🎙️ Queens Behind the Scenes

Episode: Styled for Impact — Denielle Pemberton on Storytelling, Style & Shifting Power

In this week’s episode, Charise sits down with Denielle Pemberton, Global Managing Director & Chief Legal Officer at Diversified Search Group, for a conversation that’s equal parts powerful and stylish.

✨ What we cover in this episode:

• How storytelling shapes influence in the boardroom and beyond

• The role of personal style in building credibility and shifting power dynamics

• Denielle’s journey as a lawyer, strategist, and changemaker in executive search

• Why representation at the highest levels matters — and how she’s opening doors for others

• Practical advice for women leaders ready to own their voice and impact

This is an episode about leading with authenticity, leveraging style as strategy, and creating space for more diverse leadership at the table.

• Diversified Search Group Profile

• LinkedIn

• Women Business Collaborative

• 2023 AESC IDEA Award Video

• Executive Woman Media Feature

“Style is not about what you wear, it’s about how you show up and the story you’re telling when you walk into the room.” — Denielle Pemberton

👉 Subscribe to Queens Behind the Scenes for new episodes every Wednesday, and join the conversation on Instagram and YouTube.

🔗 Connect with Denielle

Abundance isn’t seasonal—and neither is your worth. In this quick solo episode, Charise dives into the mindset, money moves, and boundaries every Queen needs to keep her bag secure and her peace protected. From aligning your income with your true impact to saying “no” with softness and strategy, this episode is your mid-summer money mindset reset.

We’re covering:
💼 How to stop shrinking your value in rooms you were born to own
🧠 Shifting from survival thinking to wealth-aligned strategy
💰 Smart side hustles that don’t burn you out
🛑 Boundaries that protect your coins and your calendar

No more waiting until Q4 to be profitable—this summer, we secure the bag with intention and ease.

✨ Resources mentioned:
📚 The Light We Carry – Michelle Obama
📚 We Should All Be Millionaires – Rachel Rodgers
🎧 Financial Feminist Podcast
📥 Soft Life Starter Guide

Welcome to the Summer Series, Queen!

In this quick solo episode, we’re kicking things off with a royal reset — because brilliance needs maintenance and burnout isn’t your birthright.

This week, I’m sharing:

• Three micro-habits to help you reclaim your time and energy

• Summer reading + podcast picks to nourish your mind

• How to make real boss moves (even from the beach)

• And your official Crown Challenge of the week 👑

Plus: Don’t forget to grab your Soft Life Starter Guide — your permission slip to reset with grace, not guilt.

• The truth about “crown maintenance” — and why self-care is leadership

• How 2-minute rituals can change your energy

• Rest as a power strategy — not a reward

• The 3 “boss moves” you can make while rocking sandals and sunblock

  🔗 Resources Mentioned:

• Book: The Light We Carry – Michelle Obama

• Book: We Should All Be Millionaires – Rachel Rodgers

• Podcast: Financial Feminist

• Download: Soft Life Starter Guide

In this unforgettable Season One finale of Queens Behind the Scenes, we’re bringing the mic full circle. The Queen’s Circle reunion gathers some of our phenomenal Season One guests for a vibrant, heartfelt, and empowering roundtable to reflect on purpose, power, and the magic of women leading boldly.

🌟 Lisa L. Baker shares how discovering your Area of Greatness is the key to becoming a transformational leader—and why building your leadership brand starts from within.

"I loved joining Queens Behind the Scenes to talk about building your leadership brand, discovering your Area of Greatness, and becoming a transformational leader. If you're ready to elevate your leadership and your life, visit www.ascentim.com or connect with me on LinkedIn."
— Lisa L. Baker, Founder & Executive Coach

You'll also reconnect with these incredible queens from Season One, each of whom brought brilliance to their episode—and now return to reflect, celebrate, and share what’s next:

• 🩺 Dr. Sharrón Manuel, HRC Fertility – Providing compassionate and cutting-edge reproductive care in Pasadena.
  ➤ Schedule Your Consultation
  ➤ Address: 55 S. Lake Ave, 9th Fl., Pasadena, CA 91101
  ➤ New Patients: 866-472-4483

• ⚖️ Tricia Dunlap, Dunlap Law – Delivering clarity, heart, and legal strategy to visionary entrepreneurs and nonprofit leaders.
  ➤ Visit Website

• 🧠 Erika Young-Thompson, LCMHC, LCAS, NCC – A soulful psychotherapist committed to being a divinely inspired link in the healing chain—mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
  ➤ Practicing at University Psychological Associates in Charlotte, NC.

