Grandma Magic: A podcast from the Grandmother Collective

Frances Jeffries holds a PhD in Counseling from Kent State University and has spent her career weaving together education, service, and activism. She is a Rotary Peace Fellow, a mediator, and an outspoken advocate for nuclear abolition — calling nuclear weapons “the number one public health issue.” She recently marked her 84th birthday by hiking 84 miles of the Appalachian Trail to raise awareness...

Barbara Shaiman is a renowned educator, businesswoman, and social entrepreneur whose family history instilled a lifelong sense of responsibility to make the world better by being kind, standing up, and speaking out. In this episode, we learn about Barbara’s upbringing as the daughter of Holocaust survivors, and how this shaped her diverse career chasing her “technicolor dreams.” As a grandmother c...

Sue Boardman proudly calls herself a “fiercely compassionate rebel grandmother-for-rent” — a title that perfectly captures her fierce devotion to healing, growth, and self-discovery. Through her many roles as a nurse, pastor, artist, writer, and lifelong learner, Sue has spent her life guiding individuals and communities toward transformation. In this conversation, she shares how a single moment —...

Dr. Kathleen Walls is a powerhouse in leadership development, communication, and personal transformation. With a rich career spanning academia, consulting, NGO work, and authoring a children’s book series, to name a few, she is deeply rooted in values of togetherness, open intergenerational conversation, and the guiding belief that “As I heal, you heal.” Growing up in a progressive family environm...

Rosemarie Mollinedo has dedicated her life to fostering resilience, self-compassion, and growth in children, families, and communities. With a career spanning over four decades, Rosemarie has worked in early childhood education, family counseling, and community-based interventions, leaving an indelible mark on organizations like the Dubnoff Center for Child Development, El Nido Family Centers, and...

Ruth Ochieng is a Ugandan peace activist, gender justice advocate, and expert in post conflict transformation. She served as the executive director of Isis Women’s International Cross Cultural Exchange (Isis-WICCE, now WIPC), a Kampala-based women’s resource center that moved from Geneva to Uganda in 1993 to address the root causes of gender-based violence and conflict. She and her team documented...

Madhu Bala Nath is an inspiring leader and advocate for women’s rights, gender equality, and public health. Her career has spanned multiple organizations, including the Swedish International Development Authority, UNIFEM, UNDP, and EngenderHealth and the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF). In this podcast episode, Madhu highlights unlearning as a guiding principle, drawing from her...

In this episode, we introduce the inspiring Stella Fosse, a writer who transitioned from a career in biotech to championing creativity and empowerment for older women. With encouragement from her children and a supportive network of changemakers, Stella discovered the political power of her writing in response to ageist and sexist norms in the publishing industry. Through her books, blogs, and wor...

Pat Sabiston is passing on her grandma magic as a successful author, motivational speaker, writing instructor, and proud great-grandmother. Through her work, she encourages other elders to share their rich legacies of wisdom and life experiences with future generations, offering lessons to learn from and lean on. With Pat’s warm humor and insightful anecdotes — including the inspiration to write h...

Sarah Thompson and Elayne Richard bring decades of experience and unwavering dedication to reproductive rights and social justice advocacy. As active members of Grandmothers for Reproductive Rights (GRR), one of our newest member organizations, they are working to challenge the shame and stigma surrounding abortion access as healthcare while empowering elders to harness the power of their voices....

Christine Crosby’s grandmother left a lasting impression on her as a role model for purposeful living and community service, which she continued well into her 90s. Now, as a proud grandmother of five, great-grandmother of one, and CEO of GRAND Media, Christine is paying that “grandma magic” forward. She shares the beauty of grand-parenting with optimism, describing it as an experience defined by e...

Philomena Anyanwu is a gerontologist and social worker who has dedicated over 14 years to bringing about systemic change in the physiological, social, spiritual, and economic well-being of the ever-growing demographic of older persons in Nigeria. Her work has involved navigating and rethinking cultural stigmas, inadequate healthcare information and access, and limited financial support, all of whi...

