This special edition of the Chief Influencer podcast brings together some of the most powerful moments from conversations with seven remarkable leaders who are shaping the future of influence across public policy, mental health, women’s rights, technology, journalism, and social impact.Each guest: Jaymes Black, Patrick J. Kennedy, Kathryn Godburn Schubert, Craig Newmark, Frédérique Campagne Irwin, Steve Schwab, and Anna Palmer, approaches influence with authenticity, courage, and a deep commitment to service. Their stories illuminate how true influence is built: through connection, clarity, empathy, and a willingness to speak boldly for those who need it most.Takeaways:Lead with human connection, not organizational talking points: Jaymes Black demonstrates that influence grows when leaders start with why the mission matters personally before describing what their organization does, grounding conversations in shared humanity.Scale your impact by elevating others’ stories: Patrick J. Kennedy shows that amplifying raw, courageous personal stories can move audiences more powerfully than statistics or policy arguments, helping leaders expand their influence with authenticity.Start with education to drive advocacy: Kathryn Godburn Schubert underscores that many decisions rest on misunderstandings—like the assumption that women are routinely included in medical research—so leaders must illuminate gaps, share facts clearly, and build awareness before change can happen.Ground your leadership in core values—and expect resistance: Craig Newmark illustrates that influence is strongest when anchored in moral principles like service and honesty, while reminding leaders that doing good often invites pushback from those threatened by integrity.Use authenticity to connect across audiences: Steve Schwab emphasizes blending personal motivations with professional strategy—sharing family, emotions, and purpose—to build trust, unify stakeholders, and inspire people through both vulnerability and competence.Treat LinkedIn as a leadership responsibility, not optional homework: Multiple guests show that consistently posting, tagging partners, celebrating others, and sharing behind-the-scenes moments turns social media into a strategic engine for connection, credibility, and collaboration.Influence through a multichannel strategy, not a silver bullet: Anna Palmer highlights that meaningful influence requires using a mix of platforms—from social media to hometown newspapers to direct outreach—because different audiences pay attention in different places.Quote of the Show:“Influence today is a fragmented system—more people can be influential, and that’s a good thing for democracy. There’s no silver bullet. Influence requires a multi-platform, multi-audience strategy.” - Anna PalmerLinks:Kathryn Godburn SchubertLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-godburn-schubert-07352a7/ Website: https://swhr.org/ Steven SchwabLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-schwab7676/ Website: https://www.elizabethdolefoundation.org/Jayme BlackLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejaymesblack/ Website: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/ Anna PalmerLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-palmer-124a295/ Website: https://punchbowl.news/ Patrick J. KennedyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-j-kennedy-6821ba165/ Website: https://www.patrickjkennedy.net/ Books: “Profiles in Mental Health Courage”: https://a.co/d/0kFiw9G “A Common Struggle: A Personal Journey Through the Past and Future of Mental Illness and Addiction”:  https://a.co/d/2ObOEdP Frederique IrwinLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frederiquecirwin/ Website: https://www.womenshistory.org/ Craig NewmarkLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craignewmark/ Website: https://craignewmarkphilanthropies.org/ 

We’re excited to re-air this powerful conversation with Terry Szuplat, former White House speechwriter for President Barack Obama and author of Say It Well: Find Your Voice, Speak Your Mind. Inspire Any Audience.Originally released as an in-person discussion, this episode quickly became a listener favorite for its timeless insights into authentic communication. Terry explores why simplicity, clarity, and personal storytelling matter more than ever—especially in a noisy digital age. Whether you missed it the first time or are revisiting it for fresh inspiration, this conversation offers practical guidance for leaders, communicators, and anyone striving to speak with impact.Takeaways:Talk Like a Human: Communicate with clarity and avoid jargon so your message resonates.Know Yourself Deeply: Authentic influence starts with understanding your identity and values.Utilize Personal Stories: Your unique experiences create connection and credibility.Prepare Thoughtfully: Terry’s 50-25-25 rule helps craft messages that hit the mark.Embrace Authenticity Over Perfection: Audiences value sincerity more than flawless delivery.Quote of the Show:"When you tell the stories that only you can tell, then no one can steal your words, ever."Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terry-szuplat-456914137/Website: https://globalvoicescommunications.com/about/Say It Well: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/say-it-well-terry-szuplatShout Outs:Former President Barack ObamaTim WalzThe George Washington University College of Professional Studies

