r(E)volutionary Woman

Today, Tes talks with Katherine Lucey. Katherine is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Solar Sister, a social enterprise investing in women entrepreneurs to bring clean energy access to off-grid communities in sub-Saharan Africa.

Katherine is a Schwab Foundation Entrepreneur of the Year, an Ashoka Fellow,
and a Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation Entrepreneur. She has received recognition and
awards for her work with Solar Sister including Forbes “50 Over 50 Women of Impact”, Clinton
Global Initiative, Social Venture Network, C3E, and International Center for Research on
Women (ICRW) Champion of Change Award.

She holds an MBA from Georgia State University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from the University of Georgia. Prior to becoming a social entrepreneur, Katherine spent over 20 years as an investment banker on Wall Street providing structured finance solutions to the energy sector.

Social Media:
Twitter: @Solar_Sister and @KatherineHLucey
Instagram: @iamsolarister
Facebook: Solar Sister
Linkedin:
Katherine Lucey https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherinelucey/
Solar Sister https://www.linkedin.com/company/solar

Today, Tes talks with Gae Polisner. Gae is the award-winning author of six novels including the multi-award winning THE MEMORY OF THINGS which is used in schools around the country. A family law attorney and mediator by trade, but a writer by calling, Gae lives on Long Island with her husband, two sons, and a suspiciously-fictional-looking small dog she swore she’d never own. She is an avid swimmer and, when not writing, can be found in the open waters of the Long Island Sound. Her next book is forthcoming from Henry Holt in 2022. You may follow her on twitter and Instagram @gaepol, on facebook at gaepolisnerauthor, and find her books wherever books are sold.

SEVEN CLUES TO HOME “… a modern-day Bridge to Terabithia.” – Booklist. Junior Library Guild selection, now available from Alfred A Knopf/RHC.

JACK KEROUAC IS DEAD TO ME “… consider her to be the best voice in the YA contemporary space.” – YA Books Central. Now available Wednesday Books/St. Martin’s Press. Also on audiobook!

IN SIGHT OF STARS, from Wednesday Books/St. Martin’s Press. Booklist, Starred Review. Winner, 2018 AudioFile Earphones Award; 2020 Keystone to Reading nominee; 2019 Wisconsin State “Just One More Page” selection; 2019 Teen Choice Book Award nominee.

THE MEMORY OF THINGS, Winner, 2019 Golden Archer Wisconsin’s Children’s Choice Book Award; 2017 Wisconsin State “Just One More Page” selection; repeat NYLA Three Apples Book Award finalist; Keystone to Reading Book Award finalist; Nerdy Book Club Best, 2016; New York Times, Huffington Post, and New York Daily News, reviews. Now out on audio!

Check out all my books here: http://gaepolisner.com/
Follow Gae Polisner:
IG: @gaepol
Twister: @gaepol
Facebook: https://www.gaepolisner.com/

Today, Tes speaks with Sema Başol. Sema, who is Turkish-American, is a global marketing and public relations executive with over 35 years of experience both in the U.S. and in Turkey.

Sema is the co-founder of Turkish-Women’s Initiative, a US-based non-profit, founded
in 2008, that promotes the advancement of women through innovative community-
based programs. She is also the founder of Change Leaders Association based in
Turkey that provides leadership skills training for university women through its Sparks
Program. Close to 500 young women have graduated from this program. The social
change projects they have created and implemented have touched the lives of
hundreds of thousands of people. The stories of the graduates are captured in Sema’s
first book “Sparks: transformational stories of young women who dream of a better
world” published in Turkey.

To learn more about Sema Basol:
Website: www.thetwi.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/turkishwomensinitiative
IG: https://www.instagram.com/turkishwomensinitiative/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thetwi/

Today, Tes talks with Valerie Bennis. Valerie is an award winning aromatherapist who created the Essence of Vali line of therapeutic products. She recently started a new chapter with the launch of her company, Fragrant Notes, a lifestyle blog for women over 50. Her mission is to inspire women to love and appreciate ALL that they are through all the phases of their life with purpose, self-care, passion and creativity.

