She Pivots

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.

As a kid, Michaela Hammond had two goals pinned to her bulletin board: play sports and work in sports. She went on to play volleyball at NYU and build the career in sports she had dreamed about, but eventually found herself sobbing at her desk, wondering if she was really where she wanted to be. On this episode of She Pivots, Michaela talks about letting a dream take a new shape, the power of authentic storytelling, and how her experience in sports led her to co-found OffBall, an anti-algorithmic media company exploring the culture, fandom, fashion, and personalities surrounding the games we love.    Check out what Offball is up to at offball.news   Thanks to YOU She Pivots is a finalist for TWO signal awards! Vote for us at these links to help us bring home gold:   Most Inspirational Podcast Best Podcast Newsletter   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.

Female Quotient founder Shelley Zalis grew up assuming she'd be a stay-at-home mom, just like her own mother. Then a job interview she thought was at an ad agency turned out to be for market research—and she took the job anyway. That accident launched a career that put her decades ahead of her industry, dragging market research onto the internet before most people had email and building a company she'd eventually sell for $80 million. On this episode of She Pivots, Shelley shares the 2 a.m. idea she had while feeding her newborn, the boardroom moment where every man in the room got picked for her own project, and why she turned down money from her family when she needed it. She also shares how inviting five girlfriends to walk the floor at the Consumer Electronics Show sparked The Female Quotient, now a community of 8.5 million professionals with lounges from Davos to the Super Bowl.   Keep up with Shelley on Instagram @shelleyzalis and see what the Female Quotient is doing at @femalequotient, and on their website www.thefemalequotient.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.

Andrea Virgin didn't set out to become a civil engineer or the leader of a major arts nonprofit. But after the 2008 recession hit her dance company, she traded her pointe shoes for a hard hat and built a new career in engineering—only to face devastating loss when her husband TJ died when their daughter was 4 months old. In this episode of She Pivots, Andrea shares how she rebuilt her life (twice), the surprising boardroom idea that grew into her current mission, her role Chair and CEO of The Center for Arts and Innovation in Boca Raton, and why creativity is necessary at all stages of life.   Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to She Pivots 02:22 Childhood Memories and Early Dance Training 06:50 Cultural Influences and Family Dynamics 07:37 Balancing Dance and Engineering Studies 14:29 The 2008 Recession's Impact on the Arts 17:54 Pivoting to Civil Engineering 19:38 The Personal: Dating and Relationships 23:51 The Fateful Plane Crash 31:25 Navigating Grief and New Beginnings 37:03 Personal and Professional Growth 43:56 The Birth of a Creative Vision 52:01 Lessons from Andrea's Journey 57:39 Closing Thoughts 58:33 Podcast Production Credits   Keep up with Andrea’s work at The Center at thecenterforartsandinnovation.org    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.

At seventeen, Chelsie Hill was a competitive dancer with her sights set on a career as a professional performer, until a car accident with a drunk driver left her paralyzed and changed everything overnight. Her first question to the doctor wasn't about walking again; it was whether she could still dance. On this episode of She Pivots, Chelsie talks about rebuilding her identity after the accident, the moment she decided to stop waiting for permission to chase her dream, and how she turned her own search for community into the Rollettes, a wheelchair dance team that's grown into one of the largest networks for women and girls with disabilities in the world. From performing in Kelly Clarkson's "Invincible" video to dancing at the opening ceremony of the Paris Paralympics, Chelsie shares how dance became the thing that carried her through the injury, marriage, motherhood, and building a space made for women like her from the ground up.   Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to She Pivots 00:46 Guest Intro: Chelsie Hill 08:48 The Fateful Car Accident 13:54 Adapting to a New Reality 25:06 The Birth of the Rollettes 31:34 Navigating Dance in LA 37:30 Meeting Her Husband 39:10 Navigating Pregnancy With a Spinal Cord Injury 45:00 Building a Community of Disabled Moms 46:36 The Rolettes Experience 47:27 Reflecting on Chelsie's Journey 48:18 Podcast Production Credits You can follow Chelsie on Instagram @chelsiehill, and the Rollettes at @rollettes_la.  Check them out at their website www.rollettesdance.com.   Happy National Dance Day, and Happy Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month!   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.