Building Power While Living Real Life: Ashley Bryant Bailey on Representation, Leadership, and the Ohio Statehouse

Know Your Why: Rep. Desiree Tims on Driving Hard to Empower People and Save Democracy

Know your why. Then let it carry you through the rooms that were never built with you in mind. Nan Whaley sits down with Ohio State Representative Desiree Tims at Nan’s dining room table in Dayton for a conversation about purpose, public service, and what it means to keep showing up when democracy itself feels fragile.  Desiree traces her path from West Dayton public schools to Xavier University, where she realized that some of her better-resourced classmates had been prepared in ways she had not been. Rather than letting that gap define her, she turned it into fuel, eventually interning in the Obama White House, earning her law degree from Georgetown at night, running for Congress, and now serving in the Ohio House.  This conversation is honest about what public service asks of people, the loneliness, the frustration, the heartbreak of watching rights regress, and the exhaustion of working inside systems that were not built to move quickly or fairly. But it is also a conversation about hope, especially the hope that Desiree finds in young people who are paying attention, speaking up, and refusing to look away.  Their conversation covers: * The leap of faith that took Desiree from a stable job to an unpaid White House internship * What it means to legislate inside a supermajority, where even good bills stall without bipartisan support * Why redistricting reform matters, and how Desiree keeps showing up in a political moment she describes as both “depressing” and “purposeful” * How to reach the next generation, from TikTok to YelloPain to the young people filling Statehouse hearing rooms Resources Mentioned: * Tims for Ohio [https://www.timsforohio.com/] (Desiree's campaign website) * Desiree Tims on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@desireetims] * Michele Jawando [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michele_Jawando] * Sherrod Brown for U.S. Senate [https://www.sherrodbrown.com/] * EMILY's List [https://emilyslist.org/] * Becoming [https://bookshop.org/search?keywords=Becoming+Michelle+Obama] by Michelle Obama * IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson [https://www.imopod.com/] podcast * Yello Pain on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/yellopain/] About Our Guest: Desiree Tims represents Ohio House District 38, which includes Dayton and Trotwood, and serves as House Assistant Minority Whip. A Dayton native and Dunbar High School graduate, she earned her degree from Xavier University and her law degree from Georgetown before a career that took her from the Obama White House to the Capitol Hill offices of Senators Sherrod Brown and Kirsten Gillibrand. She lectures at The Ohio State University, is a proud member of the BeyHive, and counts Yellow Springs, Ohio, as her happy place. About the Host: Nan Whaley is a longtime community leader and public servant. She's currently the CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio. She served as Mayor of Dayton, Ohio, from 2014 - 2022. Nan has also presided over the United Conference of Mayors. She's a feminist, daughter, aunt, sister, and friend. About the Show: Carry As You Climb focuses on elevating the voices of women in leadership from Ohio and across the United States. The podcast features guests who give special attention to not only busting through doors to lead but also hold the door open for more women behind them. In other words, they carry as they climb. We focus on leadership development and leadership lessons. Plus, we share personal experiences to inspire the inclusion of more diverse leaders in business, government and the nonprofit sector. Connect with Carry As You Climb Socials Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/nanwhaley/] | [https://www.instagram.com/nanwhaley/]Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/carryasyouclimbpod/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nanwhaley/] Stay up to date with Nan's Substack: substack.com/@nanwhaley [https://substack.com/@nanwhaley] Join the Climb: Subscribe to Carry As You Climb wherever you listen to podcasts, and share this episode with a woman in your life who is climbing — and carrying others as she goes. Produced by: Collective Change Communications - Kelly Sakalas & Jeni Keeler Note: The opinions expressed by host Nan Whaley on this podcast are hers alone and not those of any organization with which she is affiliated.

