The Powering Up! Podcast

A fascinating conversation with investigative journalist Anna Clark, author of the definitive book on the lead contamination crisis that poisoned the water in Flint, Michigan. Clark's powerful storytelling skills reveal the structural racism entwined with this perfect storm and bring to life the courageous citizens who rose up to fight for their lives against city, state and federal government officials who insisted their coffee-colored water was "perfectly safe."

Born into the Cambodian Civil War that wiped out 25% of her country's population, Thear Sy Suzuki spent her early childhood in regufee work camps. Miraculously, her parents managed to save all of their children and escape. How did a child who arrived in the U.S. at age eight, speaking no English, rise to become a top executive with global consulting firm Ernst & Young, advising Fortune 500 companies?  A wife and mother of four sons and a community activist serving on multiple boards that lift others?  Thear shares her remarkable story of survival, resilience and leadership, as well as her perspective on the emerging power and influence of the Millennial and Gen Z generations.  

Millennials became the largest generation in the workforce, at the beginning of 2020.  But as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on the economy, Millennials were hit hard.  As young workers just beginning their careers, they were some of the first to lose their jobs and less likely to have a savings "safety net" than more seasoned workers.  Plus, many are earning entry-level pay while carrying heavy debt from school loans.  As the big sister in a family of seven children, I have an abundance of Millennial nieces and nephews, in addition to my own son.  So how are they doing? I asked four of them.  

Intimate partner violence was a global pandemic long before COVID-19. But the "stay home" orders that the deadly virus triggered acted like gasoline on glowing embers for millions of domestic violence victims. Globally, the story is the same: the frequency of domestic abuse and the severity of the violence have dramatically escalated. "Safe at home" is an oxymoron for millions. Beth Morrison of OUR Family Services in Tucson, Amy Good of Detroit's Alternatives for Girls and Melissa Sinclair of Michigan's Haven Domestic Violence Shelter share their views on this worsening crisis and insights on help. 

College sports is a $14B business and women's sports is one of its fastest growing markets. But just as opportunities for female athletes are accelerating, head coaching positions for women are in freefall. Today, men hold nearly 58% of all head coaching jobs for women's teams, while still keeping a stranglehold on 99% of the jobs coaching men. What's wrong with this scenario?  We asked Carol "Hutch" Hutchins, one of the most respected coaches in college sports, who was featured in this NY Times report on the leadership crisis in college coaching -- where gender equity is moving backwards.

Detroit, Michigan, one of the COVID-19 hot spots in the U.S. is bearing witness to the disproportionate impact the pandemic is having on African American communities. To date, 35% of the virus victims in Michigan are African Americans, although they make up only 15% of the state's population. The same is true in other U.S. states with significant AA populations. Podcast guests Marianne Udow-Phillips and Vern Davis Antony both saw this coming because they each have decades of expertise in the devastating toll of generational poverty and the weaknesses in the U.S. health care system. COVID-19 is demanding that we stop ignoring both. 

One of the worst COVID-19 hot spots in the USA is metro Detroit. The virus, that's already claimed 1,600 lives in Michigan with 26,000 confirmed cases, is disproportionately impacting African Americans.  Why? A pandemic plays no favorites, seeking victims everywhere.  But its easiest prey are those weakened by health, economic and daily life challenges of generational poverty. That's why the Detroit Police Athletic League (PAL), that's been serving at-risk youth and families for 50 years, launched SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION: CHECKING IN SAVES LIVES -- a virtual web of timely, factual information and help. Rob Jamerson, CEO of Detroit PAL explains the life-saving power of human coontact and how YOU CAN HELP!

The Covid-19 global pandemic has been called "a time machine to our future." There is nothing like a crisis for testing the quality of our elected leaders and shining a spotlight on societal and environmental imbalances we can no longer ignore. Congressional candidate Cathy Kunkel is an energy policy expert and long-time community changemaker who is helping to lead West Virginia's "For the Many Not the Few" grassroots political movement. The alarms she is sounding and the changes she is fighting for are more urgent than ever -- for all of us. 

