83. Be a Systems Changemaker with Inside Power with Mildred Otero, President of Leadership for Educational Equity
Release Date: 08/08/2024
110. Be a Mentor with Fernande (Nan) Duffly, First Asian American Judge to Massachusett’s Supreme Court
Women of Color Rise
Do you mentor others? In this episode of Women of Color Rise, I speak with Fernande (Nan) Duffly, the first Asian American Judge appointed to the Massachusetts Supreme Court. Nan shares how mentorship played a critical role in her journey. Her mentor, Sam Adams, encouraged her to consider becoming a judge—something she hadn’t envisioned for herself. At the time, there were very few people who looked like her in those roles. Now, Nan pays it forward. She actively mentors young lawyers and students, especially those from diverse backgrounds. For Nan, mentoring isn’t...
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109. Stay and Lead in Your Home Community with Dr. Nancy B. Gutiérrez, President & Lead Executive Officer, The Leadership Academy
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In this episode of Women of Color Rise, I speak with Dr. Nancy B. Gutiérrez, President & Lead Executive Officer of The Leadership Academy, a nationally recognized nonprofit dedicated to developing transformational leadership for educators at all levels. Nancy also serves on the boards of The Hunt Institute, brightbeam, and The Neurodiversity Alliance, and is the Board Chair of Education Leaders of Color (EdLoC). Nancy is the co-author of Stay and Prevail: Students of Color Don’t Need to Leave Their Communities to Succeed (2023), which shares powerful stories of leaders who choose...
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108. Accelerate Your Liberation Journey with Jillian Juman, CEO, Envision Education
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In this episode of Women of Color Rise, I speak with Jillian Juman, CEO of Envision Education—a network of high-performing middle and high school charter schools in Oakland, CA. Jillian shares her powerful journey toward liberation and what it means to lead as a Black woman who embraces curiosity, intuition, and spiritual connection. Lean into curiosity and play: Jillian follows what sparks her interest—even if most things don’t lead anywhere—and trusts that the few that do are exactly where she’s meant to be. Notice when you don’t fit: She’s learned to...
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107. Embrace Being the Face of an Organization as an Introvert with Angira Sceusi, Executive Director of redefinED atlanta
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In this episode of Women of Color Rise, I speak with Angira Sceusi, Executive Director of redefinED atlanta, a nonprofit committed to ensuring every student in Atlanta can attend an excellent K-12 public school. Angira was named to the 2025 Atlanta 500, a list of the city’s most powerful leaders, and selected for the 2026 class of Leadership Atlanta. Angira shares her journey from being a behind-the-scenes introvert to stepping into the spotlight and embracing her role as the face of the organization. Here’s what helped her: Name the self-doubt. Even with advanced degrees...
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106. How to Find a Mentor with Veronica Conforme, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Greenhouse E3
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How can you find a mentor? For this Women of Color Rise episode, I speak with Veronica Conforme, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Greenhouse E3, a national nonprofit developing diverse pipelines of future education leaders. Veronica describes herself as a rebel—she turned down her father’s advice to become an accountant and instead set out to change the world. Her career includes serving as COO of the NYC Department of Education, leading UP Education Network in Massachusetts, and serving as Chancellor of the Education Achievement Authority of Michigan. Veronica credits...
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105. Lead Like an Olympian with Dr. Judith Brown Clarke, VP for Equity & Inclusion and Chief Health Equity Officer for Stony Brook University and Health System
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In this episode of Women of Color Rise, I speak with Dr. Judith Brown Clarke, VP for Equity & Inclusion, Chief Health Equity Officer, and Chief Diversity Officer for Stony Brook University and Health System. A 1984 Olympic Silver Medalist and former collegiate champion, Dr. Clarke now leads transformational change in health equity and inclusive excellence. Dr. Clarke shares how an Olympic mindset strengthens leadership: Focus on execution, not outcomes. In high-pressure moments—whether on the Olympic track or in a policy meeting—Dr. Clarke emphasizes executing core strategies...
