The Empowering Women Podcast

This Veterans Day, we’re honoring those who’ve served—and continuing the conversation on what service looks like after the uniform comes off. 

Shannon is joined by Lt. Col. (Ret.) Kathy Lowrey Gallowitz, Founder and CEO of Vanguard Veteran, an organization dedicated to equipping civilians to become Veteran Champions. Kathy’s mission is clear: bridge the gap between military and civilian life and empower veterans to thrive in the workplace, community, and beyond. 

From leading teams in uniform to leading a movement of understanding, Kathy shares her insight on building “vanguard” communities—those at the front of meaningful change. You’ll hear leadership lessons born from service, the truth behind common misconceptions, and how we can all be part of reshaping what veteran employment looks like today. 

🔥 Whether you’re a veteran, a leader, or simply someone who believes in the power of purpose—this episode will remind you that service never ends. It just evolves. 

💖 Host Note from Shannon: 

As I wrapped this conversation with Kathy, one thing stuck with me—leadership, at its core, is about service. Whether that’s to our teams, our communities, or our country, the call to lead is also the call to lift others. 

Kathy reminded me that being “human-fueled” means seeing the person behind the title and the story behind the salute. This Veterans Day, I hope you’ll take a moment to do just that—to connect, to listen, and to thank those who serve not just with words, but with opportunity and understanding. 

Because together, we are the vanguard of change. 

Watch On YouTube: https://youtu.be/85h1sIh5uM8

💬 Quotes from Kathy in this episode: 

“Do it afraid.” 

“Listen to that small, still voice inside of you that says, ‘This is important. I need to do this.’ Step into your voice.” 

“We need to go beyond thank you for our service and be purposeful, intentional, with substantive actions.” 

“Lead with your heart. Go outside your comfort zone. Be willing to say, ‘I don’t understand, but I’d like to learn more.’ 

‘The great news is that veteran unemployment is consistently lower than non-veteran employment... but about one-third of veterans in your company are underemployed.” 

“I believe that when veterans thrive, America prospers.” 

🔗 Episode Resources & Links: 

🌐 Vanguard Veteran Website
💼 Connect with Kathy Gallowitz on LinkedIn
💼 Follow Vanguard Veteran on LinkedIn
📘 Beyond “Thank You for Your Service” by Kathy Lowrey Gallowitz
📈 U.S. Department of Labor Veteran Employment Data 

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🔊 Description 

It’s Women in AI Month — and we’re diving into the human side of artificial intelligence. 

 Shannon is joined by Lei Comerford, an award-winning executive coach, certified AI consultant, and leadership facilitator who brings 25+ years of experience in healthcare, hospitality, and professional services. In this fast-paced and thought-provoking conversation, Lei unpacks what it means to become an “AI-powered professional,” and why the future of leadership is both human and machine. 

 From mindset shifts to mental load relief, and from prompt engineering to cognitive assistants (available 24/7/365!), this episode is a must-listen for anyone curious about integrating AI into their work—without losing their humanity. 

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/9X8Gkfl1IsY

💬 Quotes from Lei in this episode: 

“Women don’t need to code to belong in this AI era. We simply need visibility, access, and spaces to learn with confidence.” 

“Learning is wonderful, but it’s when you move it forward to impact that you really begin to make a difference.” 

“When we begin to build that fluency, you can start to use AI as a trusted tool. Ultimately, it transforms yourself, how you do your role, how it impacts your team as well as your organization for the better.” 

“Transformation changes curiosity—changes what’s possible.” 

“AI won’t replace adaptable leaders, but those who ignore it may be replaced by others who don’t.” 

“Think of AI as augmenting the human. It doesn’t replace our human intelligence.” 

🔗 Episode Resources & Links: 

🌐 Lei Comerford’s Website 

💼 Connect with Lei on LinkedIn 

💼 Connect with Lei on Instagram 

📨 Sign up for Lei’s Monthly Newsletter 

🔧 Short list of AI Tools: 

o   ChatGPT 

o   Claude 

o   Perplexity 

o   Gamma 

o   Canva 

o   Ideogram 

o   Descript 

o   Microsoft Copilot 

🔥 Whether you're AI-curious, tech-hesitant, or just wondering what “prompt engineering” actually means—this episode will expand your thinking, ease your fears, and remind you that the future of work needs more women with both courage and curiosity. 

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🔊 Description: 

What really powers manufacturing? People. 