The Covid-19 crisis started as a global health emergency, but its economic impact could be nearly just as devastating.  As we all tighten our financial belts, advice from professional financial planners is more important than ever. Willa Williams and Weslia Echols of Trinity Financial Coaching share the lessons they've learned -- the hard way -- about living abundantly but within your means. 

The "Guilty" verdict in the Harvey Weinstein sexual assault trial was a watershed moment in women's centuries long fight for respect and safety from sexual inuendo, harassment and assault. It took over 90 courageous women telling their stories to finally stop the powerful predator.  Eliminating  "boys will be boys," toxic work cultures requires women of all generations to raise their voices collectively to demand change. That's exactly what our guests, MI State Senator Mallory McMorrow and Journalist Julie Hinds, did when a powerful MI State Senator "had some fun" at the expense of Gen Z reporter Allison Donahue -- who had the courage to object.  

Great mentoring relationships can bridge both cultural and geographic barriers. Meet Jordanian Samar Nassar, an Olympic athlete and changemaker for women athletes in the Mideast and her mentee, American elite basketball player Brianna Salvatore Dueck. We talk sports diplomacy, leadership and their shared passion for sports participation to empower women all over the world. Samar, a member of the International Womens Forum was matched with Brianna as part of IWF'S Women Athletes Business Network for help elite athletes transition to business careers.  

As the WNBA wins record-setting salary increases and maternity leave and legendary Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw sounds off on the growing number of men being hired to coach women's teams, we talk women and sports with Hall of Fame Women's Basketball Coach Sue Kruszewski Hardy, a trailblazer who built one of the early women's college basketball powerhouses in the late 1970's and early 80's with her University of Detroit Lady Titans. And she did it with the full support of the legendary basketball guru Dick Vitale.  Women's sports have come a long way, but there's still a long, long way to go! 

American Astronaut Cady Coleman, a veteran of two space shuttle missions, lived for six months on the International Space Station. What's it like to live, work, sleep (and yes manage all other bodily functions!) without gravity for 159 days or 4,330 hours? Cady answerrs all those questions for hosts Anne and Monica, and also gives her perspective on the first all-women space walk and how women and minorities still have to push hard for opportunities. 

Women own 40% of all businesses in the USA, but female entrepreneurs receive less than 1% of venture capital -- yes, ONE PERCENT! Plus, they are much more likely to be declined for a loan than male entrepreneurs.  The HERImpact Pitch Competition, supported by the Ford Fund, provides badly needed funding and business coaching to help female social entrepreneurs with great ideas scale their businesses.  Started in Detroit, the program has already expanded to Miami and Washington, DC.  We talk to pitch competition winners Brittany Rhodes, founder of Black Girl Math-gic, Arielle Johnson, founder of Fierce Staffing and Ford's Yisel Cabrera about how and why HERImpact works. 

Every year, thousands of women diagnosed with breast cancer face complex medical decisions.  Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame medical reporter Patricia Anstett, author of Breast Cancer Surgery and Reconstruction: What's Right for YOU, has made it her life's mission to inform women about what she calls "the under-discussed issues" related to breast surgery and reconstruction. She wants women to feel empowered to understand the choices are THEIRS ALONE and to give them the knowledge they need to resist well-intentioned pressure for surgery -- including for nipples -- that may not be right for them. 

Back in the Game: Why Concussion Doesn't Have to End Your Athletic Career is the definitive book on youth sports and concussions. Joanne Gerstner, co-author of the book, joins Anne and Monica for a cutting edge conversation on concussions, women athletes and her many-faceted career in the world of sports.

Hall of Fame photojournalist Linda Solomon was Aretha Franklin's personal photographer for decades, and given rare access to many of "The Queen of Soul's" most private family and behind-the-scenes musical moments.  We talk with Linda about her unusual relationship with Aretha and her gorgeous new book, The Queen Next Door: An Intimate Portrait of Aretha Franklin. Solomon calls the book her "love letter" to one of the greatest musical talents of our time. We'll also hear about Solomon's career journey, which includes putting over one million cameras in the hands of children and inspiring homeless children through her Pictures of Hope program. 

