In this episode of Culture Stew, host Maria Maroukian welcomes Judy Oyedele, founder and principal consultant of Joyedele Consulting. Judy is an organizational development practitioner and executive leadership coach with over a decade of experience helping leaders across sectors break out of the status quo and lead with clarity, ease, and strong boundaries.

Judy shares reflections on her upbringing as the daughter of Nigerian immigrants in Texas and how early messages around worthiness and faith shaped her identity and resilience. She and Maria explore the evolution of self-worth beyond external validation, particularly in academic and professional environments, and how redefining identity is a powerful act of liberation.

They dive into Judy's approach to culture change—one that prioritizes joy, justice, and human-centered leadership—and the challenges and rewards of coaching and podcasting. Judy also discusses her own podcast, Transformation Horizon, which amplifies stories of people driving change through organizational development and human connection.

Whether you're a coach, change leader, or just someone craving deeper joy in your work, this episode offers meaningful insights and actionable wisdom.

In this live and in-person episode of Culture Stew, Maria sits down with the dynamic Melanie Smith, founder of Moves with Melanie, a health and wellness company based in Silver Spring, Maryland. With a powerful blend of pharmacy expertise, fitness instruction, and integrative nutrition coaching, Melanie shares her personal and professional journey one that took her from a military childhood to pharmacy school to a life changing pivot into holistic wellness.

Maria and Melanie explore:

• How growing up as a "military brat" shaped Melanie's go for it mindset

• The realities of burnout in the healthcare system and the bold decision to walk away

• Why her retreats offer a rare mix of structure and radical freedom for women

• How imposter syndrome and racialized beauty standards show up in the wellness space

• The power of building inclusive, body-positive, and evidence-informed spaces for healing

Melanie brings humor, honesty, and a no nonsense approach to helping others thrive emotionally, spiritually, and physically. This episode is a must listen for anyone navigating burnout, craving more authenticity in wellness, or searching for a place where they truly belong.

Learn more about Melanie's work at mymoveswithmelanie.com

This episode of Culture Stew dives deep into the intersection of race, mental health, and systemic change with special guest Dr. Monnica T. Williams, a renowned clinical psychologist, professor, and leading researcher in racial trauma and mental health disparities. Dr. Williams joins Maria to explore the profound impact of racial injustice on psychological well-being—and how culturally informed care can lead to healing and transformation.

Together, they discuss the history and ongoing harm of structural racism in mental health systems, the promise of psychedelic-assisted therapies for BIPOC communities, and the responsibilities practitioners hold in advancing equity in clinical settings.

Key topics:

• Understanding and addressing racial trauma

• Culturally responsive clinical practices

• The role of psychedelics in mental health treatment

• The intersection of research, advocacy, and clinical care
  
  

About our guest:

Dr. Monnica T. Williams, PhD, ABPP, is a board-certified clinical psychologist and Professor at the University of Ottawa, where she holds the Canada Research Chair in Mental Health Disparities. She directs the Behavioral Wellness Clinics in Ottawa and Connecticut, and her research—spanning over 200 publications—focuses on BIPOC mental health, racial trauma, and cultural competence. She has been featured in NPR, CTV, CBS, the New York Times, and more.

Learn more:

• Website: monnicawilliams.com

• Certification Program: racialtraumahealing.com

• Anti-Racism Training: EB Training Solutions

• Retreat Video: YouTube
  
  

Connect with Dr. Williams:

• X (formerly Twitter): @DrMonnica

• Instagram: @drmonnica

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/monnicawilliams
  
  

Listen & Subscribe:
Find this episode and more at https://msmglobalconsulting.com/category/culture-stew-podcast/ or wherever you get your podcasts.

Dr. Rehman Abdulrehman returns to Culture Stew to dive even deeper into the emotional, cultural, and systemic layers of anti-racism, leadership, and psychological wellness. A renowned clinical and consulting psychologist, Dr. Abdulrehman shares insights from his groundbreaking tools like "Bias Outside the Box," his ongoing research, and his work as founder of tesbias.com and livingwithracism.com.

