Wake Women

This is it — the final episode of Wake Women. After two years, five seasons, and more than seventy conversations with extraordinary women connected to Wake Forest University, host Mary Tribble hands over the microphone for the last time. Her guest, Ann Phelps — director of programming for Wake Forest's Program for Leadership and Character — flips the script this time and she asks the questions...

This is the fourth and final special guest tribute episode closing out the Wake Women podcast, which will air its series finale on August 28th, 2026. Each tribute explores a single question: What makes a Wake Woman? This episode's answer is Wonder — the discipline of staying curious, of refusing to assume you already have all the answers, of looking at the world with fresh eyes even when you h...

Leadership and character are two words that get batted around a lot nowadays — and increasingly, questioned. What does it actually mean to lead well, or to have character, in a world that feels more uncertain than ever? You've heard from academics, thought leaders, and seasoned professionals about leadership on this podcast. Today, we get to hear from two young women who are poised for the fut...

This is the third of four special guest tribute episodes closing out the Wake Women podcast, which will air its series finale on August 28th. Each tribute explores a single question: What makes a Wake Woman? This episode's answer is Courage — not the absence of fear, but the decision to go anyway. To show up against impossible odds, to walk into rooms where no one looks like you, to stop hiding an...

Ann Phelps didn’t set out to run a character formation program at a major university — she set out to prove she could survive a cubicle job. A Nebraska native with a background in theology, the arts, and a decade as a professional musician, Ann arrived at Wake Forest in 2019 alongside her husband Kenneth Townsend and their mutual best friend Michael Lamb, the program’s founder, to help build somet...

This is the second of four special guest tribute episodes closing out the Wake Women podcast, which will air its series finale on August 28th. Each tribute explores a single question: What makes a Wake Woman? This episode's answer is Heart — the quality that shows up not in titles or ambitions, but in what a woman is willing to give, and who she gives it to. Pro Humanitate, Wake Forest's motto, is...

Jacinta White defies easy introduction — poet, founder of The Word Project, and a woman who says her answer to "who am I today?" changes with what the day calls for. In this conversation, she traces her path from a childhood split between Charlotte and Detroit, through the sudden loss of her father to a heart attack when she was in her twenties, to finding in poetry a language for grief...

This is the first of four special guest tribute episodes closing out the Wake Women podcast, which will air its series finale on August 28th. Each tribute explores a single question: What makes a Wake Woman? This episode’s answer is Connection — the idea that some people are shaped so deeply by a place, a mentor, or a moment that they carry it with them for the rest of their lives. At the center o...

Pop in your earbuds for a special America' s 250th episode featuring historical fiction writer Laura Elliott ‘79! Do you ever wonder what historical events looked like through a woman’s eyes? It might be a completely different story than what you learned in school. Laura Elliott, who writes under the pen name LM Elliott, is an award-winning, bestselling author of historical fiction for a young...

Catherine Mitchell Jackson '98 and Hope Skouras '12, are two Wake Women who saw a problem and created a product to solve it: not for not only their families, but for countless others across the country. Catherine and Hope both started at Wake Forest ready to begin careers in journalism, but along the way discovered their contributions to the greater good would be delivered in a different w...

Weddings can be one of the most joyous yet stressful events in a couple's life. With so many details to consider—from choosing the right venue to managing guest lists—it's no wonder many find themselves overwhelmed. Add to that the pressure of creating viral social media moments, and it's easy to lose sight of what truly matters: celebrating love. In this episode, you’ll hear from thre...

In a world where conversations about death are often avoided, understanding how to navigate this challenging transition can be daunting. This discomfort often stems from societal norms that discourage open discussions about mortality. On this episode, we dive into the insights of people who understand the importance of addressing death openly and honestly–Laurie Furr-Vancini '89 is a retired m...

Navigating pregnancy while maintaining a career can be challenging. Expectant parents face unique obstacles, from managing workloads to ensuring a supportive work environment. As a human resource professional, Stephanie Kramer saw team members struggle to figure out how to balance their desire to excel in their careers while also growing a family. She drew on hundreds of conversations with working...

