Everyday Wonder Women

Share your thoughts with us!Suzie Rhodes survived what should have been a fatal accident when her Jeep went off Black Bear Pass, rolling 300 feet down the mountain. Her remarkable journey from paralysis to independence reveals what it truly means to rebuild your life from within.• Suzie's accident left her with seven spine fractures, a dislocated hip, and a spinal cord injury, yet miraculously no head trauma• After being told she would never walk again, Suzie now has an incomplete spinal cord injury and can walk with braces• Her service dog Decker, who was lost for three days after the accident, now helps pull her wheelchair and provides emotional support• Depression and grief followed for a year and a half as Suzie realized her old life had died on the mountain• Today Suzie works as a school counselor, coaches volleyball, competes in archery, and lives independently• Self-worth comes from within – not from external validation or maintaining a perfect image on social media• Five practical ways to build self-worth: monitor negative self-talk, focus on what's working, connect with nature, surround yourself with supportive people, and curate your media consumption• The key insight: "You have to choose to want your life to be good"The podcast is taking an eight-week hiatus and will return with Season 2. Subscribe to be notified when new episodes are available.

Share your thoughts with us!Lauren Branch, CEO of NewView in Tulsa, Oklahoma, shares her 28-year journey leading a nonprofit that empowers people who are blind or have low vision to live independent lives. She opens up about unexpectedly becoming CEO, facing workplace gender challenges, and navigating her husband's Alzheimer's diagnosis while maintaining her leadership role.• Started as controller before being offered the CEO position because the organization "couldn't afford anyone else"• First task as CEO was laying off 40% of the workforce, most of whom were blind employees she later rehired• Faced challenges being taken seriously as a female leader in traditionally male-dominated spaces• Emphasizes that women must advocate for themselves rather than waiting to be noticed• Currently balancing her leadership role with caring for her husband who has Alzheimer's• Advises young women to be intentional about setting goals and unapologetic about pursuing them• Encourages employees to actively participate in their career development rather than waiting for opportunitiesSend us a message on Instagram at Everyday Wonder Women Podcast if this episode resonates with you. If you know a woman with a story of grit, resilience, reinvention, or general badassery, send her our way—self-nominations are encouraged!

Share your thoughts with us!Ginger Gilbert Ravella shares her powerful journey from being a military wife and mother of five to becoming a widow and voice of hope for others after her husband Troy was killed saving others in Iraq.• Life as a military spouse• The devastating moment when military officers knocked on her door with news of Troy's plane crash• Troy's purple heart heroic final mission saving over 20 special operators while flying solo • The 10-year journey to recover Troy's remains from Iraq• Finding hope again through connecting with another military widow• Building a new blended family with her second husband Jim while honoring Troy's memory• Creating resources for other military widows through books and speaking engagements• Learning that human beings can't live without hopeIf you're facing grief or know someone who is, check out Ginger's books "Hope Found" and "Widow's Might" - powerful resources for anyone navigating loss.

Share your thoughts with us!Jessica-Rose Johnson, a Marine Corps veteran and business owner, shares her incredible journey of resilience while serving as a full-time caregiver to her husband who is living with brain cancer.• Growing up in a military family with service traced back to the Revolutionary War• Joining the Marine Corps at 17 and learning she was capable of more than she imagined• Facing unique challenges as one of few women in the Marine Corps• Dealing with conflict directly in the "sandpit" versus indirect communication• Receiving news about her husband's cancer recurrence through a VA letter during 2020• Finding purpose through her podcast "Unbreakable Hope" and work in suicide prevention• Balancing caregiving responsibilities while maintaining her own identity and pursuitsCheck out Jessica-Rose's podcast "Unbreakable Hope" on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube to hear more inspirational stories. For resources on caregiving and suicide prevention, visit jessicarosejohnson.com or follow her on Instagram and Facebook.

Share your thoughts with us!Rachel's journey from Air Force veteran to nonprofit CEO reveals how unexpected career turns and personal challenges shaped her mission to support homeless veterans.• Enlisted in the Air Force at age 22 seeking adventure and new opportunities• Originally assigned to missile maintenance, a chance conversation redirected her to telecommunications• Built a 25-year career in telecommunications after leaving military service• Took a significant pay cut to join a nonprofit helping veterans facing homelessness• Rose to become CEO of Oklahoma Veterans United in Tulsa, Oklahoma• Experienced homelessness herself in 2013 after losing her job• Navigated difficult personal challenges including a child's drug addiction• Advocates against judging others without knowing their full story• Emphasizes the importance of community for veterans who lose their "tribe" after service• Encourages women to pursue their interests and not sell themselves shortIf you want to help veterans, research legitimate organizations providing direct services, volunteer your time, or provide financial assistance. Most importantly, withhold judgment - you never know someone's full story.

