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Episode 1
June 10, 2025
Making the Leap: Getting a Seat at the Table
Velinda Cox, transformed her career from building a global tech infrastructure for an $8 billion company to becoming a board director and business coach. Her story is one of leadership, adaptability and ambition, and now she’s offering insights into making bold career transitions.
Guest: Velinda Cox, president of Sound Horizon, change management consulting firm and former senior vice president of ecommerce Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc.
Episode 2
June 24, 2025
Bring out the Champion in You
Renowned health and fitness coach Mary Tobiason shares her journey of channeling life’s ups and downs to reach championship status. She is an Ironman Certified Coach who has competed in over 20 Ironman World Championships. And as Founder and CEO of Athletic Movement Perfected, Mary is an induvial training leader, mentor and motivator who uses the unique combination of compassion, experience and scientific methodologies to facilitate athletic performance and general wellness for people of all ages and abilities.
Episode 3
Grow to be Fearless
July 8, 2025
Lori McDonald lives in a steady state of fearlessness. At least, that’s how it seems. She looks life’s challenges in the eye and smiles. Whether she’s taking on the big responsibilities that come with being a NASA Shuttle Controller or starting her own digital solutions firm while at the same time buying a food manufacturing company, Lori advises us to become fearless by going beyond the obvious and challenging yourself to think differently. In our talk today, Lori explains how to unlock potential through creative thinking. Spoiler alert: she backs it all up with solid process.
Guest: Lori McDonald has a big brain and even bigger heart who has gone from being a shuttle controller at NASA to being founder and CEO of Brilliance Business Solutions, an e-commerce marketing firm AND being the owner and CEO of Norsland Lefse a food manufacturing company.
Begin Again Every Birthday: Lessons from an Astrologer and Psychic
July 22, 2025
Episode 4
When Victoria Martin was 7, the age she believes is a year of enlightenment for all of us, her family life felt too small so she started joining groups and becoming part of several communities. Then at the age of 17 she was told she would be a professional psychic and discovered she was a psychometrist – an individual who can hold an item in their hand and see images. These talents led her to be hired as the Horoscope Columnist for Bloomberg News where she attracted a wide audience. Today, she conducts over 1,000 astrology and tarot card readings a year in addition to being an accomplished fine artist.
Episode 5
August 5, 2025
The Life-Changing Magic of Volunteering
Brooke Wiseman has a secret to happiness she’d like to share; becoming a volunteer will enhance your life beyond your wildest dreams. Her passions include social activism and conservation. And while those two things don’t seem to go together, she’s devoted her life’s work to helping save the planet while feeding hungry children and so much more. Her smart, heartwarming story will convince you to get out, do good, feel fulfilled and find happiness in giving back.
Guest: Brooke Wiseman is a non-profit leader, consultant and advisor who is is best known as the retired former CEO Emeritus of Blessings in a Backpack, a national organization that provides food on the weekend to school-aged children that might otherwise go hungry. Prior to this, Brooke was the CEO of the Girl Scouts of Chicago for 17 years along with many other positions with the Girl Scouts in several regions.
Episode 6
August 19, 2025
Bet on Yourself, Even When Out of Your Comfort Zone
“Never tell me the odds!” Okay, it’s a quote from Star Wars. But more importantly it sums up Anita Knotts. Anita bet on herself over and over again and always came out on top. And through her stories as one of the only women in the wealth management industry, she’s here to tell you, it’s your turn. You’ll hear how she was called to do something bigger and more meaningful. She’s put her natural leadership skills to work hiring and developing the next generation of female financial advisors. Her goal is to help reshape the industry to be more inclusive, purposeful and reflective of the world we live in. It’s a great journey full of confidence, daring and a willingness to take risks.
Guest: Anita Knotts spent over 30 years in the wealth management industry. Then in 2021, she launched Lotus Women’s Institute — an organization dedicated to attracting, developing, and advancing women in financial services.
Episode 7
September 2, 2025
Life Happens When You Are Busy Making Other Plans
Marie Newman knows how to pivot. When a situation is brought to her attention, she tackles it, pins it to ground and doesn’t let up until there’s a solution in place. What makes Marie’s story so extraordinary is that sometimes those solutions become national policy. And it’s not just because she’s a former Congresswoman. Join in as she tells us how to turn that nagging whisper in the back of your head into a battle cry. And don’t be surprised when others join you in the fight and together you end up making the world a better place.
Guest: Marie Newman is a former Congresswoman, non-profit CEO, serial entrepreneur and social justice activist. She is also the author of A Life Made from Scratch, a memoir that reads like a how-to guide to solving whatever life throws at you.
Episode 8
September 19, 2025
Now More than Ever, Stick Your Neck Out for Other Women
Ana Dutra is an executive who has worked at the highest corporate levels and has seen it all. And she’s a little panicked. She’s seen advancements that woman have made take steps backward over the past few years. Her fear is that women are disappearing from critical roles in business and beyond. Her deepest conviction is that it is up to each of us to stick our necks out for one another. Now! Join us as she calls it as she sees it and gives us the steps we need to take to protect what women have fought so hard to earn.
Guest: Ana Dutra is Global Board Director, a 2x CEO, and Fortune 250 C-Level Executive who advises public, private, PE and family-owned company boards.
Episode 9
September 30, 2025
New Definition of Getting Ahead: Across the Bridge vs. Up the Ladder
In this episode of Words of Wisdom from Kick-Ass Women, we dive into a powerful conversation with Janet Viane about how the definition of “getting ahead” is shifting across generations. Together, they explore how Millennials, Gen Z, and even Gen Alpha are redefining workplace success—not just climbing the corporate ladder, but crossing bridges toward purpose, balance, and authenticity.
