PowHer

In this episode I'm talking with Nic Turner who shares her story with us and the turning point in her passion and purpose-led life, and some tips to simplify your life. Nic Turner is a speaker, best-selling author and the driving force behind Mainstream Green. After spending the first 15 years of her career working in the global consumer goods industry, her life was set on a different trajectory with a personal quest to live more simply and sustainably. Bringing together her understanding of human behaviour and her sustainability experience, Nic inspires behaviour change in organisations and communities. www.mainstreamgreen.co.nz https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicola-turner-mainstreamgreen/ https://www.instagram.com/mainstreamgreen https://www.facebook.com/mainstreamgreennz/ www.jessstuart.co.nz

Today I'm speaking with Dr Ellen Joan Ford who discusses her story and the roles she has had that have led her to these insights and experiences which she shares with us today. Dr Ellen Joan Ford is terrifyingly ambitious about improving the working world for people and for organisations. As a leader, researcher, military veteran, international speaker, TEDx speaker, facilitator, consultant and parent, Ellen draws on her research and practical experiences to drive organisational outcomes by enhancing inclusive leadership capabilities and workplace culture. Ellen was awarded the Kiwi Bank New Zealander of the Year - Local Hero for her efforts supporting the evacuation of 563 from Afghanistan, is Person of the Year - Manawatu Standard and the prestigious Sir Peter Blake Leadership Award. She is the author of #WorkSchoolHours and her leadership model is Belonging, Autonomy and Purpose. www.ellenjoanford.com Discount code: JESS Anyone can use that code to get a FREE copy of Ellen's E-Book: #WorkSchoolHours https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-ellen-joan-ford-791a2655/ https://www.jessstuart.co.nz/

In this episode I'm joined by the fabulous Tara Lorigan. We talk about Tara's experience in the tech industry - what she has seen change over the years and what have been some of the hurdles that leaders in that sector have had to overcome. Tara Lorigan MNZM is a globally recognised authority on leadership, high performance, and gendered intelligence in business. With a career that began in senior marketing roles at global tech giants Apple, IBM, Sun Microsystems, and 3Com, Tara went on to lead Aotearoa’s foremost tech incubator, where she designed its award-winning High Growth Programme. She is the founder of Co.OfWomen, a pioneering organisation dedicated to equipping women to lead with power and purpose, and of Co.OfUs, focused on high-performance practices for all professionals. Her work, grounded in 20+ years of research and application, has influenced leaders across sectors and continents. Tara is widely respected for translating complex research into powerful, practical models that transform how leaders operate – from the inside out. Appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for her services to business and women, Tara is also a sought-after executive coach, keynote speaker, and the architect of the Three Pillar Platform and the Gendered Intelligence Operating System, which are rapidly becoming the new gold standard for female leadership excellence. https://www.coofwomen.biz/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/taralorigan/ https://open.spotify.com/show/6ajpRTMmb1ELTfrjfPXjsX?si=3ed9dd08822445e4 https://www.jessstuart.co.nz/

In this episode of the PowHer podcast I'm talking to Melissa Crawford who is a highly regarded thought leader in the future of work. We talk about what leaders need to be thinking about as we head into the future, and what is the people impact as we look at how things are evolving in the tech space. Melissa Crawford is a leading expert in the future of work. With a rare skillset crossing both people and technology. Melissa has two technology degrees and over 20 years' experience in People and organisational Psychology. Melissa is the Director of Tech with Heart where she helps companies with their future strategies, holds a number of board roles and is a sought-after global keynote speaker. Melissa is also a certified Futurist and a professional member of the Association of Professional Futurists. Her key areas of interest are future technologies, people psychology and societal shifts. www.techwithheart.co.nz www.linkedin.com/in/melissacrawfordnz www.jessstuart.co.nz

