The UpLevel Podcast

Christie Mann & Rachel Baldi

Conscious leaders create conscious cultures. The UpLevel Podcast is a transformational resource for leaders, coaches, and people managers who are ready to lead with greater presence, purpose, and humanity. With 85% of employees disengaged at work and mental health challenges costing organizations thousands per employee each year, the demand for emotionally intelligent, trauma-aware, and consciously coached leadership has never been more urgent. Each episode explores what it truly means to uplevel within ourselves, our organizations, and the systems we move through. Themes include emotional embodiment, grief, right relationship coaching culture, and the ROI of investing in human well-being. Named one of the web’s Top 10 Coaching Culture Podcasts and a Top 50 Best Workplace Mental Health Podcast by Feedspot, the show is a core part of UpLevel’s mission to build a more conscious, compassionate, and humane world by making deep, healing, and actionable conversations accessible to all. Hosted by Christie Mann, certified coach, author, and co-founder of UpLevel, the podcast invites you not just to do better, but to be better.

  1. Why Human Transformation Drives Business Transformation with Jenna Paterson

    7H AGO

    Why Human Transformation Drives Business Transformation with Jenna Paterson

    Send a text Every business transformation begins with human transformation. This week on The UpLevel Podcast, join us for a powerful conversation as we welcome Jenna Paterson, Talent Development leader at Equinix, to explore what conscious leadership really looks like in practice, especially in an era defined by AI acceleration and rapid change. From a childhood shaped by bullying and resilience to leading groundbreaking leadership programs at Equinix, Jenna shares how her origin story became the foundation of her leadership philosophy. She takes us inside Ground Break, a transformational leadership experience built on the truth that systems change only when people change. If you care about building human-centered organizations, cultivating conscious leaders, and strengthening culture from the inside out, this episode is for you. In This Episode: Why right relationship starts with self-leadershipHow defining moments shape leadership identityWhy emotional intelligence remains essential in an AI-driven workplaceThe connection between nervous systems and organizational cultureThe paradox leaders must hold in complex timesWhy transformation efforts fail when they ignore the human systemThe powerful ROI of psychological safety and presenceThree essential questions every leader must ask themselvesAbout Jenna: Jenna is a dedicated Talent Development professional based in the UK, currently shaping leadership development  and cultural transformation at Equinix. With a rich background in learning and leadership development; spanning roles in digital infrastructure and luxury retail sectors, she brings both breadth and depth to her craft. As a certified emotional intelligence practitioner, strengths coach and experienced facilitator, Jenna blends evidence-based frameworks with an empathetic, human-centred approach. She’s passionate about crafting immersive learning experiences, and brings a thoughtful, systems-oriented approach to development. Her passion lies in cultivating inclusive, psychologically safe environments where people can grow, reflect, and develop conscious leadership.  Jenna believes leadership starts with self-leadership. By staying curious, practicing empathy, and showing up authentically, she builds meaningful relationships that create trust and unlock growth; for herself and those around her. LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jenna-elizabeth-paterson-assoc-cipd-b1a78a54 🎉 The UpLevel Podcast was listed as one of the Top 10 Best Coaching Culture Podcasts!!! https://podcasts.feedspot.com/coaching_culture_podcasts 🎉 It was also ranked #4 among the top 50 Best Workplace Mental Health Podcasts! https://podcast.feedspot.com/workplace_mental_health_podcasts www.uplevelproductions.com https://www.instagram.com/uplevelproductions/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/uplevelproductionscompany https://www.facebook.com/uplevelproductionscompany

