In this episode of Embodying Change, Melissa Pitotti welcomes back Torrey Peace, leadership coach and expert in the humanitarian and development sectors. Together, they explore the challenge of balancing high performance with self-care, and the importance of setting boundaries and empowering your team to thrive. Torrey shares insightful strategies on overcoming imposter syndrome, delegating effectively, and why investing in your team creates a ripple effect of positive impact. Tune in to hear...

In this episode, Melissa Pitotti talks with Debra Peltz, founder of CollabWork and a well-being champion with a 25-year career in senior administration roles. Debra shares her journey from volunteering in Sri Lanka to working at Save the Children UK and eventually launching her own business.  They explore: What it means to truly "embody change" in your personal and professional life.Debra’s work at Save the Children UK, first supporting the Exec Director for HR before moving into a Wellbeing...

In this episode, Melissa Pitotti is joined by Sarah Noble, Head of Global Engagement at the Caux Initiatives of Change Foundation. Sarah shares her unique perspective on peace-building, storytelling, and how inner development can create outer change. Together, they discuss: The history and mission of the Caux Palace as a gathering place for change-makers.Sarah’s journey from working at The New Humanitarian to her current role at the Caux Foundation.The importance of storytelling in peace and...

Ever wonder how aid workers can stay safe in some of the world’s most dangerous environments?  Rebecca Maudling, is on a mission to make sure humanitarian staff not only survive but feel confident and equipped to do their work safely — even in the toughest conditions. From co-founding an organization that helps NGOs work more safely, to reshaping how we think about mental health in crisis zones, Rebecca's insights on duty of care are hard earned. Stay tuned to the end to hear her big news...

In this episode, Melissa Pitotti speaks with Deborah Doane, author of The INGO Problem: Power, Privilege, and Renewal.  Deborah brings decades of experience in the humanitarian and development sectors, from leading the Ombudsman Project for humanitarian accountability to co-founding the RINGO Project, which is pushing for systemic change in global civil society.  The conversation explores key themes from Deborah’s book, including the challenges of reforming the INGO sector, shifting power to...

What does it mean to sit in the gray areas of change?  How can philanthropy better support nonprofit leaders and staff in these challenging times? In today’s episode of Embodying Change, host Melissa Pitotti speaks with Elisha Smith Arrillaga, a thought leader in philanthropy and the leader of the research team at the Center for Effective Philanthropy. Elisha shares her journey from a childhood deeply influenced by civil rights activism to her role in shaping effective philanthropic...

How can we create a thriving workplace culture in the humanitarian sector?  In today’s episode of Embodying Change, host Melissa Pitotti welcomes Leanne Marega, a pioneer in humanitarian workforce well-being and a founder of Thrive Worldwide. Leanne shares her journey from Interhealth Worldwide to founding Thrive Worldwide, emphasizing the critical role of culture in fostering thriving workplaces. You’ll hear about the importance of healthy boundaries, the challenges of leadership in times of...

How can we create sustainable change within humanitarian and development organizations?  In today’s episode of Embodying Change, host Melissa Pitotti welcomes back Mary Ann Clements, a pivotal figure in the history of this podcast and Co-CEO at an organisation working on  disability justice, ADD International. Mary Ann shares her journey from initiating Healing Solidarity to re-imagining an INGO to become a participatory grant maker. You’ll hear about the importance of embodying change, the...

Why is burnout so prevalent in the nonprofit sector? How can funders better support the people who deliver? In today’s episode of Embodying Change, host Melissa Pitotti welcomes Rusty Stahl, founder of Fund the People. Rusty shares his journey into philanthropy, the systemic issues leading to chronic underinvestment in nonprofit staff, and the innovative solutions Fund the People advocates for. You’ll learn about the harmful myths surrounding nonprofit overhead, the importance of treating...

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the complexities and challenges of humanitarian work? Are you looking for signs of hope that, together, we can transform the sector? In today’s episode of Embodying Change, host Melissa Pitotti welcomes Pauline Chetcuti, the newly elected president of VOICE. Pauline shares her journey from international law to humanitarian advocacy, discussing the importance of saying no, the power of collective action, and the challenges of decolonizing and transforming...

Do you ever wonder how vulnerability and power dynamics shape your work in the humanitarian sector? Are you curious about how funding practices can better support well-being? In today’s episode of Embodying Change, host Melissa Pitotti welcomes back Gemma Houldey, author of The Vulnerable Humanitarian. Gemma shares her journey from human rights advocacy to becoming a thought leader regarding humanitarian well-being. You’ll hear about the importance of showing up with vulnerability,...

