Listen to Restorative Leadership in Action
On Leading by Dr. Seana Lowe Steffen explores the 21st Century’s big question: How do we bring out the best of our diverse humanity to ensure a sustainable future? Discover restorative leadership in action through interviews with high impact global citizens.
During the podcasts, we invite you to listen for your wisdom being echoed and for your leadership being called to new levels of inspired engagement.
Audio Podcasts
Credited by many for building the green jobs movement in America, Green For All is driven by a mission to build an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty. An organization within Dream Corps, which was founded by Van Jones to support campaigns and initiatives that empower the most vulnerable, Green For All is led by a powerful trio of women. Vien Truong - one of the country’s foremost policy innovators and strategists at the intersection of equity, economic development, and climate justice - is the Director of Green For All and the deputy CEO of Dream Corps. She is joined by talented organizer and advocate Michelle Romero as the Deputy Director of Green for All, and seasoned coalition-builder Kim Noble as the Director of National Partnerships. Together, Vien, Michelle, and Kim reveal what is possible when we unleash and uplift the genius that is unheard and often overlooked within society’s systemically silenced populations. They demonstrate restorative leadership by empowering and advocating for the transformative impact that each of us can have within our own communities.
Greensburg, Kansas is in the middle of nowhere or everywhere, depending on whom you ask. It’s a red town in a red state that became the greenest town in America as a result of rural residents like Ruth Wedel engaging in restorative leadership following a natural disaster. On the evening of May 4, 2007, the town of nearly 1,400 was hit by what was at the time the largest tornado in recorded history. The community of Greensburg chose to transform the devastation to opportunity with a vision that turned the town into a model for the nation and the world. Ruth Ann Wedel, a longtime resident called by some the “unofficial mayor” of Greensburg, was at ground zero of the town’s renewal. Playing a grassroots leadership role with Greensburg GreenTown, the not-for-profit founded to help facilitate the rebuilding, Ruth Ann assisted community organizing and developing a chain of eco-homes to demonstrate sustainable designs. In this interview, a decade since the disaster, Ruth Ann reflects on the community’s sustainability journey of doing the right thing for the future. With grounded insight, humble fortitude, and lighthearted determination, she helps us understand what it takes to engage in restorative leadership to be of highest benefit during the most challenging of times.
Christine Ahn is a passionate voice for peace who has focused her life’s work on ending the Korean War, reuniting Korean families, and ensuring the leadership of women in the peace-building process. Inspired by a vision of women uniting across diverse boundaries, Christine led thirty women peacemakers from 15 countries on a walk for peace across the two-mile wide Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) from North to South Korea in 2015. Because international forces separated this ancient country over 70 years ago, the walk for peace sought to help stitch it back together by connecting with Korean women in both north and south and crossing the heavily fortified border that keeps them and their families separated. A lifelong learner well versed in history, Christine advocates for citizen diplomacy in response to the threat of nuclear war and reminds us that heart-based engagement is one of the most powerful tools we have for shaping the course of history. With unwavering belief in possibility, she illustrates how to bridge divides through deep understanding and faith in the potential for change.
Blake Jones is the visionary co-founder and recent President/CEO of Namasté Solar, a Colorado-based renewable energy company that has been the recipient of numerous national awards. A top-rated certified B Corp recognized for their innovative businesses practices, Namasté Solar made headlines in 2011 when they officially converted to a worker-owned cooperative, which means that each worker owns an equal voting share in the company. For his work with Namasté Solar, Blake was named Entrepreneur of the Year for the Rocky Mountain Region by Ernst & Young and one of Denver’s 50 Most Influential People. In this podcast, Blake reflects on his experience in the oil and gas industry and the role of empathy in bridging divides for a sustainable future of clean energy. He also explains how Namasté Solar practices restorative leadership to advance prosperity for all.
Janine Benyus is the natural sciences writer and innovation consultant best known as the author of Biomimicry. For the positive impact of her sustainable design work - and her role teaching others how to do the same - Time Magazine named her Hero for the Planet and BusinessWeek named her one of the World’s Most Influential Designers. Janine transports us with her sense of wonder about the genius and magic of the natural world and what’s possible when we relate to nature as our mentor. In this interview, she offers an evolutionary definition of success and inspires a shift in how we view and value nature to get there. She also models how to listen deeply to the oldest organisms on Earth. With invigorating insight, Janine guides us in the restorative leadership practice of being highly intentional with our life choices as designers of the future of Life itself.
