Culture Leaders with Dr. Jessica Kriegel

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Culture Leaders with Dr. Jessica Kriegel

  1. 2D AGO

    Robby Starbuck on Courage, Corporate Accountability, and Saying What Others Won’t

    This week, Jessica sits down with Robby Starbuck, filmmaker, activist, and corporate accountability advocate, for a raw and unfiltered conversation about culture, power, and the cost of speaking out. Known for challenging DEI programs and calling out corporations he believes have drifted away from their customers and values, Robby brings a perspective shaped by media, politics, and personal conviction. Robby explains how his advocacy is rooted not in headlines or outrage, but in a belief that fairness, merit, and corporate neutrality are essential to trust. He walks through why he believes modern DEI efforts became politicized, how media incentives distort public perception, and why judging individuals by immutable characteristics ultimately harms both people and organizations. The conversation also explores Robby’s personal journey, from building a successful career in Hollywood to walking away from it entirely, and how fatherhood reshaped his sense of responsibility and purpose. Jessica challenges Robby directly on issues of privilege, race, gender, and systemic inequality, creating a thoughtful and at times tense dialogue that models how disagreement can still be grounded in respect and accountability. At its core, this episode is not about agreement. It is about engaging hard truths, questioning assumptions, and wrestling openly with the cultural forces shaping leadership, work, and society today. About Robby Starbuck Robby Starbuck is a filmmaker, entrepreneur, and political activist known for his work at the intersection of culture, media, and corporate accountability. He began his career in the entertainment industry, directing music videos and commercials for major artists and global brands before transitioning into long-form storytelling and documentary filmmaking. In recent years, Robby has become a prominent voice in public discourse around corporate governance, workplace culture, and diversity initiatives. He is widely recognized for leading high-profile campaigns urging companies to reconsider DEI policies he believes have become politicized or disconnected from core business objectives. His work has influenced policy changes at several Fortune 500 companies and sparked national debate on merit, neutrality, and trust in corporate leadership. He lives in Tennessee with his wife and children. Much of his work is driven by a belief in fairness, open dialogue, and the responsibility leaders have to the people they serve. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbystarbuck/ Website: https://robbystarbuck.com/ Host: Jessica Kriegel Website: jessicakriegel.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jessicakriegel Instagram: @jess_kriegel Culture Partners Website: culturepartners.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/culturepartners

    1h 14m

  2. FEB 3

    Naren Aryal on Purpose-Driven Publishing, Surrendered Leadership, and Bringing a Book to Life

    This week, Jessica sits down with Naren Aryal, CEO of Amplify Publishing Group, to discuss what it really takes to publish a meaningful book—and the leadership mindset required to let ideas reach their full potential. Naren shares his journey from law to publishing, sparked by self-publishing a children’s book for his daughter and evolving into a career helping thought leaders find the right audience for their work. Naren explains what excites him most about publishing: working with authors who have strong ideas but need guidance on positioning, clarity, and impact. He talks candidly about the creative tension inherent in publishing, the balance between author voice and editorial discipline, and why successful books require both surrender and ownership from the author. The conversation also centers on the publishing journey of Jessica’s new book, Surrender to Lead. Together, Jessica and Naren reflect on the process of shaping the title, refining the message, co-authoring across different perspectives, and deciding when the author must step fully into their own voice. Through this real-time case study, they explore vulnerability, leadership, culture as lived experience, and why letting go of control often produces the strongest results. At its core, this episode is a behind-the-scenes look at the partnership between author and publisher—and how trust, clarity, and purpose turn ideas into books that matter. As CEO of Amplify Publishing Group, Naren advises industry experts and thought leaders on the opportunities and challenges that exist in the ever-evolving world of publishing. Naren’s visionary leadership has spearheaded a critical disruption of the publishing industry and has legitimized the fastest-growing sector of the market to date. At each turn, he has created more opportunities for deserving authors across genres to not only publish their work, but to publish their work well. He launched Amplify with a single title in 2003 and guided it to what it is today—one of the fastest growing and most respected hybrid publishing companies in the world. At the core of Amplify’s ethos is Naren’s prioritization of innovation. Over the past two decades he has brought new and exciting ways to publish to the fore. Prior to entering the world of books, Naren worked as a lawyer, advising technology companies in the Washington, DC, area. He is a frequent speaker on the publishing landscape, content development and positioning, book production and marketing, and author branding. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/narenaryal/              Website: https://amplifypublishinggroup.com/ Host: Jessica Kriegel Website: jessicakriegel.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jessicakriegel Instagram: @jess_kriegel Culture Partners Website: culturepartners.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/culturepartners About Naren Aryal

    40 min

  3. JAN 20

    Sarah Langley on Leading Culture with Intention, Balancing Legacy and Innovation, and Making Work More Human at Scale

    This week, Jessica sits down with Sarah Langley, Chief People, Culture, and Communications Officer at Suntory Global Spirits, to explore how leaders can intentionally shape culture in complex, global organizations—without losing humanity or purpose. Drawing on her background in psychology and her experience across regions and industries, Sarah shares how beliefs drive behavior, and behavior ultimately defines culture. Sarah explains why Suntory shifted its focus from how work gets done to why it gets done, and how simplicity and empowerment emerged as core cultural priorities following the company’s global rebrand. She offers practical insight into embedding values into everyday leadership behaviors—from work-life balance norms to decision-making at scale. The conversation also explores leading culture across geographies, balancing global consistency with local expression, and why listening—especially across differences—is essential to unlocking human potential. Sarah closes with reflections on the evolving role of HR as a strategic partner, the impact of technology on people leadership, and why lasting success always comes back to one thing: people. About Sarah Langley Sarah Langley is the Senior Vice President, Chief People, Culture & Communications Officer at Suntory Global Spirits, where she leads the company’s global talent strategy, culture programs, employee engagement, diversity & inclusion, organizational development, and corporate communications. She has a long-standing career with the Suntory Group, beginning in 2004 with Frucor Suntory in Oceania. There she served as Chief People and Communications Officer before taking on broader global roles, including Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Global HR at Suntory Holdings, based in Tokyo. In 2020, Langley was promoted to Chief Operating Officer of Global People & Culture for Suntory Holdings, where she helped steer the company’s global talent agenda across its businesses. In 2021 she expanded her responsibilities further to include a hybrid role that also covered Vice President of HR for Asia Pacific at Suntory Global Spirits. Originally from New Zealand, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Psychology and a Master of Arts in Industrial Psychology from Massey University in Auckland. Before joining Suntory, she worked in consulting with Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and Sheffield Limited. Langley is based in New York with her family.  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-langley-3a180519/ Website: https://www.suntoryglobalspirits.com/ Host: Jessica Kriegel Website: jessicakriegel.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jessicakriegel Instagram: @jess_kriegel Culture Partners Website: culturepartners.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/culturepartners

    42 min

  4. JAN 7

    Jeetu Patel on AI at Planetary Scale, Responsible Innovation, and the Future of Human Creativity

    This week, Jessica sat down with Jeetu Patel, President and Chief Product Officer at Cisco, to explore one of the most consequential leadership challenges of our time: how to advance artificial intelligence at global scale while remaining deeply responsible to humanity. In this wide-ranging conversation, Jeetu shares his belief that AI represents the largest technological shift in human history—surpassing even the Industrial Revolution—while also acknowledging the very real risks around misuse, job displacement, security, and trust. He explains why slowing down innovation isn’t the answer, and why safety, ethics, and security must advance at the same pace as the technology itself. Jeetu also dives into the cultural side of AI adoption, offering a powerful framework for how individuals and organizations move from fear, to awareness, to full integration. He challenges leaders to stop viewing AI purely as a productivity tool and instead see it as a capacity multiplier—one that enables teams to pursue bigger ideas rather than simply cut costs. Beyond technology, the conversation turns deeply human. Jeetu reflects on curiosity, hunger, learning to learn, and the formative experiences that shaped his leadership—from immigrating to the U.S. and waiting tables, to holding his mother as she passed. He shares why legacy is overrated, why improving the lives of people living now matters more, and why adaptability, humility, and presence will remain uniquely human strengths in an AI-driven world. Jeetu Patel is Cisco’s President and Chief Product Officer. He combines a bold vision, steeped in product design and development expertise, operational rigor, and innate market understanding to create high growth businesses. He is relentlessly focused on building world class products that solve Cisco customers’ biggest problems—bringing the power of the Cisco portfolio together to connect and protect every aspect of their organization in the era of AI. Previously he was Cisco’s Executive Vice President and General Manager of Security and Collaboration where he led the strategy and development for these businesses and held P&L responsibility for the multibillion-dollar portfolio. In this role, Jeetu led with his creative vision and intense focus on innovation and swift execution. Together with his team, he transformed and positioned our Security and Collaboration portfolios for success and growth. In both areas, he reinvigorated organic innovation, championed key inorganic investments, and drove simplification across these portfolios with a fanatical focus on design and user experience. Jeetu holds a B.S. in Information Decision Sciences from the University of Illinois, Chicago, and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his family. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeetupatel/ Website: https://www.cisco.com/ Host: Jessica Kriegel Website: jessicakriegel.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jessicakriegel Instagram: @jess_kriegel Culture Partners Website: culturepartners.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/culturepartners About Jeetu Patel

