A Leader Like Me: Building a Culture of Inclusivity
The A Leader Like Me Podcast is for HR professionals, leaders, and communication experts who want to create truly inclusive workplaces where everyone feels valued, heard, and empowered to thrive. Hosted by Priya Bates (she/her) and Advita Patel (she/her), co-founders of A Leader Like Me, this podcast features candid conversations with inspirational leaders who are driving real change in the world of work. Through their insights, you’ll discover practical strategies to embed equity, diversity, and inclusion into leadership, workplace culture, and communication. If you’re passionate about building belonging, enhancing employee engagement, and using strategic communication to foster inclusion, this podcast is for you. 🎧 Subscribe now and start leading with impact. Find out more at aleaderlikeme.com
The A Leader Like Me Podcast is for HR professionals, leaders, and communication experts who want to create truly inclusive workplaces where everyone feels valued, heard, and empowered to thrive. Hosted by Priya Bates (she/her) and Advita Patel (she/her), co-founders of A Leader Like Me, this podcast features candid conversations with inspirational leaders who are driving real change in the world of work. Through their insights, you’ll discover practical strategies to embed equity, diversity, and inclusion into leadership, workplace culture, and communication. If you’re passionate about building belonging, enhancing employee engagement, and using strategic communication to foster inclusion, this podcast is for you. 🎧 Subscribe now and start leading with impact. Find out more at aleaderlikeme.com
Episodes

Mar 30, 2022
Mar 30, 2022
46 min
To our ALLME community: We appreciate your continued support of our weekly newsletter, RISE. The feedback and suggestions we receive are fantastic. Please continue to share this link with people you know and remind them to look out for us every Monday. We will continue to deliver the latest DEI/EDI developments and updates from around the world: https://mailchi.mp/9bcab56b961e/keep-in-touch
We appreciate you!
--
“Every human has inherent value. It is our society that stops people from having access and not necessarily the disabilities themselves.”
In episode nine of Amplifying Diverse Voices, Priya Bates (she/her) and Advita Patel (she/her) have an open conversation with Jade Pichette (they/them), Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and, Accessibility Professional and Manager of Programs at Pride at Work Canada.
Listen now to learn about Jade’s journey and ways we can foster true accessibility, accountability, action plans, different ways of seeing the world and steps organizations should take to drive real change.
Placing things into perspective: when we hear the term, ‘diversity fatigue’, we should think of the term ‘diversity resistance’ instead. It is NOT a fatigue to talk about a marginalized group once in a while, but it IS a fatigue to live as a marginalized person, every single day.
Every human should be able to be vulnerable and feel safe at work and in their communities. A good start would be to ask the following questions:
How is an organizational system built to suit a specific community?
How will it create safety and address cultural competence?
How do we work on our communications strategy in a queer-inclusive way?
What are the organizational structures doing, not necessarily the individuals? Change in leadership can cause a major shift.
Did you know? Half of all trans-people with disabilities in Canada do not have stable employment. Most are underpaid or feel that they cannot speak up about their needs. Discrimination causes trauma and baggage, and there is a long way to go to breaking down barriers and driving inclusivity and belonging.
Missed episode 8 with Derrick Larane (he/him)? We've got you: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-7sk6h-11e63b0
RISE with us: Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for the latest DEI/EDI developments and updates from around the world, and engaging articles and #ALLMe programmes, including WINGS: https://mailchi.mp/9bcab56b961e/keep-in-touch
Pride at Work Canada: https://prideatwork.ca/
Keep up to date with Jade (they/them):
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jadepichette/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JadePichette
Website: https://www.jadepichette.com/
Continue to connect with A Leader Like Me to stay in the loop:
Help us get to 400+ followers on Instagram!: https://instagram.com/aleaderlikeme
We recently surpassed 1100 Twitter followers: https://twitter.com/aleaderlikeme
Let's get to 300+ followers on LinkedIn! Follow us today: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-leader-like-me/
Email us your DEI/EDI conversation and content ideas: info@aleaderlikeme.com
For more about this topic, or about us, visit https://aleaderlikeme.com/ for all the info.
