Melique Jones, Chief People Officer for the Lincoln Center, grew up with her mother and grandmother in Harlem. From an early age, her family set the expectation that she would make a difference in the world. Despite falling in love with the arts and journalism during college, Melique chose to attend law school and has ultimately done more than she could have imagined with her JD. In this episode, Melique shares with Merle Vaughn her journey which started as a journalist, her DEI experience in big law, and how both prepared her for her current Lincoln Center position.

When Bob Major founded Major, Lindsey & Africa in 1982, he could not have envisioned what the organization would become and the impact it would have on the legal profession. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, Bob shares his extraordinary 40-year journey as one of the predominate influencers in the legal recruiting industry and how he did it as a proud openly gay man.

For Mark Zemelman, Kaiser Foundation’s recently retired GC, joining the legal department was a full circle experience—his father was one of the first physicians in the Southern California Permanente Medical Group, which is the KP medical group in Southern California. Mark shares with Merle Vaughn his self-directed career journey and how his cultural background has informed his unwavering commitment to diversity and inclusion.

In this episode of BS: Beyond Stereotypes, Dipti Singh, GC of Planned Parenthood Pasadena & San Gabriel Valley, shares with Merle Vaughn how she developed a passion for human rights work while in law school. Dipti walks us down her unique career path, which began in big law and has culminated in her position as a public interest lawyer fighting for equality and reproductive rights.

In this episode of BS: Beyond Stereotypes, George Fatheree, real estate partner at Sidley in Los Angeles, speaks with Merle Vaughn about leading the Bruce’s Beach case, the first land reparations granted to a Black American family and describes how it felt to have everything he had worked for in his life come together. George chats with Merle Vaughn about his humble beginnings in Chino, California, and the importance of intentionality, professional excellence, and authenticity throughout in his career.

Eli Albrecht, M&A attorney at Gibson Dunn, has been embraced on LinkedIn globally after sharing his epiphany to be authentic about his Orthodox Jewish culture in a professional setting. In this episode, Eli and Merle Vaughn discuss how he balances his love for practicing law with his commitment to his beloved wife, kids and family farm.

John Haney is an associate at Holland & Knight in their renowned Indian Law practice. As a member of the Seminole Indian tribe, John Haney has remained connected with Native American communities throughout his educational and professional journeys. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, he shares with Merle Vaughn stories of his rich heritage, discusses the inner workings of tribal structures and shares his advice on specializing in tribal law.

Dan Johnson, IP attorney and vintner, learned early in his career the importance and necessity of being comfortable in his own skin and embracing his authentic self to succeed. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, Dan talks to Merle Vaughn about attending Yale Law School (with the Clintons and Clarence Thomas), being the first Black partner at Cooley and owning Okapi Fine Wines in Napa Valley, CA.

For Aiko Bethea, a leadership development coach, being a leader and a DEI professional are one in the same. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, Aiko shares how being raised by a Japanese mother in a Black community gave her a unique perspective on the world and the influence racial identity has on power differentials. She shares her story, her passion and her perspective on relating to others with Merle Vaughn.

You may know Laurie Levenson as a legal commentator for several high-profile, televised criminal cases. While she uses her knowledge and passion for criminal law to educate the general public, Laurie can more often be found in the classroom at Loyola Law School educating future lawyers and running the Loyola Project for the Innocent. Growing up white in Inglewood, paired with other pivotal personal experiences, informs her empathy for others and her belief that we all need to look in the mirror and face our stereotypes. She shares her journey and her passion with Merle Vaughn in this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes.