[Leadership Vault] Louise Wasilewski: Impact Over Ego

by Jeff Bond

As the CEO of Chat With Leaders Media and Executive Partner at People-First Elevation Team, I lead a dedicated team specializing in thought leadership development, stakeholder engagement, and effective global communication. We excel in producing corporate podcasts, meetings, and events to drive customer and team member acquisition, retention, and engagement. Additionally, we provide speaker coaching to empower thought leaders within our clients' organizations.

My approach is grounded in Conscious Capitalism, fostering leaders with a values-driven, pro-capitalism perspective. I firmly believe in business's transformative power, not only as a commercial venture but as a catalyst for lasting social and generational impact.

Beyond my professional role, I cherish my most significant leadership role as a father to three children, alongside my wife Katie. This personal aspect deeply influences my professional path, aligning my business strategies with family values, faith, and community service in Atlanta, GA.

Louise Wasilewski is CEO and co-founder of Acivilate, a social enterprise providing rehabilitation software to justice, health, and human services agencies. Pokket helps justice agencies work with human services agencies to improve outcomes for vulnerable people by empowering them to help themselves and find the support services they need. Wasilewski has spent twenty-five years in technology innovation. Wasilewski is a member of the Metro Atlanta Reentry Coalition, the Greater Gwinnett Reentry Alliance, and the National Criminal Justice Association. She has spoken at the American Correctional Association and the American Probation and Parole Association on the use of technology in correctional reentry settings and was published in Policy and Practice, the magazine for Health and Human Services professionals. She is passionate about improving criminal justice outcomes because it is an issue that has affected her family. Ms. Wasilewski holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Aerospace Systems Engineering from Southampton University and an MBA from Emory University. She holds five patents.

Chat Highlights

Touch on why you founded Acivilate in 2014 and the problems you set out to solve in the criminal justice system with your technology solution.
What has been your proudest accomplishment over the last 7 years?
How has an unexpected introduction and relationship caused you to rethink your baseline business strategy and make some big changes to your plan recently?
Given this experience, what have you learned about focusing on collective impact versus entirely owning credit for successful outcomes as a leader?
The importance of open-mindedness from the perspective of a founder and leader.