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In today’s episode of the IMPACT Women in Leadership Podcast, host Mary Ann Brown sits down with Cathy Muha, Senior Director of Customer Experience at Maximus and a trailblazer in the healthcare sector. Cathy’s impressive 37-year career at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is a testament to her unwavering commitment to public health, cancer care, and mentorship.

Cathy reflects on pivotal moments in her career that helped shape her leadership style, from her early days as an oncology nurse at Johns Hopkins to leading the Center for Global Health at NCI. With a heart for service and an unyielding passion for making a difference, Cathy shares the profound experiences and mentorships that guided her on her path, including the powerful role of women in leadership within male-dominated industries.

We’ll dive into her personal journey, exploring her transition from frontline care to program development, and the invaluable lessons she’s learned along the way. Cathy also offers her insights on how we can encourage more young women to aspire to leadership roles and navigate careers in industries often dominated by men.

As Cathy prepares for the next chapter after nearly four decades of service, she offers a vision for the future of women in leadership and shares steps we can all take to accelerate progress in achieving greater gender equality in the workplace.

Tune in for an inspiring conversation about leadership, legacy, and the power of uplifting others.

Guest: Cathy Muha
Company: Maximus
LinkedIn: Cathy Muha on LinkedIn
Great Story on Her Time at NCI: Cathy Muha Retirement Story at NCI

Cathy Muha, Senior Director, Customer Experience Accelerator, Maximus

Cathy Muha is an executive with more than 30 years of experience in both the federal and private sectors, specializing in business strategy, organizational change, and technological innovations aimed at advancing health outcomes.

In her current role as the Customer Experience (CX) Market Lead for Health, Cathy focuses on strategizing market interactions and enhancing customer experiences across various health agencies and sectors. She identifies opportunities for CX innovation, drives market engagement, collects insights on emerging trends, and aligns CX initiatives with the needs of agencies and business development priorities.

Before joining Maximus, Cathy served as the Director of Planning and Operations at the Center for Global Health within the National Cancer Institute (NCI) where she implemented strategies to enhance service delivery and improve organizational effectiveness. Her notable achievements include modernizing workforce systems, contract processes, and the workforce development enterprise.

Throughout her career, Cathy has been dedicated to advancing national and international collaborations in innovative health delivery models to enhance care and improve health outcomes in low-resource settings.

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In this episode of the IMPACT Women in Leadership Podcast, host Mary Ann Brown speaks with Dr. Lydia Kostopoulos, Systems Strategist at Abundance Studio and globally recognized expert in emerging technology, security, and macro trends. With extensive experience advising entities like the US Department of Defense, NATO, and the United Nations, Dr. Kostopoulos is a visionary strategist who helps clients navigate technology disruptions and leverage macrotrends for competitive advantage.

We dive into Lydia's remarkable journey, discussing the pivotal moments and mentors that shaped her leadership style. Lydia also shares insights from her newly released book, Imagination Dilemma: Tools to Overcome It and Thrive Through Disruption, offering actionable tools for overcoming the challenges that come with rapid change.

Throughout the conversation, Lydia discusses how to balance ambition with authenticity, the importance of encouraging young women to pursue leadership roles in male-dominated industries, and how women can stay true to their values while advancing their business goals.

Guest: Dr. Lydia Kostopoulos, Systems Strategist at Abundance Studio
Company: Abundance Studio
Book: Imagination Dilemma: Tools to Overcome It and Thrive Through Disruption

Tune in for an inspiring conversation on navigating disruption, leadership, and staying true to yourself in the face of change.

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In this empowering episode of the IMPACT Women in Leadership podcast, host Mary Ann Brown sits down with Mika Cross, CEO of Strategy@Work and a renowned expert in government workplace strategy. With over two decades of experience shaping human capital policy and workplace initiatives across the U.S. government, Mika has become a trailblazer in fostering work-life balance, wellness programs, and leadership opportunities for women within the federal workforce.

Mika reflects on her career journey, from pivotal moments that shaped her leadership style to the mentors who guided her along the way. She shares how her experiences as a U.S. Army veteran and a single mother have influenced her approach to leadership in both government and the private sector. Mika also discusses strategies for increasing government efficiency and promoting the advancement of women in leadership roles, offering practical insights on how to build a more inclusive environment for future generations of female leaders in the public sector.