The gesture of love rooted in community is the foundational practice that Mary Balikungeri, founder of the Rwanda Women’s Network, seeks to pass on to younger generations. Having moved from community to community as a refugee fleeing the Rwandan Genocide in her youth, Mary carved a path to create feminist spaces where women can heal, empower themselves, and work toward social transformation. As a...

With her rich repertoire of personal and professional anecdotes, Hendrica Okondo truly embodies change-making through social and humanitarian activism. From illustrating the incredible history of women unpacking their power in Western Kenya through the Green Belt Movement, to experience as a young agricultural officer empowering women in farming communities, Hendrica brings us along how the powerf...

Meenakshi Gupta is one of the co-founders of Goonj , an organization focused on bridging critical gaps in urban and rural development across India. In this episode, she takes us on her now 25-year-long journey from a corporate job with the BBC to starting and growing Goonj, where her work focuses on social entrepreneurship by enabling local communities rather than prescribing solutions as an outsi...

Diane Scaletta and Phyllis Webster are two members of Grandmothers Advocacy Network (GRAN), a Canadian institution that emerged from the Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign driven by the Stephen Lewis Foundation. In this episode, we learn how these two grandmother change-makers honed their adventurous spirits and a deep sense of equality and justice through experiences living abroad. Moreover, D...

Dr. Deborah Roebuck, the Menopause Whisperer and founder of Going Through the Change, is on a mission to bring women together across all generations, from her four nearby nieces to the community of auntie change-makers she has fostered domestically and during missions abroad. In this episode we delve into the many hats she wears as an auntie, from empowering women with knowledge and confidence dur...

Gwen Johnson defines the role of female elders as being a source of wisdom and comfort to younger generations by guiding rather than prescribing advice. As the Executive Director of Hemphill Community Center, located at the site of a former coal camp in central Appalachia, and an BSc. and MSc. in Psychology, Gwen has been an important anchor within her community throughout a number of difficult ch...

Rustica Tembele shares her journey from growing up in Tanzania, immersed in a culture of cohesion and collective responsibility fostered by the adults and elders in her community, to her enduring career as a civil servant in the country. Throughout her trajectory, she witnessed the erosion of social connection in a modernizing society which laid the foundation of her current social change work. Fo...

Mary Pipher, a seasoned clinical psychologist with a background in cultural anthropology, has dedicated her career to unraveling the intricate connections between culture and personality, particularly within the context of women in American society. From her seminal work, “Reviving Ophelia,” scrutinizing the challenges faced by adolescent girls, to the insightful exploration of women navigating th...

Since the 1970s, Nancy Henkin has tirelessly advocated for intergenerational connections, recognizing them as a crucial lens through which numerous challenges in our lives can be effectively addressed. She established and led the Intergenerational Center at Temple University for over 30 years, actively supporting the development and implementation of intergenerational programs globally. Recognized...

Where do we learn to give? Where do we learn to serve? For Toya Algarin, also known as Gigi, an education advocate and community leader in Philadelphia, the orientation was passed down from her mother. After a corporate career, Toya spends her days now caring for the community in which she grew up. When educational needs arose for her son, she become a passionate advocate for him and ultimately fo...

Shirley Showalter, a devoted mother and proud grandmother, is not only a lifelong educator but also an accomplished author. She previously served as the president of Goshen College in Indiana and held an executive position at the Fetzer Institute. In this episode, we delve into her remarkable journey towards political engagement and the inspiring Grandmas for Love movement, which passionately cham...

In this episode of the Grandma Magic Podcast, we have the honor of speaking with Kim Samuel, founder of the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness, who passionately advocates for the recognition of belonging as a fundamental human birthright. Kim shares her personal journey and the pivotal moments that ignited her dedication to championing this cause. She sheds light on the vital role older people...

In our latest Grandma Magic podcast episode, we connect with Dr. Sarita Mohanty, a dedicated doctor and lifelong advocate for health equity. Dr. Mohanty delves deep into the roots of her passion for understanding the intricate web of social drivers that have given rise to vast systems of health inequity in the United States. Throughout, she shares invaluable insights from her extensive journey, sp...