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105. Lead Like an Olympian with Dr. Judith Brown Clarke, VP for Equity & Inclusion and Chief Health Equity Officer for Stony Brook University and Health System
Women of Color Rise
In this episode of Women of Color Rise, I speak with Dr. Judith Brown Clarke, VP for Equity & Inclusion, Chief Health Equity Officer, and Chief Diversity Officer for Stony Brook University and Health System. A 1984 Olympic Silver Medalist and former collegiate champion, Dr. Clarke now leads transformational change in health equity and inclusive excellence. Dr. Clarke shares how an Olympic mindset strengthens leadership: Focus on execution, not outcomes. In high-pressure moments—whether on the Olympic track or in a policy meeting—Dr. Clarke emphasizes executing core strategies...
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104. Faith and Leadership with Yordanos Eyoel, Founder and CEO, Keseb
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In this episode of Women of Color Rise, I speak with Yordanos Eyoel, Founder and CEO of Keseb, a nonpartisan organization advancing inclusive and resilient democracies through transnational civil society. An Ethiopian-American democracy entrepreneur, Yordanos is an Ashoka and Aspen Institute Fellow and has received awards from the Elevate Prize Foundation and Unorthodox Philanthropy. Previously, she was a Managing Partner at New Profit, where she rose from Portfolio Analyst—the first to do so in the organization's history. Her work has been featured in TED, NPR, and Harvard Business Review....
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103. Multi-Racial Coalition Building - Equity Week with Christian Green, Zainab Abbas, Ian Esquibel, Derek Burtch
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How can you make your voice heard? We’ve all heard the saying: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” This episode of Women of Color Rise is an example of that. I’m joined by fellow leaders Christian Green, Zainab Abbas, Ian Esquibel, and Derek Burtch—all part of the Culture of Health Leadership Institute for Racial Healing. Together, with Cecily Relucio, we’re supporting Equity Week 2025, a national movement grounded in collective action for justice. Each of my guests brings a powerful perspective: Derek Burtch, a high school...
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102. Strength in Blindness and Faith with Alia Abbas, Chief of Staff, New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority
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How can leaders turn perceived limitations into strengths? On Women of Color Rise, I speak with Alia Abbas, Chief of Staff at New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority. With a career spanning Estee Lauder, Warner Bros. Discovery, Prudential, and Citi, Alia has led in strategy, operations, and innovation—proving that disability and faith are not barriers but strengths. Alia didn’t realize she was blind until she was diagnosed in college, thanks to parents who instilled confidence and adaptability. She also made a pivotal choice in her career—to wear a hijab,...
info_outlineDo you want a pathway to build a more equitable world?
For this Women of Color Rise Power, I talk with Mildred Otero, President of LEE (Leadership for Educational Equity), where she is creating pathways for leaders to engage civically within their communities to end the injustice of inequity.
This includes building leaders with inside power (policy leaders, elected leaders) and outside power (advocates and organizers in communities). When we have diverse leaders with inside and outside power, we start to see long lasting change for communities,
Mildred shares skills to developing our inside power to create change:
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Spot where there are problems and find solutions - Notice when something doesn’t feel right and how we can problem solve and make things better by working and bringing along others. For Mildred, she saw at an early age how hard it was for her hardworking family to get basic services, so she found a way later in life to find solutions and bring others (in politics and other changemakers along).
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See the gray - Most people tend to see the world in black and white. When we can see the gray, we are able to be open and curious to different perspectives and empathize with others.
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Have self-awareness and humility- See yourself as a growing person who does not know everything and can learn lessons from others.
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Being a woman or person of color at the table is a doorway to change - When we bring our unique identities and experiences to the table, know that the conversations and decisions change.
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Connect to people as humans - When we connect to each other as humans and the childhood experiences that have shaped us, we can get to the root of where our beliefs were formed. We open up shared understanding and the possibility of changing our beliefs.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://analizawolf.com/ep-83-be-a-systems-changemaker-with-inside-power-with-mildred-otero