In today’s episode, host Mary Tess Rooney (she/her) turns the tables and interviews Shanti Joy Gold (she/her). Shanti shares more about her journey, including the early days of her relationship working at the same company with her now-wife - before there were societal shifts in LGBTQ+ acceptance. She discusses the tightrope of balancing her personal and professional life while experiencing the exhaustion and isolation of hiding her relationship in order to maintain a sense of professional safety. Mary Tess and Shanti also reflect on the first 10 episodes of the podcast, discussing key moments from the wide-ranging and deeply-personal stories shared by underrepresented guests and allies. Mary Tess and Shanti express gratitude for the vulnerability with which the guests have shared in order to use their stories in service of others - transforming the systemic challenges that marginalized people often face into opportunities for hope, healing, evolution, connection and empowerment.

Shanti Joy Gold is a professional coach, 30-year corporate warrior and member of the LGBTQIA+ community. She understands the unique challenges faced by those who feel like outsiders and, as an executive coach, helps underrepresented people confidently thrive in their careers by being fully themselves.

Mary Tess Rooney is a teacher, healer, professional coach, retreat leader, speaker and perpetual student. As a 25-year corporate warrior, her executive presence combined with her coaching and Shamanic Reiki healing gifts, uniquely qualifies her to empower others to share their Heart Value and align with what lights them up.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT 1:1 CAREER COACHING WITH SHANTI JOY GOLD, BOOK A COMPLIMENTARY DISCOVERY CALL HERE

Mary and I also discuss:

• Remembering the “do we want to keep going?” conversation that Shanti and her now-wife revisited throughout their early days as they assessed the career risks associated with their relationship
• Exploring the opportunity to ask deeper questions and share our stories more freely to foster deeper connection with people in our lives
• Explaining the experience of constantly “filtering” and “scanning” conversations / situations to engage with colleagues while trying to avoid suspicion - and the exhaustion of it all
• Sharing anecdotes about not “getting away with things” - and the humorous moments in Mary Tess’s and Shanti’s lives that offered this awareness

Thank you for listening! Be sure to tune in to all the episodes to receive insights about how to navigate your career as an outsider - and learn more about the impact of allyship. Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and find me below to share your key takeaways!

Learn more about Stories We Haven’t shared at https://storieswehaventshared.com

CONNECT WITH SHANTI JOY GOLD
LinkedIn
Instagram
Podcast Spotify playlist
Take the Free Thriving Assessment
Book a Free Discovery Call
Work with Shanti!

CONNECT WITH MARY TESS ROONEY
Buy Mary Tess’s Book
Listen to the True Stride Podcast
Work with Mary Tess!

In this episode, Brett D'Alessandro (he/him) shares his journey from active military service as a Marine in Afghanistan to founding Backpacks for Life - a nonprofit dedicated to supporting homeless and at-risk veterans. Drawing from his own difficult reintegration into civilian life after a tough deployment, Brett’s work with veterans is rooted in establishing trust and making them feel human again. He shares about his struggles with alcohol addiction - and how a chance encounter with a homeless veteran helped him find his purpose and open the door to recovery. He emphasizes that seeking help when struggling is a sign of strength, and shares a wide range of available therapeutic approaches. He expresses gratitude for the clarity, strength and resilience he gained from overcoming hardships, and how - while he’s still human - it has made him a better person in every aspect of his life.

Brett D’Alessandro is the Founder of Backpacks for Life, a nonprofit that supports homeless and at-risk veterans. He also owns Golden Door Dispensary, where he focuses on innovation and exceptional service in the cannabis industry. His career is shaped by a commitment to giving back and creating meaningful solutions for underserved communities.

