My _____ Story
A DEI Podcast
My____Story is a podcast that celebrates diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). It serves as a key pillar of the NIQ Me & You Series: a DEI learning series that aims to provide associates with a safe space to tell their stories & better understand the experiences of their colleagues. By sharing these stories with you, we can create a culture where open dialogue is encouraged, and associates are empowered to discuss important topics in a transparent, courageous manner.
Listen now
Join hosts Funda Kalemci and James Anderson as they sit down with guests Steve Dowse and Leanne Plumbe to discuss their experiences as NIQ fully integrates their Employee Resource Group (ERG) program.
A safe place to be
When we share our stories, we’re sharing more than our experiences – we’re sharing the events that shaped us, that challenged us, that gave us room to grow. We open doors for others to connect with us and see themselves in our similarities. What separates us is also what can bring us together.
Funda Kalemci
Funda is the Global Leader in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Well-being, and Corporate Citizenship. Funda is responsible for managing NielsenIQ’s global Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI), as well as our well-being strategy and NIQ’s corporate social responsibility programs. Funda has a thirteen-year tenure with NIQ working in a variety of roles. Funda also serves as an Advisory Board Member in the African Diversity and Inclusion Center and is NIQ’s partner ambassador of LEAD Network. Funda holds a professional certificate in teaching English to speakers of other languages. She is also a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach. Funda is married with two sons.
James Anderson
After a decade as an actor-about-town and another decade spent working as a civil servant, James returned to school and restarted his adult life as a marketing intern. Since minting his business credentials, he has worked in sales for property management and digital marketing in the travel industry. He is thrilled to have finally found a professional home at NielsenIQ as a CPG Senior Analyst, and to have joined the “pod people” on the My _____ Story podcast. In his spare time, he can be heard belting out show tunes and/or hunkering down with Julia Child and braising his way through Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
Episode 12
Join hosts Funda Kalemci and James Anderson as they sit down with guests Steve Dowse and Leanne Plumbe to discuss their experiences as NIQ fully integrates their Employee Resource Group (ERG) program.
Episode 11
Join hosts Funda Kalemci and James Anderson as they sit down with guests Daniela Montes de Oca, Dr. Binesh Jose, Lukas Koch, and Ryan Hart as they discuss our first People & Planet Day as a unified company.
Episode 10
Sit down with hosts Funda Kalemci and James Anderson as they talk with Lorena Diaz about bringing ideas to the table and adapting the way we work to accommodate those with disabilities.
Episode 9
Join hosts Funda Kalemci and James Anderson as they sit down with guest Daniel Perez to talk about the importance of personal branding.
Episode 8
Join hosts Funda Kalemci and James Anderson as they sit down with special guest Luciana Morelli to hear her career story that is full of twists and turns.
Episode 7
Join hosts James Anderson and Funda Kalemci as they sit down with guest Krystal Dawson to hear her story about the importance of optimism.
Episode 6
Join hosts James and Myriam as they sit down with guests Lidija Tisljar & Meriem El Youssofi to discuss being a mother, relocating their families to another country, and the rewards of taking the leap.
Episode 5
Join hosts James and Myriam as they sit down with guests Wendy Zheng & Sonu Shah to discuss finding joy in motherhood through advocating for your authentic path.
Episode 4
Join hosts James and Myriam as they sit down with guest Aritra Kanjilal to hear his story about how being true to himself brought happiness.
Episode 3
Join hosts James and Myriam as they sit down with guests Magda Markowska and Marie Pope to hear their stories about how self-acceptance and being their true selves has brought joy to their lives.
Episode 2
Join our hosts Funda Kalemci & James as they discuss the topic of resilience in the face of childhood adversity with guests Adina Negut and Ariane Pereira.
Episode 1
Join hosts James and Myriam as they sit down with guests Angel Diaz Ospina and Terrance Bacchus to hear their stories about how their resilience has helped pave the way for others.
Bonus Episode 1
Join hosts Laura Batien and James Anderson as they take over for a special bonus episode. This season’s theme of resilience continues with guest Jessica Arledge as we discuss the important topics of mental health and suicide.
Bonus Episode 2
Join hosts James Anderson and Funda Kalemci as they take over for a special bonus episode. This season’s theme of resilience continues with guest Angie Arnold-Ott as she tells us how she rewrote her story.
Bonus Episode 3
Join podcast team members Jessica Arledge, Dominique Brown, Jake Conlin, and Elana Powell as they talk about expectations in life vs. what really happened.
Passion
Passion drives us to reach for something bigger than ourselves and passion is the spark that started this podcast. My _____ Story is important and personal to each and every one of us and is an outlet for us to demonstrate our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at NielsenIQ.
Catherine Gray
Editor
Love listening to the podcast, and working with the incredible team is such a pleasure. The candid and raw stories people share are a testament to their bravery. I am proud to be part of the journey to sharing them.
Funda Kalemci
DE&I Sponsor
Host
These are our stories, stories of passion, accomplishments, failures, love, resilience, joy… Stories as diverse as we are.
Allie Smith
Producer
I love how open, authentic and inspiring the stories are – it feels great to be a part of a team that created a platform for them to shine.
Jessica Arledge
Podcast Lead
I love the podcast because of the wonderful people that share the passion for diversity & inclusion.
Elana Powell
Senior Manager DE&I
The podcast is an incredible opportunity for us to connect with our NIQ team members around the world by hearing unique, vulnerable experiences & stories that we can all relate to and learn from. I am honored to be a part of the team that is able to create an inviting space & platform that brings our team together & reminds us that we are not alone on our journey!
James Anderson
Host
Editor
As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, it’s meant a lot to me to be able to work openly (and safely!) with an international team of dedicated professionals who all share a passion to celebrate and encourage the diversity of our NielsenIQ family.
Angie Arnold – Ott
Editor
Marketing Associate
The bravery and vulnerability in every guest’s story shine a light that connects and supports us all. Being part of this incredible podcast team who is so committed to bringing these stories to life is a joy.
Jake Conlin
Voice over
Sound Engineer
In addition to loving our podcast team, I love using my audio production background to help share these incredible stories that empower and uplift!
Dominique Brown
DE&I Program Manager
The podcast is an opportunity to hear the authentic stories of colleagues from across the company. I’m grateful to be a part of a group that gets to help in sharing these stories.
Lisa Afundu
Producer
Editor
I love working with such a passionate and collaborative team to help bring people’s authentic stories to life.
Alexandra Hugeanu
Producer
Being part of the Pod Squad is like stepping into a new world where creativity meets the need to discuss current and hot topics. It’s the thrill of weaving narratives, sharing diverse perspectives, and transforming ordinary moments into extraordinary stories, all while building lasting connections with a team that turns passion into captivating podcasts.
Sandhya Nair
Marketing Associate
Producer
Different people, different culture, different stories and an energy packed team – that’s podcast and I love to be a part of this energy.
Nisha Pandey
Marketing Associate
Producer
I adore podcasts because they enable me to connect with individuals from all corners of the globe. Through them, people share their incredible experiences with the audience, which I believe would be immensely beneficial for all of us.
Dominique Brown
DE&I Program Manager
The podcast is an opportunity to hear the authentic stories of colleagues from across the company. I’m grateful to be a part of a group that gets to help in sharing these stories.
Lisa Afundu
Producer
Editor
I love working with such a passionate and collaborative team to help bring people’s authentic stories to life.
Let us know what you think
Have questions, comments or feedback? We want to hear it!