    57 min

  5. 12/16/2025

    Bill Cheney on Member-First Leadership, Cooperative Finance, and Building Cultures That Serve

    This week, Jessica sat down with Bill Cheney, CEO of SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, to explore what it really means to lead in a member-owned, mission-driven financial institution—and why the cooperative model creates a fundamentally different kind of culture. In this conversation, Bill shares how he discovered the power of credit unions early in his career and why the “people helping people” philosophy has kept him in the movement for nearly 40 years. He breaks down the unique freedom of serving members rather than shareholders, how SchoolsFirst maintains exceptional engagement across 3,000 employees, and why growth is an outcome—not the goal. Bill also opens up about the challenges of leading through economic cycles, how SchoolsFirst maintains 100% healthcare coverage for team members, and the thoughtful way they’re approaching AI to enhance—not replace—human judgment. From financial well-being to ethical decision-making, Bill offers a compelling look at leadership in a sector built on service, trust, and long-term impact. About Bill Cheney Bill Cheney is the Chief Executive Officer of SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union. A small group of educators from Santa Ana College and Santa Ana High School founded the federally chartered, not-for-profit financial cooperative in Santa Ana, California in 1934. Today, the credit union has expanded to serve school employees and their families throughout California and is the largest credit union in the state and the third largest in the nation, with over 1.5 million Members and over $34 billion in assets.  SchoolsFirst FCU has been recognized by J.D. Power as the #1 Credit Union for Member Banking Satisfaction, Consumer Reports as the number one credit union in the nation for Customer (Member) Service, was named Best Credit Union in California by Forbes in 2024 and as Best Credit Union in Orange County by the readers of the OC Register for many years running. Bill credits this success to the credit union's Board of Directors and other volunteers, as well as the dedication of more than 3,000 teammembers who focus on SchoolsFirst's mission to deliver World-Class Personal Service and Financial Security to the Credit Union's Members.  Bill has worked in the credit union movement for more than 35 years. He joined SchoolsFirst FCU in 2014 after working in credit unions in Texas and California as well as being the CEO of credit union trade associations at the state and national level. He is a recognized leader in the cooperative movement and serves on the boards of the Consumer Federation of America, Worldwide Credit Union Foundation, the Filene Research Institute, Origence and the Western CUNA Management School Board of Trustees. In addition to his work with cooperatives, Bill serves on the Board of Trustees of Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, Children’s Hospital of Orange County and the UCI Chief Executive Roundtable.  Bill is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin and also completed the CUES Directors' Leadership Institute at the London Business School and the Advanced Leadership Institute at Harvard Business School.  Bill and his wife, Crissy, live in Orange County, California. They have two adult children and five grandchildren. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-cheney-95b7304/ Website: https://www.schoolsfirstfcu.org/ Host: Jessica Kriegel Website: jessicakriegel.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jessicakriegel Instagram: @jess_kriegel Culture Partners Website: culturepartners.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/culturepartners

    33 min

  6. 12/02/2025

    Greg Schaefer on Building Mental Grit, Betting on Yourself, and the Entrepreneur’s Endurance Mindset

