Outspoken with Shana Cosgrove: Recent Episodes

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In this episode of Shana’s Soapbox, Shana speaks at Anne Arundel Community College’s Women in STEM event. As the keynote speaker, Shana discusses the journey that took her from an interest in computer science to founding Nyla Technology Solutions. She offers advice to students: go deep technically, embrace the difficult times, and be brave. Finally, Shana answers questions from the audience.

Here now is the third part of Shana’s keynote talk, in which she answers questions from the audience.

TIMESTAMPS

• [01:04] What was Shana’s First Computer
• [01:20] How Should Students Develop Soft Skills
• [03:15] The Effect of Early Career Experiences on Forming Nyla
• [05:46] How Healthcare Professionals can Attain and Utilize Data Science
• [08:49] Combating Negative Bias of Women in STEM and Positions of Power
• [13:11] Combining Family Life With Career Aspirations
• [15:33] Applying for Jobs and Knowing Your Worth

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In this episode of Shana’s Soapbox, Shana speaks at Anne Arundel Community College’s Women in STEM event. As the keynote speaker, Shana discusses the journey that took her from an interest in computer science to founding Nyla Technology Solutions. She offers advice to students: go deep technically, embrace the difficult times, and be brave. Finally, Shana answers questions from the audience.

Here now is the second part of Shana’s keynote talk, advice for students and young professionals navigating the ever-evolving world of STEM.

TIMESTAMPS

• [01:00] Go Deep Technically
• [05:45] The Obstacle is the Way
• [09:35] Move Forward Despite the Fear

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In this episode of Shana’s Soapbox, Shana speaks at Anne Arundel Community College’s Women in STEM event. As the keynote speaker, Shana discusses the journey that took her from an interest in computer science to founding Nyla Technology Solutions. She offers advice to students: go deep technically, embrace the difficult times, and be brave. Finally, Shana answers questions from the audience.

Here now is the first part of Shana’s keynote talk - her journey from computer science student to CEO.

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Innovation, Energy, and Space.

In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Michael Contreras, Founder and President at Ensemble Consultancy. Michael began his education in civil engineering, with a focus on structures and vibration. Through analyzing patterns, he was able to make a leap into innovation consulting, transmuting this knowledge from structural analysis to business models and marketing. Michael's journey through academia—boasting a PhD and Master’s from UCLA, a Master's from Rice, an MBA from Wharton, and a Fulbright scholarship that took him to Mexico City—was a series of steps aimed at filling the knowledge gaps he felt he needed to address. Download Spot The Station to see the Space Station as it moves across our sky: Michael and his team made it easy for everyone to witness our progress in space exploration from their front yards!

QUOTES

• “A lot of the best companies are startups with a background in marketing and sales, and I realized I needed to get that.” - Michael Contreras [11:45]
• “Sometimes when people fund an idea, they want to keep it going when it shouldn’t necessarily keep going. It’s having comfort with letting things die versus letting ego be the driving motivation.” - Shana Cosgrove [17:52]
• “When I was doing research, I was always more applied than theoretical. I always wanted to create something that had a market.” - Michael Contreras [24:20]

TIMESTAMPS

• [00:04] Intro
• [01:34] Meet Michael Contreras
• [03:40] Working With A Spouse
• [06:08] What Is Ensemble Consultancy?
• [08:01] How Did a PhD in Civil Engineering Turn Into Digital Consulting?
• [09:54] Leap to Marketing
• [13:03] What is Innovation Consulting?
• [16:00] NIST Technology Innovation Program
• [19:40] Government Work
• [21:34] Randy Pausch
• [23:41] Entrepreneurial Spirit
• [25:51] Educational Background and Evolution of Expertise
• [30:50] How Did This Final Digital Marketing Role Begin?
• [33:40] Ensemble Claim to Fame
• [38:50] US Fulbright Program
• [45:21] Any Professional Setbacks?
• [49:45] Advice for Young Professionals
• [51:26] Book Recommendations
• [53:37] Interesting Fact about Michael
• [54:55] Latino Business Action Network
• [55:58] Outro

RELEVANT LINKS

• Michael Contreras on LinkedIn
• Ensemble Consultancy
• Ensemble Space Labs
• Nyla Technology Solutions

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday.

Live well, Shana

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Computer Science, Leadership, and Women in Tech.

In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Lisa Chang, Chief Technology Officer at Praxis Engineering. Entering education studying chemical engineering, Lisa quickly realized that this career track looked different than the title suggested. Despite the path starting out differently than anticipated, her drive to succeed pushed her to excel and pivot into the incredible achievement of becoming CTO. In the beginning of her career, she often felt a lack of leadership and attention towards the human components within the engineering and computer sciences, which ultimately led to the most gratifying role Lisa has held yet: mentor. Despite the stereotype, Lisa’s favorite conversations are with people, even though she speaks many computer languages.

QUOTES

• “[Being at Corning] made me realize that I liked doing things that had immediate gratification. I liked to know what was going to happen as soon as I thought up the idea.” - Lisa Chang [17:49]
• “I’m glad I did it [returning to school for her Master’s Degree] though, it’s probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Once you’ve tasted having ‘free time’ [...] and then you go back to school full time - it’s very challenging.” - Lisa Chang [22:43]
• “I think ‘likability’ plays into a woman’s career much more than men. I was not raised as a people pleaser, but despite that, even as an engineer I always felt that while at work I had to focus on ‘do people like me?’ because they wouldn’t listen to me; if I spoke up too much it was threatening, I had a narrow amount of behavior that was acceptable as a woman.” - Shana Cosgrove [41:00]

TIMESTAMPS

• [00:04] Intro
• [01:34] Meet
• [01:39] Where Are You Today Professionally?
• [04:27] Leadership and Employee Retention
• [06:53] Chemical Engineering: What Does That Encompass?
• [09:05] Being a Minority Woman in a Male-Dominated Field
• [14:18] Higher Education at Cornell
• [15:10] Connection Between Chemical Engineering and Medical School
• [15:45] Asian Culture, Expectation and Achievement
• [16:55] Optical Networks at Corning
• [18:16] Going Back to School for Computer Science at Rice University
• [24:02] Post Graduate School and Began at Motorola in Austin, TX
• [27:59] The Road to Maryland
• [30:44] Staff Scientist at BBN
• [32:18] Leadership: Make or Break a Company
• [35:00] Favorite Part About CTO at Praxis
• [37:15] Personal Professional Successes
• [41:00] Juggling Being Assertive and Palatable as a Woman
• [44:40] Trying and Applying for Praxis: Second Time’s a Charm
• [48:48] 2 Pieces of Advice
• [52:26] Book Recommendations
• [55:59] Surprising Fact About Lisa
• [57:29] Outro

RELEVANT LINKS

• Lisa Chang on LinkedIn
• Praxis Engineering
• Nyla Technology Solutions

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday.

Live well, Shana

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Self Improvement, Lifestyle, and Holistic Care.

In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove interviews Dr. Christina Parisi, MD, the Owner and Founder of Maryland Weight Care. Christina began her medical career in the Emergency Department in 2013. While she enjoyed the instant gratification of “fixing” and pivoting in a moment, she recognized the need for a better approach: preventing emergencies before they happen. Taking a leap of faith, pursued further education, becoming certified by the American Board of Obesity Medicine, and started her own practice. Christina focuses on addressing health issues in one's 30s and 40s to ensure a fulfilling life in one's 70s and 80s. A “recovering perfectionist” whose feet hit the ground at 5:02 each morning, Christina is driven to improve the quality of life for as many people as possible.

QUOTES

• “Medical providers running their practices is good for medicine because it aligns the practices with the incentives. The incentives are for the patients and the doctors, not for a business administrator.” - Christina Parisi [10:00]
• “When you start to understand how the body works when it comes to weight, you realize it’s less about blaming yourself for your failure and more about biology.” - Christina Parisi [17:17]
• “The ‘best diet’ that you can do is the diet you can stick to, the diet that works for you.” - Christina Parisi [36:28]

TIMESTAMPS

• [00:04] Intro
• [01:34] Meet
• [02:00] Start of the Day, Family Dynamics and Workload
• [03:46] Professional Life - Today
• [04:51] Transition from ER to Private Practice
• [07:39] Continued Education in Obesity Medicine
• [09:13] Reaction to Transition to Private Practice
• [10:53] Starting Her Practice - Business Administration and Economics
• [15:24] Engagement and Focus of Practice
• [17:52] Baseline Testing for Patient Metabolic Data
• [20:43] Physiologic Measurements Indicating Health
• [24:21] Benefits of Exercise
• [27:02] Medical Weight Loss Drugs
• [31:25] Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro Trends
• [36:14] Intermittent Fasting
• [38:02] Maryland Weight Care Grand Opening
• [39:01] Branding and Outreach, Client Retention and Referral
• [39:33] Bariatric Surgery and Today’s Treatment Plans
• [40:46] Social Media Presence
• [41:36] Childhood Goals and Today’s Achievements
• [43:36] Higher Education Path
• [45:17] Best Piece of Advice
• [46:35] Book Recommendations
• [49:19] Unexpected Fact
• [54:25] Outro

RELEVANT LINKS

• Christina Parisi on LinkedIn
• @mdweightcare on Instagram
• Nyla Technology Solutions

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday.

Live well, Shana

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Advocacy, Freedom, and Finding Your Voice.

In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Kassie Sandacz, CEO for Voices for Vets. Kassie, a trained vocalist, was encouraged by her government teacher to visit Charlotte Hall Veterans Home to sing for vets when she was a senior in high school. Although she was focused on her math studies and didn't go at that time, years later she remembered the request and decided to give it a try. That one afternoon changed her life forever. Through the magic of music, she touches the hearts and minds of veterans in memory care facilities across the country, often reigniting a spark within them that was thought to be long extinguished. When she's not at her full-time job or doing her Peloton workouts, you can find Kassie traveling across America, singing songs of yesteryear and bringing joy to those who dedicated their lives to our freedom!

QUOTES

• “Music is Magic!” - Kassie Sandacz [13:30]
• “The thing I’ve learned over the years is letting go.” - Kassie Sandacz [35:00]
• “Keep going. There are definitely going to be roadblocks, things aren’t always going to go the way you want them to; it’s not the way you handle things out of a situation, it’s about how you handle things in a situation.” - Kassie Sandacz [42:50]

TIMESTAMPS

• [00:04] Intro
• [01:34] Meet
• [01:40] How Shana and Kassie Met
• [02:11] Connecting Over Lunch
• [06:11] Mission of Voices of Vets
• [08:41] Three Major Components of Voices of Vets
• [10:30] More Than Pictures
• [12:28] Connecting to Vets Through Music
• [14:28] Origins of Organization
• [18:40] What Turned Voices of Vets into a 503c Non-Profit
• [20:01] Veteran Homes Across USA - By the Numbers
• [21:40] Voices of Vets Performances
• [22:42] You’re A Grand Old Flag
• [24:59] Growing Voices of Vets From a Pet Project to an Organization
• [28:37] Singing Throughout a Lifetime
• [31:41] Favorite Non-Patriotic Song to Perform
• [32:16] Practice and Preparation for Musicians
• [33:35] Voiceraisers
• [34:24] Working Full Time While Growing Voices of Vets
• [36:28] Proud Moment of Performances
• [42:47] What Would You Tell Your Younger Self?
• [42:30] Book Recommendations
• [44:55] Interesting Facts about Kassie
• [48:45] Outro

RELEVANT LINKS

• Kassie Sandacz
• Voices of Vets
• Voices of Vets LinkedIn
• More Than Pictures Original Song
• Nyla Technology Solutions

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday.

Live well, Shana

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Mindfulness, Connection, and Inner Work.

In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Krista Crawford, Ph.D., MBA, SPHR, Vistage Chair. Krista is the first member in many generations to attend college, a fact she credits to her Grandma. She uses this thirst for knowledge and teaching to shape her approach at Vistage. With a background in HR, Krista views interpersonal conflict as an opportunity to identify root causes and generate creative solutions. By fostering trust, connection, and vulnerability, she breaks down barriers, both internal and external, that universally impact leaders. Krista understands that putting on your own oxygen mask first doesn’t only apply on an airplane: you cannot pour from an empty cup.

QUOTES

• “At the CE level, we don’t have anyone else in the room that is from your same industry. You hear from people who are not in your industry have your same issues; the way you apply them is different. There is some comfort in knowing you’re not alone.” - Krista Crawford [07:32]
• “The more you connect, the more you can feel comfortable and then be vulnerable. Those periods of vulnerability are where the real growth can happen. You have to stretch before you can grow.” - Krista Crawford [19:24]
• “If you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far go together” - Shana Cosgrove [27:30]

TIMESTAMPS

• [00:04] Intro
• [01:34] Meet Krista Crawford
• [02:58] Current Role as Vistage Chair
• [07:07] Benefit of Investing in a Vistage Group
• [09:04] Before and After: Business Growth with Vistage
• [12:12] Krista’s Experience with Vistage
• [18:19] Issue Processing
• [22:02] Vulnerability
• [24:42] Vulnerability Prompts
• [29:48] Making the Best Choice from Bad Choices
• [32:23] Personal and Wellness
• [33:41] Consistency in Vistage
• [38:18] Krista’s Academic Pedigree
• [41:28] Conflict Resolution
• [44:00] Clarity of Expectations and Job Descriptions
• [47:50] Breathe
• [50:54] A Proud Career Moment for Krista
• [52:44] Book Recommendations
• [55:24] How Krista Became a Vistage Chair
• [58:00] Outro

RELEVANT LINKS

• Krista Crawford on LinkedIn
• Vistage Worldwide, Inc.
• Nyla Technology Solutions

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday.

Live well, Shana

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Bootstraps, Trusting the Process, and Innovation.

In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Christine McDannell, entrepreneur and principal business intermediary at The Magnolia Firm. Christine was born with the unique gift to innovate, expand, and create. Starting at 23 years old, she (quite literally) rolled her sleeves up and got to work, turning her ambitions into an entrepreneurial streak that has exited 60 businesses in 20 years. Christine breaks down what the fundamentals of entrepreneurship are and what each unique business has taught her. From San Diego to Dubai, Christine has spent her life taking the leap and building her parachute as she falls!

QUOTES

• “My first business was a cleaning company; it was very bootstrapped with only $300. [...] I was cleaning houses for a year and a half everyday and bartending at night to pay my bills. Then, grew it to the largest privately owned cleaning business in San Diego.” - Christine McDannell [02:50]
• “There’s a debate on whether entrepreneurs are born or if you can become one. People who are willing to take high risks make perfect entrepreneurs; if you’re super conservative it’s very difficult to be a successful entrepreneur.” - Christine McDannell [12:00]
• “The fortune is in the follow up. [...] People are so busy these days: myself included. ” - Christine McDannell [28:11]

TIMESTAMPS

• [00:04] Intro
• [01:34] Meet Christine McDannell
• [02:50] Humble Beginnings - $300 and a Vacuum
• [05:51] Exiting Companies: Perspective Then vs. Now
• [08:49] Transitioning from Christmas Trees to Wellness Industry
• [11:31] The Iceberg: Success Is Only the Tip
• [13:48] Current Day Job: The Magnolia Firm
• [15:58] Innovate an Industry
• [17:34] Budgeting Daily Life While Continuously Reinvesting
• [23:07] Finding Companies Ready to Sell and Companies Ready to Acquire
• [26:26] Software Tools Used at The Magnolia Firm
• [30:43] Social Media Influence on Sales and Marketing
• [33:33] The Hustle
• [36:05] Recommended Reads
• [38:08] Find Your Tribe
• [40:10] Outro

RELEVANT LINKS

• Christine McDannell on LinkedIn
• The Magnolia Firm
• Nyla Technology Solutions

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday.

Live well, Shana

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National Security, Integrity, and Self-Advocacy.

In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Sue Gordon, former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence (DDNI), Deputy Director of National Geospatial Agency (NGA), and Director within Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Sue begins by sharing how losing her career as a civilian in National Security became the catalyst for her future. Next, Sue speaks to a life inside in the CIA and how the CIA values performance over pedigree. A common thread connecting her talking points is the skill of critical thinking and decision making. Sue Gordon’s professional trajectory defied logic, landing her in top government appointments and it all began with a Bachelor’s in Zoology.

QUOTES

• “I think there probably is a piece of wanting to figure out how to contribute when I’m the structure … I think I’m good at advice; I think I’m great at building.” - Sue Gordon [06:21]
• “The best lesson I learned that I could have missed was early in my career … My second job moved me out of technical analysis into space policy. I had to learn to ‘do’ something, not ‘talk’ something.” - Sue Gordon [19:05]
• “By that point, my children were 13 and 9 and it became obvious that my 13 year old in particular was starting to make some terrible decisions. I’m an ‘in’ or ‘out’ person and I didn’t know how to anymore be as good of a mom and as good of an Intelligence Officer as I wanted to be – so I chose the one that only I could be.” - Sue Gordon [48:45]

TIMESTAMPS

• [00:04] Intro
• [01:34] Meet Sue Gordon
• [03:10] Losing Her Career As Intelligence Officer
• [08:26] Appointment to Deputy Director of National Intelligence
• [10:51] Majoring in Zoology
• [17:25] Significance of Working in National Security
• [18:54] Important Foundational Universal Professional Skills in Early Career
• [23:42] Women Are Frequently Pushed Out of Technical Positions into Speaking/Management Positions
• [28:08] Benefits of Being Your Own Harshest Critic
• [31:33] Job Specific Roles: Director vs. Deputy Director of National Intelligence
• [39:50] Effective Perspectives to Implement Change
• [42:19] Agile Decision Making
• [48:26] Taking 8 Continuous Years Off of Work
• [51:33] Coming Back to the CIA in 2007
• [55:10] Being Comfortable Being in the Front
• [59:31] How To Get Better at Making Decisions
• [1:06:32] Decision-Making As a Group
• [1:07:11] Personally/Professionally Impactful Books
• [1:09:48] Lesser Known Fact About Sue Gordon
• [1:10:47] Outro

RELEVANT LINKS

• Sue Gordon on LinkedIn
• Nyla Technology Solutions

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday.

Live well, Shana

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Your quick, to the point, podcast.

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Your quick, to the point, podcast.

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Your quick, to the point, podcast.

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Your quick, to the point, podcast.

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Your quick, to the point, podcast.

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Family, Hard Work, and Quality Time.

In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to her son, William Cosgrove, Founder of Cool Kids Inc.. William shares that spending time with his mother was the number one reason he wanted to be on the podcast. William runs Cool Kids Inc. with his sister, and he discusses their unique roles within the company as well as their origin story. He details everything that he’s involved with from school to sports to hikes with his family. Lastly, William tells us what being a first class citizen means to him and how his mom has worked towards the goal of giving him the best life possible.

QUOTES

• “History just intrigues me. I find it fascinating, the way of life and how the modern days came to be.” - William Cosgrove [09:22]
• “A first class citizen is: if you see trash you pick it up; if someone’s in danger you call someone or help them up; if someone fell you help them up; if a grandma is struggling to walk up a flight of stairs, you help her.” - William Cosgrove [15:50]
• “[Speaking to his mom] You’ve taught me that you’ve done everything you can to give me the best life possible, a better life than you ever had. You told me that a parent’s goal is to give their kid a better life than they had.” - William Cosgrove [26:55]

TIMESTAMPS

• [00:04] Intro
• [01:34] Meet William Cosgrove
• [04:18] Running Cool Kids Inc. With his Sister
• [07:46] Going to School
• [13:33] Lessons William has Learned From his Mom and School
• [17:50] William’s Sports
• [22:59] Describing his Mom
• [27:50] William’s Takeaway
• [29:08] Outro

RESOURCES

• Outspoken Episode with William’s Grandfather, Arthur Schwartz
• Outspoken Episode with William’s Father, Brian Cosgrove
• Outspoken Episode with Dana Ledyard
• Outspoken Episode with Christie Getman
• The Stock Market Game for Students
• University of Virginia (UVA)
• Secret Societies at UVA?
• Bolton Hill

RELEVANT LINKS

• Nyla Technology Solutions

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday.

Live well, Shana

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Burnout, Impostor Syndrome, and Seeking Help.

In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Kathleen Fanone, psychotherapist and co-founder of the Baltimore Center for Psychotherapy. Kathleen tells Shana about building her career through a Master’s in Social Work program at Smith College, doing further training at Walter Reed and Johns Hopkins before founding a group practice with a business partner. Shana and Kathleen talk about what’s really behind burnout and discuss ways for thinking through impostor syndrome. Kathleen reminds us that every important relationship involves hard work, and she and Shana discuss the continuing need to destigmatize mental health care. Kathleen celebrates gentle, loving curiosity in the work of therapy. And she says that sometimes—even in a therapy session—it just makes sense to drop an F-bomb.

QUOTES

• “One of the things that I explore first is what are all of the aspects of someone’s life that’s actually contributing to the burnout. While work may be at the forefront […] what are all of the things in someone’s life that are tugging on them? - Kathleen Fanone [17:15]
• “If part of what happens is your perfectionism elicits shame, which is super common […] chances are you would shift into another job, demand 110% from yourself, and find yourself right back in the same position.” - Kathleen Fanone [23:37]
• “Where along the way did they get the message that they’re not enough?….You have this really confident part that you can step into when you have your work hat on, that you project confidence and expertise […] And then when you get home you’re not always in that part.” - Kathleen Fanone [31:20]
• “It is hard to take a step back and to step out and think, ‘This is not the sum of all of my parts’ […] Is there something that I need to be accountable for in this, and what of this belongs to the other person?” - Kathleen Fanone [37:58]

TIMESTAMPS

• [00:04] Intro
• [01:34] Meet Kathleen Fanone
• [03:23] Unpacking the Labels: Psychotherapists and Psychotherapy
• [05:51] Helping with Trauma: Knowing When to Push on the Gas and When to Hit the Brakes
• [09:49] Relating to That Wish to Be Done
• [12:45] Everyone Can Benefit from Working with a Therapist
• [17:45] Identifying What’s Behind Burnout: What Is On Your Plate?
• [20:18] Is There a Magic Wand for Burnout? Internal and External Factors
• [22:39] When Perfectionism is the Problem
• [29:05] Thinking Through the “isms,” Getting Past Impostor Syndrome
• [36:36] Seeing What Belongs to You—and What Does Not
• [42:55] Success in (and out of) Relationships and Partnerships
• [48:07] On Leaving the DMV for Smith College, Walter Reed, and Johns Hopkins
• [57:08] Destigmatizing the Ask for Help
• [59:10] Outro

RELEVANT LINKS

• Kathleen Fanone at the Baltimore Center for Psychotherapy
• Nyla Technology Solutions

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday.

Live well, Shana

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Your quick, to the point, podcast.

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Your quick, to the point, podcast.

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Planning, Resilience, and Honesty.

In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Garrett Yee, Vice President and General Manager at General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT). Garrett talks about his transition to the private sector after 35 years with the U.S. Army, serving in the Middle East and ultimately as Deputy Director of the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). He recalls learning perseverance after a difficult early-life experience—getting kicked out of Navy ROTC in his freshman year for poor grades—and then starting over with the Army. He talks about learning how important it is for leaders to keep smiling and about his efforts to stay honest and open. Garrett tells Shana his early vision for his life was that he’d grow up to be a teacher and a park ranger and says he’s now back in nature following his passion for photographing birds.

QUOTES

• “When things are important to us, we find the time to do it. So why wouldn’t we find the time to plan for the next phase? . . . People in the military in particular are known for planning.” - Garrett Yee [05:21]
• “We try so hard to do everything and be everything and be perfect and we just fall short. That’s just the way it is. We just can’t do it all.” - Garrett Yee [15:49]
• “You choose to do what you do, and therefore you accept that challenges are part of the deal. But that’s not going to stop you from enjoying what you’re doing.” - Garrett Yee [29:13]

TIMESTAMPS

• [00:04] Intro
• [01:34] Meet Garrett Yee
• [02:59] On Transition Planning
• [07:28] Life Happens: From Navy ROTC to the Army
• [11:38] Tough Times Lead to Resilience
• [13:05] Marrying Young, Starting a Family, and Feeling Behind
• [18:25] Starting in Signal, Ending at DISA
• [21:50] DISA’s Core Mission: Transport, Connectivity, Cybersecurity
• [25:52] Training the Next Generation at GDIT
• [29:10] Smiling in the Photos
• [33:19] Staying Honest and Accessible
• [35:15] Losing a Family Member, Talking about Mental Health
• [40:23] Career High Point: Deployed to the Middle East in 2014
• [42:17] What’s Your Leave-Behind? Treating Every Job as Your Last
• [46:20] Sharing Copies of the Constitution
• [49:33] When Your Family Is Happy
• [51:57] Great Leaders Know What’s Good for the Organization
• [55:26] Outro

RELEVANT LINKS

• Garrett Yee on LinkedIn
• @garrettyee66 on Instagram
• Nyla Technology Solutions

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday.

Live well, Shana

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Your quick, to the point, podcast

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Leadership, STEM, and Social Problem-Solving.

In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Violet Apple, CEO at Girl Scouts of Central Maryland. Violet tells Shana about her thirty-year career with the Girl Scouts, working with the 111-year-old organization as it has moved its focus from informal education and service to leadership and action. Violet describes introducing new Girl Scout STEM programs, working with Johns Hopkins to teach healthy eating and exercise in schools, and introducing girls to women leaders in STEM. She stresses the Girl Scouts’ commitment to sustainable action that addresses inequity, and she shares with Shana the joys of reading for pleasure and winning at recreational softball.

QUOTES

• “You do get better, I think. You get more seasoned, so that you’re not sweating the small stuff.” - Violet Apple [02:25]
• “Some days it feels heavy. [...] It’s a heavy lift when we hear about some of the things that children are going through. But there is this resiliency in girls and in the Girl Scout organization. And I lean on that. Because it may not happen; I may not see it today. But tomorrow I will.” - Violet Apple [46:21]
• “I would love to see every girl coming out of college—or even before—have a mentor. And I’m talking about someone who’s going to challenge you, someone who’s going to be in your corner, someone who’s going to talk you through what your career path can look like. Not talk you into something, but talk you through.” - Violet Apple [50:08]

TIMESTAMPS

• [00:04] Intro
• [01:37] Meet Violet Apple
• [03:15] Girl Scouts Is a Leadership Development Organization
• [06:23] The Cookie Sale: From Fundraiser to Youth Entrepreneurship
• [11:10] Top Seller Lessons: Look Them in the Eye, Always Say Thank You
• [16:28] Own the Experience That You Have
• [19:22] Learning by Doing
• [22:21] STEM and Girl Scouts: Robotics and Think Like a Programmer
• [25:57] Camping with Girl Scouts in the Twenty-First Century
• [31:35] Healthy Living in Schools: Addressing Inequity
• [36:51] Thin Mints Still the Favorite
• [41:06] A Long Career with the Girl Scouts
• [46:54] Distinguished Women
• [49:34] Advice to Young Professional Women: Have a Mentor
• [51:10] Reading (and Listening) for Pleasure and Laughter
• [56:38] Outro

RELEVANT LINKS

• Violet M. Apple on LinkedIn
• Nyla Technology Solutions

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday.

