Today, Andrea Walton, founder of the Concrete Rose Scholarship Foundation, launches season 3 of her podcast show, The Table I Built, where she elevates the powerful voices of women who lead with purpose, compassion, and conviction — women reshaping the world through their decisions, their courage, and their impact.
Andrea opens this season by shining a spotlight on Karen Hanrahan, a global leader whose career spans more than 25 years across humanitarian action, child protection, and international development. As the Chief Impact and Innovation Officer at ChildFund International — and through her previous roles with the U.S. Department of State and the GLIDE Foundation — Karen has spent her life advocating for vulnerable communities and helping rebuild lives in some of the most complex environments in the world. Read more about Karen and her work: KarenHanrahan.com.
Andrea Walton
In this episode, Andrea and Karen talk about:
- The leadership lesson that has guided her across every chapter of her career
- How she stays hopeful in challenging global moments
- Why women in leadership must embrace vulnerability, humanity, and truth
- What she’s learned from communities who rebuild after conflict and crisis
- What resilience really looks like in practice
“This conversation sets the tone for a season dedicated to women leading with power, purpose, and heart,” says Andrea.
Pull up a chair — your seat at the table is waiting.
Until next Monday: Keep your eye on the things that mean the most to you! — Hope Katz Gibbs, founder and president, Inkandescent® Inc. Inkandescent.us
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About Host Andrea Walton, founder, The Concrete Rose Scholarship Foundation
Who she is: Andrea Walton is a seasoned HR executive, published author, and purpose-driven philanthropist committed to building pathways to education for Black and Brown girls around the world. As Founder and CEO of The Concrete Rose Scholarship Foundation, Andrea leads with a deeply personal mission-having once been a teen mom who earned her GED before climbing the ranks to become a Chief People Officer in the biotech and education sectors.
What she does: Since 2020, Andrea has awarded nearly a dozen scholarships under the banner “From GED to MBA,” and recently formalized the Foundation as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. With global partnerships spanning the University of Cape Town and Howard University, the foundation is scaling a bold vision: to eliminate systemic barriers to higher education-one student, one scholarship, and one opportunity at a time. Andrea also leads Concrete Strategies LLC, her HR consulting firm, and hosts the podcast The Table I Built, where she shares unfiltered conversations on leadership, resilience, and equity.
Why she does it: “My work is rooted in the belief that education saves lives. It is true for me, and it is my life’s mission to help others write their own stories. Where we came from creates a foundation. What we do next is up to us.”
Check out Andrea’s books:
As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse who became a teen mom, the odds were stacked against Andrea. “Through my faith, family, and resilience, I fought through,” she explains, and hopes her story motivates readers when the odds are stacked against them. “Today, choose to look doubt square in the eyes and say, I will not quit!” Click here to buy the book.
All the Smoke: From Pain to PurposeAuthor Andrea Walton has shared her life and educational journey in From GED to MBA. Now, “All the Smoke” details Divorce, Depression, and ultimately Destiny. The native of Pasadena, CA grew up with a single mom, sister, and brother. Like many teens that become pregnant, she was on welfare and dropped out of high school to raise her daughter. At 19, she took the GED and passed, but it took several years before she was ready to apply to college. The first in her family to earn a bachelor’s degree, she forged on to complete her MBA two years later. She then spent decades as a human resources expert with positions at Nestle, Target, biotech companies, and more. She now mom to three children, all of whom are thriving in Northern VA.
Listen to Andrea’s podcast: The Table I Built. A bite-sized podcast on real-life resilience, purpose, and leadership, in Season 1 of Andrea’s show you’ll find episodes under 10 minutes for builders who are short on time but big on vision. “Each episode offers raw, reflective insight on grit, healing, and building something meaningful after life turns sideways,” says the woman who went from teen mom to executive. “I am happy to share hard-earned lessons, true stories, and bold encouragement for anyone who’s ever had to start again.” In Season 2, Andrea will interview leaders who have also gone from pain to purpose, and want to share their hard-earned wisdom. Click here to listen.
Want to get an hour of Andrea’s time? In 2020, she founded Concrete Strategies, a HR consulting firm. “My goal is to help leaders maximize their success,” says the fractional leader.
Perhaps most powerful and personal of all: In 2020, Andrea created The Concrete Rose Scholarship Foundation.Born from lived experience and her unwavering belief that brilliance can bloom in even the harshest environments, Andrea’s foundation is rooted in resilience, equity, and global impact. We invest in underrepresented students—especially young women of color—by providing scholarships, mentorship, and access to education. What sets us apart is our personal connection to the journey. This isn’t charity—it’s solidarity. We exist to remove barriers, build bridges, and help the next generation rise, fully rooted and in full bloom. Click here to learn more about it: theconcreterosescholarship.com.
Contact this truly amazing woman: Email: Andrea.Walton@concrete-strategies.com • Cell: 626-233-1409