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PODCAST

Forged in Fire: LGBTQ+ Leadership

Meet LGBTQ+ superheroes! Explore the nexus of LGBTQ+ identity and leadership development through interviews with leaders in business, government, academia, advocacy, entertainment and more! We"ll dive into crucible moments in LGBTQ+ lives, such as stigmatization, coming out, or transition. Understand how leaders transformed what we often view as negative experiences into moments that accelerated their growth into leadership superheroes.

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All Episodes

00:50:19

The Ripple Effect with E.C. Pizarro

Forged in Fire: LGBTQ+ Leadership ·

2025/02/25

Technology strategist E.C. Pizarro III explores how his intersecting identities as a Black trans man and corporate professional shaped his leadership style and commitment to community. E.C. revisits pivotal mentorship moments—like encouraging a young trans student in his earliest days of transition—and explains how visibility can spark a ripple effect for others looking to enter tech. He also delves into the power of strategic pivots, the importance of self-belief, and how harnessing transferrable

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00:47:43

Unburying the Self with Olivia Hill

Forged in Fire: LGBTQ+ Leadership ·

2025/02/11

Nashville Council Member Olivia Hill—a U.S. Navy veteran and the first openly transgender person elected in Tennessee—discusses her lifelong journey of hiding, self-discovery, and ultimately embracing her true identity. She recounts brutal “blanket parties” in the military while overcompensating with a hyper-masculine persona, only to break free decades later and run for public office. Drawing on 40 years of utilities experience, she explains how her unique background helps her tackle infrastructure

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00:57:55

Can't Win Without Risk with Gordon Bellamy

Forged in Fire: LGBTQ+ Leadership ·

2025/01/28

Game designer and USC professor Gordon Bellamy shares how embracing his intersecting identities—from queer mathlete to Madden NFL innovator—shaped his leadership philosophy. He describes trusting his team enough to take a bold risk (shipping the game with unconfirmed NFL player rights) and highlights how champion mindsets spark breakthroughs in creativity. Throughout, Gordon underscores the importance of communal care, empathy, and authenticity, explaining how simple acts of safety-building empower

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00:55:21

The Power of Adversity with Brian Sims

Forged in Fire: LGBTQ+ Leadership ·

2025/01/14

Brian Sims—civil rights advocate, former Pennsylvania state legislator, and current CEO of Agenda PAC—to discuss how adversity shapes extraordinary leadership. Brian traces his roots as the son of two Army Officers, recalling a childhood shaped by frequent moves and a powerful mother figure who taught him the value of service, resilience, and challenging inequity. As he shares his coming-out journey, Brian highlights how his closeted years—though not always traumatic—helped him cultivate empathy, a

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00:50:51

Semper Paratus: A Story of Service with CAPT Trey Wirth

Forged in Fire: LGBTQ+ Leadership ·

2024/12/03

As transgender military service is likely to take center stage in early 2025, we wrap up Season 2 with Captain Trey Wirth of the U.S. Coast Guard. Trey takes us on an extraordinary journey of leadership forged through adversity. From responding to major disasters to breaking barriers as an openly transgender officer, Captain Wirth reveals the strength and determination it takes to thrive in high-stakes environments while staying true to oneself. This episode is a powerful exploration of identity,

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01:02:09

Socially Speaking with Anthony Shop and Thomas Sanchez

Forged in Fire: LGBTQ+ Leadership ·

2024/11/20

Anthony Shop and Thomas Sanchez are the dynamic couple behind Social Driver, a trailblazing digital agency. Anthony, Chair of the National Digital Roundtable and an acclaimed strategist, and Thomas, a celebrated CEO and advocate for inclusion, share their journey from humble beginnings to leading change in technology, diversity, and LGBTQ advocacy. They reveal how their people-centered approach has driven success for top brands and advanced inclusion in business. From lessons learned on a Missouri

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00:46:03

Go Vote! Featuring Zaneford Alvarez, Paulo Batista,...

Forged in Fire: LGBTQ+ Leadership ·

2024/11/03

This is a special "almost live" episode, recorded on the Sunday before the 2024 election in the United States. Joining Bree for the conversation are Zane Alvarez and Paulo Batista, transgender service members, and Emily Starbuck Gerson, a writer and communications specialist who is also the spouse of a transgender service member. This community has been demonized in the runup to the election and the stakes are incredibly high. In this episode we discuss what voting means to each of the guests, why

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00:48:58

Trans Pride and Progress with Bianca Sprague

Forged in Fire: LGBTQ+ Leadership ·

2024/10/22

Bianca Sprague, Executive Director of Trans Pride DC, shares her incredible journey from hiding her true identity to becoming a powerful advocate for transgender rights. In this episode, Bianca discusses the importance of creating spaces where all identities are celebrated and how her intersectional experiences as a trans woman, Filipina, and immigrant shape her leadership. Bianca describes feeling almost embarrassed to share her mostly positive story, as it seemed to differ from the common

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00:54:32

Leading Us to Better with Brian Wenke

Forged in Fire: LGBTQ+ Leadership ·

2024/10/08

What happens when the darkest parts of your past can fuel your brightest future? Brian Wenke’s life story is a testament to the power of perseverance. Brian, the executive director of It Gets Better, reflects on growing up as a gay teen during the AIDS epidemic, grappling with self-acceptance, and how those early battles led him to champion LGBTQ+ youth. He reveals the magic of storytelling, the thrill of connecting with community, and the lessons learned from a life lived authentically. It’s a

