How Showing Up Fully in Leadership Becomes Its Own Definition of Success

Some people move through their careers searching for the thread that connects it all. Genevieve Levy found hers - two weeks before we sat down to record.

I've known Genevieve for a decade. We met through our kids, - sidelines, carpool, the general beautiful chaos of raising children in a community you love. She's been Coach G to my daughter for years, and watching her show up in that role - fully present, fully herself, all in - is exactly what this conversation is about.

It turns out the listserv she built in a community computer lab at 22, the refugee resettlement programs she grew from scratch, the coalition she facilitates today — it was always the same work. The tools just grew up with her.

Genevieve has spent over 20 years at the intersection of community, service, and social impact. She's also a former D1 rugby player and someone in the middle of a season where success looks completely different than it used to. And she's really good with that.

What strikes me most is that she has never once shown up as anything other than fully herself. In every room, every role, every season. That's not as common as it sounds.

We talk about what it takes to build trust across agencies, what Sacramento gets quietly right about welcoming newcomers, how sports shaped her in ways that still show up in her leadership today, and why she's finally stopped putting the word "just" in front of how she describes her work.

You'll Learn 

⭐ What it looks like when a 20-year career suddenly makes complete sense  

⭐ Why Sacramento is one of the most remarkable welcoming communities in the country 

⭐ What sports build in you that shows up in leadership decades later 

⭐ How to stop qualifying the season you're in 

⭐ What it means to bring your full self everywhere you go

Key Insights

Showing Up Fully Is a Choice You Make Every Day Not a personality trait. Not a gift. A decision - to be 100% in every room, every role, every season, even when the season looks nothing like what you planned.

Drop the Word "Just" Working part-time? Leading differently than before? Stop qualifying it. The season you're in doesn't need a disclaimer.

Because I Can, I Will If you have something to give, give it. Fully. Right now. Because some of these things only exist in this moment.

Timestamps 

02:00 From veterinarian dreams to international relations to AmeriCorps 

05:00 The through line she only saw two weeks ago 

07:00 Building the North Area Collaborative and the Sacramento Region Refugee Coalition 

12:00 How refugee resettlement work started 

15:00 From district director to United Way to where she is now 

18:00 Sacramento as a welcoming community - and what's at stake 

23:00 Protecting your own peace in emotionally demanding work 

26:00 What shaped her as a leader that would never show up on a resume 

30:00 What sports gave her: discipline, resilience, and showing up ready 

37:00 Redefining success and dropping the word "just" 

40:00 Recommitting to this season and letting it settle 

43:00 Legacy: bringing your full self, because you can

Resources and Links 

Connect with Genevieve on LinkedIn 

Find host Kristin Belden on LinkedIn or at BeldenStrategies.com 

Sign up for Kristin's newsletter Big Deal Energy: BeldenStrategies.com/newsletter

If this conversation resonated, share it with someone who needed to hear it - and consider leaving a review. It helps more women find these con

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Hi everyone, welcome back to Kind of a Big Deal. I'm your host, Kristen Belden, and I'm so happy you're here. Genevieve Levy is someone I've had the pleasure of knowing for a decade, and in all that time, I've watched her show up fully in every single space she walks into. What I didn't know until we sat down to record was just how deep that through line goes. Genevieve spent 17 years at Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services, built refugee resettlement programs from scratch, served in local government, led at United Way, and now serves as a consultant for an organization working in resettlement and immigrant services. She's also coached G to a lot of kids, including mine. About two weeks before we recorded this, she had a realization. Everything she's ever done is actually one long line. We talk about building a career and service without losing yourself, what Sacramento gets quietly right about welcoming newcomers, and what it looks like when success starts to mean something completely different and you feel really good about it. I know you'll fall in love with her just as I have, so let's dive in. Hi everybody, welcome back to kind of a big deal. This is my dear friend, Genevieve Bleeby, and so excited to have her here. Was just sharing how I get extra, extra nervous when it's a dear friend of mine, and I don't know what that is, but it is weird. I feel like I feel like a giddy schoolgirl. Like I'm so excited that you're here. And you're trying a new format. That's also true. Yes. I was just mentioning that when Shane and I were in conversation. This is a new experience. Yes. And it's actually really nice though, because I get to sit across from you. Whereas typically, right, I'm looking at a camera. Um, but it also makes me more nervous because now it's very influent. Genevieve is one of the most incredible women that I've ever had the opportunity to know. She is so much fun while also being an incredible leader. She's an engaged mom. She is an engaged community member. She does everything all in. She is the kind of woman that you want on your team. She is a coach. She's coach G. Coach G. In fact, I had to have some tears because my daughter uh has had Janna B as her coach for multiple years, and we got the news. And we love our new coaches, but it was still a moment of like, no, don't take us away from our coach G. And she's just the kind of person that you want to like hang out with and learn from. So thank you for being here. Um I think I'd like to start for you. This is why it's also so cool. Like, we've known each other for what, 10 years? Yeah. But we don't have to have these kind of conversations, right? Because life is kids and sports. We will literally be at basketball later today. That's exactly right.

SPEAKER_01 3:06

I will not be there. Oh, I will be at basketball later today with your daughter.

