Diversity Rocks Innovation Jackie F. Steele

Welcome to the last episode of season 1 of the  Diversity rocks innovation! livestream and podcast! Thank you to everyone that has supported this first season. 
Maneesh Kalra grew up in an Indian household in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He studied pharmacology and was about to enter med school when he had a moment that propelled him in a different direction towards Osaka, Japan. Maneesh’s experience traverses modern big business to the ancient concepts of Ayurveda. He brings his unique mix of experiences and talents to his current endeavours that seek to prepare people physically, emotionally and mentally to better handle whatever comes their way. We are pleased to welcome Maneesh as a guest speaker for the 2022 enjoi Wolfpack offering DEI discussions for men.
Please enjoy this last episode of season 1 as Maneesh challenges us to ask some important questions about wellness and what we are spending our precious time and finite breaths on. And keep an eye out for updates about season 2 on social media while we are on hiatus!
In this episode you’ll hear:
The ‘kick in the gut’ Maneesh had as he prepared to enter med school and that made him change directionHow coming to Osaka through the JET program opened him up to different ways of seeing and perceiving the worldManeesh’s return to Japan working in the Tokyo office of Goldman SachsHow Maneesh was drawn to South India to reconnect to his roots, study yoga, Sanskrit, and AyurvedaHow Maneesh helps corporations investing in employee wellbeing
About Maneesh:
Experienced Chief Executive Officer with a demonstrated history of working in the finance, health wellness and fitness industry. Yoga, meditation & mindfulness advisor and instructor experienced with customized training for individuals and companies, corporate wellness courses, and offsite and retreats. Skilled in Japan & India market entry and strategic planning. Strong business development professional graduated from Ivey Business School at Western University. 
Connect with Maneesh:
Website: https://www.manthan-wellness.com/?lang=ja 
Connect with Jackie:
Website: https://en-joi.com/ 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-f-steele-phd/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/enjoidiversityandinnovation
https://www.facebook.com/jackiefsteelephd 
Instagram: www.instagram.com/enjoi_diversity_innovation/ 

Akiko Domoto experienced World War II as a child, became a renowned journalist uncovering stories of child neglect in Japan’s “Baby Hotels”, was elected as a member of parliament, and later served as Governor of Chiba for eight years. It is my great pleasure to bring this interview with a living legend and to share Domoto-sensei’s insights into a bygone era of Japanese politics and how that era differentiates from the Japan we experience today. 
In this episode you’ll hear:
How Akiko spent her childhood during World War Two and how growing up surrounded by nature led to her international advocacy on behalf of biodiversityWhat Akiko did as a journalist to bring attention to women’s rights, the reality of working mothers’ babies dying at unlicensed child care institutions, and how this led to the public daycare system we often take for granted today Why Domoto-sensei decided to emphasize citizen’s voices and a “Bottom Up” leadership style in her work as Governor of ChibaDomoto-sensei’s civil society leadership as President of the Japan Women’s Network for DRR, and her desire for citizens to take more active interest in politics
堂本暁子さんは、子供の頃に第二次世界大戦を経験され、日本の「ベビーホテル」での怠慢な育児についての事例を取材・報道したことで著名なジャーナリストとなり、国会議員に選出され、その後8年間千葉知事を務められました。 この生ける伝説である堂本さんへのインタビューを通じて、過去の時代の日本の政治と、その時代が私たちが今日、経験している日本と、いかに違うのかついての洞察を共有できることは、私の大きな喜びです。
このエピソードの聞きどころ
暁子さんが、第二次世界大戦中に子供時代をどのように過ごしたか、また、自然に囲まれて育ったことが、どのように生物多様性に関する国際的な活動につながったかについて暁子さんが、ジャーナリストとして女性の権利に注目を向けるために行ったこと、認可されていな保育施設での、働く母親の赤ちゃんの死亡事故の現実、そしてそのことが今日私たちが当たり前と思っている公的なデイケア施設にどのようにつながったかについて堂本先生が千葉県知事として、市民の声と「ボトムアップ」のリーダーシップスタイルを重視するようにしたことについてDRRの日本女性ネットワークの会長としての堂本先生の市民社会のリーダーシップと、市民が政治にもっと関心を持ってほしいという願いについて
About Akiko Domoto:
Akiko Dōmoto is a graduate of Tokyo Woman's Christian University.
After graduation, Akiko worked as a reporter and director at TBS. From 1981, she was engaged in enacting the Basic Act for Gender Equal Society and the Act on the Prevention of Spousal Violence and the Protection of Victims. She was Governor of Chiba Prefecture from 2001 for eight years. She was the first woman to be governor of Chiba and the third in Japanese history. She is currently President of the Japan Women's Network for Disaster Risk Reduction (JWNDRR). 