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00:50:30

The Collectivist with Erin Uritus

Forged in Fire: LGBTQ+ Leadership ·

2024/09/24

Erin Uritus, CEO of Out & Equal, shares her journey of overcoming societal and personal barriers as a bisexual leader. Growing up in a conservative environment and later navigating international spaces where her identity had to be hidden, Erin reflects on the challenges of embracing her authentic self. She also explores how biphobia within the LGBTQ+ community fueled her determination to create more inclusive workplaces. Her story is a powerful example of how self-awareness and resilience forge

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00:51:35

In The Arena with Megan Hunt

Forged in Fire: LGBTQ+ Leadership ·

2024/09/10

This episode is completely profound, occasionally profane, and filled with phrases you won't soon forget! Though Nebraska State Senator Megan Hunt described herself in the episode as "the Diet Coke of LGBTQ Community," she's so much more. She is the woman in the arena that Teddy Roosevelt would have thrilled over. She overcame internalized stigma, to live her life and advocate for others in a way that envisions a world where everyone can be free to live without having to justify

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00:44:28

Foundational Development with Geoffrey Winder

Forged in Fire: LGBTQ+ Leadership ·

2024/08/28

An inspiring conversation with Geoffrey Winder, a dedicated activist who has spent over two decades empowering LGBTQ youth and developing a model of co-leadership. In this episode, Geoffrey shares his journey from high school activism to leading transformative movements within the LGBTQ community. He discusses the importance of queer magic, the evolving identities of LGBTQ youth, and the necessity of building inclusive systems that support future generations. Geoffrey's insights highlight the

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01:02:34

Visions of the Future with Ashton Mota and Kai Farr

Forged in Fire: LGBTQ+ Leadership ·

2024/08/13

What does leadership development look like to those at the beginning of their journey? We thought we'd understand by talking to Ashton Mota, 19 and Kai Farr, 21 but they've already been on a leadership path for a long time. Ashton and Kai share their inspiring and transformative journeys as advocates and as GenderCool Project Champions. From introducing the President at the White House to navigating the challenges of coming out at a young age, they discuss the pivotal moments that shaped

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00:53:57

Fulfilling a Dream with Brad Hoylman-Sigal

Forged in Fire: LGBTQ+ Leadership ·

2024/07/30

From rural West Virginia, Brad Hoylman-Sigal was encouraged to read widely by his mother. In his local library he found a dream, a place that exudes freedom and where he could be accepted, New York City. Determined to wind up where he belonged, he embarked on a path of academic excellence and service in government. Beginning his term in the State Senate as the only out LGBTQ+ Senator, he developed and expansive view of how to lead, served as an ally inside and outside the queer community, and passed

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00:46:14

We're Not There Yet with Layla McCay

Forged in Fire: LGBTQ+ Leadership ·

2024/07/16

A few years ago, we found a dearth of information about LGBTQ+ leaders in print. So did Layla McCay, psychiatrist, founder of the Centre for Urban Design and Mental Health, and author of Breaking The Rainbow Ceiling. Layla captured the experiences of LGBTQ+ leaders in the workplace to examine what was holding them back from making it to the top. Not only did she uncover hidden barriers, but also some surprising leadership strengths that came from the journeys of her contributors. In this episode we

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00:59:44

What's in a Name? with Jim Fielding

Forged in Fire: LGBTQ+ Leadership ·

2024/07/02

Jim Fielding, author of All Pride, No Ego, former CEO, retail and media veteran, and current partner at Archer Gray, contains multitudes. Jim, Jimmy, James, and JD are just some of the names he's been called and all are a part of who he is as a successful executive who has faced personal and professional challenges on the way to finding his authentic self. In our conversation we cover how Jim integrated his many aspects, the advice he'd give to his younger self, how to test for critical

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00:50:51

Taking Optimism and Love Global

Forged in Fire: LGBTQ+ Leadership ·

2024/06/18

As a Senior Advisor to the U.S. Special Envoy to Advance the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons, it's no surprise that Reggie Greer thinks big. Learning from an early age to be empathetic to those around him, despite his challenges existing at the intersection of being a black, queer, disabled man from a religious household, Reggie moved rapidly to positions where he could drive positive change. His work to bring people into the process, prevent disillusionment in government, and move folks from apathy

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00:46:36

Mental Algorithmics with Dr Lorna Rodriguez

Forged in Fire: LGBTQ+ Leadership ·

2024/06/04

Puerto Rican? Gay? Female? Left-Handed? (Sometimes this one matters to surgeons!) Which one of these is the reason you hate me? Surgeon, Professor, and Vice Chair of Faculty Development at City of Hope, Dr. Lorna Rodriguez has navigated them all, often many or all of them at one. With all the challenges, Lorna knows exactly what it is to be forged in fire, to navigate adversity and come out stronger on the other side. She's used her experiences to build collaborative environments where everyone's

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00:51:17

And Now For Something Completely Different with Jude...

Forged in Fire: LGBTQ+ Leadership ·

2024/05/07

No spoilers, but the path to authenticity and her gender identity taken by Executive Director of Film and Television for Hearst Magazines Jude Harris, is not one you might expect. She's using her uniqueness and perspective to help tell queer stories in a difficult market and paving the way for trans and queer executives to follow her trail. Along the way, there were a lot of difficult things to let go of, but empowered her to own her narrative. In addition to leadership insights, Jude penned a

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00:36:52

Why Do So Many Starfish Need Saving? with Joanne Carroll

Forged in Fire: LGBTQ+ Leadership ·

2024/04/23

In a life of many acts, Joanne Carroll knew she was one of the little girls from an early age, but didn't share it with the world until her late 50's. Once out, she discovered a passion for helping others; she was the one throwing starfish that had washed ashore back into the sea. It was a later realization that something must be wrong for so many starfish (trans people) to keep turning up in distress that pushed her advocacy work into another gear. Now in her mid 80's, Joanne continues tirelessly

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72 results

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