Despite Impossible

Today’s guest is Michelle “Mace” Curran. Michelle is driven, independent, determined, introspective, the keynote speaker at 2027’s HERd here in Detroit on February 19, and someone who is known for being a bit competitive. Michelle built an impressive career as a fighter pilot over 13 years in the United States Air Force. From 2019-2021, she flew as the only female pilot for the Air Force Thunderbi...

Today’s guest is Chéree Thomas. Chéree is known for being generous, considerate of everyone’s time, a believer in possibilities, and is committed to making the world safer for survivors. Chéree is also the Co-Executive Director of the Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence. She believes the responsibility to protect victims should not be placed exclusively on the justice system; it...

Today’s guest is Mike Jbara. Mike is someone who is likely to engage with people, is curious, and is invested in inspiring others and supporting people’s care for one another. Mike is also the EVP and COO at The Lenbrook Media Group, where he is a dedicated, transformation-driven operations executive and is particularly comfortable building systems within creative, tech, and consumer brands, helpi...

Eliminating Financial Fear: Removing the Jump Scares for Women To access this article and subscribe to the weekly newsletter, visit Tansley Stearns' Curiously Driven Newsletter page .

Today’s guest is Erik Meerschaert. Erik is known for his positivity, his dedication to creating belonging among young students, his passion for unified sports, his love of music (including Dave Matthews Band & Eminem), and he's often described as a ball of energy. Erik, or Mr. M, is also a special education teacher at Lake Orion High School and the 2026-27 Michigan Teacher of the Year! Th...

Today’s guest is Melissa Weisse. Melissa loves the arts and the ballet, is a person who sees both how large and small the world is, and is passionate about the impact Leader Dogs for the Blind has in people’s life. Melissa is also the President and Chief Executive Officer of Leader Dogs for the Blind, a globally recognized nonprofit empowering people who are blind or have low vision with lifelong...

Today’s guest is Rashmi Airan. Rashmi is known to be courageous, kind, loyal, vulnerable, and loving. She is also a celebrated motivational speaker, cultural consultant, and former attorney whose journey from corporate law to overcoming a federal conviction has made her a powerful advocate for conscious and courageous leadership. This is Rashmi’s story.

Today’s guest is Daniel Schaffa. Daniel is funny, easy to talk to, studious, and someone who is known for being observant of others. Daniel is also a professor of law at the University of Richmond School of Law, where he studies tax and law & economics. He is one of a handful of humans with 5 degrees from the University of Michigan. Go blue! His tax research focuses on how the tax system can b...

Today’s guest is Dr. Nicole (Nikki) Hamp. People who know Nikki best would describe her as an advocate, a dancer, and someone fiercely committed to supporting Michigan families' well-being. Nikki is also the Chief Health and Program Officer for the Autism Alliance of Michigan, a board-certified developmental behavioral pediatrician, and an adjunct clinical assistant professor within the divis...

IRL: From Estes Park with Love To access this article and subscribe to the weekly newsletter, visit Tansley Stearns' Curiously Driven Newsletter page.

Some journeys end when the final mile is complete. The Choose the Bear® ride is not one of them. We invite you to listen (and watch on Spotify or Apple Podcasts) to this special release of the closing speech for the Choose the Bear® ride conclusion and the journey ahead.

Despite Impossible is preparing for its fifth season, by introducing video recordings of our interviews!  Join us for powerful conversations with people chasing bold dreams, creating impact, and proving that impossible is only the beginning. This week, Tansley seats down with Jill Nowacki to talk her impossible.

Today’s guest is Jill Nowacki, Jill is thoughtful, contemplative, and someone who thinks about the many possibilities in front of her. She is also the co-founder and President & CEO of Zealyst, an organization dedicated to catalyzing for what's possible through executive search, leadership development, and organizational performance solutions, helping leaders and teams show up at their hi...

Invisibility Isn't a Superpower To access this article and subscribe to the weekly newsletter, visit Tansley Stearns' Curiously Driven Newsletter page.

Today’s episode of Third Fork comes straight from a viewer who asked:   'As a YP (young professional), what do you do when you’re the youngest person in the room? How do you actually build that confidence?   Ryan shares what still makes him anxious and exactly how he overcomes it. Tansley provides insightful strategies on how to set yourself apart and actionable steps that will get you notice...

When the Tools Stop Working This recording is based on an article written by Tansley Stearns and originally published by CUInsight.com on May 28, 2026. We are grateful to CUInsight.com for authorizing this audio version.

Today's guest is Dr. Scott Edwards. Scott is a music lover, educator, hiker, and biker. He is curious, flexible, and deeply committed to bringing experience to life. As an academic and educator, he spends much of his time thinking about how we will leave the world for future generations. At Harvard University, he studies bird diversity and disease resistance using field research, museum colle...

Welcome to this week’s episode of ThirdFork!  This week is a video episode and you can check it out on the ThirdForkPodcast YouTube page .  In today’s fast-paced world, you can find an answer to almost anything in seconds. But here’s the real question: How do we know if that information is accurate—or even the right fit for the job? Join hosts Tansley and Ryan as they dive deep into the challenge...

Today’s episode rewinds to last year’s conversation with Megan Spanitz. Now serving as both Chief Operating Officer and Chief Strategy Officer at the Detroit Regional Chamber, Megan is undoubtedly in full swing preparing for this year’s Mackinac Policy Conference, which kicks off next week! Rewind: Today’s guest is Megan Spanitz. Megan is a voracious reader, intellectually curious, and someone who...

As we approach the begining of the SUMMER months, let's reflect back to this epsiode of Third Fork from last year on vacation guilt . __________________________________________________________________________________________________ In this episode of Third Fork , Tansley and Ryan dive into the all-too-familiar feeling of vacation guilt . That anxious voice that whispers you’re falling behind...

“Today’s guest is Barb Lowman. Barb is a dog lover. She is brave, driven, loyal, and hardworking. She is also the President of CUNA Strategic Services, Inc., a premier connector for credit unions and fintech, functioning as an affiliate of America's Credit Unions to support digital transformation and financial sustainability. Barb’s commitment to sharing her journey so that others might learn...

 In this episode of Third Fork , hosts Tansley and Ryan dive into the world of side hustles. With Gen Z officially dubbed the "side hustle generation," they strip away the hype to discuss the genuine pros and cons of juggling multiple roles. Tansley introduces a unique concept currently happening at orsa credit union, while Ryan shares his HR wisdom on exactly what to consider before you...

Today's episode is a little different and really important to me. I've had the chance to sit down with two women in my life that mean everything to me, my mom and my daughter. Three generations. Three perspectives...on life, dreaming boldly, and leading bravely. This one is personal and I think it might be one you feel too.