SPEAKER_00 3:10

My kid's not playing, so she literally was like, You're gonna come, right? I'm like, no, no, I will not be doing that. Um, well, Thursday where our daughters play against each other. How's that? There we go. Yes. Um, so I would love to just start like way at the very beginning of baby genity career steps. Like when you left school, what were your first like what were you being drawn to? What were you excited about? Take us all all the way back.

SPEAKER_01 3:41

Um, it goes back even before I think leaving um college. So I grew up always wanting to be a veterinarian. Wait, I didn't know it was always serious. I even applied to undergrad under animal biology focus.

SPEAKER_00 3:53

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 3:54

But my senior year of high school, I got more involved with student government and helping out our school's Mecha Club, which was like the Mexican American Student Association, have events and uh kind of supporting that with school leadership to make sure that they could have their events and they would be a success, and kind of getting support from the school and other students. Um, and anyways, that sort of just switched my brain a little bit, and I volunteered in a bilingual classroom for my senior project. And so I was like, forget animal biology, even though I still went to UC Davis under animal biology, but I switched my major that year to international relations with a Spanish minor, and I didn't still didn't know what I wanted to do. And when I was graduating, I had applied and been accepted to a secondary ed teaching credential program. So I thought maybe I would teach Spanish or social studies or something. And then I had already been volunteering at Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services during my last quarter, and I learned about the AmeriCorps program. And so then I ended up basically graduating, uh being a volunteer, and then transitioning to an AmeriCorps member at Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services for a year, my first year out of college. So it was like full-time. You went straight into I went straight into working. Yeah. Um, you get more of a stipend during that time, and I was still living in Davis and commuting, but I started working as an AmeriCorps member full-time at the food bank in what was that, 2005? Yeah. Yeah. Wow. Oh my gosh. That's teaching ESL and helping adults study to get their GED and helping adults in like community computer lab, getting email addresses and doing research, writing letters and stuff, kind of whatever folks needed walked in, and I would be like, Sure, you did work on it. All the things, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 5:39

So then how many years were you at the food bank? 17. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_01 5:43

Wow. So I stayed that year of AmeriCorps ended and turned into a paid position as the adult education program manager, and then on and on, many different roles, and I ended up leaving the food bank in 2001.

SPEAKER_00 5:56

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 5:56

So after COVID and after I had two children.

SPEAKER_00 5:59

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:00

So there was many Genevieves.

SPEAKER_00 6:02

Yes, you got there. Yes, for sure. For sure. What um, like when you think about also your through line of work in direct community work, nonprofit government, which we'll touch on at some point. Like, can you look back back now and see a through line? Yes. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 6:19

So, but only this only hit me two weeks ago when I was doing a presentation. Yes. And I was talking about the work I did now, do now, and I was like, oh my gosh. There's this is the grown-up tech version of what I started trying to do in 2005 as a 22-year-old. Okay. Um, so when I started at this location with the food bank that was in North Sacramento, and I'm new to Sacramento, didn't even live in Sacramento yet. So didn't know Sacramento well, didn't know the areas and neighborhoods and social services, but I spoke Spanish. I was teaching the ESL classes, and my students would ask me where end of everything was. Where can I go do this stuff that we didn't do at our community center? Where can I do XYZ, this, this, that. And there was fear then in the community, just like there is now. There's fear always. And so I'd be like, oh, geez, I don't know. I want to go find that out for myself. So I could give good referrals and also have the personal experience of like, well, you should go in and make sure that you ask for Claudia because she speaks Spanish and she works in the back and she'll come up to the front. Or, you know, the entrance is kind of hard to find, but go around the left to the blue awning, whatever it was. So I'm oversimplifying, but over time started visiting other nonprofits and social services and making contacts. And I built a listserv over a few years. And then I started doing meetings where every month we would rotate facilities of a different agency that was now part of this group and this listserv. It was called the North Area Collaborative. It was just an email listserv. So any resources I got, I would send out to the group through everyone be BC seed, so they don't get all reply alls. And we would meet and tour each other's facilities. So we would know each other personally, the staff, and we would know the facilities so we could help refer families and stuff better. And that alone, I still have professional relationships from that time. The folks that are still in Sacramento, they might be at different nonprofits. I have folks I know at different school districts that started where I remember I'd be with a family and they might have an issue at school or something, and I'd be like, yep. And I would know exactly who to call, pick up the phone, and be able to help them and know the right contact person. So I kept that listserved uh well over my time at the food bank and grew it. And then I also oversaw a group when I was at the food bank called Network Cafe, which was funded by I'm gonna forget now what it was funded by. Uh SMUD, sorry. SMUD funded it. Now actually, I think there's a similar program at Sac State, but the food bank facilitated it for years. But we would do monthly convenings and meetings with lunch provided trainings and invite nonprofits for the same purpose, networking, et cetera, again to know each other. And we just happen to be the host facilitator for that. So same thing, I just feel like I gathered contacts and contact information and kept really great relationships to help with resourcing and kept those over the years. And so, in my role now, I oversee a project called the Sacramento Region Refugee Coalition. I work at a consultancy and we're funded to facilitate this project. The consultancy I work at is called Solvera, and the project's funded through the Sacramento Employment Training Agency. But, anyways, any nonprofit, social service provider, community member, school, anyone can join this listserv where I basically curate what resources are being shared out or sourcing from basically across the state. And we do quarterly meetings with trainings and valuable updates that affect newcomer families that all of these people serve, and a lot of coordination of like, if there's an issue, like, okay, well, let's talk to the right person or get that right group of agencies to talk together and elevating issues. So, like problem solving. And back in the past, we would have issues with other county agencies, or there was an issue at the DMV one time that we just kind of helped bring up from the community to then say, hey, this is a real problem. How can we solve and work on this? So I have a website now as part of the project. And that was what I was realizing was like, oh, I have a listserv, yes, you know, with contacts. My vetting of partners is the partners that are on the website. So it's like trusted partners that do the services, they have their own hostings that they manage. And then we've just recently also developed a multilingual chatbot, which I was just like, this is so cool. So it answers community resource questions in Sacramento only in six languages. Wow. And it's all vetted information. That's incredible. So we created its brain and um not just me, amazing, wonderful colleagues and amazing, wonderful native language testers as well. And just it's really cool to think about that. Something I very simply was like knocking on the doors. I feel like now I'm like there's circle, nothing.