In this episode I'm joined by Judy O'Brien who shares her journey with us, her interest in inclusion - and inclusion practices - from an early age, gender equity, and what she's doing now. Judy is a values-driven changemaker with a diverse career spanning education, entertainment and advocacy. As Head of Culture, Inclusion & Safeguarding at New Zealand Rugby, Judy leads work for intersectional inclusion and harm prevention. Judy is passionate about increasing representation of women in leadership and governance, and was recently appointed to the board of Global Women. As a Rainbow inclusion advocate, her track record includes facilitating peer-support programmes for transgender and non-binary communities and steering the merger of two leading LGBTQ+ youth organisations. Judy has been a judge of the Rainbow Excellence Awards since NZ Rugby’s triple win in 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/judy-o-brien-2bb6931a5/ https://www.jessstuart.co.nz/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-stuart-559a7940/

In this episode I'm joined by the wonderful Dr Libby and we delve into her story and what ignited her passion to help women take charge of their health and wellbeing. Armed with a PhD in biochemistry, a degree in dietetics, 25 years of clinical experience and a genuine desire to help others thrive, Dr Libby empowers people to take charge of their health through her events, courses, supplements and bestselling books. Her unique three-pillar approach – addressing challenges through nutritional, biochemical and emotional lenses – offers a truly holistic perspective. Known for her warmth and wisdom, Dr Libby makes complex science practical and accessible. She supports individuals at every stage of their health journey, providing insight with compassion and care, and helping them understand the deeper ‘why’ behind how they feel. www.drlibby.com www.bioblends.com Insta: @drlibby www.jessstuart.co.nz

Welcome back to season 2 of the powher podcast! In this episode I'm joined by the amazing Cassie Roma and we discuss - among other things - how we get to a space where we are comfortable in making achievements, and how to shine in a society where that is not always encouraged. Cassie Roma is an internationally acclaimed and awarded advertising executive. An expert in brand building, social and digital storytelling. She has built a globally-recognised reputation as the go-to expert for all things business, innovation, creativity and multidisciplinary, multi-platform storytelling. In 2021 Cassie’s successful advertising and media corporate career pivoted from that of being a well-known businesswoman and entrepreneur to a TV personality when she was cast as the world’s first queer woman to act as an advisor on The Apprentice Aotearoa where she quickly became a beloved household name as the Kindness Warrior. She has been dubbed a "hidden weapon" of business, TV, podcasting, journalism, storytelling, and public speaking and is passionate about equity of opportunity, education, and intergenerational healing across diverse communities globally and closer to home in Aotearoa. Beyond TV, Cassie is an author, podcaster, documentarian, sought after inspirational speaker, Life/Career Coach, & TEDx alumni. Cassie has deep corporate and community networks all of which have deeper networks that reach beyond the typical “corporate” lens of life. She works alongside sportswomen, sustainability thought leaders, business executives, PRIDE communities and many other people keen to make a difference. She has worked with UN Women on projects and recently hosted and spoke at 2025’s International Women’s Day Gala at Parliament in Wellington. As an established and trusted executive with ties to many of New Zealand’s largest businesses, her network is strong and wide. Strong resonance, big hearts, and a desire to make the world a better place run through all of her key contacts. www.instagram.com/cassieroma www.cassieromaco.com www.jessstuart.co.nz

In the last episode of my podcast for this season and year, I'm talking to Danette Fenton-Menzies. Danette is Director of Learning for Magical Learning, author of The Adaptable Leader: 7 skills to help you succeed during uncertainty, and podcast host of Adapt with Danette FM. She uses the latest brain science and tools to help leaders adapt faster and optimise opportunities whilst navigating uncertainty. https://www.danettefm.com/ https://www.magicallearning.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/danettefentonmenzies/ https://www.danettefm.com/podcast https://www.jessstuart.co.nz/

As we head towards the end of the season for this podcast, I reflect on the amazing conversations that we have had over this season, and some of the key themes that I've taken away from them.

