FLIGHT PATH
Welcome to Flight Path — where career paths aren’t linear, leadership isn’t boring, and pivots are basically a superpower. I’m Rebecca Woods. Let’s take off.
FLIGHT PATH
Dawn Whitney and Lisa Davis
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Bluebird Leaders Board Member Dawn Whitney catches up with Lisa Davis for a fun and engaging conversation about connection, community, and what makes the Bluebird Leaders experience so special. 💙🐦
Dawn and Lisa reconnect, share a few laughs, and remind us that some of the best moments happen when great people simply have the chance to catch up.
Learn more about Bluebird Leaders and upcoming events, including SOAR 2026 in Austin, Texas!
#BluebirdLeaders #SOAR2026 #LiftAsWeRise #HealthcareIT #HealthIT #WomenInLeadership #WomenInTech #Leadership #Community #AustinTX
The podcast where we call the journey behind old leadership and innovation and laughing in that. Each episode we sit down with the leaders, innovators, and deliberators who build their success by doing the work, learning the lessons, and sometimes ignoring the matter altogether. Whether you're navigating leadership, healthcare, technology, or entrepreneurship, or simply trying to figure out what to matter without losing your mind and you are in the regulator. Before we take Flight, we'd like to thank our sponsor, EVAS, for helping businesses and professionals stay connected with a secure community documentary. Facts online with evac. Now fasten your seatbelt, adjust your altitude, and get ready for stories and insights and conversations that just might change your course. Welcome aboard. This is Flight.
SPEAKER_01Welcome. We are here in Long Beach. Obviously, it is beautiful. Look at the sun. And I am so excited to be here representing Bluebird Leaders as a board member, which I'm take so seriously. It's such an honor and a pleasure to be a part of that organization. And I have roped in, I'm going to say it that way, one of my dearest friends. I almost said oldest, but it's not, you're not old. We're not old. We're not old. We're not old. To be a member of our wonderful community. And she's going to be speaking at SOAR in September, which is very exciting. This is Lisa Davis. And I'm excited because you and I have been friends and colleagues for a number of years. Many years. Many years.
SPEAKER_00Probably almost over 10 years. Over 10 years.
SPEAKER_01Yes. And so the exciting story here is well, not only are you speaking today here at um the Women's Disruptive Summit, which we're really excited about being here, but also you're going to be speaking at SOAR with uh I think you're on a panel with Sarah Richardson, which is exciting. Partner in crime. Partner in crime. Oh boy, she's a good partner in crime to have for sure. So we have known each other when you were the CIO of Blue Shield of California. Yes. I had a staffing company at the time. You I co-called you, I think. Yes. You did. And I'm sure you got you got a lot of those. And uh there was a connection, I think. And it was a connection which is really the the the essence of what you speak about, your book, your business now that you do around elevating women, empowering women, women speaking up, being in, you know, being the only woman in the room.
SPEAKER_00The only woman in the room.
SPEAKER_01Which is your book, and it's amazing. I've listened to it on Audible. I'm gonna have to listen to it again because it's so wonderful. So tell us a little bit about that and your journey and how you ended up finding finding this event, finding bluebird leaders, and really the passion in and as to why you started writing this book.
SPEAKER_00Yes, well, well, first of all, I'm so grateful that we've come full circle. We have to work together again. And you know, bluebird leaders that's so interesting, kind of found me, and it was so natural. I don't know why it didn't happen sooner. Yeah, because I had so many colleagues, folks that worked for me, friends that were part of Bluebird, and they're like, why aren't you part of Bluebird? I'm like, why aren't I part of Bluebird? So um I have finally arrived to be part of Bluebird Leaders, and I couldn't be more thrilled and super excited to speak um with Sarah at the SOAR conference and really see the larger community and be part of the larger community. And and you know, that was really what the book was about. So the book, um, my book, The Only Woman in the Room, How to Win in a Workplace Still Built for Men, was really about my personal journey. Being a technology executive through four different sectors: Department of Defense, Academia, High Tech, and then Healthcare at the Shield of California, and what it took to persevere to ultimately succeed in what my personal and professional goals were, and the purpose of the book was to help women navigate that journey and hopefully make that journey easier than it was for me to navigate by sharing my setbacks, uh, what worked, being very vulnerable, about what it took to continue to put one step in front of the other. But it's also about the need for systems change. And this is what the subtitle is all about because for women to really succeed and reach those executive ranks, we need affordable child care. Yes, we need remote flexible work schedules, we need paid family leave, and we need a system and an infrastructure that was created after World War II to now support both men and women in the workplace. So my passion and frankly my legacy is to help other leaders, certainly women and diverse leaders, thrive uh in today's crazy market that we're living in in AI.
SPEAKER_01Yes, and I think there's I I I love I love the essence of the book because we're still here we are today with the same stuff that we've been dealing with from when we were we started out in the in the industry so many years ago. Yes. And being the only woman in the room was is hard enough. How about also being the only woman in the room that is speaking up? Right? Yeah, that's a whole nother that might be book two for you. That could be book two.
SPEAKER_00You know what else what else might be book two, and you can help me with this, is as I meet with so many women, I'm hearing the same story. At least I'm the only woman in the room, and this is what I'm experiencing. And what I'm learning, Dawn, is um the power of stories, the power of community.
SPEAKER_01Yep.
