McCollum takes a bold look at the invisible emotional rules that shape our workplaces—and how they fail all of us. In a talk that’s equal parts candid and compassionate, she explores the unspoken pressures men and women face to perform gender at work, and how those expectations keep us disconnected. With compelling stories and a practical roadmap, McCollum invites us to move from silent endurance to shared humanity. Her message is clear: real leadership begins when we bring our full selves to the table. If we want workplaces that work for everyone, we’ll need to rewrite the script—together. Jennifer McCollum is President & CEO of Catalyst, a global nonprofit that drives gender equity through workplace inclusion from the front line to the C-suite, working with companies around the world to help build workplaces that work for women. She is Catalyst’s sixth CEO since the organization was founded in 1962.An expert on advancing women’s leadership, Jennifer has long been dedicated to challenging and changing the status quo for women in the workplace. A nationally recognized speaker, consultant, coach, and author, Jennifer is a thought leader with expertise on closing the gender equity gap and inclusive leadership. She is the author of In Her Own Voice: A Woman’s Rise to CEO, which offers advice based on Jennifer’s own experiences on how to challenge gender biases in the workplace.Jennifer most recently served for nearly six years as the CEO of Linkage, Inc, a top-20 global leadership development firm dedicated to advancing women and creating inclusive leaders and organizations. She led the transformation of the organization, culminating in the sale and integration into SHRM through 2023. Prior to Linkage, Jennifer spent a decade growing businesses within Corporate Executive Board (CEB), now Gartner, and Korn Ferry. At CEB, she led product management within the leadership division, driving innovative solutions that helped organizations select, develop and place leaders at all levels. She also ran CEB’s Leadership Academies business, which developed more than 30,000 professionals in 2,100 companies throughout 50 countries. Jennifer also served as CEO of IntraVision, a leadership consultancy she founded and grew over the course of eight years.Jennifer holds an MS in Management and Communications from the University of Stirling in Scotland and a BA in Communications and Psychology from Wake Forest University. She is an avid tennis player and skier, the mother of three, and lives in the Washington, DC, area with her husband. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx