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A Veteran's Journey - with Angela Parker

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This episode we’re joined by Angela Parker, who shares her journey as a veteran and as a business leader.

Angela Parker, a seasoned finance executive and former Army officer, boasts diverse industry experience, spanning technology, security, consulting, aviation, energy, healthcare, and finance. Her strengths include mergers, restructuring, turnarounds, high-growth initiatives, and performance improvement.

She's set to take on a new CFO role, focusing on Mergers & Acquisitions and transforming finance with cutting-edge technology and processes.

As former CFO of Allied Universal Technology Services, Angela led teams across 50 locations, integrating seven new entities and implementing vital automation. In the energy sector, she drove business strategy and marketing for Halliburton and Baker Hughes, leveraging global trends for success. At American Airlines, Angela guided strategy, managed capital projects, and led merger teams.

A former Army officer, Angela holds an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin and a bachelor's degree in Literature and Computer Science Engineering from West Point. Her passions include travel, volunteering, running, yoga, and quality time with her grown children.

Angela shares with us the challenges and successes that she’s navigated first in the Army, and then in the corporate world, reflecting on how those experiences have shaped her journey as a leader and sharing her insights and words of wisdom along the way.

The Future of DEI - with Darius Johnson and Lee Jourdan

Join us for a captivating exploration of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in the workplace with two distinguished experts, Darius Johnson and Leland Jourdan of FTI Consulting.

Darius Johnson, a visionary DEI practitioner, and Leland Jourdan, former Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Chevron, offer unique perspectives on the future of DEI.

In this episode, we uncover the journey of these two thought leaders and their invaluable insights. We delve into the evolving DEI landscape, touching on the challenges posed by societal shifts and polarized discourse. We also highlight the importance of genuine commitment and impactful actions to address systemic inequality.

Our expert guests emphasize integrating DEI into every facet of an organization and the crucial role of curiosity in problem-solving. They discuss metrics, sponsorship programs, and inclusive leadership as vital components of successful DEI initiatives.

Discover how DEI dynamics impact a company's success and how leaders can strategically incorporate DEI into core business practices.

Join us on this enlightening journey into the Future of DEI, where we unravel insights, strategies, and the path forward in building more inclusive and equitable workplaces.

Tune in now to be part of the conversation shaping the future of diversity, equity, and inclusion!

Color and Cultura - with Nicte Cuevas

Color and Cultura - with Nicte Cuevas

Nicte Cuevas is an award-winning bilingual brand strategist and designer, as well as the owner of Nicte Creative Design. She connects color, cultura, and design into a purpose-driven brand strategy for visionary companies. Through empathy-driven methodology, Nicte evolves, invigorates, and amplifies businesses’ unique brand positions. Her roots from Venezuela, Mexico, and Colombia deepen her love and commitment to cultural diversity in her work. Nicte has taught over 120,000 worldwide with courses on branding, color psychology, and design as a LinkedIn Learning instructor.

She joins us this episode to discuss the ways that culture and color can come together to support a brand's voice, strategy and impact. Nicte shares how her own personal journey and multicultural Latina heritage have shaped the way she uses the power of color to help people and brands tell their stories and connect with their audiences. Whether you're developing your own personal brand or contributing to the brand of an organization, this episode speaks to the art of communication and how the methods and media that we use can impact how our voice is heard.

An Inspired Leadership Journey with Indra Gutiérrez

An Inspired Leadership Journey with Indra Gutiérrez

This week we're joined by Indra Gutiérrez, president of Gutier, a fully integrated services leader in design, procurement, construction, and project management.

Indra shares her inspirational journey from adversity to empowered leadership and discusses how her identity and her challenges have shaped her career and contributed to her success.

Indra has over sixteen years of experience working in the construction industry overseeing multi-billion-dollar engineering, procurement, and construction projects across the Gulf Coast Region. She oversees Gutier’s business operations, business development, and organizational strategy. She has an Executive MBA from the University of Texas at Austin, an M.S. in International Business from Houston Baptist University, and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Houston. Indra is passionate about women's representation in the construction industry. She currently leads the Women’s Network within Gutier. The network's mission is to empower the next generation of female leaders in the construction industry. She also serves on the alumni board for the Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute, and she was recently selected as one of Houston Business Journal’s 40 under 40. 