• 🌍 India Gary-Martin – Global leadership coach, board director, and founder of Leadership for Execs and The ACT3 Convening.
  ➤ leadershipforexecs.com

• 🌐 Deborah Garcia – Chief Development Officer at Doctors Without Borders USA. A bold, mission-driven leader shaping global change through philanthropy.

• 👩🏾‍⚕️ Sheri Sesay-Tuffour, PhD, FASAE, CAE – CEO of the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board, and a trailblazer in pediatric care and certification excellence.

Together, these powerhouse women reflect on their growth, lessons from Season One, and how they’re continuing to redefine leadership, legacy, and soft power.

In this special solo episode, Charise Beckett takes the mic one last time before Season 1 wraps — and it’s a full-circle moment you don’t want to miss. From the biggest lessons learned to the most powerful guest moments, Charise reflects on what it took to build Queens Behind the Scenes in real time — with purpose, not polish.

She shares what’s next, including:

• A powerful Queens Reunion Episode featuring all your favorite guests

• A brand-new studio space for Season 2 (because aesthetics matter)

• The launch of the Summer Series with short, soulful episodes each week

• Her personal journey into the soft life (yes, herbs and all)

• And the debut of her new leadership brand: P.O.I.S.E. — a bold framework for sustainable leadership, with a book and psychometric tool on the way

This isn’t just a wrap-up. It’s a declaration.
Season 1 was the love letter.
Season 2? That’s the blueprint.

Tune in and get ready for the glow-up — because the mic may rest, but the movement continues. 💜

In this reflective solo episode, host Charise Beckett gets real about what it actually looks like to live the healing work—especially when it’s hard.

Following her powerful two-part series on healthy relationships with therapist Erika Young-Thompson, Charise takes a moment to pause and speak directly to the Queens doing the inner work behind the scenes. With honesty, heart, and a little sass, she shares what it means to hold boundaries that shake your voice, release what no longer fits, and choose your peace over perfection.

This episode is a love letter to the strong friend, the boundary-setter, the woman who’s healing in real time. It’s not about having it all together—it’s about choosing yourself anyway.

💜 Plus, stay tuned: Erika will return later this month to share real tools and coping strategies as we continue honoring Mental Health Awareness Month.

Because healing isn’t just something you talk about—it’s something you practice. Even when it’s hard.

In this special Mental Health Awareness Month episode of Queens Behind the Scenes, host Charise Beckett sits down with her very best friend and expert therapist, Erika Young-Thompson, for a powerful follow-up to February’s solo conversation on healthy relationships.

Together, they explore how our emotional wellness—past and present—shapes the relationships we form, stay in, or struggle to heal. Erika brings over a decade of clinical expertise and personal insight to help us unpack how to break unhealthy patterns, communicate with clarity, set boundaries with confidence, and build relationships rooted in safety and trust.

Whether you’re navigating romance, friendships, or family dynamics—this is the deeper conversation your heart has been waiting for.

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💡 In This Episode, We Explore:

• What a healthy relationship actually looks like

• The role of childhood experiences in adult relationship patterns

• Red flags vs. green flags in love and connection

• The biggest communication mistakes and how to fix them

• How mental health impacts our ability to connect

• When to seek therapy—individually or as a couple

• Daily practices that strengthen trust, intimacy, and emotional safety

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💬 About Our Guest:

Erika Young-Thompson, LCMHC, LCAS, NCC

Erika is a licensed clinical mental health counselor, addictions specialist, and nationally certified counselor currently practicing at University Psychological Associates in Charlotte, NC.

She provides therapeutic services for individuals and couples and specializes in helping people navigate life transitions, trauma, and relationship challenges.

🔗 Connect with Erika:

🌐 www.upatherapists.com

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🧠 Mental Health Resources:

• NAMI – National Alliance on Mental Illness

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – Call or text 988

• National Suicide Prevention Hotline – 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

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📚 Recommended Books from Erika:

• How To Do The Work – Dr. Nicole LePera

• Set Boundaries, Find Peace – Nedra Glover Tawwab

• Attached – Dr. Amir Levine & Rachel Heller, M.A.

• Find Your People – Jennie Allen

• The Let Them Theory– Mel Robbins

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