Women Advancing

The NFL Wives Association is rewriting the rules for spouses of professional athletes, proving that influence off the field can be just as powerful as on it. Tenisha Patterson Brown, President of the Off The Field NFL Wives Association, corporate counsel, business strategist, and brand builder, reveals how these remarkable women are taking control of their careers, protecting their families legall...

Reinvention is never easy, but it’s often the key to resilience and future success. In this episode, founder and CEO  Johanna Danaher  shares her journey of navigating career transitions, adapting to new challenges, and building  Anchor to Aspire  to help leaders and organizations thrive in a changing world of work. From embracing bold career pivots to reframing setbacks as opp...

At its best, mission-driven storytelling connects purpose with impact—and that’s exactly what sisters  Sharron Todd  and  Brenda Todd , co-founders of  Todd Films , set out to do. When Sharron’s breast cancer diagnosis became a life-altering wake-up call, she and Brenda turned their experience in venture capital and marketing into a creative force for good. Together, they’re re...

Revolutionizing blood collection isn’t just a technical breakthrough — it’s a lifeline for millions navigating cancer care.  Rachelle Turiello , CEO, and  Renna Nouwairi , COO of  Avant Genomics , share how they are building a technology that improves DNA preparation, strengthens the accuracy of liquid biopsy testing, and makes early detection and treatment monitoring more accessibl...

Burnout doesn’t have to be inevitable for high-performing leaders. In this insightful conversation with  ZaaS  founder  Maryam Sharifzadeh  and  The Workplace Psychologist  founder  Dr. Candice Balluru , we explore how women leaders can recognize the early signs of burnout, build resilience, and realign their work with their deepest values. Maryam draws on lesson...

Have you ever felt like the world’s biggest problems are just too massive to solve—that there isn’t enough capital to truly make a difference? Prepare to have your financial perspective transformed. In this episode of Women Advancing, we sit down with  Dr. Stephanie Gripne , founder of the  Impact Finance Center  and a true force in impact investing. She challenges the very foundati...

Leading in crisis requires more than quick decisions—it demands integrity, trust, and the courage to show up when chaos hits.  Selena Strandberg , founder and CEO of  The Know , shares how her AI-powered platform helps executives navigate complex social issues, protect information integrity, and make values-driven choices under pressure. From her early career in political science and Del...

What if the key to better leadership and teamwork was sitting in a box of LEGO bricks?  Jolynn Ledgerwood , principal of  Elevate Your Talent  and a certified LEGO® Serious Play® facilitator, joins Kate Byrne to reveal how this playful yet powerful methodology transforms boardrooms into spaces of creativity, communication, and problem-solving. From unlocking subconscious insights to...

The future of journalism is evolving fast, and  Sarah Holder  is helping shape it. As a Bloomberg reporter and co-host of  The Big Take  podcast, Sarah shares her journey from internships at Politico and CityLab to covering global forces that impact our daily lives. She offers practical tips for navigating today’s news landscape—like which sources to trust and why audio storyte...

Impact investing and social entrepreneurship are reshaping the way we tackle global challenges.  Christine Mahoney , professor, author, and Chief Innovation Officer at the  Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy , shares how aligning financial success with social and environmental missions creates powerful change. She breaks down the differences between impact investing, tra...

Experience the fast-growing zero-proof movement and what it takes to be an early market trendsetter in the ready-to-drink sector. Join us as we sit down with  Pauline Idogho , the visionary Founder and CEO behind  Mocktail Club , as she shares her journey from former Global Development Strategist at the World Bank to a beverages innovator, redefining celebration, connection, and communit...

Discover the incredible power of Gen Z youth engagement and why their voices are not just a side show, but a smart strategy for the future.  Kelli Peterson , author of  Gen Z Teens Take Action  and founder of  The Change Project , joins us to reveal what this generation is getting right, what adults still don’t grasp, and how we can all better support the next wave of lead...

Personal connections and consistent support can truly alter the trajectory of a student’s life, a fact explored in depth with  Leah Guesman , COO of  College Contact , and  Alinor Smith , a dedicated mentor. In this engaging episode, we delve into the transformative power of mentorship, revealing how it goes beyond simply providing information to building genuine, lasting relationsh...