SPEAKER_00 11:04

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:04

And I only literally put it together two weeks ago.

SPEAKER_00 11:06

That's so cool. Yeah. Like, is it not surprising at all that connector is in Tenev's LinkedIn, which is true for both the work she does and the work she does, you know, personally and how she shows up as a human. Um, is there a connection, like when you think to your time at the food bank and the work with refugee resettlement that you're doing now? Like, what is that? Were there Oh, for sure.

SPEAKER_01 11:29

That that's where it started. So um, when I was at Sacramento Food Bank, we had this amazing opportunity starting in 2014 to bring refugee resettlement and immigration legal services to the food bank, like addition of those programs. So a lot of research, training, and basically application process to be able to do those programs and services, but then was running those programs there with the team and was part of these networks of basically the other resettlement agencies in Sacramento. So really great partners at agencies like World Relief, IRC, Opening Doors, Lau Family, Community Development, a lot of other agencies, and worked very, very closely with them. And that's the key agencies that I also work with right now in this world. Well, not all, but a lot of them for sure. So a lot of those same relationships and contacts that I made at the food bank during that time, I'm able to use now. And this is like coincidentally, but not really. So there was an old version of the project I'm doing now that was unfunded that existed, just called the Sacramento Refugee Forum. But I also created the listserv for that and helped coordinate the meetings during my time with refugee resettlement. But due to COVID, a lot of other staff change and departure, not just me, it fell inactive, that whole group. And so it was this um county agency, the Sacramento Employment Training Agency, that said, you know, we really need to bring this back because it helps bring agencies together, problem solve issues, share resources, and reached out to the consultancy where I work, Solvera. And that was literally the time where I was thinking of coming on, and they were like, We have a project you might be interested. That's awesome. And I was like, I still have the login to the old lister. Like, look at this, maybe I'm interested. Yes, I very much am.

SPEAKER_00 13:12

May we please use the old email address as well? Yeah. Are you do you see any? Do you know, have you met Tiffany Loefler with the child or the alliance? It's called the Alliance in Roseville. So it's it's similar in the sense of the approach is like, how do you bring agencies, nonprofits, et cetera, to come together more collaboratively to serve a purpose so that you're not in these silos. Yeah. This person's over here, this person's over here. Everyone has a similar goal. Um, but she talked a little bit about how it was a little challenging in the beginning because there's a little bit of a like, maybe not a fighting for resources, but a sense of like, I'm not ready to collaborate with you yet because I don't trust you. Sure, yes. Oh, for sure.

SPEAKER_01 13:55

Yes, and no. I think very lucky to be part of such an amazing organization as Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services, that it was always like I had that backbone of like we had secure funding in a lot of areas. There wasn't any competition. And during this period of refugee resettlement, there were thousands of people coming to Sacramento. So all the agencies had their own caselets. We're not like competing for clients in the way everyone has their own. And then also I think we had a couple opportunities for these really awesome community events, and our entire organization team would show up and help. And then I think also having the consistency of like the same, the same Genevieve for so many years. It was like they knew where I was and they could email and get a response. And having coordinated those meetings on that regular basis over and over, there was that. Um, and I never felt in competition with anyone in that way with what we were doing. But it was really a gift and circumstantial. And so, not just me. I mean, really like kudos to the organization entirely. And I feel like it went both ways. We were the new kids on the block in a lot of ways with resettlement, the smallest resettlement agency, but all the other bigger partners, opening doors, World Relief IRC, helped train our staff. And that's just like, how cool is that? Like, we were brand new starting, and they got to go shadow and do home visits and different types of appointments with their staff. And that was just like in the spirit of collaboration of wanting to help each other. That's amazing.

