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Sara Hirsh Bordo is a 15-time award-winning filmmaker and Founder/CEO of Women Rising®, named “One of the Most Innovative, Interesting, and Purpose-Driven Women-Led Startups to Watch” by Inc. Magazine. 

She is currently directing short documentary films for Toyota and ESPN Women, and most recently executive producer of ConnectHer International Film Festival, consulting director for the Gates Foundation PitchFest Program, and the author and researcher behind the first proprietary quantitative survey at the intersection of female empowerment and health, Autoimmunity and the Good Girls™. 

Sara previously held positions in media and entertainment, including Executive Director of Interactive Marketing at Paramount Pictures, VP of Digital Marketing at MGM Studios, and CEO and Co-Founder of NowLive. 

Autoimmunity and the Good Girls: How Permission to Put Ourselves First Has the Power to Keep Us Well is her first book. 

To learn more about Sara Hirsh Bordo:

Instagram: @sarahirshbordo

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This episode used the following music:

Time to Shine by tubebackr & Popsicles

https://soundcloud.com/tubebackr

https://soundcloud.com/popsiclesmusic

Creative Commons — Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported — CC BY-ND 3.0

Free Download / Stream: https://www.audiolibrary.com.co/tubebackr-and-popsicles/time-to-shine

Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/Cvbjhx6X4ZY

In this episode of Revolutionary Woman, Lorna Tallowin shares her experience navigating premature birth, neonatal intensive care, and the often-overlooked mental health challenges faced by NICU families. She discusses how her own journey as a NICU parent inspired her to create support for families of preemie babies while raising awareness about PTSD, anxiety, and emotional recovery after a neonatal stay.

Lorna Tallowin is the co-founder of SuperDinky, a UK-based brand creating thoughtfully designed clothing and meaningful products for premature and NICU families. 

The business was born from Lorna’s own experience as a mum, after her son arrived at just 31 weeks, and she saw first-hand how isolating and overwhelming neonatal care can be. With a background in both fashion and the charity sector, Lorna partnered with her friend — a neonatal nurse — to build SuperDinky into a mission-led business that supports families emotionally as well as practically. From preemie vests to NICU-proud clothing, SuperDinky exists to create moments of comfort and connection during an incredibly hard time.

Today, SuperDinky is also tackling the long-term impact of neonatal care. Around 40% of NICU families experience symptoms of PTSD, and in response, the SuperDinky Foundation has been established. The foundation will deliver projects focused on both the reduction of and the treatment of PTSD in both creative and evidence-based ways. Through this work, Lorna is mobilising people who have been affected by PTSD to be part of the solution and to show that business can be a force for good. 

To learn more about Lorna Tallowin and SuperDinky:

Website: https://superdinky.co.uk/

Email: lorna@superdinky.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorna.tallowin/

Award-winning communication coach, corporate trainer, and financial educator Victoria Ferrer

joins Tes of Revolutionary Woman to discuss confidence, public speaking, executive presence,

cultural intelligence, financial education, and women in leadership. Victoria shares how personal

experiences shaped her passion for helping people communicate with impact, build financial

security, and lead with purpose.

Maria Victoria “Vicky” Ferrer is an award-winning Corporate Trainer and Communication

Coach who empowers adults and teens to rise with confidence, clarity, and cultural

intelligence. With a career spanning continents, she transforms how people speak, lead, and

perform by blending behavioral science, improvisation, executive presence training, and

deep global insight. A four-time Distinguished Toastmaster and recipient of Toastmasters

International’s prestigious 2022 President’s Citation Award, Vicky leads with both vision

and heart.

Having lived in the Middle East for more than two decades, she served as a training

consultant to five American university branch campuses—Georgetown University, Texas

A&M, Carnegie Mellon, Weill Cornell, and Virginia Commonwealth University—where she

designed and delivered programs in leadership communication, intercultural competence,

professional presence, classroom facilitation, and high-stakes presentations.

Across corporate and academic environments, Vicky has trained business owners, senior

leaders, managers, women professionals, and emerging talent in executive communication,

persuasive storytelling, negotiation presence, crisis communication, team dynamics,

emotional intelligence, stakeholder engagement, and speaking with authority under

pressure. She is known for helping high performers articulate ideas with impact, navigate

multicultural workplaces, influence decision-makers, and step confidently into visible

leadership roles.