Share your thoughts with us!Heather Sharp, a remarkable woman who rose from her cowgirl roots to become an airline pilot when only 1% of pilots were female, shares her extraordinary journey of persistence through adversity, devastating accidents, and an against-all-odds recovery.• Raised by a veterinarian father and professional rodeo cowgirl mother• Inspired by a high school teacher who inspired her to choose "pilot" over "flight attendant" on career day• Navigated the male-dominated aviation world with humor and determination• Survived a car crash that left her with a crushed pelvis and shattered collarbone• Overcame a traumatic brain injury from a falling tree that left her unable to identify letters or count money• Used equine therapy as a crucial element in her miraculous recovery• Returned to flying commercial jets after six and a half years of rehabilitationIf you want more laugh-out-loud family stories and proof that Heather Sharp's life really is never dull, grab her book "Never Dull" on Amazon or at heathersharp.com. Head over to our Instagram @EverydayWonderWomen, find the post for this episode, and drop a comment to receive a "Why Not Me?" sticker.

Share your thoughts with us!Dr. Amanda Donnelly shares her journey from practicing veterinary medicine in her family's clinic to becoming a successful consultant and speaker despite personal challenges. Her story reveals how financial independence and seeking therapy enabled her to overcome family conflicts, a difficult divorce, cancer, and the loss of close family members.• Second-generation veterinarian who knew her calling from age nine• Experienced complicated workplace dynamics practicing with her parents• Sought therapy to address family issues, temporarily severing communication with parents• Pursued an MBA at age 41, opening new career opportunities• Developed public speaking skills through strategic development and professional organizations• Navigated a 14-year marriage with an unsupportive partner, particularly during breast cancer• Built financial independence that enabled her to leave an unhealthy relationship• Lost her mother in 2019 and brother to addiction in 2020• Emphasizes the importance of women maintaining their own financial security• Advises young women to seek mentors and start retirement savings earlyIf this episode resonated with you, please share it with a friend who needs to hear these stories, leave a review to help us reach more women, and grab a copy of "Stop Acting Like a Girl" – especially Chapter Two about financial empowerment.

Share your thoughts with us!I’m chatting with Dr. Caitlin DeWilde—veterinarian, tech nerd, business owner, mom of many species—and someone who’s been through a lot. She opens up about losing her mom, caring for her dad with Alzheimer’s, and how it all forced her to rethink what actually matters in life.We also talk about building her business (The Social DVM), setting boundaries (like not answering your Sunday morning texts... sorry), and her favorite life filter: “If it’s not a f*ck yeah, it’s a no.”This one’s real. It’s funny. It’s a little raw. And it’s your reminder that you don’t get forever—so maybe it’s time to stop saying yes to things that drain you and start living like you mean it.

Share your thoughts with us!What happens when a high school English teacher accidentally becomes the Director of Technology at a school with over 1,200 students? You get a woman who knows how to lead a team, command a server room, and keep her cool in a sea of tech bros—and oh yeah, she just happens to be my sister-in-law...Dr. Jennifer SantiIn this episode, we dive into her unexpected journey from the classroom to the IT office, how she navigates being a woman in a male-dominated field, and the deep personal work it took to heal from a chaotic childhood. From calling out inappropriate behavior without losing her cool, to unlearning the pressure to play small, she drops wisdom that every woman needs to hear—especially if you've ever felt like an outsider.Quotes from Jennifer we love:"I think anytime that you are then leading people, guiding people or evaluating people or their performance, that becomes challenging because you have to learn a new way of speaking to someone. You have to have very courageous and fierce conversations that are, and that is not a skill most of us are innate with." "If there's a situation that is uncomfortable, intimidating, or frightening, even let's get to fear, then you need to know that you can say whatever it is that you need to say in any of those situations and do it and not feel that you have to diminish yourself the way that we always do."

Share your thoughts with us!What do you do when life throws you something so heartbreaking, you don’t even know how to breathe through it? For Heather, that moment came when her daughter Natalie was stillborn—just weeks before her scheduled C-section.In this episode, Heather joins me to talk about what it really looks like to live through grief. Not around it. Not over it. Through it.She gets real about those first raw moments, the fog, the pain—and how she didn’t try to rush it or numb it. She knew her sadness wasn’t something to fix. It was something to feel. And in honoring that, she found a way to keep going.We talk about how her faith anchored her, how she clung to the words “Blessed are those who mourn,” and how, somehow, she found purpose again—first through helping others, and then through the beautiful, winding journey of growing her family with twins, foster care, and adoption.And one of my favorite parts? Heather says, “Confidence is the prettiest thing you can put on.” This is a woman who’s been through it, and she shows us what true strength really looks like.If you’ve ever experienced loss—or love someone who has—this episode is full of the kind of honest, heartfelt conversation we all need more of. It’s about grief, resilience, and figuring out how to live again when everything’s changed.Give it a listen. Then send it to the friend who needs it most.

Share your thoughts with us!This week, I’m bringing you a conversation with an absolute legend—Jan Youren. She holds the Guinness World Record for the longest career in bareback bronc riding (yes, really!), and her stories are just as wild and inspiring as you’d expect. We talk about how she got started, what it’s like to break a whole bunch of bones and still get back on the horse, and why she kept riding well into her 70s. I also share a little about how fear shows up in everyday life—and how meeting Jan reminded me to stop letting it run the show.

