Lioness Conversation with Diana Maldonado: Empower Women to Run, Lead, Thrive
Jen Porter (00:00)
Hey, Lioness, welcome to the show, Lioness Conversations, where we help women be brave, to lead with confidence and joy, and to find your path to the most meaningful work of your life. I'm your host, Jen Porter, leadership and empowerment coach for ambitious and heart-centered women. Today, we have a very special guest, Diana Maldonado. Diana is a candidate coach, board director, advisor,
bestselling author, speaker, and global marathon runner. I'm going to give you just a bit of background on Diana and then you'll get to meet her. Diana Maldonado, a respected central Texas political figure, has built a career in the public and private sector on achieving the impossible while fostering lasting relationships. As a bestselling author, she shares stories from her journey in politics, travel, and marathon running through the lens of a Latina.
Inspiring women to take the next bold step. Diana, welcome to the show.
Diana Maldonado (01:06)
Thank you so much, Jen. I appreciate the invitation.
Jen Porter (01:09)
I'm so excited to get into this conversation with you because your background, what you're doing now and the vision for what you have next. can't wait to share with the audience. tell us a little bit. We're going to start present tense. What are you doing right now? So tell us what you're focused on today and then we'll go back in time and explore how you actually got to this place.
Diana Maldonado (01:32)
Okay, so if I could kind of merge time, time places together, what I'm doing right now is that I developed an online course, the Candidate School, which is about managing money, policy, and power.
So this is a labor of love of my time when I was in politics, running at the local level, running at the state level and all the experience that I gathered along the way. But at the same time, Jen, the thing that stood out to me was that I didn't have a guide, I didn't have a mentor or those advisors that personally coached me as a candidate. Now there is a lot of advising on the campaign itself, but not the candidate.
So what I did is developed a course that is more holistic about the candidate and specifically for women because again, looking back through the lens of what happened is like it's more important for our nation and our local communities to have women leaders because they're collaborators, they're nurturers. They look for problem solving in very unique and amazing ways that will benefit the community. So I'm so, so happy and thrilled that
I mean, on February 27th, I'll be launching, the course will be going live.
Jen Porter (02:49)
Awesome, awesome.
So when I hear the word candidate, my first thought is recruiting because my first career was in recruiting for helping companies find the best talent around the world. And a lot of people in my circles have a recruiting background. they might be thinking candidates for jobs, but you're actually talking about politics, right? You have a political background. So tell us about what kind of...
Diana Maldonado (03:11)
politics.
Jen Porter (03:18)
individual would be a great fit for the candidate's goal.
Diana Maldonado (03:22)
So it's intergenerational. Right now what we're seeing in the discourse of our nation is that as our nation and our global connection is more closer connected, that it can be women who have just had a successful career.
have accomplished so many successes through their leadership, through their skill sets, through experience, and have this vast network of colleagues in their community or across the nation. And oftentimes, we're also pivoting what's that next new chapter for us. So I definitely want to connect women of that success to entertain this possibility, because I've had had
conversations with women that are curious about that next chapter for them. And then at the same time is women who are in their mid career and they've already launched something, they've already have this business acumen, but they're on a faster track. So this would give them something for them to also go a discovery phase.
And then as they're doing their planning, then they're also know, okay, in 24 months from now and 18 months from now, I will then be entertaining to run for office while I already have my career in place. Now at the same time, I am so impressed with the youth leadership energy of the younger demographic wanting to go into politics and they should.
Jen Porter (04:48)
Mm-hmm.
Thank
Diana Maldonado (05:06)
because they are also the next wave of who will inherit a lot of the policies. And they also need to be at the front, know, at the front also crafting legislation, having their voices heard. So it fits in different categories, but specifically for women because it is important to have to bring to parity or have more representation of women making decisions.
Jen Porter (05:32)
Absolutely. I'm thinking of a friend of mine who needs to connect with you. She has ambitions of moving from leadership roles in the nonprofit sector to taking on a political role. And she doesn't know how to do that. I mean, you we're not trained in that, just much like you weren't trained in that. And so I'm just thinking I will connect you with her.
Diana Maldonado (05:43)
Yes.
Yes, exactly.
Thank you. Thank you. And even the connection point with women who have run organization and leadership roles, they're going to love this because they'll see the connection point of that transition being more malleable because they bring all of that experience. So I'm super excited even to have conversations with women who are entertaining that possibility for them.
Jen Porter (06:17)
Okay.
love that you're doing this. So we'll talk more about that, but I want to find out how did you get here? So tell us, you know, where, where did you get your start? Where, did you grow up? What was your family of origin?
Diana Maldonado (06:36)
Yes, yes. So I tell a quick story that I was born, well, I was, I was born in West Texas and for a short time lived in Guymon, Oklahoma because the work of my dad, he was in the meatpacking business. then we went through discrimination, obviously in the late sixties, early seventies. And my father moved us from Guymon, Oklahoma all the way down to a border town, Eagle Pass, Texas.
And from then, I mean, that's where I grew up. Those were my formative years going to school and what have you. But at the same time, I recognize that as quaint and tight-knit community that it was, even as a young girl, I felt that I will not stay here. This is a temporary phase or a transition phase.
because my mind would just wander and I would get very curious about the possibilities outside this community, know, what's around the corner. And so then in the summers, my sister and I would go and spend the summers in the public library. And then it just opened up a world of possibilities by reading books and thinking of where I could go.
and what I could do, but at the same time, I didn't have that voice or somebody to mentor me and lead me along. So it was up to me to create that along the way. But again, I have no regrets of that, know, my childhood, it was a great small community, but I knew that at some point, I I knew that I was gonna leave after I graduated from high school.
Jen Porter (08:08)
Hmm.
Yeah.
It's interesting you mentioned the public library. I've kind of gone full circle because my mom would take us to the library and she, you we would get out books and she was such an avid reader. Well, now I'm back in my public library, my in the local community. I love going there and finding books and I'm almost always putting them on hold because they don't always have everything that I'm looking for. But I love it because I like try to sprint and get to, you know, finish a book and then go pick up my next one. So it's it's it's
Diana Maldonado (08:47)
Yes, exactly.
Jen Porter (08:55)
such a beautiful offering for our communities.
Diana Maldonado (08:59)
It really is. the building, you know, as simple as Eagle Pass was, from what I understand, I'm correct, it's also a historical building because it has these Romanesque columns. you know, obviously we, you know, we were poor, we lived very, very humbly. And so when we would walk up the stairs into this beautiful facade and enter through those...
art columns. mean, even just physically, felt I was transformed into another world.
Jen Porter (09:32)
Wow, it sounds like a special,
it was a special place and created special experiences for you.
Diana Maldonado (09:38)
It did. It did.
Jen Porter (09:39)
What were some of the other experiences that you had that connected you to the outside world beyond Eagle Pass?
Diana Maldonado (09:47)
gosh, when my father, we got every, all the siblings got bikes for Christmas. I felt like my world had opened up. I got on my bike and I went around the normal streets and the blogs that I was accustomed to going walking. And I literally several times would go by myself and I was in elementary.
I would just ride, ride, ride and just the wind hitting my face as you know, in a bike. And I felt I was so free and it was, and then of course, after that is like, I want other people to share in that experience. And so I had four childhood best friends that I grew up with from second and third grade. And, and I told them, y'all need to get a bike. I don't care. You've rented or get your brother somebody.
Eventually they quickly got bikes. I was like, okay. So we all went bike riding and then we went throughout the town. This city, it was a small city. We would go out and ride bikes. And then one time we got probably another group of five girls and it was 12 bikes. 12 of us going through.
Jen Porter (11:02)
I can picture
it.
Diana Maldonado (11:07)
Yes, yes,
and then one of them got a flat like, oh my gosh, what are you going to do? Like, oh, well, did you do it over there in the creek and you get on top of her and ride her bike? And so it was a lot of problem solving. We were not. We were just so intent on having fun and not let anything spoil that afternoon.
Jen Porter (11:26)
You know what I'm noticing is you still do the same thing in your life now. You're still about building community, drawing people in, creating experiences for others, saying, have to come be part of this. You're all about relationships still.
Diana Maldonado (11:40)
Yes. Yeah, yes.
And I don't know how it transpired, Jen. And maybe being in that small community was the best foundation for me to tap into building community, that collective action. And that if I have an experience that I feel is generous and warm and positive, that I wanted to
provide that opportunity or open up that opportunity and experience for others to have as well. Yeah.
Jen Porter (12:16)
So what was the next big step in your life after elementary school and childhood?
Diana Maldonado (12:23)
Well, again, during the Epidemic Eagle Pass, was, I guess, a stability in that foundation. But as I kept getting older, I knew that, my gosh, my finite timeline is coming up. What do I do? Or like, am I ready? And I was so excited to be a doctor. I just knew from third grade on I was going to be a doctor. And I do remember that,
you know, like in elementary that they do like student of the week and the teacher had interviewed me and I'm like, oh yes, yes, yeah. And I goes, what do you want to be when you grow up? Like, and just without hesitation, a doctor. And she looked at me very puzzled and I'm like, she goes, no, no, no, girls are nurses, boys are doctors. And I guess we must've had a conversation with her where when the student spotlight, the write up,
She she says even though I tried to convince the honor that she should be a nurse She was adamant that she wanted to be a doctor. So kudos to the teacher to fighting that So I did I did apply and I was accepted to Texas Tech but along the way I fell in love and and again, I it's it's your product of your environment pregnant got married
Jen Porter (13:33)
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
Diana Maldonado (13:50)
So my life took a different direction for a good while. I mean, obviously for 17 years. So, and that elusive thing about not finishing school, about not being a doctor, I finally came to a realization that it's okay not to be a doctor, but what was it about being a doctor that really attracted me to that profession?
Jen Porter (13:53)
Mm-hmm.
Diana Maldonado (14:20)
And it was that I want to help people be better. And again, through a doctor, you would heal them, would do a surgery, give them some advice on their health and medicines, what have you. So I want to help people heal. I want to help people be better for themselves by giving them the tools or talking to them or guiding them. And I think that I was formulating that because as I was solving
things for myself in the recess of my mind. was saying when I grow up, I'm going to make sure that whoever I work with or whoever that I embrace and that we have a mutual reciprocity that I want to also bring that to the forefront that somebody can be better and somebody can dream. Even with the limited environment I had, I dreamed big and it was
fun dreaming and was fun just seeing things happen. So that's how I, I guess not come to terms, but had a piece and release about that.
Jen Porter (15:29)
Yeah.
kind of stuck on what this person told you about, you know, no, no, girls are nurses. And I was just having a conversation yesterday with a lioness who is also Latina and she's the first in a lot of her life experiences, whether it's a first woman or a first Latina. And she, as a young person, as a teenager, was told certain things.
Diana Maldonado (15:40)
Yes.
Jen Porter (16:01)
about what she could and couldn't do because of her gender and she just was taken aback. But I think about how much resiliency it must take to move beyond those invisible barriers, those spoken barriers. So you've done the hard work of overcoming some of those things that, you know, for a lot of us there, we know about those perceptions and stereotypes, but
were not always directly told. But when you hear it directly from somebody in authority, how much harder that is to press through and overcome.
