Ambitionary Transistor (https://transistor.fm) https://feeds.transistor.fm/ambitionary Ambitionary is a Life 50 podcast. We sit down with extraordinary leaders to hear what shaped them, and what’s driving them now. For more information on Life 50, go to www.life50.com. Life 50 is a private membership for leaders who desire continued access, inspiration and high caliber community. Members build diverse portfolios of board service, investing, and impact work—experimenting from strength alongside peers who believe the best is yet to come. © 2025 Life 50 A World 50 Group Community. All rights reserved. Life 50 0e6e4d07-5b99-506f-9e0b-96a98ca22ff0 yes From Life 50: Ambitionary en Tue, 25 Aug 2026 04:00:11 -0700 Tue, 25 Aug 2026 04:03:45 -0700 https://www.life50.com/ https://img.transistorcdn.com/Iy48BekAuC1o4X0fHOslocYx1Swj9UIsF8-y8W1uZWk/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8wMmQ2/NjZiMjJlOTcxODU3/MGE5ODRhOGU1N2Y0/NDA3YS5qcGc.jpg Ambitionary https://www.life50.com/ episodic Life 50 Ambitionary is a Life 50 podcast. We sit down with extraordinary leaders to hear what shaped them, and what’s driving them now. For more information on Life 50, go to www.life50.com. Life 50 is a private membership for leaders who desire continued access, inspiration and high caliber community. Members build diverse portfolios of board service, investing, and impact work—experimenting from strength alongside peers who believe the best is yet to come. © 2025 Life 50 A World 50 Group Community. All rights reserved. Ambitionary is a Life 50 podcast. Career 2.0 Life 50 av@world50.com No No Dermot O'Brien 6 6 Dermot O'Brien full d88823f7-e1d9-4a74-ab89-09ad2a8fa8bf https://share.transistor.fm/s/92f7ef43 The son of an Irish musician and entertainer, Dermot O’Brien learned to make the most out of every opportunity that comes his way.  He carried that mindset into a distinguished career in human resources, holding global senior leadership roles at Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, and TIAA, and later serving as Chief Human Resources Officer and Chief Transformation Officer at ADP.  In this episode, David Wilkie sits down with Dermot to explore how moving to the United States at 18 shaped his perspective on financial security—and why maintaining a belief in humanity matters more than ever.

This is Ambitionary from Life 50 — where we sit down with extraordinary leaders to hear what shaped them, and what’s driving them now. For more information on Life 50, go to www.life50.com. Produced by Tiana Young, original theme by Mario Gutierrez.

]]> The son of an Irish musician and entertainer, Dermot O’Brien learned to make the most out of every opportunity that comes his way.  He carried that mindset into a distinguished career in human resources, holding global senior leadership roles at Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, and TIAA, and later serving as Chief Human Resources Officer and Chief Transformation Officer at ADP.  In this episode, David Wilkie sits down with Dermot to explore how moving to the United States at 18 shaped his perspective on financial security—and why maintaining a belief in humanity matters more than ever.

This is Ambitionary from Life 50 — where we sit down with extraordinary leaders to hear what shaped them, and what’s driving them now. For more information on Life 50, go to www.life50.com. Produced by Tiana Young, original theme by Mario Gutierrez.

]]> Tue, 25 Aug 2026 04:00:00 -0700 Life 50 Life 50 1370 The son of an Irish musician and entertainer, Dermot O’Brien learned to make the most out of every opportunity that comes his way.  He carried that mindset into a distinguished career in human resources, holding global senior leadership roles at Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, and TIAA, and later serving as Chief Human Resources Officer and Chief Transformation Officer at ADP.  In this episode, David Wilkie sits down with Dermot to explore how moving to the United States at 18 shaped his perspective on financial security—and why maintaining a belief in humanity matters more than ever.

This is Ambitionary from Life 50 — where we sit down with extraordinary leaders to hear what shaped them, and what’s driving them now. For more information on Life 50, go to www.life50.com. Produced by Tiana Young, original theme by Mario Gutierrez.