Handling the Interruptions with Ally Cedeno of The Women Offshore Foundation

Handling the Interruptions with Ally Cedeno of The Women Offshore Foundation

We’re joined in this episode by Ally Cedeno, the founder and president of the Women Offshore Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to reducing the gender gap on the water. She joins us for this collaborative episode with the Women Offshore podcast, where we have a candid conversation about interruptions in the workplace. We discuss some of our own lived experiences and learnings, and we share some ways to handle the disruptions.

LaToya Stallworth and the HBCU Experience

LaToya Stallworth and the HBCU Experience

In this episode, we’re joined by Two Piers Advisory Board member, LaToya Stallworth who shares her insights on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). LaToya is an Operations leader within the energy industry. As an alumna of both Florida A&M, a Historically Black University, as well as Harvard Business School, a predominantly white institution (or PWI), LaToya has a unique perspective into the different campus and educational experiences. She also shares a glimpse into her experience as a Black woman in a corporate environment and the ways that her education prepared her for success.

Behind the Scenes with Professional Recruiter Yael Iffergan

In this episode, we’re joined by Yael Iffergan, Managing Director at INFINITalent Partners.

Yael shares her insights, as a strategic recruiting leader, into the current job market. She discusses the benefits of exploring your options and the ins and outs of navigating resumes, interviews, negotiations, and offers. Yael tells it straight as she pulls back the curtain on what happens behind the scenes and how you can position yourself for success.

Whether you’re ready for a new opportunity, you’re facing unexpected employment changes, or you’re simply curious about what’s out there, this episode will have some pearls of wisdom.

Corporate Escapologist with Adam Forbes

Today we're joined by guest Adam Forbes, the original Corporate Escapologist. He's here to talk to us about the possibilities beyond corporate and valuing the breadth of experience that corporate roles have given us. Adam spent 25 years working happily and successfully within the four walls of major corporates in marketing strategy, business development, and finance, ducking and weaving within energy retail, government, and consulting.

Connecting With Our Nervous System - with Jacqui Bishop

We’re joined by guest, Jacqui Bishop, a renewable energy real estate attorney, and nervous system informed leadership facilitator. Jacqui hosts the Thriving Leader interview series which provides tools for professional women to reconnect with pleasure. She’s also the author of the upcoming book, Melted in which she shares her epic journey of awakening after decades of chronic stress.

In this exciting and insightful episode, we discuss the ways in which we can shake loose from the enduring state of fight-or-flight that permeates our working days, to reconnect with our more creative, joyful and present natural state. Jacqui shares her very practical 4 step process for how to shift from an activated nervous system to a receptive one. Whether you’re spending your days on an offshore oil rig, or wearing scrubs in an operating room, or dealing with continual microaggressions and stressors in a high-pressure office job, this will be a valuable listen.

Small Town Pride - with Liz Kovarsky

We’re wrapping up our four-part June Pride series this week with a short and sweet episode as we close out the month’s festivities and celebration.

We’re joined by Liz Kovarsky, Director of the Working Communities Challenge Initiative with the Midcoast Youth Center. She discusses her efforts in organizing the first annual Pride celebration in the bucolic shipbuilding town Bath, Maine. From ideation to reality - it’s a heartwarming story of community collaboration, engagement, and support.

Two Piers Pride 2023 - Part II

We're back for part-two of our two-part episode about Pride. Two Piers Advisory Board members Gene Valentin and Jason Gray rejoin us to discuss Pride in terms of intersectionality, identity, labels, and “cancel culture.” We also touch on some recent developments that have occurred in between recording part-one and part-two.

This is a two-part episode as part of our Pride Series this month. If you didn’t catch part-one, you can find it here.

Two Piers Pride 2023 - Part I

We're joined by two of our Advisory Board members: Gene Valentin and Jason Gray, who share their lived experiences and insights regarding Pride: what it means to them, where Pride has lost its shine, and how individuals and companies can be more effective allies. This is a fairly unusual episode for us. It's more of a panel discussion than an interview, and it's pretty raw and unfiltered.

This is a two-part episode as part of our Pride Series this month, so stay tuned for part-two next week!

