Female Allstars!
Empowering females to pursue their passions & careers in S.T.E.A.M.-related activities & fields
A podcast series featuring risk-taking women spotlighting education and empowerment in S.T.E.A.M. (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics). Women who have reinvented themselves throughout the many seasons of life. Women who empower themselves to conquer the fear of the unknown and find fulfillment and balance. In this series, I interview “Theodoras™” from all walks of life and industries who have taken calculated risks and have reinvented themselves. They tell their tales of how they failed forward while sharing the methods and tools they used to successfully land on their feet with fulfilled hearts.
I welcome award-winning journalist Lindsey Seavert as my first-ever guest, who shares three key tools that attribute to her risk-taking spirit. In addition to being an award winning journalist, Lindsey is documentary filmmaker who has worked at various TV stations coast to coast. Her award-winning documentary, Love Them First, is now streaming on Amazon.
With guests Sam Olson (my personal trainer) and Amy Stevens (Indiana University college "sister" and confident) we explore the provocative connection between mindfulness and your pelvic floor and how it can help in pursuit of focus on professional and personal aspirations.
Former colleague, Jacqueline King, is a Wonder Woman in tech sales - with a S.T.E.M. background - who shares with us how her interior design traits compliment her professional relationship-building skills. Hear how her attributes of honesty, not being afraid to ask for help, and intuition have guided her to take her recent career risk in search of fulfillment.
![Featuring one of my oldest and enthusiastic friends from high school, Beth Swierk, Director of Communications at Masterclass. We explore how the fundamentals of high school Forensics (a.k.a. public speaking) have built her solid communications foundation for life. Beth highlights the other side of the pitch, as well as describes the types of mentors to surround yourself with in order to “troubleshoot your [own] life.”Beth’s Favorite Recipe](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f1b24409391df7c32a9f941/1620156231947-I5EK9XXQ259HNG9MLMN1/Copy+of+Claudia+-+Large+Overlap+%281%29.png)
Featuring one of my oldest and enthusiastic friends from high school, Beth Swierk, Director of Communications at Masterclass. We explore how the fundamentals of high school Forensics (a.k.a. public speaking) have built her solid communications foundation for life. Beth highlights the other side of the pitch, as well as describes the types of mentors to surround yourself with in order to “troubleshoot your [own] life.”
On the heels of her second book release, Dr. Nicole Saphier discusses how becoming a teenage mother was the best unplanned event of her life. Coupled with becoming a mother at a young age, she was given a purpose in life and her resilience has shaped her success as a physician, best selling author, and a nationally-known contributor and regular guest-anchor for Fox News Channel. She shares the tools she sharpens to combat negative energy to be productive. Dr. Saphier’s new book, Panic Attack: Playing Politics with Science in the Fight Against COVID-19 releases this week. Her goal is to let facts speak louder than the fear evoked during the COVID-19 pandemic to allow people to make the best informed decisions and opinions by helping others build resiliency during a global crisis.
Hear from the talented Noelle Kirchner, a mother of three gentlemen, a Presbyterian minister, Chaos to Calm TV host, author of How to Live Your Life Purpose: The Six Step Journey to God’s Best, and contributing blogger to platforms such as the TODAY Show Parenting Team to HuffPost Parents to Crosswalk. Noelle shares three of her six steps on how to believe in yourself and be all in – longing, risk and persistence.
Our mental health is priceless and should be incorporated into our self-care routines. It’s time to shed our worry of what others think about us and live our lives to the fullest. Hear from the intelligently spirited Nicole Bolden, Transformational Life Coach and Co-Founder of Thriving with Baby. Nicole shares why she was called to take her S.T.E.M. passion and marry it with social work helping families cope with postpartum hurdles. She also emphasizes the importance of instilling values into her young girls while living life on the road – in an RV! – while exploring the United States during our global pandemic.
