Welcome to Season 1, episode 10 of Breaking with Tradition, Catalyst’s podcast that explores trends and ideas that will impact the future of the global workplace. This episode marks the end of our first season and is called The state of play for women in business.

In 2025 so far, conversations about workplace culture are increasingly shaped by debates over leadership styles and gender dynamics. Some argue that corporate culture needs to re-embrace so-called "masculine energy," while others advocate for a more inclusive approach.

But what does this mean for women in the workplace today?

In this season finale, host Victoria Kuketz sits down with Emma Hinchliffe, reporter for Fortune’s Most Powerful Women daily newsletter, to discuss the current landscape for women at work. They'll explore the rise of women in leadership—including the record-breaking number of women Fortune 500 CEOs— and highlight some of the most influential people Emma has profiled in recent months. Plus, they’ll examine promising trends in women’s sports and business, and what these shifts signal for the future of the workplace.

Join us for an insightful conversation on the challenges, victories, and next steps for women in the workforce.

The views expressed by our guest are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Catalyst. 

Victoria Kuketz, Director, Corporate Engagement, Canada, Catalyst 

LinkedIn profile 

Emma Hinchliffe, Senior Writer, Fortune and Co-chair, Fortune Most Powerful Women 

Emma Hinchliffe is a senior writer at Fortune, where she covers women in business and gender issues across business, politics, and culture. Emma is the author of Most Powerful Women Daily (formerly the Broadsheet), Fortune’s daily newsletter for and about the women leading the business world. She is a co-chair of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit, where she’s interviewed everyone from Fortune 500 CEOs and US politicians to Hollywood stars, and previously co-chaired Fortune’s MPW Next Gen Summit and the Fortune/US Department of State Global Women’s Mentoring Partnership. Her work, which includes magazine features with subjects ranging from Meta and CVS Health to Canva and the WNBA, has been honored by the Silurians Press Club. Before joining Fortune, she worked as a reporter for Mashable and the Houston Chronicle. She is a graduate of Georgetown University and lives in Brooklyn, NY.

LinkedIn profile 

• 1:48 | Tell us about yourself! Emma talks about her work at Fortune and its longtime commitment to featuring women in business. 
• 3:10 | The comeback of “masculine energy?” 2025 started off with a surprising cultural shift—Emma and Victoria break it down. 
• 6:42 | Women leaders hit record high. Is the recent uptick in women leading Fortune 500 companies a trend or anomaly? 
• 9:10 | A positive trend for 2025: women’s sports. This fast-growing, high-impact audience is a big opportunity for brands. 
• 12:29 | The leading women in business. Emma breaks down some of her favorite...

Welcome to Season 1, episode 9 of Breaking with Tradition, Catalyst’s podcast that explores trends and ideas that will impact the future of the global workplace. This episode was filmed live at 2024 Catalyst Honours and is called Workplace inclusion in the age of AI.

The way we approach workplace inclusion is evolving at lightning speed, driven by socio-political pressures and the rapid advancement of AI.

Without careful design, AI can reinforce existing biases—elevating some perspectives while sidelining others and creating new challenges for distinct groups, such as Black communities. But when used intentionally, AI can be a powerful force for innovation, helping businesses attract top talent and build stronger, more diverse teams.

Join host Victoria Kuketz as she sits down with Patrice Njoh, Partner, Deloitte Canada and Kike Ojo-Thompson, Partner, Human Capital at Deloitte, to explore the risks and opportunities AI presents for workplace inclusion. Together, they dive into some of the latest research, including the role of inclusive leadership and strategies for companies to harness AI as a tool for innovation and fairness.

AI is changing the way we work—let’s make sure it changes our work for the better. Tune in now and be part of the conversation.

LinkedIn profile 

Patrice Njoh is a Partner in Deloitte’s Technology & Transformation Consulting Practice with over 15 years of experience in strategic consulting, change management, and transformation. She specializes in leading large-scale change efforts, particularly in financial services and the public sector. Patrice focuses on aligning clients' business objectives with technology-driven transformations and high-performance culture shifts. She advocates for diversity, equity, and inclusion, co-leading Deloitte’s Black Action Council. She is also a certified PMP and PROSCI professional, contributing to Deloitte’s transformation initiatives across Canada. Patrice has authored several white papers on transformational change, leadership, and EDI.  

LinkedIn profile 

Kike Ojo-Thompson is an award-winning equity thought leader, renowned for her expertise in organizational and system change. For more than 25 years, she has guided public and private organizations across a broad range of sectors toward more equitable outcomes. 

Eager to bring her transformative impact to more organizations, Kike founded the KOJO Institute, which has now joined Deloitte Canada, where Kike is Partner in the Human Capital practice. For every client, Kike develops and facilitates bespoke DEI strategies designed to address inequities while supporting critical business outcomes like diverse recruitment and retention, employee engagement, and establishing an equity-informed organizational culture. 

LinkedIn profile 

• 1:12 | Tell us about...

Welcome to episode 1, season 1.

Catalyst founder Felice Schwartz embraced a vision for the future of the workplace in her 1992 book Breaking with Tradition based on “fulfillment, both personal and professional,” where everyone is “able to define and pursue their goals freely, regardless of gender.” 

From this initial vision, the Catalyst of today strives for “workplaces that work for women.” This is the future of work we at Catalyst seek to create at workplaces everywhere. This is our why. 

How an organization communicates its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work makes an impact—both to the outside world in this moment of anti-DEI pushback, and internally to employees who want to know their company cares. 

For this first episode of Breaking with Tradition, hosts Lucy, Victoria, and Erin sit down to set the stage and discuss both the Catalyst “why” and why it matters that we talk about it. And as can be expected from a research organization, we bring in some evidence-based insights to back us up! 

Lucy Kallin, Executive Director, EMEA, Catalyst

LinkedIn | Bio

Victoria Kuketz, Director, Corporate Engagement, Canada, Catalyst

LinkedIn | Bio

Erin Souza-Rezendes, Vice President, Global Communications, Catalyst

LinkedIn | Bio

• 1:07 | The origin story. The inspiration for this podcast, Catalyst, founder Felice Schwartz and her 1992 book Breaking with Tradition.
• 4:28 | Building a human-focused workplace. Women are half the population, but they're also not a monolith. Victoria, Lucy and Erin discuss why gender equity is critical to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• 9:35 | Finding your voice. Why it's important for companies to talk about equity and what it looks like.
• 15:35 | World-class employers. Why some companies are building workplaces that work for women despite the DEI pushback.
• 19:35 | Modern-day rebels. How our hosts break with tradition.

• 1:41 | Erin: As someone who works in communications here at Catalyst, you know, I think about our work as breaking with tradition all the time. Because really, what we're focusing on is our shared humanity.
• 2:18 | Victoria: From a productivity crisis, AI upskilling and adoption across industries, we're constantly facing new and emerging challenges. So this breaking with tradition theme really resonates with me because we need to innovate and from a DEI perspective, upskill and leverage the entirety of the workforce to meet these challenges...
• 10:32 | Lucy: 76% of employees want their companies to take action. And I think that's where Catalyst comes in. I'm leaning forward because I'm getting too excited now.
• 12:33 | Victoria: DEI is for everyone. And...

Welcome to Season 1, episode 8 of Breaking with Tradition, Catalyst’s podcast that explores trends and ideas that will impact the future of the global workplace. This episode is called Reimagining wellness for a healthier workplace. 

What does it mean to design your workplace with human well-being at the forefront, especially when burnout is costing businesses between $125 billion and $190 billion annually in healthcare expenses and an estimated $2 trillion in lost productivity? 

Join host Erin Souza-Rezendes and guest Jaqueline Oliveira-Cella, creator of 'Health at Work & People' on LinkedIn, as they take a deep dive into how innovative workplace design can create better workplaces and boost productivity. Together they explore how companies can personalize benefits to meet individual employee needs—whether addressing mental health, physical well-being, or financial security—rather than defaulting to a one-size-fits-all model. 