SPEAKER_00 15:26

Yeah, especially when you all know that you're working towards a common goal. So you also spent some time at United Way. Yeah. So what happened in between food bank to where you are now? Like give us a little bit of a little bit of a little bit of a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 15:37

So uh for some reason I talk about this all the time. So when I left the food bank, I went straight to being the district director for the assembly, our local district seven, I think it might have been six and then changed to seven for then assembly member McCarty, who's the mayor now. And that was awesome. Like I thought that I was not the right person because I had never done politics, but I knew Sacramento very well. Yeah, I still have like a weird ability of zip codes. Yeah. When people talk about areas, I'll be like, oh, cool. And then baby went by nice. And so um, that was great. A ton of constituent work, events, supporting neighborhood associations and getting to do a lot of cool events, less on the legislative side, but we were still involved with some of those things, and it was awesome. I honestly, the only reason that led me to leave that role was I had children that were two and five at the time. And uh, my husband's job is is uh demanding, demanding and time constrictive. And so it was hard to be as flexible and I would say like some non-traditional hours with events and things that the dis that being district director requires with being the primary of all the things, the kids, the activities, the and so um, and was very open and honest about that and have a great relationship and all the things. And then I had another amazing opportunity to be the chief program officer. Well, turned into the chief program officer at United Way, California Capital Region. Yeah, and um yeah, before we go there, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:07

Because I want to hear about that, yeah. But you because you were talking about your deep, you know, tentacles in this in Sacramento region. I shouldn't say this. We are in Sacramento right now. Um hi.

unknown 17:19

Hi, Sacramento.

SPEAKER_00 17:20

Hi Sacramento. You know, this was a really a big turning point for me three years ago when I realized, oh gosh, I've been here for over 10 years, but I don't feel connected to my backyard. Right. And like I made it then my mission to figure out how do I integrate more fully. But seeing as you've kind of been a part of so many of these changes and the evolution, I feel like so much of the work I do is working with humans that are going through evolution, but I feel like we are living in a moment of watching a region go through an evolution. Yeah. And I'm curious, you know, for you, as like first, like what are you most excited about as you look at what has already happened here locally? Like, what do you see?

SPEAKER_01 17:59

Oh, like to Sacramento?

SPEAKER_00 18:01

Yeah, just like what are you most when you think about the opportunity for like the way folks continue to collaborate or how we have resources together? What do you see as an opportunity for Sacramento?

SPEAKER_01 18:13

I might get to my answer as I talk out loud because I don't have one like right at the but it'll come. Um I find Sacramento to be a big small town and to be very relational, yeah, for better or for worse. And I'm like that, so it works for me. So long answer to say that I think I've also been able to do a lot of things that have helped me kind of meet folks in other sectors like Leadership Sacramento, which I'm sure you've thought of. But I think for right now, uh, here's me getting to my answer. Um, like having just read about the new MLS stadium and thinking about recently took my daughters to the NWSL Soccer Women's Championship game in the Bay Area, and literally watching their heads explode out of excitement for awesome, cool female athletes and also being in very much Coach G like women's sports mode a lot of my life. I think that I'm excited for things like that, like the women's NCAA finals or March Madness is happening right now. I'm hoping the stadium would also bring some women's games, you know, here. And I just think that having two daughters and having grown up playing sports, not realizing that I wasn't seeing all of these things and how much they're gonna be able to see right in front of their eyes is just like so cool.

SPEAKER_02 19:39

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 19:40

And we are trying to do things like that and activities.

SPEAKER_00 19:43

And I don't know, I just love like I ride my bike downtown for our eldest are 10, and they are like part of this very like sporty, totally sporty. They're like walking around in their jerseys all the time. Yes, it's my favorite thing ever. And I think you're right, like to have those role models be like yeah there instead of feeling like it's so distant. Right. Hey, quick pause before we get back into it. If you're listening to conversations like this one and something keeps nudging you, like I know I'm at some kind of turning point, I just can't quite see it clearly yet. That's actually exactly what I do. I work with women leaders who are in the middle of something a career shift, a business that's ready to evolve, a moment where what got you here just isn't cutting it anymore. Sometimes what you need most isn't a whole program or a big engagement. You just need a few hours with someone who can help you see what you're too close to see yourself. That's the clarity session. It's a focused, one-on-one conversation where we dig into where you are, where you want to go, and what's actually in the way. You walk away with real direction, not a list of homework, but genuine clarity on your next move. If that sounds like what you need right now, I'd love to talk. You can find all the details at Beldenstrategies.com slash clarity. That's my home answer.

SPEAKER_01 21:08

That's my personal answer. I think that my like professional brain thinks always more about the newcomer communities. And so I will say that I've always preached forever, well, since 2014. Let's say that Sacramento is a welcoming community. And I think that now more than ever, we need to be welcoming and accepting to neighbors of all backgrounds. And I think that as other places are perhaps less, Sacramento One will continue to be a magnet. It already is. This is kind of like a fact. And so less of the mindset of like, what are we gonna do? All these people are moving here, but more of they are moving here and what great assets they are to our community, and just all of that potential that's there. I feel like a part of that, and I get to work with a lot of cool people that feel that same way. Like, yes, like look at this. Cool pool of people that are continuing to want to call Sacramento home. There's a lot of secondary migration. So folks originally move somewhere else and then choose to come to Sacramento. There's not a lot of numbers behind that. And I I think it's great. And so I think it's more about hoping everyone else also thinks it's great.

SPEAKER_00 22:19

I was gonna say, what do you think the like maybe not danger, but like what is the challenge that if we don't get that part right, that like we don't get to see that happen?

