Create X Change

Strong conversations are built through strong collaboration.

Following the The Union League of Philadelphia Health & Wellness Club program with Dr. Zeke Emanuel, I took a moment to reflect with the partners who helped shape and deliver the experience.

Lauren Brands McCreesh, Chair of the Union League Health & Wellness Club, continues to play a pivotal role in shaping programming that is both relevant and intellectually grounded for this community.

Robert Christmas, Chief Operations Officer at the Hepatitis B Foundation, Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, and Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center, brings a rare combination of scientific perspective, operational leadership, and ecosystem-building experience across the life sciences sector.

Programs like this are only possible because of leaders who prioritize substance over form—and who understand the importance of creating space for conversations that challenge thinking, not just fill a calendar.

Grateful for the partnership and for the opportunity to continue building work that elevates the quality of dialogue within this community.

🩺 What does it really mean to age well?

That was the central theme as the The Union League of Philadelphia’s Health & Wellness Club welcomed Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel—physician, bioethicist, and one of the country’s most influential voices on healthcare, longevity, and public policy.

Throughout the conversation, Dr. Zeke Emanuel challenged conventional thinking about aging and wellness. Rather than focusing exclusively on extending life, he encouraged us to consider how we preserve vitality, purpose, and independence throughout the years we have.

His message was clear: longevity alone isn't the measure of a life well lived.

A few takeaways that stayed with me:

🩺 More years matter less if they're not healthy ones.
🩺 Daily habits and preventive care often shape outcomes more than we realize.
🩺 The future of healthcare depends on informed, engaged individuals—not just medical innovation.
🩺 Purpose, connection, and meaningful relationships remain essential ingredients for long-term well-being.

The discussion sparked thoughtful questions and a lively exchange of ideas, covering everything from healthcare policy and medical advancements to the personal choices that influence how we age.

One of my favorite parts of these events is watching complex topics become accessible through great conversation. Dr. Emanuel brought both expertise and candor to the room, leaving attendees with a deeper perspective on what it means not just to live longer—but to live well.

📚 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔: 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐬 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭

If you're paying attention to where leadership, innovation, decision-making, and society are headed, June's new releases offer a fascinating cross-section of the conversations shaping the future.

From rethinking capitalism and market creation to navigating AI, human-centered leadership, history, and better decision-making, these authors are challenging conventional wisdom and offering new frameworks for a rapidly changing world.

📚 On the shelves now:

"The Common Good Economy" – Mariana Mazzucato
A bold call to rethink economic success through the lens of collective value creation, innovation, and long-term societal impact.

"Market Engineering" – Bruce Cleveland
A practical playbook for creating entirely new markets and categories rather than competing within existing ones.

"Chief Impact Officer" – Julie Averill
Lessons from the former CIO of lululemon on leading transformation through human intelligence, trust, and authentic leadership in the age of AI.

"Been There, Done That" – Gregory Jackson
A timely reminder that history offers powerful evidence of our ability to overcome uncertainty, disruption, and change.

"Centennial" – Fergus M. Bordewich
The story of the 1876 World's Fair—and how one extraordinary event helped invent America's future through innovation, technology, and ambition.

Whether you're leading a company, building a movement, designing experiences, or simply trying to make sense of what's coming next, these are the kinds of books that spark better conversations.

Which title is going on your summer reading list?

✨ Can agility be designed?

That was the question on the table as the Union League’s Business Leadership Forum welcomed Liz Tran—author of 𝘈𝘘: 𝘈 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘈𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨.

Liz reminded us that the old leadership playbook no longer fits the world we’re operating in. Markets shift quickly. Decisions are made with incomplete information. And clarity is harder—but more important—than ever.

Her takeaway? Agility isn’t about reacting faster. It’s about thinking better.

A few favorite gems from her talk + book preview:
⚡ Agility is a strategic advantage, not a soft skill.
⚡ Uncertainty doesn’t require panic—it requires better frameworks.
⚡ Leaders need tools to stay clear, focused, and effective when the path keeps changing.
⚡ The best teams don’t just move quickly; they know how to reset, refocus, and lead forward.

Always such a pleasure to be in the room with Philly’s business leaders for these BLF conversations. Liz brought the perfect mix of insight, practicality, and grounded wisdom for anyone trying to lead in a world that absolutely refuses to sit still.

