The Jali, host Melyssa Barrett

The Jali Ep 147: AI in Transforming Diversity Equity and Inclusion

In this episode, we explore how artificial intelligence is transforming Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in organizations. Join us as we discuss the ways AI can enhance recruitment processes, eliminate biases in hiring, promote equitable opportunities for underrepresented groups and share success stories from companies leveraging  it. Tune in to discover how AI can be a powerful ally in the pursuit of a more diverse and inclusive future while we begin to understand the risks..
 
 

The Jali Ep 146: Your Vote, Your Future: Shaping Change in 2024

In this episode, Melyssa dives into the importance of the upcoming election and why every vote counts. More than just a presidential race, this election shapes our communities, schools, courts, and environment. Melyssa highlights the historical struggles for voting rights, the ongoing challenges, and why voting locally is critical. From checking your registration to holding elected officials accountable, she provides a roadmap for making your vote matter. Tune in to learn how you can make a difference and build a better future through collective  action.
 

The Jali EP 145: Pioneering Digital Transformation in Infrastructure

On today’s podcast, I am joined by Jennifer Schmitz, CEO of Lattice Industries Inc., as we dive into her role in transforming digital infrastructure with a focus on enhancing financial organizations globally. We discuss her mission in pioneering reshaping financial technology that builds smarter digital infrastructure to strengthen communities.Jennifer Schmitz is a dynamic leader with a robust background in financial strategy, global management, and data innovation. She currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Lattice Industries Inc., where she leads the development of the national resilience hub network. Under her guidance, Lattice Industries is reshaping global infrastructure by leveraging data to empower communities and enhance digital opportunity.Jennifer's career is deeply rooted in her expertise in financial markets, particularly from her time as one of a very select few women trading specialists in the Chicago Mercantile and Chicago Board of Options. There, she managed a team of specialist floor traders and played a crucial role in market operations and the digital transformation of financial marketplaces, honing her skills in risk management and analytics. This experience provided her with a solid foundation in financial risk and strategic decision-making, which she has carried into her leadership roles. Those roles included a focus on fraud, risk management operations and operational benchmarking to optimize digital networks for financial institutions.Her academic credentials include an MBA in Global Management from Mills College, and specialized international finance coursework from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, where she also served as President of the National Association of Women MBAs (NAWMBA) Fisher Chapter. Jennifer holds a BA in International Studies from DePaul University and has studied archeology in Greece and Malta.Jennifer's leadership at Lattice Industries aligns with the company's mission to create smarter, more resilient infrastructures based on the needs of constituents. Her unique combination of experience in financial markets, global management, and innovative data-driven network solutions positions her as a trailblazer in the digital infrastructure industry, driving sustainable growth and community empowerment on a global scale. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Jali Ep 144: Achieving Financial Security

Join me as I chat with Christian Chukwuma, an independent Financial Planner and Accredited Investment Fiduciary® with Osaic Wealth as we navigate financial strategies that align with your vision for the future and build your wealth to achieve personal financial security goals. Christian is more than just an independent Financial Planner and Accredited Investment Fiduciary® with Osaic Wealth. He is a partner in your financial journey, someone who listens deeply to your hopes, dreams, and concerns, and works alongside you to shape a future that reflects your most important values. Specializing in retirement income planning, 403B & 401k management, behavioral financial coaching, and insurance protection (life & long-term care), Christian’s approach is not just about numbers but about creating financial peace of mind. Beginning with a meaningful conversation about your goals and values, Christian partners with your CPA, attorney, and other trusted professionals to craft a financial plan that truly reflects who you are and what matters most to you”. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics and an MBA in Finance from the University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, and further deepened his expertise by obtaining the Behavioral Financial Advisor (BFA) designation. This enables him to not just prepare you for retirement but also for the inevitable uncertainties of life with compassion and foresight. In 2020, he proudly earned the highly regarded designation of Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®), affirming his commitment to act in your best interest. His success is truly measured by your success. Christian’s impact stretches far beyond his profession. Deeply passionate about his community, he has served on the boards of Tri-Valley Haven, a domestic violence center, and The Rotary Club of Livermore. He is also a valued member of the Tri-Valley Estate Planning Council, where he served on the board for two years, helping to connect people with the resources and guidance they need to plan for their futures. At home, Christian finds joy and balance in the love of his wife and four children. His life is full of meaning through travel, giving back, and savoring time with family and friends. Christian isn’t just helping clients secure their futures—he’s building a life rooted in purpose, community, and connection.Social Media Accounts:: https://www.facebook.com/chukwumafinancialhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-chukwuma-mba-aif-bfa-0298872a/https://x.com/chukwumaFA#ValuesDrivenAdvice#HappyRetirement#Liveyourdreams Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Jali Ep 143: Pivoting Towards Success

