S8E28: Resetting Your Career with Intention
Black Woman Leading
What does it really mean to reset? Not to give up. Not to start over from scratch. But to pause with intention, get honest with yourself, and realign your career with who you actually are and where you actually want to go. In this solo episode, Laura walks listeners through the Black Woman Leading Career Reset Framework, a five-area reflection process designed to help leaders regroup, restore, and realign with clarity and purpose. Drawing from the Black Woman Leading Career Reset Kit, this episode brings together head work and heart work to support leaders who are navigating transition,...
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S8E27: Moving Beyond Titles with Suezette Yasmin Robotham
Black Woman Leading
In this episode, Laura sits down with Suezette Yasmin Robotham, bestselling author, global talent and culture executive, executive coach, and keynote speaker, to explore one of the most important and often unasked questions in leadership: who are you when the titles fade away? Drawing from her book Beyond Titles: Fearlessly Leading as Your Authentic Self, Suezette brings two decades of experience shaping leadership at some of the world's most recognized organizations, including Google, Meta, Gartner, and Salesforce, to a conversation that is equal parts practical and deeply personal. Together,...
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S8E26: Defining Your Executive Presence with Shaquanna Chappelle
Black Woman Leading
In this episode, Laura sits down with Shaquanna Chappelle, executive presence consultant and speaker, to break down what executive presence really is and what it isn’t. While executive presence is often framed around image, polish, or performance, Shaquanna invites us into a deeper understanding: true presence is built from the inside out. Drawing from her journey from wardrobe stylist to confidence and presence expert, she shares how she realized that what many leaders were struggling with wasn’t how they looked, but how they felt about themselves. Together, Laura and Shaquanna explore...
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S8E25: Reclaiming Your Power Through the Body with Blessing Uchendu
Black Woman Leading
In this episode of Black Woman Leading, Laura is joined by Blessing Uchendu, licensed clinical social worker and somatic leadership coach, to explore what it means to reclaim your power through the body. With over two decades of clinical experience, Blessing challenges a common assumption in leadership development—that growth is simply a mindset shift away. Instead, she introduces a deeper truth: your nervous system is shaping how you lead, how you respond, and how you experience the workplace. Together, Laura and Blessing unpack the power of somatics, a body-based approach to awareness and...
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S8E24: Catalyzing Community-Led Leadership with Alysia Lee
Black Woman Leading
In this episode, Laura sits down with Alysia Lee, President & CEO of the Baltimore Children & Youth Fund, to explore what it means to lead through community, creativity, and shared power. Alysia brings a unique leadership lens shaped by her background as a musician and composer, offering insight into how artistic practice (listening, collaboration, and responsiveness) translates into her approach as a first-time CEO. At the heart of the conversation is Alysia’s approach to Ubuntu community-led leadership—a model that challenges traditional, expert-driven systems and instead centers...
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S8E23: Casting Your Future with Dr. Cornelia Shipley Bearyman
Black Woman Leading
In this episode, Laura is joined by Dr. Cornelia Shipley-Bearyman, Founder & CEO of 3C Consulting, to explore what it means to intentionally cast your future, not just react to your present. Drawing from her work in leadership, culture transformation, and her recent PhD in metaphysics, Dr. Cornelia breaks down how our mindset, language, and belief systems shape the realities we experience, both personally and professionally. She invites listeners to consider how the way we think, speak, and interpret our circumstances directly influences what becomes possible in our lives. Together, Laura...
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S8E22: Leveraging Strategic Self-Advocacy with Sarah Boyd
Black Woman Leading
In this timely and empowering episode, Laura sits down with Sarah Boyd, Founder & CEO of The Formation, to unpack what it truly means to leverage strategic self-advocacy—especially for Black women navigating today’s complex corporate landscape. Drawing from her experience working with C-suite leaders and building community for Black women in corporate spaces, Sarah introduces a more nuanced understanding of self-advocacy—one that goes beyond simply “speaking up” and instead centers strategy, clarity, and sustainability. Together, Laura and Sarah explore why self-advocacy is not...
