In this episode of The Ethics Experts, Nick welcomes Kurt Stitcher. Kurt Stitcher is the Chief Legal and Compliance Officer at Nihon Kohden North America, Inc., a subsidiary of Nihon Kohden Corporation, a Japan-based medical device manufacturer. In this role, Kurt manages all legal and compliance matters for seven North American subsidiaries. Before NKNA, Kurt served in senior compliance roles in multi-national medical device, manufacturing, and technology companies, where he helped design, build, and lead various elements of global compliance programs. Before he moved in-house, Kurt spent over 20 years as a practicing lawyer, where he served as a Litigation, White Collar Criminal Defense, and Investigations Partner at a number of global law firms. He also spent several years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Miami, Florida.

In this episode of The Ethics Experts, Nick welcomes Michelle Sharfenberg. Michelle has over 25 years of legal experience. She has spent the majority of her career in the medical device industry, providing legal advice to business teams, building compliance programs, and integrating compliance into business operations and culture. Michelle has served as Senior Vice President and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer for Avanos Medical and Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer for Cantel Corporation (acquired by Steris Corporation). Prior to that experience, she held roles of increasing responsibility in the legal and compliance departments at Integra LifeSciences Corporation, including Chief Compliance Officer as well as General Counsel for Global Operations. She began her career as a law clerk in the District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and worked at Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (now Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP) before joining the medical device industry.

In this episode of The Ethics Experts, Nick welcomes Katherine Cohen, JD, CHC, CHRC. Katherine is the Chief Compliance Officer of Southern Illinois University (SIU) Medicine. In that role, Kate leads the compliance program for the SIU School of Medicine, the affiliated faculty practice plan and the SIU federally qualified health center. Focusing on collaborative, proactive compliance support for the organization, the compliance office is responsible for physician billing auditing and compliance, referral issues, conflict of interest, research compliance, research integrity, and privacy. Prior to her work with SIU Medicine, Kate has worked in healthcare and research compliance and legal positions. Kate is a graduate of Florida International University College of Law and Colgate University and holds certifications in healthcare compliance and healthcare research compliance from the Healthcare Compliance Association. https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-cohen-jd-chc-chrc-a6380b15/

In this episode of The Ethics Experts, Nick welcomes Scott Sullivan. Scott E. Sullivan was most recently the former Chief Integrity & Compliance Officer of Newmont Corporation, the world’s leading gold company. Newmont has approximately 20,000 employees and 25,000 contractors with 12 operating mines and 2 non-operated JVs in 9 countries. Mr. Sullivan oversaw, developed, implemented and managed Newmont’s integrity and compliance program including ethics, anti-bribery, corporate investigations, conflicts of interest and global trade compliance. Previously, Mr. Sullivan was the Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer of Flowserve Corporation, a global manufacturer of fluid motion and control products with approximately 17,000 employees operating in 55 countries. Linkedin.com/in/scottesullivancco

In this episode of The Ethics Experts, Nick welcomes Steven Robinson. Steven Robinson (CIPP/US, CIPP/E, CIPT, FIP, AI Security & Governance) is the former Chief Privacy Officer and Associate General Counsel at Ricoh USA, Inc., where he led technology transactions teams and supported U.S.-based technology development, privacy, security, and compliance teams. In that role, he spearheaded AI, privacy, and compliance policy development and provided comprehensive legal support for new technology initiatives. Mr. Robinson came to Ricoh as the Chief Legal Officer of mindSHIFT Technologies, Inc., when Ricoh acquired it. He began his career as an Assistant District Attorney in the Manhattan DA's Office. https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenhrobinson/ https://stevenhrobinson.substack.com/

In this episode of The Ethics Experts, Nick welcomes Gary Ballesteros. Gary Ballesteros is Vice President, Law, Chief Compliance Officer and Ombuds. He leads the team of compliance professionals who oversee Rockwell Automation’s compliance with regulatory requirements around the globe. Under his leadership, Rockwell has been named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere Magazine. As the Company’s Ombuds, Gary serves a critical role in the Company’s culture of ethics and integrity. The Ombuds has a direct reporting authority to the Board of Directors and is empowered to investigate any claims or allegations of misconduct within the Company. The Ombuds maintains a variety of hotline reporting mechanisms that can be accessed anonymously by any employee worldwide; and he also manages a staff of investigative personnel and counsel who investigate any reported violations of our Code of Conduct.

