The Conservative Woman's Guide

For a generation told to delay marriage in pursuit of independence, career success, and personal growth, what if getting married young—say, in your early 20s—is actually one of the most strategic decisions you can make? In this episode of The Conservative Woman’s Guide, Karin Lips sits down with Emily Ekins, Vice President for Policy and Society at the Cato Institute, to explore the case for marry...

Why are fewer Americans choosing to have children—and why are families having fewer overall? Dr. Catherine Pakaluk joins Karin Lips to unpack the cultural and economic forces behind today’s declining birth rate. Dr. Pakaluk challenges the idea that America’s baby bust is mainly a financial issue, arguing instead that it’s a demand problem. Younger generations just don’t see children as part of “li...

What does it take to plan a once-in-a-generation celebration for an entire nation? Karin Lips sits down with Danielle Alvarez, spokeswoman for Freedom 250, to dive into one of the most ambitious celebrations in American history. Danielle takes listeners inside America’s 250th birthday, from the powerful lighting of the Washington Monument to the Great American State Fair and from traveling “Mobile...

Oklahoma ranks #1 among states with the lowest cost of doing business. It's one of America's top states for oil production as well as the aerospace and defense industry, attracting innovators from more expensive coastal states. Karin Lips sits down with Representative Stephanie Bice, who represents Oklahoma’s 5th Congressional District and serves on the Appropriations Committee and the Committee o...

What if someone told you that Americans are not increasingly overworked or increasingly sleep-deprived? What if someone told you that you aren’t as “busy” as you think you are? And life isn’t as “crazy” as you think it is? In this episode, Karin sits down with Laura Vanderkam, author of several time-management books, including her latest, Big Time: A Simple Path to Time Abundance. Laura shares the...

Karin Lips sits down with Sarah Isgur—ABC News legal analyst, co-host of the Advisory Opinions podcast, editor of SCOTUSblog, and author of The Last Branch Standing: A Potentially Surprising, Occasionally Witty Journey Inside Today's Supreme Court. In this episode, Sarah quickly busts the myth that the Supreme Court is simply divided along partisan lines. She takes listeners in-depth to show the s...

Representative Elise Stefanik joins host Karin Lips on The Conservative Woman’s Guide to discuss her new book, Poisoned Ivies: The Inside Account of the Academic and Moral Rot at America's Elite Universities . From her early days in the Bush White House to becoming the youngest woman ever elected to Congress, Rep. Stefanik’s path prepared her for one of the most consequential congressional hearing...

Should Congress be larger—both in number and presence? Should American universities take more responsibility for forming good citizens? Should Americans disagree  more than they do today? In this episode of  The Conservative Woman’s Guide , Karin Lips is joined by Yuval Levin, director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute and founder and editor of  N...

What does real education reform look like, and which policies are actually helping students succeed?  This week on The Conservative Woman’s Guide, host Karin Lips sits down with Neetu Arnold, Paulson Policy Analyst at the Manhattan Institute and NeW alumna, to discuss the state of American education and the reforms that are making a difference.  Neetu’s experience with the Network of enlightened W...

This week on The Conservative Woman’s Guide, Karin Lips is joined by Peter Lipsett, Vice President of DonorsTrust. Peter shares his insights on the role of philanthropy to strengthen civil society and advance liberty. He also talks about generational trends and America’s long history of philanthropy.  Follow us on Instagram at @enlightenedwomen to join the conversation—and make sure you never miss...

This week on The Conservative Woman’s Guide, Karin Lips is joined by Janine Turner, three-time Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated actress, author, mother, and founder of the non-profit Constituting America. Janine discusses her work in the entertainment industry, America 250, and the founding of Constituting America. Follow us on Instagram at @enlightenedwomen to join the conversation—and make sure y...

This week on The Conservative Woman’s Guide, Karin Lips is joined by Dr. Anne Bradley, vice president of academic affairs at The Fund for American Studies. Anne shares about her work on economic freedom and discusses why young people can’t stop romanticizing socialism.     Follow us on Instagram at @enlightenedwomen to join the conversation—and make sure you never miss an update! Email us at media...