In this Manufacturing Day episode, Shannon is joined by Ellen Sieminski, a lean expert, continuous improvement coach, and board member of the Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME). With 25+ years in the industry, Ellen brings deep experience and fresh perspective on how women, allies, and curious leaders are shaping the future of manufacturing. 

From the shop floor to the boardroom, Ellen shares why lean is never just about process—it’s about engagement, culture, and people. 

💬 Quotes from Ellen in this episode: 

• “If you’re not engaging the people doing the work, you’re missing the point of lean.”
• “I want to be the person who brings the energy and says—let's not be afraid to try something new.”
• “Women bring a level of awareness and perspective that is essential to long-term improvement and innovation.”
• “Manufacturing doesn’t look like it did 30 years ago. And it shouldn’t.”

🔗 Episode Resources & Links: 

• AME Website: https://www.ame.org
• AME International Conference (St. Louis | Oct 6–9, 2025): AME St. Louis 2025 International Conference | Association for Manufacturing Excellence
• Books Mentioned: Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg 
• Connect with Ellen on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ellen-sieminski-364b54

🔥 Whether you're deep in manufacturing or just love a good leadership story—this episode is your reminder that excellence doesn’t start with machines… it starts with us.

Watch on YouTube

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September has us juggling back-to-school, conferences, fall festivals, and holiday prep before we can even say “pumpkin spice.” Feeling like you’re already running on fumes? You’re not alone. And that’s why today’s episode is pure gold. 

I’m joined by Marisa Wheeling Ciesluk—burnout survivor, recovering perfectionist, and Chief Firestarter at MWC Leadership. With over 20 years of experience in leadership development, she helps ambitious women and people-centered leaders grow without burning out, lead without losing themselves, and want more—without compromise. 

Marisa doesn’t just talk theory. She knows firsthand the cost of burnout and how to build self-trust, clarity, and that inner fire that keeps us leading strong. 

✨ What You’ll Hear in This Episode: 

• Why September is basically a “second January” (and how burnout sneaks in the back door).
• Practical, no-fluff strategies to stay grounded while life is spinning.
• How to want more—career growth, family time, personal fulfillment—without playing tug-of-war with yourself.
• What it really means to “lead without losing yourself.”

💡 Quotes from Marisa in this episode:
 

“You can grow without burning out. You can lead without losing yourself. You can want more—without compromise.”

• “If I just push harder, I’ll get through this season—that’s the lie so many leaders tell themselves. But that mindset always backfires.”
• “The smallest step, taken with clarity, has a ripple effect that changes everything.”

This conversation is equal parts wisdom, laughter, and a gentle nudge to put down the Superwoman cape and pick up something better: clarity, courage, and joy.
 
📚 Books Mentioned in This Episode:
 

• Sacred Rest by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith — exploring the 7 types of rest we all need.
• Playing Big by Tara Mohr — a must-read for women ready to step fully into their leadership.

🔗 Connect with Marisa:
Website: mwcleadership.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mwheelingciesluk

Watch On YouTube: https://youtu.be/HljvFIRmuiY 

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On this special Women’s Equality Day episode, host Shannon Bumgarner sits down with Maria Brinck—leadership advisor, founder of Zynergy International, and author of The Leadership We Need: A New Mindset for a Brighter Future. 

Maria’s career has spanned continents and boardrooms, but her mission is simple: to transform the way we lead. In this conversation, she shares why the leaders of today cannot be the leaders of tomorrow, how unconscious bias still shapes who gets a seat at the table, and why feminine values like compassion and inclusion are the leadership superpowers we need right now. 

If you’re ready to challenge outdated leadership models and imagine a brighter, more human-centered future, this episode will leave you inspired, motivated, and ready to take action. 

💡Listen in, be inspired, and let’s rewrite the leadership playbook—together. 

 Watch on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDVxLsosGxY

CONNECT WITH MARIA 

Social Media: LinkedIn 

Zynergy International: Website  

✨Highlights & Takeaways from Maria Brinck 

“We are in a polycrisis, and the leadership that got us here is not the leadership that will get us out.” 

“The leaders of today should not be the leaders of tomorrow—because tomorrow requires a completely different mindset.” 

“Masculine monoculture in leadership is costing us 8.8 trillion dollars in disengagement. That is not sustainable—financially or humanly.” 

“Diversity of thought isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s the only way to solve the complex problems we face today.” 