堂本暁子さんは、東京女子大学を卒業後、TBSでレポーター兼ディレクターを務めました。 1981年から、男女共同参画社会基本法と、配偶者からの暴力の防止、被害者の保護に関する法律の制定に従事。 2001年から8年間千葉県知事を務めました。 千葉県知事になった最初の女性であり、日本史上3番目でした。 現在は、日本女性災害リスク軽減ネットワーク（JWNDRR）の会長を務めています。
Connect with Akiko:
https://jwndrr.org 

Connect with Jackie:
Website: https://en-joi.com/ 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-f-steele-phd/ 
Fa

We host Tove Kinooka, the co-founder and director of Global Perspectives, a company helping create sustainability driven organizations and leaders on Diversity rocks innovation!
In this conversation, you’ll see how Tove’s immersion in the natural world from an early age, and her various journeys in work and travel, led her to co-found Global Perspectives in order to promote sustainability in the corporate world. She also shares some insights on how COVID has actually helped shift the conversation around sustainability in Japan, and shines a light on the benefits of flexible working arrangements in Japanese companies.
In this episode you’ll hear:
About Tove’s early life growing up in rural England and ScotlandHow Tove’s studies in biology, focusing on ecosystems, helped inform her perspectives on sustainabilityTove’s Japan story and how teaching English segued into a corporate role developing global mindset programsWhy Tove and her business partner Gavin decided to start their own company, Global PerspectivesHow COVID has broadened the conversation around sustainability in corporations, to include people and social systems as well as the natural environment
About Tove:
Originally from the UK, Tove has worked in Japan developing people and organizations since 1998. Transforming leaders and organizations for positive impact is her “ikigai”, bringing together her combination of scientific training, business experience and people skills. She is an Executive Committee member of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan, where she is involved in designing strategy and delivering events on sustainability, leadership & organizational change.

Useful links:
Mothers as Leaders by Steliana van de Rijt – Economu

Connect with Tove:
Website: http://www.globalperspectives.biz/

Connect with Jackie:
Website: https://en-joi.com/ 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-f-steele-phd/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/enjoidiversityandinnovation
https://www.facebook.com/jackiefsteelephd 
Instagram: www.instagram.com/enjoi_diversity_innovation/ 

Welcome to Vol. 16 of Diversity rocks innovation! Darren Menabney helps individuals and organizations learn how to collaborate, communicate, and create remotely and across cultures. Darren was born in Belfast in Northern Ireland and moved to Toronto as a small child, finally moving to Japan for study and work. His global perspective has been one that was seeded early on and has continued to be utilized in his life and work, including now as he teaches business students and organizations about global business leadership, and the future of work. We are thrilled to have Darren as one of our speakers in the men’s  DEI executive education program: Wolfpack. 
In this episode you’ll hear:
How Darren’s childhood gave him a foundation in thinking globallyDarren’s experience volunteering for the G20 and G8 summits with the Japanese delegationWhy Darren chose to do his MBA in JapanWhy innovation requires an environment where it is safe to failHow global companies can use the lessons learned during COVID to offer employees more flexible work conditions and autonomy

About Darren:
As a remote work communication and creativity consultant, Darren helps individuals and organizations overcome the challenges of communicating, collaborating, and creating when working with hybrid and remote teams.
His mission and passion are to help individuals and organizations harness their innate creativity and, through storytelling, share that with the world.
Darren spent over 20 years working for the Canadian federal government, working with startups, and running programs to boost Ontario's innovation ecosystem. In 2011 he decided to take his career in a new direction by moving to Japan.
Darren has extensive experience teaching to corporate clients through the corporate education department at GLOBIS University and through his own practice. He has created and taught sessions on Leading Global Virtual Teams, Storytelling, Leading Hybrid Teams, Design Thinking to leaders and executives at Japanese and global corporations like Cartier, NTT Data, RAC Insurance of Western Australia, Chugai Pharmaceuticals, or public sector entities such as the US Navy.
As a professor and partner faculty at the Graduate School of Management, GLOBIS University, he teaches international MBA students, with an average student satisfaction rating of 95%.
He loves sharing knowledge and insights to help others get better. As a contributing writer for Forbes.com and FastCompany.com, he writes articles on storytelling, presentations, and working remotely or across cultures. As part of the IDEO U teaching team, he delivers online courses on design thinking, storytelling, and presentation skills.
In his day job, he leads global human resources projects at Ricoh Company Limited, strengthening employee engagement plus diversity and inclusion and building a stronger global culture among Ricoh's 90,000 employees. 

