In Part 2, Kathleen turns the conversation to the crucial topic of building outstanding teams and knowing when to part ways compassionately. Drawing from her decades of executive leadership experience, Paula offers her insights on having those difficult but necessary conversations when an employee is no longer the right fit, advocating for open and honest dialogue rooted in empathy. The discussion then shifts to the major challenges Paula and her team at Susan G. Komen are tackling head-on in their mission to end breast cancer, with Paula candidly addressing the current headwinds, barriers, and innovative strategies to overcome them.

About Paula Schneider:  As President & CEO of Susan G. Komen, she is responsible for day-to- day operations, strategic direction, and is accountable for the world’s largest breast cancer organization with over $3.5 billion in investments in breast cancer research, advocacy and patient support to date.During her tenure, Paula led Komen through an enterprise-wide restructuring, transforming Komen’s national network of independent local affiliate organizations into a single, united entity, leveraging shared operational functions while maintaining local development and mission teams across the country. Under her leadership, Komen today serves as a trusted health care guide, providing millions of people with safe, accurate, evidence-based information and education—as well as direct patient support services including financial assistance, patient navigation, emotional support and resources. Komen also remains focused on accelerating breakthroughs for the most aggressive and deadly breast cancers, and eliminating breast cancer disparities through focused interventions that break down the barriers for Black people across the U.S.Schneider is widely regarded as a business expert in organizational management and finance. Prior to Komen, she served as CEO of American Apparel, which was the largest vertically integrated clothing manufacturer in the U.S. with over 8,500 employees and 600 retail stores internationally. In this role, she navigated one of the most notable turnarounds in the retail sector, executing and emerging from prearranged Chapter 11 proceedings while burgeoning the brand’s importance. She previously served as president of the Warnaco Swimwear Group, the largest swimwear company in the world, with brands such as Speedo and Calvin Klein. As these were each public entities, her responsibilities comprised all facets of corporate governance and business oversight to include maximizing operational efficiencies, developing relevant marketing strategies and producing inspirational product offerings. Subsequently, Schneider became a senior advisor at the private equity firm, The Gores Group, where she created platform strategies for best-in-class operations and potential acquisitions. Schneider became the first female CEO in The Gores Group’s portfolio of companies. Schneider is a sought-after public speaker on impactful leadership and women’s health. She has been a featured speaker at such thought leadership events as Fortune’s Most Powerful Women, Yahoo! Finance, Women in Retail, Milken Institute and Dreamforce. She is currently a member and keynote speaker of C200, the preeminent global organization for the advancement of women business leaders. Paula also serves on the Bloomberg New Economy Forum’s International Cancer Coalition and is a member of Fast Company’s Impact Council.