Business Impact Lab (BIL) Podcast

S7E3: From the Classroom to the C-Suite: Scaling Impact in Education with Alexandra Walsh

What does it look like to lead at scale without losing sight of the people you’re trying to serve? Today on the Business Impact Lab, we’re talking with Alexandra Walsh, Chief Product Officer at Amplify, about her journey from teaching high school biology to shaping classrooms across the country—and what leadership rooted in purpose really looks like.
 
Alexandra Walsh's bio: 
As chief product officer, Alexandra develops, leads, and implements a strategic vision that delivers product coherence and common platform excellence across Amplify’s math, literacy, and science product suites. Previously, she was senior vice president and general manager of ELA curriculum, leading the ELA business and overseeing product development on the company’s curriculum platform. Prior to Amplify, Alexandra was at The Bridgespan Group, where she provided strategic advisory services to social sector leaders on a range of issues, including education, child welfare, and government effectiveness. She started her career with Teach for America as a high school biology teacher in Louisiana.
Product Sample Lessons
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-walsh-clarke-3b780857/
https://amplify.com/
Instagram - @amplify.education
Facebook- @Amplify Education
X- @Amplify
LinkedIn- @Amplify
 
 
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UVU Business Impact Lab Den Events
February 18, 2026Arrive Prepared: The Compensation Strategies Driving Salary ChoicesSpeaker: Brittany Davies
This session empowers participants to understand how compensation decisions are made and how to confidently advocate for their worth. Through the Pay Equation, attendees will explore the factors that drive salary decisions and learn how to approach pay conversations with greater awareness and confidence.
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/compensation-philosophy-tickets-1979938545488?aff=oddtdtcreator
 
March 18, 2026Negotiate Like a Pro: Tools & Tactics to Earn Higher SalariesSpeaker: Jo Dailami
In this interactive workshop, participants will learn how to translate achievements into compelling value statements, use tactical language effectively, and apply negotiation strategies that can shift conversations in their favor.
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/negotiate-like-a-pro-tools-tactics-to-earn-higher-salaries-tickets-1979938673872?aff=oddtdtcreator

S7E2: Your Voice Is Your Advantage with Shelby Long

Welcome to Season 7 Episode 2
In a world where ideas only matter if they’re heard, how you communicate can make—or break—your influence. Today’s guest knows that better than almost anyone. From collegiate debate halls to boardrooms with CEOs, professional athletes, and global brands, Shelby Long has built a career around helping leaders command the room, clarify their message, and build powerful personal brands. She’s a four-time international best-selling author, an international speaking coach, and a leading expert in corporate communication and influence. In this episode, we’re diving into how great communicators are made, why conversation is a leadership skill, and what it really takes to amplify your impact.
 
Shelby's Jo Long's Bio: 
A renowned speaker, international speaking coach, and four-time international best-selling author, Shelby is a leading expert in corporate communications. She works with CEOs, professional athletes, and influencers, providing executive coaching and consulting to amplify their influence and establish a commanding brand presence. Shelby Jo Long is a highly accomplished executive, speaker, and branding strategist, serving as President at the Strategic Advisor Board. With deep expertise in communication, branding, and positioning, she collaborates with some of the world’s most influential brands to build strong frameworks for small business success.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelbyjolong/
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UVU Business Impact Lab Den Events
February 18, 2026Arrive Prepared: The Compensation Strategies Driving Salary ChoicesSpeaker: Brittany Davies
This session empowers participants to understand how compensation decisions are made and how to confidently advocate for their worth. Through the Pay Equation, attendees will explore the factors that drive salary decisions and learn how to approach pay conversations with greater awareness and confidence.
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/compensation-philosophy-tickets-1979938545488?aff=oddtdtcreator
 
March 18, 2026Negotiate Like a Pro: Tools & Tactics to Earn Higher SalariesSpeaker: Jo Dailami
In this interactive workshop, participants will learn how to translate achievements into compelling value statements, use tactical language effectively, and apply negotiation strategies that can shift conversations in their favor.
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/negotiate-like-a-pro-tools-tactics-to-earn-higher-salaries-tickets-1979938673872?aff=oddtdtcreator