Shanti Joy Gold is a professional coach, 30-year corporate warrior and member of the LGBTQIA+ community. She understands the unique challenges faced by those who feel like outsiders and, as an executive coach, helps underrepresented people confidently thrive in their careers by being fully themselves.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT 1:1 CAREER COACHING WITH SHANTI JOY GOLD, BOOK A COMPLIMENTARY DISCOVERY CALL HERE

Brett and I also discuss:

• Navigating the specific challenges he faced after returning home from war - “They train you how to go to Afghanistan and how to survive, but they don't tell you how to leave.”
• Discussing how words matter - and how communicating with kindness and empathy can change outcomes and create positive results
• Realizing that, at times, we can all become jaded in our work - and the importance of having the presence of mind to catch ourselves and reconnect to our purpose
• Connecting with other like-minded people is an important part of navigating through challenging times
• Understanding that success isn’t about perfection - it’s about the important lessons we can only learn when things don’t go as planned

Thank you for listening! Be sure to tune in to all the episodes to receive insights about how to navigate your career as an outsider - and learn more about the impact of allyship. Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and find me below to share your key takeaways!

Learn more about Stories We Haven’t shared at https://storieswehaventshared.com

CONNECT WITH BRETT D’ALESSANDRO
Backpacks for Life (BFL) - learn more or donate!
BFL on LinkedIn
BFL on Instagram
BFL on Facebook
BFL on X (Twitter)
ROGER - a resource website for NJ veterans

CONNECT WITH SHANTI JOY GOLD
LinkedIn
Instagram
Podcast Spotify playlist
Take the Free Thriving Assessment
Book a Free Discovery Call

In this episode, Ruth Rathblott (she/her) shares her story of finding the courage to reveal her limb difference after the exhaustion and loneliness of hiding it for 25 years. She reveals the deep relief that comes from vulnerably letting others in, embracing her true self - and experiencing the power of connection and community. She also emerges with a mission to help leaders transform cultures so their employees can unhide, thrive and belong. Ruth offers practical steps to catch the ways in which we each may be building walls in an attempt to fit in and avoid judgment - and the empowering choices we can make to emerge into our full truth and potential.

Ruth Rathblott is a disability specialist and inclusion expert who empowers leaders to foster an inclusive and diverse culture of unhiding in order to unleash untapped potential and ignite innovation. She is a bestselling author who has published two books, including this year’s “Unhide and Seek: Live Your Best Life. Do Your Best Work.” She is also a TEDx and inspirational speaker.

Shanti Joy Gold is a professional coach, 30-year corporate warrior and member of the LGBTQIA+ community. She understands the unique challenges faced by those who feel like outsiders and, as an executive coach, helps underrepresented people confidently thrive in their careers by being fully themselves.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT 1:1 CAREER COACHING WITH SHANTI JOY GOLD, BOOK A COMPLIMENTARY DISCOVERY CALL HERE

Ruth and I also discuss:

• Understanding the importance role leaders play in creating spaces for employees to feel safe to unhide - and the opportunity to model this behavior by being vulnerable and prioritizing connection
• Expanding the view of what we may be hiding - including neurodiversity, relationship status, financial situation, education level, trauma, family background, health, difficult family relationships and more….
• Looking at the ways that hiding limits our presence in the moment, leads other people to make assumptions about our behavior - and may create a limited view of our ability to make a contribution
• Examining the momentum of both hiding and unhiding

Thank you for listening! Check out all the episodes to receive insights about how to navigate your career as an outsider - and learn more about the impact of allyship. Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and find me below to share your key takeaways!

Learn more about Stories We Haven’t shared at https://storieswehaventshared.com

CONNECT WITH RUTH RATHBLOTT
Work with Ruth - speaking and consulting
Book - “Singlehandedly: Learning to Unhide and Embrace Connection”
Book - “Unhide and Seek: Live Your Best Life. Do Your Best Work”
TEDx - “When I Stopped Hiding, I Found Freedom”
LinkedIn
Instagram
X (Twitter)
YouTube

CONNECT WITH SHANTI JOY GOLD
LinkedIn
Instagram
Podcast Spotify playlist
Take the Free Thriving Assessment
Book a Free Discovery Call
Work with Shanti!