. She has always pursued new opportunities with the goal of “making things better, creating things differently, and not necessarily going along with the status quo.” With over two decades of leadership experience in the medical field, Dr. Blomkalns gets candid not only about her experience working in emergency medicine prior to and during COVID-19, but also how the pandemic brought out the best in her team. More in this episode includes advice for medical school applicants, the importance of practicing failure, and thoughts on gender bias in the field of medicine.

Gabby Hirata is the President at global luxury fashion brand DVF, where much of her focus remains on “customer-centric thinking” and dedication to solution-driven leadership in an industry defined by change. With over a decade of leadership experience at iconic brands such as Ralph Lauren and Jill Stuart International, Hirata shares how she got her foot in the door - literally - in a notoriously competitive industry. In this episode, Hirata reveals the key to a good elevator pitch, the importance of finding a unique edge and using it to your advantage, and the impact that Diane von Furstenburg has had on her life. She also shares her perspective on time being the single most valuable asset and how to network through “genuine connection based on shared values and passions.”

Lydia Fenet is an author, art auctioneer, and Global Managing Director at Christie’s, the largest auction house in the world. Working her way up from a 20-year-old intern tasked with shredding paper to the leading charity auctioneer in a highly competitive industry, Fenet has utilized her can-do attitude, networking skills, and “a good poker face” to establish her enduring career in the art world. In this episode, Fenet shares the key to building confidence and overcoming fear of rejection, why “you can never be above a job,” and tips on how to advocate and negotiate for yourself.

Meredith Gertler is the Executive Vice President of Content Strategy & Planning at HBO and HBO Max. After several pivots throughout her time at HBO, this entertainment exec has learned the importance of “being adaptable and flexible to change” while combining her passions for entertainment and marketing. In this episode, Gertler shares how to find “the opportunity in chaos,” the importance of casting “as wide a net as possible when it comes to networking,” how spending time abroad shaped the future of her career, and how she landed her “needle in a haystack” dream job.

Taly Goody is the founder of Goody Law Group and an attorney specializing in business formation, personal injury, and employment law. After spending several years working in art litigation, Goody felt stagnant in her career and decided to pivot to a different area of the law. In growing a TikTok following of tens of thousands of users, Goody utilizes social media as a vehicle to educate and mentor people with aspirations to become a lawyer. In this episode, Goody opens up about early experiences that affected her family and inspired her to pursue law, how to stand out as a law school applicant, and her experience in building an online community during the pandemic.

Leigh Morgan is the Chief Strategy & Operating Officer at Nia Tero Foundation, a Seattle-based non-profit dedicated to protecting and securing Indigenous people’s guardianship of vital ecosystems. Morgan has underscored the importance of community work “across dimensions of difference” throughout her impactful career where she has served in many leadership capacities, including as the COO at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Associate Chancellor at UC San Francisco, and the VP and Global Head of Human Resources at Genentech. In this episode, Morgan emphasizes the importance of building relationships, demystifies what it means to be a leader, shares insight on how Gen Z is changing the world, and discusses the privilege she had in working with Melinda Gates.

Kayla Lebovits is the founder and CEO of Bundle Benefits, a personalized work-life benefit service that supports employees, their families, and their work teams to improve overall wellbeing and productivity. After working in finance for a number of years, Lebovits left her job to pursue grad school - and a more entrepreneurial path. In this episode, Lebovits opens up about how she has adjusted to the challenges of the pandemic while raising a young daughter, the importance of encouraging diversity of thought in the workplace, her definition of effective leadership, and the thought process behind calculated risk-taking.

Sheila Marmon is the founder and CEO of Mirror Digital, a media company focused on helping large, established brands reach multicultural consumers through digital advertising platforms. By taking advantage of opportunities and being able to distinguish risk from fear, Marmon has learned to follow her own “unconventional wisdom” throughout her remarkable career. In this episode, Marmon shares anecdotes relating to the importance of learning from your failures, describes the difficulty of fundraising as a woman of color, and elaborates on how to develop genuine mentor/mentee relationships.

