New Memoir Bridges the Leadership Gap on Gender Identity and Workplace Belonging Ready to Announce with Confidence?
Austin, Texas--(Newsfile Corp. - April 28, 2026) - Gender identity--one's deeply held sense of being male, female, both, neither, or somewhere along the spectrum--is something everyone has, yet most business leaders have never been asked to examine it or consider how it shapes workplace culture. This gap in understanding has measurable consequences, with the Harvard Business Review reporting 67% of gender-diverse people felt extremely uncomfortable in their job settings, and as such "reported negative outcomes such as being fired or forced to resign, not being hired, or being denied a promotion." As a result, organizations lose talent, stifle innovation, and see long-term performance decline.
The Power of Emergence: A Memoir to Demystify Gender Identity and Inspire Belonging in the Workplace (River Grove Books, Apr. 28, 2026, $21.95), by Ella Samson, addresses this gap through deeply human storytelling rather than abstract frameworks. Through sharing her journey from childhood confusion through emergence as herself, navigating family, relationships, therapy, work, and self-discovery, Samson shows how understanding gender identity can unlock compassion and inspire meaningful allyship. Drawing on three decades of cross-functional leadership experience, including executive roles at Fortune 500 organizations, plus an MBA from the Wharton School, she brings operational rigor to a deeply personal story.
The Power of Emergence is available everywhere books are sold.
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With a U.S. workforce projected at 168.8 million people by 2030, workplace belonging is no longer optional. Through lived experience Samson illuminates why leaders still struggle to understand gender identity at work-and how that struggle undermines talent retention, innovation, and bottom-line results.
Rather than prescribing policies or training modules, Samson demonstrates how understanding is built: through storytelling that answers the questions leaders often hesitate to ask about identity formation, workplace dynamics, and the lived human experience of gender. The Power of Emergence cements the idea that policies alone do not create belonging; understanding does. By operating with empathy-grounded gender identity literacy, leaders are better equipped to create psychologically safe environments where people no longer feel pressure to withhold parts of themselves at work.
Today and tomorrow's workforce expects leaders to understand gender identity as a basic human reality. The Power of Emergence gives leaders the understanding they need to keep up. Available wherever you buy books. For more information, and to keep up with Ella visit www.emergecollabs.com.
ENDORSEMENTS
"This memoir does something rare: it deepens understanding without simplifying complexity. Ella Samson invites leaders to move beyond policy and toward genuine recognition-the kind of understanding that makes belonging real rather than aspirational."
-Dallas Ducar (she/her), Executive Vice President of Donor Engagement and External Relations, Fenway Health
"Brave, brilliant, and deeply human, The Power of Emergence tells a raw, often painful, but ultimately beautiful and uplifting story that demystifies gender identity. Ella Samson's courageous storytelling will move readers, deepen empathy, and help most people learn something new, creating many new allies for the transgender and gender-diverse community. Every executive who cares about workplaces and economies where everyone can contribute to their fullest potential should read this book."
-Ken Janssens (he, him), CEO, Open for Business
"My own lived experience has taught me that inclusion is not abstract--it is built when people are seen and valued in their full humanity. In The Power of Emergence, Ella Samson offers leaders a powerful and compassionate lens on gender identity that elevates belonging as a strategic and moral imperative for organizations."
-Juan Fernando Lopera (he, him, él), Chief Community and Health Impact Officer, Beth Israel Lahey Health
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ella Samson (she/her), founder and strategic operations leader of Emerge Collaborations, author, and speaker, is transforming how organizations approach gender equity in the workplace. She creates safe spaces for authentic dialogue about gender identity, helping enterprise leaders deepen their understanding, foster meaningful allyship, and improve belonging.
With an MBA from the Wharton School and more than thirty years of cross-functional leadership experience at organizations including Deloitte Consulting and Peet's Coffee & Tea, Ella has guided companies through complex transformations, operational improvements, and culture shifts. Today, she applies this expertise to enable organizations to address structural inequities related to gender identity through actionable enterprise-wide recommendations in policies, processes, and culture.
Ella's memoir, The Power of Emergence, helps readers understand gender identity and inspires meaningful allyship through authentic storytelling. Drawing on decades of operational leadership and lived experience, Ella collaborates with clients across the US and Europe to build understanding and enable enterprise-wide impact.
ABOUT EMERGE COLLABORATIONS
Emerge Collaborations partners with enterprises to create safe spaces for authentic dialogue about gender identity through memoir-based fireside chats, deepening organizational understanding and fostering meaningful allyship. Emerge also addresses structural inequities that impact gender diverse and transgender employees through enterprise-wide assessments and actionable recommendations across policies, processes, and culture.
Samson is available for interviews, podcast appearances, and commentary on workplace belonging, gender identity literacy, and human-centered leadership.
MEDIA CONTACT
For review copies, interview requests, or to schedule a fireside chat, please contact Gwen Cunningham of Greenleaf Book Group, at gcunningham@greenleafbookgroup.com
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Source: Greenleaf Book Group
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