]]> Career 2.0 No Emily Doskow 5 5 Emily Doskow full fe7a2420-d4ac-4b61-83a4-7f2b94f53bbd https://share.transistor.fm/s/3cf03fed Emily Doskow knows a thing or two about healthy competition – after all she’s an identical twin.  She has utilized that drive throughout her twenty-year career advertising, including ten years at Leo Burnett.  In this episode, Emily joins David Wilkie to explore what it means to always have someone pushing you forward. They also discuss the value of having a community at work, co-founding a beverage brand aimed at young consumers, and staying creative during the next chapter.

This is Ambitionary from Life 50 — where we sit down with extraordinary leaders to hear what shaped them, and what’s driving them now. For more information on Life 50, go to www.life50.com. Produced by Tiana Young, original theme by Mario Gutierrez.

]]> Emily Doskow knows a thing or two about healthy competition – after all she’s an identical twin.  She has utilized that drive throughout her twenty-year career advertising, including ten years at Leo Burnett.  In this episode, Emily joins David Wilkie to explore what it means to always have someone pushing you forward. They also discuss the value of having a community at work, co-founding a beverage brand aimed at young consumers, and staying creative during the next chapter.

This is Ambitionary from Life 50 — where we sit down with extraordinary leaders to hear what shaped them, and what’s driving them now. For more information on Life 50, go to www.life50.com. Produced by Tiana Young, original theme by Mario Gutierrez.

]]> Tue, 11 Aug 2026 04:00:00 -0700 Life 50 Life 50 1762 Emily Doskow knows a thing or two about healthy competition – after all she’s an identical twin.  She has utilized that drive throughout her twenty-year career advertising, including ten years at Leo Burnett.  In this episode, Emily joins David Wilkie to explore what it means to always have someone pushing you forward. They also discuss the value of having a community at work, co-founding a beverage brand aimed at young consumers, and staying creative during the next chapter.

This is Ambitionary from Life 50 — where we sit down with extraordinary leaders to hear what shaped them, and what’s driving them now. For more information on Life 50, go to www.life50.com. Produced by Tiana Young, original theme by Mario Gutierrez.

]]> Career 2.0 No Chris LaPlaca 4 4 Chris LaPlaca full bb98d5a6-8a4f-4580-bb9e-a217f0968f64 https://share.transistor.fm/s/8528a7b7 At the age of 12, all Chris LaPlaca wanted was a minibike. Instead of asking for it, he cut his father a deal: he would work for it all summer at his family’s restaurant. In this episode, Andy Stefanovich chats with Chris about translating his childhood diligence into a 43-year career at ESPN and helping grow the small, spunky cable network into a global sports brand. They also discuss what it means to keep a consistent, decades-long career path, and the importance of family in one’s professional life and beyond.

This is Ambitionary from Life 50 — where we sit down with extraordinary leaders to hear what shaped them, and what’s driving them now. For more information on Life 50, go to www.life50.com. Produced by Tiana Young, original theme by Mario Gutierrez.

]]> At the age of 12, all Chris LaPlaca wanted was a minibike. Instead of asking for it, he cut his father a deal: he would work for it all summer at his family’s restaurant. In this episode, Andy Stefanovich chats with Chris about translating his childhood diligence into a 43-year career at ESPN and helping grow the small, spunky cable network into a global sports brand. They also discuss what it means to keep a consistent, decades-long career path, and the importance of family in one’s professional life and beyond.

This is Ambitionary from Life 50 — where we sit down with extraordinary leaders to hear what shaped them, and what’s driving them now. For more information on Life 50, go to www.life50.com. Produced by Tiana Young, original theme by Mario Gutierrez.

]]> Tue, 28 Jul 2026 04:00:00 -0700 Life 50 Life 50 2450 At the age of 12, all Chris LaPlaca wanted was a minibike. Instead of asking for it, he cut his father a deal: he would work for it all summer at his family’s restaurant. In this episode, Andy Stefanovich chats with Chris about translating his childhood diligence into a 43-year career at ESPN and helping grow the small, spunky cable network into a global sports brand. They also discuss what it means to keep a consistent, decades-long career path, and the importance of family in one’s professional life and beyond.

This is Ambitionary from Life 50 — where we sit down with extraordinary leaders to hear what shaped them, and what’s driving them now. For more information on Life 50, go to www.life50.com. Produced by Tiana Young, original theme by Mario Gutierrez.

]]> Career 2.0 No Diana McKenzie 3 3 Diana McKenzie full d609509e-5684-46ad-8c52-8cbb6397dbcc https://share.transistor.fm/s/5dc844cb On her high school swim team, Diana McKenzie thought she could stick to the middle lane: not too fast, not to slow. But an enterprising swim coach pushed her to think bigger, inspiring her ever since. Her subsequent career paths include former Chief Information Officer at both Workday and Amgen, current board member at MetLife, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, and Agilon Health, and co-founder of the Silicon Valley Women’s CIO Network. In this episode, David Wilkie and Courtney Ferrell sit down with Diana to discuss the importance of community, mentorship, and always staying open to possibility.

This is Ambitionary from Life 50 — where we sit down with extraordinary leaders to hear what shaped them, and what’s driving them now. For more information on Life 50, go to www.life50.com.  Produced by Tiana Young, original theme by Mario Gutierrez.

]]> On her high school swim team, Diana McKenzie thought she could stick to the middle lane: not too fast, not to slow. But an enterprising swim coach pushed her to think bigger, inspiring her ever since. Her subsequent career paths include former Chief Information Officer at both Workday and Amgen, current board member at MetLife, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, and Agilon Health, and co-founder of the Silicon Valley Women’s CIO Network. In this episode, David Wilkie and Courtney Ferrell sit down with Diana to discuss the importance of community, mentorship, and always staying open to possibility.

This is Ambitionary from Life 50 — where we sit down with extraordinary leaders to hear what shaped them, and what’s driving them now. For more information on Life 50, go to www.life50.com.  Produced by Tiana Young, original theme by Mario Gutierrez.

]]> Tue, 14 Jul 2026 04:00:00 -0700 Life 50 Life 50 1479 On her high school swim team, Diana McKenzie thought she could stick to the middle lane: not too fast, not to slow. But an enterprising swim coach pushed her to think bigger, inspiring her ever since. Her subsequent career paths include former Chief Information Officer at both Workday and Amgen, current board member at MetLife, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, and Agilon Health, and co-founder of the Silicon Valley Women’s CIO Network. In this episode, David Wilkie and Courtney Ferrell sit down with Diana to discuss the importance of community, mentorship, and always staying open to possibility.

This is Ambitionary from Life 50 — where we sit down with extraordinary leaders to hear what shaped them, and what’s driving them now. For more information on Life 50, go to www.life50.com.  Produced by Tiana Young, original theme by Mario Gutierrez.

]]> Career 2.0 No Devin Mathews 2 2 Devin Mathews full ed6c803d-6db5-4a58-8403-eb3f3c9267f3 https://share.transistor.fm/s/f9f203f7 As a young man, Devin Mathews faced a harsh reality check – he couldn’t rely on charisma and safety to succeed in life, he would have to work hard for everything he got. In this episode, Devin and David Wilkie discuss a thirty-year career in private equity, co-founding ParkerGale Capital, the PE Funcast podcast, and executive leadership at World 50.


This is Ambitionary from Life 50 — where we sit down with extraordinary leaders to hear what shaped them, and what’s driving them now. For more information on Life 50, go to www.life50.com. Produced by Tiana Young, original theme by Mario Gutierrez.

]]> As a young man, Devin Mathews faced a harsh reality check – he couldn’t rely on charisma and safety to succeed in life, he would have to work hard for everything he got. In this episode, Devin and David Wilkie discuss a thirty-year career in private equity, co-founding ParkerGale Capital, the PE Funcast podcast, and executive leadership at World 50.


This is Ambitionary from Life 50 — where we sit down with extraordinary leaders to hear what shaped them, and what’s driving them now. For more information on Life 50, go to www.life50.com. Produced by Tiana Young, original theme by Mario Gutierrez.

