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Dr. Hilary S. Berger, Ed.D., LPC. is the Founder & CEO of Work Like a Mother®, a nationwide & award-winning career counseling program for women, and is a Mental Health based Career Counselor and a Licensed Professional Counselor. She proudly serves working women, stay-at-home mothers, college students, graduates, and career changers at all stages of their lives. For over 20 years Hilary has passionately counseled mothers to re-build their professional purpose, career competencies, and most importantly their confidence while raising children. Hilary has partnered with indeed.com, pioneered and successfully served close to 3000 women through her solution-oriented comprehensive career counseling system designed exclusively through the unique lens of women’s life stages and the realities of mother’s lives. She has written articles on the Career Implications for Stay at Home Moms, runs career academies, career boot camps, and intensive career accelerator programs for large and small audiences of women across all stages of life and work. She has been privileged to present the Work Like a Mother® career development model at the global National Career Development Association annual conference and is honored to be interviewed by numerous media outlets to raise awareness about issues facing professional women who become mothers. She has contributed to segments on this topic for TV, Radio, and Print Publications for USA Today, CBS, CNBC, Good Housekeeping Magazine, 1010Wins, Al Jazeera, and News 8 Connecticut, and related podcasts including REvolutionary Woman and Single Process.Me. She is a highly experienced college administrator, counselor, and adjunct instructor in psychology and career services at both private universities and public community colleges. She recently served as a career advisor for Teachers College, Columbia University where she is an alumnus, is now proudly affiliated with Teachers College, Columbia University Alumni Career Coaching Program, and was honored to serve this past year as co-chair for the professional development committee for MNYCCPOA and was the recipient for the 2021 Alva Cooper Award for best practices and most innovative counseling model for women. She is now dedicated to shaping a new narrative and framework for young women in high school and college to have a career roadmap for their future where motherhood is recognized as a legitimate aspect of their career journey She is an advisory board member and instructor for the SHE WORKS program through Connecticut-based, Live Girl.

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/worklikeamother

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

Twitter: @WorkLikeMother

Laureen A. Kelley founded LA Kelley Communications, Inc., in 1990, after her child with hemophilia was born. She wanted to provide practical educational materials for families with bleeding disorders. Laurie is the author of 10 books on bleeding disorders, including Raising a Child with Hemophilia and Success as a Hemophilia Leader. She was founder and publisher of the Parent Empowerment Newsletter (PEN) for 31 years, and PEN’s Insurance Pulse for 11 years. Laurie also founded Project SHARE, a humanitarian program that donates millions of dollars’ worth of blood-clotting medicine annually to impoverished patients in developing countries. She is founder and president of Save One Life, a nonprofit child sponsorship agency for children with bleeding disorders in developing countries.

Laurie was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, and received her bachelor’s degree in child psychology from Regis College. She worked as a psychologist with handicapped children and adults for four years before earning her master’s degree in international economics and business from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. Laurie worked for six years as an economic consultant at DRI/McGraw-Hill, before devoting her life to helping patients with bleeding disorders.

To learn about Laurie Kelley:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurie.kelley.5
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaurieKelley2
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laureen-kelley-31bb3b6/

To learn about Save One Life:
https://saveonelife.net
IG: saveonelife
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SaveOneLifeOrg/
Twitter: @SaveOneLifeInc

Today, Tes talks with Shijuade Kadree. Shijuade is the Director of Diversity for Snap, Inc, the parent company of SnapChat. Prior to joining SnapChat, she was the Chief Advocacy Officer for The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center, as well as a legislative counsel for the New York City Council.

An alumna of Emory University, Shijuade graduated with a joint degree from the Schools of Law and Public Health. A former defense attorney with Brooklyn Defender Services, Shijuade has significant government relations, policy, strategic planning and stakeholder cultivation and engagement experience.
In addition to being the Director of Diversity for Snap, Inc, Shijuade is the Founder of Compass Strategies Consulting, which partners with organizations and community leaders to create effective management practices and powerful strategies for transformation. She has legislative and organizational policy drafting experience, and leadership and executive coaching practice, across multiple interests and sectors, which informs how she tailors her guidance and approach for each client.
Shijuade has worked with all levels of government, for-profit and nonprofit sectors, striving to ensure that the work being done is thoughtful, innovative, and inclusive, with an explicitly intersectional lens. She centers her work from a black, queer, feminist perspective, believing that when all of those needs are engaged and addressed, all will benefit from the outcome. A recipient of multiple awards for her work, she is also a sought after speaker, panelist and moderator. Shijuade resides in Atlanta with her wife and children.

