What does it mean to lead with heart—and stay grounded when everything changes?

In this warm and reflective episode, Dawn reconnects with her former boss and friend, Lynn Gallagher, former Secretary of Health for New Mexico.

Together, they share stories of friendship, grief, leadership, and joy—from mismatched earrings and “Power Squad” calls to lessons learned through loss and career transitions. They explore what it means to redefine yourself after leadership, how to lead with kindness and courage, and why who you are matters more than what you do.

This episode is a love letter to strong, compassionate women in leadership and a reminder that staying rooted is one of the bravest things you can do.

🎶Lynn's additions to The Joyful Rebellion playlist:

• Fight Song by Rachel Platten
• Girls Just Wanna Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper

📘 Books & Resources Mentioned:

• We Should All Be Millionaires — Rachel Rodgers
• Designing Your Life — Bill Burnett & Dave Evans
• Attention Span — Gloria Mark
• Start with Why — Simon Sinek
• It Starts with Us — Colleen Hoover
• Of Mice and Men — John Steinbeck
• Slaughterhouse-Five — Kurt Vonnegut
• The Plague — Albert Camus
• A Different Kind of Power — Jacinda Ardern
• The Passage — Justin Cronin

💬 Key Quotes:

• “Who am I, if I’m not who I was?”
• “She changed people’s lives just by remembering their names.”

• “Staying rooted in who you are is part of boundary setting.”

Let’s Stay Connected

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📸 Instagram: @workisthirdlife

📂 Section Markers

01:07 Section 1: From Power Squad to Finding Purpose

24:10 Section 2: The Legacy of Kindness and Leading with Heart

📌Episode Chapters/Timestamps

00:00 Reconnecting and Catching Up

02:26 Shared Experiences in Public Health Leadership

06:39 Navigating Grief and Transition in Leadership

10:07 The Impact of Political Changes on Public Health

14:59 Personal Growth and Self-Discovery

17:36 The Legacy of Kindness in Leadership

29:13 The Importance of Rest and Recharge

35:20 Work-Life Balance: Putting Work Third

44:08 Celebrating Growth and Staying True to Yourself