SPEAKER_01 22:29

Well then another community gets the economic benefit of having thriving immigrant businesses and entrepreneurship. I think that housing is a challenge still, and California is more expensive than other places, but it has a lot of other great things going for it. And Sacramento somehow is that kind of middle road. I've been proud prior to a lot of these national policy changes, like Sacramento was receiving the most newcomers of anywhere in the United States. Is that right? Some some years, yeah, some years, and always in the top. And so it's just kind of like, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:03

That's amazing. Yeah, that's incredible. What do you like directly when you think about what families most need to feel safe, secure, like as they're entering a whole new community? Because I'm sure obviously there's administrative paperwork, all the stuff like to feel like they then get to become part of the fabric of the community.

SPEAKER_01 23:22

Yeah. I would say a lot of folks move here because they know someone else that's here. Got too. So a lot of times they're not coming into like totally total. Yes. Yeah. And I think that a lot of agencies, service provider schools have done a great job, you know, having staff, multilingual staff, and forms and flyers and signs and whatever you need to kind of be able to work with that, whatever these new populations are. But I think it's also like the neighbors, like those stories where there's really great connections that can be made and kind of opportunities for learning about new cultures and just making friends, where we've heard, you know, and there are wonderful stories about folks that have gone out of their way to be volunteers, and there's great organizations in Sacramento that support that work to formally get connected with a family and help them with things. So um just uh that ongoing. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 24:12

Yeah. That'd be a good, I think, thing that we could link to after the conversation is if you have ideas of what some of those organizations are. I do.

SPEAKER_01 24:19

Well, yes, I'm on my on your list, sir. It's on my project's website. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 24:26

Because I imagine, you know, for some folks that might listen, people do want to find ways to engage and feel like it's a big thing and it can feel a little unwieldy. So to have an expert in the room that can point you in the right direction.

SPEAKER_01 24:39

And I was recently with a colleague doing a talk about philanthropy, and so we were doing talking about donating and things like that. And I was also preaching in this time of liking clicks and posting things you support and things. Yes. It's great to back that up with monetary donations and volunteer time.

SPEAKER_02 24:59

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 25:00

And so I was encouraging that to everyone. So there's yes, there's lists of a lot of agencies that accept financial donations and volunteers as well.

SPEAKER_00 25:08

Yeah. Um you touched a bit on my brain is going in so many places because you have so many amazing things. I think I'll start with you in all of this, very any kind of like social impact work, or if you're in, you know, a lot of nonprofit work or the work that you carry forward, it can feel emotional, it can feel challenging, right? Like this is not, these are not like typical nine to five jobs because there's always someone more to do or to think about or to take home. How have you kind of like protected your own piece with that? Or have you found ways of thinking about how to have maybe boundaries? I always am careful with the language because some people don't like the word boundary, but have you found over the years ways to make sure that you carve out enough space for yourself to like stay whole?

SPEAKER_01 26:09

Well, yes, and I think that um uh the pure fact that I'm doing other non-work things, non-paid work things, if that makes sense, like all the other volunteering and the coaching and doing stuff at the kids' school, um, forces that. Not that it needs to be forced, but I just feel like uh I would say honestly, just the last two years have I been able to sort of look at the week or the day or whatever, and the priorities are all the family things first, and work is towards the end. Work is towards the end, and it's a very privileged position to be in to be able to do it that way. Um, but it for sure makes me feel more whole and sane. And I was just sharing with colleagues today that I was like, it's hard for me to map out my work hours for you because it all blends with all the things I need to do. Like they're all in my brain as a to-do list, yes, and just fit in different areas and things. And chances are I'm probably working on multiple things at a time.

SPEAKER_00 27:12

Um, I think that happens when you do work that you care deeply about, right? Like there is this not like separation of work life and personal life. It's all to your point. For sure, for sure. Um, with that, I think you know, it's so it's so beautiful to hear you talk about the season that you're in and having this opportunity to be so present, be coach G, right? One of my friends who I've interviewed before, she calls it the work worth doing. Because it's still this thing that you're building and these, you know, all of these things that you care about. You might not be getting paid for it, but like it is still a beautiful part of the narrative. Sometimes I'll ask women like what's something from your past that's shaped who you are as a leader today that wouldn't wind up in your bio or resume. And I like maybe I I'll just I'm gonna ask it open-ended, okay, because then I have a second follow-up. Okay, okay. Because in my head, I have something that I'm curious about specifically, but I want to hear what ask me again. What's something from your past that shapes who you are as a leader today that would not end up in your bio or resume? So something that you wouldn't like list out as a this is Genevieve Levy from a career perspective.

SPEAKER_01 28:29

Something I did or something.

SPEAKER_00 28:31

Anything that shaped you. Like I would, I'll give you an example. Okay. My I grew up with a brother with special needs. And I now know that by being uh in some level of a caretaking role throughout my childhood, right? Like I know that now has shaped where I show up as a leader today. Sure. So yeah, that's an example.