Share your thoughts with us!You know that weird little feeling in your gut that something’s off—but everyone around you is telling you you're just being dramatic? Nancy had that feeling. Her intuition was waving red flags, but her husband insisted she was just imagining things. In this episode, we dive into what happens when you start believing other people over your own instincts—and how that can cost you years of your life.Nancy gets real about walking away from a ten-year career to raise kids, the slow unraveling of her first marriage, and the flipped blanket tag that became the first clue that her gut had been right all along. This one’s all about learning to trust yourself, even when it feels uncomfortable—and especially when others tell you not to.We get into:What it really feels like to step away from your job to raise kidsThe lie that women can “have it all” without sacrificeAll the tiny signs her first marriage was falling apartWhy trusting your gut is basically a superpowerThe pressure to keep up appearances—and how to stopStarting over after divorce and finally choosing you over what everyone else thinks you should be

Share your thoughts with us!Sarah’s story is proof that your past doesn’t have to define your future. She grew up in chaos—addicted parents, violence, and a home life that felt anything but stable. But she always knew she wanted something different.• Left home at 17 to live with her grandfather and escape the dysfunction • Lost her mom at 20 and took custody of her 14-year-old sister at 21 • Faced career setbacks and divorce, then started her own copywriting business • Transformed her health and committed to breaking generational cycles • Built a thriving business that’s about to hit its 10-year mark • Created the “normal” life she always dreamed of for herself and her sonYour destiny is not written in ink, it's in pencil. No matter what situation you're facing, you can find your bright lights and redefine your future.

Share your thoughts with us!Stacee Longfellow reconnects with her college roommate Traci to share a powerful story of resilience through cancer and parenting children with learning disabilities.• Diagnosed with breast cancer after multiple doctors dismissed her concerns• Moved to a new city with toddlers just months before her diagnosis• Cancer journey created unexpected community connections with new neighbors• Both children diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD requiring specialized education approaches• Used metaphor of "glasses for your brain" to explain medication to her son• Found specialized school using Orton-Gillingham multi-sensory learning methods• Emphasizes importance of parents advocating for educational testing• Highlights how children often adapt more easily than adults to learning differences• Stresses crucial importance of advocating for yourself in healthcare settings• Recommends recording doctor appointments to review information laterHead over to Instagram @Stacee_Santi_Longfellow if you have questions for Traci or comments about the episode, and pick up Stacee's book "Stop Acting Like a Girl" on Amazon.

Share your thoughts with us!Judy shares her remarkable journey from being a pregnant teenager in the 1960s to climbing the corporate ladder to Senior VP with no college education.• Working up from bank teller to Senior VP at a mortgage company without formal education• Learning the mortgage industry from the ground up with practical experience• Facing workplace discrimination in the 1960s banking industry's "good old boys club"• Getting pregnant at 17 and experiencing social shame and educational restrictions• Marriage in Juarez, Mexico and telling her parents afterward• Being forbidden from participating in extracurricular activities or socializing at school• The importance of women supporting other women through difficult times• Unexpected achievements including induction into the Softball Hall of FameIf you enjoyed meeting Judy and want to see old photos of her playing softball, head to Instagram @Stacee_Santi_Longfellow. Don't forget to leave a comment on social media or give a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

Share your thoughts with us!Lynn Santi never planned to become a trailblazer. Starting as a stenographer at the Santa Fe Railroad in the 1960s, she entered a world where women were exclusively secretaries in the "lower part of the pecking order." Fast forward through a 38-year career, and Lynn had risen to Director of Administration, overseeing operations across New Mexico, Arizona, and parts of Texas—a journey marked by determination, directness, and defying expectations."It wouldn't be odd to be in a meeting of 150 men with only two women," Lynn recalls, describing how male colleagues "tend to not think you had the same level of expertise." Yet her organizational talents and work ethic gradually earned recognition, particularly when she orchestrated the consolidation of railroad offices across multiple states. When a male colleague attempted to bully her early in her management role, Lynn's unforgettable response—"This isn't Little League, you're not the umpire. Sit down and shut up"—became legendary throughout the company and established her authority in a single moment.Lynn's personal story proves equally compelling. Adopted at three days old, she grew up feeling specially selected: "My mother wanted me enough that she prayed and prayed till I was a special present to her." This perspective shaped her identity and likely contributed to her drive for achievement. At 19, Lynn experienced devastating loss when her mother died suddenly at 51, forcing her to rebuild her life's foundation at a pivotal moment. These personal challenges forged in her the resilience needed to later break gender barriers professionally.For women navigating male-dominated spaces today, Lynn offers wisdom distilled from decades of experience: "Don't think about what you're not doing. Think about what you have done." Her story reminds us that confidence emerges not before challenges but through facing them—by working hard, showing up consistently, and gradually learning to believe in yourself even when you're charting unexplored territory. Ready to hear more stories of resilience and courage? Subscribe to Everyday Wonder Women for conversations with remarkable women overcoming extraordinary obstacles.