Rebels With A Heart

Trey Whitney, Vice President of People Team at Splunk, joins the Rebel Leader Series to share how he invites people to experience themselves through stories, and how he uses a heart centered perspective to engage in all relationships.

Episode Highlights:

• How wholeness is one of the ultimate gifts
• How to use leading from the heart to as a mantra to be more kind and compassionate as a leader
• How to embrace and navigate your inner voice

Show Notes:
About Trey: 1:33
Power Over, Power With: 3:53
Why HR: 9:59
Being of Service: 17:23
To be…: 18:46
Embrace Your Inner Voice: 22:21
Bring Your Whole Self to Work: 26:17
Where to Start: 28:20
Where to Find Trey: 30:32

BIO:
Tramayne “Trey” Whitney is an accomplished Global Human Resources Executive, Advisor, and Board Member with more than 20 years of success across the internet, consumer goods, healthcare industries. Trey had previously served as the Director and Global People Consultants for Google, Vice President of Human Resources for Siemens Healthineers, VP of Human Resources for The Hershey Company and the Sr. Director of Human Resources for Chiquita International.

Follow Trey on LinkedIn→ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tramayne-whitney-61a6822/details/experience/

With the rising demand around employee expectations, leaders will be challenged like never before to provide authentic, tailored workforce experiences that empower people to do their best work. Innovative solutions are gaining greater momentum, as employee experience emerges as a defining priority.

Listen to hear why the heightened focus on employee experience is influencing the way employers approach talent challenges in real-time, making the future of work even more fluid.

Panelists:
Colleen Mitchell, DEIB and Culture Leader, Nordstrom
Donald Knight, CPO, Greenhouse Software
Tracy Layney, EVP and CHRO, Levi Strauss & Co.

Moderated by: Derek Lundsten, President & Chief Culture Officer, LifeGuides

BIOS:

Colleen Mitchell is the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging (DEIB) and Culture leader at Nordstrom where she is focused on operationalizing DEIB strategies to achieve equitable outcomes in the workplace, marketplace, and community. Prior to joining Nordstrom, Colleen was the Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at Petco where she was responsible for establishing the multi-year DEI vision, strategy and goals for the company. Colleen also served as the DEI leader for Amazon’s global customer fulfillment organization. In this role, Colleen provided leadership and direction to DEI Business Partners as they developed and executed DEI strategies and accountability mechanisms to deliver on key initiatives for more than 700,000 employees globally. She has more than 15 years working across DEIB, HR, and Operations to create inclusive and equitable workplaces for all employees.

Donald Knight is the CPO at Greenhouse Software. He leads with a people-first mentality hoping to unlock the potential of Greenhouse talent globally. With a laser focus on the connection between people and the processes that serve them, Donald and his team create proximity by building bridges focusing on enhanced experiences that nurture culture and develop people. He is responsible for providing global strategy and leadership in developing, overseeing, and administering people programs. Before Greenhouse, Donald served as Senior Vice President of Global Talent for Edelman, where he helped shape the HR brand as a proactive, insightful, and collaborative solution provider.

Tracy Layney is Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Levi Strauss & Co.  Tracy is responsible for LS&Co.’s people strategy on a global scale, including diversity, equity & inclusion, recruiting, employee engagement, talent management, compensation and benefits, HR technology and HR communications. Tracy brings more than 20 years of experience in human resources and organization strategy to her role. Prior to joining LS&Co., she served as senior vice president and chief human resources officer for Shutterfly, Inc., the leading retailer of personalized photo-based products. Before Shutterfly, Tracy spent 10 years at Gap Inc., where she held numerous senior leadership roles in HR, most recently serving as the senior vice president of Global Human Resources and Communications for Old Navy. Prior to Gap Inc., Tracy held positions at LS&Co. and PricewaterhouseCoopers/IBM Business Consulting Services where she worked with Fortune 500 clients in the high tech, financial services, retail and healthcare industries on projects ranging from organization design and development to strategic change management.

