In this Season 5 finale of Persistence U with Lizbeth, Lizbeth shares a deeply personal reflection on generosity, survival, and why she is stepping back from weekly episodes to make space for writing, teaching, and other creative work. As she approaches the podcast’s fifth anniversary, she looks back with gratitude at the listeners, guests, patrons, and community members who helped shape nearly five years of conversations about healing, persistence, and overcoming obstacles. Lizbeth recounts ...
In Part 2 of Unmapped Conversations, Lizbeth gathers five contributors from Unmapped: Solo Women Travelers on Bold Journeys of Healing, Resilience, and Self-Discovery to explore how travel shapes identity, courage, and connection. Guests include Kathy Kirkpatrick, Tammy Horvath, Phyllis Skoy, Kate Colbert, and Anne Buckley, each offering a unique perspective rooted in life experience, personal healing, and a determination to live with intention. Each contributor shares wisdom for women who wa...
In this special Unmapped Contributor Connects episode, Lizbeth talks with authors Debbie Russell and Kate Colbert about what inspired their solo travel stories in Unmapped: Solo Women Travelers. Though neither has met in person, the conversation reveals deep connections formed through shared vulnerability, resilience, and the transformative power of being alone in the world. Debbie Russell shares how her chapter emerged from a major life shift in her late fifties. After leaving her long-term ...
This week on Persistence U, Lizbeth welcomes back friend and former guest Richard Wilmore to talk about the power of returning to an old dream, choosing joy, and building a creative life that feels good from the inside out. Richard first appeared on Persistence U years ago when he was helping bring the arts into hospitals through a nonprofit that changed his own life as much as it changed the lives of the patients he served. But as nonprofit work often goes, roles shifted, pressures grew, an...
This week on Persistence U with Lizbeth Meredith, meet Unmapped contributor Heidi Siefkas — an author, speaker, and adventurer whose story reminds us that life can change in an instant, but our power to rebuild is limitless. Once a high-powered travel industry executive living what looked like a perfect life, Heidi’s world turned upside down when a thousand-pound tree limb struck her down, breaking her neck and forever altering her path. What followed wasn’t just recovery — it was reinvention...
What does it take to completely shift your life at 55, trade a full pension for personal freedom, and trust the universe when it nudges you into unfamiliar territory? Debbie Russell, former Assistant County Attorney in Minneapolis and contributor to the bestselling solo travel anthology Unmapped, shares her journey from burnout to brave. In this conversation with host Lizbeth Meredith, Debbie talks about rediscovering her independence through travel—and how buying and towing a camper solo hel...
What does a decades-long friendship between two radically honest men look like? Welcome to the dynamic world of Greg Wilker and Mark Wendt—childhood friends, creative collaborators, and co-hosts of the Moped Outlaws podcast. In this episode, Lizbeth explores how Greg and Mark’s enduring relationship has evolved over time—from their spit-in-the-face 20s, to their current collaborative podcast, and their commitment to having real conversations about hard things. From wresting through anti...
When the #MeToo movement encouraged women to speak their truths, former nurse Stephanie Maley felt a deep stirring to finally release the story she had carried for decades—one shaped by abandonment, sexual abuse, and the quiet survival that followed. In this moving conversation with Lizbeth Meredith, Stephanie shares how writing her memoir No Longer That Girl: Retracing the Scars of the Past and Present became a pathway to healing and self‑forgiveness. Together, they explore the courage...
Meet Hollis Peirce, a Canadian writer, disability advocate, and the inspiring voice behind the 21st Century Disability podcast. After surviving a life-threatening respiratory crisis in 2021, Hollis now lives in a long-term care hospital—yet continues to create, advocate, and thrive. In this episode, we explore how he finds purpose through writing, why representation matters in disability spaces, and what others often get wrong when talking about accessibility. Hollis is a testament to the pow...
Meet Tammy Horvath, one of the 24 incredible contributors to Unmapped: Solo Women Travelers – Bold Journeys of Healing, Resilience, and Self-Discovery. Tammy shares how travel, faith, and unexpected friendships around the globe helped her find light after unimaginable loss. After losing her beloved son Luke to murder, Tammy chose to keep her heart open to love, faith, and movement. Through books like Gone in an Instant, Life Begins with Travel, and Deep Inside, she invites readers to redisco...
