Smarter Than Us

We're thrilled to welcome Kelly Catale for a powerful and uplifting conversation that dives deep into mental health, authentic advocacy, and the courage it takes to embrace new opportunities. Kelly brings wisdom, warmth, and a little magic—yes, we're talking about the transformative power of speed sparkles. You won't want to miss this inspiring episode! Kelly is the Founder and President of KellCat Devo (an all girls junior development mountain bike team), Executive Director of New England Youth Cycling, cycling coach, and former professional endurance mountain bike racer for Team KellCat. She is 3-time USA National Champion in singlespeed MTB and 3-time Team USA member for marathon mountain biking. Kelly believes strongly in giving back to the cycling community through youth cycling leadership, mentorship, and coaching, all with a focus on whole athlete development, fun, and a touch of speed sparkles. She has a degree in Biomedical Engineering and she worked in medical device technology development prior to joining the nonprofit world full time in 2024. Kelly is a mental health advocate who shares openly about her struggles with anxiety and depression, in an effort to help destigmatize mental health challenges and give others a sense of safety to discuss their own journey.  She is definitely smarter than us.     

This week's episode features two very special guests: Shannon's parents, Bob and Jean Poodiack of New Fairfield, Connecticut.  Bob and Jean both grew up in Danbury and met in the late 1950s—Bob was serving in the Marines, and Jean was working at McCrory's. They married in 1961 and moved into the home they still live in today. Now 85 and (almost) 89, Jean and Bob are beloved fixtures in their community. Bob was recently voted the most popular teacher in New Fairfield High School history, where he taught Social Studies until retirement. Before that, he made a name for himself at Meeting House Hill School—his science experiments were legendary (and occasionally explosive). Jean became a competitive runner in her 40's, starting from training with Bob daily, then beating her age group at races, qualifying for the Boston Marathon which she ran until age 60!   Jean also has several careers,  as a hairdresser, raising two children as a stay-at-home mom, and later opening a beauty shop at the local nursing home, where she worked until retiring.   They're still active—often spotted walking around town or playing fiercely competitive rounds of golf. Join Shannon and Susan as they sit down with Bob and Jean to talk about love, longevity, and life in a small town. The episode is out today!  

Our next guest is Dr. Kate Harris.  She is a Chiropractor, Runner, Mother of 4 and all around badass.  Kate was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, grew up in Leominster, went to school in Springfield, MA and New York, and now resides in Lancaster, Massachusetts.  She is the author of the children's book "Bennie the Backbone", a chiropractic book for children and parents to understand the value of chiropractic care for kids, and co-host of the podcast "Sunrise Sisters" where she and Shannon talk about life, running, friendship and whatever else is on their minds.  She is a wonderful friend, therapist and advisor, but she wouldn't hesitate to throw you in front of an attacker so she could get away!  Enjoy our next episode with Kate Harris.  

Our next guest is the generous and fabulous Betsy Bowman!  She's one of nine siblings and an extraordinary aunt to 28 nieces and nephews. Betsy is also a proud cat mom to the adorable Poppy.  By day, Betsy serves as a Restorative Practice Specialist at Cambridge Public Schools, helping students build stronger relationships and communities. She sits on the Board of the Haitian Project, championing education and opportunity. And through her unwavering dedication to the Pan-Mass Challenge, she's raised an astonishing $89,000 for cancer research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Betsy embraces adventure and travel and this summer she is walking the El Camino in Spain.   Betsy can sing, bake bread, speak 4 languages and might be one of the funniest people you'll ever meet.   Betsy's life is a masterclass in compassion, service, and fierce love—and we are thrilled to share her story with you.  

Our next guest is prize winning writer and visual Artist, Sheila Squillante! Sheila's writing includes the essay collection, All Things Edible, Random and Odd: Essays on Grief, Love and Food. She is the author of the poetry collections, Mostly Human, winner of the 2020 Wicked Woman Book Prize and Beautiful Nerve as well as four chapbooks of poetry: Dear Sunder (dancing girl, 2023), In This Dream of My Father (Seven Kitchens, 2014), Women Who Pawn Their Jewelry (Finishing Line, 2012) and A Woman Traces the Shoreline (dancing girl, 2011). The Brightest Days: New and Selected Poems is forthcoming from Braddock Avenue Books in 2025. Sheila is co-author, along with Sandra L. Faulkner, of the writing craft book, Writing the Personal: Getting Your Stories Onto the Page (Sense Publishers, 2015) and is currently at work on a memoir about her coming of age as a feminist as well as a documentary prose project about her mother's life. In addition to her work as a writer, Squillante is a visual artist. Her abstract paintings have been featured in Brevity and A-Minor Magazine and as cover art for Dogwood: A Journal of Poetry and Prose. She is a member of the Confluence Women's Art Collective in Pittsburgh, where she lives with a messy but sincere garden, two dogs, a bird, two teenagers, and a philosopher.

Join us for the first episode of Smarter Than Us, featuring guest Trisha Blanchet! Trisha is the author of The Neath Trilogy: Herrick's End, Herrick's Lie, and Herrick's Key. She's also a former reporter, magazine editor, and award-winning humor columnist. In 2013, she founded Operation Delta Dog: Service Dogs for Veterans, a nonprofit dedicated to helping veterans. Additionally, she works as a producer at A Mighty Blaze Podcast, an initiative launched in 2020 to support authors and indie bookstores during the Covid-19 crisis. A graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School at Syracuse University and UMass Amherst, Trisha is a proud member of the Tall Poppy Writers, the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA), and GrubStreet in Boston. She is a lifelong friend of Susan—and she is definitely smarter than us.

Welcome to the Smarter Than Us podcast!  We are Susan and Shannon, two friends who interview some of the smartest people we know. Well, one of us knows the guest, and the other host is meeting the guest for the first time.  Our podcast is like hanging out with new friends getting to know each other.  Our first episode drops tomorrow, May 13th!   These episodes are perfect for your walk, commute, or coffee break. Our guests come from diverse backgrounds, showcasing how everyone is an expert in their own story. We all have something smart to share, so have a listen.