Follow Colleen on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleenmitchell/
Follow Donald on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/proximityknight/
Follow Tracy on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracylayney/

Compassion includes, but goes beyond, empathy. Compassion is often thought of as a verb, not a noun or adjective. It means first noticing, then feeling within our own mind and body, and ultimately taking positive action to alleviate suffering in others. Another important element to compassion is engaging in sensemaking with those suffering.

For better people stewardship, especially in challenging times, leaders need to recognize that compassion is not merely a “nice to have.” Rather, it’s an evidence-based skill that is integral to leading effectively and holding teams together.

Listen in to learn how to lead with compassion as it makes you better able to support people during difficult times, and practice using head and heart to inspire and influence people so they can, in turn, inspire and influence others.

Panelists:
Jeff Jacobs, Senior Director of Organizational Effectiveness, Adobe
Lori Hanau, Founder and Principal, Global Round Table Leadership
Shannon Teixeira, People Solutions Director, Waste Management

Moderated by: Derek Lundsten, President & Chief Culture Officer, LifeGuides and Carson Kelly, Founder, Compassion 2.0

Bios:
Jeff Jacobs’ 30+ year career in HR has spanned numerous global leadership roles. He sees authenticity & vulnerability, compassion & mindfulness as the keys to professional and personal success. He is on the boards of the non-profits Project HIRED and Community Solutions, and participates in retreat, music, and prison ministry in Salinas Valley State Prison. Jeff is writing his first book, Still Coming of Age, in which he shares personal stories making the case for a lifetime commitment to learning and self-compassion.

Lori Hanau’s lead from our humanity orientation was instilled in her at an early age from her father’s business. He led with respect and dignity for every person, creating a culture of care and co-creativity. For the last 23 years Lori has coached leaders and teams through organizational learning journeys. She had a ten-year tenure as Faculty and Co-Chair of Marlboro College’s MBA Program, and served on the boards of Social Venture Circle, the Of Many Institute for Multifaith Leadership at NYU and as Fellow of the Nature Based Leadership Institute at Antioch. In 2002, Lori co-founded the Monadnock Mindfulness Practice Center, in Keene, NH.

Shannon Teixeira’s north star is not just creating a great place to work, but to improve the lives of people at work. She believes in a future where all people can become the best versions of themselves while contributing meaningfully. Her passion is unlocking the potential of people to Thrive Through Purpose, an outline supported by an environment built for people to be and do their best work.

Carson Kelly is an entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in technology and organization development. He founded his first start-up in 1998, brought 150K small merchants online to sell through eBay and Amazon, and worked for 15 years in Enterprise Software Sales. In the last 10+ years, he has been on the Board of Directors for a private school that has led the way in SEL curriculum for 40+ years, and founded the first UN SDG Education Accelerator for youth.

Most recently, Carson has turned his professional focus to “scale Compassion,” having co-founded a company that is a platform for acts of altruism, and another based on proven neuroscientific research that promotes self-compassion and empathy. Carson has also founded a professional community to explore how to bring compassionate architecture to organizational and product design.

Follow Jeff on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffjacobs/
Follow Lori on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorihanau/
Follow Shannon on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonteixeira/
Follow Carson on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/carsonkelly23/

In the era of automation and artificial intelligence (AI), the workplace is undergoing a transformative shift.

Listen in to hear how to thrive in this new landscape, and how to embrace a mindset of continuous learning and upskilling in this rapidly evolving environment.

Panelists:
Alex Seiler, Chief People Officer, GHJ
Angela Cheng-Cimini, SVP, Talent & CHRO, Harvard Business Publishing
Spencer Ray, Senior Director, Human Resources, Banner Health

Moderated by: Derek Lundsten, President & Chief Culture Officer, LifeGuides

Bios:

Alex Seiler is a global people leader with over 15 years of experience transforming people functions and putting talent first at companies such as WeWork, Blue Shield of CA, NBCUniversal, Time Inc., and Citi. He currently serves as Chief People Officer at GHJ, overseeing People, Workplace Experience and Internal Communications. Under his leadership, GHJ recently won the Transform Award for “People Activator: Employee Experience of the Year”. Outside of his day job, he acts as a strategic advisor to three start-ups, ChangeEngine, Kindred Minds and When Insurance.