Mar 30, 2022
46 min

Mar 23, 2022
ALLMe S1:E8 Pocstock with Derrick Larane
Mar 23, 2022
Mar 23, 2022
30 min
To our ALLME community: We appreciate your continued support of our weekly newsletter, RISE. The feedback and suggestions we receive are fantastic. Please continue to share this link with people you know and remind them to look out for us every Monday. We will continue to deliver the latest DEI/EDI developments and updates from around the world: https://mailchi.mp/9bcab56b961e/keep-in-touch
We appreciate you!
--
Are you tired of seeing the same stock imagery that seems to reflect the biases already present in our society?
In episode eight of the Amplifying Diverse Voices podcast, hosted by Priya Bates (she/her) and Advita Patel (she/her), we were delighted to welcome Derrick Larane, Chief Operating Officer @pocstock. Pocstock is a global stock media platform that unapologetically focuses on people of color.
Pocstock tells stories the way they should be told through positive, authentic and representative imagery, boosting the confidence of people of color through initiatives like the crown collection.
Listen now to also learn more about how pocstock hires for diversity and intentional cultural experiences around their international leadership.
All projects at pocstock are mission-driven and give team members the necessary room and space to be successful.
Missed episode 7 with Olivia Bussey (she/her)? We've got you: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-3582b-11d311d
RISE with us: Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for the latest DEI/EDI developments and updates from around the world, and engaging articles and #ALLMe programmes, including WINGS: https://mailchi.mp/9bcab56b961e/keep-in-touch
Pocstock:
https://www.pocstock.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/pocstock/
https://twitter.com/pocstock
Keep up to date with Derrick:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derricklarane/
Continue to connect with A Leader Like Me to stay in the loop:
Help us get to 400+ followers on Instagram!: https://instagram.com/aleaderlikeme
We recently surpassed 1100 Twitter followers: https://twitter.com/aleaderlikeme
Let's get to 300+ followers on LinkedIn! Follow us today: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-leader-like-me/
Email us your DEI/EDI conversation and content ideas: info@aleaderlikeme.com
For more about this topic, or about us, visit https://aleaderlikeme.com/ for all the info.
Mar 23, 2022
30 min

Mar 16, 2022
Mar 16, 2022
44 min
To our ALLME community: We appreciate your continued support of our weekly newsletter, RISE. The feedback and suggestions we receive are fantastic. Please continue to share this link with people you know and remind them to look out for us every Monday. We will continue to deliver the latest DEI/EDI developments and updates from around the world: https://mailchi.mp/9bcab56b961e/keep-in-touch
We appreciate you!
--
“When doors are opening, don’t just walk through them – fly. When you are the only ‘different’ person in the room, you not only stand as one, you stand as 10,000 of you.”
In episode seven of the Amplifying Diverse Voices podcast, hosted by Priya Bates (she/her) and Advita Patel (she/her), we were delighted to welcome Olivia Bussey, Head of Quality and Compliance & Ofqual Responsible Officer at NCC Education.
Listen now to learn about Olivia’s incredible tenacious journey, and the ways we can continue to build our confidence and improve representation everywhere, from board rooms to classrooms.
Also discussed: changing the narrative by using different strategies, including engagement with other educators.
Olivia derives her personal strength from reading. How about you? What techniques do you use to derive strength?
Missed episode 6 with Don McPherson (he/him)? We've got you: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-8vp27-11c88d9
RISE with us: Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for the latest DEI/EDI developments and updates from around the world, and engaging articles and #ALLMe programmes, including WINGS: https://mailchi.mp/9bcab56b961e/keep-in-touch
Keep up to date with Olivia:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AchiengBussey
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-bussey-71860337/
Continue to connect with A Leader Like Me to stay in the loop:
Help us get to 400+ followers on Instagram!: https://instagram.com/aleaderlikeme
We recently surpassed 1100 Twitter followers: https://twitter.com/aleaderlikeme
Let's get to 300+ followers on LinkedIn! Follow us today: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-leader-like-me/
Email us your DEI/EDI conversation and content ideas: info@aleaderlikeme.com
For more about this topic, or about us, visit https://aleaderlikeme.com/ for all the info.
