Kick-Ass Women of the Carolinas

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Tonya Matthews, CEO of the International African American Museum, a powerhouse bioengineer and a recognized poet. Together, we discuss how being kick-ass is all about "weathering the storm" and how she balances high-level intellectual drive with a deep-seated need for unifying communities. Highlights include the power of complexity, the distinctions of leading in the unique cultural landscape of the Carolinas, and her strategy of prioritizing values to find common ground. From "rest on the run" as the secret to resilience to the importance of having your own shade of lipstick, Dr. Matthews offers a blueprint for visionary leadership and authentic living.  Find Dr. Matthews on LinkedIn @tonya-m-matthews. Find us on Instagram @cressence.co, LinkedIn @BetsyFleming or the web www.cressence.co.

Cat Carter is a restaurateur, magazine editor, food writer, and former consultant who opened Charlotte’s gastronomic giant, L’Ostrica, with her partner (in food and in life), Eric Ferguson in 2024. A citizen of the world, Cat grew up in a bicultural home and on military bases all over the globe. She brings flavors and learnings from multiple cultures into her restaurant and our conversation. Cat shares her sliding door moment of leaving a consulting job to enter the food world and how understanding the language of people and teams has been critical to her success (whether in a new country or business setting.) We discuss her values of curiosity and freedom, how her through-line and love language has always been food, and why vulnerability benefits both the individual and the community. Cat sheds light on the Carolinas as a unique growing region and a place whose strength resides in the fact that much of its contemporary culture is open for definition. Join us for this delicious episode! Find Cat on Instagram @ lostrica_clt, lostrica_mkt or cat_yi_carter. Find us on Instagram @cressence.co, LinkedIn @BetsyFleming or the web www.cressence.co.

Elizabeth Bradford, renowned artist and self-described naturalist, inspires one to slow down, breathe deeper and focus on essentials. Asserting that kickass is all about "owning your power unashamedly and unabashedly," she has been making extraordinary marks and embracing her power since an early age. Elizabeth makes the case for why we shouldn't play small, how constancy reshaped her perspective on aging, and how to reframe perfectionism. This conversation is about nurturing a sense of wonder and adventure -- in nature, in art and in life.  Find us on Instagram @cressence.co LinkedIn @BetsyFleming or the web www.cressence.co.  Find Elizabeth on Instagram @elizabethbradford or the web @ https://www.elizabethbradford.com/.

Fierce optimism grounds this conversation with Dianne Bailey, Bank of America's Managing Director and National Philanthropic Strategy Executive. A self-proclaimed "warrior for good" who evangelizes the power of the collective, Dianne has crafted her own unique pathway from traditional corporate lawyer to national leader who facilitates private giving for public good. Join us for this inspiring conversation that promises a sense of abundance and gratitude!    Find us on Instagram @cressence.co, the web www.cressence.co or LinkedIn @BetsyFleming.   Find Dianne on LinkedIn @Dianne Chipps Bailey

Raised in a traditional, Southern home by parents who held conventional roles, Susan Hull Walker could have easily followed suit. Instead, she chose to live life from the inside out—listening deeply to her inner yearnings and seeking out an unconventional path. Susan set aside her role as religious leader and picked up a new cloth, literally, with the launch of The Ibu Movement—curating luxury handcrafted textiles and home goods made by women globally. This beautifully bold conversation offers wonderful lessons in how to create a life, not just live it.    Find us on Instagram @cressence.co, LinkedIn @BetsyFleming or the web www.cressence.co.  Find Susan on Instagram @ibumovement, LinkedIn Ibu Movement, Pinterest Ibu Movement, or the web ibumovement.org.

A boundary-breaking leader who loves people, Stella Patterson has elevated to the highest ranks of law enforcement, having served as Raleigh's Chief of Police and now beginning her tenure as Charlotte-Mecklenburg's first woman police chief. Kind, strong and real, Stella shares her amazing professional journey, which includes a tour in Iraq, and how a determined introvert grew into a magnetic, deeply authentic public servant and leader. Find us on Instagram @cressence.co, LinkedIn @BetsyFleming or the web www.cressence.co. Find Stella on Instagram @ estelladpatterson and LinkedIn @ Stella Patterson.

