116. Accelerate Your Path to CEO with Dr. Rahesha Amon, CEO of City Teaching Alliance
Release Date: 12/04/2025
126. Radical Self-Care and Leading Through Crisis with Dr. Meisha Porter, Former NYC schools Chancellor
Women of Color Rise
How do you lead through the ultimate crisis while staying true to yourself? In this episode of Women of Color Rise, I speak with Dr. Meisha Porter—lifelong educator and former NYC Schools Chancellor. Meisha was the first Black woman to lead the nation’s largest school district, navigating the unprecedented challenges of COVID-19 and a mayoral transition. A proud Black woman and "nurturer of community," Meisha shares the raw truth about the costs of high-level leadership and why "having it all" is a myth. She shares lessons for rising leaders: •Reject the "Have It...
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125. Art as Resistance: Uplifting Women’s Stories on Broadway with Jamila Ponton Bragg, Founder of JamRock Productions
Women of Color Rise
How can art serve as an act of resistance? In this episode of Women of Color Rise, I speak with Jamila Ponton Bragg, founder of JamRock Productions and a leader named to the Broadway Women’s Fund "Women to Watch" list. After 20 years in the nonprofit world, Jamila pivoted to theater, co-producing hits like Passover (2021), Death of a Salesman (2022), Tony Nominated Best Play Fat Ham (2023), The Whiz (2024), Gypsy (2024) and Soul Train (2025). A proud African American woman, Jamila is on a mission to ensure women’s stories have depth and aren't confined to tropes. She...
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124. Build a 230-Year Legacy with Cheryl McKissack Daniel
Women of Color Rise
How do you build a legacy that lasts five generations? In this episode of Women of Color Rise, I speak with Cheryl McKissack Daniel, Former CEO of McKissack & McKissack, the oldest minority and woman-owned design and construction firm in the U.S. From JFK Airport to Columbia University, Cheryl’s work shapes the very skyline of New York. As a fifth-generation builder, Cheryl didn't always plan to run the family firm. She once dreamed of being an airline stewardess! But she realized that rather than climbing a corporate ladder where few looked like her, she could chart...
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123. The Truth About Equity with Celeste Warren, Former VP and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at Merck
Women of Color Rise
How can we move from fearing equity to championing it? In this episode of Women of Color Rise, I speak with Celeste Warren, former Vice President and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Merck and author of The Truth About Equity. With nearly three decades of experience, Celeste has been recognized by Black Enterprise’s “Top Executives in Global Diversity and Inclusion.” Celeste’s father was the first black teacher and principal in western Pennsylvania. She shares how her "dinner table lessons" taught her that while obstacles are real, they are never an excuse...
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122. Build a "Tribe" Culture with Celeste Thompson, Founder of Tribe Consulting
Women of Color Rise
How can we move from fearing equity to championing it? In this episode of Women of Color Rise, I speak with Celeste Warren, former Vice President and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Merck and author of The Truth About Equity. With nearly three decades of experience, Celeste has been recognized by Black Enterprise’s “Top Executives in Global Diversity and Inclusion.” Celeste’s father was the first black teacher and principal in western Pennsylvania. She shares how her "dinner table lessons" taught her that while obstacles are real, they are never an excuse...
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121. Master Timing in Leadership with Christina Selby, VP of Production and Touring at Nederlander Producing Company of America
Women of Color Rise
How can you find your spotlight in a competitive industry? In this episode of Women of Color Rise, I speak with Christina Selby—Vice President of Production and Touring at Nederlander Producing Company of America, Adjunct Professor at Columbia University, and a leading voice on the Broadway League’s Executive Committee. A first-generation Honduran-Haitian American and lifelong New Yorker, Christina’s path wasn’t scripted from the start. She spent years planning to be a pediatrician until a "hard look" in college led her to choose joy over expectations. From her first week...
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120. Choose Joy and Purpose with Patrice Tanaka, Founder of Joyful Planet Foundation
Women of Color Rise
How can you transform exhaustion into a life of purpose and joy? In this episode of Women of Color Rise, I speak with Patrice Tanaka—award-winning PR leader, author, and founder of the Joyful Planet Consultancy and Joyful Planet Foundation. After co-founding three successful PR agencies, Patrice found herself reeling after 9/11. That moment sparked a radical shift from being a "micromanaging" CEO to a leader driven by joy. A proud Japanese American woman born and raised in Hawaii, Patrice shares how the "Aloha spirit" guides her work in NYC and how she finally fulfilled her...
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119. Stop Bullying at School and in the Workplace with Dali Rivera, Founder of the Diversity and Anti-Bullying Academy (DABA)
Women of Color Rise
Facing a bully at work? In this episode of Women of Color Rise, I speak with Dali Rivera—parenting coach, U.S. Army veteran, author, and founder of the Diversity and Anti-Bullying Academy (DABA). Dali transformed her pain over both her and her daughter’s bullying into a powerful purpose, creating tools for confident advocacy in schools and in the workplace. Dali shares advice for leaders to confidently address a workplace bully or a hostile situation: Stop Blaming Yourself: Immediately shift your mindset from shame or guilt to self-advocacy. Know you deserve respect. ...
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118. Neurodiversity is a Strength with Nella Garcia Urban, CEO of DSST Public Schools
Women of Color Rise
How can neurodiversity become a leadership strength? In this episode of Women of Color Rise, I speak with Nella Garcia Urban, CEO of DSST Public Schools. Nella came from YES Prep Public Schools, Houston, where she spent over 20 years in various roles leading and operating charter schools. Nella is also the Board Chair of LEAL, Latino Educators Advancing Leadership. As a proud Latina and neurodiverse leader, Nella shares how embracing her identity—and being open about her needs—has made her a stronger and more authentic leader. What once felt like a challenge became her...
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117. Move, Think, Rest to Promote Creativity with Natalie Nixon, CEO of Figure 8 Thinking
Women of Color Rise
How can you unlock creativity to thrive in leadership and life? In this episode of Women of Color Rise, I speak with Dr. Natalie Nixon—creativity strategist, author of The Creativity Leap and Move, Think, Rest, and CEO of Figure 8 Thinking. Recognized on the Thinkers50 Radar and named one of the Top 50 keynote speakers by Real Leaders, Natalie helps executives and organizations harness creativity as a strategic advantage. A proud African American woman and Gen Xer, Natalie grew up on the East Coast in a family that modeled discipline, faith, imagination, and rest. From her...
info_outlineHow can you accelerate your path to CEO?
In this episode of Women of Color Rise, I speak with Dr. Rahesha Amon, CEO of City Teaching Alliance. With 25+ years of leadership experience, Rahesha has been a teacher, coach, principal, and senior executive at NYC DOE before stepping into her current role.
A proud Black woman and fourth-generation New Yorker, Rahesha never dreamed of being a CEO—she once wanted to act, then pursued pre-med. But her all-girls school experience, community encouragement, and resilience helped her find her voice and chart her own leadership path.
She shares lessons for rising leaders:
•Own your identity. Authenticity is power.
•Trust the process. Successes and failures both teach.
•Keep building your toolkit. Seek experiences that stretch you.
•Find your board of directors. Surround yourself with mentors and advocates.
•Believe in yourself. Look to the light and draw strength from those who came before you.
Rahesha’s story shows that with identity, faith, and community, we can accelerate our own path to CEO.
Get full show notes and more information here:https://analizawolf.com/episode-116-accelerate-your-path-to-ceo-with-dr-rahesha-amon-ceo-of-city-teaching-alliance