Live well, Shana

Send your resume to hello@nyla.io

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Information, Transformation, and Mission.

In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Lauren Knausenberger, Chief Information Officer at the Department of the Air Force, about guiding the Air Force and Space Force in the rapidly expanding endeavors of enterprise IT, cybersecurity, data and AI. Lauren talks about how “missing the mission” pulled her into the Air Force in 2017 after a successful stint as an entrepreneur. Lauren expresses her conviction that “the family is a team”—whatever form that family takes—and she admires the Air Force tradition where families make career decisions together. Lauren shares how her martial arts training taught her the importance of getting back up and reveals her occasional joy in dressing down (though always sporting a blazer) amidst the formal work environment of the Pentagon's E-ring.

QUOTES

• “I also had a rule as an entrepreneur that if I didn’t want to drink a beer with you, I wasn’t doing business with you [...] You have to be able to look someone in the eye and know that a handshake means something even before a contract would.” - Lauren Knausenberger [14:09]
• “If you asked every stakeholder in your life, ‘What is the most important thing that I can do for you, and what are the things that you don’t care about?’ and if you could get an honest answer, [...] how much time do you get back? How often do you knock yourself out trying to meet an expectation that maybe someone doesn’t even have of you?” - Lauren Knausenberger [19:49]
• “I’ve never not felt empowered anywhere, even when I probably wasn’t. No matter what the job was, I was going to crush that job. [...] I really didn’t care who got credit for it, I was going to make a difference.” - Lauren Knausenberger [48:39]

TIMESTAMPS

• [00:04] Intro
• [01:34] Meet Lauren Knausenberger
• [06:06] Running Hard: Working as a Civilian at the Pentagon
• [09:32] Post-Pentagon Plans
• [13:28] Adding Value While Raising Young Children
• [14:38] Falling into the Air Force by Accident
• [17:39] The Career and Family Arc: Beautiful Time and Prioritizing Ruthlessly
• [22:12] Keeping Yourself in Balance
• [27:32] Intelligence Community at 17, then Decision and Information Sciences
• [40:45] An Innovation Ecosystem: Just What Did Lauren Sketch on That Napkin?
• [48:12] Turnarounds: Fixing and Growing Programs
• [53:40] Collaboration in the Era of Zero Trust
• [57:34] Measuring Product Success and User Experience in the DoD
• [1:02:44] Supporting the Mission
• [1:05:13] Books to Read
• [1:08:14] Making Missteps, Remembering Recovery, and Building Empathy
• [1:15:01] Outro

RELEVANT LINKS

• Lauren Knausenberger on LinkedIn
• Lauren Knausenberger biography on SAF/CN
• Nyla Technology Solutions

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday.

Live well, Shana

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Engineering, Creativity, and Confidence.

In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Latisha (Tish) Rourke, Vice President, Cyber & Intelligence & General Manager at Lockheed Martin. Tish tells Shana about her leadership role at Lockheed Martin and offers good advice about selecting in for challenging work. She describes being “a unicorn”—a woman studying electrical engineering—and explains what mentoring looks like when you’re in a field that’s still only 20% women. Tish talks about her long and varied career at Lockheed Martin, where she has worked dockside on submarine systems, in business development, as a program manager, as a systems engineer, and then even developing software with assembly code. She shares with Shana her passions for reading Tom Clancy and binge-watching Jack Ryan and explains why as a person working in a team-driven industry she turns to the lost art of quilting when she really wants a solo project.

QUOTES

• “I encourage people to take risks, to take chances. You’ve proven yourself up to this point, and your organization’s going to believe in you. And if it doesn’t work out, hey, we’re a big organization and we’re going to find another role for you.” - Latisha Rourke [09:00]
• “In school you’re rewarded for doing the job by yourself and solidifying that knowledge individually. In industry you’re rewarded for getting something done efficiently. And if somebody has already solved 50% of your problem and you get that solution from them [...] and you get it done in half the time, you’re rewarded for that.”- Latisha Rourke [17:22]
• “Don’t just think about the next job. Have a much larger, longer view so that you make sure that the steps that you take in your career path don’t derail you from getting to the job you ultimately want.” - Latisha Rourke [36:54]

TIMESTAMPS

• [00:04] Intro
• [01:34] Meet Tish Rourke
• [04:02] Moving up and Moving over from Electronic Warfare to Cyber & Intelligence
• [07:52] Learn to “Self-Select in” for Leadership Roles
• [12:09] Surround Yourself with People Who Cover Your Gaps
• [13:40] In the 20%: Being a Woman Studying Electrical Engineering
• [17:04] Problems, Problem Sets, and Learning to Work with a Team
• [20:34] From College to a Career at Lockheed Martin
• [22:04] How the Customer Really Is Right
• [25:38] Finding Breadth of Opportunity within the Organization
• [28:42] Building Skills in a Stretch Position
• [32:51] Mentoring and the Value of Mid-Course Corrections
• [35:58] Advice to Young Engineers
• [37:47] Be Calm and Confident, But Recognize You Might Be Wrong
• [42:28] On Crucial Conversations in the Office and at Home
• [48:26] Reaching out to Students: Lockheed Martin’s CYBERQUEST and CodeQuest
• [52:39] Outro

RELEVANT LINKS

• Latisha Rourke on LinkedIn
• Nyla Technology Solutions

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday.

Live well, Shana

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Technology, Timing, and the Metaverse.

In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Dr. Corinna (Cori) Lathan, Chief Science Officer at DANA Brain Vital, about her current role and her two decades as founder and CEO of AnthroTronix. Cori tells Shana about how she pursued her interests in neuroscience and human space flight into lab jobs (the “vomit comet”) and then a PhD in Neuroscience and an MS in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT (in that order). They discuss her decision to leave a tenured university position to start up AnthroTronix, and Cori retells the company’s history of groundbreaking inventions, moving from educational robotics to designing VR experiments for the International Space Station to making “sensors for soldiers.” Cori talks about how she wrote her 2022 book, Inventing the Future: Stories from a Techno-Optimist, as a legacy memoir of her company, as an inspiration to younger generations, and as a way to honor the memory of her parents. She tells Shana that we are already living in the metaverse, urges listeners to make STEM a creative endeavor again, and remembers when her fifth-grade classmates voted her “most likely to go to Mars.”

QUOTES

• “I think we’re going to move in and out of the physical-digital convergence. ‘Physical-digital convergence’ is how I think of the metaverse. And It’s going to be a spectrum of technologies, and it’s going to be a spectrum of uses, and it’s going to be pervasive. Our day will be moving in and out of this physical-digital continuum.” - Cori Lathan [13:05]
• “Call it whatever you want. Get the tools you need to get [things] done. . . . If you need to have the label, you can always tack the label on.” - Cori Lathan [48:23]
• “We very much have done ourselves a disservice by making math the end-all, be-all. . . . I happen to love math and I happen to have been good at it. If I hadn’t, I would have been completely steered out of a STEM career.” - Cori Lathan [50:19]

TIMESTAMPS

• [00:04] Intro
• [01:34] Meet Cori Lathan
• [04:30] Writing the Stories of AnthroTronix’s Inventions
• [09:35] Emerging Technologies That Improve Human Performance
• [12:12] Living in the Metaverse? How Pervasive AR/VR Will Be
• [14:32] Finding the Authentic as New-Generation Digital Natives
• [16:49] On Tech and Timing: When Technology Meets Market Readiness
• [21:42] Starting up AnthroTronix
• [27:45] Winning a National Science Foundation SBIR Grant
• [29:10] From Disability Product Development to DARPA
• [34:07] Growing Up Fearless, Inventing a College Major at Swarthmore
• [40:50] Researching Human Space Flight, Earning a Neuroscience PhD at MIT
• [48:15] Find Cool Projects with Cool People
• [51:36] Maker Spaces: Let’s Change the Way We Do STEM Education
• [57:58] Outro

RELEVANT LINKS

• Cori Lathan on LinkedIn
• Cori Lathan at Outspoken Agency
• Nyla Technology Solutions

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday.

Live well, Shana

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Creativity, Collaboration, and Staying Collected.

In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Kristen Parks, Owner and Chief Creative Officer at Eleven Peppers Studios. Kristen shares the challenges and excitement of being a creative professional in the world of government contracting, emphasizing the importance of creative engagement as a "have-to-have." She recounts the journey of founding a creative services company that delivers a wide range of solutions, from UX to branding and marketing. Kristen sheds light on the collaborative structure at Eleven Peppers, highlighting the value of stepping back and allowing others to create exceptional work. She underscores the significance of scheduling—even for breakfast—in maintaining a work-life balance, and she smiles at the younger self who thought a two-hour commute on the DC Metro Orange Line was a good idea.

QUOTES

• “The business is kind of a baby in itself . . . especially in the beginning. Right now it feels like a third child.” - Kristen Parks [17:10]
• “I rely on relationships of all kinds to kind of support that mentorship piece. Like I wouldn’t say I have one mentor. I would say I have a lot of confidence in colleagues that I trust . . . . I have different pieces that make up the puzzle of a mentor.” - Kristen Parks [30:25]
• “I would just say don’t be afraid to let us in. Don’t look at it as an added expense, an extra, a ‘nice to have,’ if we have it in the budget. . . . Look at it as a ‘have to have.’ Just as much as you need an engineer, you need a creative person, because it’s like two superpowers combined.” - Kristen Parks [42:04]

TIMESTAMPS

• [00:04] Intro
• [01:34] Meet Kristen Parks
• [04:33] Mixing It Up: Working with Government and Commercial Clients
• [08:32] Seeing an Opportunity, Starting Eleven Peppers
• [12:53] Building an Entrepreneurial Perspective
• [16:45] Blending in Family
• [21:10] Education in Visual Communications Design and Graphic Design
• [27:27] Pushing Back on “Don’t Be Too Creative!”
• [29:18] Putting Together the Pieces of the Mentorship Puzzle
• [33:29] Stepping Back to Watch the Team Create Amazing Things
• [37:11] Being Proud When People Choose–and Stay with–Eleven Peppers
• [38:19] Learning Lessons and Managing Stress
• [41:09] For the Engineers: Welcoming Creativity, Marrying Art and Technology
• [45:52] Looking at Yourself . . . and Making Sure You Know Your Own Lane
• [53:11] Outro

RELEVANT LINKS

• Kristen Parks on LinkedIn
• Bryan Parks on LinkedIn
• Nyla Technology Solutions
• Eleven Peppers
• Eleven Peppers on Instagram

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday.

Live well, Shana

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Mentorship, Trailblazing, and Financial Confidence.

In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Meena Nankani, Vice President at J.P. Morgan Private Bank. Meena shares how her mother's experience with money after her father's death inspired her to enter the banking space and help clients feel secure in their finances. As a black woman in finance, Meena discusses the challenges and rewards of navigating the industry and serving as a role model. She details the various offerings of JPMorgan Chase & Co, emphasizing that money shouldn't be intimidating and that facing it head-on makes it more manageable. From individual assistance to comprehensive wealth management solutions, Meena explains how J.P. Morgan supports its clients. Lastly, she offers advice to young professionals, talks about building her network, and reveals her shared love for Formula 1 with her daughter.

QUOTES

• “My father passed away when he was 63. And when my mom had to deal with finances for the first time, she was very uncomfortable with all of the decisions. [...] She was very nervous throughout the experience, and I think that almost solidified the work that I do now, because I wanted to make sure that you feel comfortable. [12:29]
• “What we like to say is that there’s a place for everyone within J.P. Morgan Chase [...] From if you walk into a branch and you want to open a personal or business account; or if you are at a point of inflection; or if you just want to have day-to-day banking or day-to-day business and you want to work with an individual. At any level and at any type, there’s always the right fit, so we just want to help where we can.” - Meena Nankani [44:06]
• “I like a challenge. And I, sort of like this idea of, let's get messy, let's figure it out. [...] It's not gonna be pretty at the outset, but you learn from everything along the way, right? And so if you're scared of it and you sort of shy away from it, then you're doing yourself a disservice.” - Meena Nankani [47:13]

TIMESTAMPS

• [00:04] Intro
• [01:34] Meet Meena Nankani
• [06:37] The Emotional Component of Money
• [18:06] Becoming a Banker
• [28:43] Meena’s Time as an Analyst
• [37:27] Shifting from a Hedge Fund to Private Banking
• [42:29] Chase Wealth Management Compared to J.P. Morgan Private Bank
• [46:37] Getting Educated About Wealth Management
• [49:10] Meena’s Experience as a Black Woman in Banking
• [54:59] Book Recommendations
• [56:55] Meena’s Advice to Her Younger Self
• [59:04] Meena and her Daughter’s Love for Formula 1
• [01:00:33] Outro

RELEVANT LINKS

• Meena Nankani on LinkedIn
• JPMorgan Chase & Co
• Nyla Technology Solutions

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday.

Live well, Shana

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Presence, Ambition, and Balance.

In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Frankie Velez, President of Praxis Engineering, a General Dynamics Information Technology (GD-IT) company working to support U.S. military and intelligence agencies in solving complex problems. Frankie tells Shana about growing up between Puerto Rico, Connecticut, and Florida, then choosing to join the Navy which led to his start in intelligence. Frankie talks about the path he took to reach his current leadership position at Praxis and discusses with Shana the shift in perspective that goes with moving up from project management—where technical proficiency is paramount—to executive roles—where critical thinking and communicating with team members become vitally important. He explains how he knew he wanted to be a company president, how he learned to seek balance and develop a ‘leadership compass’ along the way, and how it all might have turned out differently if, as a long-haired teenage surfer, he had accepted that invite to train for Pro-Am competition.

QUOTES

• “I always, always, always run my decisions through my team—specifically, my immediate leaders. Because I want to make sure that I’m putting my best foot forward and I want to make sure that I’ve thought through the risk. There’s no way I can have all the answers, so I have to depend on my team.” - Frankie Velez [27:24]
• “What makes you happy? You need to focus on that. Because your better self is never going to be what you bring forth if you’re not happy. If you’re living for somebody else, or for something else, or for some ideal that’s not what you really believe in, it doesn’t help you.” - Frankie Velez [37:29]
• “I publish my [leadership compass] and I put myself on notice. In other words, ‘Here are my expectations, here is what I expect from you, and here is how I am going to lead you to success [ . . . ] and you are more than welcome to hold me accountable if I am not living to those expectations.’” - Frankie Velez [33:45]

TIMESTAMPS

• [00:04] Intro
• [01:54] Meet Frankie Velez
• [04:51] On Being Present as the President of Praxis
• [08:39] From Boeing Intelligence to Praxis
• [11:18] Critical Thinking and the Executive Interview
• [14:08] Praxis as Industry Leader and Employee-Focused Entity
• [15:50] On Being a GDIT Subsidiary: Who Do We Want to Be?
• [18:58] Growing up in Connecticut, Puerto Rico, and Florida
• [21:54] Choosing the Navy, Building Knowledge and Networks Post-Retirement
• [25:30] On Stepping Stones and Ambition
• [29:50] Learning on and off the Job, Getting Past “Failing at Leadership”
• [32:49] Does Your Team Know What Your Expectations Are?
• [36:30] To Young People: Do What Makes You Happy
• [40:07] Pause and Make Change
• [43:45] Holding Yourself Accountable and Doing the Right Thing
• [48:53] Outro

RELEVANT LINKS

• Frankie Velez on LinkedIn
• Nyla Technology Solutions

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday.

Live well, Shana

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Collaborating, Gaming, and the STEM Talent Pipeline

In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Cynthia Jenkins, founder and CMO of Skillsgapp, maker of Skillionaire Games. Cynthia describes how her company is developing video games that school districts and industry leaders can use to teach middle and high school students about STEM careers in their local communities. Cynthia describes her training in journalism and advertising as well as her mid-career transition—together with collaborator Tina Zwolenski—from marketing to the world of gaming. Shana and Cynthia talk about the need for soft skills in every field and the increasing recognition that reaching and teaching kids earlier about opportunities in STEM is crucial to filling an anticipated 700,000 new tech jobs with industry and government employers. Cynthia says that, yes, sometimes you actually should go to bed angry, and she tells Shana a surprising story about a chance meeting with The Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood.

QUOTES

• “It’s a testament to this generation. They want to advocate for their own future, and they don’t want you to hide it.” - Cynthia Jenkins [27:01]
• “You spend a lot of time looking at what’s behind you, what’s behind you, what’s behind you. And it’s that pivot, looking right next to you all the way to the front, and that runway ahead of you.” - Cynthia Jenkins [32:57]
• “You shouldn’t have to rely on trust. Get everything in writing and legal [. . . ] Get it really buttoned up. And then you both are safe, you’ve already made the hard decisions, and then you just get to be partners.” - Cynthia Jenkins [36:45]

TIMESTAMPS

• [00:04] Intro
• [01:54] Meet Cynthia Jenkins
• [04:19] Connecting Kids to Life-Changing Careers Though Game-Changing Play
• [09:50] From Marketing to Making
• [13:44] Bringing Games to Schools and Industry
• [16:06] Getting Kids in the Game as Testers and as Players
• [19:18] Long Hours and Steep Learning Curves
• [24:14] Instructional Design for the Smartphone Generation
• [28:17] Having Fun at Work, Being the Funniest in the Room
• [32:11] Reaching and Teaching Kids Earlier
• [34:36] Collaborating with Tina Zwolenski in Zwo and Beyond
• [36:46] First, Get It in Writing
• [39:54] Sleep on a Problem, Wake up with a Fresh Perspective
• [41:06] Doing Hard Things and Inspiring a New Generation
• [46:39] On Kissing Ron Wood
• [51:50] Outro

RELEVANT LINKS

• Cynthia P. Jenkins on LinkedIn
• Nyla Technology Solutions
• Skillsgapp
• Skillionaire Games
• Cyber Watchdog

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday.

Live well, Shana

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Taking Time, Refining the Process, and Creating a Unicorn Farm

In this special episode of The Outspoken Podcast, Rebecca Scott of TallSmall Productions interviews podcast host Shana Cosgrove, founder and CEO of Nyla Technology Solutions. Shana describes how her goals changed over time: at first she’d hoped to climb the corporate ladder, and then she realized she could start a company of her own. Shana tells Rebecca the story of how she named her company after her mother, Nyla, creating a people-centered company rooted in the values that her mother lived by. She talks about navigating the uncertainties of the Covid-19 pandemic as a contractor in the defense sector, where remote work is common but security constraints mean “work from home” can’t work for every employee. Shana explains that she started Outspoken because she wanted to hear from female experts—and she reminds us that you don’t have to make every single sandwich to be a great mom.

QUOTES

• “I’m a huge risk-taker professionally. I never was attracted to going to the big companies. I was never attracted to the long-term stability of the company. I was always very interested in the work that was going to be done.” - Shana Cosgrove [15:26]
• “There’s an endless amount of work to be done, but not all of that is valuable. Sometimes you are gold-plating or making something better or making something bigger that doesn’t need to be done [. . .] It is really understanding the limits, which will force a prioritization of what needs to be done. And that’s why they say, ‘You want something done, you give it to a busy person.’” - Shana Cosgrove [34:19]
• “The best thing you can do is just really enjoy where you are and embrace all that’s good of where you are.” - Shana Cosgrove [53:23]

TIMESTAMPS

• [00:04] Intro
• [02:14] Meet Shana Cosgrove
• [04:18] On Understanding Business and Starting Nyla Technology Solutions
• [09:58] On Learning to Like the Defense Industry
• [13:20] Getting Ready to Launch
• [17:17] Just Know That You’ll Figure It Out
• [22:35] Naming for Values, Naming for a Woman
• [25:13] Navigating COVID-19 in a People-Centered Company
• [31:50] When to Wind Down . . . and When to Double Down
• [36:13] Nourishing Yourself While Managing a Company
• [39:36] Inviting Women to Be Outspoken
• [43:04] Making Money is Freedom
• [45:46] Envisioning Nyla’s Future
• [49:34] Raising Children While Running a Unicorn Farm
• [53:35] Winning Friends and Influencing People in Tech
• [57:16] Outro

RELEVANT LINKS

• Shana Cosgrove on LinkedIn
• TallSmall Productions
• Nyla Technology Solutions

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday.

Live well, Shana

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Taking Time, Refining the Process, and Creating a Unicorn Farm

In this special episode of The Outspoken Podcast, Rebecca Scott of TallSmall Productions interviews podcast host Shana Cosgrove, founder and CEO of Nyla Technology Solutions. Shana describes how her goals changed over time: at first she’d hoped to climb the corporate ladder, and then she realized she could start a company of her own. Shana tells Rebecca the story of how she named her company after her mother, Nyla, creating a people-centered company rooted in the values that her mother lived by. She talks about navigating the uncertainties of the Covid-19 pandemic as a contractor in the defense sector, where remote work is common but security constraints mean “work from home” can’t work for every employee. Shana explains that she started Outspoken because she wanted to hear from female experts—and she reminds us that you don’t have to make every single sandwich to be a great mom.

QUOTES

• “I’m a huge risk-taker professionally. I never was attracted to going to the big companies. I was never attracted to the long-term stability of the company. I was always very interested in the work that was going to be done.” - Shana Cosgrove [15:26]
• “There’s an endless amount of work to be done, but not all of that is valuable. Sometimes you are gold-plating or making something better or making something bigger that doesn’t need to be done [. . .] It is really understanding the limits, which will force a prioritization of what needs to be done. And that’s why they say, ‘You want something done, you give it to a busy person.’” - Shana Cosgrove [34:19]
• “The best thing you can do is just really enjoy where you are and embrace all that’s good of where you are.” - Shana Cosgrove [53:23]

TIMESTAMPS

• [00:04] Intro
• [02:14] Meet Shana Cosgrove
• [04:18] On Understanding Business and Starting Nyla Technology Solutions
• [09:58] On Learning to Like the Defense Industry
• [13:20] Getting Ready to Launch
• [17:17] Just Know That You’ll Figure It Out
• [22:35] Naming for Values, Naming for a Woman
• [25:13] Navigating COVID-19 in a People-Centered Company
• [31:50] When to Wind Down . . . and When to Double Down
• [36:13] Nourishing Yourself While Managing a Company
• [39:36] Inviting Women to Be Outspoken
• [43:04] Making Money is Freedom
• [45:46] Envisioning Nyla’s Future
• [49:34] Raising Children While Running a Unicorn Farm
• [53:35] Winning Friends and Influencing People in Tech
• [57:16] Outro

RELEVANT LINKS

• Shana Cosgrove on LinkedIn
• TallSmall Productions
• Nyla Technology Solutions

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday.

Live well, Shana

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Balancing, Pivoting, and Innovating Through Diversity

In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Jennifer Walsmith, Vice President of Cyber and Information Solutions at Northrop Grumman. Shana and Jennifer talk about the capacity for remote work to broaden access to decision-makers and increase organizational agility. Jennifer talks about her 20+ years at NSA—from a GS-2 to being the Senior Acquisition Executive (SAE)—and her experiences earning a degree in computer science, leaving government for a stint in industry, and prioritizing her family all along the way. She describes her role in relation to Northrop Grumman’s Global Ballistic Strategic Deterrent contract, developing and then seeing through their pivot to cyber solutions. Lastly, Jennifer tells Shana why she originally picked computer science over engineering and describes her surprise when a recent Meyers-Briggs test indicated that she may not be as extroverted as she thought.

QUOTES

• “As you go through a major change, they used to talk about it in the terms of sailing [ . . . ] When you decide to tack to get better wind, it’s so important that you not get caught in what is called irons, which is that lull as you are trying to move to the new wind. [ . . .] Races are won or lost not on the decision to tack, but the execution of that move.” - Jennifer Walsmith [12:48]
• “Trust is one of the most important things that you have to build. Trust is really the thing that comes after you’ve built all the relationships.” - Jennifer Walsmith [36:47]
• “I’m not convinced that more hours is more effective. You have to keep getting more effective with your time. You have to think about how you empower others around you, how you leverage that team. [ . . . ] It doesn’t have to be the 80-hour work week, and it doesn’t have to be the way we’ve always done it.” - Jennifer Walsmith [43:54]

TIMESTAMPS

• [00:04] Intro
• [01:56] Meet Jennifer Walsmith
• [07:02] Bridging Intelligence and Defense at Northrop Grumman
• [08:25] On the Cyber Segment of Global Ballistic Strategic Deterrent (GBSD)
• [11:24] Strategizing—and Executing—the Pivot to Cyber Solutions
• [15:51] NSA to SAIC, and Back to NSA
• [23:10] High Energy, the Drive to Achieve, and Following Family Passions
• [25:31] Choosing Computer Science over Engineering
• [30:03] Seven Jobs at NSA, All the Way to SAE (Senior Acquisition Executive)
• [36:47] Trust is the Key to Building a Strong Team
• [39:29] Being a Woman in Senior Leadership
• [43:40] Finding New Models for Leadership
• [46:39] Diversity of Thought Delivers Innovative Solutions
• [51:08] Be Brave, Have Courage, and Find a Job that Inspires You
• [56:04] Outro

RELEVANT LINKS

• Jennifer Walsmith on LinkedIn
• Nyla Technology Solutions

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday.

Live well, Shana

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Cyber Diversity, Running Heels, and Working Toward the Metaverse.

In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Angel Smith, PhD, Partner, Mission Solutions and Customer Expansion (MSCE) at Microsoft. Angel talks to Shana about how data and data cooperation matter in today’s changing security environment, where the U.S. must consider the potential for conflicts with peer (no longer “near-peer”) adversaries. She describes the career path that led her from a career in the Marines as a C-130 pilot to a Congressional staff role overseeing the Military Intelligence Program and most recently to Microsoft. Angel shares what it feels like to get a second chance at life after a cancer diagnosis at age 23, and she explains what a PhD in organizational psychology brings to conversations about building a future metaverse. She tells young people to trust in their capabilities and learn how to win friends and influence people.

QUOTES

• “If you think about it - the threats that are starting to come at us - we’re used to [being able to] clearly define an adversary space geographically. We knew where wars were taking place. The way that things work now is everything is global all the time, and we are starting to see the advantage is actually decision superiority: who can get as much information as possible to make the smartest real-time decision?” - Angel Smith [11:58]
• “One big takeaway was that service looks very different from a lot of different angles. And so I was working with people that had never served a day in their life in the military or anywhere else outside of tech, but they were some of the most incredible patriots I had ever met in my entire life. Some of the most brilliant people who were so, so, so dedicated to mission in such a passionate way. - Angel Smith [26:27]
• “There’s also this component of We’ve always done it this way, not realizing that we must evolve, because things are—everything around us is changing. We must change alongside that. We must continue to do things a little bit better. - Angel Smith [51:54]

TIMESTAMPS

• [00:04] Intro
• [01:54] Meet Angel Smith
• [05:01] Building Connections with Australia and the UK
• [08:01] Microsoft Mission Solutions: Data and Resiliency
• [12:31] Digital Action as Military Action
• [17:48] From Marine Corps to Microsoft and JEDI (and JWCC)
• [25:38] Post-Corps Culture Shock: From Combat Boots to Running Heels
• [30:42] Choosing the Marines and Surviving Cancer
• [37:05] Flying God’s Chariot (C-130s)
• [41:33] Using Deployment Downtime to Earn a PhD
• [48:41] Conversing about the Metaverse
• [1:01:56] Outro

RELEVANT LINKS

• Angel Smith on LinkedIn
• Nyla Technology Solutions

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday.

Live well, Shana

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Creativity, Technology, and Making Geek Chic

In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Julie Lenzer, Chief Innovation Officer at the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI). Julie talks about her early start in computer science and manufacturing and why she recently completed a master’s degree in machine learning alongside working a fulltime job. She discusses her work in the biotech sector at ARMI, where she has joined innovator Dean Kamen to support and scale new processes for tissue regeneration. Julie shares the story of starting and growing her own tech business—while parenting young children—and her commitment to women’s empowerment, including via a longtime leadership role with the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland. Together Shana and Julie celebrate summer camp as a special chance for girls to be in nature and build confidence, and Julie tells us about mostly saying yes to opportunity (including a chance to represent the U.S. on the G20 Innovation Task Force) and occasionally saying no (turning down a post-college invite to try out for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders).

QUOTES

• “Technology for itself? It is what it is. But if you look at its ability to change things and change the world? That’s what kept me going.” – Julie Lenzer [07:02]
• “I had read articles about the bias inherent—and bias, not algorithmic bias, but bias as in data bias—in machine learning and I wanted to understand what that meant. I wanted to understand how to avoid it [. . . ] How do we make sure that we’re not just supercharging our biases and our bad behavior into making faster bad decisions?” – Julie Lenzer [10:09]
• “Building a business isn’t rocket science, but a rocket scientist doesn’t know how to do it. I’m helping these brilliant scientists figure out how to raise capital, figure out how to attract a CEO [. . .] helping them figure out what’s their next milestone and how to get there.” – Julie Lenzer [17:29]

TIMESTAMPS

• [00:04] Intro
• [01:31] Meet Julie Lenzer
• [04:50] Computer Science and Being the Only Woman in the Room
• [09:57] Mastering Machine Learning and Managing Bias in AI
• [14:54] When Biofabrication Is Your Day Job
• [18:12] Choosing a Mission When You Can Do Anything You Want
• [19:55] Starting Your Own Company Before Age 30
• [24:38] Building Something Bigger Than Yourself
• [28:13] Knowing When to Walk Away
• [31:12] Building Girl Leaders Through Girl Scouts
• [38:02] Ignoring Old Programming
• [43:19] Taking Pride in Letting Teams Shine
• [46:23] On Failing and Lessons Learned
• [49:03] Writing about ParentPreneurship
• [53:20] Saying Yes to the G20 Innovation Task Force
• [1:00:03] Outro

RELEVANT LINKS

• Julie Lenzer on LinkedIn
• Nyla Technology Solutions

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday.

Live well, Shana

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Collaboration, Transparency, and Family Legacy.In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Bailey Bickley, Chief Strategy Officer for the NSA Cybersecurity Collaboration Center. Bailey discusses The NSA’s journey from a private organization to one that is now discussing cybersecurity publicly to help ensure online safety. Bailey’s family has been a part of The NSA for 3 generations, and Bailey explains why this family legacy is so important to her. She also explains SolarWinds and other hacking incidents, and why the mission of The NSA is so vital to protect the national interests of The United States. Lastly, Bailey reveals to us her favorite book, future TED talk topic, and the popular movie franchise that puts her to sleep! QUOTES “You want to build trust through transparency. Folks won’t take action on our cybersecurity guidance, unless they trust the source of that guidance.” - Bailey Bickley [05:32] “I realized very early on that my enthusiasm, my ability to connect with people was a skill. It wasn’t just a personality aspect, but it was something that I could leverage in the workplace to get the job done.” - Bailey Bickley [21:38] “If you don’t lean into identifying what you don’t understand and remediating that, you’ll only get so far. [...] Making sure you put the work in first, versus relying on other people to teach you, I think is really important.” - Bailey Bickley [38:00]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [01:31] Meet Bailey Bickley [05:01] The Shift into a Public-Facing NSA [14:42] SolarWinds Cybersecurity Incident [17:15] NSA’s Missions [21:01] How Bailey’s Personality Fits into NSA [24:07] Bailey’s Start with NSA [34:57] Mistakes and Moments of Failure [37:14] Advice for Young People [39:38] Bailey’s Book Recommendation [43:49] Bailey’s Surprising Fact [46:48] Outro

RELEVANT LINKS https://www.linkedin.com/in/bailey-bickley-b76196128/ (Bailey Bickley) on LinkedIn https://www.intelligencecareers.gov/nsa (Intelligencecareers.gov/nsa) https://nylatechnologysolutions.com/ (Nyla Technology Solutions)

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday. Live well, Shana

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Seeing Abundance, Supporting Women, and Shifting the Narrative.In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Nic Cober, Esq., Principal Managing Partner of CJR and founder of The BOW Collective. Nic describes her journey to and through serial entrepreneurship, from her unexpected first small business venture as owner of a hair salon and day spa to her current role as cofounder of a multi-million dollar legal and consulting firm based in Washington, DC. She talks about the joy she finds in working directly with small businesses and consulting with banks, municipalities, and others to support small-business owners. She shares how her new nonprofit venture, the Black Owner and Women’s Collective, came to be and how she got to ring the bell at the NYSE. Nic encourages women to support women-owned businesses and to realize that partnerships are power, and she has ideas for what to read even when you’re tired of reading. QUOTES  “What I realized and what I think has been my forever light bulb moment is whatever you had you can have again. Because I had the intellectual property to do it the first time. And so: OK, you’ve lost that, well, what did you do right? What relationships did you make? How can you repurpose your gifts in order to get it again?” - Nic Cober [13:35]  “I don’t see a lot of married CEO women that are able to have tremendous success personally and professionally without a truly supportive person. And when you own a business together, it stands to reason that it works because you both want it to work. You are both aligned. [. . .] We are both alpha personalities, but we do the beta. We do the beta dance.” - Nic Cober [35:16]  “Partnerships are the best key to success. It’s people. [. . .] If you don’t have a collaborative nature on how you can make your business a win-win and triangulate that, you won’t be successful. But if you do, you will always have advocates and allies out there that will come to your aid when you need it the most.” - Nic Cober [46:07]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [01:55] Meet Nic Cober [03:25] From Practicing Law to Owning a Small Business [11:50] From Running a Small Business to Advising Small Business Owners [14:22] Dealing with Adversity, Getting Past Fears [19:25] Consulting with Small Businesses [24.52] Narrowing vs. Broadening Your Business’s Appeal [26:40] On Partnerships, Relationships, and Inspiring Parents [33:40] Spouses Who Work Together and Marriages That Work [38:38] The BOW (Black Owner & Women’s) Collective [46:07] Partnerships Are the Secret to Success [51:31] On What to Read Even When You’re Too Tired to Read [53:40] Women Supporting Women and Women-Owned Businesses [56:04] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/504-loans (Small Business Administration 504 Loan Program) https://thecjrgroup.com/ (Cober Johnson Romney (CJR)) https://cjrbuilds.com/ (CJR Development) https://www.wbcollaborative.org/ (Women Business Collaborativ)https://www.thebowcollective.org/ (e) https://enterprisingwomen.com/ (Enterprising Women) https://www.thebowcollective.org/ (The BOW Collective) https://www.wbenc.org/ (WBENC (Women’s Business Enterprise National Council)) https://www.ted.com/talks (TED Talks) https://www.linkedin.com/in/harold-w-johnson-ii-b746215 (Harold W. Johnson II), cofounder of CJR, on LinkedIn  https://www.linkedin.com/in/eason-pamela-prince-eason-3bb2258 (Pamela Prince-Eason), President and CEO of WBENC, on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-smiley-5660075 (Monica Smiley), Editor and Publisher of Enterprising Women, on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/edie-fraser-38b4466 (Edie Fraser), CEO of Women Business Collective, on LinkedIn https://eckharttolle.com/ (Eckhart Tolle)

RELEVANT LINKS https://niccoberesquire.com/ (Nic Cober, Esquire) https://www.linkedin.com/in/niccoberesquire (Nic Cober, Esquire) on...

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Equity, Taking Chances, and Keeping it Fun.In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Amit Singh, Chief Architect for the Intel Sector of BlueHalo. Amit explains how he ended up studying electrical engineering at the University of Virginia. He also discusses the recent sale of Asymmetrik to Blue Halo, revealing why giving equity to his employees felt natural and how the sale affected him emotionally. Pranks and humor are how Amit keeps things light in the business world, and we hear how they not only helped him survive college but found their way into software on April Fools’ Day. Lastly, Amit argues for the importance of executive coaches, lists impactful books, and divulges his collegiate athletic achievement.QUOTES“I like to start things, I don’t necessarily have to finish them. I think of myself as a zero to one kind of guy” - Amit Singh [16:50]“I’ve tried to reduce the barriers or eliminate the barriers between the engineers and the end user. Because [there’s] all kinds of ways to separate the engineers from the mission, and I feel like it’s very important to remove those obstacles to be successful.” - Amit Singh [34:56]“As a subcontractor, you have the luxury of saying no. As a prime, you don’t have that luxury anymore, so you’re going to have to say yes to some things that you may not have done before. But that’s where partnerships and relationships with other companies can help fill those gaps.” - Amit Singh [45:53] TIMESTAMPS [00:04] Intro[01:31] Meet Amit Singh[05:20] Amit’s Role Today[06:40] How Amit Decided on Electrical Engineering[12:10] Leaving NASA and Starting Asymmetrik[15:23] Working for Himself[22:50] Finding a Partner[25:40] Reflections on how Asymmetrik Handled Equity[28:46] Amit’s Emotional Reaction to Selling[29:59] Where Amit’s Confidence to Take Risks Originated[35:37] Easter Eggs in Grapevine[38:06] How Amit Found Balance in Responsibilities as CTO[41:44] Discussing Marriage[46:43] Books that have Impacted Amit[48:15] The Value of Having an Executive Coach[50:31] Outro  RESOURCEShttps://arlingtoncap.com/ (Arlington Capital Partners)https://bluehalo.com/ (BlueHalo)https://www.vsu.edu/ (Virginia State University)https://www.virginia.edu/ (University of Virginia)https://www.odu.edu/ (Old Dominion University)https://www.nasa.gov/ (The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA))https://www.nasa.gov/goddard (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)https://vt.edu/ (Virginia Tech)https://www.jhu.edu/ (Johns Hopkins University)https://www.nro.gov/ (National Reconnaissance Office (NRO))https://www.darpa.mil/ (The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA))https://www.inscom.army.mil/ (United States Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM))https://www.idc.com/ (International Data Corporation (IDC))https://www.nsa.gov/ (National Security Agency (NSA))https://www.saic.com/ (Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC))https://www.esop.org/ (Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs))https://www.cia.gov/ (Central Intelligence Agency (CIA))https://datacommons.cancer.gov/cancer-data-aggregator (Cancer Data Aggregator at National Cancer Institute)https://www.airforce.com/ (United States Air Force)https://www.synopsys.com/glossary/what-is-cicd.html (CI/CD)https://osintframework.com/ (Open Source Intelligence (OSINT Framework))https://www.amazon.com/Small-Giants-Companies-Instead-10th-Anniversary/dp/014310960X (Small Giants by Bo Burlingham)https://www.radicalcandor.com/ (Radical Candor by Kim Scott)https://www.amazon.com/Good-Great-Some-Companies-Others/dp/0066620996 (Good to Great by Jim Collins)https://www.amazon.com/Think-Again-Power-Knowing-What/dp/1984878107 (Think Again by Adam Grant)https://www.amazon.com/Zero-One-Notes-Startups-Future/dp/0804139296 (Zero to One by Peter Thiel and Blake Masters)https://simonsinek.com/ (Simon Sinek)...

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Philanthropy, Cybersecurity, and Bringing the Energy.In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Tasha Cornish, Executive Director at Cybersecurity Association of Maryland, Inc. (CAMI). Tasha discusses how her work has helped improve the nation, from running a human services nonprofit during COVID to defending the country from cyber attacks during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. She also explains why cybersecurity is important for every business and why information truly is power within the IT sector. Tasha gives advice to those entering the world of cybersecurity and reveals what advice she’s seeking out for where she’s at in her own career. Lastly, Tasha tells us about her adventure journey from snowboarding, scuba diving, running marathons, and possibly even CISSP. QUOTES “There’s a very interesting debate when it comes to the human factor of cybersecurity. It’s a combination of training your staff but also making sure that your networks are not over privileging your staff, that they have access to all these systems they don’t need to access. [...] Which gets a lot of pushback of course from people who are trying to work hard and be productive, but it does help protect our systems” - Tasha Cornish [29:13] “Like anything else, if you don’t have the people and processes in place to use these [cybersecurity] products, they’re kind of useless.” - Tasha Cornish [30:20] “[Local governments] are a huge target [...] It’s a lot, for schools and hospitals really, so we are out here trying to be a good source of information. And those folks are understaffed often, their security teams are strapped ” - Tasha Cornish [33:42]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [01:31] Meet Tasha Cornish [03:38] Tasha’s Work at a Nonprofit During COVID [04:32] How Tasha Started on her Career Path [08:56] Tasha’s Experience During COVID [10:15] Starting at CAMI [14:04] CAMI’s Mission [16:24] Size, Scale, and Impact of CAMI [24:32] CAMI’s Cybersecurity Role in the Russo-Ukrainian War [25:56] CISA [32:00] CAMI’s Goals for 2022 [33:14] Cybersecurity Bills in the Maryland House [38:06] Choosing Priorities in the Cybersecurity [39:04] CAMI’s Board [43:51] Advice for People Getting Started [45:36] WiCyS [49:40] Tasha’s Book Recommendation [50:40] Tasha’s Surprising Fact [52:27] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/shiba-inu/ (Shiba Inu) https://www.smocbaltimore.org/ (Saint Mary’s Outreach Center) https://www.nei.nih.gov/ (National Eye Institute (NEI)) https://www.thebodypro.com/article/prevention-works-close-end-month (Prevention Works!) https://www.gwu.edu/ (The George Washington University) https://www.jhu.edu/ (Johns Hopkins University) http://honfest.net/ (HONFest) https://www.nps.gov/places/star-spangled-banner-flag-house.htm (Star Spangled Banner Flag House) https://amhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner/making-the-flag.aspx (Mary Pickersgill) https://amhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner/ (History of The Star Spangled Banner) https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithdaw/ (Keith Daw) https://www.linkedin.com/in/emrosenberg/ (Eric Rosenberg) https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyjlombardo/ (Shelley Lombardo) https://commerce.maryland.gov/fund/programs-for-businesses/buy-maryland-cybersecurity-tax-credit (Buy Maryland Cybersecurity (BMC) Tax Credit) https://www.linkedin.com/in/rongula/ (Ron Gula) https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyndigula/ (Cyndi Gula) https://datatribe.com/ (Data Tribe) https://www.nsa.gov/ (National Security Agency (NSA)) https://www.cybercom.mil/ (United States Cyber Command) https://www.ftmeadealliance.org/ (Fort Meade Alliance) https://hubzonecouncil.org/National-HUBZone-Conference (National HUBZone Conference) https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/conflict-ukraine (Russo-Ukrainian War) https://www.cisa.gov/shields-up (CISA’s Shields Up Initiative) https://www.cisa.gov/ (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA))...

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Perseverance, Transparency, and Breaking the Glass Ceiling.In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Megan Jaffer, CEO of IAI Strategies LLC and host of the Iron Butterfly Podcast. Megan discusses the origins of her desire to get into the intelligence community and how she persevered until she got what she wanted. We hear the importance of Ellen McCarthy, INSA, and the many women along her professional journey that boosted her up. Megan opens up about the Iron Butterfly Podcast, revealing how it started and what her missions are with the show. Lastly, we hear Megan’s favorite book, her surprising fact, and some bonus advice on how to have a successful marriage with two professionally-driven partners. QUOTES “We wanted this to be a podcast where we were telling the real stories of women in intelligence. And it’s not just about what they do, but it’s the fascinating stories about who they are as women.” - Megan Jaffer [28:59] “Part of the reason that AWIC has been successful is that not everybody grows up in this area, around this community. I’m one of those people that had no touch points, I didn’t know anyone.” - Megan Jaffer [33:36] “I have always been taught that you have to tell people how you feel when you love them and you appreciate them - and if they’ve done something well or they’ve touched your heart in some way. And so, I try to do that in my life. ” - Megan Jaffer [39:59]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [01:31] Meeting Megan [04:01] The TIM Collective [08:28] Ellen McCarthy [13:13] Discussing INSA [14:19] Megan’s Desire to Enter the Intelligence Community [19:12] Where Megan Gets Her Perseverance [25:38] Starting the Iron Butterfly Podcast [33:36] The Importance of Accessibility in the Intelligence Community [36:13] Getting Over Nervousness Around Senior Women [40:51] Dream Sessions [46:02] Advice Given and Advice Received [49:36] Megan’s Book Recommendation [51:01] Megan’s Surprising Fact [51:53] Making Marriage Work with Two Professionally-Driven People [56:54] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/spotlight-diversity-amazing-women-intelligence-alexandra-mccargo/?trk=read_related_article-card_title (Amazing Women of the IC (AWIC)) https://commandpurpose.org/ (Command Purpose) https://www.insaonline.org/ (Intelligence and National Security Alliance (INSA)) https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellen-mccarthy-0ba3787/ (Ellen McCarthy) https://www.nga.mil/ (National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)) https://nationalsecurity.gmu.edu/chuck-alsup/ (Chuck Alsup) https://www.linkedin.com/in/letitia-long-156aa883 (Letitia Long) https://noblis.org/ (Noblis) https://www.dia.mil/ (Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)) https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-meyerriecks-bba7b9/ (Dawn Meyerriecks) https://www.linkedin.com/in/sue-gordon-55ab1738/ (Sue Gordon) https://www.insaonline.org/events/baker/ (William Oliver Baker Award Dinner) https://www.winsmediafest.com/ (Women In National Security Media Festival) https://www.army.mil/article/121984/miss_virginia_hall (Virginia Hall) https://www.amazon.com/Gratitude-Marala-Scott/dp/1449497276 (With Gratitude) by Marala Scott https://the.ismaili/ (Shia Ismaili Muslims)

RELEVANT LINKS https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-jaffer-692616181 (Megan Jaffer) on LinkedIn https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/iron-butterfly/id1530244949 (Iron Butterfly Podcast) https://nylatechnologysolutions.com/ (Nyla Technology Solutions)

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday. Live well, Shana

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Discovery, Immersion, and Breaking the Mold.In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Christie Getman, Country Director for Nepal at Mercy Corps. Christie describes how she landed on her path of international work, explaining her desire for a unique career. She also discusses the value of athletics and how she met her husband through a running club. Shana and Christie dive into the technical side of the work of Mercy Corps, illuminating the ways in which the mechanisms of foreign aid have evolved. Lastly, listen to the end to hear why Shana’s voice provides Christie comfort while she’s flying through mountains in the cabin of a small propeller plane. QUOTES “One of the messages that I always say to people is that this is a whole life career. This is not like ‘this is my job and this is my life.’ When you’re in this line of work, it affects your entire life - you have to be all in.” - Christie Getman [34:14] “The best thing that you can do if you want to support emergency response is send cash. It is the most cost effective, it’s the most efficient, it’s the lowest overhead, we can trace it the best, it gives people dignity, and it supports the local economy.” - Christie Getman [56:08] “What I’ve learned is that I need to just sit with it. Just lean into the silence for an extra minute or two, and inevitably someone who’s less assertive will come forward, start, and give their opinion if I hold back. But if I don’t hold back - and I jump in - that other person may never speak up.” - Christie Getman [62:51]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [01:31] Meeting Christie [04:34] Christie’s Time in Baltimore [08:46] Christie’s Childhood [18:38] Athletics as a Part of Building Community [21:43] Getting her Masters in Anthropology [25:22] Christie Explains what an NGO is [26:55] What Drew Christie to International Work [32:15] Countries that Christie Lived in [35:21] Motherhood When Working Internationally [39:42] Christie’s Work in Nepal [44:02] Experiencing COVID in Nepal [47:00] Getting Technical [58:38] Christie’s Advice for her Younger Self [63:42] Impactful Book [64:27] Christie’s Surprising Facts [67:08] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.richmond.edu/ (University of Richmond) http://www.baltimorefamilies.org/ (Baltimore Family Alliance) https://www.thebreakers.com/ (The Breakers Palm Beach) https://www.pasc.net/ (Pennsylvania Association of Student Councils) https://www.gotothehash.net/ (Hash House Harriers) https://www.gwu.edu/ (The George Washington University) https://www.worldbank.org/en/home (The World Bank) https://www.ngosource.org/what-is-an-ngo (What is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)?) https://www.accenture.com/us-en (Accenture) https://www.britannica.com/place/Martinique/History (History of Martinique) https://www.history.com/news/deadliest-tsunami-2004-indian-ocean (2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami) https://www.britannica.com/topic/Nepal-earthquake-of-2015 (Nepal Earthquake of 2015) https://kpi.org/KPI-Basics (Key Performance Indicator (KPI)) https://www.agilealliance.org/agile101/ (Agile) https://venmo.com/ (Venmo) https://www.zellepay.com/ (Zelle) https://www.paypal.com/us/home (Paypal) https://nepal.mercycorps.org/mercy-corps-nepal-covid-19-second-wave-emergency-response/ (Mercy Corps Nepal COVID Response with Christie’s CNN Appearance) https://english.onlinekhabar.com/qr-code-payment-is-getting-popular-in-nepal-how-does-it-work-is-it-secure.html (QR Code Payment in Nepal) https://www.mercycorps.org/who-we-are/our-team/tjada-doyen-mckenna (Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, CEO of Mercy Corps) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rapid-response-on-the-ground-in-ukraine-w-mercy-corps/id1227971746?i=1000553538254 (Masters of Scale Podcast with Tjada D'Oyen McKenna) https://www.whatsapp.com/ (WhatsApp) https://www.amazon.com/Alchemist-Paulo-Coelho/dp/0061122416 (The Alchemist) by Paulo Coelho

RELEVANT LINKS...

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Identity, Family, and Protecting the Nation.In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Vimesh Patel, Chief Technology Advisor at World Wide Technology and Board of Directors Member at INSA. Vimesh and Shana discuss how they first met and what she learned from him. Vimesh details his early experience with the NSA and how he was able to secure paternity leave for the birth of each of his 3 children. Vimesh also explains how he found meaning during his career journey, realizing that service to his country gave the work that he was doing a deeper meaning. Finally, Vimesh tells us what he reads to stay informed and how his extroversion is not an endless resource. QUOTES “So many people say, ‘People are natural leaders or they’re just really good at what they do.’ And I say, ‘you can train yourself in anything.’ I think it’s learning and practicing.” - Vimesh Patel [06:18] “At 16, they’re putting me on a polygraph and asking me if I’ve ever revealed classified information, not that I ever knew any classified information at the age of 16. And somehow I got cleared right, and I walked into the world of the intelligence community.” - Vimesh Patel [08:06]  “And I think it was something towards the end of my career that I was always conscious of - well now I’m in that senior seat right, and people are looking at me. What do I do to make it so that people are comfortable? So that we have more diversity and that people don’t feel like they can’t advance in the government.” - Vimesh Patel [17:02]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [01:31] Meeting Vimesh [05:07] Vimesh’s Body Language Talk [06:45] Beginning a Career with The NSA [08:23] Vimesh’s Parents [09:24] Choosing Electrical Engineering [10:28] How Vimesh Became a Senior Relatively Quickly [11:00] Advice on Finding a Mentor [13:25] Vimesh’s Two Master Degrees [15:22] How Vimesh Met his Wife [16:06] Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion [23:17] Vimesh’s Time at The National Counterterrorism Center [26:43] Vimesh’s Location When 9/11 Occurred [28:09] After NCTC and Vimesh’s Paternity Leave [31:33] Balance Within Marriage [32:49] Leaving The NSA [36:40] Intelligence and National Security Alliance (INSA) [40:35] Vimesh’s Advice to Young People [42:02] What Vimesh is Reading [43:20] Vimesh’s Surprising Fact [45:20] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.moogsoft.com/resources/aiops/guide/everything-aiops/ (AIOps) https://www.nsa.gov/ (National Security Agency (NSA)) https://www.howardcountymd.gov/ (Howard County) https://www.wsscwater.com/ (Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC Water)) https://www.umd.edu/ (University of Maryland) https://www.jhu.edu/ (The Johns Hopkins University) https://www.gwu.edu/ (The George Washington University) https://dei.extension.org/ (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)) https://www.dni.gov/index.php/nctc-home (The National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC)) https://www.dni.gov/index.php/careers/joint-duty (Joint Duty Opportunities) https://www.dni.gov/ (Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI)) https://9-11commission.gov/report/ (9/11 Commission Report) https://www.opm.gov/about-us/our-people-organization/support-functions/office-of-strategy-and-innovation/#:~:text=The%20Office%20of%20Strategy%20and,Group%20and%20Survey%20Analysis%20Group. (The Office of Strategy and Innovation (OSI)) https://www.optiv.com/ (Optiv Security, Inc.) https://www.insaonline.org/event/8a-national-security-showcase/ (8(a) National Security Showcase) https://hbr.org/ (Harvard Business Review)

RELEVANT LINKS https://www.linkedin.com/in/vimeshpatel-dc/ (Vimesh Patel) on LinkedIn https://www.wwt.com/ (World Wide Technology) https://www.insaonline.org/ (Intelligence and National Security Alliance (INSA)) https://nylatechnologysolutions.com/ (Nyla Technology Solutions)

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Support, Communication, and Simplifying Complex Problems.In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Ashley Spurr and Lisa Harris, Co-Owners of Elevare, LLC. Ashley and Lisa discuss starting Elevare and how they landed on the name over chips and salsa. They also explain how narrowing their offerings resulted in a more refined approach for Elevare. Ashley and Lisa dive deep into the world of GWACs, Polaris, Service MACs, and more. Finally, Ashley tells us about the many animals she has living on her property while Lisa reveals how she became a Guinness World Record holder. QUOTES “They fall into that sales pitch that they’re going to have the tool, and automatically poof they’ll have a pipeline. But it’s not that easy, and that’s why the service that Ashley and I offer is so important. We can manage the tool, and we can take it and give them just the opportunities that they should be looking at” - Lisa Harris [12:00] “I have a list of everybody I have ever talked to on the phone about Elevare’s services. And every six months I’m shooting them an email - ‘hey, still here, what do you need?’ Because that repetition is letting them know that even though you’re not supporting them, you still think about them.” - Ashley Spurr [28:10] “The average is 18 months before you win something in the federal space as a prime or sub [contractor], so you have to stick with it. And I think we bring that calmness of telling you ‘just stay with it, and it will work out.’” - Ashley Spurr [33:38] “When you get started, do not skimp on your attorney, do not skimp on your accountant. Make sure you do everything right from the beginning because you don’t want to be playing catch-up. Don’t start your business first and then go back and try to put all these things in place.” - Lisa Harris [46:17]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [01:31] Meeting Ashley and Lisa [06:27] Starting Elevare [09:00] How Ashley and Lisa Met Shana [11:48] Getting Comfortable with Business Tools [15:24] Lisa’s Transition from a Full-Time Job to Elevare [17:42] Ashley and Lisa’s Morning Meetings [18:29] Ashley’s Family [20:07] Refining the Services Elevare Offers [23:29] Lisa’s Family [24:37] Picking Elevare’s Name [29:22] Landing New Clients [31:33] What Elevare Offers [39:25] GWACs [41:30] Polaris and Service MAC [43:20] Ashley and Lisa’s First Jobs [44:24] Unique Benefits to a Woman-Owned Business [47:40] Ashley’s Surprising Fact [49:35] Lisa’s Surprising Fact [51:16] Advice for their Younger Selves [53:02] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.visitfortwayne.com/ (Fort Wayne, Indiana) https://www.in.ng.mil/ (Indiana National Guard) https://www.todaysmilitary.com/education-training/rotc-programs (Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC)) https://briljent.com/ (Briljent, LLC) https://theniic.org/news/launch-women-pitch-competition-winners-selected/ (Elevare Wins Launch Women Pitch Competition) https://www.defense.gov/ (Department of Defense (DOD)) https://www.nps.gov/ (National Parks Service (NPS)) https://www.national8aassociation.org/ (National 8(a) Association) https://www.colts.com/ (Indianapolis Colts) https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JackLa00.htm (Lamar Jackson) https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/T/TuckJu00.htm (Justin Tucker) https://www.purdue.edu/ (Purdue University) https://www.hubspot.com/products/crm (HubSpot) https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/excel (Microsoft Excel) https://www.naics.com/what-is-a-naics-code-why-do-i-need-one/#:~:text=A%20NAICS%20(pronounced%20NAKES)%20Code,related%20to%20the%20US%20Economy. (North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code) https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-guide/prime-subcontracting (Prime Contracting and Subcontracting) https://www.intelligence.gov/ (United States Intelligence Community) https://www.va.gov/osdbu/ (VA Office of Small And Disadvantaged Business Utilization...