Dr. Marisa Porges, author of “What Girls Need: How to Raise Bold, Courageous, and Resilient Women'' and Head of School of the prestigious all-girls private school, The Baldwin School, has devoted her life to public service and has had a prolific career in many different capacities. After graduating from Harvard with a degree in geophysics, Dr. Porges began her career as an active-duty member of the U.S. Navy, and was later promoted to a Naval Flight Officer. She went on to become a Harvard Kennedy School International Security Research Fellow, Counterterrorism Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of Treasury, and Senior Policy Advisor on cybersecurity at the National Economic Council in the Obama White House. In this episode, Dr. Porges shares some of her experiences interviewing former members of Al Qaeda and the Taliban (and what it was like to fly naval aircraft), discusses the importance of thinking boldly and taking risk, and reflects on embracing moments of failure - which ultimately led to many of her successes.

Farah Mohamed, founder of G(irls)20 and former CEO of the Malala Fund, has educated and empowered girls and young women around the world throughout a career dedicated to advocacy. In this premiere Season 2 episode, Farah shares the importance of female labor force participation in relation to the global economy and building a reliable network of people, her experience in founding a global social enterprise, her time in working with Malala Yousafzai, and why gender inequality remains a pressing issue.

Jamie Vinick, founder and President of The Women’s Network, chats with Katya Shmorhun about Season 2 of Redefining Ambition, cohosting, and what to look forward to in Season 2’s release.

Bisa Butler is an art educator and award-winning American fiber artist, known for her life-sized quilts celebrating Black identity. Bisa has exhibited at the Smithsonian Museum of American History, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, amongst other venues; most recently, Bisa was selected as one of the 2021 United States Artist Fellows. In this episode, Bisa discusses the inspiration behind her art, her journey towards becoming an established Black artist, advice she would offer to young Black women, and more.

As a sophomore at Syracuse University, Jamie Vinick identified a need for a women-focused networking organization on her campus. Since then, The Women’s Network has quickly become Syracuse’s largest women-led student organization. Over the past three years, TWN has expanded to 42 college campuses and 21,000 members nationwide. TWN has created a cohesive, supportive community in which women can authentically connect with one another and with high-achieving professionals across the country. Jamie reflects on TWN’s rapid growth, the challenges of building an organization from the ground up, and how she has embraced both confidence and ambition to shape TWN’s mission and goals.

Nicole Sahin, founder and CEO of Globalization Partners, has helped firms around the world diminish the red tape associated with global hiring. Nicole opens up about her fascinating entrepreneurial and unconventional journey, challenges she has overcome in building a high-growth company, philanthropic initiatives that have inspired her perspective, her outlook on taking risk, and more.

Sueann Tannis, Senior Director of Integrated Communications at the UN Foundation, is a communications and public relations expert, who has extensive senior-level marketing and branding experience in her remarkable career. In this episode, Sueann highlights the importance of consistently advocating for women and girls, reveals the qualities she believes make an outstanding leader, and shares her philosophy on owning your seat at the table.

At the age of 14, Julia Landauer became the first female champion of a Skip Barber Racing Series, and has since amassed a collection of wins and championships. Julia is a professional racecar driver, motivational speaker, and advocate for women and girls in STEM. In this episode, Julia shares the challenges associated with being a woman competing in the male-dominated sport of racecar driving, industry impact associated with Covid, embracing failure, and stepping outside your comfort zone.

Alexia Korberg, a rising legal superstar, made partner at the distinguished NYC-based law firm Paul Weiss and served on the legal team of the groundbreaking case United States v. Windsor, which successfully struck down DOMA: Defense of Marriage Act. In Part 2, Alexia discusses the importance of striking harmony in personal and professional lives, redefining gender roles, diversity in the legal profession, and more.

Alexia Korberg, a rising legal superstar, made partner at the distinguished NYC-based law firm Paul Weiss and served on the legal team of the groundbreaking case United States v. Windsor, which successfully struck down DOMA: Defense of Marriage Act. Alexia discusses her journey of achieving professional success in law, personal experiences in coming out, the aftermath of her favorable Supreme Court decision, the future of the courts, advice on resiliency, and more.

