Penn State Supply Chain Podcast cscr

This episode dives into the dynamic work of recruiting, specifically the important relationship between recruiters and universities. Jessica Lane, Manager of University Relations for GXO Logistics, joins the podcast to discuss the vital role the talent pipeline plays in shaping businesses and the supply chain industry at large.
About
Jessica Lane is the Manager of University Relations & TA Programs for GXO Logistics. She excels at establishing and managing meaningful relationships with universities, faculty, and candidates to build brand awareness and attract top talent for GXO’s early career opportunities. Jess’s dedication and passion for helping young talent explore careers in operations and distribution have allowed her to become an expert in her field. She is thankful to her mentors who have helped to guide and form her excitement for early career recruiting.
Jess excels in leadership, customer service, relationship building and project management by being a team player with an outgoing and positive demeanor. She has a proven history of delivering quality results in a fast-paced environment. Curiosity and a drive for learning has helped Jess navigate her career over the past 20 years.
Jessica holds bachelor’s degree from Malone University where she majored in Business Administration and earned a minor in Finance.
Jess lives near Cleveland, OH and enjoys yoga, reading, hiking, live music and spending as much time as possible outdoors. A true animal lover, Jess shares her home with her cat Demy and rescue dog Ted.

In honor of Neurodiversity Acceptance Month, we are pleased to welcome Natalia Lyckowski back to the podcast! Nat is the Global Neurodiversity Advancement Leader, and Supply Chain Inventory Transformation Lead at IBM and she joined us previously on season two of the podcast. We are happy to have her back to share more about neurodiversity and answer a few questions that came in from supply chain students at the Penn State Smeal College of Business.
About
Proudly neurodivergent (ND) and parent of an autistic IT Professional, Nat enables businesses to see the value in embracing ND talent to attain highly skilled and dedicated professionals that may otherwise be overlooked. 1:20 individuals are ND and 1:50 are autistic. This talent pool brings 32% new skills, 66% higher job loyalty, and more, improving corporate citizenship and revenue.
Nat has driven culture change, improving trust and allyship through:
Global Acceptance Training across >30 Countries
Speaking Engagements >10,000 Audience
Youth Self-Advocacy Initiatives > 2,500 Audience
Safe-spaceThink Tanks to ensure representation >300 Members
Nat is also experienced with intersectionality across PWD/PWDA, LGBT+, Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and other identity groups. Nat is also a Business Transformation Leader with IBM for over 25 years.

In the ever-evolving landscape of higher education and military training, partnerships between academic institutions and the armed forces have become increasingly crucial. Penn State has one such partnership with the Marine Corps in the form of a fellowship program. Today we are joined by Lieutenant Colonel Michael ‘Adam’ Taylor and Major Sean O’Rourke to discuss Penn State’s Marines Corps Logistics Fellowship Program and how it has honed their professional skillsets and helps support their military strategies for agile supply chains.
 
About Guest(s)
Lieutenant Colonel Michael “Adam” Taylor
Lieutenant Colonel Taylor attended the University of West Florida in Pensacola, FL where he received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. After graduation, he attended Officer’s Candidate Course in Quantico, VA and was commissioned to Second Lieutenant in March 2005.
Lieutenant Colonel Taylor’s education includes: Officer Candidate School, The Basic School, Ground Supply Officer’s Course, Combined Logistics Captains Career Course, Air Force Command and Staff College, Logistics Support to Sensitive Activities, U.S. Navy Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape School, Finnish Defence Forces Civil Military Cooperation Course, Theater Special Operations Command Course, Recruiter Management Course, and the UNC LogTech Advanced course. 
Most recently, from June 2021 to June 2023, LtCol Taylor served as the Commanding Officer of Combat Logistics Battalion 2 in Camp Lejeune, NC. During his tenure, his command participated in cold-weather exercises in Norway, Sweden, Bridgeport Ca, and deployed to Quantico, VA to set up a sustainment camp and provide all logistical support for 5,000 Afghan refugees fleeing Taliban rule in 2021.
After relinquishing command in June 2023, LtCol Taylor reported to Pennsylvania State University as a Commandant of the Marine Corps Fellow to pursue a Master in Science in Supply Chain Management.
Major Sean O’Rourke
Major Sean O’Rourke is a Logistics Officer from Minneapolis, Minnesota, and a graduate of the University of Minnesota.  Over his 15 years of active service, he has served in command and staff positions in all elements of the MAGTF, including two combat deployments to Helmand Province Afghanistan and a sea tour in the Pacific. 
His previous Fleet Marine Force units include 1st Battalion, 8th Marines; the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit; 3d Maintenance Battalion; and Marine Aircraft Group 26; serving as a Company Commander and Group Executive Officer. His logistics billets include Maintenance Management Officer, Motor Transport Officer, S-4A, S-4, and Intermediate Maintenance Company Commander.  In the Supporting Establishment, he served as a Faculty Advisor, Academics Officer, and Company Commander at Logistics Operations School and Officer Candidates School. He is currently attending Penn State as a Marine Corps Logistics Fellow.