In this episode of The Ethics Experts, Nick welcomes Curtis Oltmans. Curtis Oltmans joined Fulcrum as General Counsel in November 2020 with over 25 years of experience in corporate law including senior management positions in legal departments at several leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. He served as Vice President, Head of Litigation at DaVita Kidney Care, Inc. where he led a 30-person team and was responsible for all litigation, workers’ compensation and employee safety matters. Prior to DaVita, Curtis was Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Array BioPharma Inc. where he oversaw all legal, corporate governance, patent and compliance matters. He has served on the Avenue Therapeutics Board of Directors since April 2021. Curtis received a BA in political science from the University of Nebraska and his JD from the University of Nebraska College of Law.

In this episode of The Ethics Experts, Nick welcomes Avril Ussery Sisk. Avril Ussery Sisk, NACD.DC, serves as Chair of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Capital Area Chapter Advisory Board, and is on the Advisory Boards of MABLE Software and Athena Alliance. She recently served on the board of a privately held information technology company where she supported strategic public-private partnerships and the government relations strategy to drive significant revenue and ultimately a transaction. An attorney with more than 30 years of professional and community leadership, Avril has a strong record of innovation in large and mid-size government, business, and nonprofit organizations as well as consulting experience in both Japan and the United States. https://www.linkedin.com/in/avril-ussery-sisk/

In this episode of The Ethics Experts, Nick welcomes Karin Hurt and David Dye. Karin inspires courage confidence, and innovation. A former Verizon Wireless executive, she’s known for growing courageous leaders, building great cultures, and inspiring high-performance teams. David helps leaders and teams achieve transformational results without sacrificing their humanity. As a former executive and elected official, he is known for practical leadership techniques you can use right away. While they were reading and supporting one another's work, they met online. After a while, they realized they were writing the same book, so they decided to collaborate. They wrote their first book, Winning Well: A Manager’s Guide to Getting Results Without Losing Your Soul, while David was living in Colorado and Karin was in Maryland. Soon after the book was complete, they realized we had fallen in love somewhere along the way and they got married and merged their businesses. Now they help human-centered leaders (like you) resolve workplace ambiguity and chaos so that you can drive innovation, productivity, and revenue without burning out employees. At Let’s Grow Leaders, our leadership development programs and proven, researched-based techniques create sustained transformation. They equip your leaders with practical tools to cultivate lasting habits and build strong, cohesive, courageous cultures. Learn more about Karin and David and Let's Grow Leaders here: https://letsgrowleaders.com/ Karin's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karin-hurt/ David's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmdye

In this episode of The Ethics Experts, Nick and Gio welcome Andrew McBride. Andrew McBride is the CEO of Integrity Bridge LLC, a consulting practice offering strategic & operational compliance support for companies. Andrew has over 25 years of compliance experience, at an international law firm and several multinational companies in the Americas, Europe and Australasia. In his most recent role as Chief Risk & Compliance Officer at Albemarle Corporation, he built a new ethics and compliance program, and recruited a new team, against the backdrop of an FCPA investigation. The investigation was resolved by way of a Non-Prosecution Agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice and Cease & Desist Order with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. As part of the resolution, Albemarle secured a 45% reduction in penalty due to its co-operation with the investigation and the compliance program that was built, the largest FCPA % penalty reduction to date. In recognition of these efforts Albemarle was awarded Compliance Program of the Year by Compliance Week in May 2024. In parallel to the FCPA investigation and business ethics efforts, Andrew played a key role supporting Albemarle’s commitment to sustainability including UN Global Compact membership, management of the company’s human rights framework and support for the company’s successful efforts to achieve certification against the Initiative of Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA)’s Mining Standard. Prior to Albemarle, Andrew was Associate General Counsel Compliance at BHP, Senior Antitrust Counsel at BP and Managing Associate at Linklaters. Andrew is admitted to practice law in England, Western Australia & California. He is also a Certified Fraud Examiner.

In this episode of The Ethics Experts, Nick welcomes Christine Cunningham. Christine Cunningham is a Pharmacy Compliance Coordinator and recent graduate of Western Governors University, earning a bachelor’s in healthcare administration. She is a certified pharmacy technician with twenty years of experience and is studying to earn the CHC through HCCA. When Christine isn’t helping hospital caregivers follow the myriad of pharmacy rules and regulations, she can be found listening to the latest Ethicsverse podcast, playing one of her ukuleles, or enjoying the view from her deck with a cat on her lap.

