Resilience, Reinvention, and Responsibilities: How Lauder Leaders Live the Change

Oceanic | 60 Chelsea Piers
Afternoon Panel at Lauder Global Impact Summit
Saturday, October 18 | 2:15 - 3:15PM

Themes

Geopolitics | Emerging Markets | Multipolar Risk

Description

Some of the most powerful insights come not from keynote stages—but from the lived experiences of our peers.

In this dynamic session, Lauder alumni step into the spotlight to share real, raw, and relevant stories—5-minute TED-style reflections on moments of reinvention, revelation, identity, and human connection.

What do today’s global shifts mean not just for your business—but for your family, your identity, and your purpose as a leader? In this interactive session, we turn the focus inward. From career reinvention and personal boundary-setting to finding purpose and fulfillment when life doesn’t go as planned, we’ll explore the tools and mindsets that power resilience in the face of relentless change.

Because leading through uncertainty isn’t only strategic—it’s profoundly personal.

From career pivots and identity reinvention to the personal cost of leadership and how to stay relevant, we’ll peel back the layers, drop the masks, and ask the hard questions:

  • What do you do when the ladder breaks—or when you realize you want to climb a different one entirely?

  • What do you wish you'd known sooner?

  • What’s your “So What” now?

  • How do we define success when the map keeps changing?

This isn’t a talk about work-life balance. It’s real talk—about boundaries, meaning, wellness, and what it takes to show up fully—at home, at work, and in the world.

Speakers

Moderator: Sydel Howell, ‘99 Portuguese
Panelist: Keith Kohler, ‘93 Portuguese
Panelist: Jennifer Laessig, ‘99 Spanish
Panelist: Marianela Leguiza ‘20 Portuguese
Panelist: Alex David Mandl ‘01 Spanish
Panelist: Sijia Yu, ‘19 International/Global Studies

Bios

Sydell Howell

Moderator Sydell Howell’s entrepreneurial journey began in 2004 when she transitioned from McKinsey & Company to take the helm of her family's retail medical supply business as she navigated the challenges of a recent divorce, single motherhood with two toddlers, and the realization that her life trajectory was not aligning with her aspirations. Despite the gradual growth of her business and family, she often found herself wondering, “Why am I not happy?” and "Is this as good as it gets?"

Thanks to her personal journey of becoming "unstuck" and fostering a culture centered on mindfulness and self-care, her retail business has experienced sustained double-digit growth over the past seven years, despite economic uncertainty.

Sydel has discovered the key questions and mindsets for cultivating a meaningful life—one free from stress and overwhelm—and now has the honor of coaching other high-achieving leaders to feel fulfilled, wake up energized, and attain peak performance without compromising their relationships or well-being.

Alexander Mandl

Born in Belgium to Austrian roots, Alexander Mandl has lived and worked across Europe, the Americas, and Asia, building both a career and a life around transformation. After Lauder, he joined Goldman Sachs, working on power plant acquisitions and energy trading across Europe. He later contributed to the development of Private Brands at Amazon Europe and held senior executive roles at Newell Brands, Suntory Global Spirits, and Gopuff EU, where he drove digital transformation and marketplace expansion.

Alexander’s greatest transformation came outside the boardroom. While on a training assignment in New York during 9/11, he was exposed to toxic dust — a moment that would silently reshape his life. Years later, after a relentless health decline, he underwent a double lung transplant in Barcelona, the city he now calls home.

Today, as founder of Hemsel Growth Systems and FRX Ventures, and a Master’s student in Healthcare Innovation at VHIR/UAB, Alexander channels resilience into building and funding ventures at the intersection of healthcare, AI, and human innovation.

Jennifer Laessig

Jen is a Board-Certified Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist whose career bridges the worlds of healthcare, business, and entrepreneurship. Before transitioning into nursing, she was an entrepreneur—founding and managing e-commerce ventures, leading a historic Santa Fe inn, managing online and print media properties, and advising international clients on market growth strategies.

Jen earned her Master of Science in Nursing from The University of Texas at Austin and has worked as a psychiatric APRN with the geriatric population. Prior to entering the field of mental health, she was a hospice nurse, which she still regards as the most meaningful and important role she has held. She is now the Chief of Staff at Halcyon Home, a home health, home care and hospice company. Jen is passionate about helping clients live meaningful, fulfilling lives and about supporting colleagues and teammates in achieving their highest potential.

In her spare time, she enjoys working out, practicing hot yoga, and going thrifting. Although she is a proud New Mexican, she moved to Austin 13 years ago with her husband and three sons—and she has never looked back.

Keith Kohler

Keith Kohler is a financing and mindset strategist and is the Founder of The K2 Group LLC, a finance consultancy dedicated to helping founders get the right financing at the right time™ while meeting them where they are and guiding them on their financing journey, with a particular focus on the CPG industry.

Keith is a sought-after speaker, author of CPG Financing Guide, and creator of CPG Financing Month, a series of conversations exploring the financing and mindset journeys of CPG companies, and the Making the Numbers Work® For You retreat, where he helps founders overcome anything holding them back from the successful management of their business finances. 

 In October 2025, Keith launched his podcast, “How I Financed It,” which brings you the real, in-depth, and vulnerable stories of founders who’ve built – and financed – their businesses.  He will be hosting his first-ever Your Mindset Summit in November 2025 featuring founder stories and mindset/wellness expert tips and tools.

 Keith supports CPG founders in several other roles, including as a member of the selection committee of Nutrition Capital Network and a UPenn Venture Lab Expert in Residence and Mentor.

Marianela Leguiza

Marianela (Mari) was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina. A Chemical Engineer from the University of Buenos Aires, she expanded her horizons through an exchange program in France and later joined McKinsey in São Paulo. After graduating from Lauder in 2020, she returned to McKinsey in Chicago, marking the start of her life in the U.S.

After navigating major personal and professional changes — including motherhood, divorce and changing career paths — Mari embraced a new chapter focused on growth and balance. She now serves as Deputy P&L Leader at Enova, a fintech company in Chicago that provides credit access to underserved communities.

Sijia Yu

Growing up in China, Japan, and the U.S. taught Sijia early on how to embrace the unknown and adapt to new cultures — a theme that continues to shape her career. She began in professional services with Deloitte in New York and London. After Wharton/Lauder, she worked in healthcare investment banking, before shifting into venture and startups to build health tech companies.

Today, she is at Meta on the Monetization & Incentives team, where she focuses on guiding the organization through the transitions of the AI era and its evolution into a product-first org. 

Outside of work, she enjoys exploring new restaurants and traveling with her fiancé, James, as well as spending time in nature and practicing yoga.