REACH - A Podcast for Executive Assistants

Welcome to REACH, Maven Recruiting Group’s podcast for executive assistants and administrative professionals. In this episode, host Jessica Vann sits down with Annie Wu, COO at cfo.ai and former Head of People & Operations at Runway, whose career took her from executive assistant at Founders Fund to chief of staff and five and a half years helping Postmates scale before its acquisition by Uber. Annie shares how so-called admin work, like a routine lease review, became the foundation for a real estate consolidation strategy, and why being strategic means tying ideas to execution, not waiting for a title.

 

They also cover: the conversation Annie had with Postmates CEO Bastian Lehmann after he shouted at her in week three, why reading an executive’s avoidance can reveal hidden friction, knowing why everyone is in every meeting, and why Annie feels lucky she learned the hard way before AI. They close on the danger of surrendering critical thinking, and which visionary leader Annie would most want to support.

 

Quotes

 

“If you can’t tie execution to strategy, all you’ll have is ideas that never manifest, and you’re not actually being strategic.” - Annie

 

“You lost a lot of power out there today. When you shouted at me, no one was thinking, ‘Annie really sucks at her job.’ They were thinking, ‘Wow, this guy’s a jerk, and I hope that’s not me. I better keep my head down.’” - Annie

 

“People don’t like to say things, they just avoid. But that action of avoidance is so telling if you have the EQ and the presence and the mindfulness, and you’ve tuned your senses in to be observant of those things.” - Jessica

 

“The greatest danger within the usage of AI is the surrender of critical thinking. When you allow something to do the thinking for you, you lose the ability to develop the muscle memory.” - Annie

 

Time Stamps

 

[00:48] Welcome to REACH: Meet Annie Wu

[04:21] Doing the Work Nobody Wants to Do

[07:07] An Acquisition and a Pandemic in the Same Year

[12:10] From Lease Review to Real Estate Strategy

[18:02] What Does "Strategic" Actually Mean?

[23:20] "You Lost a Lot of Power Out There Today"

[30:13] Reading Avoidance and Removing the Chaff

[34:00] Stay Curious: TAM and Guaranteed Maximum Price

[37:05] Know Why Everyone Is in the Room

[41:40] Would AI Have Changed Annie's Career?

[46:58] Dream Executive: Adam Grant

[47:59] Wrap-Up

 

Links

 

Connect with Jessica and Annie on LinkedIn!

• Jessica Vann
• Annie Wu

Learn more about:

• Maven Recruiting Group
• Runway

On this episode of REACH, we're joined by Elle Tyra, Executive Assistant to the President of ABC News. Throughout her career, Elle has supported leaders at two of the world's most recognizable news organizations, The New York Times and ABC News, as well as Hauser & Wirth, one of the world's leading contemporary art galleries.

What makes Elle's career especially compelling is that she has repeatedly found herself at the center of major leadership transitions and organizational change. From supporting executives stepping into new roles to navigating new leadership teams, she has learned how to build trust quickly, create stability, and become the constant during times of uncertainty.

In this conversation, Elle shares how Executive Assistants can navigate change with confidence, establish credibility with new executives, and strengthen their role as strategic partners. Whether you're supporting an executive through a promotion, onboarding a new leader, or navigating change within your own organization, this episode offers practical insights to help you lead with confidence when everything around you is evolving.

On this episode of REACH, we’re joined by Camille Geddes, Executive Assistant to Chris Britt, CEO of Chime, one of the fastest-growing fintech companies in the U.S. Before joining Chime, Camille built an impressive career supporting executives at Forward, Square, Plaid, and ClassDojo, where she partnered with founders and CEOs through periods of rapid growth and transformation.

In this conversation, Camille shares why motherhood has made her a stronger Executive Assistant, sharpening her efficiency, decision-making, and ability to prioritize what matters most. She also opens up about the often-unspoken realities of aging in the EA profession, challenging assumptions about longevity, relevance, and career growth. Whether you're balancing work and family, navigating a demanding partnership, or thinking about the next stage of your career, this episode offers an honest look at building a successful career that's strengthened by life beyond the office.

Why do some tasks energize you while others leave you completely drained? In this episode of REACH, Jessica sits down with leadership coach, speaker, and Better Conversations podcast host Kara List to explore the Working Genius framework and how it can strengthen the EA–executive partnership.

Kara helps female founders navigate one of the toughest transitions in business: moving from building a company to leading the people inside it. Through her coaching work, she helps leaders better understand their strengths, communicate more effectively, and scale their impact through others.

Drawing on Patrick Lencioni's Working Genius model, Kara shares how understanding your natural strengths can improve collaboration, reduce friction, and create stronger working relationships. Together, Jessica and Kara discuss how EAs can better understand themselves, gain insight into the executives they support, and build more aligned, productive partnerships.

If you've ever felt out of sync with your executive or wondered why you each approach work differently, this episode is for you.

To learn more about Kara's offerings, visit her website at https://heykaralist.com/

RoseMarie Terenzio spent five years as the Chief of Staff to John F. Kennedy Jr. at George Magazine, operating at the center of one of the most highly scrutinized media and celebrity relationships of the 1990s. Working alongside both John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy during the height of public fascination surrounding the couple, RoseMarie managed the constant demands, pressure, and visibility that came with supporting an American icon.

 

Today, RoseMarie is a two-time New York Times bestselling author, co-author of JFK Jr: An Intimate Oral Biography, Executive Producer of I Am JFK Jr., and today she specializes in strategic communications and crisis management work for high-profile leaders and organizations. In this episode of REACH, RoseMarie shares what it was really like behind the scenes, what it means to know the person behind the icon, and how the media and PR landscape has transformed since the height of JFK Jr.'s fame.

