Women Emerging Podcast

In the fourth episode of Navigating Hostile Environments, Julia speaks with Jamie Mittelman, founder of Flame Bearers, a platform dedicated to amplifying the voices of women athletes from around the world. Jamie shares her experiences navigating the challenges of leading in a field that has historically underserved women, she highlights the importance of flipping hostility by leading with positivity and empathy. "In a hostile environment, don’t mirror the hostility—flip it on its head. Be the opposite, and you’ll draw people to you," said Jamie.  Jamie recounts inspiring stories from her work with over 250 athletes from 55 countries, highlighting the importance of staying true to your mission despite external pressures. Taking examples of leading from the work of leaders like Becky Sauerbrunn, she illustrates how authenticity and quiet strength can drive change and inspire others. Listen to this episode to be reminded about the importance of abundance mindsets over scarcity mindsets, staying aligned with your core values, and the transformative potential of creating spaces where all voices are valued. About the Guest:  Jamie is on a mission to make sure that people of all ages are inspired by women athletes who look and sound like them. A deep believer in the power of stories to change lives, Jamie is deeply committed to elevating as many diverse voices as possible within the world of elite women’s sports. Through Flame Bearers, she's worked with over 250 Olympians and Paralympians from 55 countries and received 22 awards for her work in video, podcasting and social media. She holds a Harvard Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Harvard, Master of Business (MBA) from Dartmouth, has a decade of experience in the corporate and nonprofit worlds and an International Studies Major & Gender Studies Minor from Middlebury College.   .

In the third episode, Julia is joined by Jill Heinerth, a cave diver, underwater explorer, and filmmaker. Jill dives into her unique experiences navigating literal and metaphorical hostile environments beneath the Earth's surface. She shares how she confronts fear, the strategies she uses to remain calm under pressure, and the critical role of teamwork in life-threatening situations. "Fear is not the enemy; it’s my friend. It sharpens my focus and reminds me of the respect I must have for the risks I take," said Jill. Jill emphasises the importance of empowering team members by creating a "charter of communication" and ensuring all voices are heard. She also reframes failure as “discovery learning,” highlighting its essential role in driving progress and innovation. Listen to this episode to find some powerful insights on leading; whether you’re leading a team, facing challenges, or diving into the unknown, Jill’s experiences will inspire and empower you to reframe success and failure. About the Guest:  Jill Heinerth is a Canadian cave diver, underwater explorer, writer, photographer, and filmmaker. She is a veteran with over thirty years of filming, photography, and exploration on projects in submerged caves around the world. She has made TV series, consulted on movies, written several books and is a frequent corporate keynote speaker. Jill is the first Explorer in Residence for the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, a recipient of Canada’s prestigious Polar Medal and a Fellow of the International Scuba Divers Hall of Fame. In recognition of her lifetime achievement, Jill was awarded the Sir Christopher Ondaatje Medal for Exploration from the RCGS and the William Beebe Award from the Explorers Club.  

In the second episode of the series Navigating Hostile Environments, Julia is joined by Autumn Phillips, a veteran journalist and newspaper editor with over 20 years of experience. Autumn reflects on the challenges of leading in the high-pressure, male-dominated world of newsrooms. She shares how her leadership journey was shaped by the need to prove herself to skeptical teams while navigating the "glass cliff" phenomenon—an environment where women are often given opportunities only in undesirable or failing roles. "By definition, being the editor of a newspaper means you're in a toxic environment whenever you walk into a newsroom. You're not just handed respect; you have to earn it every day," says Autumn. Autumn discusses how she overcame the "man up culture" of her early career and learned to lead authentically by balancing empathy with decisiveness. She highlights the importance of fostering trust, creating spaces for constructive dialogue, and being fully present for her team.  Listen to this episode to find learnings for anyone striving to lead with integrity and resilience in environments that test their limits. About the Guest: Autumn Phillips is an Editor for The Post and Courier. With a career spanning leadership roles like Editor in Chief and Executive Editor, she has overseen Pulitzer finalist projects, launched Post and Courier Travel, and raised millions for public service journalism. Recognised as Journalist of the Year by the North American Travel Journalists Association, Autumn combines her passion for storytelling with a love of adventure and community building. 

