Analiza: Welcome to the Women of Color Rise podcast. I'm Analiza Quiroz Wolf, proud Filipino-American executive leadership coach and former CEO of a nonprofit and Captain in the U.S. Air Force. I'm also the author of The Myth of Success: A Woman of Color's Guide to Leadership. It's based on the lessons learned by many women of color leaders, including those on this podcast. We talk with successful CEOs and C-suite women leaders of color and learn about their leadership journeys. I'm on a mission to support having more diverse leaders at the table. If you're a woman or a woman of color who wants to sit at that table, you're in the right place. Now let's get into today's show.

Everyone, I am so excited to be with Jana Reed today. Jana is the COO for the Nonprofit Finance Fund. She has so much experience. Before that, she was the COO of iMentor, and before that she would. She's done so many things like co-founded Ascend Learning. It's a network of schools in Brooklyn. She served as the chief of schools at Citizens of the World Charter Schools. It's a national network. She's got so much experience, and Jana also is a graduate of Simmons University and the Harvard Kennedy School. She serves on many boards, including the Board of Explorer Charter Schools, and she's a proud member, our shared membership of the APIA Education Leaders. I'm so thrilled, Jana, for you to be here. Thank you for joining.

Jana: Thank you, Analiza. It's great to be here.

Analiza: So Jana, let's start with identity. How do you identify and how has that shaped your career?

Jana: Oh, yes. I identify as a Korean American adoptee. And it's interesting. And how has it shaped my career? I have a twin sister, so it is interesting that we were able to grow up together.But I think the other element of my identity is that we also grew up in poverty. We were adopted, we were nine months old into a very large family. Once we were adopted, there were nine kids in the family and we grew up in New Hampshire.

Analiza: Yeah, so you also mentioned that you didn't have a lot of money. And there were nine kids. I wasn't expecting that either. So what was that dynamic like?

Jana: It's hard when you look back it's hard to put all the pieces together. I can tell you that it was really challenging. It was really challenging. My parents divorced when I was quite young, and so by then the older siblings had already moved out of the house and so there were four of us that were living at home with my mom.

Analiza: Yeah, so there maybe was a spark. You have had an entire career of service. So I'm curious, did any of your upbringing shape that drive to education or service?

Jana: I started in politics and then transitioned to the private sector in an education for-profit education startup, and then to nonprofit education or public service.I think as I look back over my career, I think that there's definitely a through line around kind of the roles I've had and the choices that I've made. I'm always attracted to these big, tough roles where we're working really hard to disrupt systems, to bring change forward, move the systems and the processes and the support for people to live choice-filled lives.

Analiza: When you think about being Korean, having these origins of having a twin sister, was your family, did they share that identity or were they of a different identity?

Jana: Yeah, no, they did not share that identity and I really didn't connect with being Korean until I got too much, much older. And part of that was definitely because the family who I loved were not Korean. And also part of it was probably not. Unfamiliar, but this idea that I needed to identify outside of who I was in order to be accepted. And so I really didn't explore things related to Korean culture or any of that, or even really talk about being Korean.In fact, I spent a lot of my time trying to prove and show that I was the least Korean I could be. And it's really only more recently in my career that I've really started to explore the other parts of my identity.

Analiza: Has there been something that has brought your curiosity to it or what's brought it to the surface for you?

Jana: You know what's been really meaningful and touching has been the APIA K12 leaders group that we're in, we all do this really important work and is there community amongst us? Can we all come together in support of one another, but also in pursuit of this work we're doing on behalf of our students? And it was just, it was so powerful. It was so great. And I think that that was one of the more meaningful experiences I've had recently. I think the other piece is that my sister, my twin sister, had a daughter. Who is biracial although we like to say she's only Korean, no offense to my brother-in-law. And that's also been really interesting. Like when you start to see a young person, you start to think about oh wait, and I start to, you start to see yourself in them and you also start to explore and think about what's gonna be important to them as they're navigating their identity.

Analiza: So let's continue on with your career. So you have had so many roles and have had impact and you've shared that it's been about taking on tough problems, trying to see how you can disrupt. And I'm curious when you think about leadership today versus leadership before, 'cause you've been in the sector for a bit. What, what's coming to mind for you about, oh it's changed.

Jana: It used to be that the leadership competency that I thought about a lot and I drove toward was this sort of I'm going to work really hard and I'm gonna set a really good example for how I want other people to work as well. So when I'm in my first C-Suite role, I distinctly remember I'm just gonna work really hard and I'm gonna be a really good example for everybody in this organization.And this is nonsense. I'm just gonna work like it. It doesn't work. It doesn't see the humanity in other people. It doesn't see the humanity in me, right? Like you might reach all the goals, but the path they're getting there. It doesn't seem quite right and now we don't do that or we shouldn't be doing that anymore. And now there are more spaces and there's more, there are more elements of leadership that really press us to think about and see humanity in one another and also reach goals. And I just, I think about that all the time. I think about how people really need different things from their leaders than what we were willing to give before.

Analiza: So Jana, as someone who thinks deeply about culture, I know that you thought about your own organization's culture and how do we support our people? Especially when we've gone through things like COVID and being able to give them the different things they need, but also be a unifying organization that is still work, right? We can't be all things all the time. How have you thought about culture and your role in shaping that culture?

Jana: I'm a COO, so not surprisingly, I want there to be a lot of frameworks and a lot of like processes. I want there to be a lot of, like me, and I say that jokingly, but I actually think it's really important. We set out with something that people can look at and understand even as they practice and even as it gets messy. But then we have to have a starting place that people can adhere to or look at and touch and feel. And so I do think that it's important as we think about culture, that there be some values, some operating agreements and things that kind of bring us together. And then I think that can you say the

Analiza: question one more time? Yeah. As a leader, and I know you're a COO, so there's, I love the frameworks. Yeah. How do you think about culture and supporting your people who want different things from an organization? Yeah. How do you support them with, yes, we can help you grow here, and also there's gotta be some frameworks to help provide some structure.