Cheryl Maletich, Senior Vice President of Transmission and Substation at ComEd, a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (a Fortune 100 energy company), shares her tenacious tales as an Engineer and why Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are important components of her role and character. Leadership comes naturally to Cheryl as does her ability to support other women as they climb the ranks. She emphasizes the significance of giving back and how philanthropic work fuels her soul. Cheryl is a firm believer in “how you act when you fail says as much about you as when you succeed.”
We all have a desire to belong. It is hardwired into our DNA. Dr. Ghazaleh Samandari, PhD., an Iranian refugee, sought acceptance and a need to belong from a young age. She taps into her skillset to help others embrace their unique traits. Having lived in four countries, and now residing in France, Dr. Samandari shares her vulnerability. She tells stories of finding courage, and sense of belonging in life when it comes to taking risks. Dr. Samandari is also a chef, adjunct professor, and most recently launched her own coaching company called 9 Paths Development.
Shannon Wilkinson, CEO at Tego Cyber, wife, mother, and author of Ripping off the Hoodie: Encouraging the Next Generation of S.T.E.M. Girls knows her priorities. Shannon knows what it takes to be successful and how to lead from the frontlines, all-the-while cheering on women in Tech, combatting the biases that still exist today. She highlights how she uses both logic and creativity in Tech while practicing what she preaches: “Find a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Logic is one of the many superpowers Shannon taps into on a daily basis especially as she carries the torch for gender inclusion in the workplace. Listen for when Shannon describes the difference between failing vs. failure.
Claudia Harvey, CEO and Founder of Dig It Apparel and Founding Partner and President of BG Wealth Group, author, mother and wife, is a ray of sunshine and a force wrapped into one. She and I share in common the pull towards career reinvention 20 years into our careers. In our episode, Claudia describes how she used to define success, and how she shifted her mindset to live life with strength, harmony and balance while also highlighting the importance of encouraging women to connect to their money. As Claudia notes: "You don't find yourself. You create yourself."
What do leadership, culture and wine have in common? Pour yourself your favorite glass to enjoy – from water to wine – and take a listen! To me, what wine decants is what I appreciate the most – the legs of conversation and the bouquet of relationships that often are accomplished when you uncork the bottle and pour a glass of fragrant communication. Wine has a way of bringing people together to share a common interest while swirling dialogue around the room. This episode highlights Leadership Uncorked, an event co-created by my guest, Donna Brighton. Donna is the Chief Idea Officer at The Brighton Leadership Group, a speaker, and author of The Rebel Leader. I admire how she lives her life with clear intentions and follows through by making her goals a reality. Listen, for when Donna defines leadership and likens it to the French wine term terroir. Her experiences and passions align beautifully to her career reinvention as she helps companies evolve with clear intentions when it comes to cultural transformation.
The global pandemic crisis has created a lot of FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt), additional stress and anxiety, especially for working mothers. Just because we live in uncertain times doesn’t mean we should give up on our goals. That drive is still in us. All we need to do is dust off our ambition (and humor!) to reshape ourselves. However, we may need an extra push in the right direction to find a way to reignite the fire in our bellies. I asked Jessi Pierce to be a guest on my podcast because she is a working mom in a male-dominated industry, and like us, juggles the balance between work and family. She is a writer for the NHL.com covering the Minnesota Wild hockey team, COO of New Voice Studios, co-host of a podcast series called Bardown Beauties, and a Contract Writer and Manager for Touchpoint Media. She also is on the production team producing my podcast, Theodora SpeaksTM. We share a love of our children, family, and career ambition. Listen for when Jessi talks about how the NHL can be reimagined with more female influence as well as when she emphasizes why she loves ‘chirping.’
