What does it take to rebuild your life, career, and leadership identity from scratch?

In this episode of the Building Leadership Community Podcast, Coach Dora Mendez sits down with Anisha Jennings, a systems administrator, entrepreneur, and founder of Jennings Tech Corner, to explore what it means to lead through transition and uncertainty.

After moving from India to the United States to pursue her second master’s degree, Anisha rebuilt her life step by step, launching multiple ventures while balancing career, motherhood, and community.

This conversation explores leadership through lived experience, the power of taking imperfect action, and how to scale with systems and support.

• Leadership through transition and reinvention
• Building systems for sustainable growth
• Community as a leadership strategy
• Imperfect action vs perfection
• Visibility and digital presence for entrepreneurs

00:00 – Introduction: Rebuilding, reimagining, rising
01:52 – Why leadership should be accessible
06:55 – Anisha’s origin story and move to the U.S.
09:25 – Building Jennings Tech Corner
10:56 – Why visibility matters in business
11:18 – Launching a podcast for women of color
12:05 – Scaling through team and collaboration
13:22 – What community really means
16:05 – Advice to her younger self
17:33 – Leadership advice for the next generation
18:58 – Imperfect action vs perfection
21:04 – Websites as digital leadership tools
24:54 – Final message: take the leap

Website: https://jenningstechcorner.com/
Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@AnishaJennings
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jennings-tech-corner/

In this episode of Building Leadership Community, Coach Dora Mendez speaks with Jean Westrick, CEO of the Technology Association of Grantmakers (TAG), about leading at the intersection of technology and equity.

Jean shares her journey in philanthropy, her approach to mission-driven leadership, and why community is essential for navigating uncertainty. Together, they explore how leaders can build authentic executive presence while leveraging technology for social impact.

Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction
03:54 – Guest Introduction
07:51 – Career Journey
12:14 – Community & Leadership
15:04 – Community as Antidote
17:30 – Leadership Advice
18:25 – “Be Cool. Be Sweet. Be Yourself.”
21:07 – Authenticity in Leadership
24:30 – Where to Connect

Key Themes:

• Authentic leadership
• Community-driven leadership
• Technology and equity
• Career growth and purpose
• Executive presence through authenticity

Connect with our guest:
Jean Westrick
President & CEO, Technology Association of Grantmakers (TAG)
Leader in philanthropy, technology, and equity-driven innovation

🔗 Guest Links:
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/JeahWestrick
https://tagtech.org
TAG Tech on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/technologyassociationofgrantmakers

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In this episode of Building Leadership Community Podcast, Coach Dora Mendez welcomes Dr. Elaine Ruiz Lopez, founder and CEO of the International Leadership Charter High School in the Bronx.

Dr. Ruiz Lopez shares the deeply personal experiences that shaped her leadership journey—from growing up in the South Bronx during a time of social unrest to witnessing systemic inequities in education and healthcare. Those early experiences became the driving force behind her lifelong commitment to education and community leadership.

Today, the school she founded sends more than 95% of its students to college, creating pathways for young people who might otherwise be overlooked.

This conversation explores perseverance, leadership, representation, and the responsibility leaders carry to create opportunity for future generations.

Connect with Dr. Elaine Ruiz Lopez

Get her book “The Fight for Equity in the Bronx” https://amzn.to/4bh7KIM

https://DrElaineRuizLopez.com

00:00 – Podcast introduction
02:20 – Why leadership community matters
04:25 – Introducing Dr. Elaine Ruiz Lopez
07:52 – Her leadership origin story
09:00 – Growing up Puerto Rican in the South Bronx
11:00 – Witnessing injustice in childhood
13:00 – Educational barriers and inequality
17:00 – Teenage motherhood and leaving high school
18:30 – Returning to education through City College
19:00 – Teaching in the South Bronx
19:40 – Leadership shaped by lived experience

• Leadership rooted in lived experience
• Representation and education equity
• Resilience and perseverance
• Creating pathways to opportunity
• Community-driven leadership