In this episode of Expressions of Leadership, host Michele Kawamoto Perry speaks with Ron Jenkins, who shares his journey from a difficult childhood in foster care and the devastating loss of family, to discovering purpose through football, mentorship, and a career guiding youth as a counselor and coach.

Their conversation explores resilience, second chances, and the power of human connection. Ron reflects on how mentors shaped his leadership—and how, in turn, he has dedicated his life to leading and mentoring others. This is a powerful story of healing, leadership, and purpose—one that shows how investing in others can transform lives. Connect with Ron: Email: Rongolf6807@gmail.com Instagram @lifechanger06 LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ron-jenkins-60b5747a/

Don't miss an episode! Be sure to click on the follow and subscribe buttons. Follow Expressions of Leadership on YouTube and Instagram. You can also catch the show on Radio Evolve at www.radio-evolve.rocks every Saturday and Sunday at noon PT.

Discover more about host Michele Kawamoto Perry and The Forward Project’s expertise in culture transformation and leadership development at www.theforwardproject.co.

In this episode, Dr. Milan Chavarkar shares her 25+ year leadership journey in women’s health — from serving as a nurse midwife and family nurse practitioner to founding Lotus Integrative Health and Nursing. She reflects on how deep listening, longer patient visits, and root-cause care inspired her move into functional and integrative medicine, and how the pandemic accelerated her leap into entrepreneurship.

Dr. Chavarkar also explores her expansion into venture investing, health AI, and her fertility-focused startup PriMi Health, highlighting the leadership challenges and opportunities in improving diagnosis, prevention, and clinician-centered innovation. Throughout the conversation, she reveals how mentorship, purpose, and human connection have shaped her leadership philosophy and continue to drive her vision for women’s health.

Connect with Dr. Milan Chavarkar at https://www.linkedin.com/in/milanchavarkar/

Learn more about Lotus Integrative Health and Nursing:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lotusihn/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lotusintegrativehealth

Website: https://www.lotusintegrativehealth.com/

Discover PriMi Health at https://www.primihealth.ai/

Don't miss an episode! Be sure to click on the follow and subscribe buttons. Follow Expressions of Leadership on YouTube and Instagram. You can also catch the show on Radio Evolve at www.radio-evolve.rocks every Saturday and Sunday at noon PT.

Discover more about host Michele Kawamoto Perry and The Forward Project’s expertise in culture transformation and leadership development at www.theforwardproject.co.

Dr. Pamela Donnelly has spent her career opening doors—first as a teacher and education entrepreneur, and now as the founder of the American Access Institute. In this episode, she shares the story behind Catapult, an AI-powered career readiness platform designed to equip vulnerable youth, including those in foster care, with the skills and pathways to thrive in trades, tech, military, and entrepreneurship.

Host Michele Kawamoto Perry and Pamela explore how policy, public discourse, and technology intersect in the fight for equity, why scalable innovation matters, and what it takes to lead a vision from concept to national impact. Along the way, Pamela reflects on the leadership lessons she’s learned—both from the systems she’s challenged and the students she’s championed.

If you care about access, opportunity, and leading change that lasts, this conversation will inspire you to think bigger about what’s possible.

Learn more about Dr. Pamela Donnelly at www.pameladonnelly.com and the American Access Institute at https://americanaccessinstitute.org/.

Don't miss an episode! Be sure to click on the follow and subscribe buttons. Follow Expressions of Leadership on YouTube and Instagram. You can also catch the show on Radio Evolve at www.radio-evolve.rocks every Saturday and Sunday at noon PT.

Discover more about host Michele Kawamoto Perry and The Forward Project’s expertise in culture transformation and leadership development at www.theforwardproject.co.

Host Michele Kawamoto Perry sits down with Kenneth Hartman, award-winning writer and prison reform advocate, who spent more than 37 years serving a life-without-parole sentence before receiving a commutation. In this conversation, Ken reflects on his path from a troubled youth to founding the groundbreaking Honor Program inside a maximum-security prison, and now to leading Transformative Programming Works, bringing rehabilitative initiatives to California’s prisons.

Together, they explore resilience, human dignity, racial integration, and the power of agency. Ken shares leadership lessons forged behind bars, the influence of mentors and fatherhood, and how lived experience can shape policy and inspire lasting systemic change. Learn more about Kenneth Hartman and Transformative Programming Works at www.thetpw.org.

Don't miss an episode! Be sure to click on the follow and subscribe buttons. Follow Expressions of Leadership on YouTube and Instagram. You can also catch the show on Radio Evolve at www.radio-evolve.rocks every Saturday and Sunday at noon PT.