In this powerful episode, Anthony Shop sits down with Jill Houghton, President and CEO of Disability:IN, the world’s leading nonprofit driving disability inclusion and accessibility across global business. With a career shaped by personal experience, public policy, and transformative corporate partnerships, Jill shares how she has helped build a global movement rooted in the belief that disability is a strength and a critical competitive advantage for companies.Jill brings more than leadership insights; she brings stories of CEOs, next-gen talent, global boards, and individuals who found their voice through disability inclusion. Together, these stories illustrate how influence fueled by authenticity, visibility, and data can create lasting change.Takeaways:Disability as a Strength—and a Source of Innovation: Jill describes how her own learning disability shaped her understanding of disability inclusion and purpose. She explains why disability is not a deficit but a “natural part of the human experience” that brings insight, adaptability, and innovation to business.From Policy to Business: Where Real Influence Happens: After early work supporting the Americans with Disabilities Act, Jill realized that legislation alone can’t change attitudes. Business, she says, has unmatched power to accelerate disability inclusion—especially when leaders see disability inclusion as good for business, not just good intentions.The Rise of Cross-Industry “Frenemies”: Jill shares how competitors across tech, finance, and healthcare have become collaborators through Disability:IN—driving each other to improve, learn, and push the movement forward.Inside the Disability Index: Jill breaks down the origins, purpose, and future of the Disability Index, now in its 12th year and undergoing a major modernization. She reveals why companies crave maturity models, benchmarking, and transparent reporting—and how measurement fuels momentum: “What gets measured matters.”Visibility as a Strategy for Influence: Jill discusses why encouraging leaders to talk openly about disability—internally and publicly—is essential. Visibility creates momentum, breaks stigma, and empowers others to come forward.Stories That Change Culture: From Microsoft’s Jenny Lay-Flurrie openly identifying as deaf, to a senior executive who uses captions in secret finally naming his disability, Jill shows how storytelling unlocks culture change.Influence as Connection, Trust, and Listening: Jill closes with her personal definition of influence: using your power for good by listening first, building trust, and responding authentically to the needs of others.Quote of the Show:“Disability is a strength and a natural part of the human experience.”Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-houghton/ Website: https://disabilityin.org/ 

Darra Gordon, CEO of Family Equality, is the national organization advancing legal and lived equality for LGBTQ+ families. Darra stepped into the role at a pivotal moment, when more than 600 anti-LBGTQ+ bills were introduced across the country, and she brings more than two decades of leadership at the intersection of advocacy, culture change, and community-building.Darra shares how Family Equality advances its mission through a simple but memorable framework: (ACE) Advocate, Connect, Educate. From fighting for policy protections at every level of government to convening the largest LGBTQ+ family gathering in the world, Family Equality is working to secure freedom, safety, and belonging for every family.Throughout the episode, Darra offers rich insights on the role of storytelling, coalition-building, and people-centered leadership, and how influence becomes strongest when leaders bring the personal and professional together. As a parent of three, Darra discusses her own experience navigating unequal family recognition in a hospital setting and how that fuels her fight for nationwide protections.This conversation reveals how influence today is less about transaction and more about trust, humanity, and bringing people along a shared journey.Takeaways:Lead With Lived Experience to Build Trust: Influence deepens when you ground your message in what’s personal. Share the real stories—your own and those of your community—that reveal the stakes and human impact behind your mission.Equip People to Tell Their Own Stories: Everyday advocates are powerful change agents. Provide families, supporters, and community members with tools and guidance to safely and confidently share their experiences, especially when those stories can influence policy.Build Resilience Through People-Centered Leadership: Organizations can only move fast if their foundations are strong. Invest in your team’s wellbeing, listen deeply, and create a culture where people feel supported—so they