From Club Sports to the C-Suite: What College Volleyball Taught Former Sun Bum CEO Cynthia Herrera

From Club Sports to the C-Suite: What College Volleyball Taught Former Sun Bum CEO Cynthia Herrera

NCAA sports aren’t the only path to executive leadership, just ask former Sun Bum CEO Cynthia Herrera. Cynthia spent more than 20 years in executive sales and marketing roles at global consumer goods giant SC Johnson (think Windex, Pledge, Raid, and Method), including a six-year stint leading Sun Bum. In this conversation with Bonnie Bernstein, she shares how her club volleyball experience at Western Michigan helped shape the leadership style that propelled her into the C-suite centered on communication, quick, clear decision-making, and building trust through inclusion. With more than 2 million college club athletes in the U.S. each year, about four times the number of NCAA athletes, Cynthia’s story highlights an often-overlooked path beyond high school sports, where athletes can continue developing real-world skills that translate directly into career success. But this episode goes beyond milestones. Cynthia opens up about vulnerability, imposter syndrome, and setting boundaries, and shares stories highlighting why the strongest teams are built on trust, honesty, and real human connection. If you’re a student-athlete, or a parent of one, contemplating life after high school sports, this episode is for you. Especially if the NCAA route isn’t in the cards. Follow Cynthia Herrera on... * Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthiamherrera/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthiamherrera/] * Instagram: @cmh929 [https://www.instagram.com/cmh929?igsh=b3h5dmM2YzBxNzJw] The Athlete Effect™: * instagram.com/the_athlete_effect [http://instagram.com/the_athlete_effect]  * tiktok.com/@theathleteeffect [http://tiktok.com/@theathleteeffect]  * www.youtube.com/@TheAthleteEffect [http://www.youtube.com/@TheAthleteEffect]   Bonnie Bernstein: * twitter.com/BonnieBernstein [http://twitter.com/bonniebernstein] * instagram.com/BonnieBernstein [http://instagram.com/BonnieBernstein] * https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-bernstein/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-bernstein/]

Dominique Dawes: 3x Olympian on Overcoming Childhood Trauma, Redefining Success & Building Her Sports Empire

Olympic gold medalist Dominique Dawes joins the podcast to discuss life after sports, overcoming identity crisis and a perfectionist mindset, and thriving as an entrepreneur, team owner, and mother of four. A three-time Olympian, Dawes was a member of the 1996 Magnificent Seven squad that secured Team USA's first Olympic gold in women's gymnastics. Today, she's the founder of the Dominique Dawes Gymnastics Academy, a sought-after speaker, and a minority owner of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons and the NWSL's Washington Spirit. Dominique shares lessons on resilience, turning personal pain into purpose, leadership, and balancing ambition with realistic expectations. In this vulnerable conversation with Bonnie Bernstein, Dominique speaks candidly about healing from the home and gym environments of her youth she describes as "toxic," and the a-ha moment, in the wake of the Larry Nassar abuse scandal, that compelled her to build gymnastics facilities focused more on raising healthy, well-rounded kids than just elite competitors. Dominique also opens up about the challenges of being a female founder -- her fame and Olympic medals, notwithstanding -- and the critical roles grit and work ethic mastered in the gym have played in positioning Dominique to bring on private equity investors for her Academy.  Above all, Dominique has found a way to prioritize her four children, and husband, Jeff, while still building her sports empire.  For anyone struggling to achieve work-life balance... this one will hit hard.  Connect with Dominique Dawes on Social below.  * Dominique Dawes Gymnastic Academies: https://www.dominiquedawesgymnasticsacademy.com/ [https://www.dominiquedawesgymnasticsacademy.com/] * Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominique-dawes/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominique-dawes/] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dominiquedawesofficial/ [https://www.instagram.com/dominiquedawesofficial/], https://www.instagram.com/dominiquedawesacademy/ [https://www.instagram.com/dominiquedawesacademy/],  * Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dominiquedawes [https://www.tiktok.com/@dominiquedawes] The Athlete Effect™ : * instagram.com/the_athlete_effect [http://instagram.com/the_athlete_effect]  * tiktok.com/@theathleteeffect [http://tiktok.com/@theathleteeffect]  * www.youtube.com/@TheAthleteEffect [http://www.youtube.com/@TheAthleteEffect]