S7E1: Rewriting the Working Mom Narrative with Pauliana Lara

Welcome to Season 7 or the Business Impact Lab Podcast!
Today’s inaugural guest is Pauliana Lara, a public speaker and coach who brings more than two decades of legal experience into her work supporting working moms. Drawing on both her professional background and her lived experience as a single mom, Pauliana helps women navigate the realities of building meaningful careers while caring deeply for their families. She champions a “both/and” approach to life—one that honors ambition and presence without forcing a tradeoff. This is an honest and compassionate conversation about redefining success, releasing guilt, and creating space to truly thrive.
Pauliana Lara's Bio: 
Pauliana N. Lara, a public speaker and coach with two decades of legal experience, shares insights on achieving balance and joy for working moms. As a single super mom, she advocates for the "both/and" approach in life, encouraging others not to choose between their career and family. Pauliana's mission is to empower working moms globally, providing tools for life transformation. Through coaching and speaking engagements, she helps women navigate challenges and find stability and joy in both their professional and personal lives. Today, Pauliana focuses on assisting working moms in achieving a fulfilling work-life balance.
www.paulianalara.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/pauliana-lara-esq-46245a2/
Mother-ING: Who's Right, Who's Wrong? Who Cares! https://a.co/d/5xZl3uz
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UVU Business Impact Lab Den Events
February 18, 2026Arrive Prepared: The Compensation Strategies Driving Salary ChoicesSpeaker: Brittany Davies
This session empowers participants to understand how compensation decisions are made and how to confidently advocate for their worth. Through the Pay Equation, attendees will explore the factors that drive salary decisions and learn how to approach pay conversations with greater awareness and confidence.
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/compensation-philosophy-tickets-1979938545488?aff=oddtdtcreator
 
March 18, 2026Negotiate Like a Pro: Tools & Tactics to Earn Higher SalariesSpeaker: Jo Dailami
In this interactive workshop, participants will learn how to translate achievements into compelling value statements, use tactical language effectively, and apply negotiation strategies that can shift conversations in their favor.
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/negotiate-like-a-pro-tools-tactics-to-earn-higher-salaries-tickets-1979938673872?aff=oddtdtcreator

S6E15: Leading Through Innovation: A Conversation with Wendy Strgar on Transforming Women’s Health

Today’s guest is Wendy Strgar, a pioneering founder who has reshaped how we think about women’s health by bringing science, biomimicry, and data into a long-overlooked space. In this conversation, we talk about innovation rooted in biology, leadership driven by integrity, and what it takes to challenge deeply ingrained assumptions.
 
Wendy Strgar's Bio: 
Wendy Strgar is an award-winning, serial entrepreneur and the Founder of Good Clean Love, Vaginal Biome Science, and Good Clean Clinical Care. Strgar's commitment to vaginal health led to the development of patented BioMatched technology, an innovative scientific approach applying biomimicry to the formulation of women’s health products. As CIO at Good Clean Love and CEO at Vaginal Biome Science and Good Clean Clinical Care, she has developed a quantitative microbiota panel and the most advanced and effective product technologies to stabilize vaginal microbiome health and has effected change in both osmolality and animal testing requirements at the FDA.
www.goodcleanlove.com
http://linkedin.com/in/wendystrgar/
 
 

S6E14: Leading Boldly: A Conversation with Zana Goic Petricevic

On today’s episode of the Business Impact Lab, we sit down with global leadership transformation expert and bestselling author, Zana Goic Petricevic. Today we’re talking bold leadership—what it looks like, how to build it, and why it matters now more than ever. You don’t want to miss this one.
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zanagoicpetricevic/
Zana Goic Petricevic, PCC, CPCC, ORSCC, MBA Bio
Zana Goic Petricevic is a leadership transformation expert, professional speaker, and bold leadership coach for C-suite leaders. A sought-after keynote speaker on transformative leadership, Zana inspires global audiences to embrace change, adopt a bold mindset, and take decisive risks to thrive.
 
She is the best-selling author of Bold Reinvented: Next level leading with courage, consciousness, and conviction and her latest book, Leading on the Edge, both of which challenge leaders to push the boundaries of what’s possible and create impactful change.
 
Zana is the founder of Bold Leadership Culture, a boutique leadership development consultancy based in Croatia and the UK, with a global presence across the EU, USA, and APAC. She has coached and trained hundreds of leaders and regularly partners with global giants across diverse industries.
 
Her work spans Europe, the UK, and the US, where she partners with leaders, teams, and organizations ready to unlock boldness as their strategic advantage.

