Anniversary Replay: Building a Community Around a Common Purpose (Vandana Kumar)
Wed Feb 04 2026
Just over a year ago, we published an episode worth presenting again. It's a story of how Vandana Kumar transformed a community’s shared needs into a mission-driven organization, while navigating challenges of change and fostering team buy-in. Her conversation with Sharon highlights the importance of clarity, empathy, and adaptability in leadership, offering valuable lessons for leaders at all levels.
This is To Lead Is Human — listen to learn how you can uplevel your leadership and shape cultures of accountability, respect, and candor.
“You’re always looking for the familiar in an unfamiliar land. And you’re looking to create tastes, sounds, things that remind you of home.” — Vandana Kumar
Guest Bio:
Vandana Kumar leads the India Currents Foundation as Publisher and CEO. Established in 1987, India Currents is the oldest newsroom dedicated to covering the Indian diaspora of 5 million, the fastest-growing population in the United States. Vandana has won the Asian American Hero award from the County of Santa Clara and the Leadership in Business award twice from the California Legislature Assembly. Under her leadership, India Currents also won the Community Impact Award from the Asian American Journalists Association in 2024.
Host Bio:
For more than 30 years, Sharon Richmond has partnered with C-level executives from mid-size and small, fast-growing companies who want to up-level their leadership and build companies they are proud of. Clients accelerate their leadership by embracing mindset and behavior changes, building self-awareness and self-management skills, and focusing on the three things all leaders must ensure: focus, energy and delivery.
Sharon’s purpose as an executive coach is to help leaders 10X their impact by leveraging the power afforded by their roles to build organizations that are forces for good, both economically and socially. She also advises CEOs on shaping organization culture and leading change.
Sharon has taught leadership at Stanford GSB, where she now helps leaders increase influence, manage conflict, and prepare to build high-performing teams.
To see a list of Sharon’s clients, please visit LeadingLarge.com.
Resources or websites mentioned in this episode:
MiraseeSharon’s website: LeadingLarge.comVandana’s website: IndiaCurrents.comVandana’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vandana-kumar-3473851/
Credits:
Host: Sharon RichmondProducer: Andrew ChapmanAudio Editor: Marvin del RosarioExecutive Producer: Danny InyMusic Soundscape: Chad Michael SnavelyMaking our hosts sound great: Home Brew Audio
Music credits:
Track Title: Escaping LightArtist: Aaron SprinkleWriter: Aaron SprinklePublisher: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION
Track Title: Bright FutureArtist: Be Still The EarthWriter: Marshall UsingerPublisher: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION
Special effects credits:
24990513_birds-chirping_by_promission used with permission of the author and under license by AudioJungle/Envato Market.
To catch the great episodes coming up on To Lead Is Human, please follow us on Mirasee FM's YouTube channel or your favorite podcast player. And if you enjoyed the show, please leave us a comment or a starred review. It's the best way to help us get these ideas to more people.
Episode transcript: Anniversary Replay: Building a Community Around a Common Purpose (Vandana Kumar) coming soon.
More
Just over a year ago, we published an episode worth presenting again. It's a story of how Vandana Kumar transformed a community’s shared needs into a mission-driven organization, while navigating challenges of change and fostering team buy-in. Her conversation with Sharon highlights the importance of clarity, empathy, and adaptability in leadership, offering valuable lessons for leaders at all levels. This is To Lead Is Human — listen to learn how you can uplevel your leadership and shape cultures of accountability, respect, and candor. “You’re always looking for the familiar in an unfamiliar land. And you’re looking to create tastes, sounds, things that remind you of home.” — Vandana Kumar Guest Bio: Vandana Kumar leads the India Currents Foundation as Publisher and CEO. Established in 1987, India Currents is the oldest newsroom dedicated to covering the Indian diaspora of 5 million, the fastest-growing population in the United States. Vandana has won the Asian American Hero award from the County of Santa Clara and the Leadership in Business award twice from the California Legislature Assembly. Under her leadership, India Currents also won the Community Impact Award from the Asian American Journalists Association in 2024. Host Bio: For more than 30 years, Sharon Richmond has partnered with C-level executives from mid-size and small, fast-growing companies who want to up-level their leadership and build companies they are proud of. Clients accelerate their leadership by embracing mindset and behavior changes, building self-awareness and self-management skills, and focusing on the three things all leaders must ensure: focus, energy and delivery. Sharon’s purpose as an executive coach is to help leaders 10X their impact by leveraging the power afforded by their roles to build organizations that are forces for good, both economically and socially. She also advises CEOs on shaping organization culture and leading change. Sharon has taught leadership at Stanford GSB, where she now helps leaders increase influence, manage conflict, and prepare to build high-performing teams. To see a list of Sharon’s clients, please visit LeadingLarge.com. Resources or websites mentioned in this episode: MiraseeSharon’s website: LeadingLarge.comVandana’s website: IndiaCurrents.comVandana’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vandana-kumar-3473851/ Credits: Host: Sharon RichmondProducer: Andrew ChapmanAudio Editor: Marvin del RosarioExecutive Producer: Danny InyMusic Soundscape: Chad Michael SnavelyMaking our hosts sound great: Home Brew Audio Music credits: Track Title: Escaping LightArtist: Aaron SprinkleWriter: Aaron SprinklePublisher: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION Track Title: Bright FutureArtist: Be Still The EarthWriter: Marshall UsingerPublisher: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION Special effects credits: 24990513_birds-chirping_by_promission used with permission of the author and under license by AudioJungle/Envato Market. To catch the great episodes coming up on To Lead Is Human, please follow us on Mirasee FM's YouTube channel or your favorite podcast player. And if you enjoyed the show, please leave us a comment or a starred review. It's the best way to help us get these ideas to more people. Episode transcript: Anniversary Replay: Building a Community Around a Common Purpose (Vandana Kumar) coming soon.