Choosing Your Passion-Led Path with Janet Levit

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As the world around us changes in unsettling and dangerous ways, we need more people to stand up, speak out, and advocate for the rights of others in their communities.

Janet Levit is passionate about doing exactly this type of important work. In addition to serving on the Tulsa Women’s Commission and the Human Rights Commission, she is an Executive Consultant to repro46, a not-for-profit devoted to educating Oklahomans about the consequences of the state’s overreaching reproductive healthcare laws on the health, safety, and well-being of women and girls. 

In this inspiring episode of Shift Out Loud, we dig into the major shifts that led Janet to explore law, academia, community leadership, and advocacy over the course of her impressive career. Tune in as we discuss Janet’s strategic decision-making process, how she’s stayed flexible when unexpected changes altered her trajectory, and the experience that instantly changed her mind about becoming a diplomat.

Ready to play bigger? Listen now to discover: 

• How Janet shifted from pursuing a path she thought was expected of her into wholeheartedly following her passion and calling
• Why it’s important to “get dirty” as a leader
• How she embraces her identity as a Tulsan and her role in serving her community

Guest bio: Janet Koven Levit concluded her term as interim president at The University of Tulsa in 2021 and returned to the College of Law in 2022 as a professor. She serves on the Tulsa Women’s Commission and the Human Rights Commission, on the Take Control Initiative Advisory Board, and as Vice Chair of the Center for Reproductive Rights Board of Directors. 

Timestamps:

01:40  Intro

03:37  Meet Janet Levit

06:16  Janet’s background

07:47  Cubs or White Sox?

10:23  Princeton & diplomacy

13:59  Shift into law

16:04  Yale, international law & learning Portuguese

19:40  Shift into partnership & moving to Tulsa

23:06  Team decision-making

28:16  Shift into academia

33:33  Strategic thinking & female leadership

39:08  Shift into advocacy

42:38  Oklahoma & women’s rights

45:59  repro46 & creating change

51:09  Politics v. advocacy

52:35  Shift to empathy & hope

58:00  Conclusion

Links:

Janet Levit

utulsa.edu/people/janet-levit 

repro46

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