can stay mission-focused even in challenging environments.Use Community to Spark Collective Action: Connection is a catalyst for advocacy. Bring people together—in person or online—to create belonging, generate energy, and inspire them to take action on shared priorities.Make Coalitions Your Force Multiplier: No one drives systemic change alone. Identify shared interests across sectors, movements, and political perspectives, then build coalitions that amplify each partner’s strengths and expand the impact beyond what any one group could achieve.Be Nimble, Even When the Mission Is Steadfast: A fast-changing world requires operational agility. Build a strong organizational core while keeping systems flexible enough to pivot quickly in response to political, economic, or cultural shifts.Influence Through Listening, Not Leverage: Persuasion in today’s climate isn’t about transactions—it’s about trust. Listen first, understand the concerns and motivations of the people you’re trying to reach, and bring them along by showing how your shared goals align.Quote of the Show:“Storytelling shows people who we are—the joy, the laughter, the everyday parts of being a family. All influence is personal. It’s not transactional—it’s built on trust.”Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darra-gordon-99730243/ Website: https://familyequality.org/ 

In this special live edition of the Chief Influencer podcast, recorded at The George Washington University’s College of Professional Studies, host Anthony Shop sits down with Dr. Ellen M. Granberg, the 19th president of GW and the first woman to lead the institution in its 200+ year history.President Granberg shares her journey from accidental leader to national influencer in higher education, offering candid insights on authenticity, influence, student success, and leading through historic change. She reflects on GW’s ambitious new strategic framework, Raising Higher: GW’s Path to Preeminence, and why she believes Washington, D.C., will remain the epicenter of influence for generations of students.This episode explores leadership rooted in purpose, community, and adaptability, hallmarks of a true Chief Influencer.Takeaways:Lead Through Influence, Not Authority: President Granberg emphasizes that formal power rarely drives progress; informal networks, trust, and relationships do. Leaders should invest time in understanding how influence actually flows inside their organizations and use that knowledge to move initiatives forward.Build Strategies With Your Community, Not For Them: The boldest parts of GW’s strategic framework originated from community feedback. Co-creation strengthens ownership, alignment, and ambition. Leaders should treat listening sessions not as a formality but as a genuine source of direction.Stay Flexible: Use a Compass, Not a Checklist: In an unpredictable world, rigid multi-year plans quickly become obsolete. Granberg’s “strategic framework” approach shows that leaders should focus on direction and values, while leaving space for innovation, adaptability, and real-world changes.Elevate Stories to Build Connection and Belonging: President Granberg repeatedly returns to the power of storytelling, highlighting research impact, student experiences, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Leaders can strengthen internal culture and external reputation by telling stories that make values tangible.Cultivate Resilience Through Real-World Experiences: Creating opportunities for students to experiment, fail, adapt, and lead—such as internships, student government roles, and placements in humanitarian organizations—builds durable leadership skills. Any organization can apply this by giving people stretch roles and meaningful responsibilities, while providing the support they need to thrive.Use Social Media Strategically Through Trusted Messengers: Posting alone isn’t enough. Granberg learned to partner with the Student Government Association to reach students effectively. Leaders should map who their audiences trust and work through those individuals or channels to amplify key messages.Model Authenticity and Show When Your Mind Has Changed: President Granberg views authenticity as essential to trust, and she openly shares moments when community input changed her perspective. Leaders can strengthen credibility by showing vulnerability, admitting evolution in their thinking, and being consistent in how they show up.Quote of the Show:“When I was younger, I used to believe that if you were going to lead, you had to change your personality. What I have learned over time is that to lead authentically is one of the most powerful ways to build trust because you show up on a consistent basis, and you start to build confidence among the folks you’re working with, among the community that you’re leading. And that has just been a wonderful lesson for me. It’s not about becoming someone different from who I am; it’s about becoming more of exactly who I am and then folding that into the way that I lead.”Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellen-granberg-0b6b607/ Website: https://www.gwu.edu/