Influential SHE Podcast

In 2014 Jenny became dramatically ill, fighting sepsis for her life.  Losing both legs below the knees, five fingers and multiple organs, enduring well over fifty surgeries and rising above opioid withdrawal, her story is one of always making the choice to step into life.  This is her tale shared through the voice of her beloved wife Myshkin, about how woven strands of support showed up from around the world to hold them when all seemed lost.  Jenny and Myshkin will inspire all with their lived story of always choosing love, joy, and community, even when life is in the darkest place.Jenny Qaqundah, born to Palestinian immigrants, is an R.N. and an herbalist that opened the Grateful Desert Apothecary in Joshua Tree, CA.  In 2018 she published Held Together:  A True Story of Love’s Victory, a collection of vignettes from the perspectives of a community that rose up becoming warriors in the fight for her life.Myshkin Warbler is a poet and a musical artist with over three decades of celebrated work in independent music.   In 2018 she released Trust and the High Wire, songs that form a narrative of finding growing love through some extraordinary hardships.  Together Jenny and Myshkin created a worker owned company, celebrating the 10 year anniversary of Grateful Desert and opening a second location, Grateful Rain, in Astoria, Oregon where they live with daughter Yazzy.  Creating a production that weaves their talents and stories, they have shared the Held Together journey with multiple audiences in the country.

It’s your worst nightmare - learning that your fifteen-year-old daughter has been sex trafficked right under your nose for 1 ½ years.  Susan brings voice to this incredible horror that shattered her entire family.  Her compelling story will open the eyes of all to understand that it can happen anywhere, at any time, to any family.  With incredible strength and courage, she and her husband took this “living death”, and started to piece their  family back together.  All will be inspired by how Susan rose from the depths of despair to become the “voice for the voiceless”.Susan Young, a subject matter expert and surviving parent, has trained thousands of personnel, private entities, doctors, law enforcement, houses of worship, teachers, and communities across the nation and around the world about the dangers and indicators of sex trafficking. She has worked alongside governors and the U.S. Congress to ensure proper legislation is passed to prosecute the traffickers and provide aid to victims and their families. Susan knows that trafficking not only affects the victims themselves, but the family as a whole and is tireless in her advocacy for needed changes,Susan is the Founder/CEO of the Parent Coalition to End Human Trafficking which she started in 2017.  With a mission to bridge the gap for families struggling to overcome the devastation left by traffickers. She created a support curriculum to aid families in their journey toward healing, provides guidance to locate resources, helps others navigate the criminal justice system, and delivers support for siblings and other family members. Susan has participated and led numerous conferences, delivered training, and provided mentorship and advisory at all levels of government and industry.  Additionally she is part of a call-in center for parents and victims all over the world, providing information, aid, and support.  www.preventht.org

Why in the world did we (Deb and Mel) start Influential She in the first place?  We took a hard look at what existed to unleash the crazy good influence of women and came up wanting.  So we simply decided to do something about it,  And the result?  An incredible podcast journey where nuggets of wisdom are shared by kickass women.  Join in and be inspired to live your best life!

With values mentored by her ‘force of nature’ mother Fern, she is clear-eyed about who she is and how she belongs in every room.  As a judge, wife, mom and community leader, she had the courage to step into the District Attorney role after two professional prosecutors were slain in cold blood for doing their jobs.  As author of memoir Target on My Back, be inspired by how her strong sense of self gave the confidence to step into the sphere of danger before the killer was identified or apprehended.  Erleigh Wiley is a native Texan, born and raised in Kaufman County.  She was appointed by Governor Rick Perry to fill the unexpired term of the office of the Criminal District Attorney of Kaufman County after he was murdered.  She was re-elected in 2014 and has been the Kaufman County Criminal District Attorney ever since.  In her current and previous roles as elected judge of Kaufman County Court at Law and with the Dallas County District Attorney’s office, she has been a tireless advocate in helping abused and neglected children, developing treatment courts and fighting for the most vulnerable.  She graduated from Texas Tech University, Rawls College of Business and Texas Law.