In the early days of rodeoing in the American West, cowgirls competed just as fiercely as cowboys in everything from roping to bronco riding. But women were gradually forced out of the sport, supposedly because it was "too dangerous." But professional "All Girl Rodeo" is making a comeback.  Two of the driving forces behind this growing sport are sisters Nicole and Katie Schrock.  Skilled horsewomen and visionary entrepreneurs, they are the first siblings to both win the title of Miss Rodeo Oregon. If you like cowgirls, horses and "That Western Life," you'll love this episode. 

In addition to POWERING UP, I also host the "Game Changers" podcast for the International Women's Forum, which gives me the chance to talk with groundbreaking Sheroes from all over the world and share them here. Ersilia Vaudo Scarpetta, the Chief Diversity Officer for the European Space Agency, has worked in science and space for 30 years.  Our conversation ranged from why she believes studying science gives girls super powers to how her unusual mother taught her children, growing up in Italy, about chemical compounds in the kitchen!

Who ever heard of a franchising executive recruiter?  Monica and I never had, until I reconnected with former ran Ford Motor Company executive colleague Kris Odeh. Now the founder and CEO of Momentum Franchise Group, Odeh draws on her 30 years of global executive and leadership credentials in the technology, finance, non-profit, retail and auto industries, helping ambitious entrepreneurs -- of all ages -- find their perfect franchise match. With a particular passion for working with women and veterans, Odeh also shared her perspective on leadership and the importance of aligning your talents and work interests with the lifestyle you want. 

As an inductee into the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame, I worry about the future of journalism, which is facing two crises.  With newspapers going out of business and journalists losing their jobs, it is clear the old business model is broken.  Plus, the value of a trustworthy free press, one of the cornerstones of American democracy, is under attack, with disagreeable facts labeled, "fake news" and respected journalists called "enemies of the people." Monica and Anne tackle the crisis in journalism with Bob Zaltsberg, who is recognized as "the dean of Indiana newspaper editors" and is now teaching Media Management at Indiana University to the next generation of journalists. 

Millennials have led the way on new thinking and open conversations about gender.  Co-host Monica Doyle invited two transgender friends – Grace, a transgender woman, and August, a transgender man – to talk about their experiences.  As a Baby Boomer committed to equal rights and dignity for all humans, Anne learned a lot. 

Meritor senior executive Linda Taliaferro has climbed the corporate ladder in the very male world of global commercial vehicles. So, she understands the gender landmines and obstacles ambitious women must navigate throughout their leadership journeys. From confronting sexual harassers to mastering workplace politics, Taliaferro has experienced it all.  That's why she founded The TEE (The Extra Effort) organization to share what she has learned (often the hard way!) and mentor other women. The critical differentiator for women, she believes, is the ability to find the courage to step into and claim our individual and collective power.  She's a global executive in a tough, male-dominated field; she's authentic and she's committed to helping other women power up! 

Rabbi Tamara Kolton, author of the upcoming book, "Oranges for Eve: My Beautiful, Brava and Badass Journey to the Feminine Divine," is a truth teller, spiritual leader and powerful voice for women. As growing numbers of states in the USA pass extreme legislation aimed at overthrowing women's right to privacy over our bodies, Rabbi Kolton provides insightful context on her position, published in the Jewish News, that the national debate over abortion is not truly about caring for babies or pregnant women, it is one more powerful example of our patriarchal matrix that protects the status quo in which men hold predominant power and social privilege -- and why women and our allies should not be silent. 

The world of comics has long been one more world ruled by white males -- both as characters and creators.  But that is changing as young women who grew up reading comics featuring female superheroes (such as "shojo" Magna books created in Japan specifically for girls) are looking for adult content they can identify with.  So, they're creating it themselves.  We explored this growing, cultural phenomenon at Comiquecon -- a conference specifically for female and female-identifying illustrators, writers and creators in the comic world.  A world that co-host Monica Doyle knows well.  

We recorded this episode the day after two mass shootings killed at least 31 people and injured dozens of others in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio.  Were the young, white males who perpetrated these hateful, horrible acts suffering from mental illness? Perhaps, but not necessarily.  Robin Jones, Director of the Great Lakes  ADA Center (Americans with Disabilities Act) talked with us about her work training, consulting and providing technical assistance to business, schools, employers , architects, families and individuals related to disabilities.  Handicapped parking, wheelchair ramps and accessible bathrooms are just the beginning. "The reality," says Jones, "is that most disabilities are invisible to others, including learning disabilities and mental illness." And how about the growing number of  so-called "emotional support" pets on airplanes? Robin has insight on that, too. 

