COMING SOON - Episode 5: Curiosity & The Courage to Begin with Suzanne Ehlers and Johanna Derlega
This is an episode about living and leading with integrity, the power of spaciousness, and the courage to put the first draft out there — on the page, in the world, and in our lives.
My guests are Suzanne Ehlers, CEO of USA for UNHCR (the UN refugee agency), and Johanna Derlega, an executive coach, yoga teacher, and founder at Beech Strategies, a revenue strategy consultancy. I met Suzanne through a mutual friend, and she became a truly beloved client whose masterful, humane, transparent nonprofit leadership inspires me deeply. I met Johanna at a job interview where I admitted I didn’t really want the job (!), a testament to her ability to see the truth about people (and to our chemistry).
Together, we explore how curiosity fuels good leadership, how competence breeds confidence, and why giving people (and ourselves) the space to try, fail, and “draft” again is essential in both work and life. We talk about parenting as a mirror for leadership, redefining competence with compassion, and making peace with boredom, discomfort, and imperfection.
There may or may not be a story about mushrooms.
What we talk about
How curiosity shapes leadership and creativity
The connection between confidence and competence
Redefining what it means to be “competent” in a post–hustle culture
Teaching ownership and responsibility through parenting and community
Why boredom matters — and what it reveals about energy and self-awareness
Embracing the “draft” as an act of courage and integrity
Balancing agency with surrender and the art of sitting in discomfort
“Making the red”: the power of slowing down and disrupting old patterns
Finding joy and meaning even in pain and uncertainty
Mentioned in the episode
About Suzanne Ehlers
Connect with Suzanne on LinkedIn . Listen to her podcast, Not Really Strangers, and learn about the organization she leads, USA for UNHCR.
Suzanne Ehlers
Suzanne Ehlers is the CEO of , where she leads a national team mobilizing support for refugees and amplifying their voices across the U.S. A strategic nonprofit leader with over 25 years of experience, Suzanne has led organizations through transformation and growth, including serving as CEO of Malala Fund and the reproductive rights organization PAI. Her leadership is grounded in integrity, curiosity, and a deep belief in the power of people and stories to create change.
A former Peace Corps volunteer in the Central African Republic, she brings a global perspective, a collaborative spirit, and a commitment to ethical, story-driven fundraising. Suzanne serves on the board of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, is a Cornell University alum, and lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband, two daughters, and their dog, Bean.
Suzanne dedicates her “Give a Damn” shout-out to Food Justice DMV.
About Johanna
Connect with Johanna on LinkedIn and learn about her company, Beech Strategies.
Johanna Derlega
Johanna Derlega spent over 20 years growing and leading Beltway media companies—including as SVP at National Journal and publisher at The Hill—through advertising, events, content and new product development. In 2018 she started a media consultancy focused on revenue strategy, but couldn't pass up the opportunity to join The 19th, a nonprofit news startup in 2020 as the founding chief revenue officer. During her tenure there, she completed the Executive Coaching Program at American University in 2022 and the Sulzberger Executive Leadership Program at Columbia University in 2023. In January 2024, she launched Beech Strategies, a company focused on revenue strategy consulting, building healthy internal teams for sustainable growth and leadership coaching. Johanna lives in Washington, DC with her two teenage kids, two dogs and chef husband.
