In this episode of Building Leadership Community, Coach Dora Mendez speaks with Jean Westrick, CEO of the Technology Association of Grantmakers (TAG), about leading at the intersection of technology and equity.

Jean shares her journey in philanthropy, her approach to mission-driven leadership, and why community is essential for navigating uncertainty. Together, they explore how leaders can build authentic executive presence while leveraging technology for social impact.

Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction
03:54 – Guest Introduction
07:51 – Career Journey
12:14 – Community & Leadership
15:04 – Community as Antidote
17:30 – Leadership Advice
18:25 – “Be Cool. Be Sweet. Be Yourself.”
21:07 – Authenticity in Leadership
24:30 – Where to Connect

Key Themes:

• Authentic leadership
• Community-driven leadership
• Technology and equity
• Career growth and purpose
• Executive presence through authenticity

Connect with our guest:
Jean Westrick
President & CEO, Technology Association of Grantmakers (TAG)
Leader in philanthropy, technology, and equity-driven innovation

🔗 Guest Links:
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/JeahWestrick
https://tagtech.org
TAG Tech on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/technologyassociationofgrantmakers

Subscribe, share, and join the conversation.

In this episode of Building Leadership Community Podcast, Coach Dora Mendez welcomes Dr. Elaine Ruiz Lopez, founder and CEO of the International Leadership Charter High School in the Bronx.

Dr. Ruiz Lopez shares the deeply personal experiences that shaped her leadership journey—from growing up in the South Bronx during a time of social unrest to witnessing systemic inequities in education and healthcare. Those early experiences became the driving force behind her lifelong commitment to education and community leadership.

Today, the school she founded sends more than 95% of its students to college, creating pathways for young people who might otherwise be overlooked.

This conversation explores perseverance, leadership, representation, and the responsibility leaders carry to create opportunity for future generations.

Connect with Dr. Elaine Ruiz Lopez

Get her book “The Fight for Equity in the Bronx” https://amzn.to/4bh7KIM

https://DrElaineRuizLopez.com

00:00 – Podcast introduction
02:20 – Why leadership community matters
04:25 – Introducing Dr. Elaine Ruiz Lopez
07:52 – Her leadership origin story
09:00 – Growing up Puerto Rican in the South Bronx
11:00 – Witnessing injustice in childhood
13:00 – Educational barriers and inequality
17:00 – Teenage motherhood and leaving high school
18:30 – Returning to education through City College
19:00 – Teaching in the South Bronx
19:40 – Leadership shaped by lived experience

• Leadership rooted in lived experience
• Representation and education equity
• Resilience and perseverance
• Creating pathways to opportunity
• Community-driven leadership

If you missed the International Women’s Day livestream, you can now listen to the full replay of this special episode of the Building Leadership Community Podcast.

In this reflective International Women’s Day conversation, Coach Dora Mendez explores how storytelling, literature, and lived experience shape the way leaders understand equity, representation, and community.

Leadership is often shaped by the ideas we encounter and the voices we choose to amplify. In this episode, Dora highlights a group of international women authors and thought leaders whose writing, research, and personal stories have influenced her leadership philosophy.

From memoir to literary fiction to leadership frameworks, these voices remind us that stories expand empathy—and empathy strengthens leadership.

For professionals seeking to grow their leadership influence, deepen their cultural understanding, and build more equitable workplaces, this episode explores how literature and storytelling can transform the way we lead.

Whether you are watching the replay of the livestream or discovering this episode later, the insights remain just as powerful.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why leadership growth requires understanding history, culture, and lived experience
  • How storytelling shapes empathy and decision-making in leadership
  • Why amplifying women’s voices strengthens organizational culture
  • How literature can expand leadership thinking beyond traditional frameworks
  • Practical ways leaders can elevate underrepresented voices in their workplaces

n this episode, Coach Dora shares:

📚 Books by International Women Authors
✨ Dr. Fulgani Shah – From Gaslighting to Truthlighting
✨ Dr. Elena Ruiz – The Fight for Equity in the Bronx
✨ Zenaida Mendez – Amor y Desamor, de La Diáspora

📖 Literary Fiction That Transforms Worldviews
🌺 The Farming of Bones – Edwidge Danticat
🦋 In the Time of the Butterflies – Julia Alvarez
🌻 Half A Century Ago – Dr. Angela Arias

✍🏽 Latina Leadership & HR Representation
💼 Latinas Rising Up in HR – Executive Edition
🌟 Extraordinary Latinas – Volume 4

Dr. Falguni Shah
Leadership expert and author addressing workplace gaslighting and leadership dynamics.
https://www.fortruthlighting.com
Podcast Episode:https://youtu.be/_c1zsozd3zo?si=0PU36DsBJ9VaR7ug

Dr. Elaine Ruiz Lopez
Education leader and advocate for equity in schools and communities.
https://www.drelaineruizlopez.com

Podcast Episode: coming soon.

Zenaida Mendez
Memoirist and storyteller exploring diaspora identity, heritage, and leadership through lived experience.
https://substack.com/@zenaidam
Podcast Episode: https://youtu.be/G7taR8E7Hug?si=3CKqH5790FwJW8xE

Books and Authors Referenced

Edwidge Danticat
The Farming of Bones https://amzn.to/4b0FDxC

Julia Alvarez
In the Time of the Butterflies https://amzn.to/46JRI7J

Sandra Cisneros
The House on Mango Street https://amzn.to/4umOX6A

Dr. Angela Arias
Half A Century Ago https://amzn.to/40QEl1Z

Watch the episode replay:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/I-SsYq7Ycs4?si=9gGDobxS3hGGRClC

Connect with Coach Dora Mendez:
Website: https://CoachDoraMendez.com

• Leadership shaped by storytelling
• Gender equity as a leadership issue
• Representation and voice in leadership
• Cultural perspective and empathy in leadership
• Building community through shared narratives

If this episode resonates with you, subscribe to the Building Leadership Community Podcast and share this conversation with someone whose leadership journey you admire.

Leadership grows when we elevate the voices that shape our understanding of the world.