]]> Tue, 30 Jun 2026 04:00:00 -0700 Life 50 Life 50 2154 As a young man, Devin Mathews faced a harsh reality check – he couldn’t rely on charisma and safety to succeed in life, he would have to work hard for everything he got. In this episode, Devin and David Wilkie discuss a thirty-year career in private equity, co-founding ParkerGale Capital, the PE Funcast podcast, and executive leadership at World 50.


This is Ambitionary from Life 50 — where we sit down with extraordinary leaders to hear what shaped them, and what’s driving them now. For more information on Life 50, go to www.life50.com. Produced by Tiana Young, original theme by Mario Gutierrez.

]]> Career 2.0 No Susan Podlogar 1 1 Susan Podlogar full 0e943ef3-4259-4ad4-8aa2-808229ad624a https://share.transistor.fm/s/70e2bc65 Susan Podlogar is not fazed by much. Growing up in a big family, she has cultivated a tenacity and adaptability that has shaped how she leads others. In this episode, Andy Stefanovich chats with Susan about leading human resources at global organizations like Johnson & Johnson, Mercer, and MetLife. The two dive deep on maintaining authenticity in the workplace, the importance of building relationships early, and continuing to chase what interests you beyond the professional role.


This is Ambitionary from Life 50 — where we sit down with extraordinary leaders to hear what shaped them, and what’s driving them now. For more information on Life 50, go to www.life50.com. Produced by Tiana Young, original theme by Mario Gutierrez.

]]> Susan Podlogar is not fazed by much. Growing up in a big family, she has cultivated a tenacity and adaptability that has shaped how she leads others. In this episode, Andy Stefanovich chats with Susan about leading human resources at global organizations like Johnson & Johnson, Mercer, and MetLife. The two dive deep on maintaining authenticity in the workplace, the importance of building relationships early, and continuing to chase what interests you beyond the professional role.


This is Ambitionary from Life 50 — where we sit down with extraordinary leaders to hear what shaped them, and what’s driving them now. For more information on Life 50, go to www.life50.com. Produced by Tiana Young, original theme by Mario Gutierrez.

]]> Tue, 16 Jun 2026 07:00:00 -0700 Life 50 Life 50 2376 Susan Podlogar is not fazed by much. Growing up in a big family, she has cultivated a tenacity and adaptability that has shaped how she leads others. In this episode, Andy Stefanovich chats with Susan about leading human resources at global organizations like Johnson & Johnson, Mercer, and MetLife. The two dive deep on maintaining authenticity in the workplace, the importance of building relationships early, and continuing to chase what interests you beyond the professional role.


This is Ambitionary from Life 50 — where we sit down with extraordinary leaders to hear what shaped them, and what’s driving them now. For more information on Life 50, go to www.life50.com. Produced by Tiana Young, original theme by Mario Gutierrez.

]]> Career 2.0 No From Life 50: Ambitionary 1 1 From Life 50: Ambitionary trailer 9cea31af-c5ae-444c-972a-159b7b81f929 https://share.transistor.fm/s/bf27f07c This is Ambitionary, from Life 50 — where we sit down with extraordinary leaders to hear what shaped them, and what’s driving them now.


Life 50 is a community for leaders who’ve reached the chapter that comes after the big operating role — and are using everything they’ve learned to build what comes next. The people you’ll hear from have decades of experience, hard-won perspective, and no shortage of ideas about where they’re headed. 

Launching June 16.

]]> This is Ambitionary, from Life 50 — where we sit down with extraordinary leaders to hear what shaped them, and what’s driving them now.


Life 50 is a community for leaders who’ve reached the chapter that comes after the big operating role — and are using everything they’ve learned to build what comes next. The people you’ll hear from have decades of experience, hard-won perspective, and no shortage of ideas about where they’re headed. 

Launching June 16.

]]> Fri, 12 Jun 2026 12:01:54 -0700 Life 50 Life 50 17 This is Ambitionary, from Life 50 — where we sit down with extraordinary leaders to hear what shaped them, and what’s driving them now.


Life 50 is a community for leaders who’ve reached the chapter that comes after the big operating role — and are using everything they’ve learned to build what comes next. The people you’ll hear from have decades of experience, hard-won perspective, and no shortage of ideas about where they’re headed. 

Launching June 16.

]]> Career 2.0 No