Robin's broad understanding of the many issues surrounding human ability made Monica and me realize that we all have abilities and disabilities! The challenge is to make sure we are providing the assistance and services people need to use all of their abilities and we do not stigmatize individuals for getting help.  

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Enlightened Sexism author and Communications Studies Professor Susan Douglas makes the case for "life span feminism," her upcoming new book --  In Our Prime: How Older Women are Re-Inventing the Road Ahead -- and why it's time to destroy the media myth that older and younger feminists can't get along. 

USA Today Sports Columnist and TV Commentator Christine Brennan has covered every major sporting event imaginable for nearly four decades -- including 18 Olympics and all four World Cup championships of the U.S. Women's Soccer Team.  Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan and their 2019 USA Women's Soccer team have delivered revenue, viewing audiences, championships and the all-time best-selling soccer jersey in U.S. history. Now they are demanding equal pay.  Brennan says, "Love  'em or hate 'em, they are strong, tough, have changed the conversation about women's sports and they're not going away!"  With over 1,000 women covering sports today, Brennan encourages girls and women to learn more about sports journalism careers through her website: ChristineBrennan.com.

General LInda Singh, the first African American and first woman to head up all military operations for an entire state, made national news earlier this year when her Maryland leadership team became the first all-female National Guard command staff in the United States. A leader who believes in the value of talking openly about difficult issues, Adjutant General Singh spoke candidly with me about racism, sexism and sexual harassment and assault, including her personal experiences.   

Hall of Fame Women's College Basketball Coach Sue Kruszewski Hardy and Vice President of Marketing for the Detroit Tigers Ellen Hill Zeringue, one of the few executive women in major league sports, join Anne and Monica to talk about women's progress in the world of sports -- as athletes, coaches and executives.  Their "In the Game" conversation was recorded in front of a live audience as part of the Second Annual Detroit Podcast Festival, hosted by Robin Kinnie, founder of Motor City Woman Studios.  In photo L to R: Monica Doyle, Sue Kruszewski, Robin Kinnie, Ellen HIll Zeringue and Anne Doyle. 

Education is transformational, with the power to break cycles of poverty, child marriage and violence. The "Girl Effect" is particularly powerful because it extends the benefits to families and communities more than when only boys are educated. Yet 130 million girls around the world are not in school because of poverty, custom or conflict. In places like Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria, girls school are under attack. Anne talks with Totsie Memela of South Africa and Shamim Jaward of Afghanistan -- two leaders on the front lines of the fight to changes ideas, cultures and policies about why educating girls lifts the entire human family.  Their conversation was recorded in Barcelona, Spain at the Spring 2019 Cornerstone Conference of the prestigious International Women's Forum. 

At least three thousand young children have been separated from their refugee parents, seeking asylum in the U.S. They have been held in cages, shipped to foster care all over the country, some have been sexually assaulated, and several have died. Can you imagine having your baby or very young child pulled from your arms, perhaps never to see them again? Determined that these children must not be forgotten, Michiganders Elaine Roseborough and Laurie Lisi tied 1,000 teddy bears, dolls and toys to stakes and displayed them along a busy, Detroit-area highway as powerful reminders of the several thousand missing migrant children. Leaders take action and inspire others to find the courage to act, as well.  For information on how to follow their lead, indivisiblefighting9.com or Facebook @Fighting9.  How about you? 

What do men have do with women's power and progress? Everything! As fathers, husbands, colleagues, bosses, brothers or lawmakers, men impact women's personal lives, careers and legal rights every day. Women contending with sexual harassment, toxic workplaces, gender bias, extreme laws violating our right to privacy and growing male backlash against the #MeToo movement, need male allies. Jeffery Tobias Halter, president of YWomen, is the USA's leading expert on engaging men to advance women.  A two-time TEDx speaker who has been known to don red women's heels on stage to make a point tells Anne why he believes, "It's time to stop urging women to lean in and start asking men to stand up!" Check out his "FAther of a Daughter" initiative and his Gender Advocacy Quiz. 