Elizabeth Davis is president of the 200-year-old Furman University in Greenville, SC. She has shattered multiple glass ceilings, doesn’t take herself too seriously, prioritizes fairness, and has even played with Wynton Marsalis! In this episode, she shares how making the first overture created limitless opportunity for her professionally, the dynamic between risky decisions and deeply-held values, and the nuances of living in different parts of the American South. With grace, humility and humor as her secret weapons, listen to learn more about how Dr. Davis has written her own powerful story. Find us on Instagram @cressence.co, LinkedIn @BetsyFleming or the web www.cressence.co.  Find Elizabeth through https://www.furman.edu.

Liz Clasen-Kelly, CEO of Roof Above in Charlotte, exemplifies servant leadership. In this episode, she shares her journey of growing from a shy, observant child whose heart would hurt for others into a deeply caring, tougher-skinned leader whose life work is to end homelessness. Liz describes the drawbacks and gifts of being a people-pleaser and why faith, curiosity and listening are the tools she values most. Liz also considers why, at her core, she is more an activist leader than a CEO, and how she made the decision to step out of direct service and into executive leadership. Join us for an incredible dose of kindness and ambition!   Find us on Instagram @cressence.co, LinkedIn @BetsyFleming or the web www.cressence.co.  Find Liz on Instagram @roofabove, LinkedIn @liz clasen-kelly, Facebook Roof Above | Charlotte NC | Facebook   or the web Roof Above - Uniting the community to end homelessness - Roof Above.

Revered for the powerful way she tells others' stories, Hannah Hasan now shares her own book of stories. Join us for a provocative, generous love letter to family, community, risk taking and brand building. Hannah shares her experiences in navigating difference with respect to race and faith in the Carolinas, and how embracing the messiness of ourselves and others is essential to cultivating belonging and deeper understanding. Poet, playwright, performer and entrepreneur, Hannah models what it's like to live a truly creative, one-of-a-kind, kick-ass life.  Find us on Instagram @cressence.co, the web www.cressence.co or LinkedIn @BetsyFleming.  Find Hannah on Instagram @iamhannahhasan or LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamhannahhasan/.  Booking inquiries can be made using the link at hannahhasan.com.

Leading from the heart--what it is and how to do it--is the central theme of this conversation with Sherri Chisholm, Executive Director of Leading on Opportunity in Charlotte. Curious, intense, candid, vulnerable and fun, Sherri exemplifies the courage, conviction and groundedness it takes to be truly authentic as a leader. She shares how her childhood of hanging drywall and using power tools taught her the value of hard work. She also talks about making the hard choice to leave corporate consulting to follow her calling.  Find us on Instagram @cressence.co, LinkedIn @BetsyFleming or the web www.cressence.co.  Find Sherri on Instagram @opportunityclt, LinkedIn@Sherri-Chisholm or the web https://www.leadingonopportunity.org/.

This episode is a masterclass in how to succeed with authenticity and integrity, even at the highest levels of corporate America. From her modest small-town upbringing to becoming the highest ranking woman at Bank of America, Andrea Smith's career and impact have spanned corporate banking and HR, economic development, nonprofit management and professional sports. Andrea possesses a confidence and clarity that is both humbling and captivating. She discusses her drive for fairness, her take on networking, her perspective on when to say yes (and no) to professional opportunities, and her love of Maya Angelou. There are so many tips for being kick-ass, so be prepared to take notes!  Find us on Instagram @cressence.co LinkedIn @BetsyFleming or the web www.cressence.co.  Find Andrea on LinkedIn @andrea-smith-5607081b5/

With a captivating Irish brogue and audacious "let's see" approach to risk, Sarah Moriarty shares stories of a multi-countried and multi-cultural life. Arriving in Charleston in 2021 and now serving as Executive Director of the Charleston Literary Festival, she talks about the challenges and joys of culture shock, the healing power of nature and the unexpected connections between Charleston, Dublin and Berlin. Sarah also speaks intimately about the power of simple words of affirmation and how even the tiniest of children can be role models. Find us on Instagram @cressence.co,  LinkedIn @BetsyFleming or the web www.cressence.co. Find Sarah on LinkedIn @sarahpmoriarty or the web www.charlestonliteraryfestival.com.