Tune in for an inspiring conversation on navigating challenges, leveraging opportunities, and preparing the next wave of women to excel in leadership positions within government and beyond.

Mika J. Cross is a distinguished human capital expert, transformational workplace strategist and innovator. Best known as a Government Workplace Expert, she is known on a national scale for implementing precedent-setting, federal government-wide human capital policy and workplace initiatives to implement work life and wellness policies within the United States Intelligence Community, post 9/11, and she designed and implemented award winning work life programs across the Executive Departments and Executive Branches of government having served for more than two decades within the United States Intelligence Community, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Office of Personnel Management and the U.S. Department of Labor, among others.

Additionally, she served as the Designated Federal Officer for the Secretary of Labor’s Advisory Committee on Veterans Employment, Training, and Employer Outreach (ACVETEO) before transitioning to the private sector with FlexJobs, a fully remote company. As Vice President of Employer Engagement and Strategic Initiatives, Mika collaborated with executives across all sectors and industries to enhance talent management, develop recruitment strategies, and leverage flexible work policies for attracting and retaining top talent.

Mika was a regularly featured guest on the ABC/7 Government Matters TV show and she regularly volunteers her time with the Senior Executives Association (SEA), the Maine Advisory Council on Remote Work and in the past with the Greater Washington Board of Trade Connected DMV Work Group, the Advanced Technology Academic Research Center (ATARC) Digital/Workforce Transformation Work Group, Board Appointed HR Liaison for AFFIRM, and she previously served as the Government Chair of the Evolving the Workforce Community of Interest for ACT-IAC.

Additional Resources:

- How to Update Your Federal Resume for Private-Sector Jobs

- CIVIC MATCH — DC to Main Street

- Recognizing Workplace Burnout - GovLoop Video

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In this inspiring episode of the IMPACT Women in Leadership Podcast, host Mary Ann Brown is joined by Dr. Knitasha Washington, President and CEO of ATW Health Solutions. Dr. Washington shares her powerful journey to leadership, discussing the personal experiences that have shaped her career and the leadership style she embodies today. She opens up about the methods she uses to stay inspired, grow as a leader, and turn challenges into valuable opportunities for growth.

Dr. Washington also delves into the importance of creating supportive environments within organizations to nurture and mentor emerging female leaders. Finally, she highlights the exciting trends and developments that will shape the future of leadership, offering insight on how today’s leaders can best prepare to embrace these changes.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about leadership, growth, and fostering an inclusive future.

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In this episode of the IMPACT Women in Leadership Podcast, host Mary Ann Brown is joined by Dr. Linda Bixby, Executive Vice President of Academic Partnerships at NobleReach Foundation. With over 35 years of experience in academia, government, and the nonprofit sector, Dr. Bixby has dedicated her career to fostering innovation and addressing national security challenges. She shares insights on how her work at NobleReach is empowering the next generation of talent to drive meaningful change. Dr. Bixby also discusses her role on various academic advisory boards and her leadership in bringing together government, academia, and the private sector to solve critical technological issues. Tune in for an inspiring conversation on leadership, innovation, and the power of collaboration across sectors.

About Dr. Linda Bixby:

Dr. Linda Bixby is an executive at NobleReach Foundation, where she leads the organization’s Academic Partnerships. With over 35 years of experience supporting the U.S. government, academia, and industry, she drives initiatives that empower the next generation of innovators to tackle national security challenges. Dr. Bixby has served on various academic advisory boards, including Penn State and the University of Texas Austin, and is an active participant in professional organizations like INSA, AFCEA, and NDIA. She holds a doctorate in history with a focus on anticipatory intelligence and completed her master’s program at the Freie Universität Berlin.

About NobleReach Foundation:

NobleReach™️ Foundation, based near Washington, D.C., is a nonprofit organization committed to strengthening U.S. security and prosperity by driving innovation and fostering talent. By combining the entrepreneurial spirit of the private sector, the ideas of academia, and the scale of the public sector, NobleReach addresses critical technological challenges. The foundation's initiatives focus on connecting professionals in tech and entrepreneurship with opportunities in government, while also partnering with research agencies to commercialize cutting-edge solutions.