In this episode of The Ethics Experts, Nick welcomes Kimberly Strong. Kimberly Strong is vice president, Chief Ethics & Compliance officer for Con Edison, a regulated utility providing electric, gas and steam service in New York. Since joining the company in 2012, Ms. Strong has been responsible for all aspects of the company’s business ethics and compliance program. She uses her years of experience as a trial attorney and advice lawyer on employment and labor issues by working with corporate leadership and employees to meet the company's commitment to integrity and accountability. https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlystrong/

In this episode of The Ethics Experts, Nick welcomes Vera Cherepanova. Vera is an award-winning ethics and compliance expert who writes and speaks about business ethics, workplace culture, behavioral compliance, risk, and governance. She is the Executive Director of Boards of the Future, a non-profit that works with corporate boards globally and advocates for more people with ethics and compliance backgrounds on boards. Vera is the author of Corporate Compliance Program, the first-ever book on compliance in the Russian language, and a co-author of The Transnationalization of Anti-Corruption Law, as well as hundreds of articles on all aspects of ethics, compliance, and governance. http://www.veracherepanova.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/follow-vera-cherepanova/

In this episode of The Ethics Experts, Nick welcomes Laura Sauber. Laura Sauber is the CEO of Sauber Consulting, a firm dedicated to helping healthcare organizations build cultures where ethics and compliance risks are proactively prevented, identified, and resolved—ensuring they do not impede the organization’s strategic objectives. Laura is recognized not only as a strategic compliance leader but also for her strong business acumen, innovative approach, and collaborative leadership style. Passionate about driving organizational integrity and performance, Laura excels at advising leaders and cross-functional teams on effectively navigating the complex federal and state regulatory landscape, improving, and sustaining organizational performance. https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-sauber/

In this episode of The Ethics Experts, Nick welcomes Dr. Bettina Palazzo. Bettina’s fascination with business ethics began in the early 90s, and once she realized how rich and exciting the field was, she never looked back. She suffered through the cumbersome but rewarding effort of getting her head around the philosophical and economical foundations of business ethics, won a prize for her PhD. thesis and rode off into the sunset to join KPMG. There she helped to build their business ethics consulting services. Tough pioneer work at that time! In 2003 she started her own ethics advisory. Along the way, she’s learned that you can’t squeeze ethics into checklists, and that unethical companies make for unhappy people. Bettina received the "Compliance Influencer of the Year 2024" award from the International Compliance Association, a recognition of her passion for turning ethics and compliance into something everyone wants to be a part of. Whether through her blogposts, LinkedIn, or her online community – the Compliance Cappuccino Club, she brings fresh, relatable insights to the compliance community. Fun fact: she met her husband, Guido Palazzo, at a business ethics conference—proof that ethics really is her love story! http://www.bettinapalazzo.com/

In this episode of The Ethics Experts, Nick welcomes Leslie V. Boles, BA, CCS, CPC, CPMA, CHC, CPC-I, CRC. Leslie Boles is the Co-Owner & President of Revu Healthcare, with over 16 years of experience in healthcare coding, auditing, and compliance. She holds various credentials and has served in leadership roles, including on the Board of Directors at Engage NC and as Co-Chairman of the Board at Grateful Heart Church in Cary, NC. Previously, she was the Senior Director of Compliance & Audit at Waud Capital Partners, overseeing compliance programs for portfolio companies. https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslie-boles-ba-ccs-cpc-cpma-chc-cpc-i-crc-69442246/

Sarah Cole is a solicitor and accredited life coach who has worked with CEOs and Executives for nearly 30 years with a specialism in the ethics and compliance space. After a career practicing law in corporate, commercial, banking and finance and property litigation fields she was in a life changing, serious car accident that changed the trajectory of her professional and personal life. Across her career, she has navigated ethical dilemmas and has 'walked the talk', she saw time and time again how tough and lonely it is at the top and founded Cole Forums, a peer support network. She is passionate in the power of trust and authentic connection that peer support groups bring. Her community of CEOs, GC’s, CECOs and C Suite leaders share experiences and insights providing safe spaces and intelligent networks to navigate the complexities of leadership and business but also to support leaders with their personal and family lives. www.coleforums.com www.integrityfirstcoaching.com

In this episode of The Ethics Experts, Nick welcomes Greg Shultz. Greg Shultz, Founder of Conformitise, is a global compliance and risk executive with over 24 years of experience, including 11 years living and working across the Asia Pacific region. His career has been defined by roles at leading financial institutions, including Morgan Stanley and BlackRock, where he designed and executed strategic compliance programs and spearheaded technology-driven initiatives to mitigate global risks and enhance regulatory frameworks. Prior to financial services, Greg was at the United Nations, where he served on the investigation committee led by former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker during the Iraqi Oil-for-Food Programme Investigation. In this role, Greg played a pivotal part in uncovering corruption and fund misappropriation in one of the most complex humanitarian operations in history. This experience solidified his focus on fostering transparency, strengthening compliance, and managing strategic risk on a global scale. https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregshultz/