    46 min
  2. How to Stay Human in an AI-Driven Workplace with Marshall Belcher

    FEB 4

    How to Stay Human in an AI-Driven Workplace with Marshall Belcher

    Send us a text What if the future of work depends less on technology and more on how much humanity we choose to preserve? This week on The UpLevel Podcast, we welcome Marshall Belcher, Principal Strategist and AI Innovation Lead for Strategic Customer Engagement at a global tech company, for a thoughtful and timely conversation on leadership, right relationship, and artificial intelligence. Marshall works at the forefront of artificial intelligence, supporting executive strategy and CEO-level engagements across some of the most influential organizations in Silicon Valley. With more than 30 years of experience across companies like Cisco, AT&T, and Prudential, he brings rare depth at the intersection of technology, leadership, and relationship intelligence. But what makes this conversation especially powerful is Marshall’s commitment to service, care, and responsibility.  We’ll explore what it means to be in right relationship with technology as AI reshapes how we work, lead, and connect. Marshall shares why AI must be designed and implemented through intentional alliances, ethical frameworks, and human-centered systems that prioritize safety, dignity, and trust. As we continue our exploration of right relationship, Marshall reminds us that the question is not whether AI will shape our future but how intentionally and relationally we choose to shape AI. Together, we explore: AI as a tool to elevate human potential rather than replace itThe importance of training, governance, and culture when embedding AI into workplacesWhy relationship intelligence matters just as much as technical intelligenceLeadership approaches that preserve humanity in high-performance environmentsWhy right relationship requires putting service before metricsFriendship and genuine connection as strengths in leadershipThe risks of measuring success through individual performance aloneWhy AI must be approached with discernment, training, and humilityHow emotional intelligence and right relationships are essential for AI safety and alignmentWhat it means to design alliances with technology rather than emotional attachments*Disclaimer: What’s discussed in this episode are Marshall’s personal views and in no way represent Alphabet, Google. About Marshall: Marshall Belcher is a Principal Strategist and AI Innovation Lead for Strategic Customer Engagement at Google Cloud, where he drives executive AI strategy and supports CEO-level engagements for Alphabet’s largest customers in Silicon Valley. He designs and delivers strategy sessions, consultative workshops, speaking engagements, and advanced AI demonstrations inside Google Cloud’s flagship executive environment. He is a Wharton CTO Program graduate, holds a Master’s in Innovation & Entrepreneurship from Full Sail University, and earned his B.S. in Microbiology & Cell Science from the University of Florida. Driven by a belief in AI’s power to elevate human potential, Marshall is a lifelong learner who loves to run, eat well, and explore the world. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mbelcher/ www.uplevelproductions.com https://www.instagram.com/uplevelproductions/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/uplevelproductionscompany https://www.facebook.com/uplevelproductionscompany

    39 min
  3. Leadership That Starts With Self-Regulation, Presence, and Right Relationship with Chang Zhang and Chishan Lin

    JAN 21

    Leadership That Starts With Self-Regulation, Presence, and Right Relationship with Chang Zhang and Chishan Lin

    Send us a text What if the most meaningful measure of leadership success is not speed or scale, but the quality of our relationships? In this episode of The UpLevel Podcast, we are joined by Chang Zhang and Chishan Lin, leadership coaches, facilitators, and co-creators of Coaching With Your Whole Body. Together, we explore the practice of right relationship as a foundation for leadership, partnership, coaching, and sustainable impact. Grounded in embodiment, mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and cross-cultural awareness, this conversation invites leaders to reconsider how presence, nervous system regulation, and self-awareness shape the way we work, relate, and lead. We explore what becomes possible when leadership is relational rather than positional and when success is measured by depth, steadiness, and connection. This episode is part of The UpLevel Podcast’s ongoing Right Relationship series and reflects our growing engagement with leaders and organizations across the Asia Pacific region. In this episode, we explore: What right relationship truly means and why it begins with self-awarenessHow nervous system regulation and mindfulness impact leadership and collaborationWhy presence and relational depth may be a more meaningful measure of success than performance aloneHow to design conscious and healthy business partnerships rooted in trust and communicationWhat leaders can learn about right relationship when working across cultures, particularly in AsiaHow introverts can honor their energy, boundaries, and strengths while leading effectivelyWhy leadership is relational rather than positional, and how coaching skills support both About Chang & Chishan: Chang Zhang is a leadership coach, coaching supervisor, and faculty member with the Co-Active® Training Institute. Her work integrates embodiment, emotional intelligence, somatic awareness, and vertical development to help leaders and coaches navigate uncertainty with clarity, grounded presence, and courageous authenticity. Known for her warmth, depth, and precision, Chang guides individuals and organizations in cultivating right relationship with self, others, and the systems they lead. Website: https://www.introvertleaderawakening.com Meet Chishan Lin; building on this shared commitment to embodiment and whole-person development, Chishan partners with Chang as co-creator and co-facilitator of the Coaching with Your Whole Body Retreats, bringing her global, artistic, and cross-cultural lens to the work. Chishan is an executive coach, leadership strategist, and global facilitator with more than two decades of experience supporting leaders across the world. Having lived and worked in countries across many continents—including Taiwan, the U.S., India, Brazil, Myanmar, China, and Japan—she understands the real pressures, cultural complexities, and nuanced dynamics senior leaders face in global environments. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chishan-lin/ www.uplevelproductions.com https://www.instagram.com/uplevelproductions/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/uplevelproductionscompany https://www.facebook.com/uplevelproductionscompany