This week I am joined by success coach, speaker and career marketer Stephanie Vedder as she shares key factors to achieve your career goals, offers her advice and best practices to build confidence to pivot careers and overcome barriers that prevent women from reaching their career potential. As a results-oriented marketing professional, Stephanie has always been passionate about helping others achieve their goals for growth. With over 20 years of experience in sales and marketing, Stephanie has achieved the highest honors in her profession and built an extensive portfolio of dedicated WOW Clients. Stephanie reached Diamond Elite status, top 5%, at a billion-dollar media company and maintained President's Club level many years in a row. She managed millions in revenue while helping her clients increase revenue by millions.Working with the More Business More Life® team, Stephanie was able to quadruple her revenue which more than doubled her income and built her business around her life in her role as a career marketer. Even with her success, she was envisioning a life where she could make a greater impact on those she serves while spending even more time in her role as a mom, with even more control of her calendar. More Business AND More Life!After 5 years of transformation as a client, she joined award winning marketer, best-selling author and business mentor Steve Napolitan and team as a Success Coach. Stephanie knows personally the struggles a home-based working mom faces as they strive to build a happy, healthy family while maintaining a successful career.IG: https://www.instagram.com/stephaniemichelle143/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanievedder/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Jali Ep 142: Black Employee Collective

Join me as members of the Black Employee Collective, Yolanda Barial Knight, Yulie Padmore and Sabrina Pinell, delve into the impactful advocacy efforts within the East Bay Regional Park District in California shedding light on the profound legacy of the Port Chicago 50, highlighting the intersection of history, social justice, and community empowerment.Yolande Barial Knight is a co-founder along with Yulie Padmore and Sabrina Pinell of the Black Employee Collective of the East Bay Regional Park District where she and her fellow members campaigned along with many organizations in the Bay Area and nationally to name the first park in Contra Costa County after a black person! The park is in Concord, CA and is named: Thurgood Marshall Regional Park – Home of the Port Chicago 50 in Concord, California.Yolande is blessed to be the mother of 2 sons and a daughter who are the lights of her life. She has been honored to receive the NAACP Image Award from the Stockton Branch, the Woman of Color Award from the African American Chamber of Commerce and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Award from the Tracy African American Association. She is the immediate past President of Tracy African American Association, immediate past Director of the Youth Department at People of Christ Missionary (POC) Baptist Church’s in Tracy, she has a byline in the Tracy Press Newspaper where she writes Mother’s Corner column that focuses on parenting children of all ages. She is also a member of the Tracy Democratic Club and the Tracy African American Association.She has been the Clerk of the Board for East Bay Regional Park District for 32 years.Yulie Padmore has advocated for justice for the Port Chicago sailors since 2019. As a co-founder of East Bay Black Employee Collective, she worked with colleagues and community organizations to help facilitate the naming of Thurgood Marshall Regional Park — Home of the Port Chicago 50 in 2020/2021. Yulie is a proud member of the Port Chicago Taskforce and editor of the news and resource website PortChicago50.comSabrina Pinell started her career with the East Bay Regional Park District in 2007 at the Robert Crown Memorial State Beach – Crab Cove Visitor Center in Alameda. She is now working in the Acquisition, Stewardship & Development Division at the Park District Administrative Headquarters in Oakland, Sabrina received her Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Art and a minor in African-American Studies from UC Berkeley in 1997. She shares not only a love for art in all of its expressions (craft, sculpture, dance, etc.), but also culturally and historically embraces the people who make it globally; and their stories. She is a Certified Massage Therapist with a specialization in Reiki Energy healing in collaboration with the Luna Nueva Wellness Healing Collective in the Bay Area. In collaboration with Yolande Barial Knight and Yulie Padmore, she co-founded the Black Employee Collective with other East Bay Regional Park District employees of African-American heritage in 2020 in an a community effort to name the new park in Concord, California Thurgood Marshall Regional Park – Home of the Port Chicago 50. In her spare time, you can find Sabrina at a local festival, in the backyard with her fur babies or spending quality time with her two children and family. To inform, educate and collectively communicate Black American issues, social narratives, historical, cultural, social and environmental justice within the East Bay Regional Park District to the Black employees, Black community and future generationshttps://portchicagomemorial.org/2009/06/01/into-forgetfulness/History of Port Chicago: https://news.berkeley.edu/2019/07/17/this-base-is-going-to-blow-sky-high-port-chicago-75-years-later/History of Port Chicago: https://www.sfchronicle.com/chronicle_vault/article/Port-Chicago-disaster-Unpublished-photos-of-a-14099503.phpPetition - Rename Bay Area Park To Honor Thurgood Marshall: http://historicalequity.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Jali Ep 141: Showcasing: Becoming Socially Conscious