We explore the intersections of social justice and psychological health, the realities of DEI work in both Canada and the U.S., and the personal narratives that shape his mission. From challenging Canada's polite silence around racism to launching the Celebrate Everything campaign, Dr. Abdulrehman is redefining how we create inclusive communities and healthier organizations.

He also shares about his new book, Developing Anti-Racist Cultural Competence, his latest research findings, and his publishing venture: Leading with Diversity Press. This episode is a rich conversation about knowledge, discomfort, transformation, and what it takes to build systems rooted in empathy and truth.

Key take aways:

• Discomfort is Necessary
  Real inclusion requires leaning into discomfort, not avoiding it.

• Bias is Human—but Action is Key
  We all have biases. The goal isn't guilt, it's growth.

• Inclusion Isn't Always Comfortable
  Psychological safety doesn't mean avoiding tough conversations, it means creating space for them.

• Data Doesn't Replace Humanity
  Evidence matters, but empathy and context are just as crucial.

• CelebrateEverything
  Inclusion should be joyful and year-round not just during heritage months.

• Innovative Tools for Tough Problems
  From tesbias.com to Developing Anti-Racist Cultural Competence, Dr. Abdulrehman offers fresh, practical ways to tackle bias.
  
  

In this episode of Culture Stew, host Maria Morukian interviews Paolo Gaudiano, a dynamic voice in the DEI space whose journey to this work is anything but traditional. With advanced degrees in aerospace engineering and neuroscience, Paolo brings a deeply analytical lens to a field often led by personal stories and emotion. As the founder and Chief Scientist of Aleria and author of Measuring Inclusion: Higher Profits, Happier People Without Guesswork or Bias, Paolo is on a mission to make inclusion measurable, actionable, and undeniable.

Throughout the conversation, Paolo shares his personal backstory from growing up in Italy and confronting cultural misunderstandings, to discovering how his lived experiences and scientific training could converge to reshape how organizations approach equity. He talks about the importance of understanding exclusion not just inclusion and how centering those experiences can reveal the hidden gaps in our workplaces and systems.

This episode explores how data and narrative can work hand-in-hand to foster more inclusive environments, and why those in positions of privilege have a unique opportunity and responsibility to drive real change.

Listeners will take away:

• A deeper understanding of why inclusion needs to be visible to be measured

• How Paolo's interdisciplinary background shapes his data-first DEI approach

• Practical strategies that connect inclusion to business outcomes

• Why it's time to move from good intentions to evidence-based action

Remember to review and comment to send us your feedback!

In this episode of Culture Stew, Maria sits down with psychologist and behavioral scientist JonRobert "Tat" Tartaglione to explore the complexities of human behavior, persuasion, and the psychology behind social change.

Tat shares how his winding path from philosophy major to behavioral scientist was driven by a deep curiosity about human nature. He introduces a compelling metaphor of the mind as private property, explaining why people instinctively resist even the most well-intentioned efforts to "plant new ideas."

Through stories, research, and his signature clarity, Tat breaks down why social context matters, how polarization can be misunderstood, and what DEI leaders can learn from behavioral science to drive lasting progress.

Whether you're a changemaker, leader, or just curious about what actually moves people this episode will leave you thinking differently about influence, connection, and how we navigate differences.

Welcome back to Culture Stew! In this special Women's History Month episode, your host, Maria Morukian, reflects on the strength of women in leadership, the power of collaboration, and why we need to rethink the way we define workplace success.

Inspired by a conversation with her daughter, Maria shares an insightful analogy comparing the cooperative and resilient nature of lionesses in a pride to the way women support each other in communities and workplaces. She challenges the outdated, aggressive leadership models often associated with masculinity and highlights research-backed reasons why organizations thrive when they embrace more collaborative and inclusive cultures.

In this solo episode, Maria dives into the pressing challenges facing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the wake of the new administration's executive orders. With DEI programs under increasing scrutiny and pressure, Maria discusses the broader implications for organizations in both the public and private sectors, and what they can do to uphold their commitments to equity and inclusion.