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In the upcoming episode of IMPACT Women in Leadership, host Mary Ann Brown interviews Victoria Bowens, Director of Strategy and Community Engagements at the Office for Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity Policy at the Department of Defense. Victoria shares the personal experiences that have been most rewarding in shaping her professional journey and how these moments have influenced her leadership style.

Throughout the conversation, Victoria discusses the methods she uses to stay inspired and continue growing as a leader, as well as how she turns challenges into opportunities for both personal and team development. She also explores how organizations can create supportive environments that nurture and mentor women, helping to ensure a strong and inclusive leadership pipeline.

Victoria looks ahead to the exciting trends and developments in the workplace that she believes will positively shape the future of leadership, offering insights on how leaders can best prepare to navigate these changes with confidence.

Tune in for a thoughtful and inspiring episode filled with valuable leadership lessons and strategies for personal and organizational growth.

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In this episode of the IMPACT Women in Leadership podcast, host Mary Ann Brown sits down with Jennifer Ives, Vice President of Artificial Intelligence at the Partnership for Public Service. With over 20 years of experience in emerging technology and business growth strategy, Jennifer has a reputation for driving transformative success across product, services, and public sector organizations. Recognized as one of CIO Times’ "Top 5 Women Leaders Revamping the Future" and named ‘Connector Extraordinaire’ by Forbes, Jennifer shares her insights on leadership, personal growth, and navigating challenges.

Mary Ann and Jennifer dive deep into the rewarding experiences that have shaped Jennifer’s professional journey, exploring how these moments have influenced her leadership style. Jennifer also offers advice on staying inspired and continuously developing as a leader, turning obstacles into opportunities. They discuss the critical role organizations play in fostering supportive environments that nurture emerging women leaders, and how inclusivity can strengthen leadership pipelines. Lastly, Jennifer shares her thoughts on the future of leadership and the exciting trends that will define tomorrow’s workplace, along with the ways leaders can prepare to embrace these changes.

Tune in for an inspiring conversation with one of the industry's most respected leaders, who is not only shaping the future of technology but also paving the way for the next generation of women in leadership.

Jennifer Ives is a seasoned emerging technology business growth strategy executive whose unique full life-cycle expertise and forward-thinking strategies drive transformative growth for product, services, and public sector organizations. With more than 20 years of experience, she’s a well respected leader and has been highlighted as one of the “Top 5 Women Leaders Revamping the Future” by CIO Times, and was recently named 'Connector Extraordinaire' by Forbes. She's a sought-after executive team member, independent board member, and thought leader, known for her leadership skills and strong emotional intelligence. In her personal time, you'll often find her outdoors, hiking or downhill skiing with her husband and children.

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In today’s episode of the IMPACT Podcast, host Mary Ann Brown sits down with Dolores Kuchina-Musina, Ph.D., CFCM, CEO of Founder and REXOTA Solutions, LLC, for an insightful conversation on leadership, purpose, and the power of support networks.

Dolores reflects on her journey as a leader, sharing pivotal experiences that have shaped her leadership philosophy and how those lessons continue to influence the way she leads today. She discusses the importance of staying aligned with core values and long-term vision, offering invaluable advice for women striving to stay grounded in their purpose, even in times of change.

The episode also dives into the practical ways women can foster a culture of collaboration and empowerment in leadership roles. Dolores shares how strong support systems have played a crucial role in her own professional growth, emphasizing the profound impact of community among women in leadership.

Tune in for a powerful conversation filled with wisdom, actionable advice, and inspiration for women looking to elevate their leadership journey.

Dr. Dolores Kuchina-Musina is the visionary CEO and Founder at REXOTA™ Solutions, a powerhouse boutique firm renowned for its expertise in orchestrating the strategic intricacies of Federal Contract/Agreement Awards, small business growth, international procurement, and innovation across academia. With over a decade of rich cross-sector expertise, Dolores has navigated the complexities of federal, state, and international public procurement, showcasing unparalleled prowess in directing and managing high-stakes strategic pursuits.

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