In this episode I'm speaking with Holly Bailey who is the visionary founder of Play Like a Girl, an organisation dedicated to empowering women and girls across Australia through sport and leadership development. Under Holly's leadership, Play Like a Girl has become a driving force in promoting gender equality in sport, creating inclusive spaces where women and girls can build confidence, resilience, and leadership skills. Holly also serves on the Board of Women Sport Australia and the Port Melbourne Football Club. With a background as a VFLW player and competitive netballer, Holly brings the invaluable lessons learnt through sport into her leadership. She is passionate about teaching others how to harness these experiences to excel in their own leadership journeys, driving positive change for women and girls in sport and beyond. www.playlikeagirlaustralia.com www.jessstuart.co.nz

In this episode I talk with Joe Consedine. Joe and I have had an insightful few years chatting to male leaders about what it means to build inclusive cultures and how we can provide environments where everyone belongs, and today Joe shares his thoughts on this topic. Joe is the former NZ GM for Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, and is now an independent Diversity, Equity and Inclusion consultant. Joe's mission is to help organisations create world class workplaces of the future where inclusion sits at the heart of high performance. www.menasallies.co.nz www.jessstuart.co.nz

In this episode I talk to Nina Christian about personal brand, confidence, authenticity, influence and impact. Nina is an award-winning, global branding and marketing expert. For three decades she’s helped business leaders and over 1000 brands build their audience, authority and connection with prospects and customers. After 20 years of running a marketing agency that was recognised as "Best Marketing Agency" at the Australian Marketing Excellence Awards, she could see the world of marketing, sales and customer relationships shifting–as customers connected with people over logos and entities. She is the author of the book Marketing Me: Take Charge of Your Personal Brand and Make Your Mark on the World which helps professionals market themselves authentically and confidently. www.ninachristian.com https://www.amazon.com.au/Marketing-Me-Charge-Personal-Brand/dp/1922357588 https://www.jessstuart.co.nz/

This week I talk to the amazing Niki Bezzant about gender ageism, and the celebration of women aging because of the gaining of wisdom, power and mana as they age. Nikki is a writer, journalist, editor and commentator who has a reputation for translating complex health and science jargon into easy-to-understand information for everyone over more than 20 years. A trusted advocate and sought-after speaker on menopause, perimenopause and midlife, Niki is passionate about women’s health, especially empowering midlife women to become vibrant, kick-ass old ladies. She now spends much of her time on menopause education and awareness in workplaces and communities. https://www.nikibezzant.com/ @nikibezzant - Instagram https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikibezzant/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=519063214 https://www.jessstuart.co.nz/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-stuart-559a7940/

Join me as I talk to Simone Denny about feminine energies and power, connecting to purpose, understanding the elements of yourself and being comfortable in who you are and what you offer, creating space to connect to what matters. Simone is a leading coach and practitioner dedicated to helping individuals and groups uncover the root causes of what is holding them back. She empowers clients to develop emotional agility, mindset mastery, self-awareness, and high-performance behaviours, enabling them to step into their purpose and potential and create a life they love and feel is true to them. Simone is a qualified Life Coach, IFS Practitioner (Internal Family Systems), Epigenetic Coach, Mind Detox Therapist, and Mindfulness Facilitator. She is also certified in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, NLP, and Emotional Culture Facilitation. www.simonedenny.me www.instagram.com/simonedennycoaching/ https://www.facebook.com/simonedennycoaching https://www.jessstuart.co.nz/

This week I’m talking to Kirsten Patterson (KP) who reflects on her career in leadership roles, many of which have been in male-dominated environments, discusses the changes she’s seen, how far we’ve come – specifically regarding women in the workplace, and inclusion - standing out even when it makes you uncomfortable, the importance of service to others and making a difference in the world and the future of work. KP is the CEO of the Institute of Directors and is a Chartered Member of the IoD. She is a Distinguished Fellow of the Human Resources Institute of NZ, Chair of the Global Network of Directors Institutes, and a member of the NZ External Reporting Advisory Panel. A strong advocate of diversity, KP is a member of Global Women NZ and was a founding member of Global Women’s ‘Champions of Change'. KP was the founder and is Executive Sponsor for Chapter Zero NZ. www.iod.org.nz https://www.chapterzero.nz/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/pattersonkirsten/ https://www.jessstuart.co.nz/