Guest: Janet is Publisher of Lincolnway City Lifestyle magazine, a former Fortune 500 marketing executive, board member, executive MBA faculty member, and current PhD candidate in Executive Development.
Episode 10
October 14, 2025
Talking Truth to Power: When You're David vs. Goliath
In this episode of Words of Wisdom from Kick-Ass Women, host Liz Brohan teams up with special guest host, former Congresswoman Marie Newman, to sit down with crusading journalist, political strategist, and firestarter Delmarie Cobb. Together, they unpack what it really means to talk truth to power—even when you’re the only one in the room willing to do it. Delmarie shares her journey from television journalism to political consulting, and now, to founding Ida’s Legacy, a PAC dedicated to electing Black women. Her story is one of courage, defiance, and building power against the odds
Guest: Delmarie Cobb is a crusading journalist, political strategist, founder of The Publicity Works and Ida’s Legacy PAC, longtime media professional, and advocate for amplifying Black women’s leadership.
Episode 11
Truth, Trust, Journalism and the Camera: The Art of Gaining Access
October 28, 2025
In this episode, Mercedes joins Liz and special guest host Marie Newman to explore the delicate art of earning trust, balancing curiosity with respect, and co-creating authentic stories that reveal truth with empathy and integrity.
Documentary filmmaker and journalist Mercedes Kane is the president of Daisy May Films and the creative force behind acclaimed documentaries including ART AND PEP and Breakfast at Ina’s. Her work, also featured in National Geographic, shines a light on humanity in its most vulnerable and resilient moments.
Episode 12
The Confidence Illusion: Turning Self-Doubt into Your Secret Weapon
November 11, 2025
Today’s guests are the powerhouse trio behind a BROADcast for Manufacturers — a podcast that brings bold conversations and fresh perspectives to the manufacturing world. Joining us are Lori Highby, CEO and Founder of Keystone Click, a strategic digital marketing agency helping businesses unlock their full potential; Kris Harrington, CEO of GenAlpha Technologies, leading the charge in B2B digital transformation for manufacturers and distributors; and Erin Courtenay, a communications expert who discovered her passion for podcasting while working in the manufacturing space.
Together, these three kick-ass women are tackling topics that matter — like today’s focus on impostor syndrome — and showing how self-doubt doesn’t have to hold you back. Instead, it can be reframed as a sign of growth and a tool for building true confidence. Tune in for practical strategies, candid stories, and inspiration to turn impostor feelings into your own secret weapon for success.
From Cattle Ranch to FBI: What Toughness Really Means
November 25, 2025
Episode 13
LaRae Quy shares her extraordinary journey from growing up on a rugged Wyoming cattle ranch to serving 25 years as an undercover FBI agent. LaRae pulls back the curtain on what mental toughness really means—not stoicism or shutting down emotions, but cultivating resilience, adaptability, and emotional awareness.
She shares vivid stories from her FBI career, including moments when staying calm and focused was the difference between success and failure. But LaRae also makes it clear: mental toughness isn’t just for FBI agents. It’s a skill anyone can build—leaders, entrepreneurs, and everyday women balancing careers and families. LaRae empowers listeners to see adversity as growth fuel. Her wisdom proves we are all tougher than we think.
LaRae Quy – Author, Speaker, and Former FBI Agent; CEO, The Mental Toughness Center
Episode 14
Outsourcing Your Love Life: The Matchmaker’s Guide to Finding the Lid for Your Pot
December 9, 2025
Look into the world of modern love with professional matchmaker Lisa Goodman, Lisa shares why, in a sea of dating apps and ghosting, finding love still takes a human touch. From “outsourcing your love life” to tackling the so-called “man shortage,” Lisa offers candid insights, hilarious stories, and heartfelt advice on what it really takes to find the right match. Her message? Don’t settle—because there’s truly a lid for every pot.
Lisa Goodman, VP Client Relationships and Professional Matchmaker, Selective Search Matchmaking
Episode 15
Flight Plans: What Veteran Advocacy Can Teach Us
January 6, 2026
In this moving episode of Words of Wisdom from Kick-Ass Women, hosts Liz Brohan and Mary Olivieri explore the power of purpose and service through the lens of veteran advocacy with Cyndi Greenglass, board member of Honor Flight Chicago. Cyndi shares inspiring stories from her work honoring our nation’s veterans and how those experiences ignite empathy, gratitude, and leadership across generations. From life lessons learned through service to the simple act of saying “you matter,” this episode reminds us that honoring others can help us live with greater purpose ourselves.
Cyndi Greenglass is President of Livingston Consulting, adjunct instructor at West Virginia University, and board member of Honor Flight Chicago
Episode 16
Being Middle: How One 9-Year-Old Inspired a Nationally Recognized Book
January 20, 2026
In this heartwarming episode of Words of Wisdom from Kick-Ass Women, host Liz Brohan welcomes special guest co-host Mary Tobiason, founder of Athletic Movement Perfected, for a conversation about confidence, creativity, and family collaboration. They’re joined by Lori Orlinsky, multi-award-winning children’s author, and her 9-year-old daughter Ellie, the inspiration behind their new book Being Middle. Together, Lori and Ellie share how a simple conversation about feeling “stuck in the middle” became a story of empowerment for kids everywhere. Filled with laughter, wisdom, and love, this episode reminds us that even the smallest voices can teach the biggest lessons.
Lori Orlinsky, Award-Winning Children’s Author, Chicago, IL
Ellie Orlinsky, 9-year-old student and inspiration for Being Middle