In the first episode of the series Navigating Hostile Environments, Julia is joined by Aaminah Qadir, a human rights lawyer based in Pakistan. Aaminah shares her experiences of working in a male-dominated profession and the systemic resistance faced by women litigators.  “They often refer to me as 'baby' in court, not as a romantic gesture, but to belittle me, as if I’m a child who doesn’t belong there. It makes me angry, but I’ve learned to respond firmly and claim my space,” said Aaminah.  She recounts her strategies for maintaining resilience, from humour and delegation to finding solace in reading, walks, and even Korean dramas. Aaminah also discusses how her organisation, She-her Pakistan, is creating a supportive environment for vulnerable communities and female professionals, emphasising the importance of fair compensation and gender sensitivity. Listen to this episode to gain powerful insights into the realities of working in patriarchal systems and societies, the need for gender-sensitive legal practices, and the importance of cultivating resilience in the face of systemic inequality. About the Guest: Aaminah Qadir is a human rights advocate and constitutional lawyer based in Pakistan. She is the founder of She-her (pronounced shai-her or city in Urdu) Pakistan, a public interest litigation organisation that is dedicated to providing legal representation to vulnerable communities in the country.   Aaminah's work focuses on empowering victims of domestic violence, religious minorities and the trans community through securing their legal rights. She also works to train members of the judiciary in Pakistan on gender sensitivity and on laws that are enacted to protect women.  Aaminah also focuses on the intersection of climate and gender justice litigation to highlight the disproportionate impact of climate change on women in the global south -- an extremely under-studied field in Pakistan. She has completed her undergraduate degree in global affairs and history of art at Yale University and has studied law at the University of Cambridge.   

In this Christmas Special, which Julia refers to her ‘Christmas Gift’ she talks to Prue Leith, celebrated restaurateur, author, and television personality. Prue offers a candid and deeply reflective look into her leadership journey, shaped by honesty, optimism, and persistence. From transforming toxic kitchen cultures to championing better school food systems, she shares the lessons learned from a career defined by creativity and determination.  Prue also explores the balance of being both flexible and dogged in leadership, highlighting her relentless five-year campaign to bring sculptures to Trafalgar Square’s Fourth Plinth. On her approach to leading, she reflects on the responsibility of channeling Energy “You must have Energy as a leader. You can’t just sit still and expect things to happen. You need to galvanize others, inspire them with enthusiasm, and make them believe that the goal is not just possible, but exciting.”   This episode dives into Prue’s evolving leadership style, the power of persistence, and the nuanced art of fostering talent while respecting individuality. Listen to this episode to gain fresh insights into leadership, creativity, and optimism from a life lived with purpose. About the Guest:  Dame Prudence Leith is a renowned South African-born restaurateur, cookery writer, and broadcaster. Best known as a judge on The Great British Bake Off since 2017, she has had a long and influential career in the food industry, from founding the Michelin-starred Leith's restaurant to establishing Leith’s School of Food and Wine. An advocate for food education, she has written 12 cookbooks and seven novels, while also chairing initiatives like the School Food Trust. Leith has been involved in various educational and charitable endeavors and is Chancellor of Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh. In 2024, she launched Prue Leith’s Cotswold Kitchen, further cementing her legacy as a culinary icon.