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Curiosity, Focus, and Forging a Path.In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Gerard Spivey, Senior Systems Development Engineer at Amazon Web Services. Gerard speaks in detail about Amazon’s interview process, giving us insight into their procedures and how he prepared himself. We also hear about Gerard’s time at Amazon and the types of work he’s taking on. Side hustles are a way of life for Gerard, and he speaks about his latest experiences managing his YouTube channel, Gerard’s Curious Tech. Lastly, Gerard talks about his time at NYLA and how he was able to bring his full self to work thanks to NYLA’s culture. QUOTES “I can do slow and steady, I can find my target audience, and then once I have that I can figure out what I want to parlay that into later.” - Gerard Spivey [25:59] “‘I’m a Senior Director [at Intel], and I can do what I want’ is basically what he told me. He’s like ‘the company has a 3.0 thing, but for someone like you who actually knows what they’re talking about it’s not a problem.’ So I said, ‘Ooh this is my time, they’re letting me in’” - Gerard Spivey [42:07] “You’re in a good spot in your career when you’re valued for the thing you’re going to do next versus the thing you did previously. What you’re going to do next is your competitive value - that is what you bring to the table.” - Gerard Spivey [48:27]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [01:31] Gerard’s Wedding Ceremony [02:32] Working at Amazon Web Services (AWS) [05:33] Amazon’s Interview Process [12:06] Gerard’s Experience with the Job Market [15:54] Working at Amazon [19:11] Starting a New Job During COVID [19:43] Side Hustles [23:21] Gerard’s YouTube Channel [31:08] Gerard’s Childhood [31:52] How Gerard Decided to Study Electrical Engineering [34:19] Choosing a College [45:13] Gerard’s Advice to his Younger Self [47:42] Favorite Books [50:57] Gerard’s Time at NYLA [55:36] Outro

RESOURCES https://aws.amazon.com/ec2/ (Amazon EC2) https://aws.amazon.com/ec2/instance-types/ (Amazon EC2 Instance Types) https://aws.amazon.com/dynamodb/ (Amazon DynamoDB) https://sre.google/ (Site Reliability Engineering (SRE)) https://www.c2stechs.com/ (Commercial Cloud Services (C2S)) https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-is-the-star-interview-response-technique-2061629 (STAR Interview Response Method) https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/exchange/email (Microsoft Exchange) https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/ (Microsoft Azure) https://www.synopsys.com/glossary/what-is-cicd.html (CI/CD) https://mlt.org/ (Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT)) https://www.hbs.edu/ (Harvard Business School) https://a16z.com/ (Andreessen Horowitz) https://www.youtube.com/ (YouTube) https://www.nsbe.org/K-12/Programs/PCI-Programs (NSBE Pre-College Initiative Program) https://www.jhu.edu/ (Johns Hopkins University) https://www.abet.org/ (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)) https://www.ncat.edu/ (North Carolina A&T State University) https://www.morgan.edu/ (Morgan State University) https://howard.edu/ (Howard University) https://www.rit.edu/ (Rochester Institute of Technology) https://www.psu.edu/ (Penn State University) https://www.digitaltechnologieshub.edu.au/teach-and-assess/classroom-resources/topics/digital-systems/ (Digital Systems) https://www.xilinx.com/products/silicon-devices/fpga/what-is-an-fpga.html (Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs)) https://www.gwu.edu/ (The George Washington University) https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/homepage.html (Intel) https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/pci-express (PCI Express) https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/io/serial-ata/serial-ata-developer.html (Serial ATA (SATA)) https://consortium.org/ (Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area) https://www.amazon.com/Zero-One-Notes-Startups-Future/dp/0804139296 (Zero to One) by Peter Thiel and Blake Masters https://www.richdad.com/...

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Persistence, Service, and Making a Difference.Content warning: This podcast episode contains brief discussions of sexual assault.

In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Laura Neuman, Entrepreneur, CEO, and former candidate for Governor of Maryland. Laura discusses how persistence and a love for work allowed her to leap every hurdle on her path to a career in tech. We hear how Laura turned a difficult experience into a powerful lesson about the importance of equity. Laura explains how reopening the investigation into her sexual assault created positive change not only for her but for countless other women. QUOTES “That path just wasn’t going to happen for me. I mean I wasn’t able to afford college, at that point I was choosing between gas, food, and shelter. And so, college just wasn’t an option for me. I did try, and I just couldn’t afford it.” - Laura Neuman [08:30] “I actually really enjoy working, I find it fun. And part of the fun for me is the interaction with other people. I get energy from being around people, and so I like that environment of being in an office. But what I really wanted was a path to opportunity - I wanted to be able to build a career.” - Laura Neuman [14:01] “I really, truly thought that I was the smartest person in the room. And then they did their IPO, and I realized in fact I’m not as smart as I thought I was. Because I got all those great perks and I had this lifestyle to go with it, but what I didn’t have was ownership.” - Laura Neuman [25:12]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:10] Intro [01:37] Laura Talks About Raising Children [02:07] What Motivated Laura to Run for Governor [06:39] Laura’s Experience with the School System [08:43] Laura’s Harrowing Experience [10:31] Applying for T. Rowe Price [13:59] Laura Loves to Work [21:45] Paying for College [23:14] Early Experiences with Tech Companies [28:37] What Motivated Laura to Work for Equity [31:24] The Sale of Matrics [32:04] Laura Reopens the Investigation into her Case [36:22] After her Assailant’s Prosecution [43:35] Running for Governor [46:46] Laura Believes in Tech [48:45] Discussing Laura’s Campaign [52:07] Advice to Young People [53:47] Laura’s Book Recommendation [55:04] Laura’s Surprising Fact [56:53] Outro

RESOURCES https://atlanticmidwest.org/middle-and-high-schools/institute-notre-dame (Institute of Notre Dame (IND)) https://www.vox.com/2016/7/27/18089352/freddie-gray-baltimore-riots-police-violence (Freddie Gray Protests) https://www.troweprice.com/corporate/us/en/home.html (T. Rowe Price) https://www.loyola.edu/ (Loyola University Maryland) https://www.mba.com/exams/gmat (The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)) https://www.linkedin.com/in/parker-rockefeller-523ba0b/ (Parker Rockefeller) https://livingclassrooms.org/ (Living Classrooms) https://www.american.edu/magazine/article/donors-make-a-diifference-george-maureen-collins.cfm (George Collins) https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1995/04/10/digex-flourishes-with-internets-popularity/12a4e3ed-d9ef-413d-9197-54fd452e87b0/ (Digex) https://oneringnetworks.com/what-is-a-t1-line-and-how-fast-is-t1-internet/ (T1 Lines) https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/1998/06/29/newscolumn2.html (CAIS Internet) https://www.hilton.com/en/ (Hilton Hotels) https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/sec-form-s-1.asp (SEC Form S-1) https://www.nsa.gov/ (National Security Agency (NSA)) https://spotsee.io/blog/passive-rfid-tags-find-innovative-use#:~:text=Active%20and%20Passive%20RFID%20Systems&text=Passive%20RFID%20tags%20don't,data%20back%20to%20the%20reader. (Passive RFID) https://www.ibm.com/us-en/ (IBM) https://www.microsoft.com/ (Microsoft) https://www.princeton.edu/ (Princeton University) https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/matrics (Matrics) https://www.cbs.com/shows/48_hours/ (48 Hours) https://www.propublica.org/article/this-is-how-you-get-your-power-back...

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Consistency, Impact, and Versatility.In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Benjamin Harvey, Founder & CEO of AI Squared, Research Professor, and Data Science Leader. He takes us on his multifaceted journey, spanning from Harvard to The NSA to Johns Hopkins University to his most recent endeavor, AI Squared. Benjamin gets technical, discussing everything from Hadoop to Apache Spark to ACID transactions. We hear how Benjamin’s new journey as founder of AI Squared is rooted in his discipline and the simplicity of consistent hard work over time. Finally, Benjamin’s NCAA basketball dominance is revealed, as he impresses us with his performance against Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook. QUOTES “Having that mindset of being focused on helping others, and not having to go back to that environment is really what kept me focused and gave me that grit, those habits to be able to be successful” - Benjamin Harvey [20:12] “General Nakasone is really focused on figuring out how to even enable folks that are in mission spaces to be able to do tours in industry and then come back. Because the point of the matter is that a guy like myself - I was interested in doing a tour in industry, but I didn’t come back because programs like that don’t exist.” - Benjamin Harvey [30:21] “How can I leave my mark for the next generation of Ben Harveys that come from similar backgrounds, face similar challenges - how can I take the experiences and the knowledge of navigating through some of these challenges and make it easier for that next generation to be successful?” - Benjamin Harvey [47:40]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [01:39] How Benjamin Knows Stephanie Beben [03:38] Benjamin’s Day Job [05:33] Discussing JHU COVID-19 Risk Tools [09:19] Benjamin’s Family [11:17] Was Benjamin This Driven as a Kid? [14:01] High School Experience [16:35] Benjamin’s Scholarship [19:05] Benjamin’s Discipline [21:24] From Harvard to Bowie [25:07] Highlights of Benjamin’s Time at NSA [28:24] Why Benjamin Left the NSA [32:56] Advantages of Spark Over Hadoop [35:55] ACID Transactions [38:56] Moving on From Databricks [41:25] Creating AI Squared [44:47] Benjamin’s Experience as Founder [46:16] Advice Benjamin Would Give His Younger Self [47:32] What Does Success Look Like? [48:05] Benjamin’s Favorite Books [49:13] A Surprising Fact About Benjamin [50:05] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-beben/ (Stephanie Beben) https://www.nsa.gov/ (National Security Agency (NSA)) https://www.boozallen.com/ (Booz Allen Hamilton) https://www.nsa.gov/Signals-Intelligence/Overview/#:~:text=SIGINT%20is%20intelligence%20derived%20from,capabilities%2C%20actions%2C%20and%20intentions. (SIGINT) https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaysha-camacho/ (Jaysha Camacho Irizarry) https://www.nea.com/ (New Enterprise Associates) https://www.jhu.edu/ (Johns Hopkins University (JHU)) https://www.cdc.gov/ (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)) https://covid19risktools.com:8443/ (COVID-19 Risk Tools) https://www.army.mil/ (United States Army) https://www.american.edu/ (American University) https://www.att.com/ (AT&T) https://www.mvsu.edu/ (Mississippi Valley State University) https://www.fldoe.org/accountability/assessments/k-12-student-assessment/archive/fcat/ (FCAT) https://www.gwu.edu/ (George Washington University (GWU)) https://www.harvard.edu/ (Harvard University) https://connects.catalyst.harvard.edu/Profiles/display/Person/42421 (Vincent James Carey, Ph.D.) https://www.bioconductor.org/ (Bioconductor) https://www.bowiestate.edu/ (Bowie State University) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119217/ (Good Will Hunting) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120660/ (Enemy of the State) https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/09/edward-snowden-nsa-whistleblower-surveillance (Edward Snowden) https://www.dni.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=572&Itemid=991...

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Family, Education, and City-Living.In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to J'aime Drayton, Executive Director of Baltimore Family Alliance and Scott Kashnow, the President of the board. They explain the ins and outs of leading a non-profit and the significance of keeping families in Baltimore. They discuss how the non-profit came to be and how the three board members view changes in the city. Scott and J’aime walk us through many of the programs Baltimore Family Alliance offers, including Adopt-A-Family and Playground Crawl. Tune in until the end to find out how you can get involved! QUOTES “I work for a non-profit! So I literally get paid to serve families. Which is unique… I actually get to serve people, so if people are pissed, I’m not having a good day.” - J'aime Drayton [03:20] “We’re coming together as families that are committed to great schools, safe streets, and great neighborhoods. And all of [that] starts with people.” - J'aime Drayton [06:21] “Managing volunteers is probably the hardest thing I think I’ve ever done. Learning how to do that has been really rewarding for me, personally. It’s  extraordinary to me how many people are actually willing to give of themselves so much time and so much effort.” - Scott Kashnow [34:48] “We are the face of families, but we don’t speak for all families. We want families to speak for themselves.” - Scott Kashnow [45:57] 

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [01:45] Meet J'aime [03:45] Meet Scott [04:17] Scott’s IT Stack [05:55] The Baltimore Family Alliance [08:18] Scott’s Role at Baltimore Family Alliance [09:37] The Origin of Baltimore Family Alliance [14:15] The Main Thrusts of Baltimore Family Alliance [15:49] Walkability and “The Black Butterfly” [18:56] Programs of Baltimore Family Alliance  [21:24] Naming the Non-Profit [23:47] Living in a City [26:25] Systemic Racism and Poverty [27:37] Baltimore Family Alliance Offerings [29:54] Hosting the School Fair [32:57] Playground Crawl [34:18] Being the President of a Non-Profit [35:28] Adopt-A-Family and Starting a Family in Baltimore [43:28] School Funding and Pushing Change [50:00] Inspiring Reads [52:28] How You Can Help [53:55] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.baltimorecitycollege.us/ (The Baltimore City College) https://www.ednorgardenslakeside.org/ (Ednor Gardens - Lakeside) https://www.baltimorecityschools.org/schools/44 (Montebello Elementary/Middle School) https://www.baltimorecityschools.org/schools/76 (Francis Scott Key Elementary/Middle School) https://dotnet.microsoft.com/en-us/ (.NET Core) https://www.salesforce.com/ (Salesforce) https://dynamics.microsoft.com/en-us/ (Microsoft Dynamics) https://www.linkedin.com/in/shariccaboldon (Sharicca Boldon) https://www.umbiopark.com/ (University of Maryland BioPark) https://www.facebook.com/ (Facebook) https://www.target.com/ (Target) https://crossstmarket.com/ (Cross Street Market) https://www.harristeeter.com/ (Harris Teeter) https://www.fourseasons.com/ (Four Seasons) https://ncrc.org/the-black-butterfly/ (The Black Butterfly) https://baltimorecityparks.com/patterson-park-park-profile/ (Patterson Park) https://www.creativealliance.org/signature-events/great-halloween-lantern-parade-and-festival (The Great Halloween Lantern Parade and Festival) https://www.linkedin.com/in/christie-getman-26150a21/ (Christie Getman) https://www.jhu.edu/ (Johns Hopkins University) https://www.tesla.com/ (Tesla) https://wftda.com/wftda-leagues/charm-city-roller-girls/ (Charm City Roller Girls) https://www.wypr.org/show/on-the-record/2017-09-15/more-than-a-marching-band-west-baltimore-christian-warriors (The Christian Warriors) https://www.avam.org/ (American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM)) https://www.afyabaltimore.org/tunbridge (Tunbridge Public Charter School) https://hha47.org/ (Hampstead Hill Academy) http://www.pppcs.org/ (Patterson Park Public Charter School)...

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Leadership, Tenacity, and Staying Curious.In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Roxanne Wood, President and CEO at Boeing Intelligence & Analytics. Roxanne discusses her experience becoming CEO and why we should all lean into leadership roles. She also explains the path that she took to rise up the ranks, focusing on her commitment to complete the task by learning from those around her. Roxanne has always been fearless when taking on new challenges, and she discusses everything from computer science to riding horses to playing music. Lastly, Roxanne tells us where she hides her power tools - it’s not where you’d expect! QUOTES “They told me, ‘give that up you’ll never get finished, you don’t come from smart stock.’ I was like alright, that is really a game on for me.” - Roxanne Wood [14:20] “I think everybody is your mentor - everybody’s your safety net, you’re their safety net, everybody is your mentor. You take the good pieces from everybody that you meet, and you make that part of your own.” - Roxanne Wood [25:59] “I think that everybody can do everything. I think when people say ‘oh I can’t do that, I’m not flexible enough’ - baloney! You can do anything that you want to do as a person. You just gotta do it.” - Roxanne Wood [44:13]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [01:53] Meet Roxanne Wood [03:07] What Boeing Intelligence and Analytics (BIA) encompasses [05:27] How Roxanne Became CEO [07:09] Searching for Team Members [08:00] Main Differences as CEO [11:43] Should you Avoid Leadership Roles? [13:45] Why Roxanne Majored in Computer Science [17:20] Working After College [19:10] Living in Maryland [22:28] Working at Lockheed Martin [24:54] What is the Secret to Climbing the Ranks? [27:58] Struggles that Roxanne Pushed Through [31:34] Shana’s First Time Meeting Roxanne [36:12] Advice for People Starting Out [37:55] Impactful Books [39:39] Roxanne’s Surprising Fact [40:58] What’s Next for Roxanne [42:15] Roxanne’s Fashion [43:44] Riding Horses and Playing Music [45:48] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.investopedia.com/terms/w/whollyownedsubsidiary.asp (Wholly Owned Subsidiary) https://www.socom.mil/ (United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM)) https://www.dia.mil/ (Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)) https://www.nga.mil/ (National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)) https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us (Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)) https://www.dhs.gov/ (Department of Homeland Security (DHS)) https://www.energy.gov/ (Department of Energy (DOE)) https://slack.com/ (Slack) https://www.towson.edu/ (Towson University) https://www.ccbcmd.edu/About-CCBC/Locations/CCBC-Catonsville.aspx (CCBC Catonsville Campus) https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/assembly-language.asp (Assembly Language) https://fortran-lang.org/ (Fortran Programming Language) https://www.britannica.com/technology/Pascal-computer-language (Pascal Computer Language) https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/security/glossary/what-is-zero-trust/ (Zero Trust) https://www.boeing.com/defense/b-1b-bomber/ (B-1B Lancer) https://www.military.com/equipment/m1a2-abrams-main-battle-tank (M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tank) https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/index.html (Lockheed Martin Corporation) https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104492/c-5m-super-galaxy/ (C-5M Super Galaxy) https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104506/f-22-raptor/ (F-22 Raptor) https://www.java.com/ (Java Programming Language) https://livebaltimore.com/neighborhoods/westport/ (Westport, Maryland) http://places.baltimoreheritage.org/structure/hanover-street-bridge/ (Hanover Street Bridge (Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge)) https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariarosemarinelli/ (Maria Marinelli) https://eblingroup.com/products/the-next-level/ (The Next Level by Scott Eblin) https://www.amazon.com/Nice-Girls-Dont-Corner-Office/dp/1455546046 (Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner...

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Entrepreneurship, Standing Out, and Empowering Small Businesses.In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Robb Wong, CEO and Founder of Fedsolve. Robb discusses his lifelong entrepreneurial drive starting at 11 years old, stringing tennis rackets with his brother, and holding 7 part-time jobs in college. He also talks about his email hack to avoid spam and whether or not he feels like a Government Contracting Celebrity. Robb’s experience with HUBZone and the SBA has had a major impact on small businesses in America, and he discusses that path and the potential effect of recent developments. Lastly, Robb recommends a book that you may not have read in a while! QUOTES “I would say this about leadership in general. I practice this. I try to practice this at home. What I say to my daughter is, I'm trying to be the dad that you expect me to be, not the dad that I want to be. And so, I say that to my wife about me trying to be a husband. And I tried to apply that to SBA. I tried to be the type of leader that other people expected me to be, not the person that I wanted to be.” - Robb Wong [26:59] “What's going to happen is if you continue to try to help people, they're going to come to you and they're going to say, Shana, I know this isn't what NYLA does, but we have this other problem. And if you answer and honestly say, listen, I'm not the expert in that, but I can figure it out. That's how you, that's how you evolve, that’s how you change as a company. And you have to be open for change.” - Robb Wong [50:50] “I love helping small businesses who can help our government because I think it makes for a stronger government. And I devoted my life to government service. I was inside, I was outside. I was inside again, now I'm outside, but I think if we have a strong government then we have a strong country.” - Robb Wong [54:00]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [02:12] Meet Robb Wong [04:09] Robb’s College Experience [05:22] Ursinus College [07:57] Born an Entrepreneur [12:52] Robb’s Email Address Hack [15:02] Robb’s Experience with Race-Based Assumptions [20:37] The Advantages of Living in America [22:34] Does Robb feel like a Government Contracting Celebrity? [25:43] Robb’s Experience with HUBZone and the SBA [34:44] Recent Developments with the SBA and Category Management [37:38] It Comes Down to Business Development [41:47] Lowest Price Technically Acceptable [45:00] Role of the Contracting Officer [48:32] The Personal Aspect of Government Contracting [50:03] Advice Robb Would Give to his Younger Self [51:20] Robb’s Interest in Curious George [51:53] Robb’s Surprising Fact [54:44] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.ursinus.edu/ (Ursinus College) https://www.georgetown.edu/ (Georgetown University) https://www.nih.gov/ (National Institutes of Health) https://www.gwu.edu/ (The George Washington University) https://www.wikihow.com/String-a-Tennis-Racquet (How to String a Tennis Racket) https://www.berkeley.edu/ (University of Berkeley, California) https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-assistance-programs/8a-business-development-program (8(a) Business Development Program) https://hubzonecouncil.org/National-HUBZone-Conference (National HUBZone Conference) https://www.gsa.gov/buying-selling/category-management#:~:text=Category%20Management%20is%20the%20practice,and%20effectiveness%20of%20acquisition%20activities. (Category Management) https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/president-biden/ (President Joe Biden) https://discover.dtic.mil/section-809-panel/ (Section 809 Panel) https://www.va.gov/osdbu/verification/ (Center for Verification and Evaluation (CVE) Program) https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-assistance-programs/veteran-assistance-programs (Information on SDVOSBs from the SBA) https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-assistance-programs/joint-ventures (Joint Ventures)...

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Remote Collaboration, Tech Efficiency, and Career Journeys.In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Lauren Lockwood, Founder & Principal, Bloom Works LLC, and Emily Wright-Moore, Principal at Bloom Works LLC. Lauren and Emily give their insight on the very real effects of outdated vital government services and what can be done to mitigate those effects. They also discuss their very different paths that led them to starting Bloom and why following their passion has been so powerful. Lauren and Emily also reveal their favorite projects with Bloom and how those projects reflect Bloom’s mission. Finally, we hear what they wanted to be when they grew up, combating ageism and sexism within tech, and their advice to their younger selves! QUOTES “One of my favorite moments in a meeting was early on, working with the state. Me, Emily, and this other woman show up for our first meeting with their team to redesign some of their systems. The people from this agency walk in and the Commissioner is a woman, her deputy is a woman... they sit down with us, and they were so relieved that we weren’t just a team of dudes walking into the room.” - Lauren Lockwood [50:10] “I feel like we default to this specialist mindset. And I think being a generalist is pretty, pretty great. I like knowing a lot of things and I like pulling in a lot of past jobs and past skills. So I feel like I would just stop worrying about that. Like, it's fine” - Emily Wright-Moore [52:33] “Switching careers is not a failure, I don't think. I think it is like you learned a lot and it was good for that time, but not necessarily forever. Think of this time as an exploratory time, rather than a first step on a journey.” - Lauren Lockwood [53:14]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [01:43] Meet Lauren Lockwood and Emily Wright-Moore [02:11] How Lauren and Emily met [03:04] What is Digital Transformation? [04:57] The Cost of Inefficiencies in Vital Services [05:26] Updating Outdated Technology [08:28] What is Bloom Works? [10:04] Bloom’s Tech Stack [11:30] Bloom’s Ideal Sample Size of Users [12:51] User Groups [15:45] Lauren’s Favorite Bloom Projects [18:30] Emily’s Favorite Bloom Projects [19:57] Sharing Bloom’s Work with the World [21:00] Starting Bloom Works [21:58] Lauren’s Experience after Harvard [26:14] Lauren’s Unique Career Path [29:09] Lauren’s Work with the Mayor of Boston [30:53] Redesigning Boston.gov [31:30] What Lauren Wanted to be as a Kid [33:31] What Emily Wanted to be as a Kid [36:39] Emily’s Experience at Parsons School of Design [39:46] Correcting Misperceptions in the Industry [41:35] What is United States Digital Service [43:56] Emily’s Journey after her Tour [44:27] Lauren’s Work Background [46:31] Combating Ageism within Tech [50:04] Sexism in Tech [52:17] Advice to their Younger Selves [54:01] Lauren’s Book Club [54:37] Final Thoughts [57:44] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.va.gov/ (US Department of Veterans Affairs) https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/09/coronavirus-unemployment-benefits-claims-are-the-worst-in-history.html (Issues with Unemployment during COVID) https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/outlook/email-and-calendar-software-microsoft-outlook (Microsoft Outlook) https://maps.google.com/ (Google Maps) https://reactjs.org/ (React) https://dotnet.microsoft.com/ (Microsoft .net) https://www.microfocus.com/en-us/what-is/cobol (COBOL) https://www.figma.com/ (Figma) https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/i-corps/ (I-Corps) https://usds.gov/ (United States Digital Service) https://www.thinkof-us.org/ (Think Of Us) https://www.thinkof-us.org/about/who-we-are/ceo (Sixto Cancel) https://www.hbs.edu/ (Harvard Business School) https://www.morganstanley.com/ (Morgan Stanley) https://www.boston.gov/departments/mayors-office/martin-j-walsh (Marty Walsh) https://www.python.org/ (Python) https://www.defense.gov/ (US Department of Defense)...