    46 min
  4. Meeting 2026 With Intention Not Force with Teagan West

    JAN 7

    Meeting 2026 With Intention Not Force with Teagan West

    Send us a text Before you rush into a new year, pause. There is another way to begin. As we step into a new calendar year, we continue to pull on the thread of Right Relationship because it still has so much to teach us. To help us cross this threshold with intention, curiosity, and care, the luminous Teagan West joins us in this week's episode of The UpLevel Podcast.  Teagan is a ritualist, astrologer, mentor, artist, and ancestral healing practitioner living on Haudenosaunee Land, home of the Seneca Nation. Her work lives at the intersection of ancestral reconnection, cultural repair, astrological storytelling, and community ritual. She reminds us that our relationship with the Earth, the sky, our ancestors, and one another is not symbolic. It is alive. In this conversation, we explore how astrology can support us in becoming more right-sized within the greater ecosystem of life, especially as we enter a year marked by transition and possibility. May this conversation help you step into 2026 with clarity, courage, and care for all your relations. In this episode, we explore: What it means to step out of hyper-individualism and into reciprocal relationships with nature, community, ancestors, and unseen forcesInsights into the shift from Earth and Water elements toward Air and Fire, signaling movement, reimagining, and transformation.How to align personal and professional growth with natural rhythms instead of forcing progress according to cultural timelinesUsing astrology not as prediction, but as a tool for reflection, nervous system regulation, and asking better questions about how we live and leadFrom skepticism in New York’s fashion world to a vocation rooted in ancestral healing and astrological wisdom, Teagan shares how listening deeply changed her path About Teagan: Teagan West (she/they) is a Ritualist, Astrologer, Mentor, Artist & Ancestral Healing Practitioner from Haudenosaunee (HOH-den-uh-SHOW-nee) Land, home of the Seneca Nation. Her work exists at the intersection of Ancestral Reconnection, Cultural Repair, Astrological Storytelling, and Community Ritual. Teagan is passionate about recovering Animist ways of relating to Earth + Sky as a vital form of decolonial remembrance, reweaving our collective cosmologies through communal vision. Teagan devotes much of her personal time to teaching, lineage stewardship + animist ceremony in her community. She creates ritual tools such as Drums, Rattles, and Ceramic Altar Vessels as a form of embodied Ancestral remembrance. She offers Astrological Readings, Mentorship, and guides Ancestral Lineage Healing in both 1:1 and group spaces. Her Substack is home to weekly readings, teachings + storytelling! Website: thealtarhealing.com Substack: Altar of Stars https://altarofstars.substack.com/ 🎉 The UpLevel Podcast was listed as one of the Top 10 Best Coaching Culture Podcasts!!! https://podcasts.feedspot.com/coaching_culture_podcasts 🎉 It was also ranked #4 among the top 50 Best Workplace Mental Health Podcasts! www.uplevelproductions.com https://www.instagram.com/uplevelproductions/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/uplevelproductionscompany https://www.facebook.com/uplevelproductionscompany