Alex is a champion for DEIA (diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility), as well as mental health and has been recognized as a thought leader throughout his career. He speaks at numerous conferences, has written and been featured in articles, a book (Hiring for Diversity) and various podcasts.

Angela Cheng-Cimini joined Harvard Business Publishing as Senior Vice President, and Chief Human Resources Officer in 2021. In this role, Cheng-Cimini leads the Human Resources and Facilities and Administration units, spearheading efforts to develop a talent roadmap that supports the business strategy and creates a deeply engaged and diverse workforce.

Angela brings 30 years of both generalist and specialist Human Resources experience, having worked across consumer product goods, professional services, and high-tech as well as nonprofits. She has shepherded businesses through start-up, growth, and maturity with key responsibility for helping organizations identify and build the necessary organizational capabilities. Prior to joining Harvard Business Publishing, Angela was at ClearMotion, Inc. an automotive technology startup where she accelerated the evolution of the HR function from administrative to strategic.

Spencer Ray is an Executive leader and trusted COO, CAO, and CHRO with 15+ years of people leadership, performance, and trusted partnerships. With an outstanding record in aligning/transforming business and human capital strategies, org culture, performance, and unique combination of people focus and operations expertise, Spencer currently serves as the Senior Director, Human Resources at Banner Health. Spencer previously served as Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, & Chief Administrative Officer at Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona.

Follow Alex on LI → https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexseiler/
Follow Angela on LI → https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-cheng-cimini-160890a/
Follow Spencer on LI → https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-ray20/

Michael OBrien, Chief Calm Officer, Pause Breathe Reflect, was convinced that “good enough was good enough.”​ He thought living under an umbrella of stress was “business as usual in the corporate world.” He never looked past his own assumptions because he was too busy establishing his career, providing for his family, and driving for results.

Then, in an instant, his life changed.

Listen in to hear how Michael has lived his last bad day and is now mindful in all moments of life.

Check out your podcast app’s chapters feature for highlights! Or, use these timestamps:
02:14 My Last Bad Day
15:31 I Matter
20:16 Pause, Breathe, Reflect
28:33 Soft Skills
32:01 Story of Resilience
38:34 Where to Find the App

BIO:
Michael OBrien is the Chief Calm Officer of Pause Breathe Reflect. He elevates successful corporate leaders by preventing bad moments from turning into bad days. He sees Pause Breathe Reflect™ as the symbol of mindfulness. After his accident, he made the choice to recalibrate his approach for the rest of his life.

Follow Michael on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelobrienpelotoncoaching/
Download your Pause Breathe Reflect Meditation App: http://flowcode.com/p/hUD16YHd4?fc=0

Discover the superpower of human consciousness to achieve greater fulfillment at work and in life!

In this empowering episode, the panelists dive into the transformative realm of self-awareness, consciousness, compassion, and purpose. Listen in to explore how these superpowers unlock new levels of success, well-being, and authentic leadership in your personal and professional life.

Panelists:
Christine Hildebrand, Founder & CEO, Cofinity Consulting, LLC
Andrew Chomer, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Integrated
Scott Shute, Founder, Changing Work, Former LinkedIn Exec

Moderated by: Derek Lundsten, President & Chief Culture Officer, LifeGuides

Check your podcast app’s chapter feature for chapters, or jump to these timestamps:
00:47 Introductions
10:09 How do you define consciousness?
19:14 Awareness, practice, the mind, and love
26:34 Conscious rituals
31:40 How do you cultivate consciousness?
37:32 How do we bring consciousness to the business world?
41:16 Companies are made up of individuals
48:26 Tools to grow consciousness
50:29 How do we ensure AI elevates humanity instead of harming us?