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LinkedIn, Consistency, and the FutureIn this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Colleen McKenna, CEO and Founder of Intero Advisory, LinkedIn Trainer, Author of It’s Business, Not Social™, and Leader in LinkedIn Branding, Sales and Recruiting Enablement. Colleen gives her insight and professional tips on marketing yourself and your business on LinkedIn. She goes into what it is like working alongside her family, what her business work environment is like, and the way she looks at the future. Colleen also shares the catalysts of her starting her book and what that experience has been like for her. Lastly, we get to hear books that have impacted Colleen and her fun fact about Oprah Winfrey! QUOTES “Most CEOs don’t love social media. But, they will be open-minded to a business tool that will help them increase productivity and sales, find talent, help their salespeople connect with the right people, and share their content and build their brand.” - Colleen McKenna [18:10] “I’m pretty driven once I say I’m going to work on something and I like creating things...I always say I’m like the baker…So, I’m usually the person that puts it in the oven, pulls it out, puts it on the table, then other people on the team finish it up and make it beautiful. - Colleen McKenna [30:28] “I think everyone should take a look at their [LinkedIn] profile and really make sure that their profile is built out as a marketing tool.” - Colleen McKenna [37:31] “Always add value to a conversation. I think that’s my 2021 motto. Are you adding value to the conversation?” - Colleen McKenna [42:27]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [01:44] Meet Colleen McKenna [03:55] Starting a Business [06:46] HubSpot [07:48] Business Establishment [10:00] Remote Work and COVID-19’s Effect [11:05] Look-Back of the Year [13:08] LinkedIn as a Business Search Engine [14:37] Growing as a Business [18:36] Delegation and Building a Team [21:32] Pricing Services [22:33] Joyful Moments [25:23] Digital Communication and Relationships [27:01] It's Business, Not Social™ [31:18] Colleen’s Children [33:41] Technology and Being a Futurist [34:29] Colleen’s Husband and Work Environment [37:27] Colleen’s Tips for LinkedIn [42:57] Treating LinkedIn Like Facebook? [45:20] Cons of LinkedIn [48:12] Connecting With New People [49:48] LinkedIn Networking and Features [52:07] Creating Content on LinkedIn [54:58] Data and ROI [58:09] LinkedIn in the Hype Cycle [01:00:25] Colleen’s Impactful Reads [01:02:06] Colleen’s Fun Fact [01:04:06] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.hubspot.com/ (HubSpot) https://marcussheridan.com/ (Marcus Sheridan) http://riverpoolsandspas.com (River Pools) https://www.vistage.com/ (Vistage Worldwide) https://www.facebook.com/ (Facebook) https://twitter.com/ (Twitter) https://www.instagram.com/ (Instagram) https://www.google.com/ (Google) https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertbmiller1/ (Bob Miller) on LinkedIn https://www.millerheimangroup.com/ (Miller Heiman Group, Inc.) https://zoom.us/ (Zoom) https://www.xerox.com/ (Xerox) https://www.linkedin.com/in/reidhoffman/ (Reid Hoffman) on LinkedIn https://www.startupofyou.com/ (The Start-up of You: Adapt to the Future, Invest in Yourself, and Transform Your Career) by Reid Hoffman (Permanent Beta) https://www.amazon.com/Alliance-Managing-Talent-Networked-Age/dp/1625275773 (The Alliance: Managing Talent in the Networked Age) by Reid Hoffman https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-i-learned-young-professional-during-pandemic-sarah-bentley/ (What I Learned as a Young Professional During a Pandemic )by Sarah Bentley https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-m-bentley/ (Sarah Bentley) on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/premium/products-v2/?intentType=FIND_LEADS&upsellOrderOrigin=guest_login_sales_nav (LinkedIn Sales Navigator) https://www.amazon.com/Life-Transitions-Mastering-Change-Any/dp/1594206821 (Life Is in the Transitions: Mastering Change at Any...

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Public Speaking, Observation, and Standing Out.In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Rebecca and Keith Scott from TallSmall Productions, LLC. We get to hear all about how they started and what it’s like being partners in both life and business. Communication experts, the pair provide several great tips and tricks on public speaking - omitting filler words, using anchor words, listening, having fun, and presenting yourself with open body language. Keith and Rebecca also explain how looking at the world as a stage doesn’t have to cancel out the fun or genuineness of conversation. Finally, the two share many of their experiences working with clients and how observation of others can help you be a better speaker! QUOTES “We help people communicate better. We strip away all the junk. We’re almost home organizers, but we do that for your brain and your presence.” - Rebecca Scott [04:23] “There’s nothing better than the feeling of watching somebody think they can’t do something, and then seeing that light come on in them [when they] realize they can.” “Plus, everyone can do public speaking, but the problem is… something happened between third and fifth grade that shot them down, created judgement, and they lost the ability to do it... So, it’s taking people back to a time before they had judgement, before they felt shot down by society.” - Rebecca and Keith Scott [08:03] “But, the fact is, watching people’s body language tells you more than anything else. Because typically their bodies change before the words vocalize. You’ll notice a change in their bodies, and then you’ll hear words. And then you’ve got to figure out, do the words and the body language, do they match? Or are they polar opposites? And that’s where you figure out [if] people are being real or not.” - Keith Scott [25:29]  “For you to make connections, you have to be open. When we close our body, we don’t make a lot of connections. When we’re open, and we’re relaxed, that’s where we invite people in.” - Keith Scott [28:16]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [01:53] Meet Rebecca and Keith Scott [03:34] LinkedIn [04:23] What The Scotts do at TallSmall [07:37] Public Speaking [09:17] Working with Teams [12:04] Filler Words [14:32] Speaking Speed [15:29] Letting Others Be Heard [18:14] Anchor Words [24:23] Body Language [29:45] Self-Care and Self-Talk [34:08] Narrowing Yourself or Business [36:39] Have Fun! [38:23] Starting TallSmall [40:20] Rebecca Growing Up [41:00] Keith Growing Up [41:25] Making Public Speaking a Living  [42:15] Marriage [46:16] Working with a Partner [48:23] Sharing the Stage [51:08] Communicating Virtually [52:29] Learning by Observing the World [54:24] Advice for Younger Selves [57:29] Wrap-Up Questions [01:01:40] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/0671027034 (How to Win Friends & Influence People) by Dale Carnegie https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/explore-shakespeare/shakespedia/william-shakespeare/william-shakespeare-biography/ (William Shakespeare) https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/56966/speech-all-the-worlds-a-stage (All the World’s a Stage )by William Shakespeare https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/56966/speech-all-the-worlds-a-stage (Rolls-Royce) https://www.bk.com/ (Burger King)

RELEVANT LINKS https://www.linkedin.com/in/tallsmallkeithscott/ (Keith Scott )on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccalklein/ (Rebecca Klein Scott) on LinkedIn http://www.tallsmallproductions.org/ (TALLsmall Productions, LLC.) https://tallsmallcareercoaching.com/ (TALLsmall Career Coaching) https://www.facebook.com/TALLsmallproductions/ (TALLsmall Productions, LLC.) on Facebook https://www.instagram.com/tallsmall.productions/?hl=en (TALLsmall) on Instagram https://twitter.com/TALLsmall21 (TALLsmall Productions) on Twitter https://nylatechnologysolutions.com/ (Nyla Technology Solutions)

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Impact, Air Force, and Information Technology.In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Roy White, a leader in the world of Information Technology. Roy’s upbringing, be it tough, was no match for the success he would have throughout his future. Roy speaks on all he’s accomplished, including joining The Air Force, obtaining experience in many senior information technology positions, and being a positive mentor to many, including his children. As someone who has been very driven since his childhood, Roy goes into the life experiences that drive him even further and make him the entrepreneur he is today. Roy also talks about what it’s like having his busy schedule all while being a good husband and father. Finally, we hear Roy’s secret to success, his “why,” and his real thoughts about public speaking!  QUOTES “I did have a lot of trauma. I dealt with a lot of things, but I can say I persevered. A lot of my drive is based upon not having to go back or not wanting to go back to dealing with that and protecting my kids from dealing with whatever I dealt with.” - Roy [15:26] “A lot of the underclassmen started teasing me about “well what are you going to do Roy?... Because I never really voiced my plans of what I was wanting to do and things like that. And I said ‘Well one day I’m going to own my own business’ and everybody just busted out laughing, even the coaches and all of that. And so, that’s been my fuel for years… To kind of really push me toward business and entrepreneurship and things like that.” - Roy [18:54] “[The secret to success is] being relentless. And understanding that there is no escalator, there’s no elevator, you know, there’s no catapult or anything like that to the top. You have to take the stairs.” - Roy [34:27]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [01:33] Meet Roy [03:52] Roy’s Schedule and Working Out [06:58] Roy and Shana Meeting [09:11] Golf [12:03] Roy’s Wife [13:15] Managing Services [14:30] Growing Up [15:43] Ending Up in IT [19:37] Entrepreneurship [20:47] Air Force and Losing Scholarship [24:26] Marriage and Social Life [25:40] Party Promoter [27:55] Consortium [31:56] Wife and Children [34:24] Secret to Success [36:18] Year Plans [37:18] What Roy Would Do Differently [38:26] Roy’s Reads and Inky Johnson [42:50] Mentors [43:50] Impact, Opposition, and the “Why” [47:04] Roy’s Surprising Fact [50:08] Roy’s Ask [52:23] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/surface (Microsoft Surface) https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365?rtc=1 (Microsoft 365) https://www.google.com/ (Google) https://www.godaddy.com/ (GoDaddy) https://www.apple.com/ (Apple) https://www.webroot.com/us/en/about/events (Webroot) https://www.pax8.com/en-us/ (Pax8) https://www.af.mil/ (United States Air Force) https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-turner-9323871/ (Nathan Turner) on LinkedIn https://pentagontours.osd.mil/Tours/ (The Pentagon) https://www.boozallen.com/ (Booz Allen Hamilton) https://park14.com/ (The Park at 14th) https://www.eventbrite.com/ (Eventbrite) https://nitaac.nih.gov/gwacs/cio-sp4 (CIO-SP4) https://www.tiktok.com/en/ (TikTok) https://www.grubhub.com/ (Grubhub) https://www.acq.osd.mil/cmmc/ (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC)) https://www.amazon.com/Empty-Bucket-Inky-Johnson/dp/B01L800C4O (Empty the Bucket) by Inky Johnson https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0366389/ (Kevin Hart) https://www.mosaicsgroup.com/about-us/leadership/ (Michael Grier with MOSAIC Technologies Group) https://www.linkedin.com/in/angie-lienert-pmp-1a753453/ (Angie Lienert) on LinkedIn https://intelligenesisllc.com/ (IntelliGenesis LLC)

RELEVANT LINKS https://www.linkedin.com/in/rwmbapmp/?trk=public_profile_browsemap (Roy White) on LinkedIn https://nylatechnologysolutions.com/ (Nyla Technology Solutions)

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Intelligence, NSA, and the Fort Meade CommunityIn this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Doreen Harwood, President of DEHarwod LLC, a small consulting business that provides acquisition support to large and small businesses within the Intelligence Community. The bulk of Doreen’s career was spent as a civilian serving the National Security Agency (NSA), in which she rose to become a member of the Senior Executive Service (SES). In this episode, we talk about the ins and outs of Doreen’s time - her varying positions, what the technology was like, and being a working mom. She also offers great insight on building a high-performance team and earning trust from companies you may have yet to build a relationship with. As President of the Fort Meade Alliance (FMA), Doreen gives insight into how to lead a successful nonprofit that supports its community’s most pressing needs. Finally, we get to hear about Shana and Doreen’s first time meeting, Doreen’s favorite reads, and a surprising fact! QUOTES “[Life after high school for me] was all about living in the moment… Still very tied to my high school group. And then, at the same time, meeting lots of new people… Kind of the integration of all the new people and all the new happenings... It was all about learning and… just soaking in everything that you could. And I had a really diverse set of friends and I loved every minute of it.” - Doreen Harwood [17:23] “...there are a standard set of reliable processes and procedures that guide everyone through, …there are certain tough decisions that have to be made and they need to be made based upon facts, …but then, on top of it all, it’s the ability of… leaders to communicate and the common trust that they have that make it all work.” - Doreen Harwood [44:02] “...I said ‘I vouch for him’ So basically, “Even though you haven't spent twenty years with him, you’ve spent twenty years with me. Treat him the same. I trust him that way. I would recommend you trust him that way.’ And it actually worked. I don’t know if that works in every instance, but [it did] in this case… Get somebody to vouch for ya’. I know it sounds kind of crazy.”- Doreen Harwood [45:33]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [01:52] Meet Dorene Harwood [04:50] Growing Up [08:22] After High School and FBI [11:35] Working After High School [14:44] Doreen’s Family [17:13] Marriage [18:42] NSA [21:43] Bachelors and Masters [23:48] Program Management [26:05] Maternity Leave and Moms at NSA [30:12] Getting into Program Management [33:35] Program Management to IT [35:51] Programming Class and Technology Back Then [37:28] Senior Ranks [41:10] Building a High-Performing Team [44:27] Building Trust at NSA [46:51] Doreen and Shana’s First Meeting [52:17] Fort Meade Alliance Board [59:54] Being Your Best Self [01:01:54] Doreen’s Favorite Book [01:04:07] Doreen’s Surprising Fact [01:05:32] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.thehersheycompany.com/en_us/home.html (The Hershey Company) https://www.army.mil/ (United States Army) https://www.att.com/ (AT&T) https://www.bwiairport.com/ (Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058796/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt (Days of our Lives) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059978/ (Dark Shadows) https://www.oprah.com/app/the-oprah-winfrey-show.html (The Oprah Winfrey Show) https://www.wheeloffortune.com/ (Wheel of Fortune) https://www.jeopardy.com/ (Jeopardy!) https://www.fbi.gov/ (Federal Bureau of Investigation) https://www.nsa.gov/ (National Security Agency) http://www.clui.org/ludb/site/nsa-friendship-annex-0 (National Security Agency Friendship Annex (FANX)) https://www.ndm.edu/ (Notre Dame of Maryland University) https://www.st.philip-neri.org/ (St. Philip-Neri) https://www.youngschool.com/ (The Young School ) https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Kunia_Regional_SIGINT_Operations_Center (Kunia Regional SIGINT Operations Center)...

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Game Design, Speaking Up, and Passionate Visions.In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Ashley Guchhait, CEO and Game Designer of Boba Studios and Co-Chair of International Game Developer's Association, D.C. Chapter. Ashley talks all about her company, Boba Studios. We get to hear what it was like finding her team throughout college, at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), how the company was built, and her experience of entering competitions and conventions. Ashley also goes into the details of her game, Squirrely Roo Rabbit. Lastly, we get to hear what Ashley has learned throughout her experiences in the industry and the ways she and her studio have improved. QUOTES “I never raised my hand in class, and when teachers called on me—even in high school—I would be so quiet because you know somebody calls on you and my throat would close up. And I didn’t know what to say and my voice would barely come out… Ironically, at this point, I am the person that talks the most at our studio.” - Ashley Guchhait [09:32] “Things that are worth it. They take hard work.”– Ashley Guchhait [29:18] “Sometimes you might get feedback that, you know, it doesn’t necessarily apply. But we always really appreciate anybody who will give us critique and talk about it from their perspective. Because all of those things are super helpful and they make what we do clearer no matter what it is. - Ashley Guchhait [38:11]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [01:53] Meet Ashley Guchhait  [03:53] Boba Studios [04:27] Deciding on College [06:47] Managing Self-Talk While Creating [07:45] Maryland Institute College of Art [10:30] Ashley’s Studio Partners and MICA Majors [11:30] Life Visions and Welcoming Passions [13:22] Meeting TJ and Kyrstin [18:26] Technology Used [19:57] Boba Studios Entering Competitions [31:45] Making Money After College and Conventions [36:34] Ashley Expressing Her Visions to Others [38:30] Squirrely Roo Rabbit [44:19] Books That Impacted Ashley [47:24] Outro

RESOURCES https://winniethepooh.disney.com/ (Winnie the Pooh) https://peabody.jhu.edu/ (Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University) https://www.mica.edu/ (Maryland Institute College of Art) https://soundcloud.com/tj-martin-composer (TJ Martin) on SoundCloud https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyrstincooksey/ (Kyrstin Cooksey) on LinkedIn https://store.steampowered.com/app/1246870/Harvest_Moon_One_World/ (Harvest Moon) https://bobastudios.itch.io/squirrely-roo-rabbit (Squirrely Roo Rabbit) by Boba Studios https://www.dell.com/en-us/gaming/alienware (Alienware by Dell) https://peabodyinstitute.wordpress.com/2018/04/10/tj-martin-and-boba-studios-wins-20000/ (Boba Studios Wins Up/Start Venture Competition) https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.imangi.templerun&hl=en_US&gl=US (Temple Run) https://www.salisbury.edu/academic-offices/business/shore-hatchery/ (Shore Hatchery) https://ditavonteeselingerie.com/pages/dita-von-teese (Dita Von Teese) https://super.magfest.org/ (Music And Gaming Festival (MAGFest)) https://www.amazon.com/Perks-Being-Wallflower-Stephen-Chbosky/dp/0671027344 (The Perks of Being a Wallflower) by Stephen Chbosky https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1659337/ (The Perks of Being a Wallflower) Film https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0914612/ (Emma Watson)

RELEVANT LINKS https://bobastudios.com/ (Boba Studios) https://twitter.com/bobastudios#_=_ (Boba Studios) on Twitter https://www.facebook.com/bobastudiosplay (Boba Studios) on Facebook https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9MVTqbHxxLNb-xYUG2PJ8A#_=_ (Boba Studios )on YouTube https://www.instagram.com/bobastudios/ (​​bobastudios) on Instagram https://soundcloud.com/user-172176952 (Boba Studios) on SoundCloud https://nylatechnologysolutions.com/ (Nyla Technology Solutions)

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Leadership, Cybersecurity, and Transformation.In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to retired Rear Admiral Danelle Barrett, former deputy CIO of the US Navy, Director of Operations at Cyber Command and Author of ‘Rock the Boat’. Danelle talks about what it was like to be a wife and mother while serving the Nation. She goes into the values of communication and importance of the transformational opportunities in life. We also get to hear about the writing and production process of Danelle’s book, Rock the Boat and what made her decide to write. Lastly, Danelle allows us to hear about her past experiences working at Disney World, what she wishes she did differently, and her ‘embarrassing mom moment.’ QUOTES “So, I think sometimes we have to really be mindful and open to whatever’s coming our way. Be a little Semper Gumby, a little flexible, and leap at that opportunity that we just wouldn’t have seen or didn’t see because we were so blind [with] everything we thought we wanted.”– Danelle Barrett [12:20] “So, her dream was just as important as mine and my husband’s. So, there’s ways in families to manage that, but it takes effort, takes some coordination and stuff like that, but you know, you can’t be solely focused on your career yourself. You got to make sure that everybody else’s dreams and aspirations are just as important as yours and taken care of.”– Danelle Barrett [28:56] “...I do believe, you know, as a leader you have to look for those opportunities that are transformational. That will change something for the better.”– Danelle Barrett [36:53]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [01:52] Meet Danelle Barrett [02:59] Rock the Boat  [03:37] Corporate Boards [04:58] Leaving the Navy [06:58] Going into the Navy and Working in the Pentagon [09:37] Evolution of Technology [10:10] Shifting to Leadership Roles [12:34] Women Going to Sea and the Ships [15:25] Danelle’s Husband and Daughter [16:58] Danelle’s Parents and Siblings [18:47] Being in the Navy as a Mom [22:05] Danelle’s Mother [24:40] Marriage Tips and Familial Communication [28:06] Danelle’s Daughter [30:02] Women in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science [33:11] Hair and Clothing [36:12] Rock the Boat [38:51] Ideas, Visions, and Evolution [41:53] Communication Systems Impacting Cybersecurity [43:51] Writing a Book and the Distribution Process [48:08] Ping Pong and Piano [50:53] Danelle’s Favorite Book [52:02] What Danielle Looks Back on [53:27] Working at Disney World [54:17] Funny Mom Moment [58:39] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.navy.mil/ (United States Navy) https://marineparents.com/marinecorps/sempergumby.asp (Semper Gumby) https://www.navysite.de/ships/lcc19.htm (USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19)) https://www.c6f.navy.mil/About-Us/Our-Task-Forces/CTF-63/USS-Mount-Whitney-LCC-20/ (USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20)) https://www.va.gov/ (U.S. Department of Federal Affairs) https://explorehealthcareers.org/career/nursing/occupational-health-nurse/ (Occupational Health Nurse) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0218839/ (Best in Show) https://www.uky.edu/UKHome/ (University of Kentucky) https://www.sears.com/ (Sears) https://www.amazon.com/ (Amazon) https://www.tesla.com/elon-musk (Elon Musk) https://www.waltdisney.org/walt-disney (Walt Disney) https://www.neilgaiman.com/ (Neil Gaiman) https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/ (The Salvation Army) https://www.amazon.com/Bell-Adano-John-Hersey/dp/0394756959 (A Bell for Adano) by John Hersey https://www.pulitzer.org/ (The Pulitzer Prize) https://www.amazon.com/All-Light-We-Cannot-See/dp/1501173219 (All The Light We Cannot See) by Anthony Doerr https://www.janeausten.org/ (Jane Austen) https://www.amazon.com/Far-Madding-Crowd-Wordsworth-Classics/dp/1853260673 (Far from the Madding Crowd) by Thomas Hardy https://www.amazon.com/Lincoln-Leadership-Executive-Strategies-Tough/dp/0446394599 (Lincoln on Leadership) by Donald T. Phillips...

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Economic Mobility, Innovation, and Women of Color in Tech.In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Kendra Parlock, Executive Director at NPower Maryland. Kendra talks about her early love of science and what growing up was like with both her parents being in the Marines. She also goes into the heart of NPower and the importance of bringing more women and women of color into the tech industry. Kendra discusses what it was like working in the mayor’s office and how her organization and detail orientation has allowed her to be successful in her career. QUOTES “That’s how innovation happens. It’s not mysterious and magical. It’s committing to and identifying a problem, asking the right questions, collecting the right data, coming up with ideas, trying them out, collecting that information. That’s when the innovation happens.”– Kendra Parlock [15:55] “There was a lot to manage and that’s where my value came in. Like okay, I can make sense of this, and I kept all of that organized.”– Kendra Parlock [21:23] “People are drawn to people who present themselves well. And so, I was able to meet more people, collaborate more, make more connections because, you know, I looked the part.”– Kendra Parlock [46:34]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [03:20] Meet Kendra Parlock [05:45] Schooling and Love of Science [07:03] Kendra’s Parents [07:45] College and Six Sigma Training [10:43] DuPont and TiO2 [15:07] Organization, Detail Orientation, and Innovation [19:35] Starting at W. R. Grace & Co. [22:55] Executive MBA at Michigan State University [25:54] W. R. Grace & Co. to Mayor’s Office [29:32] Office Architecture, Community Data, and Working for the Mayor [34:20] NPower and Women in Tech [44:33] Kendra’s Style in Life and Business [46:48] Kendra’s Husband [50:02] Wrap-Up Questions [55:27] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.npower.org/locations/maryland/ (NPower) https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/issues/2007/04/pdf/citistat_report.pdf (CitiStat) https://www.cabotcorp.com/ (Cabot Corporation) https://grace.com/ (W. R. Grace & Co.) https://www.dupont.com/ (DuPont) https://www.ufl.edu/ (University of Florida) https://www.wright.edu/ (Wright State University) https://msu.edu/ (Michigan State University) https://www.uwcm.org/ (United Way of Central Maryland) https://boltonhillmd.org/ (Bolton Hill Community Association) https://www.iwbmore.org/ (Innovation Works) https://www.the-daily-record.com/ (The Daily Record) https://www.umbiopark.com/ (University of Maryland BioPark) https://www.marines.com/ (Marines) https://www.6sigma.us/ (Six Sigma) https://www.donaldjtrump.com/ (Former President Donald J. Trump) https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/05/01/403629104/baltimore-protests-what-we-know-about-the-freddie-gray-arrest (Freddie Gray) https://www.comptia.org/certifications/it-fundamentals (CompTIA ITF+ Certification) https://www.comptia.org/certifications/a (CompTIA A+ Certification) https://www.comptia.org/certifications/security (CompTIA Security+ Certification) http://www.baltimorefamilies.org/ (Baltimore Family Alliance) https://www.northropgrumman.com/ (Northrop Grumman) https://www.mica.edu/ (Maryland Institute College of Art) https://www.amazon.com/Things-Fall-Apart-Chinua-Achebe/dp/0385474547 (Things Fall Apart) by Chinua Achebe https://www.agathachristie.com/ (Agatha Christie) https://digitalequitybaltimore.org/ (Baltimore Digital Equity Coalition) https://digitalequitybaltimore.org/hotline/ (Baltimore Digital Equity Coalition Community Tech Support Hotline)

RELEVANT LINKS https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendraparlock/ (Kendra Parlock) on LinkedIn https://twitter.com/kendraparlock?lang=en (Kendra Parlock) on Twitter https://thedailyrecord.com/2021/05/14/kendra-parlock/ (The Daily Record Kendra Parlock) https://nylatechnologysolutions.com/ (Nyla Technology Solutions)

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CyberSecurity, Confidence, and Charisma.In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Diane Janosek, Training Director for The National Cryptologic School at The National Security Agency. Diane talks about her journey from practicing law to loving cybersecurity. She also discusses her involvement in nation-shaping moments such as the Bill Clinton impeachment and the Snowden disclosures. Finally, we learn how Diane’s drive has compelled her to take the CISSP, grow Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS), and read voraciously about what will affect her nation next. QUOTES “You gotta have confidence, and if you don’t have it you gotta fake it because otherwise you’re gonna be eaten alive. So, it is a learned behavior. Even for an introvert, it’s all about just knowing who you are, what you have to offer, and you’re not gonna compromise. ”– Diane Janosek [21:40] “There’s so many things that you can make a lifetime out of, so just find what you’re interested in, find your passion, meet people that are doing it, and just network as much as you can.”– Diane Janosek [39:44] “Everybody wants to [...] have sense of belonging, a sense of purpose, that they’re contributing to something bigger than themselves - and having a professional organization of camaraderie and a sense of community in your area of discipline is really important.”– Diane Janosek [32:19]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [04:12] Getting to Know Diane [05:17] Fitting into People’s Expectations [07:48] Journey From Law to Cybersecurity [11:18] Working with Janet Reno [12:40] Impeachment of Bill Clinton [13:59] Starting with the NSA [16:34] Becoming Chief Legal Officer of Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board [18:58] Gaining a Passion for Cybersecurity [20:35] Charisma of Powerful People [23:40] Skill Set Needed for Network and Information Security [24:32] Taking the CISSP [28:03] Why Technical Competency Matters as a Woman [29:30] Diane’s Family [30:55] Women in Cybersecurity [34:42] Books that Influenced Diane [36:07] Diane’s Reading Habits [39:14] Advice to Younger Professionals [40:36] Diane’s Creative Outlet [44:31] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.wicys.org/ (Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS)) https://www.cybher.org/cybher-warrior-awards/ (CybHER Warrior Awards) https://www.mdcyber.com/ (Cybersecurity Association of Maryland) https://dreamport.tech/ (Dreamport) https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/ronald-reagan/ (Former President Ronald Reagan) https://www.history.com/topics/us-government/checks-and-balances (Checks and Balances) https://www.justice.gov/ (Department of Justice) https://www.justice.gov/ag/bio/reno-janet (Janet Reno) https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/president-clinton-impeached (Impeachment of Bill Clinton) https://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1999/01/19/transcripts/ (Chuck Ruff) https://www.defense.gov/Our-Story/Biographies/Biography/Article/1531067/general-paul-m-nakasone/ (General Paul M Nakasone) https://schar.gmu.edu/profiles/rdeitz (Robert Deitz) https://www.pclob.gov/ (Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board) https://www.law.nyu.edu/centers/ija-oral-history/wald (Judge Patricia Wald) https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/barack-obama/ (Former President Barack Obama) https://www.cgap.org/about/people/david-medine (David Medine) https://www.c-span.org/person/?1017594/RachelLBrand (Rachel Brand) https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/donald-j-trump/ (Former President Donald Trump) https://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2013/nov/01/snowden-nsa-files-surveillance-revelations-decoded (Snowden Disclosures) https://ni-u.edu/wp/ (National Intelligence University) https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/biographyginsburg.aspx (Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg) https://www.brennancenter.org/sites/default/files/analysis/Government%20Surveillance%20Factsheet.pdf (Section 702 and Section 215)...