    This week, Jessica sat down with Greg Schaefer, founder of Schaefer Enterprises and a committed endurance athlete, to talk about what it really takes to push beyond limits—on the trail and in business. In this conversation, Greg shares how the discipline and mindset forged through endurance sports have shaped his entrepreneurial path. From leaving corporate life to bet on himself, to building a company that reflects his values, Greg opens up about the highs and lows of founder life—and the mental frameworks that help him keep moving forward. He also explores the emotional journey of leadership, how he’s learning to enjoy the climb, and what long-distance racing taught him about business pacing, resilience, and letting go of ego. From start lines to strategy calls, Greg’s story is one of inner drive, calculated risk, and the belief that you can go further than you think. About Greg Schaefer Greg Schaefer has built a life where business, athletics, family, and resilience converge. As founder and president of Schaefer Enterprises, Inc., he grew a boutique Manhattan insurance agency into a nationally respected firm serving industries from healthcare to construction. In 2019, he sold the company to private equity, a milestone reflecting his vision, leadership, and client-first values. As a husband to Dr. Maryann Mikhail and father to sons James and Jax—both elite athletes in soccer and tennis—Greg’s deepest drive comes from setting an example of discipline and heart for his family, whom he calls his “why.” Outside the boardroom, Greg has tested his limits as a 18-time Ironman competitor, including six full-distance races and two coveted starts at the Ironman World Championships in Kona. A former Division I basketball player, he carries lessons of endurance and mental toughness from the court to the marathon finish line, racing not just for himself but to inspire his boys and honor his wife’s unwavering support. Each race reinforces his belief that grit—not circumstance—defines success. In 2023, Greg faced his toughest challenge: a diagnosis of Young-Onset Parkinson’s Disease. Instead of retreating, he leaned into his “dog in the fight” mentality, bolstered by his family’s love—Maryann’s relentless pursuit of the best care and his sons’ reassuring hugs. Today, as a motivational speaker, he shares raw, optimistic stories of resilience, family, and facing adversity head-on. Whether in business, sport, or health, Greg’s message is clear: the race never ends, and we are stronger when we run it together. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregory-schaefer-cic-cpia-aci-4892027/ Website: https://gregoryschaefer.com/    Host: Jessica Kriegel Website: jessicakriegel.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jessicakriegel Instagram: @jess_kriegel Culture Partners Website: culturepartners.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/culturepartners

    41 min

  7. 11/11/2025

    Lenovo’s Calvin Crosslin on Cultivating Inclusive Culture, Employee Advocacy, and Listening at Scale

    This week, Jessica sat down with Calvin Crosslin, Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer at Lenovo, a global technology company known for its innovation in PCs, devices, and smart infrastructure. In this conversation, Calvin reflects on his path from HR leadership to driving global diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies. He shares how listening—at scale and with intention—became central to Lenovo’s culture-building efforts, and how the company’s commitment to people-first values has shaped everything from employee resource groups to executive accountability. Calvin also unpacks Lenovo’s approach to authenticity in leadership, the evolution of its DEI framework, and why real progress requires both top-down support and grassroots energy. He speaks candidly about navigating difficult conversations, bridging cultural gaps across regions, and measuring what truly matters in culture change. From workforce strategy to community engagement, Calvin’s story is one of empathy in action, strategic listening, and a belief that inclusion drives innovation. About Calvin Crosslin Calvin J. Crosslin, Vice President of Human Resources at Lenovo, is also President of the Lenovo Foundation and Lenovo’s Chief Diversity Officer. Lenovo is a $57 billion revenue global technology powerhouse, ranked #248 on the Fortune 500 and serving millions of customers every day in 180 markets. As President of Lenovo Foundation, Lenovo’s charitable and philanthropic arm, he leads a global team in Lenovo’s philanthropic mission to empower under-represented populations with access to science, technology, engineering & math education, as well as employee volunteerism and crisis response. As Chief Diversity Officer, Crosslin drives corporate vision, goals, strategies, and performance metrics for Lenovo’s Diversity & Inclusion Office, supporting Lenovo’s global workforce, executives and HR leaders to create an inclusive and innovative workplace. As Vice President of Human Resources, Crosslin is the HR Business Leader for Lenovo’s Chief Legal Officer and Chief Security Officer, serving as the HR liaison for Human Rights and Labor Standards under Lenovo’s corporate Environmental, Social, and Governance framework.  Crosslin is a member of the Executive Leadership Council and serves in numerous committee and board leadership roles in the non-profit sector at the national, state and local RTP levels. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/calvin-crosslin/ Lenovo: https://www.lenovo.com   Host: Jessica Kriegel Website: jessicakriegel.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jessicakriegel Instagram: @jess_kriegel Culture Partners Website: culturepartners.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/culturepartners

    33 min

  8. 10/28/2025

    Adobe’s Stacy Martinet on Adaptive Leadership, Brand Trust, and Showing Up with Empathy

    This week, Jessica sat down with Stacy Martinet, Chief Communications Officer at Adobe, a global leader in digital experiences and creativity tools. In this conversation, Stacy reflects on her career journey from journalism to marketing leadership at some of the world’s most influential companies. She shares how her early newsroom experiences shaped her communication style and why trust, transparency, and empathy are essential for modern leaders. Stacy also unpacks how Adobe has maintained brand relevance through constant reinvention, the evolving role of marketers in building community, and what it means to lead through uncertainty—from global crises to organizational change. She offers candid insights on imposter syndrome, work-life integration, and why showing up as your full self isn’t just encouraged—it’s necessary.

    38 min
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Culture Leaders with Dr. Jessica Kriegel

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