Lessons in Leadership

On September 10, 2020 Leaders in Lowell was joined by author and founder of Jasmine Grace Outreach, Jasmine Grace. A survivor of sex trafficking and drug abuse, Jasmine shared her powerful and moving story of recovery and success. She shared many resources as well as first hand takes on the best ways for us as a culture and community to support our most vulnerable members. Jasmine spoke on the shame survivors feel and the path to redemption as well as how we can alleviate that struggle. We hope you enjoy this talk as well as take some time to view the resources she shared below for victims as well as how communities of people can support survivors. This event was held virtually as a part of Leaders in Lowell's new "Virtual Discussion Series". This series is being held online as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

On July 21st 2020 Leaders in Lowell was joined by Massachusetts Secretary of Education Jim Peyser for a wide ranging discussion on education. Over the course of the discussion Secretary Peyser spoke on the digital divide in low income communities, student loan debt, and more. Secretary Peyser also spoke about the effect of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on our schools and students, as well as how the system will change as a result of the rise of distance learning. Speaking from his extensive experience in the Massachusetts Department of Education spanning from serving with Governors Weld, Swift, Romney, and Baker, he is an expert in his field and provides great insight into these important issues. We hope you enjoy the discussion. Visit leadersinlowell.org for more info about this event & our series. 

On May 28, 2020 Leaders in Lowell was joined by Mr. Corey Lewandowski, the former campaign manager for the Trump Campaign and a current Senior Advisor to President Trump and Vice President Pence. Touching upon both the lessons learned growing up in Lowell, MA, as well as his early career rising through the ranks in DC, Corey provided insight into the state of modern politics as well as a behind the scenes look at President Trump as a man and as a leader. Speaking on bipartisanship, Corey offered an insider's take at how we can all come together as a country in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and recent police brutality incidents. Regardless of your political views, this discussion was a fantastic inside look at one of Washington’s most prominent political operatives. Visit leadersinlowell.org for more info! 

On May 26 2020 Leaders in Lowell was joined by Deval Patrick, the 71st Governor of Massachusetts and former presidential candidate, for a discussion about his career, race relations, civic engagement, and more. Governor Patrick gave us insight into his early life growing up on the South Side of Chicago, and the lessons he learned that helped shape him into the leader he is today. From talking about the importance of mentors and compassionate leaders, to being the first black Governor of Massachusetts, our discussion with Governor Patrick provides timely insight into how citizens at all levels can participate in making their communities a better place through bipartisan leadership and involvement. Visit leadersinlowell.org for more info our Leaders in Lowell and our Virtual Discussion Series. 

Leaders in Lowell was joined by Tara Setmayer, a CNN Political Contributor and host of political podcast “Honestly Speaking”. Tara discussed her 25 year political career which has included working as Congressman Dana Rorbacher’s Communication Director, leading the charge to get two wrongly convicted Border Patrol agents sentence’s commuted, and working as a political commentator with numerous media organizations. Tara spoke on the current state of the political world and Republican Party under Donald Trump and how the party has strayed from true Conservatism. She also discussed her wish to see a return to the pre-Trump GOP when true conservative values and character were important. Her insightful commentary on everything from COVID-19 to criminal justice reform, Donald Trump, the media and more is timely, interesting, and important. You can find Tara's podcast "Honestly Speaking" wherever you listen to podcasts. This event was held as part of Leaders in Lowell's new "Virtual Discussion Series". Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot hold in-person events for the foreseeable future. In the meantime, we will be conducing a series of video interviews and discussions with prominent speakers and leaders. To learn more about Leaders in Lowell, please visit leadersinlowell.org.

On April 27, 2020 Leaders in Lowell had the honor of speaking with Deborah Lee James, the former Secretary of the Air Force. In this talk, Secretary James discussed her career and the lessons she has learned from years of experience in the national security field. She shared her knowledge on the most effective styles of leadership, overcoming adversity and her 5 step plan to do so, tackling sexual assault in the military, civic engagement, and much more. Her lessons, laid out clearly for anyone to follow, can be applied to not just the Pentagon, but any leader in everyday life. You can learn more about Secretary James in her fantastic book “Aim High: Chart Your Course and Find Success” here. This event was held as part of Leaders in Lowell's new "Virtual Discussion Series". Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot hold in-person events for the foreseeable future. In the meantime, we will be conducing a series of video interviews and discussions with prominent speakers and leaders. To learn more about Leaders in Lowell, please visit leadersinlowell.org.