A World Without Racism: Betsy Hodges on Equity, Action, and the Myth of Knowing Enough

Stop waiting for the perfect words, the perfect training, or the perfect moment. Betsy Hodges says the work starts where you are. Nan Whaley sits down with her longtime friend Betsy Hodges, former Mayor of Minneapolis, writer, and one of the country's most candid voices on racial equity, for a conversation about race, responsibility, and what it means to keep choosing action over avoidance.  Betsy makes the case that the goal is not to become a perfect ally or wait until we “know enough.” It is to reclaim our own capacity to think clearly, act from where we are, and understand that a world without racism is not just better for people of color - it is healthier, freer, and more human for white people too. Their conversation covers: * The "we don't know enough" trap and why waiting for one more book, training, or answer can become a way to avoid action. * Allyship as a tool, not the goal * How racism harms white people too, and why a world without racism is not a zero-sum vision * What it looks like to start where you are, from everyday public moments to naming a microaggression in real time * How to move through shame without letting it become the center of the story * The kind of mentorship that strengthens your own thinking, and why Betsy keeps the door open for people she has mentored, even years later Resources Mentioned: * Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music [https://www.springsteencenter.org/] at Monmouth University * Othering & Belonging Institute [https://belonging.berkeley.edu/] at UC Berkeley, founded by John A. Powell * Learning to Be White [https://bookshop.org/search?keywords=Learning+to+Be+White+Thandeka] by Thandeka * The Sum of Us [https://bookshop.org/search?keywords=The+Sum+of+Us+Heather+McGhee] by Heather McGhee * White Fragility [https://bookshop.org/search?keywords=White+Fragility+Robin+DiAngelo] by Robin DiAngelo * Nice Racism [https://bookshop.org/search?keywords=Nice+Racism+Robin+DiAngelo] by Robin DiAngelo * Chain of Ideas [https://bookshop.org/search?keywords=Chain+of+Ideas+Ibram+Kendi] by Ibram X. Kendi * Project Hail Mary [https://bookshop.org/search?keywords=Project+Hail+Mary+Andy+Weir] by Andy Weir * Titanium Noir [https://bookshop.org/search?keywords=Titanium+Noir+Nick+Harkaway] by Nick Harkaway * The Shamshine Blind [https://bookshop.org/search?keywords=The+Shamshine+Blind+Paz+Pardo] by Paz Pardo * The Gone World [https://bookshop.org/search?keywords=The+Gone+World+Tom+Sweterlitsch] by Tom Sweterlitsch * Silent Sky [https://www.laurengunderson.com/all-plays/silent-sky] by Lauren Gunderson — the play about Betsy's relative, astronomer Henrietta Swan Leavitt * Henrietta Swan Leavitt's "Overlooked" obituary [https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/27/obituaries/henrietta-leavitt-overlooked.html] in The New York Times About Our Guest: Betsy Hodges is a student of whiteness, a recovering alcoholic, and an advisor who helps clients navigate whiteness and resistance in racial equity work. As the 47th Mayor of Minneapolis — and a City Council Member before that — she spent 12 years putting her understanding of race, white people, and policy change into practice, including bringing 21st-century policing to the city and leading the way on a citywide sick leave ordinance. With a background spanning government, nonprofits, and the private sector, fellowships with the Atlantic Fellowship for Racial Equity and the Othering & Belonging Institute, and a master's in sociology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, she now builds frameworks to bring white people more fully into the work of ending racism. She has more than thirty years of sobriety, and the recovery work behind it sharpened the compassion she brings to all of it. Learn more at betsyhodges.com [https://betsyhodges.com/]. About the Host: Nan Whaley is a longtime community leader and public servant. She's currently the CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio. She served as Mayor of Dayton, Ohio, from 2014 - 2022. Nan has also presided over the United Conference of Mayors. She's a feminist, daughter, aunt, sister, and friend. About the Show: Carry As You Climb focuses on elevating the voices of women in leadership from Ohio and across the United States. The podcast features guests who give special attention to not only busting through doors to lead but also hold the door open for more women behind them. In other words, they carry as they climb. We focus on leadership development and leadership lessons. Plus, we share personal experiences to inspire the inclusion of more diverse leaders in business, government and the nonprofit sector. About the Host: Nan Whaley is a longtime community leader and public servant. She's currently the CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio. She served as Mayor of Dayton, Ohio, from 2014 - 2022. Nan has also presided over the United Conference of Mayors. She's a feminist, daughter, aunt, sister, and friend. About the Show: Carry As You Climb focuses on elevating the voices of women in leadership from Ohio and across the United States. The podcast features guests who give special attention to not only busting through doors to lead but also hold the door open for more women behind them. In other words, they carry as they climb. We focus on leadership development and leadership lessons. Plus, we share personal experiences to inspire the inclusion of more diverse leaders in business, government and the nonprofit sector. Connect with Carry As You Climb Socials Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/nanwhaley/] | [https://www.instagram.com/nanwhaley/]Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/carryasyouclimbpod/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nanwhaley/] Stay up to date with Nan's Substack: substack.com/@nanwhaley [https://substack.com/@nanwhaley] Join the Climb: Subscribe to Carry As You Climb wherever you listen to podcasts, and share this episode with a woman in your life who is climbing — and carrying others as she goes. Produced by: Collective Change Communications - Kelly Sakalas & Jeni Keeler Note: The opinions expressed by host Nan Whaley on this podcast are hers alone, and not that of any organization with which she is affiliated.

