3Ps in a Pod

Join us on the latest episode of the "3Ps in a Pod" podcast as we welcome the remarkable Laura Liswood, a trailblazer in the realm of leadership and diversity. Co-founder of the Council of Women World Leaders alongside President Vigdís Finnbogadóttir of Iceland, Laura has been at the forefront of advocating for women in leadership, serving as the Secretary General of this unique global organization comprising women presidents, prime ministers, and heads of government. It is the only organization of its kind globally. Laura's journey includes an impressive tenure as the Managing Director, Global Leadership and Diversity at Goldman Sachs from 2001 to 2016, after which she became a senior advisor. Her insights on diversity, equity, and inclusion are sought after worldwide, reflecting her deep commitment to these crucial issues. Educationally, Laura is a powerhouse with an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, a B.A. from California State University, San Diego, and a J.D. from the University of California, Davis, School of Law. Her dedication to public service is evident from her time as a reserve police officer in the Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department, where she retired as a sergeant. An accomplished author, Laura has penned four insightful books: "The Loudest Duck: Moving Beyond Diversity," "The Elephant and the Mouse," "Women World Leaders," and "Serving Them Right." Her work continues to inspire and challenge our perspectives on leadership and inclusion. Currently, Laura contributes her expertise as a commissioner and chair of the New Mexico State Personnel Review Board and as a board advisor for EDGE, a consultancy specializing in diversity, equity, and inclusion. This special International Women's Day episode, celebrates not only the achievements of women around the world but also the birthday of Laura Liswood herself. Tune in to gain invaluable insights from Laura Liswood's inspiring journey and her profound impact on leadership and diversity across the globe. Happy Birthday, Laura, and thank you for your tireless efforts and invaluable contributions!

Join us in this episode as we embark on a journey through the transformative landscape of women's entrepreneurship in India. Historically confined to businesses stereotypically known as the '4Ps'—Pickles, Papads(Indian snacks), Petticoats, and Pads (sanitary products)—women entrepreneurs have broken free from these boundaries to become leaders in diverse sectors, managing multimillion-dollar enterprises that employ thousands. Our special guest, Deepthi Ravula, the CEO of WE Hub, India’s pioneering state-led initiative for Women's Entrepreneurship, is driving this change. Under her visionary leadership, WE Hub has empowered over 10,000 women entrepreneurs, and incubated more than 2000 startups and SMEs, thereby focusing on economic empowerment. As an Aspen Fellow and a Chevening Fellow at the University of Oxford, Deepthi leverages her global exposure to ensure her work remains innovative and excellent. Her journey, from Telangana in India to a successful career in California, USA, and back, is remarkable. Her extensive professional background includes roles as Joint Director for Electronics in the government of Telangana (India), as well as positions in global tech companies in the US like Nokia, Palm Inc., Atheros, Qualcomm, and Litepoint (Teradyne). But she's not just about business; Deepthi is a passionate gamer and a tireless advocate for women in STEM, Women in Leadership, and Financial and digital inclusion. Join us as we delve into her inspiring journey and insights.

What does Elon Musk's Twitter now look like? Is there a global perspective in media coverage on world news or is it still western? How does a policy professional from one part of the world impact policies in another? These are some of the many questions that we explored with our guest Theodora (Theo) Skeadas in this episode. Theodora (Theo) Skeadas is the President of Harvard W3D. She also worked in Twitter's global public policy team, where she supported the team's research efforts, working groups, the Trust and Safety Council, and partnerships with nonprofits globally. Theo works as the Executive Director of Cambridge Local First, a Cambridge-based nonprofit network of 500 locally- and independently-owned businesses. As a Board member of the American Independent Business Alliance, Theo advocates for small businesses around the country. Theo graduated from Harvard Kennedy School with an MPP degree, and from Harvard College with a BA in Philosophy and Government.

How to find hope in the midst of conflict?! This is a theme that emerged from the discussion with Gadi Baltiansky who Director general of the Geneva Initiative in Israel, an NGO that promotes a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians through diplomatic, political, educational and public tools. As an expert on the Middle East conflict, Gadi served as a member of the official Israeli negotiation team with Syria and the Palestinians in 1999, and as a non-official advisor to the negotiating teams in 2007-08 and 2014-15. During his years in government, Gadi served as press secretary for the Israeli prime minister, advisor to the foreign minister, and press counselor at the embassy in Washington. Gadi holds a master's in public administration from Harvard Kennedy School and a bachelor's in international relations and political science from Hebrew University.