Take a seat and listen to learn how to better craft benefits and cultures that prioritize holistic well-being, create trust through transparency, and address the pressing issues of employee engagement. Discover how companies can move beyond reactive solutions and build a resilient, healthy workforce for the future that strengthens their bottom line. 

Erin Souza-Rezendes, Vice President, Global Communications, Catalyst 

LinkedIn  

Jaqueline Oliveira-Cella is a seasoned leader with over 15 years of experience in the health, employee benefits, and insurance sectors. Jaqueline has held influential positions at global firms such as IBM, Aon, WTW, AIG, and the World Bank Consulting Group, where her commitment to client-centric solutions is enhanced by her actuarial background, design thinking advocacy and compassionate leadership management. 

Jaqueline founded wellBe Consulting and initiated the ‘Health at Work & People’ newsletter on LinkedIn. These collaborations focus on delivering actionable self-advocacy and practical insights into pressing workplace issues like menopause at work, mental fitness, chronic illness, and more. 

LinkedIn 

• 1:45 | Tell us about yourself! Jaqueline breaks down her background and her personal definition of “well-being.” 
• 6:13 | Burnout costs $$$. What are some first steps companies can take to address it at a systemic level? 
• 15:29 | Benefits shouldn’t be one-size-fits-all. How can companies personalize benefits to meet employees where they’re at, especially caregivers? 
• 23:59 | What does a truly supportive workplace look like? Jaqueline offers her wish list for the workplaces of the future. 

Welcome to season 1, episode 7 of Breaking with Tradition, Catalyst’s podcast that explores trends and ideas that will impact the future of the global workplace. This episode is called AI and the Future of Pink-Collar Jobs.

As AI technology rapidly evolves, a troubling new gender gap has emerged, especially among younger workers: 71% of men ages 18-24 say they use generative AI weekly, compared with 59% of women. This gap threatens to widen existing disparities, especially frontline women in “pink-collar” sectors such as customer service, healthcare, and education.

Join host Victoria Kuketz as she chats with Ana Kreacic, Partner and Chief Knowledge Officer of Oliver Wyman Group and COO of the Oliver Wyman Forum, and Terry Stone, Managing Partner Global Health and Life Sciences and Former Managing Director, Americas, Oliver Wyman to discuss the urgent and important need for inclusive upskilling initiatives, incorporating AI into companies’ future vision, and tapping the leadership of Gen Z.

Tune in as we unpack how generative AI could both displace and empower, and what steps companies can take to create a more equitable future of work for all.

Victoria Kuketz, Director, Corporate Engagement, Canada, Catalyst

LinkedIn | Bio

Ana Kreacic is a Partner and Chief Knowledge Officer of Oliver Wyman and COO of the Oliver Wyman Forum – the think tank and platform for engaging business, public policy, and societal leaders to act on shared challenges. With over 20 years of consulting and operating experience, Ana is known for her ability to blend customer insight with business strategy and leadership effectiveness. A frequent speaker and author, Ana’s work has been featured in the World Economic Forum, Wall Street Journal, and MIT Sloan, to name a few. Ana is passionate about empowering women and youth.

LinkedIn | Website

Terry Stone is Vice Chair and Interim Global Lead taking on two strategic priorities for Oliver Wyman. One is as interim Global Leader for Health and Life Sciences focused on accelerating the growth of our Life Sciences businesses in the US and Europe. A second critical firm priority which Terry leads is a project for our CEO to accelerate the transformation of OW’s own business and operating model in response to Artificial Intelligence. Our priority is to identify how consulting overall, and our OW’s business is likely to be impacted by the opportunity and threats that AI creates for strategic advisory businesses.

Breaking with Tradition is diving into a topic that’s been long overlooked but is now coming to the forefront of workplace conversations: menopause. Welcome to season 1, episode 6.

According to Catalyst’s recent report, nearly three-quarters (72%) of employees have hidden their menopause symptoms at work. Additionally, 36% perceive a stigma against talking about menopause in the workplace. With celebrities like Naomi Watts and Michelle Obama also speaking out, menopause is no longer overlooked in the culture at large—so why should it be in the workplace?