Diana Maldonado (16:39)
Yeah, well, and to hear it firsthand from somebody who experienced that, but then also for me as somebody young who experienced that, Jen, but I didn't know what it was. just in my gut feeling, I just felt there's something wrong here. This is not right. And here's the the contrarian, you know, you know, curveball to this is that.
Jen Porter (16:56)
Okay.
Diana Maldonado (17:04)
My parents never limited us, unlike some other of my Latina friends that they said that their parents were very traditional, very like, you know, no like boys and girls, like no. Both of my parents as simple as they were, as hardworking as they were, they never limited us to say you can't do this. In fact, my father bought
you know, again, was a meatpacker, didn't have a lot of money, but he invested in the world book encyclopedia. And then maybe a few years later invested in the Britannica. And then that's like the cream of the crop of encyclopedias. And this was when we were still in our younger years in elementary.
Jen Porter (17:44)
Yeah.
Diana Maldonado (17:52)
And so my mother was more like the project manager where she makes sure like, yep, you're going to school and you're coming home with good grades. And then of course we all did, but we were, my parents were like, yeah, you're going to college. Now they didn't help us, but it was understood that we were going to college. Yeah, that would be the.
Jen Porter (17:56)
Okay.
That would be your path.
so education was huge for you as a young person.
Diana Maldonado (18:21)
It was, it was. in very, like in subtle ways, because again, I think my father knew more how to implement it, my mother didn't, but both recognize the value of education and that it brought freedom and they brought opportunity as far as, you know, financial means. And so.
All four of us had to figure out that journey for ourselves because our parents had a a concept the concept of it but no experience or limited ability to do that but they championed or or just said yeah you're going to college or yeah you're moving beyond this.
Jen Porter (19:02)
Wow, wow. So what was next for you after Eagle Pass?
Diana Maldonado (19:09)
Yes, yes. Well, like I said, I got married young, started a family, but I would still find time to read, to study, to learn. And I did get into state government because at that time, I did take a short time and I went to Sunnyvale, California, because half of my family has always lived in California. We're a small family, but in a half...
Half of the families always lived at some point in time in California. And at that time, obviously, my father was there. again, marrying young, obviously go through separation. I went to Sunnyvale, lived for a year over there. It was good again. Again, my world expanded like, oh my gosh, California was beautiful. But again,
Jen Porter (19:58)
Okay. Yes.
Diana Maldonado (20:04)
putting like the possibilities. So of course I missed Texas, came back. A friend of mine from high school who at the time worked for Governor Ann Richards said, Tiana, and he knew me because we were in student council together when we were in high school. And I was on the honors editor yearbook and did other work. So he goes, Tiana, you should get a job in state government and bring stability. You get to know the process, you get to know about policy.
And I'm like, OK, OK, I'll try it. And I said, I'll try it for five years. Well, I ended up retiring from state government. And I just really appreciate the, while it's a slow career ladder, I didn't let the stagnation or the complacency of state government from me, myself creating my own ladders.
Jen Porter (20:38)
Okay.
Diana Maldonado (21:01)
within a bureaucracy. So I advanced slowly, slowly but surely, slowly but surely. We kept advancing and I had this director that, while I did not have my formal degree diploma, he still vetted on me and said, we're going to promote you into management. And I had no idea it was coming from him. I'm like, wow, this is amazing. So that also inspired me that later in life then I did get divorced.
because obviously my husband and I were going in different directions. He was more the person that wanted to stay in Eagle Pass, lots of simplicity where I was like, no, there's a world out there. There's a world out there. And, so we parted ways and at the time that we parted ways, I think Jan, like the next week I started scouring, like where can I go back to finish my.
my education. I hadn't finished my undergrad and I separated in 1998. I signed up for school full-time at night time and I was working full-time. I still hadn't completed my divorce because it was still in the process.
Jen Porter (21:59)
Okay.
Diana Maldonado (22:20)
but I somehow just a match got fired underneath me because I felt I had lost time and I did feel like a guilt or a shame that I felt I hadn't utilized my time, right? Even though I had a wonderful life with a husband at the time. And of course I had two beautiful children and beautiful experience of raising a family, but that self-fulfillment was missing. And so...
Jen Porter (22:45)
Okay.
Diana Maldonado (22:47)
I did, this was when even the night classes were not popular yet. So I did sign up and St. Edward's university quickly said, yeah, like come, come, you know, come join, you know, our, you know, our, our, our school. And I said, well, I don't have funding yet. I goes, don't worry. We'll figure it out. So I registered and I told the advisor, look, I'm a single parent, like literally learning how to be a single parent. Cause I was still finalizing my divorce. I'm working full time.
Jen Porter (23:13)
Yeah.
Diana Maldonado (23:18)
and I want to finish school as quickly as possible. So I transferred as many credits that I could, which was a really, really big plus. And then I did a lot of, I think I did four portfolios on my own to where you have to document your evidence and turn in this huge notebook to document your evidence for you to have the credit.
Jen Porter (23:41)
Mm-hmm.
Diana Maldonado (23:45)
So you don't have to take the course and I would save money. Yeah. And so I did that. I think I did four portfolios and I graduated in five semesters. went back to back to back to back. Five semesters graduated Magna Cum Laude from St. Edward's University. And to me, that was a gift to that little girl to saying, this is for you. And that was in...
Jen Porter (23:48)
Wow, okay.
Wow.
Mm-hmm.
Diana Maldonado (24:14)
August of 2000.
Jen Porter (24:17)
What did that change for you to have that?