Melyssa Barrett is a woman who amplifies authenticity, lives her life with purpose, and without regret. Melyssa is as lovely as she is driven and has spent her career in risk management for nearly 30 years at Visa, Inc. conducting business with confidence. She started working the phones at night and climbed the ranks over the years to become a Vice President. She is a seasoned product executive in risk and identity who focuses on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are top of mind for Melyssa being one of the founding Global Sponsors for Blacks at Visa, Inc. in addition to hosting her own podcast called The Jali. She is also an author. Furthermore, Meylssa hosts one of the largest Kwanzaa gatherings in Northern California, and in honor of her late husband, created Kwanzaa Every Day. Listen, for when Melyssa talks about two important topics:
Choose a career you’ll have fun with – life’s too short
You cannot have diversity without inclusion
Recap, Reminisce and Reflect on the first season of Theodora Speaks! The theme of Taking Calculated Risks in Your Career was truly insightful so here’s recognizing the tips to success that each Theodora shared in hopes that it shines light for other Theodora’s listening to the podcast.
As we kick off season #2, Joan Bufalino is a woman who amplifies ambitious career reinventions throughout her many seasons of life. From a career in nursing to going back to graduate school in her 50s. At every turn, Joan tackles her fear and never misses a beat as she reinvents herself over and over again with style and grace. Listen for when Joan discusses the importance of being self-sufficient and the advice of never giving up, even if you fail. It's all in the art of trying again and mind mapping. Go to Podcast | Theodora Speaks — Gayle Keller or @_gaylekeller on Instagram to discover Joan's infographics to use a reference as you listen to her story.
Author Janine Firpo left a 35+ year career in technology and international development to focus on how women can create a more just and equitable society through their financial investments. She adds angel investor and social entrepreneur to her list of career reinventions. Janine is dynamic and takes calculated risks in both her career to reinvent her professional life and has reinvented how she invests in her money, aligning to her values. Investing shapes our future and our legacy. By 2030, 2/3rds of the nation's wealth will be controlled by women. Listen for when we converse about Janine's recent book Activate Your Money and the myths she debunks around women and financial empowerment.
Click on the Infographics button above to view the graphic that accompanies our conversation.
Let's put the mantra of "you can sleep when you're dead" to bed and embrace "sleeping like a baby." It's no surprise we all feel better after a good night's rest. It's time to stop sacrificing our sleep. Tara Clancy, Founder and Chief Strategist at High Performance SleepTM and host of The Counterfeit Sleep® podcast shares the importance of calendaring our sleep and answers the question of why our sleep is making us tired. To reinvent ourselves and take calculated professional risks, being well-rested improves our focus, concentration, and clarity while decreasing our stress and anxiety. Companies benefit from well-rested employees. Employee retention increases as does the bottom line - and market share isn't lost - if employees are performing at their optimal, well-rested levels.
Esther Wojcicki is known as the "Godmother of Silicon Valley" and is a highly respected award-winning educator, wife, mother, grandmother, award-winning journalist, and author of How to Raise Successful People using her T.R.I.C.K. (trust, respect, independence, collaboration, and kindness). Esther raised three successful daughters - the CEO of YouTube, the Co-Founder and CEO of 23andMe, and a professor of pediatrics at the University of California - San Francisco. She has passed on the art of grit and drive to thousands of students who have grown up to become empowered adults.
Her T.R.I.C.K. methodology centers around project-based learning she taught both at home and in the classroom to instill resilience in children so they grow up being able to stand confidently on their own two feet. Listen for when Esther shares a risk she took early on in her career when she traded in the typewriter for a computer and threw away text book learning for collaborative teaching. This episode is full of great nuggets that can be incorporated into the workplace, especially for working parents.
We all crave the recipe for balance. Alison McConnell, CMO of Publicis Health Media, is a working mom who encourages us to ask for what we want in our careers. Not only that, she encourages and empowers brands to reimagine gender inclusion, equity, equality, and diversity.
Craving a little inspiration? Scroll up and click on the infographics button to follow along as you listen.