In this episode, Julia is joined by Anna & Ayesha to bring closure to the Women Leading Together series. Across the series, certain sub-themes had surfaced, and Julia sought to explore these with Anna and Ayesha, who have co-chaired the Committee on Global Mental Health and International Relations for nearly a decade. Together, they reflected on the foundations of their collaboration, the role of generational differences in leadership, and how they overcame challenges, including "bumpy times," to cultivate a resilient and inspiring partnership. “What came out of the bumpy times, probably because of the bumps, is a much stronger relationship,” reflected Anna.  Listen to this finale to discover how shared values, mutual respect and navigating challenges can forge stronger bonds and redefine how women lead together. About the Guest:  Anna E. Ordóñez, M.D., M.A.S., is the Director of the Office of Clinical Research (OCR) at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in the United States. With over a decade of experience at NIMH, she has held key roles including Director and Deputy Director of OCR, as well as Medical Officer of the NIMH Intramural Child Psychiatry Branch. Previously, she was the Medical Director of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at San Francisco General Hospital and Assistant Adjunct Professor at UCSF. Anna is trained as an Adult, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists and holds a Master of Advanced Studies in Clinical Research with an emphasis on Implementation Science. She has dedicated her career to conducting and overseeing mental health clinical research studies, with a particular interest in global mental health and implementation of evidence based mental health interventions in limited resource settings. Dr Ayesha Mian is the founder and CEO of Synapse, Pakistan Neuroscience Institute. She is the immediate past Chair, Department of Psychiatry (2013-2020), Aga Khan University and the Founding Dean of Students of the Office of Student Experience (2017-2020), AKU.   Dr Mian created the first child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship training program in Pakistan. She has been internationally recognised for her work; key awards include the Jeanna Spurlock Award for Diversity and Culture by AACAP, the Laughlin Fellowship by American College of Psychiatrist (ACP), Presidential Award and Outstanding Mentor by AACAP, Robert Fellowship for Inspirational Mentorship (AAP), Fulbright and Jaworski Awards in Educational Leadership by BCM and a Lifetime Achievement Award by the University of Missouri, Department of Psychiatry. 

In this episode of the Podcast, Julia is joined by Sophie Kwasny and Francine Hetherington Raveney, who reflect on their experiences working together in leadership roles at the Council of Europe. Their collaboration demonstrates how shared values, trust, and adaptability can redefine traditional leadership models. In theory Sophie heads the team and that makes her Francine’s boss, but the duo explains how their complementary approaches to decision-making and their ability to navigate hierarchical systems has redefined leading for them. "It’s not just about hierarchy; it’s about our collective input and how we achieve things together." said Sophie. Listen to this episode to explore how women working together challenge gender norms and stereotypes, offering a fresh perspective on collaborative leadership while providing practical takeaways for fostering synergy, overcoming biases, and leading with inclusivity. About the Guests:  Sophie Kwasny has over 25 years of experience in intergovernmental work, focusing on human rights, data protection, and sport governance. She is the Head of the Sport Division at the Council of Europe and Executive Secretary of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS). Her work supports ethical, inclusive, and safe practices in sport through cooperation between public authorities, sports federations, and NGOs. Previously, she led the Data Protection Unit, managing the modernization of Convention 108, a key international framework for privacy and data protection. Sophie holds a master's degree in law from the University of Strasbourg. Francine Hetherington Raveney is an experienced professional with expertise in international consultancy, sport governance, gender equality, and fitness instruction. As Deputy Executive Secretary of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS) at the Council of Europe, she leads initiatives focused on diversity, integrity, and human rights in sport. Her career includes roles in film finance, communications, and anti-discrimination advocacy, as well as the development of gender equality strategies for the audiovisual sector. An Oxford graduate and certified Pilates instructor, she integrates her diverse skills to foster growth and well-being in various sectors. 

