Cracking the Code: From Underestimated to Undeniable with Lisa Imondi, The Mosaic Company

In this episode of Leadership Variations: Unfiltered, Amy Bladen Shatto sits down with Lisa Imondi, Senior Vice President of Consulting Operations at The Mosaic Company, for a powerful conversation on what it really takes for women in STEM and technical spaces to move from underestimated to undeniable.

Lisa shares how some of the most meaningful leadership moments in her career came from stepping into work she had never done before — building programs, leading transformation, and proving that confidence can grow through action, not certainty. She also opens up about navigating credibility, authenticity, and the pressure to “fit in” within traditional technical environments.

The conversation also explores Lisa’s nonprofit, Her Story to Share, and her belief in the power of creative expression, storytelling, and personal branding as tools for healing, confidence, and growth.

For women leaders, technical experts, high-potential talent, and anyone who has ever felt underestimated, Lisa’s message is clear: if you see something that can be better, go ask to lead it.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• Leading before you feel fully ready
• Why stretch assignments can become career-defining moments
• Building credibility without abandoning authenticity
• The challenge of being different in STEM and technical spaces
• How leaders can create room for multiple styles of success
• Why women should ask for the opportunity instead of waiting to be chosen
• The story behind Her Story to Share
• Using creativity and storytelling as a path to confidence and healing

Listen now and subscribe for more unfiltered leadership conversations.

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Highlight Chapters

00:45 — Meet Lisa Imondi

02:14 — What Leadership Doesn’t Show on a Resume

02:48 — Taking on Work You’ve Never Done Before

05:36 — The Red Thread Behind Career Growth

06:14 — Authenticity in Ambiguous Environments

08:27 — Credibility Challenges for Women in STEM

09:03 — “Act More Like an Engineer”

12:49 — Why Difference Is a Competitive Advantage

14:47 — Navigating Generational Mindsets at Work

16:39 — Her Story to Share and the Power of Creative Expression

21:14 — The Undeniable Take: Go Ask for It

Transcript

Amy 0:00

Welcome to the Leadership Variations Unfiltered Podcast, where each limited one series tackles the leadership problems no one is naming. How women in STEM actually succeed, why leadership facts always fail, and where talent strategy breaks down when stakes are the highest. Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening, listeners. My name is Amy Blade Chateau, leadership consultant and coach to Women in STEM, and your host of the Leadership Variations Unfiltered Podcast. In this first limited series, cracking the code from underestimated to undeniable, we spotlight women leaders in STEM who've risen to senior roles often without the recognition they so deserve.

Meet Lisa Imodi

Amy 0:45

Today's guest, Lisa Immondi, is transformational as an executive nonprofit founder and advocate for operational excellence and personal empowerment with over 15 years of experience leading large-scale business transformation, strategic growth, and organizational alignment. As senior vice president of consulting operations at Mosaic Company, a consulting firm specializing in energy utility and grid monetization solutions, she oversees a 55 million consulting portfolio and leads a team of over 100 professionals across the United States and internationally. Under her leadership, Mosaic has achieved notable gains in performance engagement and client satisfaction. And this is the part that really excites me. In 2025, she founded her story to share a nonprofit that empowers women to heal and grow through storytelling and the arts, reflecting her deep commitment to personal growth and creative expression. Across all her work, Lisa is guided by a clear purpose to create environments where people can flourish. She holds an MBA from the Ohio State University and a BS in marketing and business from the University of Dayton. Wow, that's incredible. I feel so honored to have you here today, Lisa. Thank you for joining us.

Lisa 2:07

Thank you for having me, Amy. I'm thrilled to be here.

Amy 2:10

You ready to jump in?

Lisa 2:11

I'm ready.

What Leadership Doesn’t Show on a Resume

Amy 2:14

Okay. Well, I always like to start with asking some questions to frame up our conversation. So I always talk about in coaching senior women in STEM, which is something that I am very passionate about. I have found that the most powerful parts of someone's leadership aren't usually on their resume, particularly with women. So when I talk about what you're leading today, which is quite the remit, what's something meaningful that you've built or influenced that others may not see from the outside?