Join Catalyst's Victoria Kuketz as she speaks with Janet Ko, President and Co-Founder, The Menopause Foundation of Canada to bust some myths about menopause and flip the workplace taboo on its head. Learn why it’s an essential issue for companies to address and how the stigma impacts women’s earning potential and career trajectories.

Take the first step to join the movement. Learn how your organization can get involved and create a more inclusive work environment for everyone.

Victoria Kuketz, Director, Corporate Engagement, Canada, Catalyst

LinkedIn | Bio

Janet Ko is President and Co-Founder of The Menopause Foundation of Canada, a national non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to breaking the silence and the stigma of menopause. Together with co-founder Trish Barbato and a medical advisory board of the country’s top menopause specialists, she launched the Menopause Foundation of Canada to lead a national conversation on menopause and to advocate for concrete action to improve women’s health. 

Janet has held numerous leadership roles including Senior Vice President, Communications in the global life sciences and senior care sectors. She is dedicated to helping women thrive through their menopausal years and is a passionate speaker and menopause advocate. Janet is honoured to be one of the top 25 Women of Influence Award recipients for 2023. 

LinkedIn

In this episode 

• 1:35 | Tell us about yourself! Janet tells us about her health journey and what led her to co-founding the Menopause Foundation of Canada. 
• 3:52 | Workplace taboos: from mental health to menopause. Why does something that impacts millions of employees remain so stigmatized?
• 6:34 | Let's bust some myths! Menopause looks different for everyone—and a large knowledge gap exists. 
• 10:12 | Women spend half their lives in menopause. How can women be more proactive about their health at this time?
• 14:59 | Menopause stigma costs the economy $3.5 billion. Janet breaks down the staggering economic and career impact for women.
• 17:43 | How to get started. Take the first step to supporting women impacted by menopause in your workplace.
• 20:59 | BONUS: Creating new traditions. Janet flips our last question on its head.

Favorite moments

• 4:21 | Janet: [Menopause] has been a taboo subject not just in workplaces, but everywhere. I think one of the significant reasons

Welcome to Season 1, episode 5 of Breaking with Tradition, Catalyst’s podcast that explores trends and ideas that will impact the future of the global workplace. This episode is called Broadening Gender in Workplace DEI.

Catalyst has been accelerating progress for women for over 60 years, and our future vision is “workplaces that work for women.” To many women, this vision is a rallying cry because the status quo of workplaces is that they don’t work for women. But where do men fit into the equation in this future workplace? And what about trans and gender non-conforming (TGNC) employees?

Join Erin Souza-Rezendes as she sits down with Dani Gomez-Ortega, Senior Manager, Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at McCain Foods, and Mark Greene, a writer, inclusion coach, and host of Remaking Manhood. Together, they tackle the complex subject of gender and how we talk about it in the workplace.

First, we start with the basics: what does “gender equity” mean in today’s world? And how is that reflected in the workplace—or not? Before long, we dive into “Man Box Culture,” how women can be allies to men, and the importance of vulnerability in conversations around gender.

Grab a drink and sit down with our panel to hear their inspiring perspectives on this topic and how we can shift workplace cultures so that nobody is left behind.

Erin Souza-Rezendes, VP, Global Communications, Catalyst

LinkedIn | Bio

Dani Gomez-Ortega is a global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion leader with a passion for empowering others to create more inclusive spaces. Dani has championed inclusion across various sectors for 10 years. Currently, Dani works as a global DEI leader at McCain Foods, where she collaborates with teams across the world to drive inclusion.

Most recently, Dani was featured in the book Global Changemakers for a Feminist Future by Dr. Gayle Kimball and has won multiple awards for her work, including a Bill 7 Award. Dani’s work and commitment to inclusion are shaped by her lived experience as a Venezuelan Latinx, immigrant, transgender woman with an invisible disability.

LinkedIn

Mark Greene is an author and activist who speaks, consults, and coaches on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Mark works with organizations and individuals to overcome the challenges created by retrogressive workplace cultures. Mark’s client list includes General Mills, Société Générale, Sephora, AOL, Bank of America, Catalyst, and The Better Man Conference.