On April 16, 2020, Leaders in Lowell was joined by Peggy Grande, the former executive assistant to President Ronald Reagan. Peggy discussed her career, what it was like working with President Reagan including getting to know him as a leader, and as a person, as well as his overall leadership. Through her personal stories and memories, we got a glimpse into who Ronald Reagan was as a leader and as a man. Peggy discussed her incredible career after Reagan, including becoming an author, Fox News correspondent, and working on nonprofit “World for Brexit”. We hope you enjoy this informative, enlightening, and inspirational talk with Peggy Grande. This event was held as part of Leaders in Lowell's new "Virtual Discussion Series". Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot hold in-person events for the foreseeable future. In the meantime, we will be conducing a series of video interviews and discussions with prominent speakers and leaders. To learn more about Leaders in Lowell, please visit leadersinlowell.org.

On April 7, 2020 Leaders in Lowell was joined by LaTosha Brown, the co-founder of the Black Voters Matter Fund and a 2019 Fall Fellow at Harvard Universities Institute of Politics. LaTosha spoke with Leaders in Lowell about her work with the Black Voters Matter Fund, civic engagement, issues like public health & education, and much more.  This event was held as part of Leaders in Lowell's new "Virtual Discussion Series". Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot hold in-person events for the foreseeable future. In the meantime, we will be conducing a series of video interviews and discussions with prominent speakers and leaders. To learn more about Leaders in Lowell, please visit leadersinlowell.org. 

This episode is an audio recording of Leaders in Lowell's panel event focused on the topic of "Women in Leadership" with Governor Jane Swift, CEO Karen Frederick, CEO Erin Murphy-Rafferty, and Bopha Malone. We apologize if the audio isn't always great as we are just getting started, but we are excited to share this event with you. On April 4, 2019 Leaders in Lowell was honored to host a Women in Leadership Panel at the Richard and Nancy Donahue Family Academic Arts Center at Middlesex Community College. The panel featured CEO of Community Teamwork Karen Frederick, Enterprise Bank Vice President Bopha Malone, The Wonderfund CEO Erin Murphy-Rafferty, and former Massachusetts Governor Jane Swift. The panelists touched on a variety of topics pertaining to women, community engagement, and cross field collaboration. They discussed their own personal journeys in leadership and life, the barriers that can make things harder for women in the workplace, relationships between nonprofit, business, and government and how they can effectively collaborate, the importance of mentorship and various ways that people have gone about approaching the issue of women's equality like legislation for quotas and paternity leave. We would like to thank the Merrimack Repertory Theater and Mr. and Mrs. Drew Photography for their generous help and support with this event! For more info and for a full event gallery please visit: https://www.leadersinlowell.org/post/2018/08/01/upcoming-event-woman-in-leadership

This episode is an audio recording of Leaders in Lowell's event with Rena Finder, a survivor of the Holocaust. We apologize if the audio isn't always great as we are just getting started, but we are excited to share this event with you. Lessons in Leadership with Rena Finder took place on June 26th 2019 with Rena Finder, a survivor of the Holocaust and one of the youngest saved by Oskar Schindler. She spoke with us at the Nancy and Richard Donahue Family Academic Arts Center to nearly 100 people to share her story. Ms. Finder was born in Poland in 1929 and her family was later moved to the Krakow Ghetto before she was transported with her mother to the Plaszow concentration camp and later Auschwitz-Birkenau. She was saved from an almost certain death by the Nazi-businessman Oskar Schindler who saved over 1,200 Jews during the second world war. She gave a very moving and emotional talk on the horrors of her experience as well as the kindness she was shown by people and the immense effects that it had on her life and survival. The emphasis on the key values of kindness, tolerance, and the fact that, underneath, we are all the same and all deserve fair treatment and happiness. The message could not have been clearer, we must all live our lives and treat others with kindness and that there is never any excuse to be a bystander. It was a truly moving and unforgettable experience with a message that should never be forgotten. For more info about this event and a full event photo gallery, please visit: https://www.leadersinlowell.org/post/2019/05/14/next-event-rena-finder