On the Table: Mastering the Career Pivot with Leah Barnes
Summary:
Mariana Quintana sits down with this week’s guest, Leah Barnes, whose professional and personal life has been a masterclass in navigating the art of a good pivot, to unpack a career defined by cultural friction and constant adaptation. This conversation dives deep into the moments and experiences that shape our identity. Learn and discover from Leah how she transforms challenges into a philosophy rooted in empathy, courage, and a deep sense of social responsibility.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
03:30 Getting to know Leah
06:20 A passion for human psychology
10:20 Conflict in various contexts and across differences
13:00 Past lessons
17:00 A career with Google
28:20 Peace across life stages
33:50 Regrets, career pivots and core mission
40:00 Advice, ambition, and altruism
45:10 Simply boundaries in a noisy world
51:00 A word about learning cross-cultural negotiations
57:50 Source of inspiration
01:00:10 Closing
Concepts and frameworks featured:
Emotional Intelligence (EQ), Human Centered-Leadership, Self-awareness, Human connection, Relationship Management
About the expert:
Leah Barnes is a digital transformation consultant and strategic account leader with international experience and a deep interest in people-first innovation. Over the past several years at Google, she’s had the opportunity to work across Canada, the UK & Ireland, and pan-African markets, contributing to initiatives in advertising strategy, executive engagement, and product adoption.
Her work has touched sectors including omni-channel retail, automotive, and tech, and she’s appreciated the chance to collaborate with diverse teams and navigate complex stakeholder needs. Leah enjoys supporting long-term strategic planning and helping foster inclusive partnerships between global brands and internal product teams.
As an experienced Google Account Manager, Leah has led executive summits, contributed to both internal and external training programs, helped define Go-To-Market strategies, collaborated with engineering teams for product development and tailored AI-driven solutions that aim to center user experience and ethical innovation. Her approach to leadership combines analytical thinking with emotional awareness, and she continues to learn from peers and mentors across the industry.
Leah holds an MSc in International Management and a BSc in Psychology & Biochemistry, along with additional training in International Human Rights Law. Fluent in English and German, she values bringing a multicultural lens to her work - whether coaching colleagues or contributing to the evolving landscape of digital marketing with curiosity and care. Leah is also the President of Ancors at Columbia University.