Mark is the author of The Little #MeToo Book for Men and Remaking Manhood, and co-author, along with Dr. Saliha Bava, of The Relational Book for Parenting and The Relational Workplace. Mark is co-host of 

Welcome to Season 1, episode 4 of Breaking with Tradition, Catalyst’s podcast that explores trends and ideas that will impact the future of the global workplace. This episode is called Women Money Power.

We know that women across the globe make less money than men. The gap may vary among countries, but it is a persistent pattern caused by a variety of systemic factors including job segregation, differences in education, and a lack of pay transparency, discrimination, and bias.

Some would say, however, that the gender pay gap is because “women aren’t ambitious.” And financial journalist and author Josie Cox has a lot of evidence to the contrary.

Join host Lucy Kallin as she sits down with Josie to discuss her latest book Women Money Power: The Rise and Fall of Economic Equality. Together, they discuss the century-old workplace design that holds back working mothers, recent legislative efforts to make salaries more transparent, as well as the trailblazing women who have contributed to the seismic progress in women’s economic empowerment we have today.

How can companies and employees work collectively to close the gap and create workplaces that better support people of all genders, including men? Listen to find out!

Lucy Kallin, Executive Director, EMEA, Catalyst

LinkedIn | Bio

Josie Cox is a journalist, author, broadcaster and public speaker. She’s worked on staff for Reuters, The Independent and The Wall Street Journal. As a freelancer, she’s covered the intersection of gender and the economy for The Washington Post, The Spectator, Guardian, Business Insider, MSNBC, Forbes and other publications.

Josie has appeared on CNN, ABC, PBS, CNBC, public radio and a host of other networks. She regularly contributes to the BBC, both as a writer and broadcaster and is a founding editor of The Persistent.

Website | LinkedIn

• 1:04 | Are women less ambitious than men? Josie and Lucy discuss the myth of the "unambitious mother."
• 6:22 | Breaking away from false perceptions. What can individuals and companies do to combat bias?
• 12:54 | Trailblazers in Women Money Power Josie talks about some of the women who changed history under the radar.
• 20:08 | Is gender equity a zero-sum game for men? We still tend to frame gender as a woman’s issue.
• 24:22 | Pay transparency regulation. Is it effective? What are some of the bright spots?
• 29:12 | The main takeaway from Women Money Power. Lucy asks Josie what she hopes readers get from her book.

• 4:40 | Josie: And I think what we have to do, and it’s our duty as a society, is to recognize that when it looks like a woman might not be as ambitious as a man, we have to ask ourselves: what are the parameters, the constructs, the infrastructure that are preventing her from being able to make the choices that make her look ambitious in the way that we understand ambition?...

Welcome to a special edition of the Catalyst podcast, Breaking with Tradition filmed live at the 2024 Catalyst Awards! This is season 1, episode 3: What does Gen Z want in a workplace?

Everybody’s talking about the new multigenerational workplace—and for good reason. The newest generation, Generation Z, will soon make up over a third of the global population and a quarter of the global workforce.

Born after 1996, Gen Z is bringing new expectations and priorities to the workplace. From better work-life balance, a bigger investment in mental health, and their preference to work with companies that prioritize DEI, this generation is already making waves.

On this episode, join hosts Lucy and Victoria as they sit down with Remington Bennett, former Content Writer and Producer at The Female Quotient to talk about how the multi-generational workplace will shift future workplace cultures and priorities.

Our conversation will help you learn how companies can successfully manage the challenges a multigenerational workplace brings, while still accelerating diversity, equity, and inclusion progress.

Lucy Kallin, Executive Director, EMEA, Catalyst

LinkedIn | Bio

Victoria Kuketz, Director, Corporate Engagement, Canada, Catalyst

LinkedIn | Bio

Remington Bennett has diverse work experience spanning multiple industries. At the time of filming, they worked as a Content Producer at The Female Quotient. Prior to that, they held various roles at The New York Times from 2019 to 2022, including Assistant to the Managing Editor, Executive Assistant for Global Enterprise Subscriptions, and Executive Assistant for Advertising. From 2017 to 2019, they were a Production Coordinator to the Chief of Staff at OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network.

