CFA: The Way Forward podcast

#Radio Free CSU #Podcasting Education

26:18

How do you know when it’s time to make your next big career move? With International Women’s Day around the corner, we are excited to feature Avni Patel Thompson, Founder and CEO of Milo. Avni is building technology that directly supports the often overlooked emotional and logistical labor that falls on parents—especially women. Milo is an AI assistant designed to help families manage that invisible load more efficiently. In this episode, Avni shares her journey from studying chemistry to holding leadership roles at global brands like Adidas and Starbucks, to launching her own ventures. She discusses how she approaches career transitions, the importance of unpleasant experiences, and why she’s focused on making everyday life easier for parents. [01:26] Avni's University Days and Early Career [04:36] Non-Linear Career Paths [05:16] Pursuing Steep Learning Curves [11:51] Entrepreneurship and Safety Nets [15:22] Lived Experiences and Milo [19:55] Avni’s In Her Ellement Moment [20:03] Reflections Links: Avni Patel Thompson on LinkedIn Suchi Srinivasan on LinkedIn Kamila Rakhimova on LinkedIn Ipsos report on the future of parenting About In Her Ellement: In Her Ellement highlights the women and allies leading the charge in digital, business, and technology innovation. Through engaging conversations, the podcast explores their journeys—celebrating successes and acknowledging the balance between work and family. Most importantly, it asks: when was the moment you realized you hadn’t just arrived—you were truly in your element? About The Hosts: Suchi Srinivasan is an expert in AI and digital transformation. Originally from India, her career includes roles at trailblazing organizations like Bell Labs and Microsoft. In 2011, she co-founded the Cleanweb Hackathon, a global initiative driving IT-powered climate solutions with over 10,000 members across 25+ countries. She also advises Women in Cloud, aiming to create $1B in economic opportunities for women entrepreneurs by 2030. Kamila Rakhimova is a fintech leader whose journey took her from Tajikistan to the U.S., where she built a career on her own terms. Leveraging her English proficiency and international relations expertise, she discovered the power of microfinance and moved to the U.S., eventually leading Amazon's Alexa Fund to support underrepresented founders. Subscribe to In Her Ellement on your podcast app of choice to hear meaningful conversations with women in digital, business, and technology.…

CFA: The Way Forward

Series home•Feed

The official podcast of the California Faculty Association. Your place for union news, insights and solidarity. More info: https://www.calfac.org/radio-free-csu

11 episodes

CFA: The Way Forward

updated about a year ago

Series home•Feed

The official podcast of the California Faculty Association. Your place for union news, insights and solidarity. More info: https://www.calfac.org/radio-free-csu

11 episodes

#Radio Free CSU #Podcasting Education

All episodes

CFA: The Way Forward

1
Episode 2: Basic Needs at CSU Long Beach 23:14

1 year ago23:14

23:14

Host Audrena Redmond is joined by Danielle Muñoz-Channel, Director of Basic Needs at CSU Long Beach. In this conversation on basic needs, Redmond and Muñoz-Channel discuss the challenges that college students face and encourage faculty, staff, and students to utilize and promote basic needs programs on CSU campuses.…

CFA: The Way Forward

1
Episode 1: Dismantling the “Carefree” College Student Narrative 15:40

1 year ago15:40

15:40

Angelmarie Taylor, Fourth Year Business Major at CSU Channel Islands, shares her lived experience of low-quality food and housing at CSU Channel Islands. The life of a college student is far from the carefree narrative presented in the media.

CFA: The Way Forward

1
CFA and COVID-19: The Onset of COVID-19 22:51

5 years ago22:51

22:51

In the first episode of this special series, Radio Free CSU examines the effects COVID-19 has had on faculty at California State University. Host Audrena Redmond sits down with CFA leaders as they discuss what happened in the CSU in the first month of physical distancing because of COVID-19, the issues and concerns of faculty that arose from campuses and how CFA’s work has changed.…

CFA: The Way Forward

1
Stronger Together: Episode 6 29:35

6 years ago29:35

29:35

In this episode, host Audrena Redmond and Dr. Derel Engen discuss the sixth Guiding Principle of CFA's Anti-Racism and Social Justice Transformation, which states that "We adopt changes in organizational values, policies, and practices consistent with principles of anti-racism and social justice."

CFA: The Way Forward

1
Stronger Together: A Special Episode with Charmaine Lawson 22:53

6 years ago22:53

22:53

In this special episode, Radio CFA CSU host Audrena Redmond talks with Charmaine Lawson, the mother of Humboldt State University student David Josiah Lawson, who was murdered near campus on April 15, 2017. To date, his homicide remains unsolved. In this discussion, Redmond and Charmaine Lawson discuss her son's journey as a student, and the need to better protect students of color in the CSU.…

CFA: The Way Forward

1
Stronger Together: Episode 5 14:48

7 years ago14:48

14:48

In Episode 5, host Audrena Redmond and CFA Activist Theresa Montaño discuss the need to have courageous conversations about racism and discrimination in order to transform our union.

CFA: The Way Forward

1
Stronger Together: Special Episode 18:50

7 years ago18:50

18:50

Radio Free CSU host Audrena Redmond is joined by Tinselyn Simms, communications coordinator for the SEIU Racial Justice Center, and Anika Fassia of Demos to discuss the Race-Class Narrative to Unite Working People.

CFA: The Way Forward

1
Stronger Together: Episode 4 20:36

7 years ago20:36

20:36

In this episode, Radio Free CSU Host Audrena Redmond and CFA Vice President Charles Toombs discuss the fourth Guiding Principle of CFA's Anti-Racism and Social Justice Transformation. As that principle states, "We acknowledge that we can be part of the solution by being intentionally committed to addressing it (racism)."…

CFA: The Way Forward

1
Stronger Together: Episode 3 22:22

7 years ago22:22

22:22

In this episode, Host Audrena Redmond talks to Kevin Wehr, CFA's Secretary and Bargaining Team Chair, about how CFA is part of the problem of racism, what CFA has done to improve, and what reception has been like amongst member leaders.

CFA: The Way Forward

1
Stronger Together: Episode 2 14:51

7 years ago14:51

14:51

In Episode 2, CSU San Marcos Professor and CFA Activist Sharon Elise talks about how the union intentionally centers Anti-Racism as part of its mission, what is racism, and why the union has taken on this goal. For more information, including a transcript of the episode, go to www.calfac.org/radio-free-csu…

CFA: The Way Forward

1
Stronger Together: Episode 1 19:36

7 years ago19:36