The Uplifters

Have you ever felt the exhilarating rush of taking a leap into the unknown? Jennifer Maanavi certainly has. In the latest episode of The Uplifters Podcast, the CEO and founder of Physique 57 takes us on her entrepreneurial journey - from the serendipitous discovery of a life-changing exercise method to the bold decision to start her own business with zero experience. With refreshing candor, Jennif...

When crisis hits, instead of asking "Why me?" ask "What now?" because you never know what beauty can come out of a brutal hardship. When Jessica Patay's second son Ryan was born, she knew something was different. Ryan didn't cry like other newborns and had trouble feeding. After a month in the hospital with no answers, a DNA test finally revealed Ryan had Prader-Willi syndrome - a rare genetic dis...

When Jessica Patay's second son Ryan was born, she knew something was different. Ryan didn't cry like other newborns and had trouble feeding. After a month in the hospital with no answers, a DNA test finally revealed Ryan had Prader-Willi syndrome - a rare genetic disorder causing low muscle tone, developmental delays, and an insatiable hunger starting in childhood. Jessica found herself thrown in...

"I always say instead of win or lose, it's win or learn. From each chapter, I have learned things that have then helped me with the next chapter." ~Sandy Samberg Meet Sandy Samberg , a nurse practitioner turned serial startup founder. Sandy’s ventures have spanned the full life journey. Her first, BABY-C, created health educational starter kits for parents & caregivers of infants. She then co-foun...

Meet Sandy Samberg , a nurse practitioner turned serial startup founder. Sandy’s ventures have spanned the full life journey. Her first, BABY-C, created health educational starter kits for parents & caregivers of infants. She then co-founded SOUL RYEDERS, an organization that provides personalized resources, innovative programs, and community support to people impacted by cancer. Most recently...

"Great stories are born of moments that have changed you." -Kate Tellers Imagine stepping onto a stage, a solitary spotlight illuminating your face as you prepare to bare your soul to a room full of strangers. Now imagine all of those strangers silently encouraging you, laughing and crying along with you, and cheering you on. This is the essence of The Moth , an organization that has captivated au...

Imagine stepping onto a stage, a solitary spotlight illuminating your face as you prepare to bare your soul to a room full of strangers. Now imagine all of those strangers silently encouraging you, laughing and crying along with you, and cheering you on. This is the essence of The Moth , an organization that has captivated audiences worldwide with its celebration of raw, unscripted storytelling. O...

I don’t have room for fear on my plate. -Kristy Jeansonne The COVID-19 pandemic brought the world to a screeching halt, but for Kristy Jeansonne, life took an even more unexpected turn. As the weeks of lockdown ticked by, her husband Brian's sprained ankle stubbornly refused to heal. With doctor’s offices closed, it took a stroke of luck - a pediatrician friend's plea into the void of an online me...

The COVID-19 pandemic brought the world to a screeching halt, but for Kristy Jeansonne, life took an even more unexpected turn. As the weeks of lockdown ticked by, her husband Brian's sprained ankle stubbornly refused to heal. With doctor’s offices closed it took a stroke of luck - a pediatrician friend's plea into the void of an online medical community - to finally get answers. But those answers...

If you know what you want, but you're not doing it, there's some exploration to be done. -Rahti Gorfien Rahti Gorfien is a one-of-a-kind coach for creatives and adults with ADHD. From her hazy days as a young, mischievous actress to embracing her new identity as "Rahti" in an ashram to earning the impressive distinction of getting kicked out of a cult, her journey towards self-discovery and purpos...

Rahti Gorfien is a one-of-a-kind coach for creatives and adults with ADHD. From her hazy days as a young, mischievous actress to embracing her new identity as "Rahti" in an ashram to earning the impressive distinction of getting kicked out of a cult, her journey towards self-discovery and purpose is a wild and wonderful ride. These days, Rahti spends her time guiding others to overcome the "Five E...

You're capable of healing and you have the power to heal. Your body is waiting and ready to heal. It's just waiting on you. -Janelle Hill April is Sexual Abuse Awareness Month- a time to raise awareness about sexual violence and educate communities on how to prevent it, honor survivors, and show those who have been impacted by sexual violence that they are not alone. Please share this story. Viola...