Patricia Turner knew she wanted to be a surgeon from a very early age. With the support of her mother and key mentors, she built the resilience needed to navigate a demanding medical journey, and never looked back. Since earning her medical degree from Bowman Gray School of Medicine in 1996, Dr. Turner has built a remarkable career in surgery and healthcare leadership. Now serving as CEO of the Am...

Do you ever get the feeling that your iphone is listening to you? Has your social media account ever been hacked? Have you ever worried about your digital privacy and security? In this podcast, we get to the bottom of all that. Jordan Kelly is a cybersecurity expert with a rich background in government and law. We’ll discuss her journey from Wake Forest University to her current role at FTI Consul...

Making a transition from a life-long, full-time career can be a challenge for anyone. Imagine making that change when you’ve been leading a prestigious liberal arts university. That’s what we are here to talk about today, as Susan R. Wente prepares to retire as Wake Forest’s 14th president. I sat down with Dr. Wente to talk about her leadership journey and the legacy of her impact on the Wake. We...

Christina Chauvenet '08, Child Nutrition Officer at Newman's Own Foundation has a commitment to making a difference in the lives of children through healthy, accessible nutrition. Christina’s first understanding of social issues at a deeper level came from her first year seminar at Wake Forest where her professor Dan Coates challenged her to think about capitalism in new ways. Now, she is...

For this episode, I sat down with Dr Megan Manassah and Rylee Molhollen ‘27 to talk about classes and we ended up talking about compassion: where it’s learned, how it’s practiced, and what happens when education moves beyond the classroom and into the community. How does empathy become action and how can learning shape the way we show up for others? When Rylee Mulhollen ‘27 was deciding which firs...

Did you know that 40% of small business owners are women, but only 4 % of revenue is generated by women businesses? Jamie Trull, Wake Forest class of 2006, is out to change that. After starting her career in one of the big four accounting firms, Jamie pivoted her career to focus on empowering women in business. Her business helps women entrepreneurs understand the importance of financial strategie...

Do you roll your eyes when you think of attending a networking event? Do you have to drag yourself to civic or corporate receptions where you fear you’ll be faced with someone staring over your shoulder to find someone more interesting to talk to? Katherine Naylor Pullman gets it –she felt the same way–so she figured out a way to make networking fun.  Katherine started an organization called Our T...

Today's guest is Annabel Love, Wake Forest Class of 2018, Along with her classmate and best friend, Courtney Toll, Annabel co-founded Nori—a company that has reimagined something as simple, and as everyday, as a clothes iron. What began as a dorm-room solution—an easy, effective way to remove wrinkles from clothes without all the clutter—has grown into a nationally recognized brand, driven by...

Melissa Rogers is the Distinguished Scholar in Residence in Faith, Law, and Public Policy at the Wake Forest University School of Divinity. She joins me to talk about how our voices can create positive change in government and society. A nationally recognized leader in religion, law, and public life, Melissa brings decades of public service, policy expertise, and scholarly depth to her role at Wak...

Over the past year, I’ve asked Wake Women alumnae one simple question:  “What’s your favorite spot on campus?” The answers reveal just how powerful place can be—each one tied to memories of growth, connection, and joy. Today’s episode is a quick highlight reel of those favorite spots, and we hope it inspires you to think about yours.

Today’s guest is Erin Regan, Wake Forest class of 2002, who shares with us what drives her in her life and career. Erin was recruited to Wake Forest to be a goal keeper on the women's soccer team. It was there that she learned about the value of competition as a means of self-improvement, a quality that she has applied to every aspect of her life. In our conversation, Erin shares her inspiring...

In this episode, Holly Welch Stubbing shares a powerful perspective on money and the meaning we attach to it. She talks about how, once our basic needs are met, prosperity can become less about accumulation and more about giving back. In the book The Soul of Money , author Lynne Twist writes that money is a distinctly human invention. It’s a total fabrication of our genius and its power comes from...