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In the second episode of the Bridging the Age Gap series, Julia is joined by Jackie and Emma, two Indigenous women who share the same heritage but stand in different life stages, weaving together ancestral wisdom and contemporary voice.

What unfolds is a deeply grounded conversation on reclaiming identity, resisting colonial definitions of mentorship and leadership, and learning to lead in a way that honours both elders and future generations. Jackie shares what it means to carry her Indigenous identity and ancestral knowledge into powerful political and institutional spaces; she calls this a journey “from the outhouse to the White House.” Emma shares how, over time, elders in her community saw leadership potential in her, much before she saw it in herself.

Together, they model an intergenerational exchange that is neither hierarchical nor linear, it’s circular and rooted in reciprocity, presence, and a reverence for the natural world.

“A Birch tree doesn’t say to a Cottonwood, ‘you’re bigger than me.’ They just exist. They coexist. And they each have their own medicine.” – Jackie

Tune in to hear how leading, for them, is less about roles and titles and more about holding space, honouring lineage, and being of service to the land and people.

About the Guests

Jackie Qatalina Schaeffer

Jackie Qatalina Schaeffer, as the Director of Climate Initiatives, she brings over 20 years of experience in communications and business management. She facilitates stakeholder engagement and supports various projects focused on environmental health, climate, and sanitation across Alaska. Jackie served as the Lead Facilitator for the Holistic Approach to Northern Sustainable Communities project and co-authored several regional energy plans in collaboration with the Alaska Energy Authority and local leaders. Her current work includes addressing water security and sanitation for unserved homes in rural Alaska, climate adaptation, community engagement, and integrating Indigenous perspectives to bridge service gaps. Jackie’s commitment to serving Indigenous populations allows her to merge culture and Indigenous knowledge with her professional endeavours, creating a powerful blend of Western and Indigenous perspectives.

Emma Johnson

Emma Johnson, a Cowlitz Tribal member, received her BA in Cultural Anthropology from Washington State University Vancouver and her MS in Sociocultural Anthropology at Portland State University (PSU). Emma is currently the Indigenous Traditional Ecological and Cultural Knowledge (ITECK) Coordinator in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office at PSU. In this role, she focuses on community engagement, partnership development, and cultivating a sense of belonging for students. Emma is extremely passionate about place-based education and connecting people to the landscape by introducing them to plant and animal relatives. She feels at home in the world of tribal food sovereignty and strives to support the reclamation and restoration of traditional foodways in Indian Country.

About the Host

Julia Middleton

Julia Middleton is the host of the Women Emerging podcast and a best-selling author of “If that’s leading, I’m in” as well as two previous books: “Leading beyond Authority” and “Cultural Intelligence”. She is deeply committed to helping people from all backgrounds to find their own approach to leading.

In 2020, Julia launched Women Emerging and in 2022 she lead an expedition of 24 women to find ‘an approach to leading that resonates with women’. She now leads expeditions with women all over the world based on 4Es methodology, discovered in the first expedition.

Prior to that, Julia was founder and, for over thirty years, Chief Executive of Common Purpose, which grew to become one of the biggest leadership development organisations in the world.
Julia is also an Ambassador for the Aurora Prize based in Armenia, on the boards of Alfanar Venture Philanthropy in the Arab World and Equality Now, which operates globally, and on the Advisory Councils of Fundacao Dom Cabral in Brazil and Synapse in Pakistan.

Born in London and brought up in New York, Julia was educated at French Lycées and graduated from the London School of Economics. She is married, with five children and lots of grandchildren.