Pride On Brand Podcast Collection

celebrate PRIDE!

Pride is a celebration of visibility, courage, and the power of living authentically. It is also a reminder that every person has a story, a voice, and a brand that deserves to be seen, heard, and valued.

The Pride On Brand collection brings together inspiring conversations with LGBTQ+ leaders, executives, creatives, advocates, and changemakers who are leading with authenticity and impact. Through their personal stories and career journeys, these guests show us that what makes us different can also be what makes us powerful.

Hosted by Jayzen Patria, the Lead With Your Brand podcast explores how exceptional leaders build careers with purpose, presence, and intention. In this special collection, Jayzen amplifies LGBTQ+ voices across business, media, entertainment, advocacy, government, and beyond.

Whether you are listening on your own, sharing these episodes with your team, or using them as a virtual podcast club for your Employee Resource Group with our free discussion guide created in partnership with Out & Equal Workplace Advocates, we invite you to celebrate Pride by reflecting on the stories that shape us and the brands we choose to lead with every day.

Listen to the Pride On Brand collection and be inspired to show up, stand out, and lead with your brand.

How to Celebrate Pride On Brand! : A Special Collection of LGBTQ+ Executive Conversations

In this special Pride Month episode of the Lead With Your Brand Podcast, Jayzen celebrates and amplifies the voices of LGBTQ+ leaders, executives, creatives, advocates, and changemakers from the Pride On Brand collection.

But before diving into these powerful conversations, Jayzen opens with an important reminder: you have a brand, whether you realize it or not. The real question is whether you are consciously and strategically leading with the brand you want, or are you allowing others to define it for you? Jayzen shares a personal story from early in his career, when he realized that others were assigning a brand to him based on only one part of who he was. At first, it felt light and fun. But over time, he began to understand that the perception being created was not necessarily the brand that would help him move into the next level of leadership. It became a powerful “aha” moment: when you do not put your own brand forward, people will create one for you.

This episode brings that lesson to life through a powerful Pride Month clip reel featuring LGBTQ+ leaders who have turned their identities, lived experiences, values, and visibility into sources of strength, impact, and career breakthrough.

Matt Brooks, VP and Head of Enterprise Data and Technology Solutions, Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company

With over 20 years of experience in leading data and analytics teams, Matt is a trailblazing Technology Executive at Nationwide, where he drives digital transformation across the enterprise. Matt has led teams across technology, learning and development and audit in three different mega corporations spanning the energy, aerospace, digital, financial services, and insurance industries. Matt is highly adaptable and can make strategic connections across domains in a way that inspires and motivates his business and tech partners. His personal mission is to build technology solutions powered by data to better the lives of clients, especially in their times of greatest need.

Matt is a technical trailblazer and talent maximizer. He brings the best out in teams and colleagues using his dynamic energy and infectious, problem-solving mindset. He’s strategic, but also a maverick, ready to try new solutions that nobody has successfully tried before.

Dave Karger, TCM Host & Author

Dave is an award-winning television host, interviewer, and entertainment commentator. Since 2018 he’s been a host on Turner Classic Movies, where he introduces classic films and conducts interviews with stars and filmmakers of the past and present. He has also made over 200 live appearances on NBC’s Today show over the past 25 years. He has been called “this generation’s mass-media cinematic ambassador” by The Wrap and a “beloved entertainment guru” by The Hollywood Reporter. His first book, “50 Oscar Nights,” from TCM and Running Press, was published in 2024. His second book, “50 Movie Nights: Your Favorite Stars’ Favorite Classic Films,” will be released in 2026. In 2015 Dave received the Publicists Guild Press Award honoring the year’s outstanding entertainment journalist. In 2014 he was named one of OUT Magazine’s “OUT 100,” acknowledging the most influential people in the LGBTQ+ community.

Bob Gurr, Legendary Disney Imagineer

Originally trained as an industrial designer with a love of cars, mechanics, and motion, Bob’s career changed forever when Walt Disney invited him to help build Disneyland. What began as a small assignment quickly evolved into a defining role in theme park history.

As Bob famously says, “If it moves on wheels at Disneyland, I probably designed it.”

Bob is the creative force behind iconic attractions including Autopia, the Disneyland Monorail, Matterhorn Bobsleds, and the Haunted Mansion Doom Buggies. He completed 100+ projects directly for Walt Disney, becoming known for fearlessness, curiosity, and saying yes to challenges others avoided.

After Disney, Bob went on to design 150+ major projects worldwide. Now 94 years young, he remains an active speaker, creator, and cultural icon.

Brett Lemick, Creative Studio Manager, Ryanair

Brett is a creative executive and media strategist who has built a remarkable career helping global brands tell stories that engage, entertain, and inspire. Based at Ryanair’s Dublin headquarters, Brett leads the airline’s in-house video and design studio, shaping the creative identity of Europe’s largest airline group. With more than 15 years of experience spanning entertainment, digital media, and corporate storytelling, Brett’s career includes leadership roles at Disney, Snap, and Rainbow Media Company, as well as collaborations with Netflix, Hulu, and Paramount. His journey from YouTuber to Disney Channel producer to Ryanair creative leader reflects a career defined by adaptability, storytelling, and authenticity.

