Carrie J. Clark on Detroit Roots and Resilience Through Personal Loss to IT Leadership at Henry Ford Health, and Leading Globally with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated
How do you keep moving forward when life forces you to grow up at age 11? Can you maintain your integrity when your job conflicts with your values? In this episode of No Boxes, Just Verses, we explore the incredible journey of a leader who turned early personal tragedy into a lifetime of resilience and service. We go beyond the bio to discuss how to lead through loss, the power of divine order in your career, and what it takes to manage global teams during a crisis.
Carrie J. Clark is a powerhouse leader in technology, global governance, and higher education. As the System Director of IT Operations at Henry Ford Health, she drives digital transformation and operational excellence. Beyond the boardroom, Carrie serves as the International Regional Director for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, overseeing chapters across 13 countries. A proud Detroit native and STEM advocate, she is dedicated to creating pathways for the next generation through organizations like Code 313.
Watch on YouTube:
Key Takeaways:
The Survivor Mentality: Carrie opens up about the devastating loss of her mother when she was just 11 years old. Learn how this tragedy shaped her resilience and instilled a survivor mindset that has fueled her personal and professional success.
Integrity Over Titles: Hear the defining moment in Carrie's early career when she walked away from a good job because it compromised her values. She shares a powerful lesson on why you can't save everyone, but you must refuse to be part of the problem.
Your Steps Are Ordered: From losing a major election to losing her father in the same season, Carrie discusses how to handle public defeat with grace and why trusting in divine order is essential for long-term peace and success.
Leading Through Crisis: As a regional director during the height of COVID-19, Carrie had to pivot from standard leadership to managing the grief and safety of thousands of women. Discover her strategies for galvanizing a team during unprecedented times.
Going Global: Carrie shares her excitement about expanding Alpha Kappa Alpha's footprint, including chartering new chapters in Ghana, London, and Puerto Rico, and bringing the sorority full circle back to the continent of Africa.
Whether you are a corporate executive, a community servant, or navigating your own wilderness season, Carrie’s story is a testament that "ain't no stopping us now." If this episode inspired you to trust your journey, please rate, review, and share it with a friend!
Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate, and review the podcast!
CONNECT WITH Carrie J Clark:
CONNECT WITH SHANNON:
LinkedIn Shannon | LinkedIn NBJV
Theme Song: No Boxes Just Verses by Thane Kreiner (Suno)
How to Turn Hard Times Into Your Superpower: Leadership Lessons from Carrie J. Clark
Life throws curveballs at everyone. Sometimes, you might feel like the world is against you or that bad luck follows you around. But what if those hard times were actually training you for something great? This article is for anyone who feels stuck, sad, or unsure about the future. It is also for dreamers who want to be leaders but are afraid of failing. We are going to look at the life of Carrie J. Clark, a top leader in technology and global service. She faced tragedy as a child and tough choices as an adult, yet she rose to the top. Her story proves that you can turn pain into power and loss into leadership.
Step 1: Turn Your Saddest Days Into Strength
Many people think that if something terrible happens to them when they are young, their life is ruined forever. This is a huge mistake. When Carrie was just 11 years old, she lost her mother. It would have been easy for her to give up or be angry at the world. But the better approach is to use that pain as fuel. Imagine your loved one is watching you and cheering for you. Carrie decided to live a life that would make her mother proud. She asked herself, "What would my mother say?" whenever things got tough. She realized that courage is not about being fearless; it is about making good choices even when you are sad or scared. You must decide to survive and thrive, not just for yourself, but to honor the people who loved you.
Recap: The Survivor Code
To survive hard times, you must keep moving forward.
Make a choice: Decide to keep going even when it hurts.
Find your motivation: Do it to honor someone you love.
Ask for help: Lean on your family or friends (your village).
Ignore the odds: Believe you can make it, even if others doubt you.
Be tough: Life is hard, so you have to be harder.
Step 2: Put in the Work so No One Can Stop You
There is a misconception that success should come easy or that you can take shortcuts to the top. This is false. To build a life that no one can take away from you, you have to do the hard work. For Carrie, this meant going to college when not many people looked like her on campus. It meant fighting for scholarships and studying hard. When you finish a big goal, like getting a degree or learning a trade, it becomes a badge of honor. It proves to the world—and to yourself—that you are a finisher. When you put in the effort, you gain confidence. You start to feel like "Ain't No Stopping Us Now," just like the song Carrie loves. Education and hard work are the tools that build your future foundation.