Get a first hand look at how corporate sponsors of the Center for Supply Chain Research use their partnership with Penn State and the center to gain a competitive advantage. Brenda Berg, Supply Chain Project Leader for IBM Systems, and Lianne McPherson, Global Operations Organizational Integration and Enablement Leader for IBM, join the podcast to discuss ways they have used their member benefits in terms of IBM's business strategy, employee advancement, and more.
About
Brenda BergBrenda leads the development of supply chain management systems, consults on supply chain disruption strategies and resiliency planning, while driving employee up-skilling initiatives.​
She has broad and deep supply chain knowledge with over 30 years of operations and transformation experience. Brenda has delivered supply chain solutions in areas of product announce planning to product end of life, inventory management, supplier relationships, Business Partner relationships, contract management, business controls, cost management and financial impacts.  Her strong project management and Agile skills along with IT Application knowledge makes her a valuable resource to the Supply Chain industry.  As an Adjunct Faculty member, she enjoyed sharing her experience and knowledge with college students.​
Brenda has an MBA degree from Winona State University.  She has also earned a plethora of certifications, including First Plateau Inventor/IBM, Project Management Profession (PMP)/Project Management Institute, and various Agile certifications.
At home in Minnesota, Brenda enjoys spending her weekends with family and friends at their lake home.
Lianne McPhersonOver 20 years Supply Chain and Leadership experience, Lianne has held and managed roles in various business areas across the supply chain including: 
Distribution Operations, Global Logistics, Finance, Inventory Management, Business Controls, Sourcing and Supplier Relationship. 
Through-out her tenure, Lianne’s passion continues to be leadership and the development of others through collaboration and mentorship.
She is the Co-Chair of WING Canada (Women in IBM Networking Group) connecting women to the resources and employee groups that broaden their network and align to their values. Leading 9 chapters and 24 women across the country in creating spaces and moments of impact championing for the women’s community, allies and other business resource groups. 
From a Supply Chain perspective Lianne is currently responsible for amplifying our IBM Supply Chain  Communications, Skills and Eminence.  She is the Program Manager for the Supply Chain Engagement Squads initiatives and actions.  Beyond her professional achievements, Lianne has an active family life of sports and enjoys taking some time for herself exploring nearby hiking trials.

Today our host dive deep into a topic that's at the intersection of business ethics, the environment, and social responsibility – Environmental, Social, and Governance, or ESG, standards in supply chain management. In today's globalized world, supply chains are the lifeblood of business operations, connecting products and services to consumers worldwide. But the question we're asking today is this: How can businesses ensure that their supply chains not only deliver profits but also uphold their ethical and environmental responsibilities? We are joined by Sophia Schuster, a recent MBA and Master’s in Supply Chain Management graduate of the Penn State Smeal College of Business.
About
Sophia Schuster, who holds an MBA and a Master’s in Supply Chain Management from Penn State’s Smeal College of Business, has a diverse background in the retail and education sector. Propelled by a desire to understand the impact of the way we communicate, combined with her personal interest in sustainability topics, Sophia sought to look more closely at firm ESG behavior and how that behavior is conveyed to the public. In her Master’s paper, Sophia explored the importance of procurement in setting and upholding firm ESG standards and the saturated market of ESG ratings indices that firms use to gauge their progress, between which is a misalignment that calls into question the value of the ESG ratings industry to firms’ internal and external stakeholders. 

Learn more about the role of rail in the supply chain with our latest episode featuring a true industry expert, Jim Pang, Vice President of New Services Development and Innovations at Trinity Rail. In this episode, we explore the pivotal role of rail transportation in the modern supply chain landscape. From cost-effective solutions to sustainability benefits, Jim offers insights into how rail networks drive efficiency and strategic advantages of integrating rail into your supply chain. 
About
Jim has worked in both rail operations and rail car manufacturing. He has led strategic transformations from ideation and innovation road mapping to scaling proven disruptive solutions resulting in enhanced profitability and increased customer stickiness. Transformation initiatives have ranged from Trinsight, a next-gen Shipment Visibility, Exception, and Assist platform; Last Mile industry initiative (AIM); Mobile RailPASS app; Machine Vision Inventory Management; to Touchless Automated Gate system. Jim has a passion for creating extraordinary customer experiences.