SPEAKER_01 28:56

Well, I'm gonna get emotional with my answer for you. Um I like love my parents. That's like a whole other topic. Um, my parents are just incredible, amazing people. And the way that they talk about people, humans, uh, my entire life has shaped um who I'm who I am, I feel. And like very specifically in the part of town that I grew up in in Sonoma, which is wine country agricultural, there is a gentleman on the side of this one intersection every single morning waiting to get picked up for work. And every morning we pass them. And it's very small, but just to think that the way that my parents described and mentioned those men, as I'm sure as a small child, I was like, what are they doing? Yeah. And it was always like very honorable, they're waiting for work, they're doing such amazing work, look how hard they're working, like those little things. Yeah. Um, and then my town basically, and so I'm still is like very white and very Spanish speaking. Yeah, and that's pretty much it. And so, and growing up in California, I really felt like it was my job. Like, well, half the people speak Spanish. I'm from here, I should speak Spanish too. So, really made that a part of my job. And even as a kid, was like, I'm gonna do it, Spanish for and like working hard and wanted to talk to my best friend's mom, and just really trying to do those things. And then I think a lot of that stuff, like I mentioned, that experience in high school kind of changed some of that view for me, and then college. Um, so it's not like necessarily one thing, but it's another through line in your life.

SPEAKER_00 30:33

Yeah, yeah, it's interesting when we used to have that benefit of hindsight to go like those seeds were planted. Sure.

SPEAKER_01 30:38

Oh, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 30:40

And then you get to see it kind of like grow over time.

SPEAKER_01 30:43

I had another like weird realization one time in the late uh teens of the 2000s. So when I was in resettlement, it was 2014 to 2021. We worked with tons of Afghan families, those that was the majority of the population coming here, um, Afghan special immigrant visa holders. And I became very used to the names and was kind of like, yeah. And then I could recognize names and be like, oh, they're probably from Afghanistan stuff. And then I was like, what wait, wait a minute, and was having these flashbacks, and then started asking my parents about some little friends that I remember playing with when I was very little, three, four, five years old, and their names. Then I knew I was like, they were Afghan. And my parents were like, Oh, yeah, we helped sponsor them when they came to the US with another group of friends. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_00 31:29

I was like, What?

SPEAKER_01 31:30

I didn't know any of this about I mean I when they fled the Soviet occupation in the 80s.

SPEAKER_00 31:36

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 31:36

I was like, what?

SPEAKER_00 31:37

That's amazing.

SPEAKER_01 31:38

And I didn't know that until I was it's in your blood.

SPEAKER_00 31:41

Yeah, I guess it's literally. Sure, sure.

SPEAKER_01 31:43

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 31:44

And my mom was a teacher and loves kids, so yeah, that's also a through line. I did absolutely like you um, when you were talking earlier about toying with like, do you become a teacher? Like that is also feels like so apparent and how you show up in the world. That's so beautiful. And now I'm gonna like go hug your parents when I see them. I love that. Yes, for sure. Like, oh my gosh. Yes. It's wild when you think about good, bad, and different when we actually take a moment to reflect and think, like, why are we who we are? Why I don't think we have an opportunity to do that very often. Um, I was curious with how I've heard from a lot of women their sports journeys, like who what sports meant to them then, and how I mean, obviously you're a coach, right? But yeah, what did sports do for you, do you think, as a kid, that also maybe like put you on a certain for sure.

SPEAKER_01 32:38

I mean, all the statistics and things that I read now, I'm like that tracks, like um, just so much overcoming of the hard stuff, all that resilience of like all those terrible losses and then get up and go the next day, but also the preparedness part. Like, I remember in high school laying out my clothes, outfits for every practice day, and making sure I had laundry and like for basketball, sometimes we had double days and making sure that you were there 30 minutes early with your shoes on, ready to go. So practice was at eight, but that meant 7:30 and weightlifting before school, like at 7 a.m. And so just a lot of the like routine and sort of the and the discipline for sure. The discipline, I have been able to go back into that mode so many times. Like when it's busy, I can also click into in a way the more structure helps me accomplish all of the busyness.

SPEAKER_02 33:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 33:34

Um and energy output, I guess sometimes too. It's like, well, I've done that, I can do this again, kind of that, like both mental and physical muscle memory. But there, I mean, there's stories of you know, the sports moments, funny and hard. But things I always remember like coaches said to me is I was I was never the all-star best player, but I was like the workhorse kind of a person. Yeah. So I was like there on time, working really hard. And you know, in high school, it would be like, you're not gonna be a starter, basket this basketball, you're not gonna be a starter, but you're gonna make our starters better. And that's like, you know, I get that now, yeah, but that's like sucks when you're 17. You're like, yeah. Um, but still working hard kind of through all of that, yeah. And then um really found my my love with rugby and did that the last two years of high school and then in college as a D1 player. So this is so exciting, you know. I will tell you that I don't know what that means. Oh, division one. Like Davis wasn't a D1 school, but our club rugby team was in a D one league, and we went to the national champions one championships one year. Yeah, that's amazing. That's cool. But um, yeah, and that was kind of like a culmination of using all the right parts of me for that sport.

SPEAKER_00 34:54

It's so funny. When you were talking about the like being prepared, our daughters are also doing basketball together right now, and they like a couple of them trade off because there's too many kids that wanted to do it, which is amazing. I know in the first place. So Maddie's not playing today, but she came to me this morning and said, Mommy, I'm gonna wear my jersey anyways, I'm gonna get dressed. And I was like, I love that. Yeah, like you want to support your team? She's like, I want to be ready in case there's an issue, like for sure. Like for what it's giving away, like I'll be ready to go. And I was like, Yes, yeah, I love that. Huh? I love that. Yes, I mean, it's amazing already, just after the years that she's been in sports, you can already see it happening, yeah, and it's incredible. Yeah, blows my mind all the time. So when you think about Veronica and Eliana, and you think about what they're growing up and what they're growing into, what would be your biggest hope for them as they're kind of navigating the next season of their childhood? Athletically? No.