In this episode of The Ethics Experts, Nick welcomes Todd Haugh. Todd Haugh is an Associate Professor of Business Law and Ethics and the Arthur M. Weimer Faculty Fellow in Business Law at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, where he also serves as the Director of the Institute for Corporate Governance. His scholarship focuses on white collar and corporate crime, business and behavioral ethics, and federal sentencing policy. His work has appeared in top law and business journals, including the Northwestern University Law Review, Notre Dame Law Review, Vanderbilt Law Review, and the MIT-Sloan Management Review. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-haugh-811a2137/ Todd's personal website: http://www.businessethicsbound.com/

In this episode of The Ethics Experts, Nick welcomes Tyson Avery. Tyson M. Avery currently serves as Deputy General Counsel, Ethics & Compliance of Lucid Motors. He is responsible for leading, developing and enhancing the global ethics & compliance department of a new, publicly traded luxury EV company. This includes mitigating regulatory risk in such areas as anti-corruption, sanctions, trade, anti-competition, and OEM-specific requirements. He also facilitates and directs a multi-departmental internal investigation program and leads the company’s third-party due diligence process.

In this episode of The Ethics Experts, Nick welcomes Kerri Salata. Kerri Salata is a lawyer, ethics, and compliance professional who advises companies on how to meet their legal and regulatory requirements using creative, design-driven strategies. She is the Founder of Kerri A. Salata, Legal Professional Corporation, and also holds the position of CEO at Comply With Me, a Compliance Consultancy Firm known for its innovative approach to regulator-accredited compliance education. http://www.linkedin.com/in/kerrisalata https://ca.linkedin.com/company/comply-with-me

In this episode of The Ethics Experts, Nick welcomes Cindy Marsh. Cindy, a practicing improvisor with over 12 years of experience, is a member of the Applied Improvisation Network. She honed her skills at improv powerhouses like The Second City, Upright Citizens Brigade, and Magnet Theater. Cindy's background in Global Logistics and Trade Compliance surprisingly intertwined with improv, as the skills proved valuable in navigating her career. Experiencing the positive impact in both her personal and professional life, she began sharing her experience and training with others. Now, as the founder of Good Human Improv Company, Cindy empowers individuals to discover their comedic potential and embrace the transformative power of improv. https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindysmarsh/

In this episode of The Ethics Experts, Gio welcomes Emily Frank. Emily is a certified Corporate Compliance and Ethics Professional (CCEP) with a Master of Studies in Law degree specializing in Ethics and Compliance. With a robust background across multiple industries including mining, retail, and automotive, Emily has worked with compliance organizations at various stages of development and maturity. Currently at Scout Motors Inc., she holds the pivotal role of spearheading the Compliance and Integrity program for a nostalgic American brand that is reemerging with a focus on electric vehicles LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-frank-msl-ccep-896355107/

In this episode of The Ethics Experts, Gio welcomes Adam Hunt. Adam first worked in the ethics and compliance field at a company offering online training courses while he was an undergraduate at UCLA and went on to attend law school at Northwestern University in Chicago. Most recently, he spent the past 6+ years building, leading and scaling the Global Ethics & Compliance team at Netflix from a single paralegal to a global team of 14 compliance professionals across 7 countries. Along the way, Adam has also started an event ticketing company (Wikkit), a poker clothing company (All N Poker), and self-published two books for law students and legal professionals: "Surthriving Law School (and beyond): An essential guide to surviving and thriving on your legal (and life) journey"; and "Be Happy Law: More Joy and Less Stress for the Busy Modern Lawyer". LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/surthrivinglaw/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@surthrivinglaw

In this episode of The Ethics Experts, Gio welcomes Tobias Sturesson. Having personally endured the devastating effects of growing up in a toxic cult, Tobias Sturesson committed his career to helping large purpose-driven organizations overcome their most daunting culture challenges. On his quest, he made a crucial discovery: that, just like our physical health, achieving a thriving culture requires a change of habits. A minor change to what you repeatedly do can have a significant impact on your team and organization. Drawing from his extensive experience and in-depth interviews with many renowned experts, researchers, and executives from well-known organizations, Tobias has identified the four most crucial and timeless culture-building leadership habits. You Can Culture is your meticulously researched guide to these habits, laid out in twelve actionable practices. Each practice is an invitation to growth and introspection, offering reflection questions, practical tools, and leadership actions. Suitable for managers and executives alike, You Can Culture empowers you to strengthen trust, transform your culture, be a values-based leader, and leave a last ing legacy of positive change. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobiassturesson/ You Can Culture: https://youcanculture.com/