Brainz Magazine Exclusive Interview With Kathleen Johnson - Turning Awareness into Action

Kathleen Johnson does not have a traditional Human Resources background in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). She is an artist first and is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. 2021 was the first time she had worked in corporate since the mid-90s, having pursued a career in film and television after staying home with her 5 children for 10 years. Today, she is the founder and CEO of Kreativ Culture Strategies and a Senior Advisor of DEI in healthcare. Thinking Outside the Boardroom: Creative Solutions in DEI and Anti-racism is her latest book, published in 2025. She is an instructor at Simon Fraser University, contributes monthly to Brainz Magazine, has a podcast called The Kreactivators, is one of Canada’s Top 100 Black Women to Watch for 2025, and has worked on major feature films and with artists like Ben Affleck. Kathleen is also a stand-up comedian and uses it as a technique in creative engagement on social justice. She has a degree from Carleton University in Sociology and Anthropology, a DEI certificate from Cornell University, and a makeup arts diploma from CMU College of Makeup Art and Design. In this episode, Mark Sephton talks with Kathleen Johnson, DEI expert, creative strategist, and author of Thinking Outside the Boardroom, about how creativity and courage can drive meaningful cultural change. Together, they explore the power of reflection, play, and purpose in building more inclusive and human-centered workplaces.In this episode, we discover the following: The Art of Building a Plane While Flying It.From Resistance to Readiness.The Inner Work of Leadership.Play, Creativity, and Connection in DEI.Turning Awareness into Action.With podcast host Mark SephtonHope you'll enjoy the episode! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this exclusive Brainz Magazine Podcast, Dr. Pedro Valente joins Mark Sephton to share how personal loss, medical expertise, and entrepreneurial drive fused into a global mission to make evidence-based skin wellness visible, accessible, and transformative.In this episode, we discover the following: From Medicine to Entrepreneurship.Listening Creates Innovation.Fighting Fads with Facts.Purpose Through Loss.AI, Longevity & The Future of Wellness.With podcast host Mark SephtonHope you'll enjoy the episode! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on the Brainz Magazine Podcast, Mark Sephton sits down with Vanessa Rose Chykerda, a passionate hairstylist and educator who believes beauty begins from within. From styling her parents’ hair as a young girl to empowering others across the beauty industry, Vanessa shares how passion, purpose, and authenticity can transform both appearance and self-worth.In this episode, we discover the following: Turning a Childhood Hobby into a Lifelong CareerThe Power of Support and Mentorship in Building SuccessHairstyling as Emotional and Transformative WorkEducation as the Key to Growth and Industry RespectInspiring Beauty from the Inside OutWith podcast host Mark SephtonHope you'll enjoy the episode! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Brains Magazine podcast, host Mark Sephton speaks with Tatiana Goded, a certified life coach and NLP practitioner, about the significance of self-discovery, especially during midlife. Tatiana shares insights on the importance of recognizing and overcoming limiting beliefs, the role of joy in achieving fulfillment, and the necessity of reconnecting with forgotten passions. Through her experiences and the development of her five-week course, she emphasizes the value of creativity and personal growth in leading a fulfilling life. For more info: https://puiakiprecious.com/In this episode, we discover the following: Midlife as a Gateway to Self-Discovery.Breaking Free from Limiting Beliefs.Finding Joy and Fulfillment Within.Reconnecting with Creativity and Passion.With podcast host Mark SephtonHope you'll enjoy the episode! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Brains Magazine podcast, Mark Sephton interviews Erem Latif, an international business innovation advisor. They discuss the concept of time, the importance of mindset in achieving goals, and the Helix of HealthTM, which emphasizes the balance of mind, body, and soul. Erem shares insights on conscious engagement, the challenges faced by women leaders, and the significance of authenticity in leadership.In this episode, we discover the following:The Science of Energetics and Leadership.The Helix of Health: Mind, Body, and Soul Alignment.The Power of Conscious Engagement.Women, Identity, and Authentic Leadership.Unplugging from Hustle Culture.With podcast host Mark SephtonHope you'll enjoy the episode! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stormy Wellington is a powerhouse in the world of mindset mastery, wealth-building, and spiritual leadership. She coaches and mentors women around the globe to rise emotionally, spiritually, and financially. From humble beginnings to becoming a globally recognized leader, Stormy built her legacy through resilience, boldness, and a fierce commitment to truth. She has mentored over 139 women into millionaire status and continues to lead a movement focused on generational impact. She is the founder of Girl Hold My Hand, a coaching and accountability sisterhood, and creator of Stormy Speaks AI, an on-demand digital mentoring tool. Her work spans mindset, business, spiritual alignment, and legacy-building. Stormy’s voice is unapologetic, her message is bold, and her mission is clear: help women activate their fullest potential. She doesn’t just motivate — she activates.In this episode, we discover the following:  1. Stormy’s strategies for making $50 million in 5 easy steps.  2. Why Stormy believes EVERYONE should be rich.   3. How can we better know ourselves and love ourselves?   4. Why Stormy believes she is built differently and leads differently.With podcast host Mark SephtonHope you'll enjoy the episode! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Brains Magazine podcast, Mark Sephton interviews Alexa Starks, founder of Executive Moms, who discusses the importance of creating parent-friendly workplace cultures. Alexa shares her personal experiences and insights on how organizations can better support working parents through flexible policies, empathy in management, and the need for training in leadership roles. The conversation highlights the barriers to implementing these changes and the significant impact of poor support on parents in the workforce. Alexa emphasizes the importance of open communication and providing tools for both managers and employees to foster a supportive environment.In this episode, we discover:Parenthood reshapes identity — and workplaces must adapt.Parent-forward culture is about flexibility for everyone.Managers need training, not just policies.Flexibility builds trust and loyalty.Culture change starts with language.With podcast host Mark SephtonHope you'll enjoy the episode! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paul Quinton is a healer, teacher, channel, and writer born into a spiritual and psychic family. Immersed in esoteric knowledge since childhood, he fulfils his soul’s contract by guiding others through transformational shifts that awaken their true essence. Founder of the internationally recognised Alignment Modality© — a patented healing system registered in 35 countries — Paul channels clear, grounded guidance without the fluff of New Age jargon. His work empowers people to reclaim sovereignty over their minds and bodies by accessing the multidimensional aspects of consciousness.Through his podcast, Facebook group, social media, and workshops, Paul shares Spirit-led messages, soul insights, and practical tools for self-healing, offering wisdom that is always in service to the soul.In this episode, we discover the following:   1. How does conditioning work in our lives, and how do we shift our beliefs on previous conditioning?  2. How can we increase our soul intelligence with our physical body?  3. How to deal with emotional chaos.  4. What a real man really looks like in today’s world.With podcast host Mark SephtonHope you'll enjoy the episode! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alfonso (AL) Gonzalez is an ISSA Master Trainer, Certified Wellness Coach, and Co-Founder of the Kairos Wellness Experience. Known for his multidimensional approach to wellness, AL helps individuals cultivate physical vitality, emotional resilience, and inner peace through integrative practices rooted in both science and lived experience. A lifelong competitive athlete and wellness educator, AL has facilitated over 400 classes and workshops across the United States. His work has reached diverse audiences at institutions such as Texas A&M, UCONN, Cornell University, SUNY Morrisville, Ithaca College, and Colgate University, where he delivers powerful programming on personal transformation, change management, and meditation.Over the past six years, AL has developed Practice Mellow, a breath-centered methodology grounded in the five dimensions of wellness: physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual. At its core, Practice Mellow teaches that while pain is often inevitable, suffering is optional and that breath is the bridge to transformation across all aspects of well-being. AL Gonzalez’s wellness journey is far from linear. Rooted in the grit of competitive athletics and the discipline of bodybuilding, his personal transformation began when he realized that fitness alone couldn't answer life's deeper questions or heal its most persistent wounds. That insight led him to co-found the Kairos Wellness Experience, a program that bridges science, spirit, and breath in a way few others do. Let’s dive into this conversation with AL to explore the deeper philosophies and methods behind Kairos Wellness.In this episode, we discover the following:   1. What is the concept of a “Kairos moment“?  2. What are the 5 dimensions?  3. How to repurpose the fight or flight response through nasal, diaphragmatic breathing.  4. How can we step into our own kairos moments?With podcast host Mark SephtonHope you'll enjoy the episode! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hulya Mehmet is a thought leader in children’s communication, a pioneering speech and language therapist, and a transformative author. With over 25 years of clinical experience and personal insight as a parent, she understands the confusion, fear, and frustration that families, educators, and professionals face when a child or individual isn’t communicating in expected ways. Too often, parents are told to “wait and see.” Educators and workplaces lack the tools to respond. Neurodivergent individuals are misunderstood or sidelined. Hulya is changing that. In 2004, she founded Articulate Kids, a specialist practice delivering compassionate, evidence-based speech therapy to individuals with complex communication needs — including autism and ADHD. Her work has helped thousands of children and young people communicate, thrive, and reach their full potential, often after other services have run out of answers.As a powerful advocate for neurodiversity and a voice for systems-level change, Hulya challenges outdated models and promotes more inclusive thinking across education, healthcare and business. She also works with organisations and corporate teams to develop neuroinclusive cultures — helping leaders better understand, support and retain neurodivergent talent. Her recently launched debut book, Why Isn’t My Child Talking?, is already recognised as a must-read for those navigating communication differences. Her thought leadership has been featured in The Daily Telegraph, and she consults widely with schools, businesses, and institutions. As a trained leadership coach, she brings strategic insight to communication and inclusion at every level. Hulya is part of a growing movement that’s changing the way we think about neurodivergent people, not as problems to fix, but as individuals with untapped strengths, insights, and potential. Her work is helping to reshape the landscape across education, healthcare, and business, ensuring communication is not a barrier but a bridge. She’s committed to building a world where all individuals — regardless of how they express themselves — are seen, supported, and empowered to thrive.In this episode, we discover the following:The importance of communication in order to connect.What is the most effective way to connect with ourselves and others?How to become more authentic in our leadership.How to move from confusion to clarity.With podcast host Mark SephtonHope you'll enjoy the episode! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.