Raised in a Guatemala Junk Yard (Episode 1: Part 1 of 3)

The Weight of Legacy: Passing Down Stories without Passing Down Fear (Episode 13)

In this episode of Raw and Real at Work, Sean sits down with Adam for a deeply human conversation about parenting, identity, legacy, and how our personal histories quietly shape how we show up at work. Adam, a chemist and father of a 2-year-old and 6-year-old, shares the unfiltered reality of modern parenting: relentless, exhausting, and profoundly transformative. Their conversation expands beyond day-to-day parenting into generational legacy. Adam opens up about his family’s Holocaust history, the weight of inherited trauma, and the responsibility—and uncertainty—of carrying a story shaped by survival without passing down fear or hate. Together, Sean and Adam explore how vulnerability, intention, and empathy can bridge divides—at home, at work, and across the “tribes” we belong to. This episode is a reminder that our stories don’t exist in isolation. When shared honestly, they become connective tissue—helping us understand each other more fully and work together more humanely.

From Giving Birth in Grad School to Becoming an Executive — The Power of Support (Episode 12)

Jamie Moore, now a Gilead executive, gave birth during grad school and kept going. She was propelled by teachers who spotted her spark, a boss who saved a leadership role for her when she felt ready, and a spouse who took on caregiving so she could step into the lab and the boardroom. Her reflections echo across our series: how early champions, stretch assignments, and shared family responsibility create the scaffolding for talent to thrive. She also shares how thriving inside supportive systems can blind us to the struggles others face Jamie thought she didn’t have much of a story. Yet in her journey, we see the universal truth: drive + support = impact. And it raises the question—what breakthroughs could we see if those conditions were available to everyone?

Lost in America: Searching for Belonging & Connection (Episode 1: Part 3 of 3)

In this episode, my colleague grapples with finding connection and belonging in the U.S.—alone, without family. He longs for Guatemala, especially the loved ones he left behind, and begins to regret his decision to come. As the saying goes, ‘You are the company you keep,’ and when he falls in with the wrong crowd, one mistake nearly costs him his life. But in that moment of crisis, he finds a turning point—one that will change everything.

The Journey to Freedom: Guatemala to the US via Coyote (Episode 1:Part 2 of 3)

In this episode, my colleague shares his journey of attempting to enter the U.S. at just 18 years old—guided by a coyote. He recounts, in vivid detail, the many failed attempts and the risks he faced at the border. But crossing was only the beginning. After finally making it to the U.S., he reunites with his mother for the first time in 13 years—only to find that their long-awaited moment is not what either had imagined. The journey to freedom hasn’t ended. It has just begun.

Raised in a Guatemala Junk Yard (Episode 1: Part 1 of 3)

This deeply personal and difficult story captures my colleague’s journey from growing up in a Guatemalan junkyard to building a new life in the U.S. After hearing his story, I understand why he works so hard and fights for every inch in life. His resilience, determination, and unbreakable spirit are a testament to the power of perseverance.