Millennials have been called "the stressed out generation," as record numbers are dealing with anxiety and depression.  Psychotherapist Dr. Jane Shure, a nationally-recognized expert on self-esteem issues and co-founder of The Resilience Group in Philadelphia, joins Anne, Monica and millennial Kevin Farrell to talk about how 21st Century culture increases anxiety and how we can help ourselves, our kids and our friends manage it. "Worrying is a human survival instinct and perfectly natural," says Shure. Understanding how to manage it well can change your life. 

Nancy Trites Botkin, a Leadership Guide, Founder of Think8 Women and Author of Living on Purpose, has been helping women tap into and pursue their unique purpose, for decades. Graduates of her intense, intimate, one-on-one personal discovery sessions like to call themselves, "Wonder Women." She joins Anne and Monica from Montreal to share steps each of us can take to unlock our individual power by discovering and releasing our deeply-ingrained blocks that hold us back.  

Record numbers of women in the USA, particularly young women are running for and winning elected political office.  An unprecedented number of women -- SIX -- are currently running for president, and there are now 127 women in the U.S. Congress -- 25 in the Senate and 102 in the House, nearly 25%.  Better, but nowhere close to equal representation for female citizens. And the numbers of Republican women in national office, meager as they have been, are getting worse.  VoteRunLead is a bi-partisan organization training thousands of women to master the political skills needed to run for office and run campaigns. We talk with VoteRunLead alums from both sides of the political aisle: Heather Barmore and Tina Barton. 

Once described as an "angry black woman," Michelle Obama is now one of the most admired women in the world. Her memoir has sold over three million copies and her speaking tour has been extended to 21 more cities, including Canada and Europe. Why is the story of her personal journey resonating across generational, class and racial lines? Guests Marilyn French Hubbard and Tatiana Wheeler are generations apart, but both were so moved by the book they have created platforms to engage with other women around Obama’s powerful mantra to all women that, “Yes, you are enough!”  

Fifty Years after Title IX began opening opportunities for girls to compete in sports, barriers to participation still exist -- particularly for inner city girls. We talk with Dr. Ramona Cox, who runs the "Girls Changing the Game" sports and leadership programs for Detroit PAL (Police  Athletic League) and young athlete Mackenzie Fordham about why sports is a critically important confidence-building laboratory for girls. 

Cheryl Carlson, one of the best known experts in the world of dog training, breeding and competition, and founder of Cher Car Kennels explains why our dogs need leaders, not best friends. Whether you are a new dog owner, a veteran looking for new challenges to tackle with your pet, or a professional handler, you'll learn something from this fascinating conversation with a respected dog lover, teacher and breeder who has done it all!  

A newly-elected surge of young, diverse and bold U.S. Congresswomen has increased the size (102) and power of the Congressional Women's Caucus to historic levels.  Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence (D-MI, co-chair of the bi-partisan caucus, talks leadership, gender issues and the challenges of tapping the collective power of three very different generations of powerful leaders, from Nancy Pelosi to Alexandra Octavio Cortez.  

Anne talks "life in leadership" with Donna de Varona, named by Sports Illustrated as one of the greatest female athletes of the 20th Century. Besides her storied swimming and sports broadcasting careers, Donna has long championed sports opportunities for girls and women, including co-founding the Women Sports Foundation with Billie Jean King.  

Podcasts are hot. But only 22% of podcasts hosts are women. Robin Kinnie, owner of Motor City Woman studio in metro Detroit and a contributor to Podcast Business Journal, is committed to amplifying the voices of women through podcasting. Whether you have just discovered podcasts (there are over 600,000 already!) and want to know what the fuss is about, or are thinking of hosting your own, this episode is for you. 

Fortune magazine recently reported that even highly accomplished women still struggle with confidence demons and the Imposter Syndrome.  The earlier in your life that you tackle these debilitating "gender viruses" the better! An Executive Coach is a secret weapon that is no longer just for executives! Joscelyn Davis, Founder and Chief Strategist of Jade Strategies, and Alba Contreras Rodriguez, CEO of Focus on Solution, share their insights on the cultural quicksand women that sucks women down. Working with an Executive Coach is an investment that can set you free.