Women in the White House
What can we do to unite our country in the midst of ongoing divisiveness?
Johanna Maska, host of Pod is a Woman, CEO of Global Situation Room and former White House Director of Press Advance for President Barack Obama, discusses how bringing people together who don't agree, getting involved at the local level, and not backing down from tough conversations are the keys to creating a more connected, inclusive community.
Want to hear more from Courtney and her incredible guests? Find all Dare to Interrupt episodes here.
About our Guest Johanna Maska:
Johanna Maska, host of Pod is a Woman and the CEO of Global Situation Room. Maska served as media advisor to President Barack Obama for 8 years from the beginning of the Iowa caucuses in 2007.
As White House Director of Press Advance Maska traveled with President Obama to 42 countries, almost every US State and to dozens of summits, handling his media engagements around the world. Maska orchestrated President Obama's global image.
At the White House she led planning for multinational engagements, balancing various international press interests with the needs for leaders across the globe to ultimately get the stories for her principal. Maska led planning for the US-hosted APEC Summit, NATO Summit, G8 Summit and was consulted by other governments as they planned their multinational arrangements.
Maska directly oversaw teams working to build the President’s engagements around the world, working with the White House Press Secretary, Communications Director and National Security Council staff. She would travel with the President to put the final touches on the images that history would capture.
Maska played an integral role in both of the elections of President Obama and in the administration. In 2015, Maska moved to Los Angeles, CA., with her young son and husband. She joined fellow Obama Alumni Alejandra Campoverdi and Darienne Page to launch Pod is a Woman and works with former National Security Council Official Brett Bruen at their firm, Global Situation Room.
Connect with Johanna:
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About our host Courtney Stanley:
Courtney is a keynote speaker, writer, podcaster and career success coach with a background in experience design, community engagement and leadership development. Courtney is the host of Meetings Today’s “Dare to Interrupt,” a podcast that provides a platform for the event, hospitality and tourism industry’s most influential and successful women to share their stories of adversity and success, unfiltered.
Courtney believes that transforming past experiences into impactful conversations through raw, authentic storytelling challenges the status quo, connects people from all walks of life and results in great change for the world.
- Courtney is the youngest member to have ever been elected to Meeting Professionals International’s (MPI) International Board of Directors
- She is the recipient of Smart Meetings’ Entrepreneur Award, MeetingsNet’s Changemaker Award, the Association for Women in Events (AWE) Disruptor Award, the MPI Chairman’s Award and MPI RISE Award.
- Named Collaborate and Connect Magazine’s 40 under 40 and a Meetings Today Trendsetter.
- Recognized as one of the event industry’s most impactful change-makers.
- Serves on the Events Industry Sexual Harassment Task Force, AWE’s Board of Directors, MPI’s Women’s Advisory Board, is a Meetings Mean Business Ambassador and is the co-founder of the award-winning movement, #MeetingsToo.
How to connect with Courtney:
- Instagram: @courtneyonstage
- Twitter: @courtneyonstage
- Facebook: courtneyonstage
- Courtney-Stanley.com
