‘It takes a lot of strength to ask for help’: A conversation about mental health and the military

05/25/23 • 20 min

The pandemic sparked many changes in how we live and work, and among them is how we now center mental health and wellbeing in our lives. Mastercard’s own Future of Work initiatives support the ways people show up as their authentic selves, with the flexibility and understanding to do what’s best for their wellbeing.

On the latest episode of “Inside the Circles,” Mastercard’s podcast about the future of work and the topics of now, host Latoya Bennett-Johnson chats with Schawn Branch, a lead program manager in our Data & Services business and a co-lead for our SALUTE Business Resource Group for veterans, about what can often be a drastic transition for former military members.

A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point who joined Mastercard after a 28-year career in U.S. Army, Branch is passionate about helping those serving find opportunities for employment after leaving the military. He was hired following a 12-week corporate fellowship with the Hiring Our Heroes program that gave him the opportunity work at Mastercard while still enlisted.

The conversation about mental health in the military has evolved significantly, Branch says, from being something not discussed to now being talked about openly. “It takes a lot of strength to ask for help,” he says.

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Inside the Circles: Celebrating Earth Month

The latest episode of "Inside the Circles" will honor Earth Month, focusing on Mastercard’s ESG priorities, the changes we’re making to our office spaces to become green-certified and how employees can feel empowered to combat environmental issues.

Host Latoya Bennett-Johnson, vice president, Global Sponsorships, spoke with two of our sustainability experts, Sia Xeros, vice president, Environmental Sustainability and Erin Goodhand, director, Sustainability to explore their personal journeys and passion for sustainability, as well as discussing how we can make sustainability more accessible for individuals and communities around the world.

We believe that everyone has a role to play in creating a more sustainable future. According to recent Mastercard sustainability research, 85% of consumers are willing to take personal action to combat environmental and sustainability issues. Mastercard is honoring Earth Month by making action more accessible for individuals, so they feel empowered to contribute and giving them opportunities to be part of the solution.

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Pride 2023: A lesson on being an authentic leader in the workplace

On the latest episode of “Inside the Circles,” Mastercard’s podcast about the future of work and the topics of now, host Latoya Bennett-Johnson sat down with Chad Wallace, who is the executive vice president and global head of Commercial Solutions. After a robust career with Goldman Sachs and Capital One, Wallace joined Mastercard a little over a year ago to lead the company’s commercial and B2B businesses, including product, engineering, and sales.

Three years ago, on National Coming Out Day, Wallace penned a letter to his younger self. He had written the draft ten times before he felt comfortable with it. After years, both in his youth and early career, of being reserved and keeping his cards close to his chest, Wallace was ready to raise his voice and put it all out there – the experiences he had growing up as a young gay man in rural Tennessee, the evolving relationships with his family and what it means to show up as your authentic self in your personal and professional life.

Wallace reflects on his letter and all that has occurred in his life that led him to writing it. “Even in some of the toughest things through my life, there were really good things that ended up happening because of that,” says Wallace. “I think I’m a better person at the end of the day because of the things that I went through during my childhood and upbringing.”