Episode 42: We Are Feminist Leaders with Leila Billing and Natalie Brook Do you ever feel conflicted by traditional leadership models that don’t align with your values? Are you curious about how feminist principles can transform the way we approach leadership, especially in the humanitarian sector? In today’s episode of Embodying Change, host Melissa Pitotti sits down with Leila Billing and Natalie Brook, founders of We Are Feminist Leaders. Leila and Natalie share their journey from feeling...

This conversation with Sarah Diedro Jordão provides a deep and heartfelt exploration of what it means to embody change and foster love in the quest for a more equitable society.   “Going through a painful process can very much be part of embodying change. If it's itchy, uncomfortable, messy, and hurts, change is probably on the other side of that. So there’s hope."  -Sarah Diedro Jordão   Sarah Diedro Jordão is a multi-passionate & versatile consultant. She works as a communications...

Humanitarian women are exposed to chronic stress, which can impact their experience of peri-menopause, menopause and post-menopause. In this episode of Embodying Change Scotti McLaren shares her experience and insight as it relates to this under-explored and yet powerful time of a woman’s life – before, during and after actual “M day.” What are the symptoms and what can we do about them? Scotti practices functional medicine and personalized nutrition, specializing in menopause and mental...

In this light-hearted episode of "Embodying Change," we sit down with Lucette Quarteron, a dynamic global citizen and visionary leader. Lucette shares her unique insights on self-leadership, the proper use of power, and conflict management, drawing from her rich personal and professional journey. Discover how Lucette transforms organizational cultures, fosters workplace trust, and empowers others to embrace change. Key Takeaways: The importance of self-leadership and healing personal wounds...

Join us in this conversation with Helen Dunnett, Melissa’s accountability buddy. In today's episode, Helen shares her personal journey of transformation and discusses the powerful tools of nonviolent communication and assertiveness that have shaped her approach to coaching. She also shares the story of how she approached Melissa years ago to become her accountability buddy, and the five questions she designed to guide their weekly conversations.  What You'll Learn: The story of Helen's career...

Join host Melissa Pitotti as she welcomes change advocate Cindy Rocha for a morning conversation filled with insights on embracing vulnerability and stepping out of comfort zones for transformative personal and professional growth. Highlights: 1.     Defining Embodying Change: Cindy explains how real change involves putting oneself in the 'growth zone' — a space beyond comfort that necessitates learning, unlearning, and relearning. 2.     Navigating Change and Discomfort: Discussing the...

Annemarie Shrouder shares her personal journey with identity and discusses her work building inclusive cultures and communities. She and Melissa explore the difference between learning and BEING something (embodying change), the challenges of mixed race identity, creating safe and/or brave spaces, and the importance of representation, belonging and community support. Topics Discussed:   Identity and embodying change Inclusion and belonging in organizations Leadership, empathy and...

In this episode, Melissa Pitotti and Nasra Ismail have a candid conversation about navigating transitions, power dynamics, and the principles of localization in the humanitarian sector. They share personal anecdotes and insights into their professional journeys, discussing the challenges and opportunities they encountered along the way. From experiencing shifts in power dynamics to embracing localization as a personal and professional practice, they delve into the complexities of working in...

In this episode Melissa speaks with Joy Kolin, Executive Director and Board President of Giving Joy.   Joy has 20-years of experience in the field of international development, a career that has taken her to over 60 countries. Throughout her travels, Joy found herself touched by a common trend - the immense ability of women to affect positive change if given the resources and opportunities to do so. In 2018 she established Giving Joy as a way to harness and grow the power and the influence of...

How can we better manage our workload, as per Commitment 8 of the Core Humanitarian Standard?*  In this episode Melissa speaks with Wouter Smeets, a design-thinker, about how to re-shape our work in a way that gives us energy, rather than drains it.  He gives us some good questions to ask ourselves, like: How do we design our morning routine? What makes a break a good break? What task can we do first that will put us on good footing for the rest of the day? What are some life-centric...

In this conversation, Melissa speaks with Sabrina Prioli, the author of a memoir called “Rise up, phoenix” and one of the victim/survivors of the 2016 Terrain Compound Attacks in Juba, South Sudan. Sabrina shares her insights into how to better support victim/survivors and hold perpetrators accountable for their actions. She also explains the nuances of the words “victim” vs. “survivor” and how to cope when hearing about traumatic incidents like hers.    *Note: This conversation includes...

In this episode Melissa speaks with Dr. Aiysha Malik, a mental health specialist at the World Health Organization working for a world that supports, improves, and does not harm mental health. They discuss the WHO guidelines on mental health and work and accompanying WHO-ILO policy brief. What do the guidelines say and what can you do with them?   Check out the WHO guidelines on mental health at work here: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240053052    And the WHO-ILO mental health...

In this episode we hear about the story behind the video, “When you picture Doctors without Borders, what do you see?”