Mar 16, 2022
44 min

Mar 9, 2022
Mar 9, 2022
38 min
To our ALLME community: We appreciate your continued support of our weekly newsletter, RISE. The feedback and suggestions we receive are fantastic. Please continue to share this link with people you know and remind them to look out for us every Monday. We will continue to deliver the latest DEI/EDI developments and updates from around the world: https://mailchi.mp/9bcab56b961e/keep-in-touch
We appreciate you!
--
Welcome to our Amplifying Diverse Voices podcast, hosted by Priya Bates (she/her) and Advita Patel (she/her). In our sixth episode, we welcomed Don McPherson, a veteran of the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL).
Don is the 2021 recipient of the William Pearson Tolley Medal for Distinguished Leadership in Lifelong Learning, presented by Syracuse University’s School of Education and, the 2020 National Football Foundation’s Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football. These honours signify a lifelong mission to use a unique social position to serve the greater good.
Author, educator and consultant leveraging a college football hall of fame career, Don uses the power and appeal of sports to address complex social issues. His work is primarily focused on diversity and inclusion with a focus on gender, aspirational masculinity and a “systems approach” to engaging communities, schools and the workplace.
Listen to this episode to learn about Don's passionate plea to stop using the term #toxicmasculinity and lessons about recognizing our privilege and speaking up.
RISE with us: Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for the latest DEI/EDI developments and updates from around the world, and engaging articles and #ALLMe programmes, including WINGS: https://mailchi.mp/9bcab56b961e/keep-in-touch
#podcast #leader #masculinity #diversityequityinclusion
Keep up to date with Don:
Purchase Don McPherson’s book, You Throw Like a Girl: The Blind Spot of Masculinity: https://www.amazon.ca/You-Throw-Like-Girl-Masculinity/dp/1617757799
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/you-throw-like-a-girl-don-mcpherson/1130419907
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donmcpherson9/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/donmcpherson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donmcpherson9/
Continue to connect with A Leader Like Me to stay in the loop:
Help us get to 400+ followers on Instagram!: https://instagram.com/aleaderlikeme
We recently surpassed 1100 Twitter followers: https://twitter.com/aleaderlikeme
Let's get to 300+ followers on LinkedIn! Follow us today: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-leader-like-me/
Email us your DEI/EDI conversation and content ideas: info@aleaderlikeme.com
For more about this topic, or about us, visit https://aleaderlikeme.com/ for all the info.
Mar 9, 2022
38 min

Mar 2, 2022
Mar 2, 2022
32 min
To our ALLME community: We appreciate your continued support of our weekly newsletter, RISE. The feedback and suggestions we receive are fantastic. Please continue to share this link with people you know and remind them to look out for us every Monday. We will continue to deliver the latest DEI/EDI developments and updates from around the world: https://mailchi.mp/9bcab56b961e/keep-in-touch
We appreciate you!
--
Communications is all about building meaningful relationships and extending our experiences and knowledge to connect with others.As a dedicated and ambitious PR professional, Mubashira (she/her) is at the frontline of media relations, storytelling, writing, design and strategic communications planning. Her experience working in communications combined with my education and passion for equity and inclusion has motivated me to work on successful local and national campaigns with organizations such Strategic Objectives, IABC/Toronto, The GenWell Project, Vision Brampton and many more.
Mubshira was recently awarded PRovoke Media’s #YoungChangemakers award in recognition of her purpose-driven work and contributions to our DEI/EDI space.
Mubashira values kindness, empathy and inclusion, and works diligently to make a positive impact wherever she goes.