To learn more about Valerie Bennis:
For Fragrant Notes:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefragrantnote
Website: www.fragrantnotes.com

For Essence of Vali:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/essenceofvali
Website: www.essenceofvali.com

Today, Tes speaks with Chef Liz Thompson. Liz, a native New Yorker, started her first career in Advertising and Product Management after receiving her MBA in Marketing and Finance from Fordham University before she switched gears and attended the French Culinary Institute to become a pastry chef which has been her career path for the last 25 years. She worked in restaurants in New York for a few years before moving to Los Angeles to do an internship with Michelle Richard at restaurant Citrus.

After that, Liz did a quick stint with Food & Wines from France doing wine and food pairings, worked at Tryst Restaurant then moved to Checkers Hotel, a 5-star hotel, as pastry chef, for 5 years. She then went out on her own and opened “The Pig, Memphis Style BBQ” in West L.A. and Universal City Walk as co-owner which received accolades in The New York Times, Newsweek, Bon Appetit, Gourmet and was named “Best BBQ in Los Angeles” by Los Angeles Magazine 3 years in a row.

Liz then taught pastry and restaurant management at The Art Institute of California for 4 years
before moving on to Recipe Formulation and New Product Development, which has become her
passion. She loves to hyper focus on one ingredient and create countless different recipes
which allows her head to spin out creatively which is another area of her expertise.

Baking with Herbs
Liz is passionate about Baking with the natural flavor of fresh herbs from her garden which creates a unique taste experience. She takes any of her recipes, be it pastry or custards and infuses them through sugars, dairy and simple syrups to even make cocktails.

Imagine going into your garden and grabbing a handful of fresh basil, lemongrass, lavender and
even rose petals to transform your already fabulous crème brulee, into something even more
fabulous. The same goes for ice cream, cookies, chocolates and of course cocktails. How about
a Rose Petal and Lime Cosmopolitan in a glass rimmed with Rose Sugar?

Dive into the world of Baking with Herbs with us that has been in existence going back 2000
years ago to the Spice Trade when herbs were more valuable than gold. You will learn which
ingredient in to infuse depending on recipe, be it heavy cream, sugar or butter and the
differences in the methods of doing so.

We will create the following simple recipes that will awaken both your sense of taste and smell!

To learn more about Chef Liz Thompson:
IG: Realdesserts
FB: Chef Liz Thompson
Website: https://www.lizthompsonmarketing.com/

My guest today is Ewa Kuc. Ewa was born and raised in Poland. In 2007, after obtaining a master’s degree in Childhood Development with a specialization in Mass Media Education, she left Poland to become an AuPair in California, where she has settled, married and had her two daughters.

In 2012 she opened her first business, Ewa Samples Photography, recently rebranded into May The Art Be With You.

In January of 2022, Ewa joined Acton Academy, a network of independent owners of nontraditional schools and has since become the co-founder of Soaring – an Acton Academy – a non-profit private school in Morgan Hill, California.

She also hosts an annual event for kids, Children’s Business Fair, where for one day kids can become entrepreneurs and sell their products and services in person to the public.

Ewa is certified:
– Therapeutic Art Life Coach
– Life Story Coach.

She’s in the process of obtaining a license for Be Body Positive Facilitator Training and Mindfulness Life Coaching certification.

Her next life goal is to become a Body Image Life Coach for pre-teens, teens, and moms!

To learn more about Ewa:
IG: @ewa_samples
FB for Soaring Acton Academy: https://www.facebook.com/SoaringActonAcademy
FB for Morgan Hill Children’s Business Fair: https://www.facebook.com/MHChildrensBusinessFair
FB for May The Art Be With You: https://www.facebook.com/MaytheartbewithyouEwaSamples