287 - Deanna Mulligan on Talent and the Opportunity Gap

<p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style= "color: #14171a;">Today on the podcast, Tom Vander Ark is speaking with</span> Deanna Mulligan on the topics of talent, leadership, and the opportunity gap.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Deanna grew up in a small town in Nebraska, earned an MBA from Stanford, and became the Principal Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company. After working there for eight years, Deanna launched a career in insurance where, after a two-year sabbatical, she became the CEO of Guardian Life Insurance, one of the ten largest life insurance companies in America.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Additionally, Deanna served on the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability for Young Americans from 2014–2015 and was Chair of the Board of the ACLI from 2015–2016. In 2018, <em>Fortune</em> named her one of the “50 Most Powerful Women in Business” and in 2019, <em>Crain’s New York Business</em> recognized her as one of “The 50 Most Powerful Women in New York” — the fifth time since 2011!</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">In her new book, <em>Hire Purpose: How Smart Companies Can Close the Skills Gap</em>, Deanna shares how companies and education institutions can work together to close the skills and opportunity gap.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Listen in as Tom talks with Deanna about her career journey and her new book, <em>Hire Purpose</em>.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><strong>Key Takeaways:</strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">[:10] About today’s episode with Deanna Mulligan.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">[:55] Tom welcomes Deanna Mulligan to the podcast.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">[1:00] About Deanna’s life and early education in a small town in Nebraska.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">[1:18] How Deanna came to work at McK