“GDP is not a prerequisite for happiness, nor does it guarantee it. We have to stop confusing growth with well-being.” 

“Primitive subconscious bias still tells us what a leader is supposed to look like—and it keeps too many women out of the room.” 

“It’s not about women leading like men. It’s about integrating feminine values—like compassion, inclusion, and sustainability—into leadership everywhere.” 

EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKS 

Upcoming Book: The Leadership We Need Releasing on Oct 7 2025 

Empowering Women in Industry Membership 

National Event - Registration Link!! 

Empowering Women in Industry Magazine 

Empowering Women in Industry Website 

Empowering Women in Industry Virtual Events 

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  

With several decades of leadership experience in the staffing sector, Todd Warner recognized the need to disrupt the status quo and create a full-service staffing deliverable that meets the needs of today’s hourly workers while delivering a reliable flexible workforce at some of the largest manufacturing and distribution facilities in the U.S.  

Prior to joining MyWorkChoice, Todd held executive leadership positions at Select Staffing, Clearpoint, Weststaff, Acsys, and Adecco while overseeing multiple IPOs and M&As. With over 35 years of expertise in business development, strategic planning, and operations, Todd has been a leader in innovation and growth in the staffing and human capital management industry and continues to position MyWorkChoice as a trailblazer in flexible staffing solutions. 

CONNECT WITH TODD 

Personal Social Media: LinkedIn 

MyWorkChoice: Website  

MyWorkChoice Social Media: LinkedIn   

WATCH ON YOUTUBE

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Empowering Women in Industry Membership 

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QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS 

“Flexibility isn’t a perk. It’s a necessity.” 

“Let’s stop making people choose between a paycheck and their life.” 

“I just spent a whole career really in and around this idea of trying to make work better—for both companies and people.” 

“Driven by trying to be successful. [In staffing], that's trying to make two sides of the world—business needs and human needs—actually work together, not against each other.” 

“Maybe I can make the job a little bit more flexible, a little more human—so people don’t have to choose between a paycheck and their life.” 

“I can make working in manufacturing cool.  Not sure cool, I can make it viable and that leads to more women in the industry.  Manufacturing has a 32% female population, distribution is 28%.  Both of these numbers include office staff.” 

“We’ve created flexible offerings and have opened [manufacturing] up to new workers.  One of the great sideline workers that we have discovered is the female worker who has to have built-in flexibility. Necessary for single family homes who are raising children.  82% of those are female.” 

“There is the unnecessary churn we see—people who could thrive in these jobs, but the policies or culture push them out." 

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  

Noël Kreidler, a recovering perfectionist, is known for passionately supporting college students in finding and succeeding in careers they love.  She is an Associate Director of Career Development at the Santa Clara University Career Center and has 30+ years of work experience in talent acquisition, human resources, and career services. As a person with a lifelong physical disability, she champions the inclusion of people with disabilities at work and in the community. 

Noel has a MEd with a counseling emphasis from Northern Arizona University and a BA in Economics from The University of Arizona. She is excited about her latest 3-year venture - being a co-author of Faceplant: FREE Yourself from Failure’s Funk, coming out in November 2025. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her sweetie, friends and family, swimming, art, reading, writing, interior design, and avoiding sleep to try to fit it all in!

CONNECT WITH NOEL

Social Media: LinkedIn  

WATCH ON YOUTUBE

https://youtu.be/Oct_-9XdkHM

EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKS

Faceplant:  Free Yourself from Failure's Funk

Empowering Women in Industry Membership

National Event - Registration Link!!

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QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS

“One of the things I’ve gotten really good at is problem solving—because I have to be. The world isn’t built for me, so I figure it out.”

"I am living my life powerfully with a disability, not in spite of having one."

“"There isn’t one right way to do anything. We all have different abilities and different ways of doing things."

“It’s a privilege to work with students.  They really move me.  They give me the perspective of trying and taking risks.”

"Helping students discover careers they love is a privilege. I get to live a billion different dreams through them."

"Universal design doesn’t just help people with disabilities—it makes life easier for everyone."

On failure:  “My mode is to just power through and prove that I can.  I didn't really see how it impacted me from a failure perspective. I had no idea that it had crept into that part of my life.”

Dealing with your faceplant moment:  “Deal with whatever's going on. Deal with yourself.  But have self-compassion. You're human. You're going to make a mistake.”