Diana Maldonado (24:21)
To me, it changed with what people thought of me and that I would always come with a lack because I didn't have that paper. And again, having grown up in Eagle Pass where there wasn't a lot of opportunity, I felt like, okay, like I am not fulfilling or doing what I know I can do because of what society has or what...
the system has. And I didn't, I did not want to live under that thumbnail anymore because I also recognize that things were happening here in Austin and I wanted to be part of that traffic without having that mental hang up in the back of my mind.
Jen Porter (25:10)
Okay.
So I'm going to gears a little bit because I want to hear about the challenges that you experienced in politics. What are some of the things that you faced in getting into politics and then navigating that world?
Diana Maldonado (25:29)
Yes, it is not for the faint of heart. It doesn't matter when, if it's easier or our current discourse right now. It got me in again, Jen, it was through education that and all the volunteering that I had done. So I had been building up a resume, not realizing that it was a resume to run for office. And that's why I feel so excited and connecting with women.
who have already built up a resume and have some leadership experience behind their back. And so I had a group of Latino leaders that invited me to a little session, a little formal in gathering. So what they were doing is kind of identifying that next generation of leaders that they could support. But they were in particular looking for someone that they could support to run for the school board.
And I asked for, hey, just come with me. We're going to have a little social network and then we'll leave. Well, little did I know that my life was about to change. And by then, I had already graduated. to me, I was looking for some time to just decompress. And I had told myself, I'm going to decompress for a year. I've been away from my kids. I just want to breathe, but nope.
Then they talked to me and said, we looked at your resume. We did some background check on you and this and that, all the things that happens. And we want to support you to run for public office. And I was just like speechless. But at the same time, like, this is what I have been manifesting in a very indirect way.
you know, what, what next leadership role do I want to entertain? And so of course I talked to my mom, I, you know, I talked to, you know, family and the kids, of course. And so I said, okay, I'm in. And it was interesting to like see your billboard signs when you always see somebody else's signs, other names. like, my God, that's my name out there. And like, who would have thought.
And, then at the same time, even though you have done a lot of great work, it's so important to work with like a coach or a group of advisors to help formulate the narrative. And I, I had that, but not to that extent. And I had a couple of guys and I was like, no, but this is this. So I also saw the difference in building the narrative around from a, from a Latina and a woman's lens versus a traditional.
know, male politics persona. So little by little, just started seeing those nuances. But at the same time, I just said, OK, let me get the win. But I'm going to keep taking, keeping these notes along the way. And slowly. And so of course, I served in two offices, you know, have ran four campaigns, two campaigns for school board.
And of course, two campaigns for state rep, which the last campaign was when I lost my reelection bid. But every campaign, I kept taking notes. And while they were in my head, you know, and I still have my paperwork, my boxes of paperwork that I just did not want to throw away because I just knew it was something. Maybe it was a timepiece, but also I just knew I was going to do something with it one day. And now I am. Yes.
Jen Porter (29:13)
And now you are. So what were
some of the things that you're most proud of during your time in office?
Diana Maldonado (29:22)
I think the people would underestimate me. They wanted to pigeonhole me to say, she's only going to work for Latino. She's our, or hey, I don't know if she knows how to work with budgets and what have you. And the thing is not to let those words throw you off track. mean, if anything, you can say I'm going to prove them wrong, but even that, that's wasted energy.
and to say, I know what I can do. Thank you for giving me that little tidbit because now I'm empowered to really research this item or really look at a certain area. And I do remember one time in the school board that was said with regards to Latinos. But to me, education is just all embracing. To me, it's about uplifting.
every segment, every demographic, not just one, because in order for a school district or a school community to prosper, it's not lifted just by one group, it's all demographics. And I remember we going over the budget and at the time it was like over 200 million. And I said, look, if we want to continue to have the best ratings with regards to Moody's and all of these financial ratings,
And if we want to make sure that we're one of the best school districts in the state, which Texas has over a thousand school districts, then what do we need to do to get there? And one of the things that people didn't know about me that I play the long game. So I'm a vision out and then I start stepping back and kind of figuring out who are the people, what are the, you know, the, the items or the things that I need to focus on a little bit.
And so then I asked that question and he was like, no, yes. Yeah. Yeah. We want to have that. So once I got there, buy in is like, well, where are we lacking? well, science and math. okay. Well, which demographic is it? Like, well, it's, know, African-American and Latino students. So do we still agree that we want to be the best school district or in the top tier? Well, yes. So are we all in agreeance that
Jen Porter (31:38)
Mm-hmm.
Diana Maldonado (31:43)
If we invest X amount, look at the timeline to make sure that we, you know, improve scores for this, the student demographics that will be in a better place in six months, a year from now. And that's how I would get the buy in. Yeah. So, so I had, again, being in state government, helped me to craft the policy and the thoughts and ideas.
Jen Porter (31:59)
Yeah, yeah.
Diana Maldonado (32:12)
and be collaborative versus combative, which there's a lot of combativeness and personal and, you know, playing defense.
Jen Porter (32:22)
Well, totally. I'm thinking about how important relationships are, but how hard it can be when not everybody wants you to win or be successful. So how did you manage and navigate relationships while you were there, even when not everybody was wanting to see you succeed?
Diana Maldonado (32:31)
Yes.
Yes, no, no, no.
Well, and that was when I ran for state rep here in Williamson County. mean, all of the, you know, leaders had the money, you know, had the purse strings. They were all white male conservatives. And so they just did not want to see me win. And then that's when, you know, the gloves come off and then they would, you know,
throws just some really nasty, you know, male campaigns and starts saying really, really ugly things. And we're like, gosh, OK, there's another layer, another layer. what I would do at that point with my campaign director is like, obviously, she was very seasoned in this process because this is what they're going to do. Expect more. So she was very helpful. Expect more. But look, you're not the only one.
