She Pivots

At six years old, Dr. Maya Shankar fell in love with the violin, and by thirteen, she was studying at Juilliard with legendary violinist Itzhak Perlman. She was on her way to becoming a concert violinist when, at fifteen, a serious hand injury abruptly ended that dream. But what initially felt like a devastating loss would send Maya down an entirely different path, one that would ultimately lead her to the White House. On this episode of She Pivots, Dr. Shankar shares how she went from aspiring concert violinist to cognitive scientist, studying at Yale and Stanford, before building the first behavioral science team in the Obama White House. Today, she explores the science of change through her podcast, A Slight Change of Plans, and her book, The Other Side of Change, helping others understand how life's unexpected turns can reveal parts of ourselves we never knew existed.    Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to She Pivots 01:40 A Violinist's Journey Begins 12:40 A Rising Violin Star 16:50 The Injury 19:40 Walking Away from Her Violin Dreams 23:32 Maya's Start In Cognitive Science 25:53 Building A White House Behavioral Science Team 33:07 Navigating Change and Identity 36:07 The Why Behind Your What 37:41 Low Point to Launch 43:43 Reflections on Maya's Pivot 44:59 Podcast Production Credits   Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a pivot story, leave us a rating (it really helps!), and share this episode with a woman in your life who you think needs a little inspiration. She Pivots is a podcast created by host Emily Tisch Sussman to highlight influential women voices, share stories of bold career moves, and inspire women with interviews about career reinvention and how personal pivots can redefine professional success. Join our Substack community! Subscribe here for exclusive content and to connect with other pivoters: shepivots.substack.com Learn more about the inspiring women in our pivoter community by following us on instagram @ShePivotsThePodcast, and check out our website shepivotspod.com for resources and updates.  She Pivots is proud to be an iHeart podcast, and a 2026 Signal Award Winner.Support the show: https://www.shepivotsthepodcast.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Breion Winston was a basketball star at Rice until she decided to walk away from her final season to move to Tampa and support her husband, NFL quarterback Jameis Winston. Life as the wife of a professional athlete took her from New Orleans to Cleveland and eventually New York. Along the way, she became a mother of two, launched an activewear line, and carved out her own identity in the bright spotlight of her husband's career. On this episode of She Pivots, Breion talks about finding her footing outside of the NFL, the women who have inspired her, and how a shared love of storytelling led her to an unexpected new chapter as a Broadway producer. Now, she and Emily are co-producing Wanted, a new Broadway musical about two Black sisters who became outlaws in 1893 Texas, that opens on November 8 at the James Earl Jones Theatre.   Use code SHEPIVOTS for a discount on your tickets to Wanted!   Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to She Pivots 01:29 Growing up in Alabama 04:06 An Early Love of Sports 07:18 College Basketball and Leaving Home 12:37 How Breion met Jameis 15:09 Moving to Tampa and the NFL Spotlight 23:17 Building Community in New Cities 27:20 Girls' Trip to Support Women in Sports 30:42 Breion's Love of Musicals 34:35 Co-Producing Wanted: A New Musical 37:59 Connection Through Arts and Sports 40:34 Balancing Life as an NFL Wife 42:51 The Impact of NIL and College Athletics 44:18 Low Point to Launch 46:11 The Role of Faith 49:01 Closing Thoughts and Credits   Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a pivot story, leave us a rating (it really helps!), and share this episode with a woman in your life who you think needs a little inspiration.   She Pivots is a podcast created by host Emily Tisch Sussman to highlight influential women voices, share stories of bold career moves, and inspire women with interviews about career reinvention and how personal pivots can redefine professional success.   Join our Substack community! Subscribe here for exclusive content and to connect with other pivoters: shepivots.substack.com   Learn more about the inspiring women in our pivoter community by following us on instagram @ShePivotsThePodcast, and check out our website shepivotspod.com for resources and updates.    She Pivots is proud to be an iHeart podcast.Support the show: https://www.shepivotsthepodcast.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some people you’ve known your whole life, but their stories still have the power to surprise you. Lacey Tisch is one of those people for me, a family member whose childhood was deeply intertwined with my own. On this episode of She Pivots, Lacey opens up about a life shaped by medical trauma, a long and complicated struggle with alcohol, and the journey to finally getting sober. We talk about what it looked like when things were at their worst, why sobriety finally stuck after years of trying, and how she went from treatment to co-founding Sage + Sound, a wellness destination on New York’s Upper East Side, in the middle of the pandemic.   Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to She Pivots 01:39 The Car Accident and Its Aftermath 03:17 From Medical Trauma to Sobriety Struggles 09:36 A Heart Attack at 29 12:59 The Impact of Lacey's Family Support 16:33 "No One Can Get Me Sober" 19:46 The Turning Point: Staying Sober 24:25 Strategies for Recovery and Growth 29:06 From Sobriety to Wellness Entrepreneurship 31:45 Low Point to Launch 33:12 Do You Think You'll Pivot Again? 33:58 Reflections on Lacey's Pivot 35:03 Podcast Production Credits Keep up with Lacey’s work at Sage + Sound on their website www.sage-sound.com   Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a pivot story, leave us a rating (it really helps!), and share this episode with a woman in your life who you think needs a little inspiration.   