Despite her rough childhood situation, Diena managed to win respectable scholarships: One year exchange student (AFS) in Delaware, USA, during her teenage era. She also won a scholarship from IKIP Jakarta for her university study. The last one was a scholarship to do her master’s degree in English Language Teaching in Warwick University, UK, from The British Council.

Before founding SEJIWA Foundation, Diena worked in several companies and as a lecturer in her alma mater. She had passion in training and developing human resources. She then formed Business Dynamics, a training and consulting company, serving national and international companies. Business Dynamics focused on developing leaders, managers, supervisors, and workers to create a positive work environment in order to improve productivity.

Later on, she found a call for humanity service, particularly in dealing with bullying issues in schools and homes in Indonesia. The deaths of students in schools due to hazing and bullying were considered just a phase of children’s lives. She then set up SEJIWA Foundation, a non-profit organization focusing on child protection. She managed the 2 entities at the same time. However, after 21 years of service in Business Dynamics, she finally decided to leave Business Dynamics and dedicate her time entirely to SEJIWA Foundation.
Diena plans to continue her work for children, ensuring children to live with dignity and respect in nurturing and safe environments.

To learn more about Diena Haryana:
Email: diena.haryana@gmail.com
Twitter: @DienaHaryana
IG: @dienaharyana

To Learn more about SEJIWA Foundation:
Website: http://www.sejiwa.org
Email: sejiwa.foundation@gmail.com
Twitter: @YayasanSejiwa
IG: @yayasansejiwa
YouTube: Yayasan SEJIWA

Today, Tes talks with Yvonne Watson. Yvonne is an educator, designer and academic who has held a number of positions in art & design higher education. She currently serves as Dean Curriculum + Learning & Special Advisor to the Provost Office on Curriculum Parsons School of Design and is an Associate Professor in the School of Fashion at. Since 2010 she has served in key leadership roles in the School of Fashion, first as Director of Academic Affairs and then as School Associate Dean.

Yvonne’s expertise and experience have been integral to our curricular planning for many years, at the school, Parsons, and university levels. Her role as Advisor to the Provost’s Office on Curriculum will allow Yvonne to expand upon this work and ensure that the curricular needs and priorities of Parsons are well represented at the university level, while formalizing the role she already plays in supporting cross-college and university-wide initiatives. The transition to online delivery as a result of the pandemic, and the imminent return to onsite teaching and learning, has altered many of our long-held views of how pedagogy and curriculum can be shaped. Yvonne will use her time in this role to bring leadership to the broader enquiry of how we can approach inclusive and innovative pedagogy within this changing landscape.

Since 2018, Yvonne has served as Parsons’ Associate Dean of Curriculum and Learning. She previously served as the Associate Dean in the School of Fashion, where she was instrumental in the development and implementation of the BFA Fashion Design curriculum and articulation of pathways. She is also Associate Professor within the School of Fashion, where she has taught for over ten years. Yvonne’s career has spanned roles that have encompassed both undergraduate and graduate studies as Program Director for BA Fashion Knitwear Design, MA Textile Design and Innovation, and MA Decorative Arts at Nottingham Trent University. She holds a Master’s in Globalization, Identity and Technology from The School of Humanities, Nottingham Trent University.

Her interests are in transforming the current context for the global supply chain in order to raise awareness as to the inhuman practices that currently exist in the fashion industry, gender pay gap, below minimum or living wages for workers. The intention is to bridge the fashion industry and education so that we can collectively develop an alternative fashion supply chain with a vision to creating an industry where human rights and sustainable living goals are central. She has worked for developing and emerging communities and has travelled to areas such as Ethiopia and Mongolia, to work with communities of women to enhance their product development process.

Her career has spanned roles that have encompassed both undergraduate and postgraduate program director for BA Fashion Knitwear Design, MA Textile Design and Innovation, and MA Decorative Arts at Nottingham Trent University.

She holds a BA in Fashion Knitwear Design from Nottingham Trent University in the UK, and a Masters in Globalization, Identity and Technology from The School of Humanities, Nottingham Trent University. Early in her career, she worked for a mid-range knitwear design company in New York before returning to the United Kingdom, where she designed and manufactured her own fashion knitwear line, Alpha-Omega, which sold in the UK, US and Hong Kong, before becoming a full-time academic.