Jana: When we think about culture, again, I think we start with those. Values alignment. We move into operating agreements, but we keep those loose and flexible enough so that people can move in and out of them as they're doing their work and as they think about those things, community, my own professional development and my work outcomes, and that all of those things are there for me to flex in and out of as I am navigating the workplace.

Analiza: For you, Jana, as you've been working hard, you've gotten your C-Suite role and you've realized, okay, this is not the way. How have you been so successful? If I were to wanna follow in your footsteps to say, I too wanna have a big seat at the table. What is one power move or leadership practice that has helped you be so successful that you could share?

Jana: I think the thing that I've learned along the way that has been really important. Has been one to clearly name when I'm wrong. And that's hard because we're told, no, put yourself out there. Don't be afraid. Keep going. Be boastful. Do this, do that. And it's really important to know when to say that you're wrong. And it's also really important to know when to ask for help. And those are really hard and have really served me well. I think the other piece, and this is a piece that is also something that I practice with every day. In fact, just today I had to really think about this, which is as you're, when you're in a leadership role. People need a lot of things from you and you need to share a lot of information and a lot of vision and a lot of strategy with other people. And it just comes with the gig, right? But something I've learned along the way is the importance of making room for other people in that work.And it's not just the transaction of, I'll set the vision and we'll set a strategy and now you're gonna go and do it, or we're gonna do it together. But to really invite people into the space of co-creation right from the beginning, it's so important. And linking back to those things that I was sharing around I really think we have to think about community and people's professional development as well as outcomes for the organization. Folks need to be involved early in the conversation around how you're doing all of those elements.

Analiza: It's so nice to hear you say that because often we wanna go it alone, right? We want to show people we're strong, we don't need help. And so we do these work products by ourselves, and then we're surprised when they just land flat. So it's a wise move and yes, you're successful and that you've had so much impact, Jana. There has been a transformation that actually the more that I can invite others and to show, Hey, I need you. It can't only be me. It's actually even more to that. To that point you had said earlier, is my intent matching my impact?You can actually better match. Your intent when you invite others. So that's huge. Was there a moment when you realized, actually I have to invite people now early and Yes. It's not just senior people, but it's everyone. Yeah. So was there a turning point for you that really helped to crystallize that I leadership needs to look this way instead of being just me.

Jana: It's not that there's a moment, but there's a lot of feedback that I get around yeah, but are we really part of that? Or, yeah, but did you really make that decision? Or, and then even worse is when the feedback is, what if I disappoint you? Like that, just like that, when I hear that my heart breaks, I like to get sweaty. I'm like no. It's not about that. It's about your growth and development. It's about the work for the organization. But it's that dynamic of people not feeling like they're brought in and they're working alongside you as you're making these co as you're co-creating.

Analiza: It's so important to hear now because I hear.If you want to have, what is that? That saying, if you wanna go fast, go alone. If you wanna go far, go together. And it truly is such a good example of we need to bring people in and there's gonna be some wild comments we had not anticipated, and yet those need to be considered as well. So I love this so much, Janna. Okay. With all this said, are you ready for lightning round questions?

Jana: Oh, I'm so excited. Yes.

Analiza: Okay. First question, chocolate or vanilla?

Jana: Chocolate.

Analiza: Cooking or takeout ?

Jana: Cooking.

Analiza: Climb a mountain or jump from a plane?

Jana: Oh, definitely climb a mountain.

Analiza: Have you ever worn socks with sandals?

Jana: Oh, in public, no, I wouldn't do it, but I feel like I've jumped that.I think that's for younger people Now,

Analiza: How would you rate your karaoke skills on a scale of one to 10, 10 being Mariah Carey?

Jana: I can't. It is mortifying. I am like negative 10.

Analiza: What's a recent book you read?

Jana: Oh, okay. This is embarrassing to admit. Maybe not embarrassing. I spent a long weekend with my niece and I really wanted to understand what she likes to read because we watched shows together and we played games, but I wanted to, so she was, she could not put down this series called The Inheritance Games.Have you heard of these? They're great. They're like for 12 year olds, 8-year-olds, something like that. Anyway, I read the whole series during a long weekend with her.

Analiza: What's your favorite way to practice self-care?

Jana: Oh, going to dance performances. Definitely. Definitely. Especially contemporary dance.

Analiza: What advice would you give your younger self?

Jana: It would be something around forgiveness, forgive yourself. I and then probably also. I would say to my younger self you're gonna be okay. It's gonna be all right. Yeah.

Analiza: And then where can we find you? LinkedIn, anywhere else?

Jana: Oh, Instagram, Jana l Reed.I think I have an X account, but I don't really use it.

Analiza: Wonderful. And then the last question is any parting thoughts, recommendations, or final asks to share?

Jana: I think everybody should go and experience art. It is just, it's so beautiful. Go to a museum, go see a dance performance, go hear a great piece of music. It's just that we need more art in our lives.

Analiza: Wonderful. Thank you so much, Jana. This has been great. Thank you so much for carving out time to hear today's podcast. 3 things before you go. First, if you found it helpful, please leave a five star review. Second, you can get a free chapter of my book, The Myth of Success: A Woman of Color's Guide to Leadership at analizawolf.com/freechapter. And lastly, if you're interested in executive coaching, please reach out to me at analiza@analizawolf.com. Thank you so very much