SPEAKER_01 36:00

No, I know. That was what I was first thinking about.

SPEAKER_00 36:02

Sorry. Start there.

SPEAKER_01 36:03

Oh, sorry.

SPEAKER_00 36:03

Um well, of childhood. Yeah. Like I was thinking about this, I think specifically, 10 and 7 feel like a really interesting moment. Like 10, you're on the precipice of you're almost junior high. It felt to me like fourth grade was like this like shift into like you're a big kid now. Yeah, we're having deeper conversations. I have to show up as your parent differently now than I did even a year ago. Yeah. Seven, you're also like you're no longer a kindergartner. You're learning to read. Like there's more and more responsibility that they're taking on. So I just have been so interested in this moment with them to go like, what do I hope for you as you navigate this next little like moment in your life?

SPEAKER_01 36:46

Some of it is like uh wanting them to enjoy it. You know what I mean? They are, but like, you know, that cliche of like, you don't know how good you have kind of a thing. But um I honestly I think it's it needs to come with some more downtime and some more rest. Yeah. Um ask Genevieve about that. Yeah, I know. I'm not a good example. Everybody. Um I think that they're both so different. This is a different answer. I think I want different things for them. Yeah, that's good. Um, I think that Veronica works really, really, really hard at everything. And there's part of me that wants her to like know that it's okay to ease up sometimes. Give herself a break. And she doesn't know that. Yeah. Um, and I mean like school and sports. She's the hardest on herself, she's super perfectionist on herself. And I think that Eliana doesn't, she's kind of young enough in the sense of like there isn't that self-awareness at all, but she has no self-doubt whatsoever. Like, I got this. Yeah. So um, yeah, just I mean, just to keep having fun. I love their relationship, you know, and siblings bicker and stuff like that, but they really do love and enjoy being together. They've got each other's back totally big time, and it's nice, like we're going on a trip soon, and it'll just be the four of us. And I the thing I'm looking forward to the most is just like being together, but them also having this time not together, because right now weeknights are like Zing, who's going here, who's going there at different activities all the time. Um, but I'm very I'm I try to tell them because they're you know, they excel in different areas and all the things, but scholastically and otherwise, but just I want to say I see how hard you're working, you're doing a great job. Like Eliana with reading at the beginning of the year, it's like struggle bust to get through 20 minutes, you know, so hard. And now it's like I can really see her reading has improved, and I've been trying to make an effort to be like, I you are doing a yourself.

SPEAKER_00 38:58

Yeah, right. Yeah, yes, yeah. Oh my gosh, I love that. Yeah. When you think about like early career days to now, I used to ask this as um, how has your idea of success evolved over the years? But now I ask it as has it evolved? Because I think I don't want to make any assumptions. Yeah, yeah. I assume, you know, from our wild and free, crazy, young days, the way I thought of what success might look or feel like has changed pretty dramatically. So curious about that for you.

SPEAKER_01 39:30

I think that I have never been much to Rob's chagrin, just getting um like Rob is her husband, like attached to like salary and um and having worked in nonprofits and also my career, that's great. Yeah. To have that mindset. So I don't, I didn't ever, I don't ever and didn't ever compare that.

SPEAKER_02 39:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 39:55

I think that title was and like a little bit status and a little bit like I always have supervised teams and I like that. Not for the control or the status of it. I think it goes along with liking coaching. But right now, I am working in this role part-time and what I make it. And that is still a struggle for me to like say that out loud because it feels like I want to put the just the word just in front of it. I'm just working part-time right now, and almost to qualify as an excuse why I am able to do some of these other things. You mean be more present with yeah, yeah, to volunteer at school and to coach and other stuff too. Or I'm like, well, well, it's okay.

SPEAKER_00 40:34

I I just work part-time.

SPEAKER_01 40:35

And so I've been really trying to one, not even say that I work part-time because I don't know why I need to.

SPEAKER_00 40:41

I was gonna say no one. Nobody cares.

SPEAKER_01 40:45

And also like all of the things is way more than is way more than full time. Yes. Um, and so yes, I think for me that's still a struggle. And so I'm more thinking about success, trying to think about success in terms of just like the like everyone's success in terms of our household. I feel that it is my job to make sure that they are like well nourished and dressed and prepared for their you know, respective sports or school and things like that. And success is like, are they prepared? Do they feel ready? Am I supporting them emotionally and physically in all these ways? So I think that like I'm not, I'm not thinking of like the success right now in terms of my title, my salary, and all of these things. And honestly, two weeks ago, when I realized that thing, that through line for my career, I like have felt way better the last three weeks.

SPEAKER_00 41:47

Oh, I love that. I love that. Yeah, yeah. Has that unearthed? Has this a season of like taking a little tiny bit of a step back? I mean, when I was saying all in, like you're 40 under 40, like all the things, like a lot of their things, like very involved. And I I'm curious if you've uncovered anything about your own self in taking a tiny and it's not even a, I don't want to say step, it's not a step back, it's just uh taking a moment to rethink the way you want your life to look for this time. Yeah, so I just wondering if there's anything interesting that's come up for you.