S6E13: Showing Up, Speaking Up, and Standing Out: A Conversation with Charlotte Otter on Leadership

In this episode, we’re diving into a conversation at the intersection of reputation, diversity, and leadership—and how the way we show up, speak up, and sponsor others can change the trajectory of a career.
My guest is Charlotte Otter—author, speaker, and advisor—whose work focuses on helping leaders build credibility, amplify their influence, and foster environments where more voices are heard and valued.
Charlotte and I get into the real, practical behaviors that shape workplace impact: how leaders can advocate more effectively, how to make space for quieter voices, and why intentional visibility matters—especially for women and underrepresented leaders.
It’s a thoughtful, energizing conversation filled with concrete strategies you can take back to your team tomorrow.
Charlotte Otter Bio
Charlotte Otter is an author, speaker, podcast host and advisor. Having worked in large companies, including leading global communications teams, she now advises a wide range of clients on reputation, change communications and building effective communications teams.
With global experience in companies such as SAP and Anglo American, and clients ranging from BASF and Siemens to smaller start-ups, Charlotte is acutely sensitive to the needs of global audiences and crafting stories and messaging that lands.
"In a world of wall-to-wall digital noise, it is stories and our humanity that break through."
www.charlotteotter.com
http://www.instagram.com/charlotter1968
https://bsky.app/profile/charlotteotter.bsky.social
https://linkedin.com/in/charlotteeliseotter

S6E12: From Intention to Impact: Leading with Positive Energy with Lori Rogers

“Leadership isn’t just what we do — it’s the energy we bring.”In this episode of The Business Impact Lab Podcast, Angela Jackson talks with Lori Rogers, co-founder of Positive Activity, about the power of presence, mindset, and compassion in creating meaningful impact.🌿 Listen and be inspired.
 
Lori Rogers' bio: 
Lori Rogers is the co-founder of Positive Activity and owner of Rogers Marketing, where she helps individuals and organizations create more intentional, energized, and compassionate lives — at work and at home.
With over 30 years of experience in sales, leadership, and brand development, Lori combines practical tools with mindset work, spiritual insight, and personal storytelling. Her journey as the mother of a nonspeaking autistic son has shaped her deeply held belief in presence, purpose, and the power of compassion — not just in parenting, but in every relationship and room we enter.
Lori speaks and teaches on topics like energy, clarity, self-trust, and how to reset when life feels out of sync — offering grounded, heart-forward wisdom that’s immediately actionable.
Social Media:
Positive Activity: https://www.positiveactivity.net
Instagram 1: https://www.instagram.com/loriarogerspositiveactivity/ 
Instagram 2: https://www.instagram.com/positiveactivitytm/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100070371891843
LinkedIn 1: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-rogers-ma-7a285b5/ 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6C_rB34QvfPpZkB67fzkqQ
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@positiveactivity  
 

S6E11: Beyond the Mic: Leading with Confidence and Connection with Ginni Saraswati-Cook

Sometimes the most powerful leadership lessons don’t come from a classroom or a boardroom — they come from finding your voice.
Today, we’re talking about podcasting not just as a tool for marketing or visibility, but as a way to lead, build confidence, and connect on a whole new level.
My guest today has so much wisdom to share about that — from leading a remote team and building a thriving culture, to saying “yes” to growth and leaning into the unexpected. We’ll also get into how to right wrongs in business and what it really takes to carve your own path when it would be easier to follow someone else’s.
So, if you’ve ever wondered how using your voice — literally — can make you a stronger, more intentional leader, this conversation is for you.
 
Ginni Saraswati-Cook's bio below: 
Ginni Saraswati
CEO & Founder, Ginni Media | Award-Winning Journalist & Podcaster | Entrepreneur & Business Leader
Ginni Saraswati is the founder of Ginni Media, a podcast production house that creates award-winning content for Fortune 500 companies like Siemens, New York Times Best-Selling authors like Gary Zukav (who’s been on The Oprah Show 36 times), and thousands of creators. She also co-owns Metro Podcast Studio in NYC, a professional recording space for podcasters of all levels, right in the heart of Manhattan. A recognized leader in media and entrepreneurship, Ginni has been named a 2023 OUTstanding LGBT Executive Role Model, a 2017 LGBTI Awards Broadcaster & Presenter of the Year Nominee, and an Australian Podcast Awards Finalist, with features in Forbes, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, and Business Insider.
As the host of The Ginni Show, a multi-award-nominated podcast with over 500K downloads, she interviews industry leaders, creatives, and innovators—diving into mindset hacks, success strategies, and personal growth with a dash of humor. Past guests include Olympian Erin Mielzynski, Paula Abdul, Ruby Rose, and Cynthia Rowley. She also hosts Hearin’ New York, a chart-topping show about all things NYC.
Born in Sri Lanka and raised in Australia, Ginni built a global business from the ground up, leading a team across 14 time zones. She’s a sought-after speaker, expert storyteller, and business strategist helping entrepreneurs turn ideas into impact. Here is her instagram (40K) and her LinkedIn.
Ginni Saraswati is a podcast producer, entrepreneur, and leadership expert known for building teams and brands that thrive in today’s media landscape. As founder of award-winning media agency Ginni Media, she has scaled the company into a global production powerhouse serving Fortune 500 companies, best-selling authors, and top creators alike.
Her leadership has been recognized on the OUTstanding LGBT+ Executive Role Model List and by the Australian Podcast Awards, with features in Forbes, Fast Company, and Entrepreneur. She is also the host of The Ginni Show, a top-ranked podcast where she leads conversations with cultural icons and industry leaders, including Paula Abdul, Sarah Shahi, Cynthia Rowley, and Gary Zukav.
Born in Sri Lanka and raised in Australia, Ginni is now based in New York City, where she built her business from the ground up and leads a remote team across 14 time zones. A sought-after speaker and strategist, she is recognized for blending creativity and business acumen to help executives and entrepreneurs turn ideas into award-winning content.
 