To learn more about Yvonne Watson: https://www.aarp.org/disrupt-aging/stories/ideas/info-2016/yvonne-watson-fashion-disruptor.html
Twitter: @yvonne_watson
IG: @yvonneny10

Today, Tes speaks with Sophia Neghesti-Johnson. Sophia is a visual artist, published author, and songwriter originally from Tanzania, now living in the U.S.

Sophia’s photographs and mixed media paintings have been on exhibit in various U.S. cities, and her latest song, So Good, can be heard on all major streaming services.

Having children, being an immigrant, and living far from her family has inspired Sophia to begin writing a children’s book series about the many tribes of Tanzania, with the first book, Koku’s Tanzania – Wahaya, being published on Amazon.

Sophia is an active contributor of World Moms Network, a Forbes Top 100 website for women.

As well as being a speaker in the award winning webinar series – GLOW – Heartfulness Webinars for women, Sophia is also a patron and pioneer of GLOW in its stages of inception and helped it grow and sustain.

Sophia and her husband, Don, own a company, Barefoot Baobab, with which they encourage a love for reading and literacy, through storytelling and music.

To learn more about Sophia Neghesti-Johnson:
IG: Sophiloveslife
IG: Sophi_the_artist (for her music)
IG: Barefootbaobab (for their literacy company)
Website: https://barefootbaobab.com

Twitter: thnksaybesnj

LinkedIn: Sophia Neghesti-Johnson

Today, Tes talks with Bette Levy. Bette has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Ohio University and a Masters of Arts & a Masters of Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Prior to retiring in 2011, she worked for the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) for 38 years with primary expertise in children/ families and residential care. She was responsible for the development of a family & Youth advocacy movement. She was also responsible for developing national program guidelines for children’s residential care.

Her secondary expertise at OMH was Disaster Risk Reduction. On September 11th, her office was forced into action due to the terrorist attacks and she served for 10 years as the lead disaster mental health & emergency preparedness liaison for NY State OMH to NYC Office of Emergency Management, NYS Emergency Management Office and to US Department of Homeland Security.

After retiring, she became an independent Management & Culture Change Consultant as well as a consultant at the US Department of Health & Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Mental Health Services and the Building Bridges Initiative, where she was responsible for developing and facilitating a National Youth Advisory Council. She has been the author or contributor to chapters in several books, guidelines, tip sheets and articles on working with youth and their families in residential care and Peer movements (youth & family). She also served as a consultant to the US Department of Justice, Fraud Division for Children’s residential care services.

Her role at the UN/NY, is as SI’s Main Representative and serves as Special Advisor to the International President for Relationships & Strategic Planning.

Soroptimist International (SI), a large Women’s Rights organization working to transform the lives of women and girls in all their diversity across the life course. Soroptimist International and their five (5) Federations is a network comprised of over 72,000 club members in 121 countries, located in 3000 communities.

Final thought : a quote from Antoine de Saint Euxpery ..
“A Dream without a Goal is a Wish – A Goal without a Plan is just a Dream’

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 Dr. Ada Cheng. Ada is a professor-turned-storyteller, solo performer, and storytelling show producer. She was a tenured professor in sociology at DePaul University from 2001-2016 when she resigned to pursue storytelling and performance full time. She has been featured at storytelling shows and done her two solo performances all over the country. Ada is the producer and the host of five storytelling shows, including Pour One Out, Am I Man Enough?, Talk Stories: An Asian American / Asian Diaspora Storytelling Show, Speaking Truths Series, and This Is America: Truths through My Body. She creates platforms for people to tell difficult and vulnerable stories as well as for communities who may not have the opportunities otherwise. She is an adjunct faculty at Dominican University and a speaker for Illinois Humanities Speakers Bureau Program. She works full time as the Education and Outreach Specialist with Women’s Leadership and Resource Center at UIC. Her motto: Make your life the best story you tell.
Ada Cheng, Ph.D.

Most Recent News:
This Is America: Truths through My Body is part of programming for 2020 Cook County Racial Equity Week
Recipient for Asian Giving Circle Grant with National Cambodian Heritage Museum (2019-21)

Speaking Engagements:
Road Scholars Speakers Bureau, Illinois Humanities (2019-2022)
https://www.ilhumanities.org/program/road-scholars-speakers-bureau/

Storytelling Show Producing/Hosting:
Am I Man Enough?
Pour One Out: A Monthly Storytelling Series
Speaking Truths Series
Talk Stories: An Asian American/Asian Diaspora Storytelling Show
This Is America: Truths through My Body

Contact Info and Social Media:
Email: sj.ada.cheng@gmail.com
Website: www.renegadeadacheng.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ada.cheng.98096
Facebook: www.facebook.com/dr.adacheng/
Instagram: sjadacheng
YouTube: Renegade Ada Cheng

Today, Tes talks with Melissa Kuch Lamothe. Melissa is the author of the Amazon bestselling YA fantasy series, The Hypothesis of Giants, and co-author/editor of The MARA Mindshift Guide: A Trading Beliefs Workbook. Melissa co-hosts the cutting-edge new podcast/YouTube show, The Trader’s Mindchat Show, where she, along with her husband Michael Lamothe, explore the full spectrum of ways to improve your trading and your life.