    53 min
  5. Creating Leadership That Honors Right Relationship with Holly Zabka

    12/10/2025

    Creating Leadership That Honors Right Relationship with Holly Zabka

    Send us a text This week on The UpLevel Podcast, we sit down with Holly Zabka, president of Provident Entertainment and one of the most heart-centered leaders shaping the music industry today. Holly carries a rare combination of strength, vulnerability, and grounded faith that shows us what leadership can look like when it grows from purpose instead of pressure. From her childhood singing gospel harmonies with her family to stewarding more than 70 number one songs at Provident, Holly’s journey is rooted in grit, grace, and the courage to stay in right relationship with herself, with others, and with something greater. This conversation invites you to lead with more heart, more honesty, and more humanity. May Holly’s wisdom meet you exactly where you are and remind you that you never have to lead alone. In This Episode: Discover how isolation impacts female executives and why representation mattersLearn about balancing conflict and resolution to foster authentic connectionsEmbrace self-reflection to counter inner critics for healthier interactionsNavigate dual roles as a leader and family member without compromising eitherSee how faith anchors decisions, guiding values towards purpose-driven actionsUnderstand why admitting mistakes fosters an accountable team cultureExplore holistic engagement where personal life enriches professional efficacyThe importance of recognizing inner voices and choosing which ones get the micAbout Holly: Holly Zabka currently serves as President of Provident Entertainment. A 17-year veteran of Provident, Holly brings decades of experience in leadership roles across the music industry on both the publishing and creative sides of the business. Before assuming her role as President, she most recently served as Senior Vice President, Essential Music Publishing (EMP) and Head of Creative for Provident Label Group (PLG), where she was responsible for signing and partnering with top songwriters across the industry and oversaw creative endeavors and new content development. In Holly’s Zabka's tenure, the company has had more than 70 No. 1 songs and has partnered with top artists and songwriters such as Jason Ingram, Ethan Hulse, Brandon Lake, Elevation Worship, Seph Schlueter, Zach Williams, CAIN, Ben Fuller, Matt Maher, Mia Fieldes, Jonathan Smith, Red Rocks Worship and more. Holly grew up traveling and singing gospel music with her family. After graduating from Southwest Missouri State University, she moved to Nashville, where her first job in the music business was as Membership Director of the GMA. She began her career in publishing at Brentwood-Benson, representing the songs of her mom, Sue C. Smith, as well as Joel Lindsey, Tony Wood, Belinda Smith, Dave Clark, and others. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hzabka/ 🎉 The UpLevel Podcast was listed as one of the Top 10 Best Coaching Culture Podcasts!!! https://podcasts.feedspot.com/coaching_culture_podcasts 🎉 It was also ranked #4 among the top 50 Best Workplace Mental Health Podcasts! https://podcast.feedspot.com/workplace_mental www.uplevelproductions.com https://www.instagram.com/uplevelproductions/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/uplevelproductionscompany https://www.facebook.com/uplevelproductionscompany

    39 min
  6. Awakening the Voice with Sonia Kreitzer and the Healing Power of Sound