Janella Lacson, Producer, Las Vegas Raiders

Producer, director, writer, editor - Janella Lacson is a sports creative who does it all. With an extensive background in directing for commercials and film, Janella’s passion for storytelling never wavered, growing up in Los Angeles and while attending college at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Janella has won 7 regional Emmys for her work at the Las Vegas Raiders for her work as a producer and editor. Aside from her work, Janella enjoys spending time with her wife and 2 cats, baking sourdough, and cooking. 

Christel S. Miller, Head of Scripted Hybrid, Amazon MGM Studios

Christel has been responsible for and worked on some of the top shows on television that we all know and love, including Jury Duty, Superstore, Dexter and the upcoming Cruel Intentions series on Amazon Prime. Starting her career in the medical profession, she realized that she’d rather tell the stories of working in a hospital instead of actually doing so and quickly shifted gears. She has an incredible career story to share with fantastic advice we all can appreciate.

Tay & Val, Co-Founders, Modern Mind Labs

After both having careers in media and production, Tay & Val embarked on a two-and-a-half-year bike tour that took them across three continents and twelve countries simply to ask people one question, “what is your dream?”  Armed with the inspiration to build their dream, they went on to found Modern Mind Labs, a global practice to create and implement wellness-based, EDI-informed, and culture-coherent leadership and team development initiatives.

Javier Constante, President, Dow Brasil & América Latina

Javier Constante has been President of Dow in Brazil and Latin America since late 2019. In this role, he is responsible for developing and overseeing Dow’s regional strategy and financial performance in the region. As an out senior executive at a global company, Javier stands as an advocate and role model for bringing your full, authentic self to work.  A true inspiration with an amazing career story!

Brooke Sopelsa, NBC Out Editorial Director, NBC News

Brooke Sopelsa is the editorial director of NBC Out, the LGBTQ digital destination launched by NBC News in June 2016. Under Brooke’s leadership, nbcout.com seeks to both enlighten and entertain by showcasing enterprise reporting, original videos and other unique content about and of interest to the LGBTQ community.

Beck Bailey, Managing Director Global Chief Diversity Officer, Accenture

Beck Bailey is the Global Chief Diversity Officer for Accenture, responsible for building a culture of equality in the workplace for over 740,000 people in 49 countries. Beck leads a global team that is dedicated to ensuring all of Accenture’s people feel they belong and can thrive. His leadership also sets the firm’s Inclusion & Diversity (I&D) strategy and enables stakeholders to embed inclusive practices in all aspects of the organization to deliver 360 Value for our clients and enable business results.

Stephen Macias, President Multicultural Marketing & Communications, R&CPMK, Head of Inclusive Diversity, OSEN Worldwide

In his role, Macias leads R&CPMK’s Multicultural Marketing & Communications division, focused on creating and executing communications initiatives, marketing partnerships, and programs that further connect the agency’s high-profile brand and talent clients to consumers and organizations in the LGBTQ+ community, communities of color, and female driven initiatives. Additionally, Macias helps drive DE&I strategy, campaigns, and efforts for Octagon’s global collection of athlete, personality, and brand clients.

Sarah Kate Ellis : President and CEO, GLAAD

As President and CEO of GLAAD, Sarah Kate and her team’s work is focused on LGBTQ advocacy and cultural change. GLAAD works to ensure fair, accurate, and inclusive representation and creates national and local programs that advance LGBTQ acceptance.  Sarah Kate has an incredible career story to share, having worked in the magazine industry for many years before taking the helm at GLAAD.

Carlos Zapata, News Anchor/Reporter, Noticias Telemundo Texas

Carlos has had an incredible career as a reporter and anchor for several television stations. Starting his career at a small newspaper in Ecuador while still in college, rising to one of the top hispanic language stations in the country. Early in his career, he focused his efforts on meeting the super connectors in his industry and building key relationships, ultimately leading to opportunity.

Vicky Pasche, Co-founder + CEO : Charisse Pasche, Co-founder + COO : Dapper Boi

Vicky and Charisse Pasche, co-founders of Dapper Boi, a gender-welcoming, everyday clothing line with smart, down-to-earth vibes for people of all body types. With an industry-disrupting commitment to inclusion, affirmation, and quality, their celebrated clothing business went from a crowdfunded passion project to a seven-figure company in five years.

Chris Mossiah (They/Them), Executive Director – Consumer & Community Banking, JP Morgan

Chris, based in New York City, is an area product manager for a design system within the Consumer & Community Banking Department. They are also the Co-Chair of the Firmwide GEC (Gender Expansive Council) as well as co-lead for the Transgender, Gender Nonconforming, and Non-binary subcommittee of PRIDE Tri-State BRG. Chris has worked for JP Morgan for over 5 years while being a member of the Pride leadership team for over 4 years. Chris also serves on the TNI (Transgender, Non-binary, and Intersex) subcommittee of Open Finance (a forum that unites LGBTQ leaders of major financial services organizations across the NY metro area).

Cece Asuncion, Director of Scouting and Development, Slay Model Management

Cece Asuncion is an out and proud gay Filipino business owner, producer and director, based in Los Angeles, CA. He is a pioneer in the modeling industry, as the founder and Director of Scouting and Development for Slay Model Management, the world’s only all trans modeling agency. His journey in the entertainment industry began when he directed and produced What’s The T?, which followed the lives of five transgender women from New York and San Francisco.