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.…
A podcast from the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education spotlighting the good work happening across Georgia's education landscape through local, community-driven initiatives.
A podcast from the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education spotlighting the good work happening across Georgia's education landscape through local, community-driven initiatives.
In episode 32 of Field Notes , Kathleen Da Silva of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education sits down with Andrea Collins and Esther-Marie Lawrence of the Thomasville-Thomas County Chamber of Commerce to discuss how they worked with the Georgia Partnership to launch a birth-to-workforce scan of Thomasville and Thomas County to increase economic development, decrease generational poverty, and support a strong workforce in the community.…
On the heels of episode 30, we're excited to feature our first Field Notes "After Show" with Kathleen Da Silva and Matt Smith of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education. Tune in to hear Kathleen and Matt dig into Issue #5, Career Pathways, in the 2024 Top Ten Issues to Watch report and explore how Albany Technical College and Phoebe Putney Health System are successfully aligning education with workforce needs.…
In episode 30 of Field Notes , Kathleen Da Silva of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education sits down with Lisa Stephens (Albany Technical College) and Dr. Tracy Suber (Phoebe Putney Health System) to discuss how their respective organizations have partnered to address the nursing shortage in southwest Georgia.…
In episode 29 of Field Notes , Kathleen Da Silva of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education sits down with women's health professional, Dr. Keisha Callins, MD, MPH to discuss her perspectives on the intersection of medicine and literacy in rural communities, her support of early literacy as a board member for the Sandra Dunagan Deal Center for Early Language and Literacy , and her commitment to developing the next generation of rural healthcare providers.…
In episode 28 of Field Notes , the Georgia Partnership officially says farewell to its inaugural host, Merrill Kemp-Wilcox and welcomes new host and recently-hired Rural Engagement Manager, Kathleen Da Silva. Appropriately, Merrill and Kathleen discuss Merrill's transition from Atlanta, Georgia to Tucson, Arizona; Kathleen's journey from Fulton County Schools to the Georgia Partnership; and the beauty and charm of rural Georgia.…
In episode 27 of Field Notes, and part three of our "Kindergarten Readiness" series, Merrill Wilcox of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, catches up with Dr. Michelle Taylor, Superintendent of Calhoun City Schools, to discuss the district's efforts to kick off the "Jacket Journey" in their students' earliest years of learning.…
In episode 26 of Field Notes, and part two of our "Kindergarten Readiness" series, Merrill Wilcox of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, chats with Kim Holland, Director of Early Learning and School Readiness for Gwinnett County Public Schools about their Building Babies' Brains program, which ensures local parents have the tools they need to help grow their child’s brain. Learn more here: https://buildingbabiesbrains.com/…
In episode 25 of Field Notes, and part one of our "Kindergarten Readiness" series, Merrill Wilcox of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, chats with Rachel Schory, Project Manager with the Heard County Community Partnership about their Baby Braves program. Launched in 2016, the program aims to increase access to books for children ages 0-3 and help parents support their children’s literacy skills and prepare them for high school graduation and beyond.…
In episode 24 of Field Notes, Merrill Wilcox, Director of Outreach & Engagement at the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, chats with Melissa Dark, President and CEO of the Fitzgerald-Ben Hill County Chamber of Commerce about their Georgia FLEX initiative. Through a collaboration of the Fitzgerald High School College and Career Academy, Fitzgerald-Ben Hill County Chamber of Commerce and Fitzgerald and Ben Hill County Development Authority, the Fitzgerald Leadership & Entrepreneur X-perience, or FLEX, was created with one goal in mind – to spark an entrepreneurial spirit in the students of Fitzgerald-Ben Hill County.…
In episode 23 of Field Notes, Merrill Wilcox, Director of Outreach & Engagement at the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, chats with with Dr. Kirk Nooks, president of Gordon State College, about the challenges he and his institution have encountered in their recovery from the impacts of COVID-19 and how they're preparing not only their students, but also the college for the future.…
In episode 22 of Field Notes, Merrill Wilcox, Director of Outreach & Engagement at the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, connects with Drs. Mary Elizabeth Davis (Superintendent of Henry County Schools), Michael Duncan (Superintendent of Pike County Schools), and Dr. Keith Simmons (Superintendent of Griffin-Spalding County Schools) to discuss the challenges they face leading their districts in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and how they're using federal pandemic relief funds to tackle those challenges. NOTE: This conversation is an extension of a panel discussion facilitated during a Partnership event hosted November 2022. Watch the recording now!…
In episode 21 of Field Notes, Merrill Wilcox and Robert Gaines of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education connect with Cindy Kicklighter and Tamika Boone of the Georgia Department of Early Care & Learning (DECAL) to discuss the Happy Helpings summer food service program. Funded by the USDA and administered by the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, the program provides free, healthy meals and snacks to children under 19 who need them.…
In episode 20 of Field Notes , Merrill Wilcox and Robert Gaines of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education catch up with Dr. Dana Rickman, President of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence, to discuss her first year as president of the Partnership, the challenge of navigating the organization through socially and politically divided times, and what's included in the 2022 edition of the Top Ten Issues to Watch Report .…
In episode 19 of Field Notes, Merrill Wilcox and Robert Gaines of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education connect with Dr. Veronica Womack, Executive Director of Georgia College's Rural Studies Institute , to discuss the Institute's efforts to promote and support rural communities in the areas of Health, Education, Economic Opportunity and the Environment.…
In episode 18 of Field Notes, Merrill Wilcox and Robert Gaines of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education connect with Paige Pushkin, Executive Director of the Georgia Foundation for Public Education (GFPE), to discuss the overwhelming educational needs in rural Georgia and how GFPE's Rural Education Fund is addressing those needs by "providing traditional public schools, charter schools, and school districts located in counties with 35,000 or fewer residents up to $10,000 to use however they wish to drive student outcomes."…
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