As a novelist and woman living on her deepest heart terms, she shares how important it is to “decide what you want and take a step toward it.”  When the world pressures how life should be, Cynthia will inspire all by her “doing” built around being separate and together.   Cynthia Newberry Martin writes novels about marriage.  About how characters navigate between separateness and togetherness.  About how they balance the need for both time to themselves and time together.  About what compromise does to a person’s sense of self. Her website features the How We Spend Our Days series, over a decade of essays by writers on their lives.  Tidal Flats is her first novel.Cynthia holds an MFA in creative writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts.  Her early stories, essays and reviews appeared in multiple publications.  She grew up in the sixties in the heart of Atlanta, went to college in North Carolina, spent a year teaching English in France, practiced law, and had kids.  Through it all she was a reader, and in the late 90’s thought books were cool and writers were cool.  She got about ‘doing’ to become one.She now lives in Columbus, Georgia with her husband and in Provincetown, Massachusetts, in a little house by the water that is her favorite place on earth.   www.cynthianewberrymartin.com

The daughter of Korean immigrants, she lives up to her namesake in fostering influential connections.  From negotiating D.C. “food fights” to being present and courageous when conversations are difficult, she will inspire all to grow in the skill of connection.  Through her story-telling Grace uncovers how implicit connection has always been in her life, and now claims it as truly explicit and a  driver for her authentic place in the world. Grace Koh is the Vice-President of Legislative Affairs for Nokia, advancing public policy priorities on Capitol Hill and in the Administration.  As a 15-year veteran of Washington, D.C., she has earned a reputation for bipartisanship and strategic advice influencing change in Congress.  She has extensive experience in the cross-section of geopolitics, technology and trade both domestically and abroad.Grace’s rich experience includes being U.S. Ambassador to the 2019 International Telecommunication Union’s World Radiocommunication Conference in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, where she led the 125 member delegation in negotiating successful outcomes for U.S. spectrum (5G) and satellite policy.Koh also served as Special Assistant to the President for technology, telecom and cybersecurity policy in the White House, and as Deputy Chief Counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Communications and Technology.  In the private sector, Grace worked as a lawyer in multiple capacities.  She has a B.A from Yale University and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

As a singer/songwriter, she began massive ‘doing’ at a very young age.  Sharing “I’m a go-getter, a chaser, a pursuer, a doer and will always stand up for myself”, Hailey talks about how hard and painful it can be to get going when others try to hold you back.  This not-to-miss podcast - with a surprise at the end -  will inspire you to quiet  the “committee in your head”, and get busy doing.Hailey Steele was raised in a no-stoplight town in South Dakota. She started performing at an early age, sharing stages with country legends like Willie Nelson and Loretta Lynn all before the age of 15. Her melodies are strongly influenced by female country and pop music from the 90's, and her lyrics tackle daily topics that every girl and woman deals with - love, heartbreak, happiness, reality, and wine. Steele moved to Nashville at 19 to pursue a serious music career and has never looked back. As an alum of NBC's The Voice (Team Xtina, season 2), she got to perform on the last season of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno with her duo The LiNE.  Steele co-wrote"Boyfriend,"  (Raelynn/Nicolle Galyon/ Steele) and "Small Town Soul" released by Gwen Sebastian. Steele's first solo single, "Where I Thought I'd Be" was featured on CMT as part of the Artist Discovery Program.  Hailey has opened several shows for Kelsea Ballerini and is the youngest member of the South Dakota Country Music Hall of Fame.  Most recently she co-wrote and released “Livewire”, a song that tackles mental illness and abuse.  She has appeared on the Grand Ole Opry stage with her friend Shelly Fairchild, performing their original “On The Highway”.  The music video for her newest release, Raggedy Ann, is the current Next Up Now feature on Country Music Television and is available on CMT.com.  www.haileysteele.com

Raised by four generations of influential women, at an early age Char developed confidence in truly being her authentic self.  And yet, as she shares, being true to yourself is not always an easy path when “many times it means going against the grain and making unpopular decisions.”  In this podcast Charlyn gets real about how vulnerable you can feel when claiming your rebel within!Charlyn Stanberry is the Vice President of Government Relations for the National Association of Broadcasters.  Prior she was chief of staff for Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (NY-09) after being her legislative director and counsel. Additionally Char is an adjunct professor at the University of the District of Columbia where she teaches foundations of civics, ethics and values.Char has excelled on Capitol Hill and held policy and political roles in the arenas of communication, telecom and the internet along with being professional staff for the Congressional Black Caucus.  She serves in leadership for several philanthropic organizations, including Junior League of Washington and the Washington Bar Association. In 2020, she received the Lawyer of the Year Award from the Washington Bar Association, the Public Sector Award of Excellence from Women in Government Relations and was named a Top 40 under 40 Nation's Best Advocate from the National Bar Association. Charlyn holds a J.D. from Florida International University’s College of Law and a B.S.B.A. and M.P.A. from the University of Central Florida.