SPEAKER_01 42:22

Other than just like I think feeling better in it recently, probably this year, this calendar year, and probably recommitting to it, um, and probably getting into this softball season, which is the most intense, as sort of a big reminder of like, I do want to be doing this. Yes, and the only reason I can do this and this is because of this. Yeah. And kind of like I like being me and 100% me in all of these places, and I like to show up as me in all of those places at the same 100%, and I can't unless there is that balance. Um, and like, yeah, everything's been kind of meshing the last bit.

SPEAKER_00 43:03

That's amazing. Yeah, I think it's always there's an interesting transition time for anybody that has a different, like an evolution into a different season, right? Yeah, I remember when Bitwise collapsed, it was like, whoa, like I even do it here, and like who am I? And a lot of the trying to understand myself from a what how much of my self-worth has tethered to something that's that was so external, yeah, right. And it's tricky because it's also part of our identity for so long. Yes. It's not like it happens overnight, right? Right. So I love that you've given it the room it needs to breathe to like fully be in, right? Like to like be settled in that moment. Because sometimes folks are like, this is uncomfortable. I'm not doing this. Right, right, right.

SPEAKER_01 43:43

I'm not like I don't know how intentional I've been about misettling. It's been just like by the pure passage of time.

SPEAKER_00 43:50

But you continued to make a choice. And you just committed to a choice. And I think that in that commitment, you get to have, you get to see it land somewhere. Like you have been so intentional, and I think that maybe you weren't consciously choosing that or like to to see it settle. Yeah. But it happened by virtue of you being committed to that decision. Right. I can see that. Um okay, last question that I ask everyone because all of this to me is like you're building in real time towards a legacy and not legacy in the like you know, you're bequeathing like, you know, whatever pot of gold to the next generation. I think of it more as this light, exciting thing that we get to think about intentionally every day. So, Genevieve, what does building a legacy mean to you?

SPEAKER_01 44:43

Oh, I should have paid attention and known that this was coming, right?

unknown 44:47

No.

SPEAKER_00 44:49

Oh man. And it can be, I mean, I always give people a minute here. And it's not to say that this is the choice and now that's the choice forever. It's like for the moment that you're in, right? Like, what is legacy now for you? You've already touched on a little bit about the way you want to see your kids, you know.

SPEAKER_01 45:05

Yeah, it's hard for me to not take legacy to think of like after I die. So I know. But the legacy in the now.

SPEAKER_00 45:17

Well, it's more like it is, I guess, legacy in the sense of what are we leaving behind? But but what are we doing today to build towards that? What is the thing that we care most about as we leave this earth? Like what are that we will have left in our wake?

SPEAKER_01 45:35

Sure. Yeah. I mean, first and foremost, I think having kids is like crazy and and totally changes what you think about everything. Yes. And time going so fast, I think also led me to then really want to dive into all the things. And sometimes it feels like a lot. And for sure, it's like, oh my gosh, why are you doing all the things? I'm like, well, because some of these things only exist right now, yeah, and they're fun for me also. And so as long as I can be there and I'm not annoying anyone, then here I be. Like, you know. Um that I don't know, that's a hard one. I think I've always thought of my work in service as such, back to like when I was first, let's say, at the food bank and I was in the computer lab. Well, I'll help anyone with something that I can do. Uh, and I just think that the world is a better place when we all like bring your talents into it. And so I think that's a reason why it's very easy for me to volunteer in these other capacities at school and sports, because I have done a lot of those same processes in a professional capacity. So I feel like, well, I can help with these things, so I should. And this feels like a time of like, if you can, maybe you should. And I don't like to use the word should, but things are rough. And so I think that bringing more good and giving those little parts of you that you can to other things is a way forward.

SPEAKER_02 47:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 47:17

Yeah. Because I can, I will, and I will bring my full self into it. I was gonna say, there's not a lot, like I one time said to a staff member, don't repeat this to anyone except on the video. I said, I don't care what percent you are at home, I need you to be a hundred percent here. And it was they're working with kids.

SPEAKER_02 47:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 47:40

And I I mean that. I mean, that's kind of hard and fair if someone didn't feel well, but I did mean that.

SPEAKER_00 47:45

And so it's like bring your all. You show up with 100 into every space that you're in. And I think that is part of you're getting to what you're sharing, which is literally that's inherently who you are, and we get the beautiful benefit and gift of receiving that from you, and not everybody walks through the world like that, yeah. And so I can see it, yeah, and that's why I love you. Thanks. So this has been so fun. Yes, and I always loved to hear these little nuggets that I didn't know, or be new, but like in a different lens. And Genevieve is a huge good sport by sitting with me in this new space. Yes, and so um, I just appreciate you so much. Thank you so much. Yes.

unknown 48:31

Bye.

SPEAKER_00 48:32

Bye. Thank you so much for listening and spending some of your time with me here. I hope our conversation sparked some new ideas for you. If you enjoyed the episode, please make sure to hit subscribe so you don't miss what's next. And if you're ready for even more tools and stories, head on over to beldenstrategies.com slash newsletter. I share fresh insights, stories, and tools for women leaders every week. Until next time, keep building, keep evolving, and remember that you are kind of a big deal.