Taking on Work You’ve Never Done Before

Lisa 2:48

Oh, wow. I would have to say that there's, I couldn't necessarily identify one like watershed moment or one, but when I look back on my career, I think that it's those times when I took on something that I had never done before. And that it might have not been obvious to folks that I was taking on something that I'd never done before, and that I went into it just fearless. And so I think those are the times. So I can think of a time when I was at a large technology company and I was brought in to stand up a win-loss program. Never done that before. And all of the lessons I learned from that. I was then given the task of revamping a call center program, an outbound and inbound marketing program. I'd never worked with call center before and had to take a look at multiple different call centers that we had relationships with and figure out how to optimize that. Then went and worked for a small consulting firm and helped to stand up a change management practice area, which I'd never done before, and then went out and did that for clients. And so those were my critical moments in my career. And I think that people didn't necessarily know it was the first time, and you wouldn't necessarily know that when you looked at my resume, you know, back to your question. But those were really watershed moments for me because I had to go figure it out. You know, I had to prove that I could do it. And I had to come across confident. And I had to come across that I was going to be able to make this happen. I was going to be able to make an impact and show measurable results. And so I think those are the things that don't necessarily jump off a resume or off your LinkedIn profile when somebody's looking at that. But I would say to anyone, make sure that when you're talking to people about your career path or your career growth or what you've done if you're in an interview or you're internally positioning yourself for a promotion or whatever, make sure that you can demonstrate to people that you can take on things that you haven't done before, that you are fearless and that you are confident, and that you can take skills and experiences that you've had in other roles or other experiences in your life and apply them in different ways to something new. And I think that's as I reflect back on my career, that's what I see as the big, the big moments that don't show up but made a big impact for me.

The Red Thread Behind Career Growth

Lisa 5:36

That's huge.

Amy 5:37

Thanks for sharing that. So I'm curious, was there, and maybe there wasn't, but was there a red thread in these experiences? You shared a whole bunch of really good examples. Was there a red thread in what you did, or when you look back on these experiences of how you did go about picking up these new experiences or what you did that you would want to share with somebody else that was really instrumental in your being able to, as someone new in to an experience, what you were able to do to keep that confidence and keep looking like you had it all together when you were taking on that new thing.

Authenticity in Ambiguous Environments

Lisa 6:14

Yeah. So first, yeah. So first of all, below the water, I was, you know, it was like a duck or whatever. I was like going like that, you know, just crazy. But I was, you know, for the most part, calm on the outside. I think the big thing is that you have to approach it authentically. And what I mean by that is I worked for a very large high tech company and utility and consulting in utility. So lots of what you would call more black and white environments where things are absolute, right? I am not, I am a very much a person that lives in the gray. I'm much more comfortable in the gray. I'm okay with ambiguity, I'm okay if things don't necessarily always line up the way they're supposed to. And so that's authentically me. And so I think that however you are authentically, when you go into something new, a new assignment, you have to approach it the way that feels comfortable for you. And I think because I was okay going in and looking under the covers in a more unconventional way, I maybe was able to get from point A to point Z in a way that maybe others wouldn't have, but ended up working out well. Because one of the things that I learned with all this that I've tried to really apply from a leadership perspective is if the team or you or whatever the situation is understands a little bit about where you're going, what the end game is and why. There's a multitude of different ways to get there. And I think that's what really helped me when I went into these new situations because I didn't have any preconceived notion because it was something I had never done before. So I didn't go in thinking, okay, well, it needs to go in these 12 steps and I need to do, you know, I was kind of like going like this, like, okay, I'm gonna do, you know, but that was comfortable for me. So I think that when you take on something new, be comfortable in doing it the way that you authentically would, the way you would approach it. I love it because you're gonna bring something new to

Credibility Challenges for Women in STEM

Lisa 8:27

it then.

Amy 8:27

Yeah, I love it. The fact that you're talking about authentically, being authentically. I find that I say that to women and they especially when they're earlier in their career, they question, well, what do I do to then get credibility? I feel women in STEM, especially, yeah, I feel like it's really hard to gain credibility. I would be really curious for you. Did you ever find, especially when you weren't sure of the path forward, did you have, as a woman in STEM, challenges getting credibility?

“Act More Like an Engineer”

Amy 9:03

Absolutely.