Ragers vs. Problem-Solvers: Randi Weingarten on Labor, Leadership, and Fighting for a Better Life

Once called “the most dangerous person in the world.” Randi Weingarten says she'd rather be known as both a fighter and a problem-solver. Host Nan Whaley sits down with Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, for a conversation about labor, leadership, and the challenges facing working people today. From her experience working in a GM rubber plant during the oil crisis to her role leading one of the nation’s largest unions, Weingarten reflects on how economic upheaval shaped her understanding of what communities need to thrive. She argues that while some politicians fuel division and outrage, real leaders focus on solving problems and improving people’s lives.  Along the way, she shares lessons on being a "first," the ingredients of successful campaigns, and why Eleanor Roosevelt still has so much to teach us about agency, stature, and showing up. Their conversation covers: * How a layoff at a GM rubber plant in Warren, Ohio, shaped her lifelong commitment to working people. * Why problem-solvers - not ragers - are the leaders communities need most right now. * What it means to be both a fighter and a problem-solver in public life. * Lessons from becoming the first openly gay leader of a major national labor union. * What American organizers can learn from Hungary’s opposition movement. * The three ingredients of every winning campaign - and why Amy Acton’s run for Ohio governor reflects them. Resources Mentioned: * American Federation of Teachers (AFT) [https://www.aft.org/] * Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations [https://www.ilr.cornell.edu/] * Dr. Amy Acton for Governor of Ohio [https://actonforgovernor.com/] About Our Guest: Randi Weingarten is the president of the American Federation of Teachers, an AFL-CIO affiliate that represents educators, school staff, higher-education faculty, nurses, healthcare workers, and public employees across the country. A graduate of Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations and a former lawyer and Brooklyn social studies teacher, she became the first openly gay person to lead a major national American labor union — and has spent decades organizing, advocating in legislatures and courtrooms, and showing up on the ground for working people, including in Ohio for nearly fifty years. When she's not on the road, you'll find her walking her rescue dog, Gracie. About the Host: Nan Whaley is a longtime community leader and public servant. She's currently the CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio. She served as Mayor of Dayton, Ohio, from 2014 - 2022. Nan has also presided over the United Conference of Mayors. She's a feminist, daughter, aunt, sister, and friend. About the Show: Carry As You Climb focuses on elevating the voices of women in leadership from Ohio and across the United States. The podcast features guests who give special attention to not only busting through doors to lead but also hold the door open for more women behind them. In other words, they carry as they climb. We focus on leadership development and leadership lessons. Plus, we share personal experiences to inspire the inclusion of more diverse leaders in business, government and the nonprofit sector. Connect with Carry As You Climb Socials Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/nanwhaley/] | [https://www.instagram.com/nanwhaley/]Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/carryasyouclimbpod/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nanwhaley/] Stay up to date with Nan's Substack: substack.com/@nanwhaley [https://substack.com/@nanwhaley] Join the Climb: Subscribe to Carry As You Climb wherever you listen to podcasts, and share this episode with a woman in your life who is climbing — and carrying others as she goes. Produced by: Collective Change Communications - Kelly Sakalas & Jeni Keeler Note: The opinions expressed by host Nan Whaley on this podcast are hers alone and not those of any organization with which she is affiliated.