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Trusting Your Gut, Growing, and Being a Leader.In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Amanda O'Donohue, Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Experience Officer (CXO) at Nyla Technology Solutions. Amanda discusses the value of the culture at Nyla and her journey with Shana for the past six years. She also talks about being a leader and the dynamic with her team. We get to hear a good bit of advice on trusting your gut, growing, and getting out of your comfort zone. Lastly, Amanda goes into her regrets, superpowers, and how she got away with shoving a pie in Shana’s face! QUOTES “I feel like in business and in life, there’s not always a right answer or wrong answer. So, you have to go with what you think is best and be okay with that.”– Amanda O'Donohue [19:36] “I think if you can’t experiment and try out new things, you can’t grow.”– Amanda O'Donohue [34:25] “I think there’s something validating [to knowing] that you following your gut is working. You’re making good decisions. I think that’s the biggest thing is it’s given me a lot more confidence.”– Amanda O'Donohue [54:56]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [02:35] Meet Amanda O'Donohue [03:59] Growing Up Wanting to be a Pharmacist [04:43] Forensic Chemistry and Trying New Things [05:44] Growing Up in Buffalo [07:02] Work During and After College [08:52] Meeting Shana [13:52] Starting at Nyla [15:28] Staying at Nyla [17:34] Before Nyla and Becoming a Leader [19:18] Figuring it Out and Team Dynamic [27:17] Moving Back Home [30:01] Culture and Experience Working at Nyla [34:49] Philanthropy at Nyla [39:03] Shoving Pie in Shana’s Face! [40:22] Programs Amanda Found for Nyla [44:26] Getting a Business Coach [47:07] Amanda’s Superpowers [49:35] Recruiting [50:59] Regrets and Growing [52:16] Amanda and Shana’s Dynamic [54:21] Amanda’s Favorite Book [55:09] Wrap Up Questions [60:39] Outro

RESOURCES https://thedailyrecord.com/leading-women/ (The Daily Record Leading Women Award) http://www.buffalo.edu/ (University at Buffalo) https://www.towson.edu/ (Towson University) https://mentholatumointment.com/ (Mentholatum) https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-assistance-programs/hubzone-program (HUBZone) https://disa.mil/ (DISA) https://www.riseliveweekend.com/ (Rachel Hollis Conference) https://k9sforwarriors.org/ (K9s For Warriors) https://www.habitat.org/ (Habitat for Humanity) https://www.google.com/chromebook/ (Chromebook) https://www.baltimorecityschools.org/schools/97 (Collington Square Elementary/Middle School) https://www.linkedin.com/in/joditurnerhume/ (Jodi Hume) on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/edmullin/ (Ed Mullin) on LinkedIn https://www.baltimoreroboticscenter.com/ (Baltimore Robotics Center) https://www.linkedin.com/in/garyabonner/ (Gary Bonner) on LinkedIn https://www.pcsforpeople.org/ (PCs for People) https://www.hiringourheroes.org/ (Hiring Our Heroes (HOH)) https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-davis-4a186416a/ (Courtney Davis) on LinkedIn https://www.dllr.state.md.us/employment/appr/ (Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Program (MATP)) https://governor.maryland.gov/ (Governor Larry Hogan) https://www.nsa.gov/ (NSA) https://www.amazon.com/21-Irrefutable-Laws-Leadership-Anniversary/dp/0785288376 (The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You) by John C. Maxwell

RELEVANT LINKS https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-o-donohue-677a6648/ (Amanda O'Donohue)  on LinkedIn https://nylatechnologysolutions.com/ (Nyla Technology Solutions)

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Changing the World, Authenticity, and It’s PossibleIn this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Jennifer Banwart, U.S. Senate Candidate for North Carolina. Jennifer talks about what it’s like running for Senate and what all compelled her to get into politics. She also touches on her college experience and the bold personal decision she made to build herself a valuable foundation. Additionally, we get to hear about Jennifer’s experience with the NSA, her decision to leave the government, and how she went from living a private life to being up front in the public eye. QUOTES “Intelligence is messy. People have to be comfortable with that if they’re going to thrive in it.” - Jennifer Banwart [46:53]  “You can see that if you start to do things in a certain way, other people will start to do things a certain way and eventually you’re changing the world. And you have to believe that that is true. It’s possible.” - Jennifer Banwart [67:34]  “I’ve always tried to be kind, as much as I could. And sometimes my kindness has been mistaken for weakness and I’m not afraid to come out and show it when I need to. But I’ve always tried to come from a place of remembering my manners, respecting other people, being humble and believing that there’s something bigger than me, but be firm. Be pragmatic, but be firm.”– Jennifer Banwart [71:45]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [03:09] Shana and Jennifer [06:25] Working for and Leaving the Government [08:36] Family Meetings and Listening [11:03] Growing Up and Family [16:54] Early Interest in Politics [18:34] Deciding on College [21:25] American University [24:17] Nyla Technology Solutions [24:50] Energy and Bob Dole’s Campaign [27:57] Transferring to Whitman [32:04] Work After College [35:16] Student Debt [35:54] Meeting Recruiters and Deciding [37:24] Marriage and Having Children [38:17] Interviewing at NSA and CIA [39:10] Jennifer’s Career at NSA [44:40] National Counterterrorism Center [46:59] Jennifer’s Christmas Card [48:01] Running for Senate [52:13] Moderate Republican [54:27] It’s Possible [59:40] Overview of Jennifer’s Campaign [67:47] Private Life to Public Eye [70:48] Wrap Up Questions [77:57] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.defense.gov/ (U.S. Department of Defense) https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Secretary_of_Defense_Medal_for_Valor (Secretary of Defense Medal for Valor) https://ncsu-las.org/ (Laboratory for Analytic Sciences) https://www.ncsu.edu/ (NC State University) https://www.casio.com/products (Casio) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083413/ (Family Ties) https://www.sesamestreet.org/ (Sesame Street) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066651/ (The Electric Company) https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/ronald-reagan/ (Ronald Reagan) https://joffrey.org/ (Joffrey Ballet) https://www.nyu.edu/ (NYU) https://www.american.edu/ (American University) https://history.house.gov/People/Detail/13850 (Newt Gingrich) https://www.bobdole.org/ (Bob Dole) https://www.urbanoutfitters.com/?ref=logo (Urban Outfitters) https://washington.org/dc-insider-newsletter (DC Insider) https://www.whitman.edu/ (Whitman College) https://www.python.org/ (Python) http://www.sqlcourse.com/intro.html (SQL) https://www.olivegarden.com/home (Olive Garden) https://www.cia.gov/ (CIA) https://www.nsa.gov/ (NSA) https://www.dni.gov/index.php/nctc-home (National Counterterrorism Center) https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelleiter/ (Michael Leiter) https://www.burr.senate.gov/ (Senator Burr) https://www.fec.gov/ (Federal Election Commission) https://www.nelsonmandela.org/ (Nelson Mandela) https://tim.blog/about/ (Tim Ferriss) https://www.cruz.senate.gov/ (Ted Cruz) https://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/resource/cold-war-history/vaclav-havel (Václav Havel)

RELEVANT LINKS https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenbanwartjen4sennc/ (Jennifer Banwart) on LinkedIn https://twitter.com/jen4sennc?lang=en (Jennifer Banwart) on

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Cybersecurity, NSA, and Working Mom In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Teresa Shea, Vice President of Cyber Offense and Defense Experts (CODEX) for Raytheon Intelligence and Space. Teresa talks about her 34 years with the NSA and her experience being surrounded by talented and motivated individuals. We also hear about her family and what childcare was like for her and her husband as working parents. Teresa also gives her two cents on priorities, promotions, and team building.  QUOTES "It’s going to take us a long time to recover from [the pandemic]. As women, we just need to help each other. We need to be aware, and empathetic, and when these women are ready to come back to the work force, open the door, help them get in." – Teresa Shea [04:58] “I’m a proponent of constant defense. I don’t believe we’re going to get to a hundred percent secure networks anytime soon. I am a believer in you just constantly have to defend. Build in resiliency.” Teresa Shea - [14:04] “Behavior is critically important. Behave in the way you want others to emulate. You want to create that culture that thrives in that kind of environment.” – Teresa Shea [42:25]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [02:36] Meet Teresa Shea [03:12] Priorities [05:16] Teresa’s Kids and Grandkids [07:13] Teresa’s Position at Raytheon [08:48] Offense Vs. Defense [17:05] Growing Up and Family [24:00] Nyla Technology Solutions [24:34] Working and College as a Woman [29:07] Electrical Engineering and Teresa’s Husband [30:42] Childcare [32:24] Working and Appearance [35:26] Work at the NSA [38:52} Women in Cybersecurity and Speaking Up [41:30] Advice on Promotions and Team-Building [45:13] Being a Working Mom [50:35] Wrap-Up Questions [54:40] Outro

RESOURCES http://gatech.edu/ (Georgia Tech) https://www.nsa.gov/ (NSA) https://www.iqt.org/ (In-Q-Tel) https://www.raytheonintelligenceandspace.com/ (Raytheon Intelligence & Space) https://georgewbush.com/ (George W. Bush) https://barackobama.com/ (Barack Obama) https://military.wikia.org/wiki/National_Intelligence_Distinguished_Service_Medal (National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal) https://www.osssociety.org/award.html (William J. Donovan Award ®) https://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/Article/603608/dod-civilian-awards-recognize-distinguished-service/ (Distinguished Civilian Service Award) https://www.hiltonhead.com/ (Hilton Head) https://www.navy.mil/ (U.S. Navy) https://www.simplefileupload.com/ (Simple File Upload) https://softwaresocial.dev/about (Software Social Podcast) https://www.cdc.gov/ (CDC) https://www.georgiasouthern.edu/ (Georgia Southern) https://www.purdue.edu/ (Purdue University) https://www.usna.edu/CyberCenter/People/Biographies/Inglis.php (Chris Inglis) https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-easterly-225380123/ (Jen Easterly) https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-neuberger-13b4491b/ (Anne Neuberger) https://www.dhs.gov/ (DHS) https://www.npr.org/2017/09/30/548666129/from-dinner-parties-to-spy-rings-the-woman-who-smashed-codes-bursts-with-detail#:~:text=Technology-,From%20Dinner%20Parties%20To%20Spy%20Rings%2C%20'The%20Woman%20Who%20Smashed,fascinating%20woman%20in%20perilous%20times. (“The Woman Who Smashed Codes”) by Jason Fagone https://www.amazon.com/Wolves-Door-Americas-Greatest-Female/dp/159921072X (“The Wolves at the Door”) by Judith Pearson

RELEVANT LINKS https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresa-shea-244594113/ (Teresa Shea) on LinkedIn https://nylatechnologysolutions.com/ (Nyla Technology Solutions)

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, please give us 5 stars and I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday. Live well, Shana

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In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Cathy King, Software Developer and Project Manager at 20/10 Solutions about the power of being a working mother. Shana and Cathy discuss growing up together as next door neighbors, the impact of Nyla’s wise words, and the value of geeking out with coworkers. Cathy imparts advice on a wide range of topics from staying relevant in your field to making time for your children as a working parent. QUOTES "I just remember one time - and this stuck in my head - Nyla said, ‘Hey Cathy, you know that you could be a mother, but you can also have a career. You know that don't you?’” - Cathy King [03:53] “I felt, ‘Am I going to be able to do this?’ and then it clicked. And that was like, ‘I can do this’. I was probably about your age then. ‘I can learn this,’ and I did.” - Cathy King [20:30] “You have to pat yourself on the back because I don’t think people get what you do, and it’s like that with a lot of things. You know, I don’t know how airplanes fly, I just get on it and want it to work. When you put something together, especially if you’re doing web programming, there can be no errors.” - Cathy King [22:43]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [00:53] Meet Cathy King [02:45] Cathy and Shana’s Mother [05:29] When Cathy First Realized that she Excelled at Math [06:47] Interest in Computer Science [08:26] How Cathy put Herself Through School [08:56] Life After Graduation [09:42] McDonnell Douglas [11:00] Talking Salary [11:29] Meeting her Husband [12:39] Leaving Pittsburgh for California [13:28] Life as a Working Mother [16:33] Software Advantage [18:45] Keeping up with Technology [21:20] Cyber-Security Coding [21:37] Geeking out With a Friend [23:04] Working for her Brother [23:59] Careers of Cathy’s Children [25:13] Book Recommendation [26:16] Being Strong [26:43] Best Advice Cathy Ever Received [28:08] Tips on Being Working Parents and Marriage [29:54] Love of Sports and Basketball [30:18] Shana on how Cathy Inspired her [31:34] Outro

RESOURCES https://pittsburghspeech.pitt.edu/PittsburghSpeech_Dictionary.html#:~:text=Definition%3A%20Nosy%2C%20snoopy%2C%20inquisitive,or%20snout%20of%20an%20animal. (Definition of Nebnose) https://www.amazon.com/Five-People-You-Meet-Heaven/dp/1401308589 (The Five People you Meet in Heaven) by Mitch Albom https://www.sru.edu/ (Slippery Rock University) https://titleix.harvard.edu/what-title-ix (Title IX) https://www.pitt.edu/ (University of Pittsburgh) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonnell_Douglas (McDonnel Douglas) https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/access (Microsoft Access) https://www.adobe.com/products/coldfusion-family.html (Cold Fusion) https://dotnet.microsoft.com/apps/aspnet (Asp.net) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model%E2%80%93view%E2%80%93controller (Model-View-Controller) https://www.visitingangels.com/ (Visiting Angels) https://www.amazon.com/Rainbow-Comes-Goes-Mother-Life/dp/0062454951 (The Rainbow Comes and Goes) by Anderson Cooper and Gloria Vanderbilt

RELEVANT LINKS https://2010solutions.com/ (20/10 Solutions) https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathy-king-62727187/ (Cathy Warner on Linkedin) https://nylatechnologysolutions.com/ (Nyla Technology Solutions)

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday. Live well, Shana

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In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Fred Fauth, Vice President at Nexxis Solutions, about his current professional role and the varying architecture for his current and past companies. We get to hear about his side businesses including renting out properties, One Project Closer, and the benefits and experiences he has gained from them. Fred also speaks on growing up, college,  and how it all led him to a life around computer science. QUOTES "If an employee feels like, ‘I go into work everyday and I make a meaningful contribution to the world, to this customer space,’ and the customer comes out and says, ‘I love the people, I love the engineering, I love the results I get from this small business,’ that’s a match that is really unparalleled." - Fred Fauth [14:56] “Our thought process around this is, if you do what’s right for your customers and your employees, and that relationship is killing it, and you’re being really thoughtful about the fiscal aspects of the business so that you’re making good decisions, that should leave a lot left over to make a big difference in the local community.” - Fred Fauth [16:13] Word of mouth is one thing - 'yeah you should come in and meet this person.' But it's really great if it's 'You should come in and meet this person, and by the way go check out the website and you'll see everything you need to know about working for this place.' It's all about multiple brand impressions and building relationships with folks through multiple venues.” - Fred Fauth [27:29]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [01:32] Meet Fred Fauth [01:56] Capture and Meeting Shana [06:05] Role at Nexxis Solutions [07:52] Small Companies [10:44] Hiring Expert Support [13:06] Architecture for Praxis vs. Nexxis [16:59] Shana and Fred’s First Lunch [20:09] Technical Architecture [23:43] Working from Home [25:31] Nyla Technology Solutions [26:06] Website Development [28:43] Growing Up [34:34] College [36:09] Booz Allen [37:59] Fred’s Wife and Children [41:23] Side Businesses [49:13] Being Busy in a Relationship [50:35] Wrap-Up Questions [53:21] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.praxiseng.com/ (Praxis Engineering) https://www.boozallen.com/ (Booz Allen Hamilton) https://slack.com/ (Slack) https://www.squarespace.com/ (Squarespace) https://www.loyola.edu/ (Loyola University Maryland) https://www.airbnb.com/ (Airbnb) https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Path-Wealth-financial-independence/dp/1533667926/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1PAK86DL0KBD3&dchild=1&keywords=the+simple+path+to+wealth&qid=1623039732&sprefix=the+simple+pa%2Caps%2C173&sr=8-1 (The Simple Path to Wealth) by J L Collins

RELEVANT LINKS https://www.linkedin.com/in/ffauth/ (Fred Fauth on LinkedIn) https://www.nexxissolutions.com/ (Nexxis Solutions) https://www.oneprojectcloser.com/ (One Project Closer) https://nylatechnologysolutions.com/ (Nyla Technology Solutions)

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently. Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you’ll receive notifications about guest interviews and other topics that drop every Tuesday. Live well, Shana

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In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to professional pianists and founders of The Concert Truck, Susan Zhang and Nick Luby. The pair talk about the beginning stages of starting their business and what it’s like performing concerts in a truck! They also speak about their other musical experiences such as their education, teaching piano, and their entrepreneurial view of the industry.   QUOTES "The only reason to do music is the music itself." Nick Luby - [09:40] "There are a lot of ups and downs with learning to play an instrument, or really learning any craft well. I think that it’s good to experience that. Even when you’re young. Because you learn that to get better than anything, you’re going to have to feel those uncomfortable feelings. And that’s an important part of the process." Susan Zhang - [13:13] “If you’re a great improviser, then you’re automatically a good composer because improvisation is spontaneous composition.” Nick Luby - [16:14]

TIMESTAMPS [00:04] Intro [01:00] Nick Luby Musical Excerpt [01:30] Meet Nick Luby and Susan Zhang [02:08] Teaching Piano [04:20] Meeting and Creating The Concert Truck [07:54] College [09:03] Family [10:25] Susan’s Education Experience [10:53] Susan Zhang Musical Excerpt [11:25] Susan’s Parents [12:00] Kids Starting in Music [14:33] Vulnerability and Improvisation in Music [17:13] Success [17:49] Adopting The Concert Truck [19:47] Entrepreneurship [21:54] Nick Luby and Susan Zhang Musical Excerpt [22:23] Entrepreneurship Continued [25:03] Nyla Technology Solutions [25:36] Driving The Concert Truck [27:37] First Concert to Now [33:37] Wrap Up Questions [35:35] Outro

RESOURCES https://peabody.jhu.edu/ (Johns Hopkins Peabody Institute) https://www.gilman.edu/ (Gilman School) https://www.wesleyan.edu/ (Wesleyan University) https://www.biography.com/musician/johann-sebastian-bach (Johann Sebastion Bach) https://www.biography.com/musician/wolfgang-mozart (Wolfgang Mozart) https://www.biography.com/musician/ludwig-van-beethoven (Ludwig van Beethoven) https://www.biography.com/musician/frederic-chopin#:~:text=Fr%C3%A9d%C3%A9ric%20Chopin%20was%20a%20renowned,piano%20compositions%20were%20highly%20influential. (Frédéric Chopin) https://www.southcarolinaarts.com/ (South Carolina Arts Commission) https://sc.edu/ (University of South Carolina) https://www.esm.rochester.edu/ (Eastman School of Music) https://www.npr.org/2011/07/18/124272297/the-life-and-music-of-samuel-barber (Samuel Barber) http://www-personal.umich.edu/~cyoungk/kapustinbio.htm (Nikolai Kapustin) https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sergey-Rachmaninoff (Sergey Rachmaninoff) https://www.scpianofestival.org/ (South Carolina Piano Festival) http://sepf.music.sc.edu/study/competition/ (Arthur Fraser International Piano Competition) https://www.dallassymphony.org/ (Dallas Symphony Orchestra) https://fourseasons.ecu.edu/ (Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival) https://www.kennedy-center.org/ (The Kennedy Center)  https://www.amazon.com/Willpower-Instinct-Self-Control-Works-Matters/dp/1583335080 (The Willpower Instinct) by Kelly McGonigal

RELEVANT LINKS https://www.theconcerttruck.org/ (The Concert Truck) https://www.theconcerttruck.org/events (Upcoming Events with The Concert Truck) https://www.facebook.com/theconcerttruck/ (The Concert Truck on Facebook) https://www.theconcerttruck.org/team (About Nick Luby and Susan Zhang) https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickluby/ (Nick Luby on LinkedIn) https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-zhang-5b135827/ (Susan Zhang on LinkedIn) https://twitter.com/szhang26?lang=en (Susan Zhang on Twitter) https://nylatechnologysolutions.com/ (Nyla Technology Solutions)

I’d love to hear from you -- your feedback is important to me and I read all of it. If you enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll give us 5 stars. I’ll be sure to thank you via email. If not, let me know what you think we should do differently....