You're going to be one of many that this happens to. So she was able to explain it in a way that like, yeah, it kind of stings, just let it like, you know, stay focused. And because of my experience in state government and having run these two other races in school board, again, the connection, the gap was shortened for me to continue to, to focus on how to get the win. And I did, and I was the first person of
color, the first Latina to hold the state representative seat for House District 52 in Texas. The boys were not happy that I won. but yeah.
Jen Porter (34:17)
Yeah. Yeah.
want to unearth something that you shared there because it's a concept that I work with a lot of clients on. I work with a lot of women who are in that place of resistance where there are things that are coming at them that are not making their path easy. And there's something that has to happen inside of us in order to press through and persevere through those trials and challenges. But it's hard.
It's, when we're trying to do good, we're actually trying to make a positive impact in the world and we meet resistance. It's just like crazy. What is it that you embodied and what do other women need to embody in order to persevere through the rejection, the trials, the people coming against you, the resistance, all of that?
Diana Maldonado (34:51)
It is.
Mm-hmm.
You know, I'm going to take it back to something that works for me is that I did a lot of reading from thought leaders and one in particular, Dr. Miguel Ruiz, the four agreements and one of them is do not take it personal.
And I had to reread that chapter a lot because like, why would I not take it personal? We're very passionate. We're like, you know, we don't want people like poking holes in what's super, super important to us. However, that is life. you're going to, again, if you're going to be in traffic, if you're going to be impacting other people, you're going to be in the public spotlight, expect that to happen.
And here's the beauty to this, Jen, that I have finally come to terms with that concept or that ability probably in the recent years, maybe in the last five, seven years. It took a lot. Now the thing, when all of this was happening, there were so many places that I was juggling that while it did hurt, I didn't have time to dwell on it.
Jen Porter (36:30)
Okay.
Diana Maldonado (36:31)
So that was a plus unknowingly. But at the same time, the negative was that I was being burned out because I had too many plates juggling along the way. And to me, it's about reading. It's about following some authors, following some leaders, getting those best practices. I literally journal practically every day, sometimes twice a day.
Jen Porter (36:33)
Yeah.
Diana Maldonado (36:59)
just even just to write a sentence because I'm also know in the power of the pen than when you see it on paper, whether you say, I feel they're, you know, they hate me. And when you see it, you know, it's not true. number two, it doesn't matter.
Jen Porter (37:17)
It's
such a great simple tool, but I find that when we write things down, it gets out of our head because in our head it spins and cycles and tells us it seems bigger. And then as soon as we put it on paper, it loses power.
Diana Maldonado (37:25)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
It loses power. And third, what I did do that I, again, I think the universe just throws me little softballs. then because I am, because of my curiosity that I do respond to those curve balls, I got into running.
Jen Porter (37:50)
Yeah, tell us about that. How did you become a global marathon runner?
Diana Maldonado (37:52)
Yeah.
I'm trying to get out of the four walls of Eagle Pass. No. Again, when you lose your reelection, it is the most hardest fall from the pedestal, is what I say, because it doesn't matter if you're there one term or 10 terms. mean, everybody goes away the moment you lose. Like, it's crickets. And it's very jarring.
Jen Porter (38:00)
Hahaha!
Yeah.
Diana Maldonado (38:25)
so I literally had free time. I'm like, literally, literally free time. And I decided to start running, you know, I was on town lake or ladybird lake, what they call it now, ladybird lake. And, and I was always a nature person. Like I said, I was on my bike. I was, was, you know, venturing out. So I said, you know, I think I'm just going to go on the trail.
And at that time I had a lot of asthma, again, because of the burnout and the stress of juggling too many plates in my life that I had developed asthma at the time. And so I said, I'm going to run three miles. I say run. It was more walk in the beginning. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, by no any means. No, I was only, I was sports active, but I wasn't disciplined in any sport.
Jen Porter (38:58)
Wow.
So you didn't grow up or run, you weren't in track or cross country.
Diana Maldonado (39:18)
And so I did it for three weeks. By the end of the third week, it just clicked like, my gosh, I'm actually running more of the three miles than I was walking. So I'm onto something. And then I thought, let me do five, let me do seven. I'm like, my god, I actually did a double, you know, 10 miles. And then, but my asthma was also starting to clear away, but more importantly, the headspace jam. It was a headspace.
Jen Porter (39:45)
Yeah, during
your run.
Diana Maldonado (39:48)
I went through the best therapy without having to hire a therapist. And it was just releasing like very, very tight, thick, dense layers of stress, burnout, anxiety, doubt, imposter syndrome that had been just very deeply embedded. And even despite all of that, that I was able to win and move forward.
And so that's why when I had time in these past two, three years that I said, I want to develop a course on managing money, policy, and power, because those are the three tenets of women to explore before they start running, before they even consider, or as they're considering running. Because you
Jen Porter (40:29)
Mm-hmm.
Yep, and
just to clarify, not talking about running physically right now. You're about running for office. But you recommend both, it sounds like.
Diana Maldonado (40:43)
No, running for office. Exactly. I do go in both.
And even if you walk, because I would have friends tell me, well, I can't run. goes, well, let's come do a walk and talk. I mean, I'm always up for a walk. Don't get me wrong. You're like, I'm not running all the time. Yeah. But in that, mean, I, right now I started it. I started running, you know, with, as a discipline later in life. And I believe I was.
Jen Porter (40:59)
Yeah.
Diana Maldonado (41:10)
46 at the time when I officially took up running. And so now I have run, I did Tokyo Marathon last year in March.
Jen Porter (41:14)
Okay.
Diana,
that is incredible.
Diana Maldonado (41:26)
And that's my 15th marathon. My 15th marathon, yeah, of course, including global.
