SHOW HOST: Julene Allen,
Founder of Women of Color in the Workplace
About Conversations for Equal Pay
Conversations for Equal Pay is a podcast and interview series dedicated to spotlighting the leaders, changemakers, and visionaries who are advancing economic justice and workplace equity.
We believe that equal pay is not just about the paycheck—it’s about a person’s right to thrive in a fair and inclusive society. Through in-depth conversations with policymakers, nonprofit executives, activists, and cultural influencers, we go beyond the numbers to explore how pay inequality intersects with race, gender, caregiving, healthcare, and education. Our mission is to amplify bold voices, ignite public awareness, and inspire change that ensures every worker is valued, respected, and paid equitably.
This season, we're exploring the gender pay gap through a wide-angle lens, spotlighting how it impacts women across all racial and ethnic groups while keeping intersectionality at the core of every conversation. We’ll continue to elevate the voices of Black women, Latinas, Asian American and Pacific Islander women, and Native women, while also exploring the challenges white women face in the fight for pay equity—because closing the gap for one group means closing it for all.
About The Host: Julene Allen
Julene Allen is a visionary leader, interviewer, author, and advocate dedicated to advancing equity and visibility for women—especially women of color—in the workplace and beyond.
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Her journey began in 2008 when she founded Women for Action, a nonprofit organization dedicated to telling the stories of underrecognized sheroes. Through its offshoot, Women for Action Magazine, Julene conducted inspiring interviews spotlighting women who have broken barriers in their fields. Her subjects have included Lori Lyons, the first Black woman to photograph the cover of Fortune Magazine; Bonnie-Jill Laflin, the first and only woman NBA Scout; Marianne Marston, a British boxing champion and protégé of the late heavyweight legend Smokin’ Joe Frazier; Peggy Llewellyn, the first woman of color to win a professional motorsports event; and Shaili Chopra, an award-winning business journalist and one of India’s top television presenters.
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As an interviewer and champion for equal pay, Julene continues to amplify women’s voices through her acclaimed podcast, Conversations for Equal Pay, launched in 2019. The podcast explores pay equity, workplace inclusion, and leadership through candid discussions with prominent figures such as State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, Marysol Castro, journalist and PA announcer for the New York Mets, and Teresa Younger, President and CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women.
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Julene’s leadership also extends to her years as a Lean In Regional Leader, where she founded Lean In Dayton and Lean In Ohio, and later directed the global network Lean In | Women of Color. Through this platform, she developed discussion tools, workshops, and webinars to support professional women of color. Her Women of Color Discussion Toolkit was launched inside Procter & Gamble in 2017, and in 2018 she was honored by Lean In for organizing outstanding programming.
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She also published Lean In Ohio: 100 Women Archives, a keepsake book featuring interviews with some of Ohio’s most influential women trailblazers.
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Furthering her commitment to equity, Julene spearheaded national initiatives such as the Latinas Equal Pay Day Commemoration Project and the Black Women’s Equal Pay Day Commemoration Project, collaborating with organizations like NOW National, IWPR, and the National Diversity Council to elevate awareness of pay inequity affecting women of color.
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To date, Julene has conducted approximately 150 interviews across her various initiatives—spotlighting women’s stories, leadership, and resilience.
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A U.S. military veteran, former insurance professional, and founder of Women of Color in the Workplace®, Julene Allen has dedicated her career to ensuring that women—particularly women of color—are seen, heard, and empowered to thrive.