A Conversation with Dr. Steve Yacovelli - The Gay Leadership Dude

We're kicking off our June 2023 Pride series with Dr. Steve Yacovelli, aka The Gay Leadership Dude. Steve is an expert in diversity and inclusion, change management, and leadership both in and outside of the workplace whose not-so-hidden agenda is to make the world a bit more inclusive for us all.

He’s worked internally for folks like The Walt Disney Company, IBM, Tupperware Brands, and several universities before starting his own consulting firm, TopDog Learning Group in 2008.

In this episode, Steve talks about ways that leaders, (and by leaders, he means all of us), can be more inclusive, and he explores the benefits of inclusion and the costs of organizations not getting it right. Steve also shares an actionable framework for tackling silent collusion. 

Asian Heritage Month with Scientist Noushin Mir, Ph.D.

In this bonus episode to close out Asian Heritage Month, we're joined by Senior Scientist, Noushin Mir, Ph.D., who discusses her personal and professional journey with us and shares her insights and experiences along the way.

Noushin's story begins in Iran where she was an Associate Professor of Chemistry, and continues in the US where she now works in the private sector and continues to publish research. In this episode, we delve into the world of identity and authenticity, and what happens when our options for living authentically are narrowed. Noushin shares with us the internal and external challenges she faced both before and after moving to the US and her vision for a society in which individuals can express themselves authentically and feel included in their community. She discusses her Persian heritage and common misconceptions about what is included in the term "Asian." We also explore how workplace groups such as BRGs/ERGs can be effective.

Thank you to Noushin for sharing her deeply personal story with openness, candor, and authenticity.

The Compassion Code with Laura Jack

Leadership coach Laura Jack joins us to discuss compassionate communication and how it relates to leadership as well as diversity, equity and inclusion. As a keynote speaker and trainer, compassionate communication and leadership coach, international best-selling author and founder of the Compassion Code Academy, Laura equips conscious leaders with compassionate communication and coaching skills so they can lead from the heart without losing their authority, efficiency, or effectiveness. She provides in-depth training for individuals and organizations who want to create a culture of compassion and leave a legacy of love for future generations.

This episode delves deep and explores weighty topics such as grief, loss, and trauma - topics that make many of us uneasy, especially when wearing our leadership hats. We discuss some of the myths around grief and healing, and how we can show up for those in our lives who are struggling, whether in our teams, our families, or ourselves.

The Evolving World of Staffing and Recruitment with Erik Schwartz

We're joined by guest Erik Schwartz - CEO of PeopleSERVE, Inc., an IT placement firm, and Hirelytics, Inc.,  a recruitment analytics firm. Erik is passionate about leveraging technology to further diversity, equity and inclusion in the recruitment and hiring processes. He shares his professional insights with us, as well as his personal story of challenge and growth as an autistic leader and entrepreneur. This episode is both inspirational and practical. It is full of useful information about how teams and organizations can remove barriers between diverse talent pools and their employment opportunities, as well as the importance of Autism Acceptance and embracing the vibrant neurodiversity of our modern workforce. 

Adaptability with Coach Robbie Leigh

In this episode, a friend of Two Piers, Robbie Leigh, joins us. Robbie is an empowerment coach who helps introverted, highly sensitives own their strengths and step into their power. Together, we explore the concept of adaptability. This trait, so often revered as a strength and skill, can also present its challenges in terms of identity and sustainability. Join us to explore this fascinating concept and determine how you plan to engage with adaptability. 

Reflecting on Community and Women's History Month

It's that time of year! Women's History Month and International Women's Day are upon us. This episode, our founder and host, Erica, discusses the tension between image and impact as companies lean into Women's History Month marketing. She also discusses her personal reflections on female-centered community in light of a recent visit to Texas and the work that Two Piers has been doing. While this episode tackles some weighty systemic issues, it's also a candid and earnest account of the personal challenges, reflections and growth of our founder. 

The Success Wound with Brooke Taylor

This episode, we’re joined by Brooke Taylor, a Transformational Career Coach for female leaders, organizational consultant and speaker, and former Marketing Lead at Google.

Brooke discusses the phenomenon of the "Success Wound," a concept she identified and coined, which is the pain high-achievers experience when they mistake their success for their self-worth. We talk about what success means to us, how to recognize and heal the success wound, and how to live within our purpose and our passion. It’s a great episode filled with candor, humility and lots of incredible insights.