We encourage you to please leave us a rating and review through Apple Podcasts or Spotify (if you’re using an Android device). We appreciate your feedback and will use it to make our future episodes even more engaging.
Missed episode 4 with Dr. Anita Sanchez (she/her)? We've got you: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-st2f6-11b45f1
Subscribe to our weekly RISE newsletter for the latest DEI/EDI developments and updates from around the world: https://mailchi.mp/9bcab56b961e/keep-in-touch
Keep up to date with Mubashira:
Listen to Mubashira’s Colour Me PR Podcast, where she amplifies the voices of exceptional women of colour in communications: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/colour-me-pr/id1538071330
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mubashirafarooqi/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mubashiranf
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mubashirafarooqi/
Continue to connect with A Leader Like Me to stay in the loop:
Help us get to 400+ followers on Instagram!: https://instagram.com/aleaderlikeme
We recently surpassed 1100 Twitter followers: https://twitter.com/aleaderlikeme
Let's get to 300+ followers on LinkedIn! Follow us today: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-leader-like-me/
Email us your DEI/EDI conversation and content ideas: info@aleaderlikeme.com
For more about this topic, or about us, visit https://aleaderlikeme.com/ for all the info.
Mar 2, 2022
32 min

Feb 23, 2022
Feb 23, 2022
40 min
The Four Sacred Gifts: Indigenous Wisdom for Modern Times
Welcome to our Amplifying Diverse Voices podcast, hosted by Priya Bates (she/her) and Advita Patel (she/her).
In our S1:E4, we were pleased to welcome Dr. Anita Sanchez (she/her). Anita is a published author, consultant, trainer and executive coach who has worked with tens of thousands of global leaders and teams around the world. She specializes in indigenous wisdom, diversity and inclusion, leadership, culture and promoting positive change in our world.
We encourage you to listen to the entire episode about Anita’s amazing story and overcoming tough times through healing your past, discovering your true purpose, and becoming a powerful source of inspiration.
We also encourage you to please leave us a rating and review through Apple Podcasts or Spotify (if you’re using an Android device). We appreciate your feedback and will use it to make our future episodes even more engaging.
Subscribe to our weekly RISE newsletter for the latest DEI/EDI developments and updates from around the world: https://mailchi.mp/9bcab56b961e/keep-in-touch
Keep up to date with Anita:
Website: https://anita-sanchez.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dranitasanchez/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnitaSanchezPhD
Continue to connect with A Leader Like Me to stay in the loop:
Help us get to 400+ followers on Instagram!: https://instagram.com/aleaderlikeme
We recently surpassed 1100 Twitter followers: https://twitter.com/aleaderlikeme
Let's get to 300+ followers on LinkedIn! Follow us today: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-leader-like-me/
Email us your DEI/EDI conversation and content ideas: info@aleaderlikeme.com
For more about this topic, or about us, visit https://aleaderlikeme.com/ for all the info.
Feb 23, 2022
40 min

Feb 16, 2022
Feb 16, 2022
46 min
To our ALLME community: We appreciate your continued support of our weekly newsletter, RISE. The feedback and suggestions we receive are fantastic. Please continue to share this link with people you know and remind them to look out for us every Monday. We will continue to deliver the latest DEI/EDI developments and updates from around the world: https://mailchi.mp/9bcab56b961e/keep-in-touch
We appreciate you!
--
Welcome to our Amplifying Diverse Voices podcast, hosted by Priya Bates (she/her) and Advita Patel (she/her).
In our S1:E3, we were pleased to welcome Danielle E. Norris, SCMP (she/her) of RETERO, Canada's largest national provider of non-profit group health insurance for education retirees.
Danielle is an award-winning communication professional with 15 years of experience in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. She is a certified Strategic Communication Management Professional (SCMP) with expertise in strategic planning, government relations, and community outreach. Danielle is a long-time member and volunteer of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC). As a lover of books, Danielle started the Love of Literature book club to create a safe space for Black youth to review Black-focused books, participate in discussions, and connect with their peers.