She Pivots is a podcast created by host Emily Tisch Sussman to highlight influential women voices, share stories of bold career moves, and inspire women with interviews about career reinvention and how personal pivots can redefine professional success.   Join our Substack community! Subscribe here for exclusive content and to connect with other pivoters: shepivots.substack.com   Learn more about the inspiring women in our pivoter community by following us on instagram @ShePivotsThePodcast, and check out our website shepivotspod.com for resources and updates.    She Pivots is proud to be an iheart podcast.Support the show: https://www.shepivotsthepodcast.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kelly Corrigan never set out to become a writer. At 36, she was a nonprofit fundraiser, a mom to two young children, and facing stage three breast cancer when she self-published a book for her dying father. That book, The Middle Place, became a New York Times bestseller and launched a writing career that includes four bestsellers and two popular shows on PBS and in podcasting. On this episode of She Pivots, Kelly shares how life’s most difficult moments reshaped her understanding of what was worth writing about, from a transformative year in Australia to navigating cancer treatment while raising her daughters and caring for her dad. She also talks about the power of telling deeply personal stories and how our response to life’s challenges can help us hold on to wonder, even in the hardest seasons.   Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to She Pivots 00:27 Kelly Corrigan Introduction 02:07 Childhood Memories and Family Dynamics 07:46 The Turning Point in Sydney 10:29 The Power of Caretakers 11:47 The Birth of a Writer 15:16 Kelly's Expectations for Her Life 18:43 Cancer Diagnosis and Writing The Middle Place 23:46 Navigating Motherhood and Treatment 31:26 What's Next After The Middle Place 33:24 The Second Book Deal 34:30 The IVF Dilemma: A Book's Evolution 39:39 The Viral Essay 42:25 Low Point to Launch 45:17 Do You Think You'll Pivot Again? 47:10 Reflections on Kelly's Story   48:30 Podcast Production Credits   Listen to Kelly Corrigan Wonders wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up with what Kelly is up to at kellycorrigan.com   Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a pivot story, leave us a rating (it really helps!), and share this episode with a woman in your life who you think needs a little inspiration.   She Pivots is a podcast created by host Emily Tisch Sussman to highlight influential women voices, share stories of bold career moves, and inspire women with interviews about career reinvention and how personal pivots can redefine professional success.   Join our Substack community! Subscribe here for exclusive content and to connect with other pivoters: shepivots.substack.com   Learn more about the inspiring women in our pivoter community by following us on instagram @ShePivotsThePodcast, and check out our website shepivotspod.com for resources and updates.    She Pivots is proud to be an iheart podcast.Support the show: https://www.shepivotsthepodcast.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zoanne Clack is one of the most influential writers and producers in the television industry, having written and produced more than 400 episodes across Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19. But Zoanne wasn’t always just writing about doctors—she was one. She began her career in emergency medicine, working grueling hours as a physician after training at Emory and serving at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At 32, completely burnt out and still thinking of her lifelong dream of working in television, Zoanne packed up her life in Atlanta and moved to Los Angeles, a move that changed the course of her life. On this episode of She Pivots, Zoanne shares her experience going through medical school knowing she didn’t love science and joining Grey’s Anatomy in its very early days. She also discusses how she became a leader in what she calls “entertainment education,” using television to tackle public health issues, expand representation, and in some cases, maybe even save lives. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to She Pivots 00:28 From ER Doctor to Grey's Anatomy 02:25 Childhood Dreams and Career Expectations 04:45 The Practical Choice: Medical School 08:33 Burnout and the Search for a New Path 16:47 The Turning Point: Moving to Los Angeles 21:31 Finding Her Footing in TV 29:04 Balancing Two Careers: Medicine and Writing 32:30 The Evolution of Grey's Anatomy 38:05 Zoanne's Mom 40:37 The Art of Medical Education Through Media 44:22 Low Point to Launch 47:43 Reflections on Zoanne's Pivot 48:36 Podcast Production Credits Keep up with Zoanne @zclack on instagram, and learn more about her offerings here.   Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a pivot story, leave us a rating (it really helps!), and share this episode with a woman in your life who you think needs a little inspiration.   She Pivots is a podcast created by host Emily Tisch Sussman to highlight influential women voices, share stories of bold career moves, and inspire women with interviews about career reinvention and how personal pivots can redefine professional success.   Join our Substack community! Subscribe here for exclusive content and to connect with other pivoters: shepivots.substack.com   Learn more about the inspiring women in our pivoter community by following us on instagram @ShePivotsThePodcast, and check out our website shepivotspod.com for resources and updates.    She Pivots is proud to be an iheart podcast.Support the show: https://www.shepivotsthepodcast.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.