Women Writing the West Author & Officer Betsy Randolph

Have you ever fantasized about the American West? I have, as have millions from all over the world. So many that there is now a genre of literature, "The American West." So I was thrilled to discover an organization of "Women Writing the West (WWW)," which is female authors (and some male) whose characters, stories and settings reflect the distinct cultures, geography and history of this important and distinct part of the United States. 

Betsy Randolph is a widely-read, mystery author, including her noted Cat Carlyle Mysteries, the president of Women Writing the West and one of the first female officers in both the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and Capital Patrol promoted to leadership roles. She joins me to talk about writing, growing up as a "tom-boy" and her reaction to the arrest of the parents of the suspect in the latest school shooting that occurred in my community of Oxford, Michigan. 

Third Act Financial Planning with Katana Abbott

Do you have a passion or a dream that you have been putting off? There is no better time than NOW for planning and then living your "Second & Third Act" careers.  Katana Abbott, Mid-Life Millionaire Coach, Founder of the Smart Women's Empowerment companies, and host of Smart Women Talk, left her very successful Financial Planning career to become a pathfinder to show other women how to do the same. Katana and Anne talk about the five money personalities that shape our financial decision-making, her six-step process for successful financial/life planning and why retiring in another country is a great idea!  For her free Mid-Life Millionaire Life-Style Guide, click here. 

Historical Fantasy Author Laurel Anne Hill

Historical fantasy author Laurel Anne Hill joins Anne to talk about her newest book, PLAGUE OF FLIES: Revolt of the Spirits, 1846.  On the back of a black, Andalusian stallion, readers are whisked back in time to the western section of Mexican Alta California in the mid-19th Century. Guide for the adventure, Catalina Delgado, is a courageous, Mexican teenager fighting for her family, her country and the "old ways" that are under attack in a rapidly changing world. Hill is a strong advocate for the value of reading to develop imagination and the importance of girls meeting strong female role models through books. A member of Women Writing the West, Hill shares her path as a writer, as well as tips on getting started on that book you always wanted to write! 

Sex, Power, Pandemics, and How Women Will Take the Lead for Everyone‘s Good

Has the massive COVID-19 disruption, which revealed deep fault lines in our culture and economy, created a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for women to lead the changes needed to begin fully tapping human potential? Gloria Feldt, a nationally-recognized thought leader, author and president of Take the Lead, says "Yes!" Feldt joins Anne to talk about the leadership tools, skills and concepts in her newest book, INTENTIONING, which will help women take the leadership lessons from the pandemic to achieve their own highest purpose and create a better world for ALL by finally breaking through the remaining barriers to gender and racial parity.

Stepping Into Our Collective Power

This episode is a change of pace, as Life Coach Julie Foucht, puts me into the interview chair for her, "The Art of Feminine Business" podcast.  A few of our topics include:  The difference between "power over" and "power too;" the importance of having the courage to challenge bias when you witness it; and why women must bring our talent and knowledge to the table to help move the human family forward.  

Fighting for the Future of Girls

Girls throughout the world face urgent and unique challenges to living healthy and fulfilling lives. Michelle Nunn, President and CEO of CARE USA updates Anne on current trends and facts about the current state of girls globally, including lessons from the crisis in Afghanistan, key issues disproportionately impacting females, from access to education and climate change to gender-based violence, as well as why it is so important for more women to run for public office.

Women in Sports Management

Sports is one of the most gender lopsided arenas in the professional world. Women make up close to 40% of global sports fans, providing billions in revenue. Female participation has exploded since 1972 Title IX legislation unlocked doors of athletic opportunity. Yet women working in sports management roles are still rare trailblazers, such as Kim Ng of the Miami Marlins and Cynt Marshall of the Dallas Mavericks, and usually the only woman in the room. Guests Kellie Fischer, CFO of the Texas Rangers Baseball Club and Jhonika Hawkins of the NBA's Detroit Pistons say it's an exciting career path, ripe with possibility.

Ending Period Poverty: A Big Idea Whose Time Has Come

The drive to end "period poverty" by making sanitary products for women more affordable is building momentum. It's a problem shared by girls and women, throughout the world, experiencing homelessness, fleeing domestic violence or enduring poverty. In the U.S., one in five girls miss school because of the cost of tampons or pads, which are taxed in 34 states.  It was Australian Rochelle Courtenay, founder of Share the Dignity, who begn the global drive to end the gender-based "tampon tax" abd tackle the stigma around menstruation. Courtenay talked about her Big Idea whose time has come with Anne Doyle for the Game Changers podcast of the International Women's Forum. Click her for info on organizations and efforts to tackle this problem. 

The Poisoned City: Flint‘s Water and the American Urban Tragedy

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."

Through the Dark: Finding Joy After Sudden Blindness

Can you imagine suddenly losing your sight in the prime of your life? That's exactly what happened to Yolanda Nava, a successful, multi-lingual, Latina broadcast journalist who learned how to reclaim her joy and recreate her life after what she describes as "the death of my old self." Her new book, THROUGH THE DARK, and this conversation with Anne are full of wisdom and inspiration about the resiliency of the human spirit and the power each of us holds within to continuously grow, even through traumatic, life-changing experiences.