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In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Chris Petty, Senior Manager at BLUE ORIGIN. Chris talks about her love for systems engineering and her experiences in the field as a biracial female. She also goes into her working with astronauts, her passion for space systems, and her newfound excitement of managing people.  QUOTES "You know, I’ve just naturally been interested in engineering. I’ve always been kind of an engineering nerd, science and math nerd, STEM." - Chris Petty [12:48] "In this modern day and age, we’re working on incredibly complex systems and trying to deliver them on timelines that are ridiculously short. That’s just the speed of business today. You know, the speed of financing those programs. And so, trust becomes a major factor in how fast you can actually execute." - Chris Petty [42:19] “Look at yourself and are you really listening to people or are you just waiting for the chance so you can talk? You know, you’re never going to have trust with somebody unless they can trust that you’re listening to them.” -Chris Petty [43:58]

TIMESTAMPS [00:04] Intro [01:02] Meet Christina  [03:00] Sierra Nevada [04:47] Contracts [06:42] Systems Engineering [08:18] BLUE ORIGIN and Managing [11:21] Growing Up [13:20] Working With Astronauts [14:22] Habits and Moving [16:05] Nyla Technology Solutions [16:40] High School [19:29] Internship at Orbital [21:18] College [26:08] First Job After College [28:26] Northrop Grumman [34:28] Career Experience as a Biracial Female [40:19] Wrap-Up Questions [47:06] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.sncorp.com/ (Sierra Nevada Corporation) https://www.sncorp.com/what-we-do/dream-chaser-space-vehicle/ (Dream Chaser®) https://www.nasa.gov/ (NASA) https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/launch/overview.html (NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services) https://www.spacex.com/ (SpaceX) https://www.blueorigin.com/ (BLUE ORIGIN) https://www.blueorigin.com/new-shepard/ (New Shepard) https://www.goarmy.com/ (U.S. Army®) https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3R7MHMGX7T9G5&dchild=1&keywords=atomic+habits&qid=1620228813&sprefix=atom%2Caps%2C180&sr=8-1 (Atomic Habits) by James Clear James Clear’s https://www.amazon.com/Clear-Habit-Journal-Flagship-Size/dp/B07X3XV7J7/ref=sr_1_3?crid=CJP60P9GVTHK&dchild=1&keywords=james+clear+habit+journal&qid=1620228875&sprefix=james+clear+%2Caps%2C165&sr=8-3 (Habit Journal) https://www.misfitsmarket.com/ (Misfits Market) https://tjhsst.fcps.edu/ (Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology) https://gar-fieldhs.pwcs.edu/ (Gar-Field High School) https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat (The SAT) https://news.northropgrumman.com/news/releases/company-profile-for-orbital-sciences-corporation-6698282 (Orbital Sciences) https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/access (Microsoft Access) https://www.hmc.edu/ (Harvey Mudd College) https://www.mit.edu/ (MIT) https://www.zontec-spc.com/ (Zontec Systems) https://www.northropgrumman.com/ (Northrop Grumman) https://www.xprize.org/ (XPRIZE Foundation) https://www.incose.org/systems-engineering-certification/Certification-Levels (CSEP) https://www.jhu.edu/ (John’s Hopkins) http://www.brookeowensfellowship.org/ (Brooke Owens Fellowship) https://www.amazon.com/Habits-Highly-Effective-People-Powerful/dp/0743269519 (The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People) by Stephen R. Covey https://www.amazon.com/Leading-Change-New-Preface-Author/dp/1422186431/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1D16XKDMQ6LP9&dchild=1&keywords=leading+change&qid=1620232160&s=books&sprefix=leading+chan%2Cstripbooks%2C155&sr=1-3 (Leading Change) by John P. Kotter

RELEVANT LINKS https://nylatechnologysolutions.com/ (Nyla Technology Solutions) https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-petty-39b73b2/ (Chris Petty on LinkedIn)

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In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Robert Miller, Senior Vice President Missile Defense and C5ISR Business Development at Parsons Corporation. Robert talks about his being in the Navy, his start in cryptology and customer success. He also speaks on growing your business and even tells us about his and his twin brother’s side hustle.   QUOTES “Don’t be afraid of change. You have to get comfortable being uncomfortable, I think, for you to truly grow not only as a person but as a professional. You can’t be afraid of change.” Robert Miller - [27:13] “It takes a lot to build up your reputation, but it takes only a little to knock it down.” Robert Miller - [29:49] “You should always take a role that intimidates you.” Robert Miller - [31:51]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [01:03] Meet Robert Miller [01:50] C5ISR [04:42] Business Advice [06:32] Robert’s Typical Day [08:33] Military and College [11:04] Beginning in Cryptology [13:54] Customer Success [15:57] Listening and Gender [17:19] Growing the First Business [18:01] After First Business Was Sold [20:48] Large Business Subcontractor [23:08] Parsons’ Differentiators and Core Services [27:03] Robert’s Advice [28:37] Comfortable Being Uncomfortable [32:28] Best Decisions Along the Way [33:45] Side Hustle and Robert’s Brother [35:27] Wrap-Up Questions [44:57] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.defense.gov/ (Department of Defense) https://www.navy.com/ (Navy) https://gwinnetttech.edu/ (Gwinnett Technical College) https://www.printmag.com/post/dits-and-dahs (Dits and Dahs) https://www.cpf.navy.mil/rimpac/ (RIMPAC) https://www.nsa.gov/ (NSA) https://www.harvard.edu/ (Harvard) https://www.parsons.com/products/detectwise/ (detectwise™) https://www.parsons.com/business-units/missile-defense-c5isr/ (Missile Defense And C5ISR at Parsons) https://www.ogsystems.com/ (OGSystems) https://www.nga.mil/ (National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency) https://www.amazon.com/Hard-Thing-About-Things-Building/dp/0062273205/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2NAIJEYPE0G2B&dchild=1&keywords=the+hard+thing+about+hard+things&qid=1619117477&s=books&sprefix=the+hard+thing+ab%2Caps%2C191&sr=1-1 (The Hard Thing About Hard Things) by Ben Horowitz https://nylatechnologysolutions.com/ (Nyla Technology Solutions) https://www.amazon.com/ (Amazon)

RELEVANT LINKS https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmiii/ (Robert Miller on LinkedIn) https://www.parsons.com/ (Parsons)

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In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Stephanie Beben, Chief Data Scientist at Nyla Technology Solutions. Stephanie talks about her journey from being a Music Industry Major to becoming a Data Scientist. She also touches on topics such as data stability, women in the industry, and her interest in the culture of her workplace. QUOTES “Everything about data science is multidisciplinary.” - Stephanie Beben [11:17]  “I’ve seen so much value over my experience to diverse teams and it’s more challenging and it takes more effort to include people with differing backgrounds and experiences and everything. But it brings out such a much more robust and well-thought-out and well-envisioned final product.“ - Stephanie Beben [40:26] “The career satisfaction of going to work and actually - what I’ll say - using your powers for good very generally because I think there’s a ton of fields out there that you can apply those skills to.” - Stephanie Beben [42:20]

TIMESTAMPS [00:04] Intro [01:35] Meet Stephanie Beben [02:36] Being A Chief Data Scientist at Nyla [04:22] Cyber Analytics [05:59] Where Does Cyber Data Come From? [08:20] Increasing Mobile Society [09:41] Data Stability  [10:47] Professionally-Exciting Problems [11:55] Growing Up [14:51] Music  [16:33] University Experience [24:31] NSA Internship and Development Programs [27:37] Women in Computer Science and Data Science [31:02] Data Scientist Label [32:38] Training [33:30] Coming to Nyla [35:30] Nyla’s Culture and Inclusivity  [41:58] Stephanie’s Advice [42:52] Stephanie’s Favorite Book [44:12] Unknown Fact about Stephanie [46:01] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.northeastern.edu/ (Northeastern University) https://www.qu.edu/ (Quinnipiac University) https://www.defense.gov/ (Department of Defense) https://www.java.com/en/ (Java) https://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/?cid=CPC44280&gclid=Cj0KCQjwgtWDBhDZARIsADEKwgO3uRgUPZMZWbKhOUNu-GwPXLSJ0qFOQp3zCDXFRFjakrmqHIbpQqAaAkrqEALw_wcB (Penn State University) https://www.tamu.edu/ (Texas A&M University) https://www.nsa.gov/ (NSA) https://www.boozallen.com/ (Booz Allen Hamilton) https://www.amazon.com/Silo-Series/dp/B07MS1HYWQ (Silo Series) by Hugh Howey https://www.amazon.com/Maestro-Surprising-Story-Leading-Listening-ebook/dp/B002Q6XU76/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=maestro+book&qid=1618354961&s=digital-text&sr=1-5 (Maestro) by Roger Nierenberg

RELEVANT LINKS https://nylatechnologysolutions.com/ (Nyla Technology Solutions) https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-beben/ (Stephanie Beben on LinkedIn)

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In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Gary Bonner, Executive Director at the Baltimore PC’s for People. Gary speaks on the importance of digital literacy and how PCs for People, a social enterprise, provides low-cost devices to those who may not have them readily available. He also touches on how his parents shaped his world view, and how this was the catalyst of Gary’s life of helping others. QUOTES “During my time I was [in the military], I really began to feel my heartstrings tug at me more towards an occupation that allows me to help people on a much, much larger scale. Particularly the people who were like the kids that I went to school with.” - Gary Bonner [05:13]  “The real issue with digital literacy is: There is no greater barrier to economic mobility than the inability to compete in a digital world. ” - Gary Bonner [28:37] “You have a voice, you have a story you want to tell, do you want to blog, do you want to compose music? You know, these are all things that you can do through your device. And don’t look at it as something you’re just going to write letters on and do homework on.” - Gary Bonner [38:12] 

TIMESTAMPS [00:04] Intro [01:32] Meet Gary Bonner [02:47] Air Force [06:11] World View and Family [10:05] Ins and Outs PCs for People [15:44] Apple Devices [16:42] Social Enterprise [18:18] Techs and Warehouse Workers [21:45] Safety Processes [23:20] Starting a Nonprofit During a Pandemic [24:52] Leaving Healthcare to Start Nonprofit [25:40] Solving the Problem [30:46] Success Stories [33:36] Wrap-Up Questions [40:25] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.utexas.edu/ (The University of Texas at Austin) https://www.goarmy.com/rotc.html (ROTC) https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/?ql=1&spl=1 (Microsoft) https://www.whiting-turner.com/ (Whiting-Turner) https://www.amazon.com/Capital-Twenty-First-Century-Thomas-Piketty/dp/0674979850 (Capital in the Twenty-First Century) by Thomas Piketty

RELEVANT LINKS https://www.linkedin.com/in/garyabonner/ (Gary Bonner on LinkedIn) https://www.pcsforpeople.org/ (PCs for People) https://www.pcsforpeople.org/maryland/ (Contact Information for Maryland’s PCs for People) Gary’s Email

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In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Susan Katz, CEO of Susan Katz Advantage. Susan talks about being a business coach and what an ideal business owner looks like to her. She also touches topics such as what starting a business is like, what to look for in a coach, and living from your empowering belief.  QUOTES "Just knowing something doesn’t mean you will change. You can read all the self-help books in the world -and I call them ‘shelf-help’ because you read them, they sit on the shelf- if you do nothing, nothing changes. " - Susan Katz [13:45] “We all have a choice whether we want to stay in the limiting belief or whether we want to live from our empowering belief.” - Susan Katz [20:53] “I would say that a coach is also someone who should be pushing you out of your comfort-zone. Because staying comfortable doesn’t cause growth. Getting uncomfortable causes growth.” - Susan Katz [39:30] 

TIMESTAMPS [00:04] Intro [02:44] Meet Susan [04:39] Client Engagements  [06:57] Coachable Clients [11:33] High-Performers and Ambitions [15:38] Mindset and Story Exercise [22:59] Becoming a Business Coach [28:56] Finances Starting a Business [30:57] Susan’s Husband [32:39] Turning Down Business [34:16] Starting a Business is Hard! [36:17] Business Coaching Now Vs. When Susan Started [37:56] What to Look For in a Coach [41:29] Wrap-Up Questions [50:01] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.nba.com/bulls/?ls=iref:nba:gnav (Chicago Bulls) https://www.baltimoreravens.com/ (Baltimore Ravens) https://www.amazon.com/Talent-Code-Greatness-Born-Grown/dp/055380684X (The Talent Code) by Daniel Coyle  https://www.amazon.com/Trust-Me-Steps-Authenticity-Charisma/dp/0470404353 (Trust Me) by Nick Morgan https://www.pearson.com/en-us.html (Prentice Hall (Pearson)) https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en (Wolters Kluwer) https://www.amazon.com/100-Ways-Enhance-Self-Concept-Classroom/dp/0205154158 (101 Ways to Enhance Self-Concept in the Classroom) by Jack Canfield https://www.chickensoup.com/ (Chicken Soup for the Soul) by Jack Canfield https://www.amazon.com/Success-Principles-TM-Anniversary-Where/dp/0062364286/ref=sr_1_2?crid=25C9DQ6HLG44E&dchild=1&keywords=the+success+principles+by+jack+canfield&qid=1615928392&s=books&sprefix=The+Success+Principles%2Cstripbooks%2C189&sr=1-2 (The Success Principles) by Jack Canfield

RELEVANT LINKS https://susankatzadvantage.com/ (Susan Katz Advantage) https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanbkatz/ (Susan Katz on LinkedIn) https://www.facebook.com/susankatzadvantage (Susan Katz Advantage on Facebook) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyzqEJvrZF63J_PpWcbXS-A (Susan Katz Advantage on YouTube) https://www.amazon.com/Susan-Katz-Advantage-Create-Mindset/dp/0996675353/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=create+your+dream+job+susan+katz&qid=1615928492&s=books&sr=1-3 (Create Your Dream Job) by Susan Katz https://nylatechnologysolutions.com/ (Nyla Technology Solutions)

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In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Alexis Kovalchick, Senior Account Executive for General Dynamics. Alexis speaks on growing up in her family, transitioning through different business positions, and the highlights of her career. She also talks about books she’s been interested in along with the research sources she reads daily to keep her going. QUOTES "As a kid, I wanted to be a fashion designer. Like ‘What’s the latest and greatest? ‘What's the coolest trends?’ and in a way I’m kind of doing it - minus the fashion part." -Alexis Kovalchick [18:35] “There’s not a whole lot of women in this industry. I really feel like, you know, the connections that I have with a lot of these women - I think that’s what makes this business so exciting.” -Alexis Kovalchick [27:54] "It’s nice sometimes, to be the only girl in the room. But sometimes, you know, I want to see other people come up with me." -Alexis Kovalchick [28:07]

TIMESTAMPS [00:04] Intro [01:48] Meet Alexis Kovalchick  [04:05] Alexis’ Position at General Dynamics [11:59] From Contract Management to Business Development [13:50] Research Go-To Sources [14:31] Alexis’ Parents  [17:50] Alexis’ Children [18:14] Business Development [19:03] Fashion at Work [22:31] College [23:31] Religion and Holidays [25:38] Alexis and her Family’s Interests in Sports [26:58] Aisha Bowe [29:48] From Business Development to Account Executive [31:07] Highlights of Alexis’ Career [32:54] Myth about Government Contractors [35:35] What Alexis Wishes She Knew  [36:15] Book Recommendations and Wishlist [40:05] Advice from Alexis [42:55] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.washingtonpost.com/ (The Washington Post) https://www.nytimes.com/ (The New York Times) https://www.theguardian.com/us (The Guardian) https://www.bbc.com/ (BBC) https://www.nike.com/w/cortez-shoes-byfxzy7ok?cp=75625895374_search_%7Cnike+cortez%7CGOOGLE%7C71700000041051115%7CAll_X_X_X_X-Device_X_Cortez-General_Exact%7Ce%7Cc&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=Cj0KCQiAv6yCBhCLARIsABqJTjYUy6OCkbC7hs7J7Q2XXd5f0139zP4Vz8HLzZb4vr5yfSAk83ovudAaAiMnEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds (Nike Cortez) https://www.ua.edu/ (The University of Alabama) https://www.linkedin.com/in/aishabowe/ (Aisha Bowe) https://www.amazon.com/Ride-Lifetime-Lessons-Learned-Company/dp/0399592091 (The Ride of a Lifetime) by Robert Iger https://www.amazon.com/Born-Crime-Stories-African-Childhood/dp/0399588191/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2DH6HXWS1S277&dchild=1&keywords=born+a+crime&qid=1615571846&s=books&sprefix=born+%2Cstripbooks%2C171&sr=1-1 (Born a Crime) by Trevor Noah https://www.amazon.com/Last-Black-Unicorn-Tiffany-Haddish/dp/1501181823 (The Last Black Unicorn) by Tiffany Haddish https://www.amazon.com/Promised-Land-Barack-Obama/dp/1524763160/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1GP8G9DN4Y9PN&dchild=1&keywords=barack+obama&qid=1615571996&s=books&sprefix=bara%2Cstripbooks%2C204&sr=1-2 (A Promised Land) by Barack Obama https://www.amazon.com/His-Truth-Marching-Lewis-Power/dp/1984855026/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=john+lewis+biography&qid=1615572075&s=books&sr=1-2 (His Truth is Marching On) by Jon Meacham and John Lewis https://www.amazon.com/Delivering-Happiness-Profits-Passion-Purpose/dp/0446576220 (Delivering Happiness) by Tony Hsieh

RELEVANT LINKS https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexis-k-2532894/ (Alexis Kovalchick) https://nylatechnologysolutions.com/ (Nyla Technology Solutions) https://www.gd.com/ (General Dynamics)

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In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Joyous Huggins, Cyber Security Analyst, about her successes planning and moving forward. Joyous talks about being the founder of both Defender Academy and the coaching program Hack Joyously. She also shares her experiences growing up in foster care, joining the Navy, and her interests in helping others.   QUOTES

“Planning for my future is really what gave me the discipline to succeed. Period.” -Joyous Huggins [36:24] “I’m one of those people, even if I don’t like you, or even if I think you’re annoying, there’s something positive in everyone. There’s something that can be learned from everyone.” -Joyous Huggins [41:00] “Stop seeking side approval for skills and knowledge that you already have.” -Joyous Huggins [51:20]

TIMESTAMPS

[00:04] Intro [01:37] Meet Joyous Huggins [02:07] What Joyous Does as a Vulnerability Analyst [07:01] Joyous’ Childhood [13:38] Life After High School and College [18:45] Joining the U.S. Navy [22:19] Joyous Buying and Managing a Home [24:41] Finishing College and After Graduation [26:51] Goals and Celebrations [29:30] After Leaving the U.S. Navy [37:22] Defender Academy [45:03] Moving to Baltimore and Shana’s Influence on Joyous [47:55] Hack Joyously [49:26] Office Navigation Advice from Joyous [51:47] Confidence at Work and Getting Fired [56:29] Wrap-Up Questions and Plans to Adopt [01:07:27] Outro

RESOURCES

https://www.bugcrowd.com/ (Bugcrowd) https://www.hackerone.com/ (HackerOne) https://www.atlassian.com/software/jira/service-management/features/service-desk (Jira) https://www.servicenow.com/ (ServiceNow) https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/?ql=4 (Microsoft) https://www.apache.org/ (Apache) https://wordpress.com/ (Wordpress.com) https://www.linux.org/ (Linux) https://www.amazon.com/Last-Black-Unicorn-Tiffany-Haddish/dp/1501181823 (The Last Black Unicorn) by Tiffany Haddish https://www.littlecritter.com/ (Little Critter Books) by Mercer Mayer https://www.amazon.com/gp/bookseries/B00CKCWJZU/ref=dp_st_078579638X (Bailey School Kids Book Series) by Marcia T. Jones and Debbie Dadey https://www.boxcarchildren.com/ (The Boxcar Children) by Gertrude Chandler Warner https://www.umd.edu/ (University of Maryland) https://www.amazon.com/Nice-Girls-Dont-Corner-Office/dp/1455546046 (Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office) by Lois P. Frankel https://www.amazon.com/Child-Called-Childs-Courage-Survive/dp/1558743669 (A Child Called It: One Child’s Courage to Survive) by Dave Pelzer https://www.purposedriven.com/ (The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?) by Rick Warren

RELEVANT LINKS

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joyhuggins/ (Joyous Huggins on LinkedIn) https://twitter.com/_joyous_?lang=en (Joyous on Twitter) https://twitter.com/academydefender?lang=en (Defender Academy on Twitter)

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In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Kevin Sando, Managing Partner for VitalUP Marketing. Kevin talks about his interest in mechanical engineering and digital marketing, his role at VitalUp Marketing, and working with Shana. He also shares his experiences after graduation, early challenges with his website My Dog Likes, and his meeting Shana. QUOTES "A lot of people you just build a site, and you're done with it. Like, it's out there, people will find it. Consider it, like, building a town in the middle of nowhere. You know, somebody will stumble across it at some point, but you want to build as many roads as possible to it." -Kevin Sando [44:01] “You need to call to action on your posts, you need to be asking questions of your followers, you need to be sharing and promoting other people that you admire, that you can learn from. ” -Kevin Sando [48:34] "I think it's really important nowadays that - that people have something that's theirs." -Kevin Sando [54:33]

TIMESTAMPS [00:04] Intro [01:36] Meet Kevin Sando [04:53] How Kevin and Shana met [06:07] Kevin and His Wife [09:00] Kevin's Studies [12:12] Home Projects [14:15] Mechanical Engineering at RIT [14:30] After Graduation [16:41] Presidential Scholarship [17:39] Getting into Web Design [17:55] My Dog Likes [23:39] Source of Income [25:52] Engineering [26:58] My Dog Likes Got Hacked [33:15] After Getting Laid Off [35:29] Charlie and Therapy Dogs [37:21] Kevin's First Client and Nyla [43:43] Search Engine Optimization (SEO) [46:21] Running a Business [49:03] VitalUp Marketing [52:09] Wrap-Up Questions [57:57] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.mica.edu/ (Maryland Institute College of Art) https://www.rochester.edu/ (University of Rochester) https://www.rit.edu/ (Rochester Institute of Technology) https://www.koike.com/ (Koike Aronson) https://www.suny.edu/ (The State University of New York) https://www.smartpassiveincome.com/listen/ (Smart Passive Income Podcast) https://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/books/ (Gary Vaynerchuk) https://www.joomla.org/ (Joomla!) https://wordpress.com/ (WordPress.com) https://www.drupal.org/ (Drupal) https://www.dogster.com/the-scoop/ (Dogster) https://learnmore.monster.com/candidate-or-employer?WT.srch=1&WT.mc_n=olm_tm_srch_ggl_Brand_Brand%20Only_Exact_TestSplitterPage-Brand%20Only&k_keyword=monster&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=Cj0KCQiAvbiBBhD-ARIsAGM48bzow_ZFBJ3MaKAJSiCblqkP8kC-15anKlLuKnNqpIJoUPRttGwXtncaAkcYEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds (Monster) https://www.craigslist.org/about/sites (Craigslist) https://www.northernairsystems.com/ (Northern Air Systems) https://www.nataliemangrum.com/ (Natalie Mangrum) https://www.daveramsey.com/store/product/the-total-money-makeover-book-by-dave-ramsey ("Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey)

RELEVANT LINKS https://mydoglikes.com/ (My Dog Likes) https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-sando/ (Kevin Sando on LinkedIn) https://www.vitalupmarketing.com/ (VitalUp Marketing) https://nylatechnologysolutions.com/ (Nyla Technology Solutions)

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In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Brian Cosgrove, Chief Information Officer and Chief Financial Officer for Nyla Technology Solutions. Brian shares his early interests in engineering and his past experiences working while getting an education. He also talks about his core passions along with professional successes, struggles, and myths about engineers. QUOTES "I love the opportunity of applying awesome people to really tough problems." -Brian Cosgrove [03:49] “My intent is to live richly and deeply. And really that’s rooted in people and experiences.” -Brian Cosgrove [51:37]  “The reason that I get up in the morning is because I want to have a fulfilling existence. And to me that means being a positive impact on - as much as possible or practical - everybody I interact with.”  -Brian Cosgrove [53:11]

TIMESTAMPS  [00:04] Intro [01:23] Meet Brian Cosgrove [02:10] Being a Chief Information Officer  [04:46] Brian’s Childhood and Parents  [10:41] Deciding to be an Electrical Engineer [12:51] College and Jobs During School [15:16] Co-op with the U.S. Government  [18:17] Studying Electrical Engineering [21:25] Graduating and Salary [24:04] Master’s Degree [27:00] Computers Brian has Owned [28:48] Career Progression Before Nyla [32:24] Professional Success [36:00] Professional Failure [39:53] Brian’s Superpower [42:02] Professional Struggles [43:09] Professional Regrets [44:10] Common Myths About Engineers  [45:00] What Brian Wish He Knew in the Beginning [46:39] Trusting Yourself [47:41] Time-Saving Hack [49:16] Brian’s Favorite Books [51:15] Penny for Your Thoughts [52:49] Passions [54:24] Wrap-Up Questions [58:40] Bloopers! [59:33] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.lejeune.marines.mil/ (Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune) https://www.jhu.edu/ (Johns Hopkins University) https://www.uakron.edu/ (The University of Akron) https://www.amazon.com/Autobiography-Benjamin-Franklin/dp/1508475091/ref=pd_lpo_14_t_0/135-5357749-8992866?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1508475091&pd_rd_r=7d3ddd63-de8c-449f-a902-7944e54fcec9&pd_rd_w=CqKnN&pd_rd_wg=KeNVF&pf_rd_p=16b28406-aa34-451d-8a2e-b3930ada000c&pf_rd_r=MWW7CPM88S18CEGYP6JW&psc=1&refRID=MWW7CPM88S18CEGYP6JW (The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin) by Benjamin Franklin https://www.amazon.com/Rich-Dad-Poor-Teach-Middle/dp/1612680194 (Rich Dad Poor Dad) by Robert T. Kiyosaki

RELEVANT LINKS https://nylatechnologysolutions.com/ (Nyla Technology Solutions) https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-cosgrove-823b7b16b/ (Brian Cosgrove’s LinkedIn)

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In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Teresa Smith, Principal consultant for OnPoint Solutions. Teresa talks about why she pursued a career in finance, her role at OnPoint Solutions and working with CEO and Principal Consultant Donna M. Levin. She also shares her experiences being a woman in finance and what advice she would give younger women who are entering a career in finance. QUOTES

“The numbers tell the story that’s tied with your dreams and your goals and everything you want to do.” -Teresa Smith [12:46] “As a woman, and again my experience, right? They want you to be direct to a certain degree, but then they don’t want you to take it to the next level. Many times in my career, I’ve been basically been told to sit in a corner and that didn’t bode well with me.” -Teresa Smith [51:12] “Something that I would love to do, as being into my career, is the ability to mentor younger women, and to be able to say, ‘Don’t put up with this.’ Or also say ‘You have to pick your battles’ too, because unfortunately, we still have to do that.” -Teresa Smith [01:00:04]

TIMESTAMPS

[00:04] Intro [01:38] Meet Teresa Smith [04:17] Shana’s first contact with OnPoint Solutions [08:05] How Shana and Teresa met [10:36] Finance is highly personal [16:55] An overview of Teresa’s work [18:55] Why she loves working with Nyla [19:46] “CFO for hire” [21:08] Work pre-COVID and her laptop [23:34] How she became a CFO [26:09] What her parents did for a living [30:07] Attending Penn State University [39:17] Her New York connection [42:31] Moving to Maryland to work at HRB-Singer [46:56] Her work relationship and friendship with Donna M. Levin [49:06] Being a woman in finance [58:33] Her experiences in the corporate world [01:00:30] Her advice to young women entering finance [01:03:48] Some surprising facts about Teresa [01:10:01] Contacting Teresa Smith [01:10:58] Outro

RESOURCES

http://onptsolutions.com/about.html (Donna M. Levin, CEO and Principal Consultant at OnPoint Solutions) https://outspoken-with-shana-co.captivate.fm/episode/hello-world-jess-gartner-ceo-and-founder-of-allovue- (Jess Gartner’s episode on The Outspoke Podcast) https://brucespringsteen.net/ (Bruce Springsteen) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HRB_Systems (HRB-Singer) https://www.amazon.com/Nice-Girls-Just-Dont-Get/dp/0307590461/ (Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office: Unconscious Mistakes Women Make That Sabotage Their Careers) by Lois P Frankel

RELEVANT LINKS

http://onptsolutions.com (OnPoint Solutions website) https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresa-smith-805654162/ (Teresa Smith on LinkedIn)

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In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Gwen Greene, Ph.D. President, Founder, CEO and Senior Information Systems Security Engineer of Applied Information Technology (AiTech), LLC. Gwen, also known as Dr. GG, talks about how she got started in computer science and then transitioned to Information Systems Security Engineering (ISSE). She discusses how her mother inspired her work ethic and why she started her business. QUOTES “You live and learn. And I give myself permission to live and take the lessons and try to do better.” -Gwen Green [22:02] “I think that’s what I love most about being a business owner. That I get to have some insight and to offer everything that I know to help others grow and to help them feel fulfilled in their career choices.” -Gwen Green [25:07] “I make sure that I always have young women make sure that they know that ‘Hey, If I did it, you can do it.’ And that’s very important. ” -Gwen Green [33:03]

TIMESTAMPS

[00:04] Intro [02:18] Gwen’s and Shana’s connection to opera [07:16] Meet Gwen Green [07:44] Gwen’s childhood and high school education [10:44] Driving her children to school [12:48] More of Gwen’s intro and social media [15:53] Participating in bodybuilding competitions [19:43] What does AiTech offer [25:28] How she balances working and owning a business [28:56] Learning her work ethic from her mom [31:03] Gwen’s first job and why mentors are important [33:13] Majoring computer science in college [35:50] Working on a government contract during Y2K [41:35] Transitioning from computer science into ISSE [46:28] Does she consider herself as a success? [48:03] Her biggest professional success [50:53] Why she started a business [51:43] Her superpower [52:52] One thing she wish she knew when she began her career and what she wish she did differently [54:34] Some of her favorite books and meal [57:35] Her advice for young women today [58:28] What’s next for Gwen [01:01:11] Contacting Gwen Greene [01:02:28] Outro