In this week’s episode, I wanted to highlight a previous episode featuring Steve Napolitan as we discuss the practice of mindset shifts and its effects on our personal growth and social consciousness.Producing award-winning content, Steven Napolitan has been recognized by national media as a pioneer in the new media market. His executive coaching and training has publicly served over 35,000 professionals, business owners and entrepreneurs on their businesses and taught them how to increase marketing/sales, while systemizing business to minimize their effort and maximize their revenue. Steve helps his clients have the lifestyles they deserve. Ultimately, Steve is about people, relationships, and the convergence of vision, focus and teamwork that allows true freedom in life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Jali Ep 140: Commemorating Juneteenth

Join me as I delve into the rich history of Juneteenth, exploring its origins from June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to deliver the news of freedom for enslaved men and women two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued to acknowledging the tireless efforts of Opal Lee who fiercely advocated for Juneteenth to be recognized as a federal holiday of Black independence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Jali Ep 139: Supporting Black-Owned Business

As Co-Owner of Team Wellness Foundation and author of Black Pages Edition II, Raynisha McDonald seeks to invoke change in the world by helping clients navigate self-help and healing and promote Black-owned businesses and communities. Raynisha McDonald grew up in Stockton and was the product of a single parent. As a small child, she experienced poverty and abuse. Through her own self-healing she discovered a passion for mental health, and she set forth on a path to help others achieve healing and emotional intelligence. She began her journey of healing, which included counseling, to heal her own personal trauma. Completing her education, she embarked into a new path of counseling and healing for others and is currently pursuing her master’s in counseling psychology, In addition, she is creating a book to bring consumers to Black owned businesses across the continental United States. She wants to build stronger black communities by investing in its businesses.IG: https://www.instagram.com/nisha_ray_mac/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raynisha.braggmcdonald Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Jali Ep 138: Amplifying Communities

This week I am joined by the founder and CEO of Pro Audio Voices Inc. Becky Parker Geist as she shares how her company seeks to better communicate ideas and perspectives, overcome community barriers by amplifying voices through storytelling and offer advice for authors to enhance their audio presence effectively.Becky Parker Geist is the founder and CEO of Pro Audio Voices. Pro Audio Voices is a Portland based company serving clients internationally as a go-to place for exceptional audiobook & podcast production and marketing, including complex and unusual projects that may involve multiple voices and/or music and/or sound effects.admin@proaudiovoices.comSocial Media Accounts to Tag:: https://www.instagram.com/proaudiovoices/https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/beckyparkergeist/https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=proaudiovoiceshttps://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=beckyparkergeisthttps://www.linkedin.com/company/pro-audio-voices-inc/https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckyparkergeist/#AMPlifyAudiobooks #ProAudioVoices #Indieauthor #LoveAudiobooks #AudiobookConnection Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices