The Story Behind Her Success

I love what I do, and it’s a privilege and an honor to do it. I feel such a duty to report on things that happen in my community, in my backyard, in your backyard . -Maria Stephanos Maria Stephanos is a household name in Boston and beyond. This interview was taped in between newscasts at WCVB, Channel 5, www.wcvb.com where she anchors the 4:30, 6:00, 7:00, and 11:00 PM newscasts. And for good meas...

School of Rock is the place for everyone who feels like they don’t have a place. All we care about is making great music together . -Stacey Ryan Meet Stacey Ryan, Chief Operating Officer of the School of Rock www.schoolofrock.com . With 65,000 students learning in 364 locations in 19 countries worldwide, she’s got her hands full of music lovers, and she likes it that way. Says Stacey: “Our teacher...

I’m missing the freak-out gene. It’s hard to rattle me . -Shannon Mulaire This week’s episode features the fascinating story of award-winning TV journalist Shannon Mulaire. She parlayed decades of experience in front of and behind cameras into the role of Director of PR and Media Relations at female-owned Nickerson, www.nickersoncos.com , a full-service branding, marketing, PR, and communications...

Lessons learned early last a lifetime . -Julie Beckham aka “Ms. Money” Not everyone thinks personal finance is a topic to sing about, but Julie Beckham has made a career out of it. Since April is Financial Literacy Month, we thought we’d invite her on to the show. Now the AVP/Financial Education Development & Strategy Officer at Rockland Trust Bank, Julie was tasked by the previous owner, Blue...

Jane Does Well organically became a group of women talking about divorce and supporting each other . -Christina Pavlina This week’s guest was nominated by listeners twice, thanks to the support and community she has created for women going through divorce. Meet Christina Pavlina, co-founder & Executive Director of Jane Does Well, www.janedoeswell.org . Whether it is your choice or not, divorce...

Don’t worry about filling someone else’s shoes. Bring your own . -Monica Roberts Meet Monica Roberts, Senior Vice President & Executive Director of City Year Greater Boston www.cityyear.org . A lifelong resident of Boston, Monica was raised in a home full of faith, rules, and love. She credits her mother for advocating for her and her siblings, reminding them about the value of a strong educat...

Poppies with Purpose is more than a shoe line. It is something that is going to bring courage, joy, and connection whether you have cancer or not . -Lisa Carlin When bad things happen, you have two choices: you can give up or give it all you’ve got. Lisa Carlin decided to use her breast cancer diagnosis as a catalyst for comfort through the creation of her shoe line, Poppies with Purpose www.poppi...

A lot of children believe that perfection is a goal. I help them understand that mistakes are part of the learning process . -Noel Foy In the spotlight, Noel Foy. Known as Neuro Noel, she got her start as a teacher and learning specialist before blazing a trail as a neuroeducator and anxiety coach. www.neuronoel.com . A graduate of Boston College with a B.A. in Education/Special Education and a Ma...

It’s fun to be a part of the best day of someone’s life . -Lindsey Leichthammer Meet event producer extraordinaire, Lindsey Leichthammer. www.lindseyleichthammer.com . She’s done everything from fluffing the bride’s dress to keeping the bridal party calm as Nana is being placed in an ambulance minutes before the wedding ceremony begins. She also knows what it’s like to be responsible for feeding h...

We don’t tell anybody what to do. Every Wiley Scholar is an expert on their own life . -Judi Alperin King, Ph. D. What happens when a high school student has the desire, the motivation, and the grades to go to college, but lacks the support and the resources to make their life-changing goal a reality?  Enter thewilynetwork.org .  With a BA from Hamilton College, a Masters degree from Boston Colleg...

I do love a good rush of adrenalin. I’m not gonna lie .  -Sandy Lish For most of us, the word “crisis” is a negative,  but not for Sandy Lish. She loves a good crisis because she knows how to solve it.   Together with longtime colleague Wendy Spivak, Sandy co-founded The Castle Group thecastlegrp.com 27 years ago.  Armed with a yin/yang skillset, the two started small, in a shared office space, wi...

The more inflammation you have in your body, the quicker you will age and the lower your quality of life will be . -Ann Doggett, DC This week’s guest is a trailblazer in the field of holistic healthcare. Meet Dr. Ann Doggett, founder of Whole Body Solutions in Braintree, Massachusetts www.wholebodysolutions.com . When Ann founded her practice back in 1989, her focus was chiropractic care, but as t...

My wish, for you this Christmas? Time for gratitude, for love, for hope, and for planting seeds that bloom in 2024 . -Candy O’Terry I’ve been looking forward to spending some time with you! Welcome to a very special holiday edition of The Story Behind Her Success. candyoterry.com/podcast . Gratitude is a powerful emotion and I’m always grateful to you for listening. This episode includes exclusive...

Every child deserves to have a friend and our books create conversations and kindness. -Sherry Cerino Meet a lifelong nurse turned children’s author and publisher. Sherry Cerino is on a mission to educate young children about differences. Newly retired after 45 years of nursing at Boston’s top hospitals, Sherry went back to school to learn how to run a non-profit and created Ellasway, www.el...

When you get rid of the things that are physically in the way, you have more time and more clarity, you can see what is next for you and it is life-changing . -Eileen Reed Years ago Eileen Reed was killing it in sales. Sure, there were plenty of financial benefits but she just wasn’t happy. Eileen wasn’t healthy, either. For the first time in her life, she was overweight, she was plagued by migrai...

School is the only normal thing for a child experiencing homelessness . – Cheryl Opper Great ideas are hatched in lots of places. For Cheryl Opper, the idea of founding School on Wheels, Massachusetts www.sowma.org happened back in 2004 at her kitchen table while reading an article about Agnes Stevens of Los Angeles who was the founder of the charity. Cheryl was looking for a pumpkin cheesec...

I said to him: This is not going to be Nana’s Kindness Project. This is going to be Connor’s Kindness Project. -Sharon Marrama If you are looking for an uplifting story this holiday season, look no further. We talk a lot about “mother love” on this show, but what about the love a grandmother has for her grandchild? Meet Sharon Marrama, grandmother of 14-year-old Connor Wright, co-founders of Conno...

Success for me is determination. As long as you are alive, you don’t give up. You don’t quit.   -Bracha Horovitz Born in 1952, just 6 years after the establishment of the Jewish state of Israel, Bracha’s name means “a blessing” in Hebrew. The daughter of a holocaust survivor whose entire family was killed at Auschwitz, Bracha grew up believing that in order to succeed, you must never look back. Ra...

I don’t want my patients to leave my office feeling different. I want them to feel refreshed, an even better version of themselves . – Melissa Michelon, MD. They say “time is a thief” but is it possible to turn back the hands of time just enough to give yourself a boost of confidence? Dr. Melissa Michelson says: “Yes, you can!” A board-certified dermatologist and Fellow of the American Acade...

I have always wanted to try something new, to put myself in situations where I was a little breathless, where there’s an itch to scratch, and where I ask myself: can I really succeed at this?  -Connie Johnson Hambley After struggling with how to describe this week’s guest, I’ve landed on “Renaissance woman” not only because she is an expert in so many fields, but because she is prolific at everyth...

Once you have cancer, it becomes a part of your history, part of the fabric of your journey, part of your story . -Sue Tabb Welcome back to the story of award-winning broadcaster, columnist, PR & marketing pro, wife, mother, and 2-time breast cancer survivor, Sue Tabb. Recorded on a sunny day in my living room just a few hours after Sue got off the air at Magic 106.7, this interview was so ins...

Breast cancer is a club nobody wants to be in, but it’s not a bad club. It’s an empowering club. And when you get through it, you realize you are much more resilient than you think you are . -Sue Tabb According to the American Cancer Society: 1 in every 8 women will hear the words: you have breast cancer. The woman you are about to meet has heard those words two times in her life. Sue Tabb’s daugh...

The doctor said: This is breast cancer. Buckle-up . – Melissa Dupuis October is breast cancer awareness month and although great strides have been made, the statistics remain the same. According to the American Cancer Society: 1 in every 8 women will hear the words “you have breast cancer”. This month, we’re supporting a local charity called The Ellie Fund, which focuses on making the day-to...

Focus on what you can control.  You can’t control the outcome, but you can control the process . -Kelly Cantley How many women are leaders in commercial construction?   The answer is: not enough!  Meet Kelly Cantley, Senior Vice President of Bozzuto Construction Company www.bozzuto.com. Born and raised in the town of Bluff City, Tennessee, population 1500 by a trailblazing school teacher and a 36-...

There are so many parts to us and writing this book is a big part of me. But there’s a lot more to do and it makes me excited about life and getting out of bed every morning .  -Christy Cashman Christy Cashman is an actress who has appeared in more than twenty movies including American Hustle, Joy, Ted 2, and Kettle of Fish.  She’s written two children’s books, has her own production company,  and...