Jen Porter (41:28)
You're 15th.
So
you mentioned your long game perspective that you bring into the roles that you do. Was there a long game vision in the running or was it just instinctual to start running?
Diana Maldonado (41:47)
It was instinctual to start running. And then, you know how you say that you're the product of your environment and you know, the people you're around with. So then I joined a running group and I started to see other, and I think what was so embracing and so welcoming of that running group that it wasn't the stereotype of thinking like long legs, know, you know, somebody really thin and fast. mean, you had all shapes and sizes just going at it.
Jen Porter (41:54)
Yeah.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Diana Maldonado (42:17)
I'm where I belong. And then I heard somebody talk about that they were wanting to achieve the Abbott Six World Majors. And so I asked him, like, what are you talking about? Because he would go travel, you know, travel, you know, out of the country. yeah. Well, it's the Six World Majors and it's Chicago, New York, Berlin, London, Tokyo and Boston and all marathons.
Jen Porter (42:43)
All marathons.
Diana Maldonado (42:47)
OK. And at that point, I already had Chicago and New York under my belt. So I said, So along the way, I told my running group, I'm like, you know what? I'm on a new mission now. And I want to see this happen. I want to see it unfold. And
Jen Porter (42:52)
Okay, you had already done two of the six. Okay.
Wow.
Diana Maldonado (43:11)
And in the time, we've done other domestic races. I've done hiking. Like I said, I went to Patagonia. I went to Morocco. And those were just pure hiking. It had nothing to do with running, but more hiking. And then, of course, did Paris and so other races. So to me, the running and seeing other cultures, again, helped me be.
what I say a better thinker, a better solution of solving problems for organizations. And it brought me more clarity to look at organizations and processes and tasks in a way that I hadn't able to do it before. was almost like I was lifted looking at the problem and I could very quickly pinpoint it.
And I love that feeling. I'm like, my gosh, I really love that. And I'm going to continue to run.
Jen Porter (44:06)
Yeah.
You know, I have this vision of doing adventure coaching where we're out in nature because there's something that happens that's different than when we're in our offices or in our normal environment. There's something that opens up for us in this bodily holistic experience that can happen in nature.
Diana Maldonado (44:14)
Mm.
Mm-hmm.
It does, yeah. quite honestly, I do think that that's part of my professional development, doing these, making expeditions, going to these destination races, because, I mean, obviously I'm in a different country, so I have to figure out what's my running program, what am I gonna prepare for? I'm in a place that I have no idea what it is, but yet at the same time, I have to get to the finish line.
Jen Porter (44:39)
Yeah!
So I'm really curious about this because running is a great analogy for life. What is it that you do when you are in the marathon itself, when you are in the race, how have you equipped and prepared yourself? What are the things that support you on that very, very, very long journey?
Diana Maldonado (45:21)
on that long journey itself, obviously 26.2 is a very daunting number when you just have two feet. So acknowledging like, I'm like, how many steps, how many hours? And so then what I start doing is like, well, you can run five miles. I go, yeah, I can. Okay. So I start talking to myself. So I say, basically it's five, five miles. and like, so
Jen Porter (45:30)
I'm kidding.
Diana Maldonado (45:49)
So now I'm breaking it down. So I have five segments. Now granted, it's 25 and then the 1.2, I don't count that.
But I said, oh, so you only have five segments. Can you do five segments? Yeah, I could do five segments. So I start kind of then deconstructing the marathon and putting it into more bite size chunks. because I've run five miles, I love running five miles. That's just it. I love running five miles. So I'm like, OK, so I'm going to run the first one, the second. Probably by the fourth one, I'm getting tired. But I say, I can still run a five miler. And so I do that.
Jen Porter (46:23)
Yeah.
Yeah.
Diana Maldonado (46:28)
I also look at the crowds, so where I do not get water. So I want to make sure I have enough water and electrolytes at the get-go so that I have that, that I can pass the big crowd on the first five miles. And so it kind of starts thinning out a little bit. So when I want to have that break, I'm not like with a big crowd losing time. So that's probably, you know, at five miles and eight miles, that's where I like, you
do a brief stop and what have you. And then it's also the clothes that you're wearing also makes a big difference. You know, want to make sure that you're light, you're not sweating, you're not too cold. So you also have to look at the temperature. I mean, as you're running, you'll be 10 to 15 degrees hotter than what the outside temperature is. So it's things like that, like kind of like.
Jen Porter (47:19)
Okay.
Diana Maldonado (47:23)
Looking at the big picture, like I said, two feet, 26.2 miles, thousands of steps. Okay. Then I start breaking it down. And again, the energy and the people and the runners around me, that also gets me through. it really, it makes a big difference that they say, you know, you your culture, your environment, you're the, you're the average of the five people around you. All of that, all of those sayings are true. So I'll look at runners.
and during a race, I'll identify like two or three runners and I kind of just start staying like, they're getting ahead. Let me move up or, I passed them. I'm like, okay. But you have to keep your mind active to keep from thinking about the spot.
Jen Porter (48:00)
Yeah.
Yeah, I hear in
that mental strategy, physical preparation, everything from clothes to electrolytes, I'm sure you bring your own stuff too. And then there's the fueling, fueling yourself and planning for the fuel that you're gonna need. hear in community again, relationship, community, like being around people and being inspired by others around you.
Diana Maldonado (48:14)
Mm-hmm.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
Thank
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I listened to podcasts. I'll start listening to podcasts on running, you know, months, you know, maybe for sure three months going into it. And that's what I did on Tokyo. I saw some YouTube videos on some just, and I was very specific on women runners.
Jen Porter (49:00)
Yeah.
Diana Maldonado (49:01)
So I was looking at it because there's a lot of guys and of course guys are great too, but I'm like, I also need to include women runners. And I think through their energy, I also recall some of the steps that they did when I was in Tokyo that I was like, oh, mile 18 was really difficult. And so I said, no, no, no. What would they do? And so that helps a lot, but they say that there's two halves to a marathon. The first half is up to mile 20.
and the second half is 21 to 26. And it is true because that's where it gets the most grueling part of it. Yeah.
Jen Porter (49:33)
Wow.
Amazing.
You know, I also think about the way in which you've tackled the impossible, whether it was in your career, your education, or in these marathons, and how you want to help make the impossible possible for others now, right, through candidate school. So what is your vision for candidate school?
Diana Maldonado (49:59)
Yes. Yes.
My vision for Canada's school is to bring a solution and answer questions for women who have been talking about the what if for them. know, like here's a pathway for you to literally formally visualize what is possible for you.
And it is a difficult journey. It's a challenging journey. But what I have done along the way is create a course, create a resource that it doesn't have to be as difficult.
But I really want women to experience the journey of when they put their hat in the ring becoming a candidate, go through the experience versus that it's so grueling and burning out. Because whether you win or lose, it's believing in yourself and knowing that you gave it your best. And how do you give it your best? It's the same when I train and run for a marathon. I'm not just going to show up at the starting line.
I take six months to prepare for a marathon and lots and hundreds and hundreds of training miles to get to that start line. start, you know, wanting, honing in what I'm eating even three weeks before, you know, race day. I start listening to podcasts. So there's a lot of those steps that I have to make sure that I am bringing the best.
Jen Porter (51:27)
Yeah.
Diana Maldonado (51:48)
to the start line. So in that same analogy, I picked the three topics that I felt were important for women to understand, to read, to delve into what is unique for them. Because this course is very unique and very tailored to each individual. They answer their own questions about managing money, about what does policy look for them, what experience do they have, what experience will they, or what things
that will they need and then the power, the power of politics once you get elected.
It's a whole different ball game and don't lose yourself along the way. know, keep your principles, your values. Don't compromise your principles of values on that. in that, to me, it was so important that we have possibility to elect more women to office. But time and time again, Jen, hear like, well, you know, I'm building my career or I don't know how much it takes.
or I don't know if I want to be, you how am I going to be attacked in the spotlight and things like that. So this course will take you through those facets and answer those questions. But it is a lot about journaling. It is about getting clear. And it is about, you know, shifting and evolving along the way so that this course is the same way as running a marathon. When you get to the front of the line, the start line,
you know that you are bringing your best by having this course, by identifying the people that are going to be supporting you. Who's going to be running the race along with you and that have the best interest in you and mine. And I just really, I don't know, I always feel like I have a lump in my throat because I think it is so important for women to have this. And I know that I didn't have this type of holistic coaching.
along the way, but at the same time as more women are are graduating from college, as more women are taking leadership positions, as more young Gen Z's and Millennials are wanting to take that leadership role without having a lot of experience, this tool will help them craft their unique story, their unique game plan.
for them to have the best chance of owning their future as they run for public office.
Jen Porter (54:22)
What makes this so important to you?
Diana Maldonado (54:26)
To me, it's one, I think maybe I could have done my campaigns differently.
And it's important to me because I see so many women around me in different network conversations. And even once they know that I'm a former elected or I've been in politics, I will always get like a DM or somebody pull me aside. Hey, can I ask you about something? And it's those little nuggets of women asking a little bit more that they're curious that I feel like these nuggets do not need to
stay small. These nuggets are very empowering, not only for that individual that pulled me aside to ask me a question, to more women. Because I also think about family. Family to me is important. And I have a five-year-old granddaughter, Camila, that at any point in time, I want to spend time with her.
And I also think about what world am I leaving for her? And my daughter, she's 37, and she has just been such a glue with regards to her life, her marriage, and the way that she is bringing up Camila. I just give her so much credit because I did not even do half of the work that she's doing for her daughter.
And I'm like, that's what it is. That's why it's important. And education, community, communication, love and support is really the fundamental aspects of any lesson to make it a better place.
Jen Porter (56:24)
Tell us about Camila. You've mentioned her before and I know she's a light in your life. Tell us about.
Diana Maldonado (56:26)
Okay, that would be another I know. my
gosh. Yes, we are buddies. I just so much appreciate my daughter lets me just that we just have this bond together. And so I take her on nature hikes and we go to this hiking park and
One time we were hiking and she was really into it and we're on this little path and she goes, she calls me Nana. Nana, I think I discovered a new path. And of course it wasn't one, but I'm like, really? He goes, yeah. I goes, well, what do think we should do? He goes, I think we should name it. Like, okay. Well, what should we name it? She goes, the Camila path.
I'm like, well, okay. And how are we going to find it again, Camila, when we come back? And so she gets some sticks and puts it there, which of course we were, we were going to like, sure. Okay. We're going to find it. And as we're exiting the park, we kept seeing it was like, it was a spring. was like all the caterpillars. And then, you know, so she goes, no, no, they're running over the caterpillars. I know. I know. And goes, that's okay. We're going to, we're going to be careful.
Jen Porter (57:40)
Yeah.
Diana Maldonado (57:48)
And as we're going, reaching the end of the park, you have the benches that are named in the memory of a lost loved one, you know, an accident or something. So the park had a lot of those benches. And so as we stopped, asked me, goes, Nana, what's this? I goes, well, and I explained to her, know, somebody is a plaque and they love somebody so much that they made this sign for them. So anybody that comes to sits on the bench will have time to reflect or have time to think about that.
