How do you keep moving forward when life forces you to grow up at age 11? Can you maintain your integrity when your job conflicts with your values? In this episode of No Boxes, Just Verses, we explore the incredible journey of a leader who turned early personal tragedy into a lifetime of resilience and service. We go beyond the bio to discuss how to lead through loss, the power of divine order in your career, and what it takes to manage global teams during a crisis.

Carrie J. Clark is a powerhouse leader in technology, global governance, and higher education. As the System Director of IT Operations at Henry Ford Health, she drives digital transformation and operational excellence. Beyond the boardroom, Carrie serves as the International Regional Director for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, overseeing chapters across 13 countries. A proud Detroit native and STEM advocate, she is dedicated to creating pathways for the next generation through organizations like Code 313.

Key Takeaways:

• The Survivor Mentality: Carrie opens up about the devastating loss of her mother when she was just 11 years old. Learn how this tragedy shaped her resilience and instilled a survivor mindset that has fueled her personal and professional success.
• Integrity Over Titles: Hear the defining moment in Carrie's early career when she walked away from a good job because it compromised her values. She shares a powerful lesson on why you can't save everyone, but you must refuse to be part of the problem.
• Your Steps Are Ordered: From losing a major election to losing her father in the same season, Carrie discusses how to handle public defeat with grace and why trusting in divine order is essential for long-term peace and success.
• Leading Through Crisis: As a regional director during the height of COVID-19, Carrie had to pivot from standard leadership to managing the grief and safety of thousands of women. Discover her strategies for galvanizing a team during unprecedented times.
• Going Global: Carrie shares her excitement about expanding Alpha Kappa Alpha's footprint, including chartering new chapters in Ghana, London, and Puerto Rico, and bringing the sorority full circle back to the continent of Africa.

Whether you are a corporate executive, a community servant, or navigating your own wilderness season, Carrie’s story is a testament that "ain't no stopping us now." If this episode inspired you to trust your journey, please rate, review, and share it with a friend!

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Theme Song: No Boxes Just Verses by Thane Kreiner (Suno)

Are you afraid to start over? Do you feel like it’s too late to pursue a creative passion or pivot your career because you didn't start young enough? Whether you are navigating a competitive industry, recovering from a personal setback, or simply feeling the itch to try something new, this episode of No Boxes, Just Verses is your blueprint for resilience. We go beyond the bio to explore how to embrace being a beginner, how to navigate life's sinking canoes and why your 10,000 hours of hard work will always pay off.

Kelly Frye is a dynamic actress, producer, and director known for her roles in Disney's Secrets of Sulphur Springs, Criminal Minds, The Flash, and Rake. A Houston native and Loyola Marymount University graduate, Kelly is a lifelong learner who trained at the famed Second City. Beyond the screen, she is a multifaceted entrepreneur: she co-runs the Campbell Art Collective, hosts immersive "Bite" dinner series, and recently launched her own line of upcycled, artist-collaborative handbags, the Kelly Campbell Collection.

Key Takeaways:

• Embrace Being a Beginner: From joining her high school golf team with zero experience to launching a handbag line during a Hollywood strike, Kelly proves that success comes from the willingness to be a beginner and put in the work.
• Learn the Rules to Break Them: Kelly shares a critical lesson for any creative or professional: you must master the technical scaffolding of your craft before you can successfully improvise and add your own unique jazz hands.
• The Canoe Theory of Relationships: In a powerful analogy about navigating toxic relationships, Kelly explains how to recognize when you are in a sinking canoe and why you must have the courage to jump out and swim, rather than drowning trying to fix holes others are poking.
• Track Your Wins in the Desert: When you are in a wilderness season or feeling stuck, Kelly recommends keeping a physical list of every small win. Reviewing this list when you feel lost helps you see that you are actually moving forward, even if you can't see the forest through the trees.
• Pivot with Purpose: Learn how Kelly turned an 8-month industry strike into an opportunity to launch new businesses, proving that versatility and the ability to pivot are essential tools for long-term success.

Are you ready to jump off the mountain and see if the parachute opens? Kelly’s story is a reminder that you don't have to fit into one box—you can be an actress, a realtor, an entrepreneur, and an art lover all at once. If this episode inspired you to start your own list of wins, share it with us!

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Theme Song: No Boxes Just Verses by Thane Kreiner (Suno)

Are you feeling stuck in a wilderness season, unsure of your next move, or afraid to pivot? Whether you are navigating a career transition, facing financial uncertainty, or simply trying to rediscover your voice, this episode of No Boxes, Just Verses is the inspiration you need. We go beyond the resume to explore how to turn rock bottom into a launchpad for reinvention. Join us as we explore the incredible journey of a Hollywood icon who taught herself to code during a personal low point and emerged as a tech leader.

Malinda Williams is an acclaimed actress, producer, and cultural icon whose work has profoundly shaped film and television. Best known for her breakthrough role as Tracy "Bird" Van Adams in Showtime’s groundbreaking series Soul Food, she has also starred in hits like The Wood, Idlewild, and Daddy’s Little Girls. Beyond Hollywood, Malinda is a tech visionary who taught herself to code and founded the Arise and Shine Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to wellness, empowerment, and creative entrepreneurship for underserved communities.

Key Takeaways:

• Embrace the Wilderness Season: Malinda opens up about her time in the wilderness—a period of financial struggle and personal difficulty. She shares how she reframed this time not as a setback, but as a period of accelerated growth where she learned that if you want to see something different, you have to be something different.
• The Power of Self-Taught Reinvention: Discover the incredible story of how Malinda, facing a changing industry and personal debt, picked up a book called HTML for Dummies and taught herself to code. Learn how being an autodidact (self-taught learner) allowed her to pivot from acting to building websites and eventually launching a tech non-profit.
• Trust Your Intuition and Go: From moving to Los Angeles with only two weeks' notice to accepting the role of Bird in Soul Food after initially declining it three times, Malinda discusses the importance of listening to divine downloads and being radically obedient when your spirit says "go".
• Drop the "Bag Lady" Mentality: Inspired by Erykah Badu’s "Bag Lady," Malinda explains why you must let go of past hurts and grudges. She teaches that carrying emotional baggage slows you down, causing you to miss your bus—and your blessings.
• Know Your Worth in Negotiations: Hear the powerful story of how Malinda negotiated a salary double what she expected by leaning on her faith and learning to believe for more, even when the initial offer was a lowball.

Are you ready to drop your bags and code your own future? This episode is a masterclass in resilience and faith. If you were moved by Malinda’s story, consider supporting her mission to bring tech education to women and HBCUs by donating to the Arise and Shine Foundation at asforwomen.org

Don't forget to subscribe to No Boxes, Just Verses for more inspiring journeys that go beyond the bio! Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate, and review the podcast!

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Theme Song: No Boxes Just Verses by Thane Kreiner (Suno)