Through powerful training, mentorship, and advocacy for lifelong learning, she champions

the belief that every voice deserves to be heard and every individual has the capacity to lead

with purpose. Vicky isn’t just building speakers or leaders—she’s building changemakers.

To learn more about Victoria Ferrer:

Website: https://victoriaferrerllc.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victoriamferrer/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vmferrer/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vferrerbdbamboo

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This episode used the following music:

Time to Shine by tubebackr & Popsicles

https://soundcloud.com/tubebackr

https://soundcloud.com/popsiclesmusic

Creative Commons — Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported — CC BY-ND 3.0

Free Download / Stream: https://www.audiolibrary.com.co/tubebackr-and-popsicles/time-to-shine

Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/Cvbjhx6X4ZY

Dawn D. Boyer, Ph.D. completed her Doctor of Philosophy in Education (Occupational & Technical Studies, with a concentration in Training & Development in Human Resources) from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA, in 2013. She has been an entrepreneur and business owner for 25+ years, currently in her consulting firm, D.Boyer Consulting, serving Virginia Beach, …

Season 10 Ep 4: Dawn Boyer- PhD, Owner, Dawn Boyer Consulting Read More »

She was just 3 years old… pretending to be asleep in the back of a car during a tense border crossing.

In this episode of the Revolutionary Woman Podcast, Tes Silverman sits down with Gordana Angelic Davila, co-owner of Redbud Café, to share a story shaped by escape, resilience, and starting over.

Born in the former Yugoslavia, Gordana’s family fled political pressure and uncertainty, moving through Italy before building a new life in the United States. From language barriers and life-or-death moments as a child interpreter… to becoming a writer, editor, and eventually a café owner known for creating a true sense of community—her story is anything but ordinary.

Inside this episode, you’ll hear:
• What it was like growing up between countries and cultures
• The quiet pressure of “just keep going” and how it shaped her life
• The challenges of starting a small business from the ground up
• Why creating a space of belonging became her mission
• The mindset that carried her from survival to success

Gordana’s journey is a powerful reminder that even the hardest beginnings can lead to something meaningful.
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Gordana Andjelic-Davila is the co-owner of The Red Bud Cafe, a cozy and creative space known for its soulful atmosphere and signature crêpes.

She previously worked as a writer and editor in Australia and has a background in creative services spanning New York, San Francisco, and Melbourne. Born in the former Yugoslavia, Gordana’s family left due to political circumstances, first settling in Italy before eventually making the United States their permanent home.

Her journey deeply informs her love of community, storytelling, and creating spaces where people feel a sense of belonging.

To learn more about Gordana Anjelic-Davila and The Red Bud Cafe:
Website: https://theredbud.cafe/
Twitter: https://x.com/bud_cafe
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redbudcafedaytona/#
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redbudcafe
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@redbudcafe_daytona?_r=1&_t=ZT-94wQdCXwQ8s
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This episode used the following music:

Time to Shine by tubebackr & Popsicles

https://soundcloud.com/tubebackr

https://soundcloud.com/popsiclesmusic

Creative Commons — Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported — CC BY-ND 3.0

Free Download / Stream: https://www.audiolibrary.com.co/tubebackr-and-popsicles/time-to-shine

Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/Cvbjhx6X4ZY

In this episode of Revolutionary Women, Tes speaks with Deepa Ananthapadmanabhan, CEO and co-founder of the Susterra Foundation, about climate change, mental health, and community impact.

They discuss how climate change affects daily life, the importance of local solutions, and why mentorship is key to building stronger, more resilient communities.

Deepa Ananthapadmanabhan has been involved in the development sector for over a decade. She is the CEO and co-founder of Sustera Foundation (an NPO working in the space of climate change and sustainable development). 

Her main focus is on creating resilient communities through the engagement of youth and women via capacity building, community projects and climate literacy. 

Being a parent,teacher, traveler and planet lover has shown her the importance of being empathetic, resourceful, dynamic and collaborative to create networks for impactful work.

