Lunch with Leaders: Influence Extraordinary Authentic Women in STEM Careers for Empowerment
The Lunch with Leaders podcast helps women in STEM lead with authenticity and growth, create impact, & expand their influence. Hosted by Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya, TEDx speaker, leadership strategist, & Founder. Each week, Adaeze sits down with innovators, trailblazers, & leaders who are changing cultures and redefining leadership. Together, they share the stories, strategies, & mindsets that empower women in STEM to amplify their visibility, influence, and impact. If you are ready to lead boldly, elevate your influence, and join a global movement, this is your invitation… would you accept?
Episodes
On Lunch With Leaders, host Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya speaks with Esosa Edosomwan, founder of Staying Ageless Coaching and Ask Umi, about women’s hormonal health, fibroids, culturally relevant nutrition, holistic care, faith, and health-tech innovation.
Esosa explains how her nutrition practice evolved into an AI-enabled platform designed to make personalized hormone-health education more accessible.
The conversation also exp...
Adaeze Iloeje-Udogalanya interviews Avy Leghziel, an executive coach specializing in helping leaders steer through chaos and global transitions.
They discuss the illusion of preparation, the true impact of technology on work, why most corporate training fails, and how organizations and individuals can better adapt to constant change through action-based learning and intentional reflection.
Avy Leghziel shares practical strategies for...
In this “Lunch with Leaders” episode, Paige Wiese —founder/CEO of Tree Ring Digital —discusses her journey from architect to award-winning digital agency owner after a life-changing epilepsy diagnosis.
With host Adaeze Iloeje-Udogalanya, they explore resilient leadership, digital asset security, business transitions, and building businesses ready for growth, exit, or succession.
Key themes include asset mana...
In this inspirational episode of "Lunch with Leaders," Shruti Rustagi, leadership development expert and author of "Fearless Productivity," joins Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya to discuss the mindset and strategies required for women in STEM to thrive as leaders.
Key topics include overcoming the middle management trap, embracing fearless productivity, the importance of self-defined success, and actionable frameworks for shifting from ex...
This episode of "Lunch with Leaders" with Uma Subramanian and Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya explores how professionals—especially women in STEM—can bridge the perception gap to become visible and sought-after leaders.
Uma Subramanian shares actionable frameworks for building influence, communicating value, and developing a powerful leadership reputation.
Key topics include the SOAR framework, overcoming self-doubt, leveragin...
In this powerful episode, faith-driven business leader Peter Snell shares actionable leadership strategies rooted in objectivity, biblical principles, and authentic mentorship.
Listeners learn how to overcome fear of failure, transform anxiety into gratitude, make high-stakes decisions, and build sustainable business models—especially in the oil and gas industry.
Whether you're leading a team, seeking personal growth, or navig...
In this empowering leadership podcast, Marc & Adaeze sit down with Mark Pittman, founder of Concord Leadership Group and author of "The Surprising Gift of Doubt."
They discuss redefining success, overcoming impostor syndrome, embracing self-doubt as a tool for growth, and the challenges—and privileges—of leadership.
Listeners dive into actionable frameworks like the Four Quadrants of Leadership, learn the importance ...
African Women in STEM founder Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya reflects on August as Black Business Month, celebrating successes and outlining opportunities for women in STEM.
Key programs highlighted include Women in STEM AI Roundtables, the new Restore Wellness Program, and the upcoming Ascension Conference in Atlanta.
This podcast garners top 5% global ranking, offers networking, mentorship, and actionable strategies.
Who Is This For?
Th...
Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya welcomes Mahir Laul, founder and CEO of Velric, to explore future-proof leadership, hiring transformation, and adaptability in the era of AI.
Mahir shares how embracing flexibility, valuing people over place, and focusing on skills (not just credentials) empower both candidates and companies.
The conversation reveals actionable hiring tips, the value of continuous upskilling, and how AI isn’t eliminati...
Explore how Carlotta Berry, PhD, a pioneering Black woman professor in electrical and computer engineering, transforms STEM education and visibility through her leadership, advocacy, and creativity.
In this inspiring conversation with Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya, discover the origins of "Black in Engineering" and "Black in Robotics," strategic insights for combating AI bias, and actionable advice for women and minorities in STEM to ow...
In this episode of Lunch with Leaders, Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya leadership strategist and founder of African Women in STEM, dismantles the myth that hard work alone leads to promotions.
She reveals the hidden mechanisms behind career advancement—why timing, personal branding, visibility, and strategic relationships matter more than annual performance reviews.
Packed with real career stories, actionable advice, and a free Leade...
Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya hosts Stephanie Georges, a veteran strategist and founder of the Meraki Dignity Project.
They dive into women’s unique challenges during career and life transitions—touching on everything from workplace expectations, caregiving, and identity shifts to the need for dignity, intentionality, and safe, inclusive tech.
The conversation explores how AI and data models marginalize women and why women-f...
In this insightful podcast episode, Dr. Wanjiru Golly, PhD, founder of Cultural Synergy Solutions, joins Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya to explore cultural synergy, identity, and leadership.
Discover how invisible identities—such as socioeconomic background—shape success, why women in STEM often downplay achievements, and strategies for leveraging your full identity as a strength.
Learn actionable steps for organizations to b...
In this episode, globally respected breathwork teacher Annelies Richmond shares her journey from professional ballerina battling burnout to international meditation and leadership trainer.
She discusses the science and power behind breathwork practices like SKY Breath Meditation and Ujjayi breathing to help women in STEM and professionals handle chronic stress, boost career resilience, and reclaim their well-being.
The episode incl...
In this empowering solo episode of "Podcast," Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya tackles the critical issue of perception versus reality for women in STEM, especially women of color and Black women. She explores how decision-makers’ biased or incomplete stories about you can stall your career, regardless of your hard work and results.
Through personal anecdotes, research insights, and actionable advice, this episode offers strategies f...
Adaeze Iloeje-Udogalanya discusses with Anatola Araba exploring how imagination and storytelling drive innovation, especially for women in STEM. Several points were raised, including the necessity of integrating creativity and technical skills, building hopeful narratives, and using frameworks like DREAM (Designing Regenerative, Equitable, Abundant Models) to reimagine the future.
The episode features insights on overcoming societa...
Adaeze Iloeje-Udogalanya hosts Dr. Antonia Arnold-McFarland, a leader with 25+ years in STEM, known for her advocacy, mentorship, and history preservation.
The conversation explores how engineering and process improvement principles help solve personal and professional challenges.
Dr. Antonia Arnold-McFarland defines her role as a contemporary griot, stressing why legacy and storytelling matter—especially for women and Black ...
This episode of Launching Leaders with Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanyatargets women in STEM experiencing pay and promotion gaps.
Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya uses powerful math and real-life examples to highlight the compounding financial losses of underpayment and delayed promotions.
The episode provides step-by-step guidance to calculate your personal career cost, emphasizes taking intentional action, and offers solutions through negotiati...
In this episode of Lunch with Leaders, host Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya interviews Nikki Barua, an award-winning entrepreneur and AI transformation expert. Nikki dismantles the myth of the linear career path, arguing that in the AI age, the corporate ladder has been replaced by a molecular, agile structure.
She introduces the "People Squared" movement and the FlipFactor diagnostic, which helps professionals identify their unique huma...
In this solo episode of Lunch with Leaders, host Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya delivers a wake-up call about the cost of "passive patience" in career advancement.
She dismantles the myth that keeping your head down leads to success. Adaeze explains how waiting and procrastination widen the career gap, especially for women in STEM facing systemic hurdles like the "broken rung" and sponsorship gap.
She challenges listeners to stop guessi...
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