The emPOWER Breakfast Podcast
Season 1, Episode 1:
Leila Bartlam
Athene Parker is in glorious conversation with Leila Bartlam, UK Country Lead for Accenture Song’s Production Studios, about her life and journey into advertising, particularly now that she can look through the lens of receiving her Autism diagnosis aged 48 in 2023.
Leila is Accenture Songs enablement lead, a proud Neurodivergent and ND Advocate. Leila's work as a Producer has won numerous creative awards and effectiveness awards from D&AD, British Arrows, Creative Circle and Campaign Bigs amongst others.
Leila is incredibly strong operationally and has a passion for helping agencies run more efficiently, whilst still delivering creatively brilliant work. She has also always cared about the internal workings of the companies that she works for, advocating for staff led support. Leila continues to advocate for a healthy working environment for ND Staff and this has become even more important to Leila since she has recently received her Autism diagnosis, which makes her an even fiercer advocate for the hidden voices in our Industry.​​
Season 1, Episode 2:
Nishma Patel Robb
Athene Parker talks to Nishma Patel Robb, the Ex-Senior Director of Brand & Reputation Marketing at Google, inaugurated as the President of WACL in 2023—taking them from their 100th to 101st year. The current President of History of Advertising and a trailblazing pioneer for all women entering their second act, Nishma has set up her own company, The Glittersphere—a membership community led by Nishma. This move reflects her second-act pivot and her dream to empower women with financial independence through networking and community.
A vibrant spirit driven to create opportunities and leave a legacy for future generations of women.
Season 1, Episode 3:
Jody Allison
Athene Parker is in glorious conversation with Jody Allison - Award Winning Producer and Co-Founder of Heads Up Production - Jody talks candidly about her mental health journey and her life of two halves, as she discusses her breakdown in her early 30s. We journey through her resulting rehab experience and the landscape of her early childhood which was very much a contributing factor to offering the opportunity for growth that the experience afforded. In more recent years she has beaten breast cancer and has approached it with the same gusto and positivity in the face of adversity as everything else that has come her way. Jody reminds us to look up, take a step back and to find joy in the small things.
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Season 1, Episode 4:
Selma Nicholls
​​Athene Parker is in glorious conversation with Selma Nicholls. Selma is an award winning casting Director and the Founder of Looks Like Me Casting. Selma has an extensive history of the arts, dance and theatre, and is a proud board member of Punchdrunk Entertainment. She has been committed to addressing the imbalance of representation on screen and in the arts since founding Looks Like Like Me Casting in 2015 - after her daughter aged 3 questioned the fact that no one ‘looks like me’ - Selma began this movement well before diversity and inclusion was an expected norm, and has always been ahead of the curve ensuring all nationalities, genders and abilities are represented.
A woman who has been no stranger to challenges, as a single mother, business founder, and a pioneer in this field, Selma still has the sweetest nature and brings energy and optimism to everything she does.
Season 1, Episode 5:
Mays Al Ali
Athene Parker is in glorious conversation with Mays Al Ali. May’s is an ex EP/TV Producer having a huge career pivot after 18 years in advertising, retraining as a Certified Nutritionist and Naturopath. Mays has a masters in clinical nutrition specialising in gut health for optimal hormone balancing, nutrition for post/cancer care and specialises in lab and genetic testing. May’s journey was triggered by her own health crisis, brought on from chronic stress stemming from childhood trauma, rebelling as a teenager and then being caught up in the fast paced hedonistic life of advertising in the noughties. Mays had a healing crisis and moved to India to train as a yoga teacher, going teetotal and overhauling her physical, emotional and mental health. Mays is inspiring from the perspective of her commitment to her career pivot, and her commitment to her clients that she works with, one to one and on retreats in Majorca and Ibiza.
A woman who has been no stranger to challenges, Mays believes in the guidance that she has been given from her higher self and angels to follow this new path.​
Season 1, Episode 6:
Sue Higgs
Athene Parker is in glorious conversation with Sue Higgs. Sue is an award winning ECD who has a huge career in advertising, so far spanning over 25 years. Sue has been no stranger to managing multiple projects, having crafted her career trajectory while being the solo mum of three through the adland of the 90s, noughties and beyond.
Sue has had many experiences that she has been vocal and front facing about, but none more so than her experience of extreme bullying whilst a Creative Director. This happened before the #metoo movement emboldened women and gave us the language to articulate inappropriate and coercive behaviour. While this was a challenging journey it is not the whole story and Sue didn’t allow this period to affect the rest of her life. Yes she suffered trauma, but she expressed it.
Writing several articles on the matter in industry publications, as part of her healing. The response was shocking, endemic in the advertising industry she received an outpouring of stories of bullying both for men and women, highlighting that the issue was rife.
It’s a vibrant joyful and insightful listen, to this amazing woman who is part of our community.
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Season 1, Episode 7:
Rosie Arnold
Episode coming soon!
This episode will be available soon.
Season 1, Episode 8:
Lucy Hudson
Episode coming soon!
This episode will be available soon.