Lisa 9:05

It's hard because for a number of reasons. One is because I am much more comfortable in the gray, right? And ambiguity. I'm a very boisterous person. I love to laugh. I don't, you know, all of those things. I am not your traditional buttoned-up STEM consultant, works in the utility space type of a person, whether you're looking at it from a female or a male perspective, quite honestly, right? So I did have challenges. And in fact, early in my career, I was working for a company and they had brought in a very high-powered, very seasoned, very capable woman to help with some organizational shifts they were doing internally. And I remember I had just been promoted to a director role and was given some things to do that I had never done before. And I was struggling a little because there was a lot of men in roles there that had been in them for a long time. It was a very sort of buttoned up, very strict kind of environment. Right. And I didn't fit in. And I remember her sitting me down and talking to me about learning how to balance being authentic with kind of melding into the environment. And she said to me, and I'll never forget this, this was quite some time ago. She said to me, This is gonna be something that you're gonna have to keep at the forefront your entire career because of your personality, because of the way you look, because of the way you approach things. And at the time, I didn't really know what to make of it, but I think that it settled in my head and it was an Achilles' heel for a while because like I felt like it put me at a disadvantage, and that she was saying that you're gonna be disadvantaged because you know, you are gregarious, you are this, you are that, you are uh, you know, creative outside of work, all of those things. And what I really needed to hear at that moment was you have so much to offer because of your unique self and lean into that and embrace it. And so it took a while for me to unravel that. And I had a boss at one of the companies I worked for who, in my review, told me that some of the feedback that he got about me was that I needed to act more like an engineer. And I honestly laughed. I started laughing because I said, well, I'm not even sure I would know how to do that because that's not who I am. And so I had to finally just get comfortable in my own skin. And so I wish I had gotten comfortable earlier in my career in some ways. However, when I look back, I think that maybe I was trying to push through and do it, but didn't realize that I was. You know what I mean? I did have a hard time fitting in. And I finally feel comfortable, and I'm making sure that whether it's women or men that I'm helping to grow in their careers, that I'm being very mindful about them all, making sure that they're coming at things that are true to their own style. They're all different. I have a lot of people reporting to me, and they're all very different, and there's no one way to be or to think about things. In fact, you want that diversity. You need it. You need it. Bottom on.

Amy 12:47

So I hope that answers the question. Oh,

Why Difference Is a Competitive Advantage

Amy 12:50

hence the title of my YouTube channel and this entire podcast, Leadership Variations Unfiltered. You have no idea how much I relate to what you just said. When I used to be in corporate, I would constantly get feedback that I was different. My creativity was nice, but you know, can I fit in a little more? I was outspoken. And what I encourage folks now is no, multiple perspectives are more competitive in industry. And when women are encouraged to, you know, try to fit in with the men, and these, you know, you need to do the same things. It's no, no, no, no, no, no, no. We need to use the very things that make us unique and bring competitive value for different reasons to the organization. So thank you. I am so glad people get to hear you, someone who's as successful as you are, here, you know, share something like that. So thank you for your candor there. Incredible example. Wow. And when you were saying you used to laugh, I almost used to go home crying. So glad to hear that. Just in candor there. So, okay. Wow, that's really great. I get chills thinking about that. So, what are you still learning when you think about, you know, obviously we're all works in progress and we're all learning daily new things, and you are teaching and well, coaching other women and men on your team. What do you think is something that you're still working on and learning as you're going? Do you have things that you're working on? Especially, I'm very interested in hearing a little bit about the nonprofit and empowering women and what you're learning in that process, especially if you have something to share there.

Navigating Generational Mindsets at Work

Lisa 14:47

I think the one thing that I'm still learning is that as I encounter men who are more seasoned in their careers, I have to remind myself, and I don't mean this critically, I mean this, it's them and not me. And the reason I say that, and I have to check myself a lot of times, is and I've had this conversation with my husband several times, and he says to me, Lisa, remember, you're working with men who were brought up in a different time. They were brought up in a time where maybe women had a different place. Women didn't even maybe have checking accounts, and so they look at their mom and their dad as how things should be. And now they're encountering you and others like you who are smart, fearless, outspoken, not the traditional corporate buttoned-up persona. And he said they don't know how to deal with you, they don't know how to interact with you, they don't know if it's okay for them to challenge you and how to do that professionally. So that's the one thing I have to keep in check is that it's them navigating this new world order, if you will, as well. So what I would say to a lot of the young women out there is that it's not you. You keep doing what you're doing. Don't back down, don't not challenge, don't not raise your voice, don't not have an opinion, don't not have a seat at the table, like all of those things. And remember, they're going on this journey. And I think younger men are better at it