April is Sexual Abuse Awareness Month- a time to raise awareness about sexual violence and educate communities on how to prevent it, honor survivors, and show those who have been impacted by sexual violence that they are not alone. Please share this story. Violated by the adults she looked up to, emotionally abandoned by her parents, and failed by the institutions designed to keep her safe, trauma...

Everybody expects me to quit. Everybody wants me to quit. If I quit that's what they're going to say all women do. I'm not going to quit. -Kathrine Switzer In 1967, a young runner named Kathrine Switzer made history by becoming the first woman to officially enter the Boston Marathon. Her defiant act of fearlessness paved the way for generations of female athletes. As Kathrine took off down the mar...

In 1967, a young runner named Kathrine Switzer made history by becoming the first woman to officially enter the Boston Marathon. Her defiant act of fearlessness paved the way for generations of female athletes. As Kathrine took off down the marathon course, an infuriated official named Jock Semple realized she was a woman and tried to forcibly remove her from the race. In a dramatic scene captured...

Some environments will lead you to believe that something is fundamentally wrong with you. I was finally able to sit back and realize there's nothing wrong with me, I just learn differently and I operate differently. When you're able to discover your uniqueness you discover how you individually contribute to the beauty in the world. -Taylor Ratliff This week's episode of The Uplifters Podcast feat...

Some environments will lead you to believe that something is fundamentally wrong with you. I was finally able to sit back and realize there's nothing wrong with me, I just learn differently and I operate differently. When you're able to discover your uniqueness you discover how you individually contribute to the beauty in the world. -Taylor Ratliff This week's episode of The Uplifters Podcast feat...

Have you ever thought you were too old to try something new? In today's episode of The Uplifters Podcast, Gerilynn Berg is going to prove it's never too late. In fact, like Gerilynn, your whole life may have been preparing you for your next big adventure. Recently, on her 70th birthday, Gerilynn competed in a bodybuilding competition. She oiled up, taped her breasts in place, slid on her stilettos...

Have you ever thought you were too old to try something new? In today's episode of The Uplifters Podcast, Gerilynn Berg is going to prove it's never too late. In fact, like Gerilynn, your whole life may have been preparing you for your next big adventure. Recently, on her 70th birthday, Gerilynn competed in a bodybuilding competition. She oiled up, taped her breasts in place, slid on her stilettos...

If you can't help someone, don't harm anyone. Do what you can to make the world a better place, one person at a time.  Dr. Aziza Shad Dr. Aziza Shad , a pediatric oncologist, was nominated for The Uplifters Podcast by Terri Tomoff , whose son was cared for by Dr. Shad during 5 rounds of cancer treatment, beginning at age two. In episode 15, Terri described the family’s journey through their 27-yea...

Dr. Aziza Shad , a pediatric oncologist, was nominated for The Uplifters Podcast by Terri Tomoff , whose son was cared for by Dr. Shad during 5 rounds of cancer treatment, beginning at age two. In episode 15, Terri described the family’s journey through their 27-year battle. In this episode, you’ll hear from Dr. Shad how she approaches caregiving as a team effort that involves families, neighbors,...

What if we shifted the words puberty and perimenopause to mean growth? Konika Ray Wong One year into the Uplifters Podcast, sharing stories of inspiring women and understanding how they overcome obstacles and grow, and yet, we haven’t talked about periods once! I’m 49 years old (as of yesterday 🎂) and live with two teen daughters, so there’s plenty of talk about periods (coming and going) in our...

One year into the Uplifters Podcast, sharing stories of inspiring women and understanding how they overcome obstacles and grow, and yet, we haven’t talked about periods once! I’m 49 years old (as of yesterday 🎂) and live with two teen daughters, so there’s plenty of talk about periods (coming and going) in our house. In this candid episode, I'm joined by Konika Ray Wong, founder of Girl Power Sci...

We have joined with other family members who have paid the price for society's failure to act and we pour out our pain to demand action. Amy Cohen In today’s episode of The Uplifters Podcast Amy Cohen, co-founder of Families for Safe Streets , shares her journey from motherhood to advocacy after her son Sammy was killed in a traffic incident.  As I prepared for this episode, I had to confront the...

We have joined with other family members who have paid the price for society's failure to act and we pour out our pain to demand action. -Amy Cohen In today’s episode of The Uplifters Podcast Amy Cohen, co-founder of Families for Safe Streets , shares her journey from motherhood to advocacy after her son Sammy was killed in a traffic incident.  As I prepared for this episode, I had to confront the...