Discover more about host Michele Kawamoto Perry and The Forward Project’s expertise in culture transformation and leadership development at www.theforwardproject.co.

In this episode of Expressions of Leadership, host Michele Kawamoto Perry talks with Jennifer Wilde about leading in times of volatility and change. From emergency responses in Haiti and the Philippines to building AI tools for families and organizations, Jennifer brings clarity, empathy, and innovation to the conversation.

She shares practices like act–sense–respond, staying grounded under pressure, and reframing change as opportunity. They also explore human-centered innovation—responsible AI design, emotionally intelligent products like Lighten, and education platforms like Learn Leopard.

It’s a conversation about the future of leadership, where adaptability, experimentation, and the right questions matter as much as strategy.

Connect with Jennifer Wilde at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-wilde-innovation/. You can also learn more about Learn Leopard athttps://learnleopard.com/ and Lighten at https://www.trylighten.com/

Don't miss an episode! Be sure to click on the follow and subscribe buttons. Follow Expressions of Leadership on YouTube and Instagram. You can also catch the show on Radio Evolve at www.radio-evolve.rocks every Saturday and Sunday at noon PT.

Discover more about host Michele Kawamoto Perry and The Forward Project’s expertise in culture transformation and leadership development at www.theforwardproject.co.

In this episode of Expressions of Leadership, Dr. Melissa Bird—descendant of the Shivwits Band of Paiutes, lay preacher, healer, activist, and educator—shares her inspiring journey from personal loss to leading policy change. She offers profound insights into soulful leadership, emphasizing intuition, compassion, and the power of asking better questions. Together, we explore how acknowledging grief and embracing vulnerability can deepen connections and drive meaningful transformation in our communities.

Learn more about Dr. Melissa Bird:

Buy her Book, Love Notes and Prayers: Guidance for Your Soul, at https://store.bookbaby.com/book/love-notes-and-prayers

Don't miss an episode! Be sure to click on the follow and subscribe buttons. Follow Expressions of Leadership on YouTube and Instagram. You can also catch the show on Radio Evolve at www.radio-evolve.rocks every Saturday and Sunday at noon PT.

Discover more about host Michele Kawamoto Perry and The Forward Project’s expertise in culture transformation and leadership development at www.theforwardproject.co.

In this enlightening episode of Expressions of Leadership, host Michele Kawamoto Perry sits down with Mumbi Dunjwa, the visionary founder and CEO of Naturaz, a pioneering vegan haircare brand for curly hair. Mumbi shares insights from her remarkable journey that spans chemistry, nuclear medicine, and technology, revealing how her scientific roots have shaped her leadership style and entrepreneurial path.

Discover the profound influence of her parents in shaping her leadership philosophy and learn how her diverse experiences have fueled her mission to empower women in STEM and help people embrace and care for their natural hair with ease, beauty, and grace. Mumbi’s candid reflections on resilience and the pursuit of innovation provide valuable lessons for aspiring leaders.

Connect with Mumbi Dunjwa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mumbi-dunjwa/ Learn more about Naturaz: www.naturaz.com, www.moistureburst.com. Facebook @Naturazhair Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, & Pinterest @naturaz_hair

Don't miss an episode! Be sure to click on the follow and subscribe buttons. Follow Expressions of Leadership on YouTube and Instagram. You can also catch the show on Radio Evolve at www.radio-evolve.rocks.

Discover more about host Michele Kawamoto Perry and The Forward Project’s expertise in culture transformation and leadership development at www.theforwardproject.co.

From leading his younger siblings to becoming an NFL tight end, Luther R. Broughton Jr. has always understood what it means to show up with purpose. In this episode, he shares how early lessons in responsibility, resilience, and mentorship shaped his leadership style—on the field and beyond. He reflects on his time at Furman University, his journey through the NFL, and the influence of key figures like his college strength coach.

Now a financial leader at Rocket Mortgage, Luther brings the same discipline and drive to his professional life that he once brought to the game. We explore the parallels between sports and business, the value of being a role player, and the mindset needed to lead through change. It’s a conversation about growth, grit, and the power of leading from wherever you are.

Follow Luther on X and Instagram @rashard84.

Don't miss an episode! Be sure to click on the follow and subscribe buttons. Follow Expressions of Leadership on YouTube and Instagram. You can also catch the show on Radio Evolve at www.radio-evolve.rocks.

Discover more about host Michele Kawamoto Perry and The Forward Project’s expertise in culture transformation and leadership development at www.theforwardproject.co.