A visionary voice of possibility, Van Jones has been at the forefront of grassroots to national initiatives equalizing the field of opportunity for all. As founder and President of The Dream Corps, he works to create 21st century jobs through initiatives such as Green For All and Yes We Code. A CNN political contributor and former White House Special Advisor, Van wrote the New York Times bestsellers The Green Collar Economy and Rebuild The Dream. Whether advocating for our country’s founding vision of justice as a human rights lawyer or invoking civility during news coverage, Van Jones champions the highest good. In this interview, Van reveals restorative leadership in action as he makes choices for collective benefit and bridges divides to bring out the best of our diverse humanity. He offers meaningful insight on how to live and lead in soulful and solution-oriented ways.
Darcy Winslow is a high-powered, heart-centered woman who understands big business and the impact it has on the world. As former Director for Advanced Research and Development at Nike, she launched the company’s 2020 goals for sustainable growth and consumption which committed Nike to zero waste, zero toxics, and 100% closed loop systems. Darcy is a wildly intelligent presence with a big heart who shows us how to work on a scale that matters in a timeframe that matters. A master at collaborating across networks, her voice inspires us to stand at the edge and claim our restorative leadership role making the difference that we uniquely have the responsibility and opportunity to make. In this interview, Darcy reveals how to inject possibility into a large system to leverage visionary progress for a sustainable future.
Frances Moore Lappé is the author and co-author of 18 books including the breakthrough Diet for a Small Planet, which sold millions and is considered by the Associate Press as “the blueprint for eating with a small carbon footprint since long before the term was coined.” A prolific voice of possibility, Frankie is a recipient of the Right Livelihood Award for her vanguard leadership on ending world hunger and living democracy. With her rare ability to connect global to local dots, she demonstrates restorative leadership by inspiring us to reclaim our best selves and reframe circumstances for aligned progress. In this interview, Frankie talks about her perspective on ending hunger by 2030 and her participation in the historic civil disobedience of Democracy Spring, urging us to leverage the power of our own participation in the interconnected web of life.
Sister Simone Campbell is a tireless champion for democracy as she advocates for the wellbeing of all citizens in public policy. Her work promoting the welfare of the poor, both nationally and internationally, earned her the “Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Award” and "Defender of Democracy Award," among others. Sister Simone’s path has led to some big surprises for a nun like being a guest on 60 Minutes, The Colbert Report, The Daily Show, and the O’Reilly Factor. With disarming humor and a rebellious twinkle in her eyes, Sister Simone has become a woman of remarkable influence. Known for her Nuns On The Bus tours inspiring citizen engagement and hope, Sister Simone bridges divides by giving voice to a vision that serves “the 100%.” In this interview, she offers new insight into the restorative leadership practice of valuing and empowering community.
Interview Transcripts
While corrupted external systems compromise our health and safety, it is corrupted internal systems that prevent us from doing anything about it. Informed by traditions both ancient and modern, with personal experience ranging from national climate policy to intimate ritual, Nikki Silvestri’s leadership supports individuals and groups to practice the art of shifting internal circumstances as a first step to external systemic change.
On the evening of May 4, 2007, the residents of Greensburg, Kansas were hit with a historic crisis that they transformed to extraordinary possibility when the first recorded EF5 tornado - estimated at 1.7 miles wide traveling at 205 mph - left near total destruction in its wake. Sparking a vision that would turn the town into a model for the nation and the world, community members mobilized to create a more prosperous future for generations to come by rebuilding the devastated town as a sustainable city. Among the visionary locals who initiated the plan is Daniel Wallach. Daniel, whose background includes founding and running the Colorado Association of Nonprofit Organizations, founded Greensburg, GreenTown to facilitate various green initiatives in partnership with the city and community.
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Malini Mehra is an award-winning civil society leader, entrepreneur, campaigner, writer, and broadcaster who has over 30 years experience inspiring dialogue around human rights and sustainability at the highest level of diverse international organizations. She is the first woman and first Indian to serve in her current role as Chief Executive of GLOBE International, a non-party political organization that supports parliamentarians to develop legislative responses to the challenges posed by sustainable development. Malini is a deeply compassionate advocate for the whole of life who leads an ambitious movement toward positive change from a heartfelt sense of personal responsibility. In this interview, she shares how she lives restorative leadership by listening deeply and authorizing her own voice to speak up for decency and sustainability for all, no matter how seemingly big or small the challenge.