 ABOUT OUR GUEST:  

Jennifer Black is a powerhouse of grit, strategy, and results. With decades of experience leading cross-functional teams for multi-billion-dollar companies, she’s known for driving innovation, building strong teams, and moving complex initiatives forward with clarity and confidence. 

 She currently serves as Mission Critical Senior Principal Program Manager at Trane Technologies, leading high-stakes projects in the Commercial HVAC business. From concept to execution, Jennifer brings teams together to deliver global, multimillion-dollar solutions that raise the bar. 

In previous roles, she led new product development for major HVAC platforms, unlocking $20M+ in investments and pushing for energy-efficient, sustainable innovations. She’s also tackled roles in equipment finance and pricing strategy, all while delivering measurable, mission-aligned value. 

 Jennifer holds a mechanical engineering degree from Gannon University and is a certified Project Management Professional. She’s passionate about developing the next generation of talent, serving on advisory boards for Women in STEM and Women in Science & Engineering. Her leadership has earned her multiple awards—including the 2024 Commercial HVAC President’s Award and the 2014 Latin America President’s Award for Operational Excellence. 

CONNECT WITH JENNIFER 

Social Media: LinkedIn  

WATCH ON YOUTUBE

https://youtu.be/ky1aimARPa0

EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKS 

Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance | Angela Lee Duckworth | TED 

GRIT by Angela Duckworth | Animated CORE Message 

The three secrets of resilient people | Lucy Hone | TEDxChristchurch 

Empowering Women in Industry Membership 

National Event - Registration Link!! 

Empowering Women in Industry Magazine 

Empowering Women in Industry Website 

Empowering Women in Industry Virtual Events 

QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS 

 “Grit isn’t a solo sport. It takes a team—your project team, your support system, your people.” 

 “Never give up.  There's always a different path. 

“Every time I get into a difficult place, I remember that conversation with my dad… because that was devastating to me. But it shaped how I handle things. I never give up—I just might have to find a different way to do it.” 

“If you come in saying, ‘Well, I don’t know how we’re going to get this done,’ everyone starts believing that it can’t be done. But when you’re positive, people start believing in themselves.” 

“I wasn’t going to give up. I was just going to redo it.” (—on disassembling and rebuilding a crib solo. Grit in action!) 

“You have to have passion in what you’re doing. If you don’t enjoy it, you might not be as positive—and you might not be as persistent—because you don’t like what you’re doing.” 

“I love going onto those campuses... I like seeing all this enthusiasm for what their next steps are. That, to me, is really exciting. It brings me back to bei

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  

Sameedha Mahajan, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP ND, is an Architectural Designer at HDR, currently involved in critical infrastructure projects and aviation architecture in the USA. As a graduate of KRVIA, India, and Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, her journey as a first-generation immigrant and a woman of color in the Architecture-Engineering-Construction industry has been both challenging and rewarding. Recently, she was honored to receive the O-1 visa, which is awarded to professionals for extraordinary ability in their fields. 

Sameedha is deeply committed to mentoring students and emerging professionals and fostering inclusive growth within the design community. She also writes about architecture and urban design for various print and digital publications, contributing to the broader discourse on the built environment. 

 WATCH SAMEEDHA'S INTERVIEW ON YOUTUBE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JVaMGdfZXY

CONNECT WITH SAMEEDHA 

Social Media: LinkedIn  

EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKS 

Sameedha's Design Observer Article Link 

Allyship Episode with H.J. Dewes 

Empowering Women in Industry Membership 

National Event - Registration Link!! 

Empowering Women in Industry Magazine 

Empowering Women in Industry Website 

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QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS 

“You don’t need to wait until you feel ready to take up space. Please take up space—because if you wait for the perfect moment, you may never begin.” 

“Even small, everyday actions can make someone feel seen and valued—and that makes a big difference.” 

“My story begins in India, where I was raised in a household deeply influenced by design. My father is an architect and an urban designer, so I was surrounded by drawings, construction sites, and conversations about design.” 

“I was struck by the messy beauty of Indian urban life.” 

“As a first-generation immigrant, navigating a new country, new people, new experiences—it was exciting... and kind of scary.” 

“India is like a melting pot of different cultures and settlements. I realized how good design can elevate your life—by giving access to resources like healthcare and education.” 

“This role of design was highlighted for me early on, and I knew I wanted to help people shape their lives through it.” 

“Given how the world is changing—with data science, sustainability, and public policy touching everything—I wanted to explore how those forces impact design.”