Her Story to Share and the Power of Creative Expression

Lisa 16:36

than men who are maybe later in their careers. Interesting. Yeah. So I'm still learning that because the way I interact with some of the younger men is a little bit different. And honestly, some of the things that are said, somebody recently said to me, you know, you've got a really big job. Are you okay with that? Yeah, I'm absolutely totally fine with it. I got this. And it took me aback at first, but then I thought, you may not be used to that. I'm still learning that, how to navigate that a little bit without either coming across as a wallflower or too strong. You know what I mean? Yeah. Because you don't want to like come in like a bull in a china shop either. So on the nonprofit side, this is just, I'm so passionate about this. So two things. One is I do a personal branding session for women who are in transition, like in recovery homes, coming out of addiction or domestic abuse, or, you know, what have you, lots of different, just really unimaginable circumstances that have happened in their lives. And they're getting ready to come back into life, into the workforce, all these things. And so I go in and do these sessions where we talk about the importance of really understanding yourself as a person and what you value at the core. What do you value? And then that's how you shape, make sure that you're being true to that. So it gets back to this authenticity thing. And so, in my travels and doing that, what I discovered was that there's a lot of women out there coming out of these unimaginable circumstances who were artists prior to whatever it is that happened to them. And I was sitting in one of these about a year and a half ago, and we always started go around the table and talk about, like, you know, where do you want to spend your time once you're in your new spot, your career, or what have you. And this one woman just sitting to the right of me, I'll never forget her, she was probably like 28. She had three young children, all from different men. Uh she had in her early 20s been in an accident and got addicted to opioids and lost everything. You know, we've all heard these horrible stories. Lost everything, sold everything in her business to support her addiction, got into some really uh unfortunate ways to support herself and was now coming out of all this. Uh and she said that she wished that she could restart her business to support herself and her three children. And so I said, Well, why can't you do that? And she said, Well, I had a business and I sold everything, and I don't have a means to get back in and to buy what I need to buy. And I said, Well, what kind of business? She got her phone out. She was an artist that used to paint those big advertisements on the sides of city buildings. Oh, wow. She said, I don't have my equipment, I don't have the paint, I don't have anything. And it was in that moment, Amy, that I thought these women deserve to have a path for their creative expression, whether it is as, you know, to support themselves or as a hobby to continue to heal and build their confidence. And so that's how things started to materialize for me because I'm a singer-songwriter, and I can't imagine not being able to have that creative expression. And so that's how their story to share kind of all came together, if you will. And I'm so excited. The first board meeting

The Undeniable Take: Go Ask for It

Lisa 20:14

is next week. So we are just starting on this journey, and it's a way for me to really help women stay in touch with who they are authentically and use it to heal and or to support themselves moving forward because artistic expression is so important when people are healing, and it's so important for people to stay connected to their confidence. So that is the story of her story to share. It is incredible.

Amy 20:43

Well, you and I are gonna have to connect. I grew up an artist, and my husband is a Broadway performer. So lots to connect on later, but unfortunately, we're coming to the end of the day. I can't believe it. But I always close with the undeniable take, which is I ask, what is one truth you would give to the woman who's ready to lead in a senior role, but she's still being underestimated. So, in other words, she knows she's got it, but needs help cracking the code, like you obviously have.

Lisa 21:14

If you see something, go ask for it. And what I mean by that is I've done that, you know. If you see something that can be done better in an organization, go ask to take it on. Just go ask and explain why you're ready and why you should do it. I have a bunch of examples of that too. And some of those things were things I had no idea, like really how they worked under the covers, but I saw it as something that could be done better for the good of the organization. And I just went and asked for it. All they can do is say no, but if you don't ask, they may not know that you're interested in taking it on. And so just go ask for it and be yourself when you're doing it.

Amy 22:01

Well, with that, we're gonna close out. Thank you so much, everybody, for listening, and thank you, Lisa, for being with us today.

Lisa 22:09

Thank you, Amy.

Amy 22:17

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