Jacquelle Amankonah Horton is in the top 1% of 2% of black female executives breaking the mold--something she's equal parts proud and frustrated about. Jacquelle left Silicon Valley during the global pandemic - as a new mother - to embrace The Great Reinvention, launching Fave, a social platform and marketplace that allows fans and music artists alike to engage with each other.
Click on the Infographics button above to view the graphic that accompanies our conversation.
Debbie Danon, founder of Time to Flourish, helps remove the stigma of miscarriages and infant fatality in the workplace by discussing the difficult conversation of loss, while recognizing the the art of conceiving as a good thing for both the individual and the company.
What would you do if Michael J. Fox offered you a job in an elevator? Debi Brooks lived that scenario, leading to her co-founding and becoming the CEO of The Michael J. Fox Foundation following an illustrious career on Wall Street.
Debi, who was recently named one of Forbes 50 Over 50 icons, joins to share her inspiring story, along with the characteristics that make her a perennial problem-solver with a keen balance for pragmatism and optimism.
Cindy Ashton was born with less than a 20% survival rate. To say the actress/author/ speaker/coach has persevered through what seemed like insurmountable odds and obstacles would be a grand understatement. You can hear how she did it.
What do security, collaboration and camaraderie have in common? They are the outcomes of solid trust and communication coupled with diversity and inclusion. Kasia Hanson, Global IOT Video Security Sales Leader at Intel, is the true definition of an inclusive global leader who understands the importance of communication. She pays it forward by mentoring the next generation of female leaders in the security industry.
Gospel singer, author, Wall Street extraordinaire for over 30 years, a Forbes 50 Over 50 icon, and a woman with a wealth of knowledge -- there's very little that Carla Harris can't do. Carla, a Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley, shares her pearls of wisdom on how to position your career, as well as what she would tell her 25-year-old self.
Most of us have things we'd love to go back and tell our younger selves. Whether it's to be gentler with our failures, proud of our accomplishments, or just the reminder to keep at our dreams, we often have more insight when looking back. So, I asked several distinguished female graduates attending the Indiana University Foundation’s Women’s Philanthropy tent party during “The World’s Greatest College Weekend” (the Little 500 bicycle races) just that: "What advice would you give your 20-something self?" And the responses elicited valuable advice we can incorporate into our lives at any age.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
We kick off season 3 with mother and product marketer turned boutique owner Daisy Malek-Shadid. Daisy explains the 4Ps of marketing as it relates to your personal brand, all while reminding us why fashion and self-confidence go hand in hand. Yes, please!
Ever wonder about executive presence and why presence, posture, and performance are vital to your career? Deanna Ransom, President and Executive Director at Women in Revenue, pays it forward with her authenticity and ability to naturally connect and collaborate with others. Listen for when Deanna shares what elephants and resilience have in common.
'A Texas gal who loves the ocean air' Stacie Jones, founder and owner of Sun Lov'in Roots, left her job with the Dallas Cowboys to start her thriving fitness clothing and nutrition brand. From that, Stacie launched an offshoot product coaching group for entrepreneurs to live her belief in choosing community over competition.
Friend and Microsoft SaaS sales executive, Rob Ashe, is known for his competitive edge albeit in Jiu Jitsu, collecting vinyl records, or being known for his 'dogged sense of determination' in the technology industry. He also hosts "Rob's Reads" on LinkedIn and gave my book, Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead, a glowing review. There isn't much Rob can't tackle. I am honored he is my FIRST male guest on Theodora Speaks sharing his words of wisdom centered around confidence.
Move over Maverick, Colonel Kim "KC" Campbell has established herself as the best of the best when it comes to fighter pilots. The decorated and now retired pilot has been placed in some of the ultimate fearful situations -- and she met them with courage and confidence that most could never fathom. KC details all of that and more for us in this week's episode, while also previewing her book, Flying in the Face of Fear, reminding us all that perseverance and courage might not always be easy to come by, but they are crucial in the best and worst of situations.