To learn more about Deepa Ananthapadmanabhan and Sustera Foundation:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/aquadeepa4?igsh=bm9sZDF2ZDNjeDJx

IG: https://www.instagram.com/sustera_org?igsh=dzNhMm16bjI4YjRv

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sustera-foundation/posts/

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This episode used the following music:

Time to Shine by tubebackr & Popsicles

https://soundcloud.com/tubebackr

https://soundcloud.com/popsiclesmusic

Creative Commons — Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported — CC BY-ND 3.0

Free Download / Stream: https://www.audiolibrary.com.co/tubebackr-and-popsicles/time-to-shine

Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/Cvbjhx6X4ZY

What does it really look like to lead a company, raise a family, and build something meaningful at the same time?

In this episode of Revolutionary Women, Tes Silverman sits down with Brandy Thompson, CEO and Founder of BenefitBay, for an honest conversation about leadership, motherhood, and taking a path that doesn’t always look traditional.

Brandy shares how she moved from finance and HR into the CEO role, and how her experience as a mother of six shaped the way she leads. She talks about building a company rooted in empathy, creating space for real-life responsibilities, and why understanding people matters just as much as performance in today’s workplace.

You’ll also hear how BenefitBay is helping reshape employee health benefits through ICHRA (Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements), giving both employers and employees more flexibility and choice.

This episode is for women in leadership, working moms, entrepreneurs, and anyone figuring out their next step while juggling real life.

One of the most meaningful takeaways from this conversation:
“You don’t have to have followed the yellow brick road to get to where you are.”

Brandy Thompson is the CEO and Founder of benefitbay®, a Kansas City based health benefits

technology company focused on modernizing how employers deliver coverage through ICHRAs.

She is a mother of six and has built her company with an intentionally people-first approach,

including hiring frontline team members with backgrounds in education and healthcare to deliver

a more empathetic enrollment experience.

Brandy’s leadership story is rooted in values-based decision-making, building at a sustainable

pace, and designing a workplace that supports real life responsibilities, especially for working

parents.

To learn more about Brandy Thompson:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandy-thompson-24389536/

To learn more about benefitbay:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/benefitbay

In this episode of Revolutionary Woman, Tes Silverman sits down with Nikki Padilla Rivera, co-founder of She Shapes History NYC, to explore women’s history, storytelling, and the hidden contributions of women in New York City. With a background in travel, tourism, and brand marketing, Nikki shares how her work is helping uncover overlooked female leaders and reshape how we understand history. This conversation highlights women’s impact, cultural storytelling, and the growing movement to recognize the voices and achievements of women who have long been left out.

Nikki Padilla Rivera is co-owner of She Shapes History NYC which shares the hidden history of women who built NYC.  By day she’s a brand marketer and lives with her two small kids in Queens, NYC.  Instagram is her social media of choice and she could eat Vietnamese food every day if given the option.

To learn more about Nikki Padilla Rivera and She Shapes History:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikkiblp/?hl=en

Website: ​​https://sheshapeshistory.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/sheshapeshistorynyc/?hl=en

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This episode used the following music:

Time to Shine by tubebackr & Popsicles

https://soundcloud.com/tubebackr

https://soundcloud.com/popsiclesmusic

Creative Commons — Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported — CC BY-ND 3.0

Free Download / Stream: https://www.audiolibrary.com.co/tubebackr-and-popsicles/time-to-shine

Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/Cvbjhx6X4ZY

In this episode of Revolutionary Women, host Tess Silverman speaks with Charlotte Kemmeren, a social work educator and researcher at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences whose work focuses on community building, social justice education, and inclusive learning environments. Charlotte works closely with students to create spaces where diverse voices can be heard, difficult topics can be explored, and meaningful dialogue can take place.

Growing up in the Netherlands, Charlotte became aware of inequality at a young age. That awareness later shaped her academic path in anthropology and urban geography and eventually led her to teaching and community-centered work in higher education.

In this conversation, Charlotte reflects on the importance of creating spaces where students can speak openly about identity, justice, and social change. She also shares insights from her work with the SESI Community Center, a student-led initiative that amplifies underrepresented perspectives and encourages dialogue around intersectionality and social impact.

Charlotte Kemmeren is a teacher in Social Work and a researcher at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. She is committed to fostering inclusive learning environments in which students and teachers can share diverse perspectives and engage in critical reflection. While she recognizes that a fully just society may be unattainable, she believes that education and communities that amplify multiple voices can create hope and meaningful opportunities. In her teaching, Charlotte addresses themes such as urban inequality and solidarity. Previously, she spent five years as project manager of the SESI Community Center, an intersectional platform for student engagement where students took the lead in developing programs that claimed institutional space for underexposed topics.