To explore more of RoseMarie’s work, click the links below:

Fairy Tale Interrupted: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1439187681?ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_6GQPE6YGD35C4986D1ZG_1&bestFormat=true 

JFK Jr: An Intimate Oral Biography: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1668018527?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_VJXGGNAFD1F5YPTPY2XD_1&bestFormat=true 

In this episode of REACH, we sit down with Laura Vanderkam, a bestselling author, speaker, and one of the most trusted voices in time management and productivity. Laura has spent years studying how high-performing professionals actually spend their time, using real time diaries to uncover the gap between perceived busyness and reality.

She is the author of several acclaimed books, including 168 Hours, and her newest release, Big Time: A Simple Path to Time Abundance, where she explores how even the busiest individuals can create more space, intention, and balance in their lives.

In this conversation, Laura shares practical strategies and mindset shifts around prioritization, productivity, and redefining what it means to “not have enough time.” For Executive Assistants and support professionals managing competing priorities at a high level, this episode offers actionable insights to help you take greater control of your time and operate more effectively.

To learn more about Laura and stay up to date on her new release, visit: https://lauravanderkam.com/

Happy Administrative Professionals Week! As promised, we have double the content for you this week. On today’s episode of REACH, we’re joined by Nicky Christmas, Founder of EA Campus and a globally recognized voice in the executive support space. Nicky has built her career around elevating the role of the Executive Assistant, helping assistants move beyond task execution and into true strategic partnership. Through EA Campus, she’s worked with thousands of EAs around the world, equipping them with the mindset, frameworks, and confidence to operate at a higher level.

 

What makes Nicky’s perspective especially valuable is her focus on the realities of the role that aren’t always formally taught. The nuance, the judgment calls, and the moments where there is no clear right answer. In this episode, we explore what it really means to operate in the gray. How to make decisions without a playbook, build trust with your executive, and confidently step into a more strategic, operator mindset.

It’s not too late to join Nicky in person or remotely. The EA Campus Conference is running this week, April 22–24, 2026, at ISH Venues in London and online. Find out more and register here: https://theeacampus.com/conference/ 

You can also learn more about Nicky and access her resources at https://theeacampus.com/ 

Happy Administrative Professionals Week! On today’s episode of REACH, we’re joined by Monique Helstrom, former Executive Assistant, Producer, and “Chief of” to Simon Sinek, author of Start with Why. Often described as the “HOW Girl to the WHY Guy,” Monique spent nearly a decade helping build and scale one of the most influential leadership brands in the world, giving her a front-row seat to high-level leadership, communication, and partnership.

Now a keynote speaker and coach, Monique shares practical guidance for Executive Assistants on leading up, communicating with clarity, and stepping into their roles with confidence. We also explore how EAs can embrace AI as a powerful tool to stay relevant and enhance their impact. This episode is packed with actionable insights on communication, connection, and evolving as a strategic partner in today’s workplace.

Resources & Offers:

Podcast Listener Offer
Get $100 off The AI-Powered Assistant course. Learn how to think with AI so you can produce stronger work, faster, and position yourself as a strategic partner.
https://www.moniquehelstrom.com/ai-powered-assistant
Use code: reachpodcast

April Coaching Offer
Special Administrative Professionals Month pricing on coaching sessions focused on confidence, communication, career direction, and strategic partnership skills.
Book a Discovery Call: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/discoverycallwithmonique

Double Course Bundle (April Only)
Get The AI-Powered Assistant and Introduction to Effective Communication together to build both technical skills and communication clarity.
Explore the bundle: https://moniquehelstrom.thinkific.com/bundles/administrative-professionals-month-2026

About Monique
Monique Helstrom is a recruiter, coach, and speaker specializing in the executive–assistant partnership. A former Executive Assistant to Simon Sinek, she now helps executives hire and work effectively with high-level assistants and supports assistants in building strategic, future-proof careers.

Website: www.MoniqueHelstrom.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moniquejhelstrom/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniquehelstrom/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrz2UEjZterB-2AdKZuAYxQ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MoniqueJHelstrom

In this episode of REACH, we’re joined by Julia Menez, founder of GeoBreeze Travel and host of the GeoBreeze Travel Podcast. Julia is a travel strategist and points expert who has built a loyal following by helping professionals maximize credit card points, airline miles, and loyalty programs to unlock elevated travel experiences.

For Executive Assistants and Personal Assistants, travel planning is a critical part of the role. Julia shares how assistants can take a more strategic approach to booking travel, using points and rewards programs to maximize budgets, unlock upgrades, and create seamless, high-quality experiences for their executives.

Whether you’re managing frequent business travel or looking to level up your approach to planning, this conversation offers practical insights on how to turn travel logistics into a true value-add. You can learn more about her offerings at: https://geobreezetravel.com/

In this episode of REACH, we’re joined by powerhouse Executive Assistant Kim Owens, whose career spans more than a decade supporting top leaders across media, sports, and tech. From Viacom and the NFL Network to her most recent role as Lead Senior Executive Assistant to the CEO, Founder, and Board Member at GoPro, Kim has been at the center of major growth, cultural evolution, and global expansion.

Known for her unshakeable calm, trusted judgment, and innate ability to connect people across every corner of an organization, Kim exemplifies how EAs serve as both the glue and the engine behind their executives and teams. She has built a reputation for cultivating strong cross-functional partnerships, advocating for herself and others, and navigating change with clarity and confidence.

Whether you’re looking to strengthen your presence as an EA, navigate high-pressure environments with more steadiness, or deepen your influence across the business, Kim’s career offers a masterclass in resilience, strategic partnership, and leading with clarity in moments of change.