In this vulnerable, powerful episode, Janeen Bryant reflects on kick-ass women as healers, warriors and outlaws across generations. Educator, facilitator, entrepreneur, and currently Executive Director of Community Building Initiative in Charlotte, Janeen shares how a dog named Fatback taught her about love, loyalty and loss, and how her purpose as connector is rooted in family reunions run by her grandmothers. She talks about how "sometimes you need someone to speak life into you" as well as the importance of giving yourself permission to show up differently.  Find us on Instagram @cressence.co, the web www.cressence.co or LinkedIn @BetsyFleming.   Find Janeen on Instagram @cbicharlotte, the web www.cbicharlotte.org or LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/janeen-bryant-facmov

Award-winning author of 3 novels, The Iguana Tree (2012), Border Child (2017) and the forthcoming Fig Days (2027), Michel Stone's storytelling is deeply rooted in the distinct people and place of SC's Lowcountry. In this episode, Michel talks about turning our kryptonite into our superpower, how kindness and vulnerability are critical aspects of kick-assery, and the power that comes from having good friends who ask the hard questions.  Find us on Instagram @cressence.co, the web www.cressence.co or LinkedIn @BetsyFleming.   Find Michel on Instagram @michel.stone.writes or the web www.michelstone.com

Get ready for a "run through the sprinkler!" Audra Toussaint, Director of Support at Orijin, a public benefits corporation dedicated to providing educational tablets to incarcerated individuals, serves as the President of the Board of Directors for the Umbrella Center Foundation, where she is working to establish a Family Justice Center in Mecklenburg County, NC. A domestic violence survivor, Audra shares how she moved from victim to survivor and thriver, discusses the power of vulnerability and forgiveness, and considers the gifts that imperfect parents offer their children. Find us on Instagram @cressence.co, LinkedIn @BetsyFleming and the web www.cressence.co. Find Audra on LinkedIn @audra toussaint, mba and through www.umbrellacenter.org.

Monique Perry-Graves is a model for being both bold and intentionally self-reflective. The first statewide Executive Director for Teach for America North Carolina and now new CEO of Road to Hire, Dr. Graves speaks to the powerful combination of high expectations and support, the potency of boldly seeking out and asking for what you want, and her clarity of purpose--Lift. She shares how risk is relative and how the Carolinas set the standard for community collaboration.  Find us on Instagram @cressence.co, LinkedIn @BetsyFleming and the web www.cressence.co.  Find Monique on LinkedIn @monique-perry-graves and through www.roadtohire.org.

The willingness to speak truth to power grounds this conversation with Laura Yates Clark, currently President of the Foundation for the Carolinas. Community-builder and change-maker in Charlotte NC, Laura discusses the importance of women supporting women, the risks and rewards of navigating uncharted waters as a leader, and how a good laugh always lightens her load. Join us now for this kick-ass conversation! Find us on Instagram @cressence.co, the web www.cressence.co or LinkedIn @BetsyFleming. Find Laura on LinkedIn @Laura Yates Clark.

Kick-Ass Women of the Carolinas features dynamic, deeply connecting conversations with phenomenal women who are reshaping the narrative of success for women and girls of the Carolinas. Betsy Fleming, South Carolina native, museum director, college president and executive coach, dives in with these powerhouse women to understand how they navigate work and life on their own terms, with authenticity and without apology.  Tune in to discover new role models and gain inspiration.