Épisodes

  • Jackie Gessner, JD Finish Line Vice President of Talent Management and HR Compliance

    Jackie Gessner, JD Finish Line Vice President of Talent Management and HR Compliance
    Dec 31 2025
    JD Finish Line Vice President of Talent Management and HR Compliance, Jackie Gessner, joins host Angela B. Freeman on The Freedom Forum to share her career journey from Fort Wayne to Purdue, the Indiana Statehouse and IU McKinney School of Law. Gessner reflects on early pivots, retaking the LSAT, lessons from private practice at Barnes & Thornburg and why people matter when choosing a workplace. She explains her transition from law firm life to in-house leadership, managing teams across HR and talent, and supporting employees through leave, life events and change. The conversation also explores women in law, authentic leadership and how Indiana employers can retain talent by promoting from within and building strong workplace culture.
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    1 h et 32 min
  • Darrell Johnson, President and CEO of Diversity Press

    Darrell Johnson, President and CEO of Diversity Press
    Nov 26 2025
    On this episode of the Freedom Forum, Indianapolis native Darrell Johnson shares his path from playing basketball at the University of South Florida and overseas in Turkey to becoming President and CEO of Diversity Press. He explains how he discovered the printing industry, why the fast pace drew him in, and how he built a company grounded in service, relationships, and diverse capabilities. Johnson reflects on nearly 20 years of entrepreneurship, growing from small print jobs to partnerships with organizations like the Indianapolis Colts, and leading a multibuilding campus with a family oriented culture. He also discusses mentorship, giving back, and why the name Diversity Press remains central to the company’s mission.
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    50 min
  • Dr. DaWana Stubbs, Regional Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Humana

    Dr. DaWana Stubbs, Regional Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Humana
    Oct 29 2025
    Dr. DaWana Stubbs, Regional Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Humana, shares her inspiring journey from growing up on Indianapolis’s west side and graduating from Crispus Attucks High School to leading in one of the nation’s largest healthcare organizations. She reflects on being motivated by strong family roots, her faith, and early role models who showed her what was possible for women in medicine. In this episode, Dr. Stubbs discusses the importance of diversity in healthcare, how social determinants of health impact patients, and why representation and servant leadership are vital to equitable care.
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    1 h
  • Dr. Nneka Breaux of Corteva Agriscience

    Dr. Nneka Breaux of Corteva Agriscience
    Sep 24 2025
    Host Angela B. Freeman welcomes Nneka Breaux, Ph.D., U.S. Regulatory Policy Leader at Corteva Agriscience, for the 50th episode of the Freedom Forum. Dr. Breaux shares her journey from Mississippi to Spelman College, her pursuit of a Ph.D. in organic chemistry at Purdue, and her career path leading to leadership in regulatory affairs. She discusses the influence of her HBCU education, her parents’ legacy as college professors, and her experiences navigating STEM as one of few Black women in the field.
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    1 h et 37 min
  • Burnell Grimes, director of Legal for North America Energy Solutions at Carrier

    Burnell Grimes, director of Legal for North America Energy Solutions at Carrier
    Aug 27 2025
    On this episode of the Freedom Forum, Angela B. Freeman talks with Burnell “BJ” Grimes Jr., director of Legal for North America Energy Solutions at Carrier Global Corporation. A lifelong Hoosier, Grimes shares his path from IU Bloomington and IU McKinney Law School to big law, government service and corporate counsel. He also discusses the criticality of intellectual property and legal operations on innovation and growth for any company, large or small. Burnell further describes the importance of mentorship, authenticity, and the importance of community involvement for all leaders to have legacy impact.
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    43 min
  • Dr. Russell Ledet, Triple Board Resident at Indiana University Health

    Dr. Russell Ledet, Triple Board Resident at Indiana University Health
    Jul 30 2025
    Dr. Russell Ledet, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., shares his remarkable journey from digging through dumpsters as a child to becoming a triple board resident at IU Health. In this powerful episode of The Freedom Forum, host Angela B. Freeman explores how Dr. Ledet’s time in the U.S. Navy, his experience at an HBCU, and his pursuit of advanced education shaped his commitment to leadership, equity and service. He discusses founding The 15 White Coats, fostering culturally relevant literacy, launching Reels and Roots, and developing an AI-powered mental health app to bridge communication between parents and teens. Dr. Ledet also reflects on how Indiana can build a more inclusive future in healthcare leadership.  Start your dollar a week trial now at ⁠IBJ.com/trialoffer⁠ Check out our event lineup and register now at ⁠IBJ.com/Register ⁠ Discover which programs are accepting nominations now at ⁠IBJ.com/Nominate⁠
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    1 h et 8 min
  • Dr. Katasha Butler, Medication and Regulatory Coordinator at Eskenazi Health

    Dr. Katasha Butler, Medication and Regulatory Coordinator at Eskenazi Health
    Jun 25 2025
    Dr. Katasha S. Butler, PharmD, MBA, joins The Freedom Forum to share her inspiring rise from a curious grade schooler in Illinois to a senior healthcare leader at Eskenazi Health. With over 20 years of experience, Dr. Butler reflects on her time at Spelman College and Butler University, her rapid ascent into pharmacy leadership, and the challenges she’s faced as a Black woman navigating bias in highly regulated systems. She unpacks the complexities of formulary management, regulatory compliance, and strategic partnerships—all while leading with empathy and integrity. From people-first leadership to breaking down barriers in healthcare access and equity, Dr. Butler’s story is a powerful testament to purpose, resilience, and the impact of showing up fully and authentically.  Start your dollar a week trial now at ⁠IBJ.com/trialoffer⁠ Check out our event lineup and register now at ⁠IBJ.com/Register ⁠ Discover which programs are accepting nominations now at ⁠IBJ.com/Nominate⁠
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    1 h et 7 min
  • Kaye Vitug, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Roche Diagnostics

    Kaye Vitug, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Roche Diagnostics
    May 28 2025
    Our guest on this 46th episode of the 2025 season—celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month—is Kaye Vitug, senior vice president and chief financial officer at Roche Diagnostics. Vitug shares her powerful personal and professional journey from growing up in the Philippines to becoming a top financial executive in the global pharmaceutical and diagnostics industry. She reflects on the values of education, service, faith and community that shaped her leadership style, and discusses the challenges of immigrating to the United States and navigating a corporate career as a Filipino American woman. Vitug also speaks about the importance of cultural agility, drawing from her global experiences in California, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Switzerland and now Indiana. She offers valuable insight into the responsibilities of a CFO, the importance of authenticity in leadership, and the role that mentorship, coaching and sponsorship play in developing emerging leaders—particularly those from diverse backgrounds. She emphasizes resilience, humility and strategic thinking as essential qualities for success, and shares how her career has been shaped by leaders who took a chance on her potential. This episode is a thoughtful reflection on inclusive leadership, global experience and the importance of creating environments where all professionals can thrive.  Start your dollar a week trial now at ⁠IBJ.com/trialoffer⁠ Check out our event lineup and register now at ⁠IBJ.com/Register ⁠ Discover which programs are accepting nominations now at ⁠IBJ.com/Nominate⁠
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    1 h et 22 min