And she was like, okay, okay. And then she was asking me, well, when did they die? I mean, she was literally getting very curious about how old were they and when did they die? And then as we're getting to the last bench, she goes, Nana, do you think we could do a plaque for the caterpillars? That the bikes had run over.
Jen Porter (58:24)
Yeah.
yes, yes.
She has a tender heart, doesn't she?
Diana Maldonado (58:45)
But what she does is kind of like running Jen, I am rediscovering again life through her lens as a five year old to say, does, how is she looking at life? And she's a big problem solver. It's like, no, that's not an issue. She's like this and that. And you know how, as parents or adults, want to help the child and she's
very independent. She will not let anybody zip up her jacket and get on the car, what have you. She's on her own. I'm like, OK. And I think that's good, because obviously she is confident and builds resilience. But it also makes her cognitive brain to think of ways of how to get to that end of what she wants to do. And I will say that,
Jen Porter (59:37)
Yeah.
Diana Maldonado (59:41)
We're all good, but I had knee surgery. And then four days later, she had emergency surgery for a ruptured appendix. So we were days apart in having our surgery. Jen and I was at the hospital. her mom, my daughter, was wanting to help come in, like get up the bed. And she goes, I can do it. I mean, this girl was in pain. And she would not let mom.
Jen Porter (59:56)
Wow.
Diana Maldonado (1:00:10)
put her on or off the bed. And she was crying and crawling her way up the bed, but she did it on her own. I have no idea. I was just in awe. So to me, it's like she's building these neuro pathways. Her cognitive brain is working very differently. And quite frankly, I want to learn from her.
Jen Porter (1:00:21)
She is tough.
Absolutely.
Yeah. And you had a recent sleepover with her, right?
Diana Maldonado (1:00:42)
Yes, yes, she was here a couple of nights ago and yeah, in fact, yeah, she did some artwork for me. does, she always leaves some little, some little, she always does some crafts and artwork for me.
Jen Porter (1:00:53)
amazing.
Well, when you think about Camila and the legacy that you want to leave behind, what do you imagine for her and her generation?
Diana Maldonado (1:01:10)
I imagine their world and their generation to be one of prosperity and prosperity in a sense that it's like the sky is open to how they want to craft their being, their humanity, their giving, their tolerance for humanity, their tolerance for, you know,
the differences, to have an understanding and bring that framework, that imagination, that innovative, constructive to how whatever new jobs and careers that will be in their lifetime, because I have no idea what that's going to be. I want for a world to have policy and legislation and leaders
Jen Porter (1:01:58)
Yeah.
Diana Maldonado (1:02:08)
around the world that is more concentric around that, that the diversity, the tolerance, the differences and the likeness and the similarities that all play strengths, but don't tear away from each other. So that's what a world that I would imagine with them. do know that AI
Jen Porter (1:02:29)
Mm-hmm.
Diana Maldonado (1:02:36)
And there's some traditional structures, enhancing those traditional structures with what science brings, with what technology brings, that will be such a fascinating ride to be a part of.
Jen Porter (1:02:52)
Yeah, when I think about candidate school and your vision for it and who you're helping and why you're helping them, I see you're going to change the landscape.
Diana Maldonado (1:03:03)
Yes, that's what we want to do. We will be making history. We're changing the landscape, but at the same time, changing the landscape for others that want to be part of it, that have always wanted to be a part of it. We're a tool. We're the conduit for changing the landscape. But this landscape, belongs to everybody. And that's the beauty of bringing this opportunity and this resource.
for people because if my mother were entertaining, running for office, I feel proud for her. And I want like cousins and nieces and nephews to feel proud of their female relative that they know that they're out there in the trenches and they are changing the landscape. They will be making history in different facets and different tiers.
of in their respective lives. And this should not be encapsulated to just one gender or one demographic, but open up that bubble and let's create a whole new different world that reflects, you know, the future generations. And even if I can play a part in starting and planting that seed now, I may not see the end result.
But having started ImpliND to see is the gift of itself.
Jen Porter (1:04:35)
Absolutely, and you're gonna see the fruit right away and there will be fruit that you won't see generations to come. Let's make sure people know how to reach out to you and learn more about candidate school and refer candidate school to other people in their lives. So dianamaldonado.com is your website, right? dianamaldonado.com and
Diana Maldonado (1:04:42)
Yes.
Correct. Yes.
Jen Porter (1:05:01)
Candidate school is going to be on your website for people to get on the wait list, sign up.
Diana Maldonado (1:05:07)
Yes, it's on the wait list right now and you go in and and I even did a test. So go and put your name on it. We launched on February 27th, which is really, really exciting. We're promoting it. We're sending out messages where we have it on social media, a majority of it on LinkedIn and Instagram. But it is a candidate school managing money policy and power. And and it's up for.
dynamic, it's a dynamic resource for women who are entertaining to run for office. What are the things that they need to do to have the best experience at the start of the race?
Jen Porter (1:05:46)
And if they have questions, what's the best way to get in touch with you? Is that LinkedIn or is it through your website?
Diana Maldonado (1:05:53)
Both of them, I mean, I obviously check my LinkedIn on the DMs quite frequently, very frequently, honestly. And then as far as on my website, you can also contact me there as well. Yeah.
Jen Porter (1:06:07)
Okay, Diana, thank
you so much for sharing your story. What a delight to just know that you exist and that you have this passion and that you're sharing your knowledge and experience and lessons learned from your journey to help others so that it's easier for them to achieve the impossible because you're gonna be supporting them. So thank you so much for being here.
Diana Maldonado (1:06:25)
Yes.
Thank you, Jen. Appreciate it.
Jen Porter (1:06:32)
Until the next episode, the lioness in me sees the lioness in you.
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