Remington Bennett has pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in Broadcast and Digital Journalism at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.

LinkedIn

• 1:44 | About Remington. Who is Remington Bennett and what is The Female Quotient all about?
• 2:44 | A clash of workplace values. Gen Z (or Gen Zed according to Lucy) is quickly changing the demographics at work—how do their ideas square with older generations?
• 5:18 | Leaving no one behind. How can the generations work together to accelerate DEI in an evolving workplace?
• 7:42 | Creating belonging cross-generation. Women in each generation share universal experiences that shape them.
• 10:34 | Mentorship works both ways. Regardless of age, professionals both young and old have something to teach each other.
• 11:23 | Misconceptions about Gen Z. How do we “close the

Welcome to Breaking with Tradition, a new Catalyst podcast where we follow in the footsteps of our founder Felice Schwartz and sit down with change-making leaders and professionals accelerating diversity, equity, and inclusion in today’s global workplace. 

Founded in 1962, Catalyst drives change with unparralleled thought leadership, actionable solutions, and a galvanized community of multinational corporations to accelerate and advance women into leadership—because progress for women is progress for everyone. 

We're your hosts, Lucy Kallin, Victoria Kuketz, and Erin Souza-Rezendes from CITY in the US. 

And while we’re three ‘Catalystas’ that live in different regions around the globe, we are united by one goal: to create workplaces where anyone can thrive—regardless of their identity.  

It’s easy to become disheartened by the backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) movements in the workplace. It’s a time of inflamed political rhetoric and multiple overlapping global crises that threaten to roll back the clock on our efforts to make more equitable work environments for women.

On this episode of Breaking with Tradition, we’re reminded of words from Felice Schwartz as she looked at the radical changes she saw in her lifetime: “We can’t go on the way we have been—living new lives in the old patterns.”

What is the state of DEI in 2024? Is it all doom and gloom, or is there reason to hope for “new patterns” emerging? Our host Erin is flying solo this week and sitting down with Ruchika Tulshyan, expert, speaker and author on DEI and founder and CEO of Candour to discuss her predictions for our work this year and beyond.

Our conversation will tackle some of the biggest Future of Work trends impacting women today. Spoiler alert: There’s a lot to be excited about!

Erin Souza-Rezendes, Vice President, Global Communications, Catalyst

LinkedIn | Bio

Ruchika Tulshyan is the best-selling author of Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work (MIT Press). The book was described as “transformative” by Dr. Brené Brown. She is working on her next book: “Uncompete: Dismantling a Competition Mindset to Unlock Liberation, Opportunity, and Peace” (Viking Books).

Ruchika is also the founder of Candour, an inclusion strategy practice. A former international business journalist, Ruchika is a regular contributor to The New York Times and Harvard Business Review and a recognized media commentator on workplace culture.

LinkedIn | Website

• 1:35 | About Ruchika. Who is Ruchika Tulshyan and what is her approach to DEI?
• 6:01 | Ouch, 2024. It's been rough. Are the DEI doom and gloom headlines true? Ruchika weighs in.
• 12:57 | What's your advice? How do we shore ourselves up during these challenging times?
• 18:45 | Imposter syndrome is a systemic issue. Ruchika shares how we can make systems-level change.
• 25:35 | What does the future of work look like?
• 30:57 | Sneak Peek. The Catalyst community gets a sneak peek into Ruchika's next book.

• 1:51 | Ruchika: I think of the work that I do or my approach to diversity, equity and inclusion as multi-faceted. So much of it is driven by various identities I have and hold throughout my life.
• 5:48 | Erin: I think it means so much to marry those two things and have both, the personal storytelling and the receipts of the research to uncover what is happening in workplaces around the world, particularly for women.
• 8:06 | Ruchika: I'd say the most important part of this is that a lot of these attacks are not new. They're not using, they might be using new language, they might be using different packaging around it.