Forged in Fire: LGBTQ+ Leadership Forged In Fire

A few years ago, we found a dearth of information about LGBTQ+ leaders in print. So did Layla McCay, psychiatrist, founder of the Centre for Urban Design and Mental Health, and author of Breaking The Rainbow Ceiling. Layla captured the experiences of LGBTQ+ leaders in the workplace to examine what was holding them back from making it to the top. Not only did she uncover hidden barriers, but also some surprising leadership strengths that came from the journeys of her contributors. In this episode we glimpse into Layla's personal journey and explore the LGBTQ+ leadership discoveries in her book.   

Jim Fielding, author of All Pride, No Ego, former CEO, retail and media veteran, and current partner at Archer Gray, contains multitudes. Jim, Jimmy, James, and JD are just some of the names he's been called and all are a part of who he is as a successful executive who has faced personal and professional challenges on the way to finding his authentic self. In our conversation we cover how Jim integrated his many aspects, the advice he'd give to his younger self, how to test for critical leadership skills, found family at work, queer aging, and so much more. Jim may be a complicated unicorn, but that's given him a lot of wisdom to share!

As a Senior Advisor to the U.S. Special Envoy to Advance the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons, it's no surprise that Reggie Greer thinks big. Learning from an early age to be empathetic to those around him, despite his challenges existing at the intersection of being a black, queer, disabled man from a religious household, Reggie moved rapidly to positions where he could drive positive change. His work to bring people into the process, prevent disillusionment in government, and move folks from apathy to allyship is inspiring. Always one to find the silver lining despite the color of the clouds, Reggie's visibility as a public servant and beacon of optimism brings light to dark places.

Puerto Rican? Gay? Female? Left-Handed? (Sometimes this one matters to surgeons!) Which one of these is the reason you hate me? Surgeon, Professor, and Vice Chair of Faculty Development at City of Hope, Dr. Lorna Rodriguez has navigated them all, often many or all of them at one. With all the challenges, Lorna knows exactly what it is to be forged in fire, to navigate adversity and come out stronger on the other side. She's used her experiences to build collaborative environments where everyone's perspective contributes to better patient outcomes. She's even consciously re-coded the algorithms in her brain to address biases, enhance her safety, and support those around her.

No spoilers, but the path to authenticity and her gender identity taken by Executive Director of Film and Television for Hearst Magazines Jude Harris, is not one you might expect. She's using her uniqueness and perspective to help tell queer stories in a difficult market and paving the way for trans and queer executives to follow her trail. Along the way, there were a lot of difficult things to let go of, but empowered her to own her narrative. In addition to leadership insights, Jude penned a story, with advice that is "excellent for any dark day when all you can do is hope for a better future and start walking in that general direction," which is the epilogue to Forging Queer Leaders: How the LGBTQIA+ Community Creates Impact from Adversity.

In a life of many acts, Joanne Carroll knew she was one of the little girls from an early age, but didn't share it with the world until her late 50's. Once out, she discovered a passion for helping others; she was the one throwing starfish that had washed ashore back into the sea. It was a later realization that something must be wrong for so many starfish (trans people) to keep turning up in distress that pushed her advocacy work into another gear. Now in her mid 80's, Joanne continues tirelessly to work on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community in Pennsylvania, being named two years running as one of the 100 most influential LGBTQ leaders in the state.
Note: This was our first live episode with audience questions, but we had some technical difficulties.