BIOS:

Christine is a strategist, coach, intuitive, and founder of Cofinity providing consulting and coaching for impact leaders to activate consciousness to create solutions we need in our world. She provides a new value generating framework utilizing evidence-based principles, scientific research, and contemplative practices to support leaders, teams and organizations create energy-inspired workplaces and outcomes.

Andrew is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Integrated, serving as a board member to multiple portfolio companies as well as their sister non-profit, Reconsider. Integrated is a 70M AUM venture fund partnering with value-aligned companies transforming the health and wellbeing of our communities around the globe. He has spent the last 15+ years in executive and advisory roles – leading, growing and transforming businesses in the digital health, adtech & media industries.

Scott is at the intersection of the workplace and ancient wisdom traditions. He blends his experience as a Silicon Valley executive with his lifelong practice and passion as a wisdom seeker and teacher. In his most recent role at LinkedIn, Scott was the Head of Mindfulness and Compassion programs. He has been a pioneer in creating workplace mindfulness programs and advancing the discussion around compassion in the work context. His latest venture, Changing Work, seeks to curate the best practices of conscious business and make them more widely available. He is the author of the award-winning book “The Full Body Yes”.

Follow Christine on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-hildebrand-she-her-4b69767/
Follow Andrew on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewchomer/
Follow Scott on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottshute/

In the corporate world, culture is invisible yet it profoundly impacts every aspect of the organization. Listen in to learn how culture can be a powerful driver of performance, talent attraction, and retention, giving organizations a unique edge.

Panelists:
Glen Kreiner, Management Department Chair & L.S. Skaggs Presidential Chair in Business Ethics, University of Utah
Geoff McDonald, Co-Founder, Minds@Work
Stacey Porter, Chief People Officer, Outset Medical, Inc

Moderated by: Derek Lundsten, President & Chief Culture Officer, LifeGuides

Find episode chapters in your podcast app, or use these timestamps:
00:00 Introductions
06:47 What does culture mean to you?
10:48 Micro-cultures within an organization
16:07 Healthy and unhealthy cultures
26:20 Mental health in the workplace
34:17 Culture must be shaped every day
41:38 The effect of management
45:34 Culture eats strategy for breakfast
49:40 Maintaining a positive culture

BIOS:

Professor Glen Kreiner is the Chair of the Department of Management and the L.S. Skaggs Presidential Chair in Business Ethics Management at the University of Utah. He received his Master’s in Organizational Behavior from Brigham Young University and his Ph.D. in Business Administration from Arizona State University. He has taught a wide range of audiences, from undergraduates to doctoral students and from MBAs to executive education. He has taught in-person and online courses and workshops on many topics, including workplace mindfulness, leadership skills, authenticity, identity-based leadership, work-life navigation, diversity/inclusion/belonging, and teamwork.

Geoff’s background in teaching, HR, marketing, communications and sustainability is considerable. His experience during his 25 years with Unilever, has taken him around the world, working across Africa, the Middle East and Turkey, Australasia and Asia, Europe and the Americas.His HR experience has spanned leadership and talent development, organization change, capability development with a particular reference to marketing, and business transformation with purpose at its core.

Stacey Porter joined Outset as Vice President, People Operations in November 2018. Stacey has deep expertise in organizational design, innovative talent practices, and employee engagement, and is often defined as a talent executive who is “of the people”. Prior to Outset, she was the Head of Global Talent Development for Intuitive Surgical, Inc., responsible for designing performance and succession practices, while developing leaders and high performing teams. Stacey has also held leadership roles at VMware and Roche, and has built a career on creating nimble, progressive organizations. She has a MSW and doctoral studies in industrial/organizational psychology. She is a sought-after speaker on building high performance cultures and developing skills for the future workplace.

Follow Glen on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glen-kreiner-16b6417/
Follow Geoff on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoff-mcdonald/
Follow Stacey on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/slaporter/

In a world filled with untapped possibilities, discovering the keys to personal and professional growth not only empowers you to fully embrace your potential but also equips you with the tools to inspire your team, enabling them to unlock their potential as well.