To learn more about Charlotte Kemmeren and SESI:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-kemmeren-6b7882106/

IG: @sesicommunitycenter

Key Topics in This Episode

• Community building and social justice education
• Inclusive learning environments in higher education
• Youth engagement and student leadership
• Creating space for underrepresented voices
• The role of educators in supporting diverse perspectives

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This episode used the following music:

Time to Shine by tubebackr & Popsicles

https://soundcloud.com/tubebackr

https://soundcloud.com/popsiclesmusic

Creative Commons — Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported — CC BY-ND 3.0

Free Download / Stream: https://www.audiolibrary.com.co/tubebackr-and-popsicles/time-to-shine

Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/Cvbjhx6X4ZY

In this episode of Revolutionary Women, Tess Silverman speaks with Starre Vartan about the science behind women’s strength, endurance, and long-term health. Drawing from research in exercise science, female physiology, and longevity studies, Starre explains how cultural assumptions have shaped what we believe about women’s bodies — and what the data actually shows. From bone density and strength training to the overlooked advantages of endurance and recovery, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on women’s health and physical capability.

Starre Vartan is the author of The Stronger Sex: What Science Tells Us About the Power of the Female Body, and a science and environment journalist who regularly contributes to National Geographic, CNN, Scientific American, and The Washington Post. A former geologist, she still picks up rocks wherever she goes, and she’s an avid wildswimmer, ecstatic dancer, weightlifter and trailrunner. A dual citizen of the US and Australia, she splits her time between the Pacific Northwest and the Illawarra coast of Australia south of Sydney. 

To learn more about Starre Vartan and her book, The Stronger Sex:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starrevartan/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecurioushumana

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/starrevartan/

In this episode of Revolutionary Women, I speak with Kyla Reynolds P’an, Head of Development for Pangea Trust, a UK–Portugal charity building Europe’s first large-scale elephant sanctuary in Portugal’s Alentejo region.

Pangea Trust is creating a sanctuary for elephants currently living in captivity across Europe, offering a lifelong home designed for recovery, space, and social connection. We discuss what it takes to build an elephant sanctuary from the ground up, from fundraising and public awareness to infrastructure, international logistics, and preparing for the arrival of Kariba, the sanctuary’s first elephant, expected in 2026.

Beyond wildlife conservation, this conversation explores career evolution, living between cultures, and how seasons of work, including raising a family, shape the paths we take later. Kyla shares what it looks like to step into a new chapter with clarity and purpose.

If you’re interested in elephant conservation, nonprofit leadership, philanthropy in Europe, or stories of women creating change in their communities, this episode offers both depth and perspective.

Kyla Reynolds P’an is Head of Development for Pangea Trust, a UK/Portugal based charity building Europe’s largest and most comprehensive elephant sanctuary in the Alentejo region of Portugal. The sanctuary will serve as a compassionate solution for Europe’s zoos and circuses seeking a life-long home for their elephants. Kyla holds a Master’s in Journalism and is the mom of two teenagers. She has more than 20 years of front-line development experience under her belt, including the Smithsonian Institution, Boston University, Harvard Medical School and Mass Audubon.

To Learn More about Kyla Reynolds P’an:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyla-p-an-59b1131/

To learn more about Pangea Trust:

Home – Pangea Trust

(2) Pangea Trust: Posts | LinkedIn

(20+) Facebook

(7) Instagram

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Time to Shine by tubebackr & Popsicles

https://soundcloud.com/tubebackr

https://soundcloud.com/popsiclesmusic

Creative Commons — Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported — CC BY-ND 3.0

Free Download / Stream: https://www.audiolibrary.com.co/tubebackr-and-popsicles/time-to-shine

Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/Cvbjhx6X4ZY

Teagan Vaughn is a Fundraising Officer at St. Paul’s Youth Forum in Glasgow, Scotland and a 2025 Time to Shine Leader with The Rank Foundation.  Teagan specialises in fundraising strategy, social media management, and welfare consultancy. Her work focuses on alleviating poverty and strengthening community resilience through initiatives that promote wellbeing and healthy living. She …

Season 9 Ep. 16: Teagan Vaughn, Fundraising Officer at St. Paul’s Youth Forum- Breaking the Cycle of Poverty Through Community Action Read More »

Mary Fusillo is a registered nurse and founder of Family Solutions International, with decades of experience in infertility care, egg donation, surrogacy, and third-party reproduction. Her work focuses on ethical fertility practices, patient advocacy, and helping families navigate complex reproductive decisions with clarity and care.