This Memorial Day, I keep coming back to a simple but powerful idea from Dr. Zeke Emanuel:

“𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 — 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞.”

In a culture obsessed with optimization, longevity, and doing everything “right,” that perspective feels grounding.

Not anti-health.
Just deeply human.

Wishing everyone a meaningful Memorial Day filled with reflection, gratitude, and time with the people who matter most.

And if this conversation resonates, join us on June 1 for 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 & 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 at the The Union League of Philadelphia with Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel.

🗓 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 1
⏰ 12:00–2:00 𝐏𝐌
📍 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐚

Registration includes lunch, program, and a copy of the book.

🔗 Register here: https://forms.gle/giUEWXzMNsNycnyQ7

𝐈𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫?

On 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟏, the 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 & 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐛 at the The Union League of Philadelphia will welcome Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel for a timely conversation on what it really means to live a full and healthy life.

A The New York Times, USA TODAY, and national indie bestselling author, Dr. Emanuel’s new book, 𝘌𝘢𝘵 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘐𝘤𝘦 𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮, cuts through the noise of today’s wellness culture—challenging the idea that longer is always better and offering a more practical, evidence-based approach to health and longevity.

His keynote, 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫, explores one of the biggest cultural questions of the moment: are we optimizing for more years—or better ones?

Drawing on decades of experience in medicine, public health, and policy, Dr. Emanuel will share clear, actionable insights on what truly impacts long-term health—from nutrition and exercise to sleep, mental sharpness, and social connection.

This is not about chasing every wellness trend. It’s about making smarter choices grounded in evidence, perspective, and quality of life.

Attendees will leave with a sharper understanding of health, aging, leadership, and the habits that are actually worth investing in.

𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐚 | 12:00–2:00 𝐏𝐌 | 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

Registration includes lunch, program, and a signed copy of 𝘌𝘢𝘵 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘐𝘤𝘦 𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮.

👉 To attend, register here: https://forms.gle/VXDX75hUGVXzUbcb8

“𝘈𝘨𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘢 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘦-𝘵𝘰-𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘵. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘢 𝘯𝘰𝘯-𝘯𝘦𝘨𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦.”
— Liz Tran

That line has been sitting with me.

There was a time when agility felt like an advantage reserved for certain leaders — the calm ones, the fast thinkers, the people naturally comfortable with change.

I don’t think that’s true anymore.

Now it feels foundational.

Because the reality most leaders are navigating today is constant movement: shifting markets, compressed timelines, incomplete information, and decisions that can’t wait for certainty.

The leaders who will define this next era won’t necessarily be the ones with the most polished strategy decks.

They’ll be the ones who can stay clear, grounded, and thoughtful while the ground keeps moving underneath them.

That’s exactly why we’re bringing Liz Tran to the BLF Symposium on 𝐌𝐚𝐲 20 to unpack AQ — Agility Quotient — and what it actually looks like to lead well when conditions won’t sit still.

📍 League House | 7:30–9:00 AM
🔗 Register here: https://lnkd.in/gGVCanQ2

Curious if this lands for others too:
Is agility still a trait—or has it become the operating system?

𝐈𝐬 𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞?

On 𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐌𝐚𝐲 20, the The Union League of Philadelphia Business Leadership Forum will host Liz Tran—executive coach, founder of Reset, former venture capitalist, and author of 𝘈𝘘: 𝘈 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘈𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨.

Her keynote, 𝐀𝐠𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐒𝐢𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥, explores one of the most urgent leadership questions of the moment: how do you make clear, confident decisions when conditions are constantly changing?

Drawing from her work advising founders and executives at companies including Google, Coinbase, and Dropbox, Liz introduces Agility Quotient, or AQ, as a modern leadership capability for navigating uncertainty without losing focus.

This is not about reacting faster. It’s about thinking better.

Attendees will leave with practical tools to make stronger decisions under pressure, stay focused amid constant change, and lead teams with clarity when the path forward is not obvious.

In a business environment where volatility is the norm, agility is no longer a soft skill. It is a strategic advantage.

𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐚 | 7:30–9:00 𝐀𝐌 | 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

👉 Fill out this form if you’d like to attend — complimentary for BLF Members who register before 𝐌𝐚𝐲 19 𝐚𝐭 1:00 𝐏𝐌. Seating is limited, and this will be a timely conversation for leaders navigating what’s next: https://lnkd.in/e5b3Sx6K