Listen in for an insightful conversation that will leave you inspired and empowered to embrace your creative potential!

Panelists:
Doretha Bailey, VP of HR, Turf Masters Brands
Brady Young, Principal Coach & Consultant, Thrive Coaching and Consulting, LLC
Marissa Andrada, Culture Master & Kindness Catalyst, Board Director, Krispy Kreme

Moderated by: Derek Lundsten, President & Chief Culture Officer, LifeGuides

Chapters:
00:00 Introductions
07:24 Being a Rebel: cultivated or innate?
16:51 How have you handled recent massive shifts?
23:30 Personalization over standardization
27:07 The importance of grace
30:05 Innovation, creativity, and mobility in HR
36:43 Being a voice for the unheard
41:20 What are you doing to develop yourselves?

BIOS:

Brady is a savvy business and HR leader who understands the levers of a business and builds people operations that support exceeding its goals. His superior skills in communication and relationship-building make it possible to gain trust rapidly so that he can get organizations to the next level of success through their people. Additionally, Brady is highly trusted and valued for his ability to coach and mentor leaders. Brady has 20 years of experience in HR at TGen, Plexus, CVS, Intel and Raytheon and has created cutting-edge HR and TA functions in a number of startups. Currently, Brady is Principal Coach and Consultant at Thrive Coaching and Consulting, LLC.

Doretha Bailey, MBA is the VP of People & Culture for Turf Masters Brands.  As VP, she is responsible for providing strategic guidance and leadership to all aspects of the human resources functions and operations. She possesses 20+ years in human resources, organizational development, and leadership. Her career spans over several industries including telecommunications, defense, manufacturing, faith-base, military, pharmaceutical, franchising and now turfgrass.

Marissa Andrada is a master of activating organizational hyper-growth and turnaround through the transformation and creation of dynamic, diverse and inclusive cultures. With over 25 years of experience of integrating people and leadership capability into the foundation of business strategies, she has energized brands to codify their purpose and values while accelerating company growth and industry-wide change, inspiring a movement for employee well-being and opportunity. Marissa has been the key catalyst in transforming cultures and driving performance at a multitude of consumer brands, most recently as the first chief people officer at Chipotle Mexican Grill. She is currently serving as an independent board director at Krispy Kreme, Inc. where she is also the chair of the Remuneration and Nomination Committee.

Follow Brady on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brady-young-hrexec/
Follow Doretha on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doretha-bailey/
Follow Marissa on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissaandrada/

In this compelling episode of “Rebels With A Heart,” we dive deep into the world of compassionate leadership and its profound impact on building trust within organizations. Listen in to explore how empathetic leaders foster trust among teams, leading to improved collaboration, employee satisfaction, and ultimately, greater business success.

See the episode video on YouTube!

Moderated by: Derek Lundsten, President & Chief Culture Officer, LifeGuides

Panelists:
Donato Tramuto, Founder & Chairman, Health eVillages
Mo Fathelbab, Founder & President, Forum Resources Network, LLC
Natalie Alcantara, Chief Inspirer, ION Marketing Ltd.

Follow Donato on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donato-tramuto/
Follow Mo on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mofathelbab/
Follow Natalie on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliealcantaraionmarketing/

BIOS:
Donato J. Tramuto, is the former CEO of Tivity Health® Inc.,(Nasdaq: TVTY), and is widely recognized for his commitment to social change and transformational leadership in healthcare innovation that led the New York Times to deem him “a global health activist.” Tramuto is also the founder and chair of The TramutoPorter Foundation which advances young people’s rights to education and healthcare access and combats human right violations.Since the launch of the foundation, over 100 young adults have received a TramutoPorter Foundation Scholarship to pursue their dream of a College Education and many organizations have received financial and partnership support helping them deliver on their promise to make the world a more equitable place.