Kathryn Rose was a woman on Wall Street long before The Fearless Girl statue adorned the Financial District. But she left that life behind to carve out a new career path in marketing, eventually pivoting into becoming the CEO and founder of GetWise. Now, the author of nine books, wife, and mother of two is removing 'should' from her vocabulary and helping build a community that values giving above all else.
David Shriner-Cahn is someone who is changing the way you communicate. By encouraging corporate refugees and entrepreneurs to understand the difference between treating their passions like a hobby versus a business, David opens people up to entirely new way of thinking and living.
Mamas, this episode is for you. Moyra Gorski, a former nurse and medical sales rep, reinvented herself to put being a mom first. Gorski took on one of the hardest and most rewarding jobs, becoming a stay-at-home mother, before eventually turning into a wellness advisor where she practices being a self-care advocate and empowers others to find the joy in the chaos. Moms rarely get enough credit for the work they do at home and in their community, Gorski --and this episode-- aim to change that.
In today's new Chat GTP and A.I. world, it's important to know rhetoric vs. reality while abandoning our imposter syndromes and maintaining authenticity. Romi Mahajan, CEO of ExoFusion, shares valuable tips on how we all can break through that noise and shine in our lives. As he eloquently states: "You either break the mold or the mold breaks you."
Janisha Jones is the epitome of a can-do woman. A data analyst turned music publishing expert, the CEO of Fresh N'Sassy Productions has set the standard for diversity in the typically non-diverse tech world. Using her own love for music and tech, Jones has empowered women of color in the music industry to have a seat at the table by focusing on the barrier of entry and instilling in them to know their own worth.
David Shriner-Cahn is someone who is changing the way you communicate. By encouraging corporate refugees and entrepreneurs to understand the difference between treating their passions like a hobby versus a business, David opens people up to entirely new way of thinking and living.
Friend and Microsoft SaaS sales executive, Rob Ashe, is known for his competitive edge albeit in Jiu Jitsu, collecting vinyl records, or being known for his 'dogged sense of determination' in the technology industry. Oh! And he also hosts "Rob's Reads" on LinkedIn and gave my book, Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead, a glowing review. There isn't much Rob can't tackle. I am honored he is my FIRST male guest on Theodora Speaks sharing his words of wisdom centered around confidence.
Why Theodora™ ?
I decided to name my podcast series after my Grandfather, Theodore. My Grandfather immigrated to the United States in the early 1900s from Poland when he was only 19 years old. He was one of nine brothers and sisters who all immigrated to America but at different times. Somehow, they all found each other in Chicago, IL via Ellis Island, and settled down to start their new lives in America. My Grandfather was a tool-and-die maker by trade. However, he was an entrepreneur by passion. Having owned both a restaurant and a hardware store, he understood the value of a dollar and how to earn it. He worked as a tool-and-die maker for Ludwig Drums and in between jobs, he sold shopping carts. I carry his entrepreneurial spirit with me in my life.
From a young age, I would pretend I owned a restaurant, a bakery, a florist. Although I have spent most of my career in corporate America, I helped launch Young Professionals for Parkinson’s Research, an arm of The Michael J. Fox Foundation, co-launched a sales and marketing consulting firm with a successful businesswoman and friend, to now launching my current venture as a, motivational advisor and podcast host. With each pivot, reinventing myself to greater fulfillment.
Podcasts remind me of the radio, in particular, my Grandfather’s AM radio. It’s a radio taken from an airplane and refurbished into a beautiful piece of furniture. I would sit in his toolroom in his basement with him on weekends and we’d listen to music or a baseball game while he crafted beautiful objects out of wood and metal.
Since that time, the radio has been refinished and sits proudly in my living room. The radio is not only a reminder of my Grandfather, but a symbol of simpler times. A symbol of a medium (radio) where one can truly multitask and be transported while listening to music, sports radio, commentator’s, etc. Enter current day 2021, where I liken the podcast to the radio.
Grandpa Theodore’s Radio
Theodora™