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Karin Ryan is the Senior Policy Adviser on Human Rights and Special Representative on Women and Girls for the The Carter Center, a nongovernmental organization that was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, to advance peace and health worldwide. Karin’s dedication has proven invaluable to the Center’s work resolving conflicts and supporting democracy and human rights in over 80 countries worldwide. She has coordinated the Human Rights Defenders Policy Forum for many years, and has represented the Carter Center in many international negotiations including the establishment of a U.N. Human Rights Council. An insightful and pioneering thought leader, Karin provides a unique voice in the global conversation as she stresses the importance of advancing women’s rights within the broader context of human rights. She illustrates restorative leadership in practice by bridging divides through deep listening as she unites progress for collective wellbeing.
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Hazel Henderson is a futurist and an economic iconoclast tireless in her efforts to inspire a better future. As a young immigrant mother in New York City’s soot-cloaked air, Hazel founded Citizens for Clean Air and catalyzed momentum for the Clean Air Act (1970). Astounded by the harm done by business, she authorized herself to speak for an alternative future of ethical markets as an original voice for corporate responsibility and the “love economy.”
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Molly Melching is the founder and CEO of Tostan, a Senegal-based NGO with a mission to empower African communities for sustainable development and social transformation with respect for human rights. Tostan and Molly have gained international recognition for their Community Empowerment Program that has resulted in over 7,500 communities across eight African countries voluntarily abandoning female genital cutting and marriage under 18. Tostan is a recipient of the Skoll Award For Social Entrepreneurship and the world's largest humanitarian prize, the Hilton Humanitarian Award. Molly, on behalf of Tostan, also received the Thomas J. Dodd Prize in International Justice and Human Rights.
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Lama Tsultrim Allione, author and international teacher, is the founder and spiritual director of Tara Mandala, which hosts one of the world’s rare temples constructed to honor the feminine Buddha. Lama Tsultrim was one of the first western women ordained a Tibetan nun, and is believed to be an emanation of Machig Labdrön. Lama Tsultrim’s teachings arise from the blessings of her 40-year dedication to the Buddhist teachings and her experience as a woman and a mother. Through her restorative leadership, she has re-introduced the practice of “feeding your demons” and is facilitating “wisdom rising." An enlightened presence radiating essential teachings, Lama Tsultrim speaks to wholeness and guides us to restore balance to the sacredness of Life.
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Meg Wheatley is a true warrior for the human spirit, recognized for her decades of work in organizational leadership and community development. Meg’s impact has been felt from the Fortune 100 level to the National Park Service to aboriginal villages in Australia. She has dedicated herself to empowering communities on every inhabitable continent to cope effectively with the changes of our times. Meg has published eight award-winning books, each of them an invitation to explore worldviews and ways of being our best selves in order to ensure a sustainable future. In this interview, Meg teaches us about inner and outer dimensions of restorative leadership.
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Dr. Dayna Baumeister is the co-founder of Biomimicry 3.8. With a devotion to applied natural history and a passion for sharing the genius of nature, Dayna has worked in the field of biomimicry with business partner Janine Benyus since 1998, traveling the world as a biomimicry thought-leader, business consultant, and professor. Together they founded the Biomimicry Guild consulting practice, The Biomimicry Institute, and most recently, Biomimicry 3.8, which is a B Corp social enterprise that helps clients find innovation inspired by nature and offers the highest level of biomimicry training to professionals worldwide.
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As the pioneering CEO of the Skoll Foundation and Founder of the Skoll World Forum, Sally Osberg works together with Jeff Skoll and their teams to foster a sustainable world of peace and prosperity. Investing nearly $400M in social entrepreneurs and innovators for scaling impact, Sally is a master at catalyzing positive systemic change. Co-author of Getting Beyond Better: How Social Entrepreneurship Works, Sally offers genius insight on what it really takes to solve the world’s most pressing problems on the ground. In this interview, Sally speaks to the restorative leadership practice of deep understanding for transformative results, and sheds light on the power of proximity.