Mary M. Fusillo, RN, BSN, MS is the founder and CEO of Family Solutions International. Mary was introduced to the area of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility while facing her own challenge of having children.

As the Clinical Nursing Director of an Infertility clinic in Houston, she was instrumental in starting the Donor Egg program and recruiting their first donors. This program went from one donor in the Fall of 1999 to over 120 in 2004.

Moving to the greater Washington, D.C. area, Mary becomes the Clinical Infertility Nursing Director at one of the oldest and most prestigious infertility clinics in the United States. With over 200 cycles of donor egg per year, managing donors and recipients while introducing new recruitment methods was a challenge.

Recruited by one of the largest Pharmacy Benefit Management companies to run their Donor Egg pharmacy program, she traveled all over the country, consulting large and small clinics on issues that affect egg donation nationwide.

She is a member of the Nurses Professional Group of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, a former National Board Member of RESOLVE, Inc., as well as a member of ASRM and ESHRE. Her volunteer work in the field of infertility led her to found “Donor Moms, a network of support for mothers via egg donation”.

In 2007 Mary started The Donor Solution. On August 14, 2007, the website went live, and she started recruiting donors, and the company had its first match in October 2007. She started with only 19 donors but a short time later she had recruited 100’s of screened donors to meet a burgeoning need for alternatives to the small donor pools found in IVF clinics.  After feeling like The Donor Solution was doing well, Mary launched 3 Sisters Surrogacy in

2012, because she saw a need for people who needed both donor eggs and surrogacy. In 2018,Mary put The Donor Solution and 3 Sisters Surrogacy under the Family Solutions International umbrella as a bridge to the domestic and international community. In 2020, she started The Fertility Consultants with the mission to assist intended parents in navigating the challenges of 3rd Party reproduction and finally merged all the companies together under the FSI umbrella.

In the fall of 2019, Mary started a Ph.D. program in bioethics, over her 25+ years of infertility and 35 years in healthcare, she was constantly confronted with moral and ethical issues. Even now, a single embryo transfer is fraught with issues of people wanting twins. She decided to get her Ph.D. in bioethics because she wanted to understand the ethical aspects of this biological field deeper and felt there needed to be an ethicist who had a very deep background in infertility.

To learn more about Mary Fusillo and Family Solutions International:

Website: https://familysolutionsinternational.com/

@the_eggsplantion_pod

@thedonorsolution

@3sisterssurro

@familysolutionsinternational

@thefertilityconsultants

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Time to Shine by tubebackr & Popsicles

https://soundcloud.com/tubebackr

https://soundcloud.com/popsiclesmusic

Creative Commons — Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported — CC BY-ND 3.0

Free Download / Stream: https://www.audiolibrary.com.co/tubebackr-and-popsicles/time-to-shine

Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/Cvbjhx6X4ZY

Marilyn Cornelius is a behavior change specialist, coach, facilitator, speaker, author, and teacher.

She is the founder of Alchemus Prime, a multinational leadership and
wellness company. She integrates behavioral sciences, design thinking, biomimicry and meditation to support empowerment, change management, trauma healing, leadership development, and climate change resilience for diverse leaders.

Marilyn is the author of 48 popular books on topics such as self-love,
positivity, trauma, leadership, healthy eating, and meditation.

To learn more about Marilyn Cornelius:

Grace Robinson is a Java Champion and Product Manager at IBM, having been at IBM since graduating from University with a Degree in Biology. Grace enjoys bringing a varied perspective to her projects and using her knowledge of biological systems to simplify complex software patterns. Previously, as a developer advocate for 8 years, Grace built POC’s, demos, sample applications and tutorials. Now, as Product Manager for the dev experience of IBM’s Java portfolio, she’s combining her experience and passion for development with her MBA and leadership skills to help drive the strategy and future direction of IBM’s Java tools.

To learn more about Grace Robinson:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gljrobinson/