For nearly three decades, Mo has been at the forefront of creating and advocating peer groups and building communities. He has worked with over 20,000 CEOs and entrepreneurs in 30+ countries, delivering over 2,500 retreats, programs, and trainings to corporate clients and leading organizations, including Google, Pathstone Federal Street, Harvard Business School, SHRM, and Young Presidents’ Organization. In addition to being a highly sought-after forum facilitator and consultant to corporate leadership teams, Mo is a very engaging keynote speaker and emcee. He has delivered keynote addresses to large audiences, including TEDX, Conscious Capitalism, Scale Up, SOSi, and SHRM.

Natalie Alcantara is an advisor, coach, and facilitator who designs meaningful connections. She helps brands, businesses, and individuals create powerful engagement. She is an XCHANGE Approach Certified Guide with expertise in experiential learning science. Natalie helps leaders, teams, and organizations establish psychological safety, elevate shared identity, and work better collaboratively. With over 25 years of marketing, sales and consultancy experience across multiple industries, Natalie has developed a keen understanding of what matters most in the ‘New World of Work’. As a compassionate leadership champion, Natalie inspires leaders to use empathy and take actions that positively and purposefully impact others in the world around them.

Relevant Links:
Donato Tramuto – The Double Bottom Line: How Compassionate Leaders Captivate Hearts and Deliver Results
Mo Fathelbab – The Friendship Advantage: 7 Keys to Building Relationships that Transform Corporate Culture and Drive Productivity
https://www.compassionate-leader.com/summit2023/

In this episode of Rebels With A Heart, join us on an exploration of transformative leadership in the ever-evolving landscape of work.

Our distinguished guests, industry leaders who embody the spirit of rebellion with a compassionate heart, share insights on navigating the complexities of the modern workforce.

Panelists:
Erica Keswin, Human Workplace Expert and WSJ Best Selling Author
Josh Drean, Co-Founder & Director of AI, Work3 Institute
Samara Jaffe, Co-Founder & GM, Transform

BIOS

Erica Keswin is a bestselling author, internationally sought after speaker, and workplace strategist. Her first two bestselling books, Bring Your Human to Work: 10 Surefire Ways to Design a Workplace That’s Good for People, Great for Business, and Just Might Change the World (McGraw Hill 2018), and Rituals Roadmap: The Human Way to Transform Everyday Routines Into Workplace Magic (McGraw Hill 2021), were widely discussed in media outlets like Good Morning America, MSNBC, and Live with Kelly and Ryan, and both debuted as Wall Street Journal bestsellers. Her third book, The Retention Revolution: 7 Surprising (and Very Human!) Ways to Keep Employees Connected to Your Company, was published September 2023 by McGraw Hill and is an action-packed guide for leaders in this new world of work.

She’s also the founder of the Spaghetti Project, a roving ritual devoted to sharing the science and stories of relationships at work. Erica lives in New York City with her husband Jeff, three children, and her labradoodle Cruiser.

Josh Drean is a leading authority in the realm of HR, AI, and web3, uniquely positioned to help organizations marry emerging technologies with workforce strategies. As the Co-founder of the Work3 Institute, his focus is on leveraging AI to drive transformative change in the workplace. Concurrently, he serves as a Workforce Advisor at the Harvard Innovation Labs and is the co-author of the seminal book, Employment is Dead: How Decentralization Will Radically Change Our Relationship with Work (Harvard Business Review Press, 2024).

An international speaker, Josh demystifies AI and web3 trends and translates them into actionable strategies for digital-first leaders. His overarching mission is to enable organizations to harness the full potential of AI, ensuring both ethical compliance and business innovation

Samara Jaffe is a bridge builder, thoughtful connector, and the Co-Founder & GM of Transform. Transform sits at the forefront of the movement shaping the future of people-driven leadership and is the ecosystem that connects people-driven leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors to influence strategy, ignite innovation, and shape the future of work. Samara is also an advisor and board member.

Samara excels at building a compelling strategic vision, developing solutions to a wide range of business challenges and turning vision into business growth.

Follow Erica on LI → https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericakeswin/
Follow Josh on LI → https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshdrean/
Follow Samara on LI → https://www.linkedin.com/in/samarajaffe/