Join me as I speak with Jo Cribb about the future of work and the role AI will play, what we can expect, how it is different for women, and where are some of the challenges in that space. Jo is an experienced consultant who has led a variety of projects and assignments. She is regularly asked to facilitate strategy sessions with leadership teams, coach emerging leaders and lead substantial policy, strategy and gender projects. Passionate about increasing diversity and inclusion; developing great boards; increasing the impact and profile of the NGO Sector; and exploring the future of work and AI. Former Chief Executive of the Ministry for Women and formerly the Deputy Children's Commissioner. 2016 finalist in the NZ Women of Influence Awards. Winner of the 2021 Women in Governance Community Award. Author of Take Your Space and Don't Worry About the Robots. https://www.jocribb.co.nz https://www.linkedin.com/in/jocribb https://www.onetreehouse.co.nz https://www.jessstuart.co.nz

In my latest podcast, I speak to Dr Kirsten Peterson about how to combine a high pressure high performance environment with mindfulness and a more gentle approach to performance. Kirsten Peterson PhD is a high-performance expert, speaker, and most recently an author, having just published her first book, When Grit Is Not Enough. She has spent decades working in elite sport as a sport psychologist with the U.S. Olympic Committee and the Australian Institute of Sport. Find Kirsten at https://drkirstenpeterson.com/ Jess Stuart is an international speaker and author of 7 personal development books. A well known women in leadership expert with a background in senior human resources roles and a decade working in leadership development. We specialise in building leaders for the future and we're on a mission to put the being back into human-being. Find out more at www.jessstuart.co.nz

Join me as I talk to Kate Billing about how we are always evolving with age, and why we should be open to what might come next. Kate Billing is a human obsessed, leadership pragmatist with 25+ years in the people, culture and leadership space. She is the Executive Development Director of Blacksmith, Founder of katebilling.com, and NZ’s leading voice on human-centred leadership and the intersection of gender/age equity in our workplaces. Find out more at - www.katebilling.com www.blacksmith.co.nz Jess Stuart is an international speaker and author of 7 personal development books. A well known women in leadership expert with a background in senior HR roles and a decade working in leadership development. We specialise in building leaders for the future and we're on a mission to put the being back into human-being. Find out more at www.jessstuart.co.nz

In this episode, I speak with Winitha Bonney about teaching people to back themselves, be their own cheerleader, and standing in our own power. Over the past 23 years, Winitha has worked in a range of executive and board roles and has successfully founded several businesses. As a speaker and thought leader, Winitha is obsessed with conscious capitalism. What sets Winitha apart is her ability to solve complex business problems to support organisations to move beyond the silos of inclusion, ESG and being purpose-driven, and towards the integrated future of business - conscious capitalism. For more visit https://www.winitha.com/ Jess Stuart is an international speaker and author of 7 personal development books. A well known women in leadership expert with a background in senior HR roles and a decade working in leadership development. We specialise in building leaders for the future and we're on a mission to put the being back into human-being. For more visit www.jessstuart.co.nz

Join me as I talk with Lisa O'Neill about energy: how to get it, guard it and give it, which is the topic of her latest book. Lisa is guaranteed to leave you inspired, energised and ready to change the way you think about life. Passionate about inspiring action and helping people get out of their own way, Lisa has the unique ability to deliver heavy messages in a light and relatable way. After more than a decade on stage, Lisa is consistently top-rated in conference evaluations. She's written 7 books, with her latest focused on taking charge of your energy. How to get it, guard it and give it. For more visit https://www.lisaoneill.co.nz/ Jess Stuart is an international speaker and author of 7 personal development books. A well known women in leadership expert with a background in senior HR roles and a decade working in leadership development. We specialise in building leaders for the future and we're on a mission to put the being back into human-being. www.jesstuart.co.nz