In the newest episode of The Boss Ladies Podcast, Manasi and Sualeha sit down with Dr. Christine O’Connell, the Executive Director of Riley's Way Foundation, former marine and environmental science professor, and a leading expert in science communication, training thousands of scientists, professionals, and even Nobel Prize winners to communicate with clarity and empathy.
We kick off this episode by discussing Dr. O’Connell’s background in studying the natural sciences and eventually pursuing environmental policy at Green Corps, New York’s City Park Foundation, and the Parks 2001 campaign at Partnerships for Parks. Despite her impact in policy working in the backend of local and even early presidential campaigns, she speaks about her decision to venture back into academia after witnessing the friction between policymakers and their misunderstanding of the scientific world.
Dr. O’Connell then dives deeper into her work as a member of the founding team of Stony Brook University’s Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science where she worked with a wide range of students, world-renowned scientists, journalists, actors, and other expert communicators to develop and teach curriculum around empathetic communication.
Dr. O’Connell also touches upon her decision to leave the world of academia behind to lead Riley’s Way Foundation, which invests in and supports the next generation of kind leaders and changemakers. She speaks to the values of Riley’s Way and its origin story, sharing how the values of Riley’s Way have led to the organic development and expansion of their national programs.
Learn More: https://www.rileysway.org/