Shelley Zalis: Chief Troublemaker, Female Quotient CEO & the Power of Betting on Yourself

Female Quotient CEO Shelley Zalis proudly wears the title "Chief Troublemaker." An award-winning tech entrepreneur, the first female CEO of a Top 25 market research firm, and a fearless champion for workplace equality, she didn't just shatter the glass ceiling, she made her own rules. Shelley shares with Bonnie Bernstein how teamwork learned through tennis has informed her "Power of the Pack" leadership mantra, recounting the peaks and valleys of her career: from a crushing performance review in her early 20's, to the day she sold her groundbreaking online research company OTX to industry giant Ipsos. Today, as the founder of The Female Quotient, Shelley oversees a global media and events company that mobilizes businesswomen, virtually and in-person, across more than 100 countries. Shelley showcases how women in business can successfully balance candor and fierceness with empathy and a commitment to mentor and pay it forward. Because backing the pack is the only way forward. Connect with Shelley Zalis on social:  * Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/shelleyzalis/ [https://www.instagram.com/shelleyzalis/] * LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/shelleyzalis [http://linkedin.com/in/shelleyzalis] * Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/search?q=Shelley%20Zalis&t=1781593282434 [https://www.tiktok.com/search?q=Shelley%20Zalis&t=1781593282434] * X / Twitter - @ShelleyZalis x.com/ShelleyZalis [http://x.com/ShelleyZalis] * Facebook - facebook.com/shelleyzalis [http://facebook.com/shelleyzalis] * YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Shelley+Zalias [https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Shelley+Zalias] Connect with The Female Quotient  * Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/femalequotient [https://www.instagram.com/femalequotient] * LinkedIn - linkedin.com/company/femalequotient [http://linkedin.com/company/femalequotient] * Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/search?q=Female%20Quotient&t=1781593328199 [https://www.tiktok.com/search?q=Female%20Quotient&t=1781593328199] * YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/TheFemaleQuotient [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheFemaleQuotient] The Athlete Effect™ : * instagram.com/the_athlete_effect [http://instagram.com/the_athlete_effect]  * tiktok.com/@theathleteeffect [http://tiktok.com/@theathleteeffect]  * www.youtube.com/@TheAthleteEffect [http://www.youtube.com/@TheAthleteEffect]   Bonnie Bernstein: * twitter.com/BonnieBernstein [http://twitter.com/bonniebernstein] * instagram.com/BonnieBernstein [http://instagram.com/BonnieBernstein]        * https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-bernstein/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-bernstein/]

