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The strongest leaders aren’t defined by their titles—they’re defined by their ability to adapt, listen, and lead with humanity.
In this episode, Michele Smith, CEO of the Museum of Pop Culture, reveals how she built a career on resilience, authenticity, and courage.From her start in contract negotiation to international business development, to helping the Woodland Park Zoo weather the storm of COVID-19, Michele’s story shows that leadership is less about having the answers and more about practicing presence, empathy, and trust. At MoPOP, she continues to expand cultural conversations by highlighting marginalized stories and creating spaces of belonging.
Tune in to learn how to lead with authenticity, why resilience is a muscle you build over time, and what it takes to create cultures where people feel valued and included.
Key Takeaways:
- The Rare Gem Mindset – How to embrace your uniqueness and disrupt with purpose
- Resilience in Action – Lessons from leading through the uncertainty of the pandemic
- Executive Presence – Why practice and preparation are essential at every career stage
- Building Belonging – How inclusive leadership fosters trust, safety, and stronger teams
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Highlights
The key moments in this episode are:
[00:00] Introduction to Beyond Barriers Podcast
[00:27] The Importance of Authentic Leadership
[01:25] Meet Michelle Smith: A Journey of Leadership
[03:11] The Value of Understanding Contracts
[08:28] Leading the Museum of Pop Culture
[11:55] Navigating Leadership Challenges
[23:26] Building Confidence and Resilience
[27:35] The Role of AI in Nonprofits
[28:52] Crawl, Walk, Run: A Strategy for Policy Implementation
[30:46] AI's Role in Shaping Pop Culture
[42:26] Effective Meeting and Mentorship Practices
[44:47] Lightning Round and Final Thoughts -
Lightning Round
Q: What book has greatly influenced you?
A: The Let Them Theory by Mel RobbinsQ: What is your favorite inspiring quote or saying?
A: Transform challenges into opportunities. It's in the struggle that we find our strength.Q: What is one word or moniker you would use to describe yourself?
A: Rare Gem
Q: What is one change you've implemented that made your life better?
A: Prioritizing doctor appointments
Q: What power song would you want playing as you walk out onto a stage?
A: My House by Beyoncé -
Quotes
Authenticity is really looking at everyone in the room and understanding that there are different diverse perspectives
Michele Smith
True leadership is admitting when you’ve had a hard week, that you can’t do it all, and that you sometimes need time to rest and refocus.
Michele Smith
Your leadership style may change over the years and that is a skill that you continue to hone over your entire career.
Michele Smith
Even as a CEO, I believe I’m continuously learning. Every quarter, I set a 30-60-90 day journey to align my personal and professional goals.
Michele Smith
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About
Michele Y. Smith, currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP). Smith is a mission-focused leader with extensive experience in business development, operations, and finance in the nonprofit industry.
Her people-centered leadership approach is the driving force behind her work at MoPOP which emphasizes a steadfast dedication to the democratization of philanthropy, the universal language of pop culture, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, and mentorship of emerging leaders.
Prior to her role at MoPOP, Michele served as the Chief Business & Financial Officer at the award-winning cultural institution, the Woodland Park Zoo, where she played a pivotal role in navigating the organization through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her dynamic, mission-focused approach resulted in unprecedented growth across various facets of the institution, including revenue, events, guest services, admissions, automation, and finance.