 As a radio host who has interviewed more than 6000 guests on-air, Lori claims she found her voice by being a ‘pro-eavesdropper’.  In this not-to-miss podcast, she shares the incredible influence of deep listening where we can discover the similarities of humanity that exist between us.  Lori’s wisdom of “You’re never going to be ready to fully use your voice” will inspire all to want to do exactly that.  Lori Byers Walsh is the host and lead producer of In the Moment, South Dakota Public Broadcasting’s news and culture radio broadcast. In nearly six years of public radio, she has interviewed thousands of guests on-air, in the studio, or on stage. Walsh is a writer, teaching artist, and member of the National Book Critics Circle and the Society for Children's Book Writers & Illustrators. She is also a South Dakota Humanities Council One Book Scholar. A graduate of the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, Calif., Walsh studied humanities at Hawaii Pacific University in Honolulu and received her B.A. in journalism from Augustana University in Sioux Falls, S.D. She was honorably discharged from the United States Marine Corps in 1994; she served six years as a cryptologic Korean linguist. Walsh lives in South Dakota where she writes, reads, records, and hangs out with a tortoise known as "The Entity." 

When faced with barriers of age, gender and looks - once being told “You’re in the room to improve the view” - she simply rolled up her sleeves and built integrity through hard work and grit.  She shares how important it is to read the landscape, stay objective and build relationships based on common ground.  Not letting ‘what is’ get in her way, Kristin will inspire all to move beyond the truth of the matter.Kristin is a Principal in State Advocacy and Appropriations with BGR, a bipartisan lobbying and communications firm in Washington, DC.  She uses her many years of state government experience to assist clients in areas as diverse as executive policy, legislative debates and regulatory issues. She also leads outreach to multistate policy organizations such as the National Governors Association (NGA), the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) and the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).Her rich experience in policy and politics includes serving as Policy Director for the Attorney General of Ohio, MIke DeWine, being Director of State Government Affairs for the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), and serving as Director of State Government Affairs at the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO).A native of Ohio, Kristin graduated from Ohio University in 2007, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in Geography. She achieved her Master of Arts degree in Political Science (American Politics) in 2008. 

From school counselor to founder and leader of a national education center, Angie relates how she became the voice and not the echo, thus realizing her dreams for a creative and innovative life.  She shares how to truly mature voice to accelerate influence, “The power of my work has come from honing in to hear others’ voices.”   Angie will inspire all to “Be a voice that people can follow, recognizing you’re blazing a way for others to have their voices be lifted up.”Angela Jerabek is the founder and executive director of BARR Center.  Jerabek developed the BARR model 20 years ago and has expanded it from one school in the Midwest to more than 180 schools throughout the U.S., serving over 100,000 students. www.barrcenter.orgAngie has published five books and several op-eds and articles in various publications. Often looked to for her expertise, she has been featured in USA Today, National Public Radio, and CNBC. In the fall of 2020, she was a co-panelist with John B. King Jr., the 10th United States Secretary of Education under President Barack Obama. Jerabek has presented at the White House at the “Evidence in Education Roundtable” in 2016 as well as at International Education events.  She was recently awarded the Donald McNeely Center Social Entrepreneur of the Year by the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University. 

A national champion volleyball player from Stanford and now part of the George W. Bush Institute, Anne gets into how difficult it is to be perspicacious with chaos in the world.  When events and connections are almost too much to take in, rising to curiosity can provide focus and a way forward.   Sharing “We’re all getting kicked in the teeth”, Anne highlights the togetherness of our  world, and how humility and stopping to think can help us connect the dots of our own experiences. Anne Wicks is Director of the Ann Kimball Johnson Education Reform Center at the Bush Institute, where she develops and oversees the policy, research, and engagement work of the Education Reform team.  Her experience includes being Associate Dean at the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education, supporting Dean Karen Symms Gallagher in the launch of Ednovate Charter Schools, and management roles at Teach for America, the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health, and Stanford University.  She is involved in many education focused boards in Dallas and Texas statewide.Anne holds a B.A. in American Studies and a M.A. in Education from Stanford University.  Additionally she has a M.B.A. from the University of Southern California.  A former captain of Stanford’s women’s volleyball team, she was part of three national championship teams, two as a player and one as an assistant coach.  She’s also a mom to one son and lives in Dallas.