Liv Perez, entrepreneur, influencer and host of Friend of a Friend, turned her curated lifestyle site into a popular podcast featuring “up-and-comers and game changers.” Liv discusses post-grad life misconceptions, the value of reflection, the power of women supporting women, hustle culture, the importance of self-care and so much more.

A trained architect turned entrepreneur, Natasha Case was fascinated about the intersection between food and architecture and coined the term “farchitecture.” Coolhaus, a women-led and founded premium ice cream company, was born and has found great success since inception. Natasha discusses the process of and inspiration behind co-founding Coolhaus with her wife, the challenges associated with leading a company through a recession, and why representation at the top matters.

April Galda, a financial industry veteran, formerly served as Managing Director at Goldman Sachs and is currently Chief Culture Officer at Global Atlantic Financial Group. April discusses professional hardships, personal choices and leadership qualities that have accelerated her remarkable career growth and allowed her to attain prestigious, high achieving professional roles in a traditionally male-dominated industry.

After moving to Canada from Turkey and earning a Ph.D. in Finance in less than four years, Dr. Fatma Sonmez-Leopold has pursued her passion in higher education. Since then, she has inspired countless students to develop an interest in finance. Dr. Sonmez-Leopold opens up about challenges she encountered in her pursuit to earn her doctorate, the confidence gap she has witnessed in the classroom, and advice regarding ascending - and succeeding - in a field that has traditionally lacked diversity.

Business Chicks’ CEO Emma Isaacs discusses her new book WINGING IT and how, as a university dropout, she was able to create her first company at the age of 18, successfully manage a multi-million dollar firm that is home to over half a million women globally, raise six children and overcome fear: an obstacle that often holds people back.

Christine Broda, a User Researcher at Spotify, opens up about how she has battled imposter syndrome while working at one of the hottest tech companies on the market, a transformative life event that shaped her perspective on life and how she has found meaning and purpose during the pandemic.

Christine Broda, a User Researcher at Spotify, opens up about how she has battled imposter syndrome while working at one of the hottest tech companies on the market, a transformative life event that shaped her perspective on life and how she has found meaning and purpose during the pandemic.

Erin Sharoni, a researcher, entrepreneur, DJ and former TV host gets candid about challenges she’s confronted throughout this pandemic and her career, and details how she has achieved success across many different disciplines. After co-hosting shows on NBC News, Showtime Networks, and CBS Sports, she transitioned to biotechnology and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Biology from Harvard. Erin’s focus is concentrated around longevity, its connection to wider issues associated with biosphere integrity, and why she believes it’s “among the most critical action items on humanity’s list.”

Erin Sharoni, a researcher, entrepreneur, DJ and former TV host gets candid about challenges she’s confronted throughout this pandemic and her career, and details how she has achieved success across many different disciplines. After co-hosting shows on NBC News, Showtime Networks, and CBS Sports, she transitioned to biotechnology and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Biology from Harvard. Erin’s focus is concentrated around longevity, its connection to wider issues associated with biosphere integrity, and why she believes it’s “among the most critical action items on humanity’s list.”

The connotations associated with characterizing one as "ambitious" often exposes a clear gender divide: men are often perceived - and referred to as - driven and assertive, while women are "ambitious" and aggressive. Eric Black and Brian Morris - both recent graduates - join the conversation on the destigmatization of the word “ambitious” and share their perspectives on preconceived notions.

Suzie Reider holds one of the most powerful positions at Waze, the navigation app that most of us are very familiar with. She has served in various senior leadership capacities at Google (including serving as the Chief Marketing Officer at YouTube, which is owned by Google) and transitioned to Waze, where she serves as Global Managing Director. Prior to working in tech, Suzie spent most of her early professional life working in publishing. She’s a mom of two young adults who, like many of us, are trying to navigate these uncertain and challenging times.

In this episode, Suzie gets candid about leadership, gender inequality and methods in trying to maintain joy, job fulfillment, and both personal and professional responsibilities.

Bola Sokunbi turned her finance blogging hobby into a business and founded Clever Girl Finance, a platform that empowers and educates hundreds of thousands of women to make more strategic financial decisions. She’s a best-selling author, a money expert, a mom to twins and the leader of a community seeking to drive conversation forward on financial wellness.