Podcast by Jeffrey Cohn, Podcast Host
Imperfect Leaders
There is no such thing as a perfect leader. We invite the country's most admired leaders to talk about their imperfections and leadership journey.
Imperfect Leaders
Latest episodes
28 May 2026
Thinking About Thinking: What a World-Class Neuroscientist Learned When His Own Child Got Sick, with Dr. Bradley Schlaggar, CEO of the Kennedy Krieger Institute
In this episode of Imperfect Leaders, host Jeff Cohn sits down with Dr. Bradley Schlaggar — physician, neuroscientist, and President and CEO of the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, one of the world's premier institutions for children and young adults with disorders of the brain and nervous system.
Brad's path to leadership began with a lifelong obsession with the developing brain, an MD and PhD from Washington University, and nearly two decades on the faculty building a celebrated research career.
But it was a series of deeply personal crucible experiences — the loss of his sister and father to cancer, his own emergency heart surgery, his wife's breast cancer diagnosis, and his son Simeon's four-year battle with leukemia — that forged his most important leadership qualities.
Those experiences gave Brad something no training program could: a profound, bone-deep empathy for the families sitting across from him, and a servant leader's instinct to make space for others rather than occupy it himself.
That empathy and humility are not incidental to how Kennedy Krieger works — they are the foundation of it. Brad has built a culture where world-class specialists in neurology, psychiatry, behavioral health, and education are not just housed under one roof but genuinely work together, centered entirely on the patient and family in front of them.
In this conversation, Brad takes us inside that culture — how it is built, how it is sustained, and why true interdisciplinary care produces outcomes that siloed systems simply cannot.
He also speaks with remarkable candor about what parents of children with autism and developmental differences actually need, what the system consistently gets wrong, and what business leaders with real capital and influence can do right now to move the needle for these families — inside their companies and in their communities.
This episode will resonate deeply with any parent who has ever sat in a waiting room terrified, and with any leader who has learned — the hard way — that the most powerful thing you can do is get out of the way of the people around you.
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23 January 2026
Winning the War for Rainmakers & Law Firm Leaders, with John Cashman, President Major, Lindsey, & Africa
Big law is changing fast, but one thing hasn’t: the firms that win still recruit – and keep – talent better than everyone else. In this episode, John Cashman breaks down how elite law firms actually close top laterals—mindset shifts, process, culture fit, and hands‑on leadership—and why the same principles apply to any organization, in business and in sports, that depends on star performers to drive results.
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01 December 2025
Michael Paul, CEO of MaraBio - Finding 'Ability' in Disability
Some CEOs hide behind the veil of invulnerability.
Michael Paul, Ph.D., does the opposite—he believes that real leadership starts with choosing trust over armor. Michael was deeply influenced by the wisdom of Patrick Lencioni, never choose "invulnerability over trust."
As CEO of MARAbio, he is helping build a company that knows exactly why it exists: to use maternal immune science to help eradicate the most severe forms of autism, giving families earlier answers and more hope.
On this episode of Imperfect Leaders, Michael unpacks how that clear purpose shapes every hard conversation with parents, clinicians, investors, and his own team—and how a leadership style that embraces his heart, mind, and soul (psychological safety), and a culture grounded in honesty makes it possible to tackle obstacles as big as autism itself.
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08 October 2025
Molded from Clay – Chris Johnson Brings Bluebird Kids Health to Families Across America
Professor Clay Christensen was the famous business school professor who wrote the influential book, "The Innovator's Dilemma." Clay had a brilliant mind and was a strategic advisor to CEOs across the country.
Less well know, was Clay's active role as a mentor to young, up-and-coming innovators. One of those beneficiaries was today's guest, Chris Johnson, Founder & CEO of Bluebird Kid's Health.
Bluebird is revolutionizing pediatric care. They are solving the problem of "pediatric care deserts" by building pediatric practices in access-starved neighborhoods, using a modern, tech-enabled approach to care delivery, and implementing a high-performing model built specifically for pediatrics and value-based care (VBC).
Chris is a mission-driven entrepreneur and innovator who was, quite literally, molded by Clay.
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19 September 2025
“From Care to Character with Amanda Lukof: How Eleplan Transforms Families – and Ourselves”
Join us for a deeply human conversation with Amanda Lukof, founder of the groundbreaking Eleplan app and devoted caregiver to her autistic brother, Liam.
In this episode, we explore how Eleplan is changing the game for families—making the chaos of care more manageable and freeing up precious time and peace of mind.
But as Amanda shares, caregiving isn’t just about looking after others; it’s about who we become in the process. From her own family’s journey to Eleplan’s powerful vision, you’ll discover how better care can transform families, bring clarity to overwhelming moments, and help all of us grow into our best selves.
Whether you’re a caregiver, a leader, or simply seeking inspiration, this is an episode about love, innovation, and the character that comes from caring.
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07 September 2025
The Neurodiverse Leadership Challenge – with Professor Keivan Stassun, Founder of Frist Center for Autism and Innovation at Vanderbilt University
Why do teams with neurodiverse talent often out-innovate more homogenous teams?
Because solving complex problems require diversity of thought. As Steve Jobs used to say, "Think Different! "
What's the catch?
Leading these kinds of innovative teams isn't easy – in fact, it's very difficult.
It requires 'true leadership' according to today's guest, Dr. Keivan Stassun, a MacArthur fellow, rocket scientist, professor, and Founder and Director of the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation at Vanderbilt University.
Organizations that develop this leadership capability will reap the benefits.
With that in mind, Dr. Stassun and I have a challenge for CEOs across the country. We challenge you to develop rising leaders who are ready to lead neurodiverse teams.
And if you accept our challenge, we would love to hear your stories. What's working? What's is not? How are you thinking different? What are you doing to build a bench of future leaders who can help everyone reach their full potential?
Given the complex challenges that lie ahead, this may be the defining leadership development challenge (and opportunity) of our generation.
I call it the: "Neurodiverse Leadership Challenge."
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