    11/26/2025

    Awakening the Voice with Sonia Kreitzer and the Healing Power of Sound

    Send us a text This week on The UpLevel Podcast, join us for a deeply human conversation as we sit down with Sonia Kreitzer, singer, songwriter, sound healer, and the creative force behind Doe Paoro. With over 40 million global streams, tours with artists like the Gypsy Kings and KT Tunstall, and music featured across film, TV, and international radio, Sonia brings artistry and profound devotion to healing, earth connection, and the reclamation of the human voice. Sonia’s work is rooted in decades of study with indigenous music and medicine carriers from the Shipibo-Conibo of Peru to the Noke Koi of Brazil to her training in Tibetan opera. She teaches that music is a technology of harmony and that sound is one of our most powerful tools for repair, reconnection, and awakening consciousness. This episode offers an intimate look at how our voices, individually and collectively, can support us through a time of collapse, leadership transition, cultural change, and spiritual reorientation.  In This Episode: Why Sonia teaches that your truest voice begins in the body, not the mindHow empowered environments transform teams, communities, and the stories we tell about ourselvesExploring the grief, gratitude, and potency of remembering where we come fromA journey into sensing, feeling, and expressing from the truth beneath imitationCreating spaces where every voice is honored and where leadership becomes a shared practiceHow understanding ancestry dissolves generational silence and awakens authentic expressionSimple practices, like humming and singing, that ground the body, open the heart, and reawaken vitalityUsing music to grieve what’s ending while birthing what’s possible in challenging timesFinding aliveness in the dance between endings, renewals, and the spaces in betweenHow “sonic acupuncture” dissolves emotional blockages and sparks transformationGrounding techniques that build resilience, presence, and community strength Upcoming Experience: Activating the Voice Retreat Costa Rica • December 27 – January 3 A transformative week-long immersion (limited spots). Register here. About Sonia: Sonia Kreitzer is a singer, songwriter, and sound healer who released music as “Doe Paoro.” Her music has over 40 million streams worldwide and has been featured in film, television and radio internationally. She has toured with artists like The Gipsy Kings and KT Tunstall, and her work is informed by her deep care for the earth and her belief that music can support healing and awaken consciousness. She sees music as technology of harmony and her perspective is shaped by her decades-long studies with indigenous music and medicine carriers, specifically the Shipibo-Conibo people of Peru, the Noke Koi of Brazil and studying Tibetan opera singing. She is the creator of Activating the Voice, an online course and in-person retreat series that seeks to support groups in expressing what has been historically silenced through the joy of singing. Website: www.doepaoro.com www.uplevelproductions.com https://www.instagram.com/uplevelproductions/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/uplevelproductionscompany https://www.facebook.com/uplevelproductionscompany

    40 min
  7. How Systems Intelligence Can Heal the Way We Lead with Marita Fridjhon

    11/12/2025

    How Systems Intelligence Can Heal the Way We Lead with Marita Fridjhon

    Send us a text This week on The UpLevel Podcast, join us for a transformative episode as we welcome Marita Fridjhon, Co-Founder and CEO of CRR Global and one of the original architects of Relationship Systems Intelligence (RSI), a framework that has reshaped how leaders, teams, and organizations across the globe connect, collaborate, and evolve. For over two decades, Marita has guided leaders from Google, NASA, UNICEF, and Harvard to access the collective wisdom of their systems, showing that leadership doesn’t live in individuals but in the spaces between us. Born and raised in apartheid-era South Africa, Marita’s early experiences with injustice sparked a lifelong dedication to creating connection where there is conflict and community where there is fragmentation. We’ll explore what it truly means to live and lead in right relationship with our teams, our partners, our communities, and the wider web of life itself. In This Episode: A practice rooted in the wisdom of “all our relations,” reminding us that leadership is relational, not transactionalWhy organizations thrive when leaders slow down, listen deeply, and invite every voice, including the unseenHow emotional intelligence expands when we honor the whole system, not just the partsLessons from love, loss, and leaning into another’s journey without trying to fix itHow recognizing even small wins replenishes teams, families, and movements alikeAbout Marita: Marita Fridjhon is the co-founder of CRR Global and a guiding force behind the field of Relationship Systems Work. As co-creator of the world-renowned Organization and Relationship Systems Coaching (ORSC™) program, she has trained thousands of coaches, leaders, and teams to unlock the power of systems-inspired evolution, where leadership lives not in individuals, but in the collective. A native of South Africa, Marita’s early experiences with social injustice shaped her lifelong belief that change begins through connection. Her pioneering concept of Relationship Systems Intelligence (RSI™) reframes leadership as a shared, living process, one that honors every voice and draws wisdom from the whole. Today, Marita continues to mentor a global community of practitioners and organizations, from Google and NASA to UNICEF and Harvard, helping them listen deeply, lead collaboratively, and co-create transformation from within the system itself. Substack: https://systemsinspiredevolution.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maritafridjhon/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maritafridjhon/ 🎉 The UpLevel Podcast was listed as one of the Top 10 Best Coaching Culture Podcasts!!! https://podcasts.feedspot.com/coaching_culture_podcasts 🎉 It was also ranked #4 among the top 50 Best Workplace Mental Health Podcasts! https://podcast.feedspot.com/workplace_mental_health_podcasts www.uplevelproductions.com https://www.instagram.com/uplevelproductions/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/uplevelproductionscompany https://www.facebook.com/uplevelproductionscompany