RESOURCES

https://www.metopera.org/discover/synopses/porgy-and-bess/ (Porgy and Bess) https://www.metopera.org/discover/synopses/carmen/ (Carmen) https://www.metopera.org/discover/synopses/turandot/ (Turandot) https://www.metopera.org/discover/synopses/madama-butterfly/ (Madama Butterfly) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BASIC (BASIC (Beginners' All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code)) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortran (Fortran) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COBOL (COBOL) https://www.rebelgirls.com/ (Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls) https://www.951shinefm.com/ (95.1 SHINE-FM) https://www.drlaura.com/ (Dr. Laura) https://www.daveskillerbread.com/ (Dave's Killer Bread) https://www.cplusplus.com/ (C++) https://www.java.com/en/ (Java) https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/Y2K-bug/ (Y2K) https://csrc.nist.gov/glossary/term/Information_Systems_Security_Engineer_Engineering (Information Systems Security Engineer/Engineering (ISSE)) https://www.simplilearn.com/what-is-cissp-concepts-eligibility-criteria-and-pluses-associated-rar276-article (Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)) https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-assistance-programs/hubzone-program (HUBZone) https://www.jamespatterson.com/landing-page/james-patterson-books-womens-murder-club/ (James Patterson’s Women’s Murder Club series) https://www.jamespatterson.com/landing-page/james-patterson-books-alex-cross/ (James Patterson’s Alex Cross series)

RELEVANT LINKS

https://aitechcyber.com/ (AiTech website) https://www.linkedin.com/in/gwengreene/ (Gwen Greene on LinkedIn) Email Gwen Greene https://www.instagram.com/gwenwoman/ (Gwen Greene on Instagram)

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In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Dana Ledyard, Regional Managing Director at Catalyte. Dana talks about her time as the managing director of the nonprofit, Girls Who Code, and the work she now does with Catalyte. She also discusses what she’s seen in regards to equity and diversity in the tech industry. Listen to how Catalyte recruits and trains their talent. QUOTES

“Honestly, I think 90% of adulting is showing up and follow through.” -Dana Ledyard [22:35] “I think that if I’m going to spend 40-50-60 more hours a week at a job or free-time, I want it to be something that I believe is like moving the world forward or trying to make things a better place, especially for young people.” -Dana Ledyard [25:24] “You have to come in prepared. Right? Like you have to know the numbers. You have to know what you’re worth. You have to decide what’s important to you.” -Dana Ledyard [56:51]

TIMESTAMPS

[00:04] Intro [01:58] Meet Dana Ledyard [03:18] Girls Who Code programming courses [07:31] Dana’s previous role at Girls Who Code [09:30] Equity and diversity [12:31] The importance of parents’ support [13:15] Feeling like you don’t belong [20:49] More about Dana [22:30] How she became such a badass [26:12] Her childhood [29:46] Attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill [32:34] How Dana got involved with Catalyte [34:47] How Catalyte recruits talent [39:39] The environment at Catalyte [41:30] The modules [42:39] Placement and how they find internships [46:42] Who takes the assessment [49:01] Comparing outcomes data [52:44] What makes Dana the most proud professionally [55:29] The best advice she got professionally [57:13] Her best advice for other professionals [01:00:28] A book that has impacted Dana [01:02:25] How she feels gender has affected her professionally [01:05:43] Work/life balance [01:07:19] Dana’s love for cheesy country music [01:08:10] What’s next for Dana [01:09:41] Outro

RESOURCES

https://girlswhocode.com/ (Girls Who Code) https://girlswhocode.com/programs/summer-immersion-program (Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program) https://scratch.mit.edu/ (Scratch) https://www.python.org/ (Python) https://www.arduino.cc/ (Arduino) https://www.raspberrypi.org/ (Raspberry Pi) https://www.olay.com/super-bowl-liv-offical-olay-commercial-makespaceforwomen/ (Girls Who Code Superbowl Ad) https://ghc.anitab.org/ (The Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing) https://www.glamour.com/gallery/top-new-women-leaders-in-technology (Glamour’s 35 Women Under 35 Who Are Changing the Tech Industry) https://www.outwardbound.org/ (Outward Bound) https://www.codeintheschools.org/ (Code in the Schools) https://www.unc.edu/ (The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) http://www.moreheadcain.org/ (The Morehead-Cain) https://www.baltimorecorps.org/ (Baltimore Corps) https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Code-Gaming-Going-Getting/dp/006247250X (Girl Code: Gaming, Going Viral, and Getting It Done) by Andrea Gonzales and Sophie Houser https://tamponrun.com/ (Tampon Run) https://www.harpercollins.com/products/lets-talk-about-race-julius-lester?variant=33007902720034 (Let's Talk about Race) by Julius Lester https://untamedbook.com/ (Untamed) by Glennon Doyle

RELEVANT LINKS

https://www.catalyte.io/ (Catalyte website) https://learn.catalyte.io/ (Online screening for potential software developers) https://www.catalyte.io/transform-your-technology-workforce-with-odyssey/ (Odyssey) https://www.facebook.com/Catalyte.io/ (Catalyte on Facebook) https://twitter.com/Catalyte_io (Catalyte on Twitter) https://www.linkedin.com/company/catalyteio/ (Catalyte on LinkedIn) https://vimeo.com/catalyte (Catalyte on Vimeo) https://soundcloud.com/catalyte-sourcing-for-innovation (Catalyte on Soundcloud) https://www.linkedin.com/in/danaledyard/ (Dana Ledyard on LinkedIn) https://twitter.com/dledyard (Dana Ledyard on Twitter)

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In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Gretchen LeGrand, co-founder and CEO of Code in the Schools (CITS). Gretchen talks about how she co-founded Code in the Schools with her husband, Mike, the programs they offer and how they help prepare their students for future careers in tech. She also talks about how she went from being a psychotherapist to CEO of a computer science non-profit organization. QUOTES “Computers are so integral to the world that we live in now and have changed everything we do. Every industry is affected by computing. And for students to go through 12 years of school without ever having a class that teaches them how a computer works, like how a person can create a program that makes a computer do all of these things that we have it do, how it does all this thinking work for us, that’s crazy to not have that, to not have that understanding.” -Gretchen LeGrand [16:52] “When you don’t have access to a computer science class in school or ever, how are you going to think like ‘I’m not that person. That I’m not a nerd. I’m not a geek that sits behind a computer all day and types out code. I’m a social person’ or ‘I’m whatever, whatever.’ It’s for everybody, right? But you never know that unless you have the opportunity.” -Gretchen LeGrand [24:59] “I think when you think about success, it’s not money or number of houses or cars, it’s about the lives that you’ve impacted.” -Shana Cosgrove [45:57]

TIMESTAMPS [00:04] Intro [02:00] Meet Gretchen LeGrand [05:30] Code in the Schools [12:07] The programs they use [14:21] How they choose courses they offer [16:38] Why a computer science education valuable [18:45] Classroom demographics and colleges they work with [22:38] Gretchen’s favorite success story [26:24] The slow burn to start an organization [30:12] How Gretchen met her husband [32:12] Starting Code in the Schools and going full-time [36:58] Raising money [38:01] The future of Code in the Schools [42:59] How CITS works with Girls Who Code and Black Girls Code [44:15] Being a leader and a recognized figure [48:27] Gretchen’s advice to start a non-profit or study computer science [51:13] Gretchen’s childhood dream job [54:32] What she wishes she did differently in her career [55:10] Her favorite book and professional book that has affected her [58:48] What she loves about Baltimore [59:58] How to get involved with CITS and what’s next [01:02:24] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.nwbc.gov/ (National Women's Business Council) https://www.sparkypants.com/ (Sparkypants Studios) https://www.digitalharbor.org/ (Digital Harbor Foundation) https://ymaryland.org/ (The Y in Central Maryland) https://sflc.isd15.org/ (St. Francis Learning Center) https://scratch.mit.edu/ (Scratch) https://code.org/ (Code.org) http://wordpress (Python) https://unity.com/ (Unity) https://wordpress.com/ (Wordpress) https://www.java.com/en/ (Java) https://www.cplusplus.com/ (C++) https://www.morgan.edu/computerscience (Morgan State University Department of Computer Science) https://www.csee.umbc.edu/ (University of Maryland, Baltimore County Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering) https://www.ubalt.edu/cas/undergraduate-majors-and-minors/majors/simulation-and-game-design/ (University of Baltimore Simulation and Game Design) https://www.umd.edu/ (University of Maryland, College Park) https://www.captechu.edu/ (Capitol Technology University) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmen_Sandiego (Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?) https://classicreload.com/oregon-trail.html (The Oregon Trail) https://www.thebrewersart.com/ (The Brewer's Art) https://www.zynga.com/ (Zynga) https://girlswhocode.com/ (Girls Who Code) https://www.blackgirlscode.com/ (Black Girls Code) https://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/c/meet-the-baltimore-business-journals40-under-40/11114/40-under-40-2019-gretchen-legrand-code-in-the-schools.html (Gretchen listed in Business...

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In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Aisha Bowe, founder and CEO of STEMBoard. Aisha talks about why she pursued aerospace engineering and how she started STEMBoard. She also explains why she created the Lingo coding kit and how it’s made a difference. Listen to how she doesn’t allow others to define success for her. QUOTES “I think it’s about your values. Ultimately, the company is a reflection of my values, and at the end of the day, I think that it’s great that we’re profitable, but more importantly, we’re impactful. And that’s where I’m very proud of the work that the team supports me and us collectively in doing.” -Aisha Bowe [24:34] “What I find so unbelievable is how much the teachers make such a huge impact. There is aptitude, but the way the teacher teaches or speaks to you just makes all the difference in the world and your belief of you can do it or not.” -Shana Cosgrove [39:33] “Nine times out of ten, hard work beats talent, especially when talent doesn’t work.” -Aisha Bowe [41:34]

TIMESTAMPS

[00:04] Intro [01:19] Meet Aisha Bowe [08:48] Cooking during COVID-19 [11:29] Competing in bodybuilding competitions [17:44] Working out [21:17] How Lingo came about [28:53] What’s next for Lingo [30:53] Designing a satellite for her undergraduate degree [32:39] Is STEMboard working with Space Force? [33:46] Why Aisha pursued aerospace engineering [38:29] Why her father pursued engineering in his late 30s [39:34] How teachers can make an impact [41:42] Why she chose aerospace for her path [46:40] How it was different after graduation [51:48] Aisha’s advice for graduates [53:39] Her mentors and resources [57:04] One thing most people don’t know about Aisha [01:04:13] Aisha’s final thoughts [01:06:40] Outro

RESOURCES

https://www.nasa.gov/ames/ (NASA's Ames Research Center) https://www.spaceforce.mil/ (United States Space Force)

RELEVANT LINKS

https://www.stemboard.com/ (STEMBoard’s website) https://www.facebook.com/stemboardllc/ (STEMBoard on Facebook) https://twitter.com/stemboard (STEMBoard on Twitter) https://www.instagram.com/stemboard/ (STEMBoard on Instagram) https://www.linkedin.com/company/stemboard/ (STEMBoard on LinkedIn) https://stemlingo.com/ (Lingo by STEMBoard) http://www.aishabowe.com/ (Aisha Bowe’s website) https://www.facebook.com/aisharbowe/ (Aisha Bowe on Facebook) https://www.linkedin.com/in/aishabowe/ (Aisha Bowe on LinkedIn) https://www.instagram.com/aishabowe/ (Aisha Bowe on Instagram) https://twitter.com/arbowe (Aisha Bowe on Twitter)

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In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to her dad, Arthur Schwartz. Arthur, who is turning 80 years old this year, talks about his childhood and education as well as his parenting philosophies for raising three daughters. Listen to what skills he felt were important for his daughters to learn growing up. QUOTES “Now I think growing up, one of your major strengths as a father was that you always taught us how to do it ourselves, which was super annoying.” -Shana Cosgrove [37:17] “I just felt that you needed to be responsible for yourself and your actions and your possessions, and that the way you’re going to learn to do it is do it.” -Arthur Schwartz [37:58] “I wanted you to do what you were best qualified for and what made you happy.” -Arthur Schwartz [59:03]

TIMESTAMPS

[00:04] Intro [01:40] Meet Arthur Schwartz [04:53] Why did he decide to work at Nyla [05:59] His dream job growing up [07:04] The whole truth [07:52] Why he studied mechanical engineering [08:07] His family background [16:22] Growing up Jewish [18:48] Why he didn’t pursue being a doctor [20:55] How he met Shana’s mom [25:52] A Jewish and Catholic wedding [31:16] Moving to Chicago and then Pittsburg [36:08] Raising three daughters [37:18] His major strengths as a father [47:15] Treating his daughters as equals [50:55] Buying a computer and a piano [56:33] Finish what you’ll start [58:52] “Do what makes you happy” [01:00:10] Supporting Shana’s company [01:01:07] What’s in the future for Arthur [01:02:57] Something about Arthur that might surprise others [01:05:04] Advice for his daughters now [01:06:21] Coming together after Shana’s mom passed away [01:11:42] Outro

RESOURCES

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_Seals_(baseball) (San Francisco Seals) https://adr.org/ (American Arbitration Association) https://www.aclu.org/ (American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)) https://www.nasa.gov/goddard/ (NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center) https://www.pca.org/ (Porsche Club of America)

RELEVANT LINKS

https://nylatechnologysolutions.com/ (Nyla Technology Solutions' website) https://twitter.com/nylatechsol (Nyla Technology Solutions’ Twitter) https://www.instagram.com/nylatechnologysolutions/ (Nyla Technology Solutions’ Instagram) https://www.linkedin.com/company/nyla-technology-solutions/ (Nyla Technology Solutions’ LinkedIn) https://www.facebook.com/nylatechnologysolutions (Nyla Technology Solutions’s Facebook)

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In this episode of “The Outspoken Podcast,” host Shana Cosgrove talks to Radiah Rhodes, engineer, designer, project manager, and certified executive, and energy coach. They both engage in an inspiring conversation and connect over their understandings of starting and managing businesses as women, balancing marital life and work obligations, and the intersection of racism and sexism in the workspace. QUOTES “I know what it takes to create this and I can do it again.” - Radiah Rhodes [30:53]

“It didn’t feel like managing against things; it felt like embracing who I am.” - Radiah Rhodes [40:30]

“We can create things by a lot of effort and creativity or we can create things through our presence and our energy.” - Radiah Rhodes [41:47]

TIMESTAMPS

[00:04] Intro [01:25] Meet Radiah Rhodes [02:40] College life: industrial engineering and subsequent career path [08:26] Navigating her twenties  [10:38] Working with IP-Plus Consulting [14:47] Working with her husband on their joint business [19:03] Working with Procter & Gamble [23:52] Starting Evók  [28:35] What shaped her drive to be successful [30:56] The work-life balance as a married woman [36:58] How a conversation with her dad transformed her life [45:32] What Evók offers  [46:37] Thoughts on DEI [51:03] Systemic aggression towards women in workspaces [56:03] Creating Smart Pressed Juice [01:00:34] Moving forward with her businesses  [01:02:02] Starting a business with her daughter [01:10:50] Radiahs Podcast: the Power Paradigm   [01:15:05] Outro

RELEVANT LINKS

https://evoklife.com/ (Evók Life by Design’s website) https://www.facebook.com/EvokLife/ (Evók Life by Design on Facebook) https://twitter.com/evoklife (Evók Life by Design on Twitter) https://www.instagram.com/evoklife/ (Evók Life by Design on Instagram) https://www.linkedin.com/company/evoklife/ (Evók Life by Design on LinkedIn) https://evoklife.com/podcast (Power Paradigm Podcast) https://www.smartpressedjuice.com/ (Smart Pressed Juice’s website) https://www.instagram.com/smartpressedjuice/ (Smart Pressed Juice on Instagram) https://www.facebook.com/smartpressedjuice/ (Smart Pressed Juice on Facebook) https://www.linkedin.com/company/smart-pressed-juice/ (Smart Pressed Juice on LinkedIn) https://www.linkedin.com/in/radiahrhodes/ (Radiah Rhodes on LinkedIn) https://www.instagram.com/radiahrhodes/ (Radiah Rhodes on Instagram) https://evoklife.com/book (Being is the New Doing: A Divine Guide to Owning Your Energy, Time, and Peace of Mind) by Radiah Rhodes

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In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Jess Gartner, CEO and founder of Allovue. Jess talks about why she pivoted from teaching in Baltimore to financing education. Listen to how she started and funded Allovue. She also explains why it’s important for your success to always be your true self. QUOTES “I am not a halfway mitigate your risk type person. I am just an all or nothing person.” -Jess Gartner [38:17] “You cannot be successful at anything if you are trying to be someone else’s version of success. You have to figure out who you are and go to the fullest version of yourself.” -Jess Gartner [57:25] “I think that polarizing can be a good thing, because when you’re polarizing, you’re going to find the people that are your people.” -Jess Gartner [1:00:32]

TIMESTAMPS

[00:04] Intro [01:17] Meet Jess Gartner [05:04] What is Allovue? [09:40] Her financial background [14:51] What inspired her to do public service [16:48] Becoming a Baltimore public school teacher [20:13] Internships and jobs [22:41] The decision not to pursue law school [23:39] Pursuing Teach for America [26:47] Getting a master’s degree and her first jobs [29:24] Leaving the classroom [34:04] Her clear vision [39:27] A couple questions [41:11] Finding someone to work on her product [45:16] Getting a data set [49:48] The first fundraising series [55:00] Something she’s not good at [56:59] Her advice for young women [1:02:00] A book that made an impact on Jess [1:06:21] Her second dream job [1:08:11] Contacting Jess [1:09:08] What she loves best about what she does [1:13:00] What’s next for Jess [1:14:32] Outro

RESOURCES

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094027/ (Stand and Deliver) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112792/ (Dangerous Minds) https://www.acceleratebaltimore.com/ (AccelerateBaltimore) https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Bets-Making-Smarter-Decisions/dp/0735216355 (Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don't Have All the Facts) by Annie Duke

RELEVANT LINKS

https://jessgartner.com/ (Jess Gartner’s website) https://twitter.com/jessgartner (Jess Gartner on Twitter) https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessgartner/ (Jess Gartner on LinkedIn) https://allovue.com/ (Allovue’s website) https://www.facebook.com/Allovue (Allovue on Facebook) https://twitter.com/allovuebalance (Allovue on Twitter) https://www.linkedin.com/company/allovue/ (Allovue on LinkedIn)

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EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Caitlyn McClellan, an account manager for FCN. Caitlyn talks about her job selling, managing and implementing high performance technology solutions, both hardware and software, to the US government. She also shares how she went from being a musical theater major to becoming a leading expert in cybersecurity product sales. QUOTES “Even the most confident, strong women on the outside have their own internal battle on the inside.” -Caitlyn McClellan [10:08] “If anyone is going to go into sales, the one question I will say not don’t ever ask is ‘What keeps you up at night?’” -Caitlyn McClellan [27:54] “The moral of the story is if you think you can’t do something, at least try, and you’d be surprised on how much you can actually do.” -Caitlyn McClellan [54:35]

TIMESTAMPS

[00:04] Intro [01:28] Meet Caitlyn McClellan [04:11] How Shana and Caitlyn met [11:29] Caitlyn’s job [13:49] Caitlyn’s niche and focus area [18:32] Learning about the products [23:02] The new hotness [24:58] Dealing with naysayers [31:40] Caitlyn’s and Shana’s dogs [34:04] Selling services vs one-time sale [37:28] Caitlyn’s favorite part of her job [39:04] Worst part about her job [39:59] Her parents’ background [46:04] Her childhood [51:43] How she ended up selling cyber security products [54:43] Mentorships [01:02:28] What she wished she did differently [01:09:20] Her advice for young women [01:12:02] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.amazon.com/250-Sales-Questions-Close-Deal/dp/1593372809 (The 250 Sales Questions To Close The Deal) by Stephen Schiffman

RELEVANT LINKS https://fcnit.com/ (FCN’s website) https://twitter.com/FCN_INC (FCN on Twitter) https://www.facebook.com/FcnTechnologySolutions/ (FCN on Facebook) https://www.linkedin.com/company/fcn/ (FCN on LinkedIn) https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitlyn-mcclellan-94116253/ (Caitlyn McClellan on LinkedIn)

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In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Anita Kaplan, founder and owner of Siquis. Now retired, Anita talks about starting her advertising firm, Siquis, that she ran for 30 years. Listen to how she changed her idea of success from her initial aspiration to become a stay-at-home mom to finding a career that makes her happy. QUOTES “I decided that the only way that I would really be able to do what I wanted was to try to do it myself.” -Anita Kaplan [32:27] “I felt like if we didn’t get dressed up everyday, we wouldn’t feel we were at work.” -Anita Kaplan  [52:10] “My definition isn’t like making the most amount of money. My definition is are you happy? Do you like what you’re doing everyday? And when I can say I did that, then I feel successful.” -Anita Kaplan  [01:04:34]

TIMESTAMPS [00:04] Intro [03:54] Meet Anita [04:39] Anita’s childhood [07:54] Getting married in college [10:38] Moving to Michigan [14:25] Inventing cookies and cream ice cream [15:46] Moving to Washington DC [18:25] Her pottery business [23:37] A new path in advertising [29:03] A law she challenged during her seperation [31:52] Starting Siquis [33:34] Supplement her income with a side job [37:18] Her first clients [40:45] Some of her former clients [48:04] Balancing being a mom and her business [50:01] Money-related issues starting Siquis [51:47] Her rules [55:01] Working with STX and Spirit Airlines [57:53] Her thoughts on Mad Men [01:00:06] Her favorite part of Siquis [01:02:22] What would she change [01:08:18] Anita’s advice for young women [01:17:07] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.gutenberg.org/files/19942/19942-h/19942-h.htm (Candide) by Voltaire https://www.amazon.com/Gentleman-Moscow-Novel-Amor-Towles/dp/0670026190 (A Gentleman in Moscow) by Amor Towles https://www.amazon.com/Romancing-Brand-Power-Advertising-How/dp/0814459498 (Romancing the Brand: The Power of Advertising and how to Use it) by David N. Martin https://www.amazon.com/Tender-Bone-Growing-Random-Readers/dp/0812981111 (Tender at the Bone) by Ruth Reichl

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In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Delali Dzirasa, CEO of Fearless. Delali talks about his career in the tech industry and creating Fearless and his other endeavors such as Hack Baltimore and Hutch. Listen to how he describes how Fearless’s goal to create software with soul is not just a tagline. QUOTES “It always starts with why. Like why are we here? And why are we doing what it is that we say we’re doing? It has to come from a very genuine place.” -Delali Dzirasa [05:30] “Just that little comment had me reframe my thinking. I’m like I’ll make everyone remember me, right? It kind of freed me up to just be me and to be unique and knowing that that was a strength, not a weakness.” -Delali Dzirasa [34:34] “But what we are learning is this is much more than an event. It is a movement that we’re trying to build here within Baltimore city.” -Delali Dzirasa [55:35]

TIMESTAMPS [00:35] Intro [01:30] Meet Delali Dzirasa [03:24] His favorite part of being CEO of Fearless [05:16] Four things behind the Purple Sauce [10:06] The story behind the Fearless name [12:20] Least favorite thing about his job [14:40] Delali’s family life [17:40] Attending college [21:31] Work after college [25:39] Starting Fearless [31:38] His biggest professional success and failure [38:47] His superpower and weakness [40:47] What he wish he did differently [42:54] The progression of Fearless [45:33] Other organizations and events [56:53] Testifying to the Senate [01:00:30] Hutch [01:04:23] Delali’s advice for young people today [01:07:04] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.amazon.com/Purple-Cow-New-Transform-Remarkable/dp/1591843170 (Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable) by Seth Godin https://digitalservicescoalition.org/#/ (Digital Services Coalition) https://devopsdays.org/about (Devopsdays) https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-assistance-programs/hubzone-program (The HUBZone program) https://www.sbc.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/6/reauthorization-of-the-sba-s-contracting-programs (Delali Dzirasa testimony to the Senate) https://theleadership.org/ (The Leadership)

RELEVANT LINKS https://fearless.tech/ (Fearless website) https://hutchstudio.io (Hutch website) https://hackbaltimore.io/ (HACK Baltimore website) https://www.linkedin.com/in/delalid/ (Delali Dzirasa on LinkedIn) https://twitter.com/DelaliDzirasa (Delali Dzirasa on Twitter) https://www.instagram.com/delalid/ (Delali Dzirasa on Instagram)

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In this episode of The Outspoken Podcast, host Shana Cosgrove talks to Leandra Cain, founder and president of Hurricane Aerospace Solutions. Leandra talks about her career trajectory that led her to start her own company selling airplane parts to the U.S. government and the domestic and international commercial aviation industry. She also discusses how she adapted her business during the COVID-19 pandemic. QUOTES “I believe as an owner, you never stop. You always jump in and lead by example.” -Leandra Cain [08:18] “I didn’t have anything to fear because I was in shared space. I was still supporting my husband and his business and his bookkeeping, and this was just a throw the dice and see what happens.” -Leandra Cain [31:37] “If you can’t think out of the box during these times, you won’t survive.” -Leandra Cain [44:53]

TIMESTAMPS [00:04] Intro [03:38] Hurricane Aerospace Solutions in Leandra’s words [05:00] PPE equipment for sale [07:38] Leandra’s role at Hurricane [09:23] What she likes most about the job [10:01] A HUBzone business [13:55] Her least favorite part about her job [14:50] Leandra’s childhood [17:55] Attending college in Rhode Island [20:45] Moving to Florida and working for L'Oréal [24:15] Launching Hurricane Electronics [26:11] How credit helped Leandra’s company [28:53] Defining value-added reseller [30:57] Her first sell [32:30] Aerospace quality registration and certification [38:23] Her biggest professional success and biggest failure [41:28] Her super power [46:01] How she grew her business [48:58] What she would do differently and what success is to her [54:19] Her advice for young women [56:48] Outro

RESOURCES https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-assistance-programs/hubzone-program (The HUBZone program) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Value-added_reseller (Value-added reseller) https://www.iso.org/iso-9001-quality-management.html (ISO 9000) https://www.componentcontrol.com/ (Component Control) https://a-lign.com/what-is-the-cybersecurity-maturity-model-certification-cmmc/ (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC)) https://www.barnesandnoble.com/b/series/twilight-saga-series/_/N-2k2t (The Twilight Saga) https://www.amazon.com/Moved-Cheese-Spencer-Johnson-M-D/dp/0743582853 (Who Moved My Cheese?) By Spencer Johnson

RELEVANT LINKS https://hurricaneaerospace.com/ (Hurricane Aerospace Solutions website) Email info@hurricanaerospace.com to order PPE for sale https://www.linkedin.com/in/leandra-cain-b2119037/ (Leandra Cain on LinkedIn) https://twitter.com/hurricaneaero (Hurricane Aerospace Solutions on Twitter) https://www.instagram.com/hurricaneaerospacesolutions/ (Hurricane Aerospace Solutions on Instagram) https://www.facebook.com/HurricaneAerospaceSolutions/ (Hurricane Aerospace Solutions on Facebook)