What does it really mean to “show up anyway”? In this inspiring episode of Persistence U with Lizbeth, host Lizbeth Meredith welcomes back wellness entrepreneur, certified health coach, and author Wanda Malhotra—one of the 24 contributors to Unmapped: Solo Women Travelers – Bold Journeys of Healing, Resilience, and Self-Discovery. Wanda’s chapter, “What Germany Taught Me About Showing Up Anyway,” closes the anthology with grace, humor, and insight. She recounts how a lost suitcase, an unexpec...
In this episode of Persistence U with Lizbeth Meredith, I’m honored to introduce Dr. Tali Lando—pediatric ENT surgeon, survivor, and author of Breathless. I had the privilege of endorsing this book, and from the first conversation with Dr. Lando, I knew she was someone I could sit down with for hours over coffee. Breathless is more than a memoir—it’s a rare look behind the curtain of physician life. Dr. Lando shares the pressure of balancing a high-stakes career, family, and her own cancer di...
Guest: Angela Betancourt — communication strategist, global storyteller, Air Force Reservist, and lifelong adventurer who believes bold moves shape extraordinary lives. From leading comms in Sierra Leone post-Ebola to ocean-advocacy storytelling, Angela shows how travel can unlock courage, purpose, and impact. In this episode: Angela shares how a “non-linear” career across manufacturing, agriculture, and humanitarian work led to her dream role abroad—plus why solo travel is a powerful teache...
On this episode of Persistence U with Lizbeth, I’m joined by Melvin E. Edwards, journalist, podcaster, sixth-generation Texan, and author of The Eyes of Texans: From Slavery to the Texas Capitol. Mel shares not only his love of history but also his deeply personal journey of resilience shaped by family, loss, and a lifetime of persistence. Connect with Melvin at Stories From Real Life Podcast HERE Raised in Houston, Mel grew up close to his father, who instilled in him a vision of success bey...
What happens when a restless teen obsessed with learning Spanish turns her determination into a lifelong adventure? Meet Regina Winkle-Bryan, founder of Bold Spirit Travel, a company that helps women confidently take their first solo journeys in community with others. Regina shares how failing Spanish 101 didn’t stop her—it fueled her. From immersive travel and early stumbles to building a successful women-centered travel company, Regina’s story is a masterclass in persistence, creativity, an...
What happens when a family secret rewrites everything you thought you knew? In this heartfelt and powerful conversation, author and mental health advocate Lisa Sugarman joins Persistence U with Lizbeth to share her story of losing her father—twice. Told as a child that her father died of a heart attack, Lisa didn’t discover the truth about his suicide until 35 years later. That revelation not only reshaped her personal narrative but became the catalyst for a career shift toward suicide preven...
How do you keep going after unimaginable loss? In this heartfelt episode of Persistence U, grief educator, podcaster, and writer Lisa Ellison Cooper shares how the devastating death of her younger brother launched her into a journey of deep grief, self-exploration, and ultimately, healing. Lisa discusses how writing became a lifeline—first as a way to process pain, and then as a tool to connect with others. Today, she uses her experience to support fellow writers navigating difficult personal...
After retiring from a 27-year teaching career and realizing her pension wasn’t enough, Queen Michele took a leap of faith. She moved to Mexico, began an inward journey of healing through meditation and creativity, and eventually traced her roots to Guinea-Bissau, West Africa, through a DNA test with African Ancestry. What began as a personal mission to avoid economic hardship became a transformative spiritual journey. In this conversation, Queen Michele shares how she connected with her ances...
In this episode of Persistence U with Lizbeth dives into a deeply relatable and rarely explored topic: the estrangement of female friendships. Our guest, Susan Shapiro Barash, is a leading voice in women’s studies and author of over a dozen nonfiction books, including her latest: Estranged: Leaving Toxic Friendships and Creating Healthier Ones. #persistenceu #susanshapirobarash #toxicfriendships#alienation #estrangement In this conversation, Susan shares research gathered from more th...
Three months after a car crash, Kelly Tuttle fell asleep at the wheel again—this time from brain fatigue. She was trying to return to “normal,” but her concussion had other plans. This week on Persistence U, Kelly shares how she turned her traumatic brain injury into a second act—retraining in neurology, writing a guide to help others return to life after injury (After the Crash), and launching resources for people with invisible challenges. You Will Learn: How a life-changing car accident...