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Episode Description

This is the very first episode of the Essence series where Julia is joined by Aparna, who offers insights into Sacred as an Essence.
Through a thoughtful exploration of spirituality and sacredness, Aparna explains how connecting with our Eessence forms the foundation of authentic leadership. Together with Anna, the conversation dives into the origins of Essence, the role spirituality plays in shaping it, and why sacredness can be a more empowering framework for women leaders than traditional notions of faith or religion.
Aparna challenges us to reconsider what it means to honor our bodies, our spaces, and our being as sacred, offering a fresh lens to draw ethical strength and moral energy for leadership. This conversation is an invitation to lead not just with purpose but from the very core of who we are.

About the Guests

Aparna Uppaluri

Aparna Uppaluri is an accomplished interdisciplinary professional with over 20 years of experience at the intersection of philanthropy, women’s rights, public health, and arts and culture across India and Canada. Her expertise spans strategic planning, program design, and network building, leveraging her connections across civil society, academia, and the private sector. Aparna’s unique approach as an independent artist and curator integrates creative expression with social justice initiatives, fostering transformative change. Highlights of her impactful career include managing gender justice grants, leading cross-sector collaborations, founding a not-for-profit in the arts, and strengthening social justice frameworks through innovative policy, research, and program implementation. Multilingual and globally connected, Aparna offers a rich, cross-sectoral perspective, bridging diverse fields to inspire inclusive and sustainable progress.

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.