Widening the Doorway: Julie Chávez Rodriguez on Campaign Leadership, Mentorship, and People Power

Julie Chávez Rodriguez ran two presidential campaigns in a single cycle, and says she has no plans to write a book about either one. Host Nan Whaley sits down with Julie Chávez Rodriguez, former campaign manager for the 2024 Biden-Harris and Harris campaigns. The two reflect on leading through uncertainty, keeping teams grounded during rapid change, and why widening the doorway for future leaders matters just as much as winning elections. Julie also shares how her grandmother, labor organizer Helen Chávez, shaped her understanding of courage, service, and people-powered leadership. Their conversation covers: * What campaign leadership actually feels like behind the scenes * Guiding a presidential campaign through a rapid transition * Lessons from organizing during COVID-era campaigning * Why mentorship doesn’t have to look formal to matter * The role mayors play in protecting democracy and delivering results * The lasting influence of her family’s organizing legacy Resources Mentioned: * United Farm Workers [https://ufw.org/] * Equis Research [https://www.weareequis.us/] * Poderistas [https://poderistas.com/] * Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative [https://cityleadership.harvard.edu/] * Mayors for America [https://mayorsforamerica.us/] About Our Guest: Julie Chávez Rodriguez has spent her career at the center of American political life — from the Obama White House Office of Public Engagement, to head of Intergovernmental Affairs under President Biden, to campaign manager for the 2024 Biden-Harris and Harris campaigns. The granddaughter of farm worker movement leader Helen Chavez, she got her start at sixteen as a precinct captain and today leads at Mayors for America, an initiative supporting city leaders across the country. When she's not working, she can be found walking the beach near her California home — or making her grandmother's homemade salsa. About the Host: Nan Whaley is a longtime community leader and public servant. She's currently the CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio. She served as Mayor of Dayton, Ohio, from 2014 - 2022. Nan has also presided over the United Conference of Mayors. She's a feminist, daughter, aunt, sister, and friend. About the Show: Carry As You Climb focuses on elevating the voices of women in leadership from Ohio and across the United States. The podcast features guests who give special attention to not only busting through doors to lead but also hold the door open for more women behind them. In other words, they carry as they climb. We focus on leadership development and leadership lessons. Plus, we share personal experiences to inspire the inclusion of more diverse leaders in business, government and the nonprofit sector. Connect with Carry As You Climb Socials Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/nanwhaley/] | [https://www.instagram.com/nanwhaley/]Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/carryasyouclimbpod/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nanwhaley/]   Stay up to date with Nan's Substack: substack.com/@nanwhaley [https://substack.com/@nanwhaley] Join the Climb: Subscribe to Carry As You Climb wherever you listen to podcasts, and share this episode with a woman in your life who is climbing — and carrying others as she goes. Produced by: Collective Change Communications - Kelly Sakalas & Jeni Keeler Note: The opinions expressed by host Nan Whaley on this podcast are hers alone, and not that of any organization with which she is affiliated.