In the third episode of Women Leading Together, Julia speaks with Rema Subramanian and Ritu Verma, whose 14-year bond has transformed their India based investment fund into a globally recognised powerhouse, raising over $200 Mn while building a resilient team and brand. Rema and Ritu share their secret of working together as women leaders: fostering trust, aligning upon core values, and embracing differences to complement each other’s strengths. Their collaboration thrives on open communication and a shared focus on organisational goals rather than personal agendas. "You always need pace setters who keep the race moving forward," Rema notes. "It’s not about passing the baton but ensuring you’re nudging each other forward and staying relaxed about who sets the pace at different times." Explore more such insights in this episode that exemplifies female partnerships that drive results in high-stake environments.  About the Guests:  Rema Subramanian is a Co-founder and serves as Managing Partner at Ankur Capital. She serves as a Board Member at BigHaat. Prior to Ankur, Rema has three decades of experience in building and scaling operations across various sectors like financial services, education, IT, packaging, etc. in India. She has headed several companies across various sectors, growing many from scratch to large-scale businesses. She has deep domain experience in the education and outsourcing sectors. She brings the unique capabilities of having been an entrepreneur and worked across sectors. She is a management accountant from AICWA, Inter-Company Secretary, and systems manager from ICFAI.  Ritu Verma is a Co-Founder and serves as Managing Partner at Ankur Capital. She also serves as Board Member at Daily Dump, BigHaat, String Bio and TESSOL. She has over a decade of investing and operational experience across various sectors. Prior to starting Ankur, Ritu was director at Truven, a boutique advisory company for venture funds looking at investments in India and SE Asia. She covered deal sourcing, due diligence, M&A target identification in renewable energy, health, agriculture, and materials. She also has over 10 yrs of industry experience working across different functional roles product development, supply chain, branding and marketing at Philips and Unilever. Her key focus as an intrapreneur was to take products from the bench to market. Ritu serves on the board of ICAAP (IKP Centre for Advancement of Agriculture), CropIn Technologies Pvt Ltd and PBK Waste Mangement Pvt Ltd. She holds an MBA from INSEAD with a focus on entrepreneurship and venture capital and a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Pennsylvania. 

In the second episode of the Women Leading Together series, Julia dives into the competitive world of basketball with Dorothy and Deanna, two remarkable 3X3 referees. They talk about how their partnership thrives on mutual respect, trust, and complementary strengths despite the intense nature of their sport. Dorothy brings a calm and reflective approach, while Deanna embodies direct and assertive approach to leading. Together, they balance their different approaches to managing high-pressure games with precision and poise. They share insights on how to maintain authority, navigate mistakes with grace, and support each other against external attempts to sow division. "On the court, it's me and you against the world," Deanna reflects, highlighting their unity. This episode has actionable advice on teamwork, communication, and overcoming stereotypes about how women lead. Listen to this one to discover how the two referees redefine leading with resilience in a challenging and competitive space. About the Guests:  Dorothy Okatch is a FIBA International Referee for both traditional basketball and for 3 x 3 basketball. She got her traditional basketball license in 2014 and her 3x3 license in 2020. Dorothy has officiated various national, regional and international competitions such as the Olympics, World Cups, AfroBasket and the Basketball Africa League. Deanna Jackson is entering her 14th season as a basketball official. She currently officiates in the NCAA Division 1 Women's Basketball. She has worked in multiple conference tournaments and two NCAA tournaments. She also represents the USA as a FIBA 3x3 official and officiated in the 2024 Paris Olympics.  

This is the very first episode of the series, Women Leading Together, the one where we explore how women lead as a team in communities, companies or at home across different sectors, geographies and specialisms. In this episode Julia is joined by Iliana Montauk who shares the story of her partnership with Laila Abudahi, detailing how they’ve harnessed their distinct approach to leading to build a social impact startup. Iliana and Laila approach leadership differently, Iliana focuses on emotional nuance, and Laila on directness and efficiency. Even then they’ve learned to appreciate each other’s strengths. Together, they’ve faced challenges with resilience, unity and a fierce commitment to their mission. "There have been times when people have tried to divide us, and we're like a fierce lioness when that happens. We are each other's biggest defenders," says Iliana. Tune in to hear how two leaders with contrasting approach to leading work together to drive growth, support their team, and uphold shared values in a demanding geography. About the Guest:  Iliana Montauk is the founder of Manara, a social impact startup dedicated to unlocking human potential by upskilling tech talent in emerging markets. With a focus on preparing computer scientists from the Middle East for global opportunities, Iliana has led Manara to achieve remarkable outcomes, including a 71% referral-to-hire rate at Google. Under her leadership, participants have experienced transformative career advancements, such as one individual increasing their salary from $16,000 to $100,000 in just four months, all while working remotely from Palestine. Iliana's commitment to making a difference is further highlighted by her previous accomplishments, including bootstrapping Gaza's first startup accelerator during wartime and managing talent at Upwork, the world’s largest talent marketplace. Her determination to create opportunities in challenging environments reflects her vision for a more inclusive and equitable future.