A raw and emotional podcast, Molly shares her story of facing the unimaginable when her husband suddenly becomes a quadriplegic on a ventilator in a matter of days with no promise of a full recovery.  With a career and mom with four children, she shares the anger that fueled her ability to keep moving forward, and how the trauma and horror helped her discover that she was so much stronger than she ever thought.  Molly will inspire all to keep the door open to possibility, even in the worst of times.Molly is the author of The Other Side of Us: A Memoir of Trauma, Truth, and Transformation, a beautifully crafted story that takes readers to the depths of calamity and the heights of restoration.  Just when it seems that all is lost, this young family climbs their way to a new life.   Molly earned her undergraduate degrees in English and Psychology and her master’s degree in Communication Studies from the University of South Dakota. She studied with the Centers for Spiritual Living and graduated from its Spiritual Practitioner Program in 2017. The Other Side of Us is her debut book.  Molly and her husband Chris live in South Dakota with their four children.    mollyweisgram.com 

As a scientist following an untraditional path, Megan illuminates how deep connection - both with yourself and others - ultimately requires disconnect.  She shares “Living in the uncomfortable is where you grow.  And it can be a really crappy process.  When have I outgrown this thing that I’m in?”   Willing to be vulnerable about the “truth of the matter”, Megan opens up about imposter syndrome and how to move beyond what society has told you to think, or be or to do.  As a pursuer of authentic connection, Megan will inspire all to want the same!Megan Peppenelli is a medical scientist with a passion for bringing cutting edge cellular therapies to market and healing at the individual level. As a clinical instrument specialist with Miltenyi Biotec, she manages  6+ state territories, advancing customer cellular therapy pipelines in academic, non-profit and industry settings. She has an extensive background in cellular therapy, graft engineering, bone marrow transplant, CAR-T cell therapy and cell manufacturing.Following a non-traditional education path, Megan grounded herself at a community college in art, which since has informed her desire to seek wholeness in her work.  She has a PhD in immunology from the University of Arizona, with a postdoctoral emphasis in Virology.  She is passionate about clinical cell therapy, following the cell to the real person, and works on the leading edge of individualized cancer therapies.

As a physician pioneer certified in cranio-sacral therapy and mind/body/ spirit medicine, she has truly connected the dots about what it means to heal a whole person.  Embracing the unusual power to comprehend and act on that which may be puzzling or hidden to others, Dr. Kathy has become expert in so many areas such as the freeze response in stress and how held memories and historical trauma affect the body.  She’s a gracious powerhouse who has done the mind shift for herself that has led to living the practice that she’s meant to be.Kathy Farah, MD is an integrative and mind, body medicine physician.  She is certified with the American Board of Family Medicine and the American Board of Integrative Medicine.  Additionally she is a Diplomate in the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine. Dr. Kathy has practiced full spectrum family medicine for over 30 years. She currently provides Integrative and Holistic Medicine at Western Wisconsin Health, Roberts, WI. Her career also includes 11 years with Mayo Clinic Red Cedar. She has been a consultant to families and children in the Pain, Palliative Care and Integrative Medicine Department at Children’s Hospitals and Clinics in Minneapolis MN for over 15 years. Dr. Farah is also an Associate Clinical Director with the Center for Mind Body Medicine and is the Clinical Lead for the VISN 8 program incorporating MInd-Body Medicine and the Whole Health Program in Florida, South Georgia and Puerto Rico. She is the Clinical Lead for the Native American and Indigenous programs as well. This has given her extensive experience in individual and global trauma.

The High Leverage Practice of As If moves way beyond the tired adage of “fake it til you make it”. This practice is about acknowledging the yearning gap - the space between where you are and where you want to be.  It’s exhausting. But even when placebound, no one has to give you permission to act more like the person you want to be. This episode is about “proceeding until apprehended”. And why not?  It’s where the juice is!!