 

S6E10: The Creative Sandbox: Turning the Impossible into Possible with Melissa Dinwiddie

What if unlocking creativity was the key to solving your toughest challenges? In this episode of the Business Impact Lab, Angela Jackson sits down with Melissa Dinwiddie—Juilliard-trained dancer, professional artist, jazz singer-songwriter, improviser, and author of The Creative Sandbox Way.
Melissa has worked with companies like Google, Meta, and Salesforce to show leaders and teams how play, experimentation, and even imperfection can spark innovation. From her journey as an artist to her mission of helping people bring bold ideas to life, Melissa shares powerful insights on how creativity can transform the way we lead, collaborate, and thrive in uncertainty.
Tune in to discover how you can embrace your own creative sandbox—and start turning the impossible into possible.
 
Melissa's bio: 
Melissa Dinwiddie is on a mission to help leaders and teams turn the "impossible" into reality by uncovering their creative potential. A Juilliard-trained dancer, professional artist for 15 years, jazz singer-songwriter, and performing improviser, Melissa brings a wealth of creative experiences to her work with companies like Google, Meta, and Salesforce. As the author of The Creative Sandbox Way™, she’s passionate about showing people how to embrace play, imperfection, and experimentation as tools for innovation. Known for her engaging, interactive keynotes and workshops, Melissa empowers individuals and teams to unlock creativity, strengthen collaboration, and thrive in the face of uncertainty. When not leading transformations, she’s making art or attempting ukulele-and-bass duets with herself.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissadinwiddie/
https://melissadinwiddie.com/
Waitlist for upcoming book: https://creative-sandbox-solutions.kit.com/5b0600ccde
 

S6E9: Empathy Meets Innovation: Brittany Christenson’s Journey to Social Impact at Scale

What does it take to deliver $350 million in aid—securely, quickly, and with dignity—to people who need it most?
In this episode, I’m joined by Brittany Christenson, CEO of AidKit, whose platform has processed over 500,000 applications and is redefining how public benefits are delivered.
We talk about why dignity must be at the heart of aid delivery, and Brittany’s incredible journey from mathematics and organic farming to leading one of Fast Company’s “World Changing Ideas.”
 
See her bio below: 
Brittany Christenson – CEO, AidKit
Brittany Christenson is the CEO of AidKit, a Public Benefits Corporation that helps government agencies and nonprofits administer aid programs efficiently and transparently. As CEO, she sets the company’s strategic direction, drives technology innovation and cultivates partnerships to transform aid delivery into an empowering act of community care.
Appointed CEO in 2023, Brittany previously served as AidKit’s director of partnerships and program development, where she played a key role in expanding the company’s impact through collaborations with governments and nonprofits nationwide. Recognized for her strategic vision and commitment to a people-centered approach, she has created a high-trust, data-driven culture that strengthens AidKit’s ability to provide critical relief in response to public health emergencies, natural disasters and financial hardships.
Since its founding in 2021, AidKit has helped over 200 agencies and nonprofits process over 500,000 applications and distribute more than $350 million in disaster relief, public benefits and cash assistance to more than 90,000 recipients.
Prior to joining AidKit, Brittany served as the executive director of AdkAction, a regional nonprofit focused on food security and community development. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she played a key role in launching one of the first pilots for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program’s (SNAP) online payments, expanding access to essential resources for low-income families. This experience sparked her passion for leveraging technology to drive systemic change.
Earlier in her career, Brittany managed a 90-acre organic vegetable farm, overseeing logistics and operations while deepening her commitment to food justice. Her journey into social impact began after pursuing graduate studies in epigenetics at McGill University. She also holds a degree in applied mathematics from Carroll College in Helena, Mont., where she developed a strong foundation in problem-solving and data analysis.
She currently serves as chair of the advisory board for the Cloudsplitter Foundation in New York, reinforcing her dedication to community-driven solutions.