SheEO Lead-In

n this episode, Rebecca Jones is joined by Assistant Producer and former intern, Julia Nellis. The women bounce off of one another - discussing the realities of gender equality in collegiate and professional sports, dealing with large group dynamics, and maneuvering life post college. A San Diego native and former collegiate athlete, Nellis describes herself as a compassionate and authentic individual who has a propensity for advocacy and a knack for cultivating strong community relationships. The two talk extensively about the realities of growing up in a competitive sports environment, as well as the realities that many of our youth face regarding today’s social media culture. Nellis shares the lifelong lessons that she has learned regarding coming to terms with losing streaks (both personally and professionally) as well as how she has found profound moments of growth within loss.

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In this episode, Rebecca Jones is joined by the President and CEO of Catalyst San Diego and Imperial Counties, Megan Thomas. The women discuss the realities of changing your career path, the importance of providing opportunities, and differing leadership styles. Describing herself as a facilitator of connections, Thomas describes herself as a trustworthy leader who holds value in the authenticity of relationships and partnerships. Having worked in the nonprofit and philanthropic spheres for over 20 years, she has learned that the nonprofit world is a business that includes inputs and outputs. Thomas tries to bring out the best in those around her and to clear barriers to success. She encourages young women to hold onto who they are, to do things that rejuvenate them, and to surround themselves with people who support them.

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Join Rebecca Jones and Sarah Adams, the Executive Director of Women’s Empowerment International, as they discuss the nonprofit world and the realities of finding success in your professional and personal life. Describing herself as a quiet, shy, and compassionate child who wasn’t afraid to stand up and right a wrong, Adams brings that same sense of passion and care into her professional work. Adams measures success in her personal life by taking a look at who she is impacting and what community she is helping to build. When asked to give advice to younger girls following in her footsteps, she encourages girls to stay true to yourself, recognize your values and stand up for them, and to always trust your inner voice.

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Come with Rebecca Jones for this week’s episode as she’s joined by Rebecca Jade, one of the most awarded artists in the history of the San Diego Music Awards and the CEO of Rebecca Jade Entertainment. Growing up in a musical family, Jade never realized that there was a life without music. The women discuss the intricacies of music and how the influence it can have on people’s lives. Jade says that finding balance in her life is cyclical - there are ups and downs, but she knows there is always something positive around the corner. When asked to give advice to young women following in her footsteps, she encourages girls to not let the self-doubt voice in your head be too loud. She says to “do it anyway”, to push yourself to new heights, and to be hungry and learn your craft.

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In this week’s monumental episode, Rebecca Jones is joined once again by Kelly Martinez, the San Diego County Undersheriff and Active Sheriff. The women discuss the directions of law enforcement and technology in our society today and how it may look in the future. Martinez goes in-depth on the RESPECT Project that is worked out of the San Marcos station and how it is designed to work on youth character-building and mentoring. They elaborate on the importance of youth having positive and supportive adult influences, and how every child deserves to have those connections. Martinez walks through the art of juggling her current position as the first woman to hold the title, calling it worthwhile work. A large focus of her professional career has been to support those who work under her and to give them a positive work environment. The episode ends with Martinez encouraging listeners to form connections with their local law enforcement.

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This week, Rebecca Jones is joined by the CEO of United Way of San Diego, Nancy Sasaki. Having been in the nonprofit world for all of her professional career, Sasaki discusses the realities of being a woman of color in a leadership role. The women discuss how the realities of the pandemic have impacted the ways that United Way looks to interact with people and integrate their strategic plan in the local community. Sasaki measures success in her professional life by keeping an eye on both her long and short term goals. In the long term, she wants to be able to look back and see the continual progress of those that United Way has worked with. Short term, Sasaki looks to see immediate improvement in new skills and education. Sasaki finds balance through protecting her personal time and giving herself the space to decompress. The women talk about the importance of women working together in the professional space and recognize that things are more efficient when everyone is working together. Sasaki encourages young women to have confidence in themselves and to always be open to what other people are nudging you toward. She emphasizes the importance of finding your own values and sticking to them, saying that it’s critical to feel good about what you’re doing in your job.

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In this week’s episode, Rebecca Jones is joined by the founding President of the Filipino-American Chamber of Commerce North San Diego and Pre Development Land Specialist with Professional Land Corp, Femie Villaflores. Growing up in the Philippines as the only daughter in her family, Villaflores learned a lot about making connections and being an entrepreneur. She describes herself as a philanthropist who is always working to help victims of violence. Villaflores’ mission in the Filipino-American Chamber of Commerce North San Diego is to get in touch with Filipino business owners and to help them jump start their businesses. Villaflores emphasizes that success looks different for everyone. She is able to measure it through the connections that she is able to make. When asked to give advice to young women following in her footsteps, Villaflores encourages women to have a good work ethic, build up your resume, and to keep yourself humble.

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In this week’s episode, Rebecca Jones is joined by the CEO of the T School, Tara Shah. Growing up, Shah always saw herself as a future lawyer and was relentless in her pursuit of that goal. Describing herself as a genuine and persuasive person, Shah reiterates the importance of trust in both professional and personal relationships. Shah does not see her success as a tangible metric, instead choosing to see it as the quality of the impact she leaves on those around her. If she has left the world a better place than she found it, then she has fulfilled her purpose. When asked for advice to give to young women, Shah says that life is a journey and to work hard but make sure you are also taking the time to enjoy the ride. Shah encourages young women to pursue a career path that they genuinely love. Shah advises that you may find yourself acquiring skills throughout your professional career and to use those skills to your advantage.

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In this week’s episode, Rebecca Jones is joined by Kathy Padilla of Dream Hahn. As an experiential marketing company, Padilla works hard to ensure that they are providing fun opportunities for clients and curating brand awareness. Born and raised in La Mesa, Padilla describes herself as a passionate individual who is fiercely devoted to those who are the most important for her. Padilla measures success through the quality of her work. If she did an honest job, created new experiences, and thought outside the box, then that is a job well done. The women discuss the intricacies of event planning during the pandemic and how the Wonder Bus has proved to be a phenomenal addition. Padilla finds balance in her professional career through the support of her family at home, and her family in the office. When asked to give advice to young women following in her footsteps, Padilla emphasizes the importance of networking and making connections. She says that it’s never too late to find the path in life that you are passionate about.

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