From Walk-On to WNBA Commissioner: Cathy Engelbert's Game-Changing Journey

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert was a two-sport athlete at Lehigh and became Deloitte’s first female CEO. Today, she’s one of the most powerful women in sports. Engelbert joins Bonnie Bernstein on The Athlete Effect™ for a conversation focused on her journey from athlete to WNBA Commissioner, and the defining moments that have forged her path. She reflects on the evolution of her leadership style, a wake-up call that reshaped her approach to work-life balance and transparency, and how discipline, curiosity, and resilience from basketball and lacrosse have influenced her career. For Engelbert, “taking your shot” isn’t just a theme, it’s her life’s throughline. The daughter of an NBA player and one of eight siblings, the South Jersey native was raised in a competitive, sports-driven environment. At Lehigh University, she played basketball under Hall of Fame coach Muffet McGraw and served as senior captain of both basketball and lacrosse, learning that consistency in ordinary moments separates good from great. After 33 years at Deloitte, where she became the first woman to lead a Big Four professional services firm's US division, she made a historic leap into sports as the WNBA’s first Commissioner. In that role, she led a $75 million capital raise and helped engineer a collective bargaining agreement that delivered historic increases in player salaries and benefits. Connect with Cathy Engelbert:  * Instagram: @wnbacommish [https://www.instagram.com/wnbacommish/]  * Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/tag/cathyengelbert [https://www.tiktok.com/tag/cathyengelbert] * X: @CathyEngelbert [https://x.com/CathyEngelbert] * Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathy-engelbert-75400618/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathy-engelbert-75400618/] The Athlete Effect™ : * instagram.com/the_athlete_effect [http://instagram.com/the_athlete_effect]  * tiktok.com/@theathleteeffect [http://tiktok.com/@theathleteeffect]  * www.youtube.com/@TheAthleteEffect [http://www.youtube.com/@TheAthleteEffect]   Bonnie Bernstein: * instagram.com/BonnieBernstein [http://instagram.com/BonnieBernstein]       * https://www.tiktok.com/discover/bonnie-bernstein  [https://www.tiktok.com/discover/bonnie-bernstein] * https://x.com/BonnieBernstein   [https://x.com/BonnieBernstein] * https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-bernstein/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-bernstein/] The Champions Edge:  * https://www.instagram.com/championsedgetv [https://www.instagram.com/championsedgetv] * https://www.tiktok.com/@championsedgetv [https://www.tiktok.com/@championsedgetv] * https://www.facebook.com/championsedgetv [https://www.facebook.com/championsedgetv]

Jessica Mendoza on Gold Medals, Glass Ceilings and Giving Back

Jessica Mendoza is the first woman to call a World Series for a national network. Now she's paving the way for women in sports broadcasting. A two-time softball Olympian, Stanford All-American, groundbreaking ESPN MLB analyst, and one of the most influential Latina women in sports, Jessica joins Bonnie Bernstein to explore how the laser focus and poise under pressure honed as an athlete has kept her calm and on-point during her biggest TV moments.  She reflects on the family values and mentors who shaped her journey, the responsibility she feels to create more room at the table for girls in sports and women in sports media, and her foray into product development to help softball players channel their "superpowers."  For Mendoza, leadership and living with purpose entail leveraging her platform to make a difference, in the US and around the world. With softball returning to the Olympic stage at LA28, Jessica Mendoza's story has never felt more timely or more necessary. Connect with Jessica Mendoza: * Instagram: @jessmendoza2 [https://www.instagram.com/jessmendoza2/] * TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jessmendozaespn [https://www.tiktok.com/@jessmendozaespn] * X: https://x.com/jessmendoza [https://x.com/jessmendoza] * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessicamendozaespn [https://www.facebook.com/jessicamendozaespn] * Luccini Gloves, Jessica Mendoza Signature Series: LINK TO GLOVES [https://liveluccini.com/products/batting-gloves-jessica-mendoza-signature-series?srsltid=AfmBOopQ8hppSoEHG1PMNMq31b68g8FOuEa_388fWAQriTXrCZkrMCqp] and USE PROMO CODE ATHLETE10 for 10% off your purchase * There's No Base Like Home: https://www.leeandlow.com/books/theres-no-base-like-home/ [https://www.leeandlow.com/books/theres-no-base-like-home/] The Athlete Effect™ : * instagram.com/the_athlete_effect [http://instagram.com/the_athlete_effect]  * tiktok.com/@theathleteeffect [http://tiktok.com/@theathleteeffect]  * www.youtube.com/@TheAthleteEffect [http://www.youtube.com/@TheAthleteEffect]   Bonnie Bernstein: * twitter.com/BonnieBernstein [http://twitter.com/bonniebernstein] * instagram.com/BonnieBernstein [http://instagram.com/BonnieBernstein]        * https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-bernstein/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-bernstein/] The Champions Edge:  * https://www.instagram.com/championsedgetv [https://www.instagram.com/championsedgetv] * https://www.tiktok.com/@championsedgetv [https://www.tiktok.com/@championsedgetv] * https://www.facebook.com/championsedgetv [https://www.facebook.com/championsedgetv]