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S8E21: Reclaiming Connection & Purpose with Dr. Cree Scott
Black Woman Leading
Updated: We recently learned that Dr. Cree Scott passed away in December 2025. We didn’t know when this episode aired. We recorded in November 2026, and she requested that the episode be released this spring closer to her book release. We're heartbroken and keeping this up because her words deserve to be heard. Her book, The Missing Peace, releases April 14th, posthumously. Please consider grabbing a copy to honor her legacy. Purchase the book here: ______ In this insightful episode of Black Woman Leading, Laura sits down with Dr. Cree Scott, clinical psychologist, workplace...
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S8E20: Exploring Professional Wanderlust with Dr. Crystal Moten
Black Woman Leading
In this episode, Laura is joined by Dr. Crystal Moten, an award-winning writer, historian, and expert on Black women’s history who has spent her career amplifying the lives and labors of Black women. Dr. Moten introduces the concept of professional wanderlust, a term she coined to reframe how we think about career mobility. Drawing inspiration from the idea of wanderlust in travel, she explores how many Black women navigate their careers as spaces of learning, growth, and exploration rather than following a single, linear path. A self-described professional wanderlust herself, Dr....
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S8E19: Amplifying Your Strengths with Dr. Elizabeth Adams
Black Woman Leading
In this episode, Laura sits down with Dr. Elizabeth Adams to explore what it truly means to amplify your strengths… not just possess them. In today’s dynamic corporate and technological landscape, many Black women leaders are deeply skilled yet under-recognized. Dr. Adams challenges listeners to move beyond quiet competence and into intentional visibility — leveraging presence, strategy, and even AI as tools to elevate their leadership. Together, they unpack how Black women can confidently own their leadership identity, strategically identify overlooked opportunities, and use emerging...
info_outlineIn this conversation, Laura welcomes Dr. Menah Pratt, scholar and author. Using Menah’s memoir, Blackwildgirl, as a powerful example; they explore how journaling can be a tool for self-awareness and growth.
In Blackwildgirl, Menah shares her journey from eight years old to present day and her quest to reclaim the untamed, bold, and creative spirit of girlhood that was stifled in her rigid upbringing. She recounts her experience of unearthing 45 years of journaling to tell this story, and the transformative power she was able to reclaim from her own story.
Building off her personal story, she shares how journaling can be a path to power and freedom for listeners. Tune into this episode and be inspired to with practical insights on how to honor your story.
About Dr. Menah
Menah Pratt is an award-winning nationally and internationally recognized leader, scholar, and author. She has over 30 years of experience in higher education in senior leadership roles at major public and private universities, including Vanderbilt, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and Fisk University.
She has often served in inaugural roles as Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer, Chief Diversity Officer, Chief of Staff, Secretary of the University, and University Counsel. She has five degrees, including a law degree and PhD in sociology from Vanderbilt University.
As a tenured full professor, she is the author of Blackwildgirl: A Writer’s Journey to Take Back her Superpower and companion journal, Finding your Superpower. She is also the founder and co-editor of a new journal series: Dear Higher Education: Letters from the Social Justice Mountain featuring over 50 letters from across the United States and globally on issues of social justice in higher education. She is committed to working to make the world a better place, especially for those most marginalized in society.
Connect with Dr. Menah
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menahpratt/
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Website: www.menahpratt.com
BWL Resources:
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Now enrolling for both the January sessions of the Early Career and Mid-Career programs. Learn more at https://blackwomanleading.com/programs-overview/
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Full podcast episodes are now on Youtube. Subscribe to the BWL channel today!
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Check out the BWL theme song here
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Check out the BWL line dance tutorial here
- Download the free Black Woman Leading Career Reset Kit - https://blackwomanleading.com/career-reset-kit/
Credits:
Learn about all Black Woman Leading® programs, resources, and events at www.blackwomanleading.com
Learn more about our consulting work with organizations at https://knightsconsultinggroup.com/
Email Laura: info@knightsconsultinggroup.com
Connect with Laura on LinkedIn
Instagram: @blackwomanleading
Facebook: @blackwomanleading
Youtube: @blackwomanleading
Podcast Music & Production: Marshall Knights
Graphics: Dara Adams
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