In this interview, John Kriesel shares his experience of serving in the military, his challenges in returning to civilian life after enduring 35 surgeries, what it was like to have the United States President award him the Purple Heart, and the power of optimism. John also discusses his decision to run for a seat in the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2010 and how he built the beautiful life he lives today.

John joined the military when he was just 17 years old. As a young man, he elected to serve a tour of duty in Iraq in 2006. Following his return to civilian life, John won a position as a representative in the Minnesota House of Representatives where he was one of few Republicans to oppose legislation that would have made same-sex marriage illegal. As an advocate for the veteran community, John now works as Veteran Services Director for Anoka County in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul area. John also regularly shares his story as a motivational speaker and has authored a book called Still Standing which details his time in Iraq and his amazing recovery.

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In this interview, pioneering transgender athlete Chris Mosier shares the importance of athletics in his life, his journey to defining his gender identity, and how our world is changing to be more inclusive and understanding through policy and social change. Chris also provides outstanding insight and advice for those (and their families, friends, and co-workers) who are questioning, curious, or looking to better understand transgender identity. 

Chris has been heavily involved in athletics since he was four years old, becoming a trailblazing athlete in his 20s as an All-American Duathlete and six-time member of Team USA. In 2015 he made history as the first known transgender man to make a US Men’s National Team, challenging Olympic policy and opening doors for future transgender athletes. As an advocate for the transgender community, Chris established transathlete.com, the go-to source on transgender athletic policy. He also mentors young athletes and speaks to organizations about how to create more inclusive policies for their institutions.

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In this interview, climate change guru Andrew Winston shares how his career path intersected with environmental issues, the state of the climate today, and how businesses are adopting sustainable practices and attracting climate-conscious consumers in the process. Andrew also discusses how small and mid-sized businesses can use sustainability to be more competitive while attracting top talent to work for them.

Andrew studied Economics at Princeton, later earning an MBA from Columbia and a MA of Environmental Management from Yale. He began his career advising companies in strategy and marketing before turning to his passion for the environment. An author of three books including Green Recovery, Green to Gold, and The Big Pivot, Andrew is an expert on how we all can do our part to save the environment and still prosper.

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Nearly three decades ago, Sara Kenkare-Mitra made a life altering decision to follow her passion for medical sciences. She left India and moved to Austin, Texas to attend pharmacology school. Upon completion of her PhD, she was offered a job with Genentech where over the years she pursued roles in designing cancer treatments becoming a leader in her field. Now, Sara oversees dozens of drugs in development and helps determine the viability of new treatments.

In this interview, Sara describes the long journey required for drug approval, the importance of celebrating failure along the way, and how her leadership has developed over the course of her career.

Sara received her PhD in Biopharmaceutical Sciences from the University of California, San Francisco, where she also stayed on as a Post Doctoral Fellow in Clinical Pharmacology before joining Genentech. Sara has worked for Genentech for 21 years, creating drugs that save lives and make the world a better place.

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Five years ago, Giadha DeCarcer, an expert in emerging markets, noticed the potential boom in the global cannabis market. At the time there were no industry reports on cannabis, so she seized the opportunity and founded New Frontier Data. Now, she and her team are providing data on the cannabis industry to investors, growers, and regulators to enable them to make informed decisions about its potential.

In this interview, Giadha draws on data to discuss the vast potential of the cannabis market. She talks about the shift in opinion on cannabis products, user profiles, and future uses of CBD for medical treatments. Giadha also defines the demand for cannabis on the global market and investment opportunities in legal cannabis.

Over the course of her career, Giadha has worked in banking, the intelligence community, and founded and run multiple businesses. She was born in Rome, speaks five languages, and offices in Washington D.C.

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Nearly a decade ago, Catherine Carr had the nagging feeling there was more to life than the way she was living. It’s a feeling many people have after a couple decades of adulthood and work experience. Most people don’t heed it though. Catherine is not most people. She wanted more meaning in her work and Doctors Without Borders was the answer. She applied, was hired, and sent to Kenya on a six-month assignment.

That one-time assignment turned into more than nine years with Catherine being stationed in 13 countries. In this interview, she shares her experience working for Doctors Without Borders and the lessons she learned in the field that can be applied in business. Catherine also talks about overcoming the fear she felt as she embarked on her personal reinvention.

Anyone interested in cultural adaptation, expanding their own comfort zone, and pursuing a greater sense of meaning at work will find this interview with Catherine Carr fascinating.

Catherine is currently on a four-month assignment in South Sudan.

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