Straight Talk with Hank Paulson cover art

Deborah Lehr

Straight Talk with Hank Paulson

Leadership, Higher Education, and the Importance of HBCUs with Dr. Ruth Simmons

Paulson Institute Nature’s Ledger explores how business and conservation can work together for a sustainable and prosperous future. Host Deborah Lehr, Vice Chairman and Executive Director of the Paulson Institute, speaks with inspiring guests to spotlight people, projects, and solutions that prove nature is an asset we can’t afford to lose. Grounded in the belief that valuing nature is key to resilient economies, the podcast shares bold ideas and real-world actions to regenerate the planet.
Dr. Ruth Simmons (President, Prairie View A&M University) joins Hank Paulson on the podcast to share the obstacles she encountered early in life, her parents’ life as sharecroppers, and how they empowered her to get an education. Simmons discusses higher ed and the important work of HBCUs, her views on leadership, and the need to keep learning and be open to what people have to teach.

Host

Henry M. Paulson Jr.

Henry M. Paulson Jr.

Founder and Chairman | Paulson Institute

Henry M. Paulson, Jr., is a business leader, conservationist, statesman, and author who is the founder and chairman of the Paulson Institute and executive chairman of TPG Rise Climate. He served as the 74th U.S. Secretary of the Treasury from 2006 to 2009, where he led the response to the...
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Episode Guest

Dr. Ruth Simmons

Dr. Ruth Simmons

President's Distinguished Fellow | Rice University

Dr. Ruth Simmons is a groundbreaking leader in education, making history as the first Black woman to serve as president of an Ivy League university. Throughout her career, she has been a champion of diversity, equity, and inclusion, working tirelessly to expand opportunities for students of all backgrounds. Her leadership...
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