Rae struggled mightily with special learning disabilities in math, reading and writing.  Defying all odds she has become a teacher extraordinaire, now inspiring 11 year olds in math. Sharing “If you’re going to struggle in life, then you better go out fighting hard”, Rae’s story is one of “proceeding until apprehended” and having her influence grow beyond what she ever could have imagined!Rae Hughart is a Middle Level Math Educator in Illinois, the CMO for the Teach Better Team, TEDx Speaker, and author of “Teachers Deserve It” and “Teach Better” books.Growing up with IEP support after being diagnosed SLD in Reading, Writing, and Math, Rae has worked with other educators and districts on designing mastery learning classrooms nationwide to reach all learners.Rae continues to facilitate rich discussions with educators around mastering personalized learning, providing targeted student-focused feedback, and the impact of incorporating purpose into student daily learning. Through building partnerships with local businesses, Rae shows the impact of teaching beyond the four walls of a classroom and altering a community into an authentic resource for developing leaders.After being inducted into The Illinois State University Hall of Fame in 2017, Rae was awarded the 2018 First Place Henry Ford Teacher Innovator Award for her innovative educational impact through the Teach Further Model. Additionally, Rae serves on several Educational Boards including the role of Vice President with the Association of Illinois Middle Schools (AIMS). In 2021, Rae Hughart presented on the TEDx stage challenging educators, students, and community members to consider progressive, data supported practices to further 21st century learners.  www.teachbetter.com

As a woman of great courage following her heart, she relates moving from a place of feeling lost and empty to being a trailblazing first ever life coach in the Philippines.  Through her work she “found herself”, and wants that same journey for everyone.  Her gracious open-hearted sharing about becoming “present to yourself” will inspire all to know that they are more than enough, just as they are.Kimilu is a global Neuro-Linguistic Hypnotherapy Life Coach, a Reiki Master Practitioner, a Certified Nia Instructor and Certified Sister Stories Facilitator.  She has been guiding growth-seekers and heart-centered leaders through individual and corporate well-being programs and workshops since 2010.  She received her certification at the Bennet Stellar University and was initiated with “Angels” at the Spiritual Unfoldment Network in Manhattan, New York City.  She also trained at Urban Breath New York for BioDynamic Breathwork, practiced meditation at The Art of Living Center New York, and trained to become a Storyteller at The Story Studio New York. She integrates the Art of Sensation in all the workshops she co-creates for self-discovery, self-healing and self-mastery.In 2020, she launched her certification program called SacredSpace™ Certification, a 10-week program designed to empower professionals, coaches and consultants in their desire to serve clients, teams and community members with a heart-centered approach through her distinct mind-body-spirit framework.  During the same year she started her podcast called “Celebrate Life with Kimilu Life Coach” which features guided exercises from her 10 day meditation program.  kimilu@kimilulifecoach.com

As a biochemist poet, her life and career moves have been the epitome of “proceed until apprehended”.  Every career step thrust Jen into a space she didn’t feel prepared for. But she learned to embrace her vulnerabilities sharing “I’ve always trusted myself to simply figure things out.  I don’t know exactly where that comes from, but it certainly has always been there. I don’t mean to say it’s always worked out how I thought it would work out, but I trusted that something juicy would happen and it always did.” From the Air Force Academy to being the founder of Work for Humanity, Jen shares her not to miss journey of “As If “with incredible wit and a generous heart.Jen Gresham is the founder of Work for Humanity, a nonprofit aimed at creating a more enjoyable and equitable future of work. Previously, she served as a career and business coach for clients around the world, helping individuals from the unemployed to senior executives create more income, influence, and impact. She is a Ph.D scientist and 20-year Air Force veteran. She previously served as the Assistant Chief Scientist of the Human Performance Wing, where she helped lead a $100M research portfolio in human-centered science spanning the fields of biology, psychology, and technology. She is in the process of moving from Seattle, WA to Sunnyvale, CA with her husband, daughter, and 3 cats. www.workforhumanity.org

The consummate “doer”, in the fall of 2020 this social studies/government teacher turned photographer kept seeing the disconnect in facts circulating about how the government works.  She decided to do something about it, and tapped into a huge hunger for the truth! In four months she became a social media sensation, and  America’s (not boring) government teacher.  Sharing “The goal is to not to try and convince people to think like me, but to try to get them to have an educated opinion if you have no education.  And you can’t have an educated opinion if you have no education.”  Born to be a teacher, this delightful interview will inspire everyone to move on from “stuckness” and get busy doing!Sharon McMahon is a former high school government teacher who is on a mission to combat political misinformation. She is dedicated to sharing non-partisan facts about the US government and democracy.  Sharon earned her reputation as ‘American’s Government Teacher’ amidst the historic 2020 election proceedings for her viral efforts on Instagram to educate the general public on political misinformation. Through a simple mission to share non-partisan information about democracy, Sharon has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers online, affectionately called the “Governerds”, who look to her for truth and logic in a society plagued by bias and conspiracy.Sharon, her husband and four kids live in Duluth, MN.   www.sharonmcmahon.com