Beyond "Use Your Voice": Angel Beets on Leadership Presence, Executive Search, and What Women's Leadership Conversations Get Wrong

Not all women's leadership advice is created equal, and Angel Beets isn't afraid to say so. Nan Whaley talks with Angel Beets, CEO of Gilman Partners [https://www.gilmanpartners.com/], about leadership presence, executive search, mentorship, and the subtle ways women are evaluated differently at work.  Drawing from her experience rising from marketing director to CEO within the same organization, and now helping companies hire and develop executives, Angel offers a candid, practical look at what actually helps leaders grow beyond the usual “find your voice” advice.   Their conversation covers: * Why becoming CEO among former peers can be harder than leading as an outsider * The HBR leadership presence model: the spectrum from assertive to "attractive" (magnetic) behaviors, and why leaders who move fluidly between both are seen as having the highest presence * Why Angel initially pushed back on appearing on a women's leadership podcast * Research showing women are consistently rated lower on “potential “ than men * The hidden long-term career costs behind "opting out" of the workforce * What meaningful mentorship looks like, and how mentors learn from mentees, too Resources Mentioned: * Gilman Partners [https://www.gilmanpartners.com/] * Elevate Kentucky Leadership Program [https://www.leadershipky.org/programs/elevate-kentucky-1/about-elevate-kentucky-1/] * Northern Kentucky Chamber [https://www.nkychamber.com/] * HBR Leadership Presence Model [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NToNTG73JsQ&t=10s] * Research: “Potential” and the Gender Promotion Gap [https://insights.som.yale.edu/insights/women-arent-promoted-because-managers-underestimate-their-potential] * Jennifer Granholm's 2012 DNC Speech (YouTube) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3vb3KST3MY] * My Friends by Fredrik Backman [https://bookshop.org/p/books/my-friends-a-novel-fredrik-backman/7722f1d6dc24a4a6] * Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe [https://bookshop.org/p/books/margo-s-got-money-troubles-rufi-thorpe/20917237] * 1929 [https://bookshop.org/p/books/1929-inside-the-greatest-crash-in-wall-street-history-and-how-it-shattered-a-nation-andrew-ross-sorkin/923106f6e82cd81e?ean=9780593296967&next=t] by Andrew Ross Sorkin * The Devil in the White City [https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-devil-in-the-white-city-murder-magic-and-madness-at-the-fair-that-changed-america-erik-larson/c5daab3a305249b8?ean=9780375725609&next=t] by Erik Larson * The Splendid and the Vile [https://bookshop.org/p/books/1929-inside-the-greatest-crash-in-wall-street-history-and-how-it-shattered-a-nation-andrew-ross-sorkin/923106f6e82cd81e?ean=9780593296967&next=t] by Erik Larson About Our Guest: Angel Beets is the CEO of Gilman Partners [https://www.gilmanpartners.com/], a Cincinnati-area executive search and leadership development firm. A former college public speaking instructor and committed Harvard Business Review reader, Angel brings data-informed, practical insight to developing the next generation of leaders. She lives in northern Kentucky and is the mother of two daughters. About the Host: Nan Whaley is a longtime community leader and public servant. She's currently the CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio. She served as Mayor of Dayton, Ohio, from 2014–2022. Nan has also presided over the United Conference of Mayors. She's a feminist, daughter, aunt, sister, and friend. About the Show: Carry As You Climb focuses on elevating the voices of women in leadership from Ohio and across the United States. The podcast features guests who give special attention to not only busting through doors to lead but also hold the door open for more women behind them. In other words, they carry as they climb. We focus on leadership development and leadership lessons. Plus, we share personal experiences to inspire the inclusion of more diverse leaders in business, government and the nonprofit sector. Join the Climb If this conversation moved you, share it with a friend, subscribe so that you never miss an episode, and rate and review Carry As You Climb wherever you listen to podcasts. Connect with Carry As You Climb Socials Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/nanwhaley/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/carryasyouclimbpod/] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@nanwhaley] | Twitter [https://x.com/nanwhaley] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nanwhaley/] Stay up to date with Nan's Substack: https://substack.com/@nanwhaley [https://substack.com/@nanwhaley] Produced by: Collective Change Communications - Kelly Sakalas & Jeni Keeler Note: The opinions expressed by host Nan Whaley on this podcast are hers alone, and not that of any organization with which she is affiliated.