    50 min
  8. Reclaiming Right Relationship Through Ancestral Healing and Remembering Who We Are with Dr. Daniel Foor

    10/29/2025

    Reclaiming Right Relationship Through Ancestral Healing and Remembering Who We Are with Dr. Daniel Foor

    Send us a text This week on The UpLevel Podcast, we welcome Dr. Daniel Foor, a psychologist, an experienced ritualist, and the author of Ancestral Medicine: Rituals for Personal and Family Healing. From ancestral lineage healing and animism to decolonial leadership and ethical business, this dialogue bridges spirituality, psychology, and justice in profoundly human ways, guiding people into right relationship with their ancestors, the land, and the unseen world.  Daniel invites us to rethink what power, belonging, and leadership look like, moving beyond hierarchy and domination toward connection, reciprocity, and care.  In This Episode: Why “human supremacy” may be limiting your worldview and how animism opens new doors for connection that honors all beings as persons worthy of respectHow ancestral lineage healing can resolve deep-seated personal and systemic traumaShifting from achievement-based leadership to relational power grounded in care and communityUnderstanding the impact of colonization, capitalism, and disconnection and how reweaving ancestral ties can restore balancePractical wisdom for leaders: building ethical organizations that prioritize service over profitA powerful redefinition of success: why becoming a “regular person” might be the ultimate KPI for growthWhy humility, not grandeur, is the true revolution in healing and leadership About Daniel: Daniel is a doctor of psychology, an experienced ritualist, and the author of Ancestral Medicine: Rituals for Personal and Family Healing. He is an initiate in the Òrìṣà tradition of Yoruba-speaking West Africa and has learned from teachers of Mahayana Buddhism, Islamic Sufism, and the older ways of his English and German ancestors. Daniel is passionate about training aspiring leaders and change makers in the intersections of cultural healing, animist ethics, and applied ritual arts. He lives with his wife and two daughters near Granada, Spain, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Website: http://ancestralmedicine.org Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielfoor/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-foor-0a109418/ 🎉 The UpLevel Podcast was listed as one of the Top 10 Best Coaching Culture Podcasts!!! https://podcasts.feedspot.com/coaching_culture_podcasts 🎉 It was also ranked #4 among the top 50 Best Workplace Mental Health Podcasts! https://podcast.feedspot.com/workplace_mental_health_podcasts www.uplevelproductions.com https://www.instagram.com/uplevelproductions/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/uplevelproductionscompany https://www.facebook.com/uplevelproductionscompany

    51 min
5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Conscious leaders create conscious cultures. The UpLevel Podcast is a transformational resource for leaders, coaches, and people managers who are ready to lead with greater presence, purpose, and humanity. With 85% of employees disengaged at work and mental health challenges costing organizations thousands per employee each year, the demand for emotionally intelligent, trauma-aware, and consciously coached leadership has never been more urgent. Each episode explores what it truly means to uplevel within ourselves, our organizations, and the systems we move through. Themes include emotional embodiment, grief, right relationship coaching culture, and the ROI of investing in human well-being. Named one of the web’s Top 10 Coaching Culture Podcasts and a Top 50 Best Workplace Mental Health Podcast by Feedspot, the show is a core part of UpLevel’s mission to build a more conscious, compassionate, and humane world by making deep, healing, and actionable conversations accessible to all. Hosted by Christie Mann, certified coach, author, and co-founder of UpLevel, the podcast invites you not just to do better, but to be better.