The Passionistas Project Podcast | Passionate Women Empowerment Hosts

Debbie Arcangeles started her career as a photojournalist and traveled the world to teach art to kids. She’s admitted to starting businesses where she followed the money and not her passion and didn’t always have great success. Now, through her project The Offbeat Life, Debbie shares the insights she’s gained on her adventures with others in her podcast, mentorships and a website full of resources...

Mae Chandran overcame a difficult childhood in China, and fled from a dysfunctional family life in the US. She went to college in California where she met and married her husband. After having two children, she left a successful career to raise them, vowing to give her family the happy home life that she never had. These days she enjoys watching her children flourish, gardening and cooking, and ha...

Two-time Grammy nominee and the award-winning author — Holly George-Warren has written 16 books including the New York Times bestseller The Road to Woodstock and the new biography Janis: Her Life and Music about rock icon Janis Joplin. Holly is also working with Petrine Day Mitchum on a new documentary called Rhinestone Cowboy about the story of Nudie, the Rodeo Tailor. Find out more about Holly G...

Carolyn Koppel founded Aaron’s Coffee Corner while sitting with her son Aaron in his hospital room. Her mission is to provide 24/7 access to free Keurig coffee to the family, friends and caregivers admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of Ann & Robert Lurie’s Children’s Hospital of Chicago. Find out more at AaronsCoffeeCorner.org. Read more about The Passionistas Project. FULL TRANSCRIPT:...

After becoming the first woman to ever hold the title of Vice President of Visual Effects and Post Production at a major movie studio, Amy decided to leave that world behind and start working with Nancy. Together they founded The Passionistas Project to share the stories of strong and empowered women who are following their passions to inspire others to do the same. Read more about The Passionista...

After a successful career as a graphic designer, Nancy decided to leave that world behind and start working with her sister Amy. Together they founded The Passionistas Project to share the stories of strong and empowered women who are following their passions to inspire others to do the same.  Read more about The Passionistas Project. Sign up for the mailing list to learn more about The Passionist...

Billie Best is the author of the memoir Crazy Wife Farm and the blog It’s Not Easy Being Fabulous. She gave up a successful corporate career to become a farmer in Western Massachusetts. But when her lifelong partner and husband passed away from cancer, Billie found herself starting over, indulging her passions and looking for her purpose. Now her mission is to change the societal views on women an...

Sister Monica Clare is a nun with the community of St. John Baptist, an Episcopal religious order based in Mendham, New Jersey. Sister Monica, formerly known as Claudette Monica Powell, had what many considered a glamorous Hollywood life as a photo editor at a Los Angeles-based advertising agency. She gave up that world and all her personal possessions to dedicate her life to helping others. Read...

Beth is an independent producer, director and writer, whose fervor for American history, music and culture has led to a series of award-winning and critically acclaimed films. In fact a few weeks after we recorded this interview, Beth won an Emmy for her film Fort Vancouver that she made for Oregon Public Broadcasting. Her latest project, her first scripted web series, called The Musicianer tells...

Marlo Meyer, a cultural anthropologist who is the Education Administrator for the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Virginia, is also co-owner of the Meyerhof Farm in Manton, California. The family owned, small farm specializes in organic practices and soil sustainability farming hops and herbs. She is currently fighting to open a local school for her farming community. Read more about...

Nan Kohler is the owner of Grist & Toll, an urban flour mill in Pasadena, California. After spending years in the wine industry, Nan turned back to her first love, baking, and was inspired to become a pioneer of the local whole grain movement. Read more about Grist and Toll. Read more about The Passionistas Project. Hear more from Nan in these bonus clips: BONUS: Nan Kohler on the milling process...

Madonna Cacciatore is the Executive Director of Christopher Street West/LA Pride. Prior to taking on this role, Madonna worked as Director of Special Events at the Los Angeles LGBT Center overseeing projects including their annual Vanguard Awards and the Simply DiVine event. She began her career in activism at AIDS Project Los Angeles after doing grassroots work in Washington for marriage equality...

Sophie Kim is a playwright, filmmaker, LGBTQ activist and the Los Angeles County Youth Poet Laureate. She just finished her senior year at Harvard-Westlake School in Southern California and will be attending Harvard University in the fall. Read more about Sophie. Read more about The Passionistas Project.   FULL TRANSCRIPT Passionistas: Hi and welcome to the Passionistas Project Podcast. We're Amy...

Karen L. Arceneaux is a dancer, choreographer, personal trainer and fitness coach. Karen trained at the American Dance Festival in North Carolina, the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance and the Alvin Ailey School. Currently her Elite Physique 247 Fitness Class has taken Long Island by storm. Read more about Karen. Read more about The Passionistas Project. Learn more about your ad choices....

Pamela Skjolsvik is an author, book preservationist and activist. Pamela has been published in several literary journals and her book, Death Becomes Us, is a humorous memoir exploring how her journey talking to people about dying helped her learn to engage more fully with the living. Read more about Pamela. Read more about The Passionistas Project.   FULL TRANSCRIPT: Passionistas: Hi. Welcome to t...

Tess Cacciatore is CEO of Global Women's Empowerment Network, an organization dedicated advocacy and activism for human rights. Tess is an award-winning producer, director, writer and editor creating content that focuses on social impact. She covers important topics like human trafficking, early child marriage, domestic violence and clean water initiatives. Read more about Gwen Global. Read more a...

Writer/producer Elle Johnson is currently an Executive Producer on the Amazon series Bosch. Previously she has worked on other TV series including CSI: Miami, Law & Order, Ghost Whisperer, Saving Grace and The Glades. Listen to this episode to find out how a New York City parole officer's daughter became a Los Angeles TV writer. Watch episodes of Bosch. Read more about The Passionistas Project. --...

Clemence Gossett is the founder and co-owner of The Gourmandise School of Sweets and Savories in Santa Monica, California. Along with her partner, Sabrina Ironside, Clemence has built a school with a vision to expand the consumer’s education and experience of how to create amazing meals and treats out of locally sourced, sustainable ingredients, using the very finest techniques. Read more about Cl...

Erica Wright is the founder of U FIRST, INC., a charitable organization dedicated to serving the homeless with the basic necessities in efforts to restore their dignity and help them to lead a healthy and whole life. For more about Erica and U First. Read more about The Passionistas Project.   FULL TRANSCRIPT: Pop Culture Passionistas: [00:00:00] Hi and welcome to The Passionistas Project Podcast....

  Susan X Jane is a diversity educator, speaker and trainer. Susan is a former professor and youth worker, who now consults with organizations looking to make sense of our current cultural shift. ----more---- Learn more about Susan. Learn more about The Passionistas Project. Listen to Susan's Bonus Material: Susan X Jane on Beyonce Susan X Jane on Kanye West Susan X Jane On the 2018 Midterms Susan...

Erin Penner, is the founder of the an outdoor, exploration-based preschool, ILA — Inspired Little Activists. She is also an elected official on the Hollywood United Neighborhood Council and an advocate for the LGBT community and the unhoused population in Los Angeles. ----more---- Learn more about ILAAdventureSchool.org. Learn more about The Passionistas Project. FULL TRANSCRIPT: Passionistas: [00...

Joan Baker is a voice-over artist, teacher and coach. She is also the author of Secrets of Voice-Over Success. And along with her husband, Rudy Gaskins, she is the co-founder of the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences. SOVAS is a non-profit organization created to enhance opportunities for gainful employment across all aspects of the voice-over industry and its related fields. Learn more about Joan...

Ramona Harvey left the field of consumer research to focus on helping people identify their unique path and their true purpose in life. She has recently designed a workshop to help people navigate the Path of Happiness. To learn more about Ramona and the Path of Happiness, visit SFStoryTeller.com. To learn more about the Passionistas Project visit our website.   Listen to Ramona's Bonus Material:...

Sarah Boyd is the founder and creative force behind SIMPLY, a beauty and fashion brand consultant agency. Simply’s flagship conferences and monthly sessions, bring together fashion, beauty and entrepreneurial mavens to network, inspire and learn from one another. To learn more about Sarah visit Simply-Inc.com. To learn more about the Passionistas Project visit our website.     Learn more about you...

Jessie Jacobson is a lecturer, musician, former Marriage & Family Therapist and a contributor to Queer Wise, an LGBT writer’s collective and spoken word performance group in Los Angeles. To find out more about Queer Wise, visit QueerWise.net  Read more about The Passionistas Project at The Passionistas Project Podcast. Listen to Jessie's Bonus Material: BONUS: Jessie Jacobson on Her Pop Culture Ic...