We encourage you to listen to the entire episode about Danielle’s incredible journey and her insights on #ALLMe.
We also encourage you to please leave us a rating and review through Apple Podcasts or Spotify (if you’re using an Android device). We appreciate your feedback and will use it to make our future episodes even more engaging.
Subscribe to our weekly RISE newsletter for the latest DEI/EDI developments and updates from around the world: https://mailchi.mp/9bcab56b961e/keep-in-touch
Keep up to date with Danielle:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-e-norris-scmp-8a051724/
Visit Danielle's Love of Literature book club, Canada's only non-profit book club for Black youth: https://www.loveofliteraturebookclub.ca/
Continue to connect with A Leader Like Me to stay in the loop:
Help us get to 400+ followers on Instagram!: https://instagram.com/aleaderlikeme
We recently surpassed 1100 Twitter followers: https://twitter.com/aleaderlikeme
Let's get to 300+ followers on LinkedIn! Follow us today: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-leader-like-me/
Email us your DEI/EDI conversation and content ideas: info@aleaderlikeme.com
For more about this topic, or about us, visit https://aleaderlikeme.com/ for all the info.
Feb 16, 2022
46 min

Feb 9, 2022
Feb 9, 2022
37 min
To our ALLME community: We appreciate your continued support of our weekly newsletter, RISE. The feedback and suggestions we receive are fantastic. Please continue to share this link with people you know and remind them to look out for us every Monday. We will continue to deliver the latest DEI/EDI developments and updates from around the world: https://mailchi.mp/9bcab56b961e/keep-in-touch
We appreciate you!
--
In our S1:E2, we were pleased to welcome Rahul Sood, CEO of Irreverent Labs.
Irreverent Labs is a venture-backed gaming studio with a mission to build insanely fun, highly intelligent, hundred-year entertainment experiences on blockchain. He was the co-founder and former CEO of Unikrn, a global esports and video games wagering organization that launched in 2014 until it was acquired by Entain PLC in 2021.
In the earlier years of Rahul’s career, he developed the first seed funding and start-up investment program at Microsoft, which grew into the Microsoft Ventures incubator program and still operates today under the name M12. Rahul also led Hewlett-Packard Company’s computing performance business following their acquisition of the luxury gaming computer company that he founded in 1991, VoodooPC.
We encourage you to listen to the entire episode about Rahul’s incredible journey and philosophies. If you want to get more technical and learn about NFTs, this podcast will be especially relevant to your interests.
We also encourage you to please leave us a rating and review through Apple Podcasts or Spotify (if you’re using an Android device). We appreciate your feedback and will use it to make our future episodes even more engaging.
Keep up to date with Rahul:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/voodoopc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/serialceo/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/voodooftw/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rahulsood
Continue to connect with A Leader Like Me to stay in the loop:
Help us get to 400+ followers on Instagram!: https://instagram.com/aleaderlikeme
We recently surpassed 1100 Twitter followers: https://twitter.com/aleaderlikeme
Let's get to 300+ followers on LinkedIn! Follow us today: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-leader-like-me/
Email us your DEI/EDI conversation and content ideas: info@aleaderlikeme.com
For more about this topic, or about us, visit https://aleaderlikeme.com/ for all the info.
Feb 9, 2022
37 min
A Leader Like Me: Amplifying Diverse Voices
Co-founders of A Leader Like Me, Priya Bates (she/her) and Advita Patel (she/her), amplify the voices of inspirational guests who are achieving great things in their careers in the hope to inspire others and bring change to biases many of us currently face. The discussions centre around diversity and inclusion but focus on their stories and motivation.
A Leader Like Me podcast has been created to help empower people to make a difference, to give hope to those who have struggled to belong and to amplify the voices of folks who do remarkable things.
You can find out more about A Leader Like Me at https://aleaderlikeme.com/