Step into the dynamic world of media leadership, as we dive into what it truly takes to drive innovation and lead through monumental change in the ever-evolving landscape of news. Joining us is the trailblazing  Audrey Cooper , the award-winning Editor-in-Chief at  New York Public Radio , and the first woman to lead that newsroom in its 100-year history, following her pioneering role as...

In an era driven by automation and digital detachment, interpersonal leadership is more powerful—and more necessary—than ever.  Tina Fox , Founder and CEO of  TERN Mentoring , offers a deeply personal and practical perspective on how mentorship can be reimagined as a daily, living legacy. She opens up about how vulnerability, intentional connection, and service to others aren’t soft skil...

What does courageous leadership actually look like in a world of nonstop disruption? Cindy Solomon , founder of the Courageous Leadership Institute , brings fire and clarity to a conversation about leading when conditions are uncertain, expectations are high, and change is constant. With insights on resilience, perception vs. reality, and why women are uniquely equipped to lead in times like these...

Unlocking sustainable growth in your business is not a task for a single person. It can only be achieved with the help of other people, especially from your most trusted circles. Kate Byrne chats with Megan Riggs , who shares how she brought success to her company, Crunchy Hydration , by putting community at the top of her priorities. She explains why long-term growth is not just about creating en...

With technology continuously evolving every single day, it offers an almost limitless potential to come up with something innovative to transform the broken education system. This has been  Akshita Tiwari ’s mission: to democratize quantum tech and make it easily accessible to the young generation. She joins Kate Byrne to talk about her work as co-founder of  qMe , dedicated to reshaping...

Are you ready to redefine your relationship with food? This powerful conversation uncovers how to rewrite your food story, moving beyond diets to a place of true transformation. Join author, speaker, and food story whisperer  Michelle Petties , who shares insights from her book,  Leaving Large , revealing how emotional eating became a survival tactic and why understanding the “why” behin...

Stepping into your purpose and leaving the comfort of a major media brand like Fox or Paramount takes immense courage, a topic we dive into with  Jyoti Sarda , founder of  Nimble Media  and producer of impactful films. Jyoti shares her journey of transitioning from the corporate world to independent filmmaking, covering the realities of fundraising and launching your own venture wit...

The future of education is a topic of crucial importance in today's rapidly evolving world. In this episode, Kate Byrne chats with Dr. Dawn Sizemore , CEO and Founder of iCurric , to explore this very topic. Dr. Dawn envisions the future of education, where digital learning and human-centered design converge to create impactful and accessible experiences. She dives into the critical roles of digit...

The intersection of technology and social impact is ripe with possibilities, but many non-profits struggle to keep pace with the rapidly evolving digital landscape. In this insightful episode, Kate Byrne welcomes Bourgogne Kinlaw , Senior Business Program Manager at Microsoft, to shed light on navigating this complexity. From corporate to non-profit to entrepreneur, Bourgogne shares how to get it...

Public media isn't stuck in the past; it's a dynamic force shaping our present and future, especially in building community trust and critical thinking. In this episode, join Kate Byrne in conversation with Jayme Swain , CEO of Virginia Public Media (VPM), as they dive deep into the evolving world of public broadcasting. This is not your grandparents' public media! Jayme shares how VPM is driving...

The convergence of women and Artificial Intelligence is not just a trend, it’s a revolution, and  Shubhi Rao , Founder and CEO of  Uplevyl , is leading the charge to close the AI gap with a platform built for women, by women. In this episode, host Kate Byrne sits down with Shubhi to unpack the game-changing work of Uplevyl, diving deep into how a “female forward lens” can transform the t...

Why does the word “midlife” make so many of us want to crawl under the nearest weighted blanket? It’s often framed as a crisis, a downhill slide of hot flashes, self-doubt, and questionable decisions. But what if it’s actually the most liberating chapter of all? In this refreshing and deeply insightful episode, I’m joined by clinical psychologist, award-winning author, and Zen practitioner Dr. Sha...