This week on The Conservative Woman’s Guide, Karin Lips is joined by Jenna Robinson, President of the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal. Jenna discusses her work on higher education reform and the campus climate in 2026. She also shares how motherhood has impacted her work.  Follow us on Instagram at @enlightenedwomen to join the conversation—and make sure you never miss an update! Email...

This week on The Conservative Woman’s Guide, we rewind to Karin's sit-down last year with Candace Cameron Bure, known as the Queen of Christmas movies, for an episode on her acting career and sticking to her values. Candace shares about her two latest Christmas movies, A Christmas Traveled and Home Sweet Christmas , her experience balancing her career and motherhood, and advice for listeners on be...

This week on The Conservative Woman’s Guide, Karin Lips is joined by Dr. Lindsey Burke, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Programs at the U.S. Department of Education. They discuss K-12 education reform, the role of parents in education, and the challenges in higher education. Lindsey shares insights from her work in the Trump Administration and explains why education policy matters. Follow us...

This week on The Conservative Woman’s Guide, Karin Lips is joined by Claire Dixon, Founder and Executive Director of Talent Market. Claire shares insights into today’s job market and offers practical advice for young professionals starting their careers. Karin and Claire discuss the challenges conservatives face during the hiring process, and this episode includes a lightning round Q&A for job...

This week on The Conservative Woman’s Guide, Karin Lips sits down with Cara Leopardo, CEO and Co-Founder of  We The Studios , to discuss countering liberal narratives in the entertainment industry. Cara opens up about her journey in Hollywood and how she built an entrepreneurial venture designed to challenge cultural norms and create content that upholds traditional values. Follow us on Instagram...

This week on The Conservative Woman’s Guide, Karin Lips is joined by May Mailman, former Deputy Assistant to President Donald J. Trump and Senior Policy Strategist at the White House. Mailman offers a rare glimpse into life in the West Wing and discusses balancing motherhood with her career. Follow us on Instagram at @enlightenedwomen to join the conversation—and make sure you never miss an update...

This week on  The Conservative Woman’s Guide , Karin Lips is joined by Mehek Cooke to talk about a wide range of policy issues and what motivated her to run for office. She shares her career journey, from running for office to campaigning in the 2024 election to her latest entrepreneurial venture. She explains why policy and entrepreneurship are deeply personal. As a former NeW member while in sch...

This week on The Conservative Woman’s Guide, Karin Lips is joined by Megan Alexander, TV host, actress, producer, and author. They discuss being a woman of faith in the entertainment industry and how to speak up for what you believe in. Follow us on Instagram at @enlightenedwomen to join the conversation—and make sure you never miss an update! Email us at media@enlightenedwomen.org if you have fee...

This week on  The Conservative Woman’s Guide , Karin Lips is joined by Virginia King, a junior at Texas State University and president of the NeW chapter at Texas State University. They discuss Virginia’s involvement with NeW, her experience as a student reporter for  The College Fix  and C ampus Reform , and what it’s like to be a conservative on campus today. 

This week on The Conservative Woman’s Guide, Karin Lips is joined by Madison Marino Doan, co-author of Slacking: A Guide to Ivy League Miseducation. They discuss the best and worst courses Ivy League schools offer students and President Donald Trump's latest moves related to higher education. Follow us on Instagram at @enlightenedwomen to join the conversation—and make sure you never miss an updat...

This week on The Conservative Woman’s Guide , Karin Lips is joined by Meghan Cox Gurdon, author of The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction. They discuss the importance of reading to children, some of their favorite children’s books, carving out a career while parenting young children, and advice for listeners who want to read more in an age of technology...

This week on The Conservative Woman’s Guide, Karin Lips is joined by Chrissy Clark, host of Underreported Stories. They discuss some of the latest stories in the news, the middle ground between the girlboss and tradwife movements, Chrissy’s experience in conservative media, and more. Follow us on Instagram at @enlightenedwomen to join the conversation—and make sure you never miss an update! Email...

This week on The Conservative Woman’s Guide, guest host Kendall Wolfson is joined by Kristina Rasmussen, Executive Director of Do No Harm. They discuss how identity politics is affecting our healthcare system and Do No Harm’s mission and efforts to counteract this infiltration.    Follow us on Instagram at @enlightenedwomen to join the conversation—and make sure you never miss an update! Email us...