Recap: The Power of Effort
Work hard now so you can celebrate later.
Don't look for shortcuts: Do the work yourself.
Finish what you start: A degree or certificate proves you have grit.
Ignore the haters: Let your success be the noise.
Value the struggle: The hard work makes the reward sweeter.
Step 3: Choose Integrity Over Money and Titles
Sometimes, you will get a job that pays well or gives you a fancy title, but something deep inside your tummy feels wrong. A common mistake is to ignore that feeling because you want the cash. Carrie once had a job at a school that took money from students but didn't give them a good education. She felt like she was part of a scam. The new and better approach is to realize that your character is more important than a paycheck. You cannot save everyone, but you must refuse to hurt people just to make money. Carrie quit that job because she wanted to be part of the solution, not the problem. When you choose what is right over what is easy, you sleep better at night and build a reputation people trust.
Recap: The Integrity Check
Your good name is worth more than gold.
Listen to your gut: If it feels wrong, it probably is.
Be honest: Don't trick people just to get ahead.
Walk away: It is okay to quit a bad situation to save your soul.
Help who you can: Do your best, even if you can't fix everything.
Step 4: Trust the Timing of Your Life
We all want to win every time we try something. When we lose a game, an election, or miss out on a promotion, we want to cry or get angry. Carrie lost a big election for a leadership role in her sorority. At the exact same time, her father passed away. It felt like everything was falling apart. But the secret to peace is to believe in "divine order". This means trusting that things happen when they are supposed to happen. Instead of acting like a sore loser, Carrie continued to serve and help others. She realized that how you act when you lose shows your true character more than how you act when you win. Later, she got an even bigger opportunity that was perfect for her.
Recap: The Divine Plan
Trust that you are exactly where you need to be.
Lose with grace: Be kind even when you are disappointed.
Don't quit: Keep showing up and doing the work.
Believe in miracles: Good things are coming, even if they are late.
Look for the lesson: Ask what this loss is trying to teach you.
Step 5: Lead with Hope When the World is Scared
When scary things happen, like the COVID-19 pandemic, most people panic and look at the negative side. Leaders do the opposite. Carrie had to lead thousands of women during the pandemic when people were sick and afraid. The common mistake is to freeze up. The better approach is to look at the glass as "half full". Carrie focused on how to keep her team safe and how to serve the community in new ways. Because she stayed calm and hopeful, her team didn't just survive; they thrived. To lead means to give hope to others when they cannot find it themselves.
Recap: The Hopeful Leader
Be the light when things get dark.
Don't panic: Stay calm for the people watching you.
Innovate: Find new ways to solve old problems.
Focus on others: helping people makes you feel less afraid.
See the good: Look for the opportunity in the crisis.
Step 6: Find Your Rhythm and Joy
You cannot work all the time. If you are serious all day, every day, you will burn out. A huge mistake leaders make is thinking they can't have fun. Carrie holds a very serious job and manages huge teams, but she has a secret weapon: House Music. When she needs to smile or get energy, she plays upbeat music and dances. You need to find that one thing—whether it is music, sports, or art—that instantly makes you happy. This is not a waste of time; it is how you recharge your battery so you can go back to being a superhero.
Recap: The Joy Factor
You need fun to survive the hard work.
Find your jam: Pick a song or hobby that makes you smile.
Take a break: Step away from work to recharge.
Dance it out: Move your body to shake off the stress.
Be yourself: It is okay to like what you like.
Carrie J. Clark shows us that you don't need a perfect life to have a great life. You can start with tragedy and end up with triumph. The big idea here is resilience. It means you fall down, but you get back up stronger every time.
Here are the steps to take today:
Reframe your pain: Use your hard times as motivation.
Commit to learning: Finish school or learn a new skill to prove your worth.
Check your ethics: Make sure your work matches your values.
Trust the wait: If you lose today, believe a better win is coming tomorrow.
Press play: Put on your favorite song and dance!
Go out there and be a survivor!