Ep 36 - What would it look like if we sought out wildly different perspectives than our own with Kira O’Brien
Ep 36 - What would it look like if we sought out wildly different perspectives than our own with Kira O’Brien
Kira joins me in a very honest conversation rooted in community values, curiosity of understanding each other’s languages and how to shine light on those around us.
Kira and I share many of the same values and perspectives on the world and we have two very special things in common - both born and raised New Yorkers and we share the same birthday! I like to believe this is a ground for our ease in conversation flow and sharing to better help anyone that is listening or crosses our paths. Kira also brings up a hot topic of how to navigate networking and stepping away from the small talk. We workshop questions and get really real about what types of questions you can ask at your next working event to get to know someone on a deeper level instead of discussing the weather, the coffee or topics that not everyone can relate to.
About Kira
Dr. Kira O’Brien, LSW - New York Director & Chief Human Resources Officer
Bringing with her a passion for community, empowerment and education, Dr. Kira O'Brien is the NY Director and CHRO for Emma's Torch, a nonprofit social enterprise that focuses on refugee empowerment through culinary education.
Before joining Emma's Torch, Kira's career as a Social Worker spanned from welcoming newly arrived refugees at the International Rescue Committee to supporting undergraduates in social justice work at Princeton University. A recent from the Rutgers School of Social Work, Kira's doctoral research focused on the role of experiential education in empowerment: how learning through doing can shape who we are and how we see ourselves in the world. She can think of no better example for this than right in the kitchen at Emma's Torch.
In addition to her work at Emma's Torch, Kira teaches in the Rutgers School of Social Work masters program and serves on the board of Catalyst Kitchens. A Brooklyn native and Queens transplant, Kira spends most of her free time trying new foods, debating the characteristics of the perfect slice of pizza, reading science fiction and being bossed around by her cats, Yoda & Jonesy (from star wars and alien respectively).
You can also read more about what lights Kira’s up on her substack.
Download our "Networking with purpose" filled with questions you can ask at events or use as icebreakers in team meeting.
For more resources on leadership and eliminating the sticky energy from team culture, visit The School of Hospitality from Within.