SPEAKER_00And we all learn from each other's stories. So part of what I want to try to do now is amplify other women's stories, really in a heartfelt, um, anonymous way, because I believe when we amplify those stories, we build awareness of what's happening in the workplace because you're absolutely right. I feel like we're going backwards, not forwards. Yeah. And my hope is if we can amplify other stories, that we create that awareness that creates systems change.
SPEAKER_01I love that. And there's so many times where you will be an executive leader. I've been one in the room where there are other women that feel a certain way about something and they're afraid to speak up. And I mean, I know you had no problem doing that. Yes. And neither do neither do I, which is why we're friends. But uh, but that's the problem, is that is that they walk out of the meeting and they say, Oh, that was so great. I'm so glad you talked about that. It's been bothering me. And you're like, Sister, what happened? Where were you? Where were you? Where was your voice? Where where was your voice? I mean, we needed you. Yes. And so I agree with you on that. It's such a it's such a challenge. And and we want, I love that you're wanting to pay it forward to the younger generation so that they can it can be easier for them than it was for us, you know? You know, one of the things I talk about in the book is you know, use your power.
SPEAKER_00And I strongly believe that if you had a seat at the table, yes, you have a responsibility to use your voice, right? Reach back, pull other women forward, right, right, and certainly sponsor and advocate for other women that aren't at the table. Sitting there and keeping it to yourself and letting someone else speak up to be the vulnerable one, right? This is what this is what support and advocacy looks like. So it's so important in those moments that you raise your hand as well, and you support that fellow leader.
SPEAKER_01Yes, and if there's not an extra chair, go get one. Go get one and pull it up, or go get a bigger table. I love that. I love that. Well, and it's so wonderful that I've been able to have the opportunity to sponsor you here at this event. And that was like just divine intervention when I was talking to Sam and he was like, Well, what do you want to do? Do you want to be the ice cream sponsor? Do you want and I was like, I want to be Lisa's sponsor because she supported me when I started my business, and I was at the end, I was at the tail end of that selling it, and then you supported me at the new company I went to. And I said, I can't believe I have an opportunity to give it back to you.
SPEAKER_00Oh, I know. You know, and that meant so much to me, and that is such a beautiful example of women supporting women and paying it forward. Right. So when you came to me and you initially cold called me, you know, I and I told you this. I was like, I mean, it was hard to say no, number one, because I love supporting female leaders and founders. And you were so fabulous at what you were doing. So it was an easy yes. No, thank you. But then to continue that support through what, both of us changing jobs, changing roles, and then to have this moment where it comes full circle. Well, now you're supporting what I'm doing in my book. So that really meant so much, and I'm I'm so thankful and grateful you did that.
SPEAKER_01Thank you for saying that. I'm so glad you've jumped on the bandwagon with Bluebird Leaders too, because this is the perfect community for you. And you know, Cheryl Dilly, who is a very good friend and colleague of yours, she worked for you for many years, has also joined ElevateX and as a as a coach, and she's also a Bluebird leader. Yes. So you'll see her at SOAR in Austin in September, which is exciting. But yes, this has just been such a wonderful opportunity. I'm so glad that we are like sharing this space together of empowering women because there's there's enough for all of us. Wow. There's enough for us.
SPEAKER_00Yes versus scarcity. Absolutely. There is more than enough, frankly, for all men and women. I recently did a post on LinkedIn about, you know, remember when you when men from Mars and women were from Venus. Oh, yes, I read that book. And I'm like, can we just all be from the same planet? There's so much work to be done. Yes. And there's room for everyone. So in our own mindset, if you think from a place of abundance and not it's about me and I need to protect myself, that comes back full circle for me. It's so true, isn't it? And this is an example of how it comes full back. Oh my gosh. I didn't even know she was sponsoring my book. I know.
SPEAKER_01You had to tell me. I know, that was so exciting. Well, I asked Sam, I say, I want to tell her because this is a big moment, you know? Yeah, I hear you. And I think that whole mindset of like just being able to be a light bearer in this world. I love that. And can continue to carry the torch forward, is what is so important, and we all can take a part of that. Absolutely. And so, see, when you left Blue Shield, I was like, yes, she's out of there. What's she gonna go do? And I was on pins and needles waiting. I was waiting for the phone call, I was waiting for Dawn. Guess what? Guess what I'm gonna go do? But I didn't get it, but that's okay. Now we know now we know. We've got we're we're connected now.
SPEAKER_00We're we're well that was part of the journey.
SPEAKER_01That was part of the journey, yeah.
SPEAKER_00My own company, the book, my board work, mentoring, all the things. I'm still consulting with healthcare companies. Yeah. And now it's you know, working through this season of having a portfolio career. Yes. You know, where do I place my energy? Where do I find joy? Yeah. Uh, what is it I want to do versus maybe what I have to do?
SPEAKER_01That's right. Follow the joy. Yes. And if you show up with the mindset of this is how I want to feel versus this, this is what I think I need, it shifts the energy completely around. It does. I mean, you and I could just sit here and talk all day long. Yes, we could. We probably should wrap it up. So Lisa Davis, I am so honored to not only be your friend, but for you to have been indirectly a mentor of mine for many years, and for me to now be able to give back to you. Thank you for being a part of Bluebird Leaders. Thank you for being here at this event. Thank you for your book. And we have to figure out a way to work together. Yes.
SPEAKER_00You and I. Definitely. Somehow. Definitely. It's so great to be connected again. Thank you for all of your support. And nothing makes me more happy than to come back here.
SPEAKER_01Oh, I'm so happy you're here. Thanks so much.
SPEAKER_00Thanks, everyone.