Connect with Darren:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmenabney/ 

Connect with Jackie:
Website: https://en-joi.com/ 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-f-steele-phd/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/enjoidiversityandinnovation
https://www.facebook.com/jackiefsteelephd 
Instagram: a...

Trans women are very stereotypically visible in Japan. We see them on TV and in commercials, often as examples of beauty to aspire to. In this episode, Tiffany gives us an insight into her authentic journey of growing up in the staunchly Catholic nation of the Philippines to how she found her way to being the inspirational woman she is today. We are also very excited to welcome Tiffany Rossdale to the Diversity Rocks Innovation! series and to announce that she will be joining enjoi Diversity and Innovation as an enjoi Educator. She is going to be a great addition to our team! 
In this episode you’ll hear:
How Tiffany survived her childhood in the Philippines staying with different relatives every yearMoving to Japan and discovering the trans-women communityHow Tiffany transitioned in a time with minimal information onlineTiffany’s experience of discrimination when traveling to the United StatesThe challenge Tiffany faces of officially changing her gender and keeping nationality
About Tiffany:
Tiffany Rossdale went from being a provocative top trans "Showgirl" in Tokyo’s Shinjuku red light district to a powerhouse in the “Ginza Hostess” scene. Leveraging her experiences in both of these worlds, she went on to become for many, the "Queen of Tokyo's nightlife" before freeing herself of the toxicity of the underground party scene and making a drastic change to a daytime career doing PR, Marketing and Sales. She has become a force for positivity, growth and self-improvement in the lives of the people around her; all while working through the process of her own mental and physical transition and transformation. Bringing in influential guests both in the LGBTQ+ community and out, Breakfast with Tiffany Show is all about evolution, empowerment, spirituality, self-love and ultimately how to find a better you; by listening to people who have made great life transitions themselves.
Connect with Tiffany:
Website: https://www.tiffanyrossdale.com/ 
TIffany's Podcast: Breakfast With Tiffany Show (Available on any music apps)
https://www.tiffanyrossdale.com/podcast  
Breakfast With Tiffany Show Official Facebook Page ~ https://www.facebook.com/breakfastwithtiffanyshow 
Instagram ~ https://www.instagram.com/TokyoHottie 
Official Facebook Page ~ https://www.facebook.com/OfficialTiffanyRossdale
Connect with Jackie:
Website: https://en-joi.com/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/enjoidiversityandinnovation
https://www.facebook.com/jackiefsteelephd 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-f-steele-phd/

In Vol. 14 of Diversity rocks innovation! I talk with Bryan Sherman, founder and president of Gramercy Engagement Group, a global HR consulting company. Bryan has been a mentor to me in my entrepreneurial journey over the last couple of years, and has a wealth of experience and knowledge that he uses to help companies evolve and shift their HR functions and people systems. Bryan is also a trusted Guide for the enjoi Wolfpack DEI Executive Education Program for Men in 2022.
In this episode you’ll hear:
How going to an international summer camp in New York City helped foster a sense of interconnectedness with people from different cultures and nationalitiesThe first time Bryan came to Japan as part of a student exchangeHow Bryan feels about being a non-Japanese person in Japan, and finding the balance between integration and retaining his identityThe journey Bryan took from working for various companies in the US and Japan, to founding Gramercy Engagement GroupBryan’s advice for Japanese companies operating globally 
About Bryan Sherman:
Born and raised in the United States, Bryan is a Global Human Resources professional with 20 years experience of involvement with Japan. Prior to founding the company, Bryan got his start in global human resource management by working in both the US and Japan as an external consultant and as an internal HR manager in the IT and retail sectors.
Bryan is a trusted Guide for the enjoi Wolfpack DEI Executive Education Program for Men in 2022.
Useful links:
Bryan’s book: https://www.worklifejapan.com/pages/eigodejinji 
Connect with Bryan:
Website: https://www.gramercyengagement.com/index.html 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-sherman 

Connect with Jackie:
Website: https://en-joi.com/ 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-f-steele-phd/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/enjoidiversityandinnovation
https://www.facebook.com/jackiefsteelephd 
Instagram: www.instagram.com/enjoi_diversity_innovation/