Born and raised on Long Island, NY, Melissa is mom to a 5-year-old daughter, Lily, and an advocate for literacy and women’s health. She inspires the next generation of authors through her writing workshop and mentoring programs. She is a contributing writer for The World Moms Network, and a volunteer writer for the INN (Interfaith Nutrition Network) to assist those challenged by hunger and homelessness.

You can follow Melissa on FB/IG @melissakuchauthor and her website www.melissakuch.com and check out The Trader’s Mindchat Show on Apple Podcasts/Spotify, as well as on YouTube.

Today, Tes talks with Lindsey Turnbull. Lindsey founded MissHeard Media to empower, educate, and inspire young women to feel confident, capable, and connected! Lindsey is building a world where all girls are heard.

To learn more about Lindsey Turnbull:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MissHeardMedia
IG: @missheardmedia
TikTok: @missheardmedia

Today, Tes talks with Jen Amos. Jen is an award-winning podcaster and co-owner of an award-winning business.

Jen first found podcasting in summer 2019 as a way to work through her mild depression and bouts of loneliness. She had recently moved from San Diego, CA (her home of 20+ years) to now Virginia Beach, VA with her husband and fur baby.

Jen actively seeks to find common ground through conversation and storytelling to foster connection, community and collaboration. She is known for her active listening skills, candidness, and ability to uncover powerful stories and universal lessons while conversing with her guests. Her favorite topics to cover on her podcast shows involve military families, entrepreneurs, women, and mental health. In less than two years (starting in summer 2019), Jen has been able to conduct nearly 500 podcast interviews.

Prior to podcasting and moving to the east coast, Jen received her Bachelor’s in Journalism emphasis Public Relations at San Diego State University and was fired from her fourth consecutive job in her young adult years. For a decade since, Jen has established a career in sales and in entrepreneurship with experience in the legal industry, online marketing, and now financial services.

website: jenamoscreates.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenamos/
http://instagram.com/thejenamos
https://twitter.com/thejenamos
https://www.facebook.com/thejenamos/

Today, Tes talks with Elizabeth Barry. Elizabeth, also known as The Kind Communicator, is an executive coach and marketing consultant with 20 years of experience coaching leaders towards success. She’s been blessed to curate 17 TEDx events from concept to completion including helping speakers write and share their talks for the stage. She has 6 books based on self-development and as a result of her work, clients are motivated, productive and happy. Elizabeth is a vessel of emotionally powerful love that will transform your business, career, communication and voice with positivity and inspiration. Learn more at www.thekindcommunicator.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/869465263116018/user/1005303433
IG: @thekindcommunicator
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethannbarry/

Today, Tes talks with Harriet Shugarman. Selected as a 2020 New York City Climate Hero and a 2019 featured speaker at the Global Engagement Summit at United Nations Headquarters, Harriet is an influencer and connector in the climate movement. Harriet is the Executive Director of ClimateMama, an on-line community that reaches individuals in over 110 countries and all 50 states. As a leader and mentor with The Climate Reality Project, Harriet established the Climate Reality New York City Metro Chapter, serving as its first chair. She was the recipient of the prestigious Climate Reality 2017 Green Ring Award and is also profiled in former US Vice President Al Gore’s 2017 book: “An Inconvenient Sequel, Truth to Power.” Harriet’s writing and thought pieces on climate solutions appear in international, national and regional publications on-line and in print. Harriet’s 2020 book: “How to Talk to Your Kids About Climate Change, Turning Angst to Action” is already found in libraries and households around the world. Harriet has worked for more than 25 years with governments, international organizations, and educational institutions on climate and sustainability issues as an economist, policy analyst, informal educator and adjunct professor including 13 years with the International Monetary Fund as a representative of the IMF at the United Nations. Harriet serves on numerous boards that address climate, public policy, youth, gender and justice, including as Board Chair of Young Voices for the Planet. Harriet lives in New York City.

Elizabeth Atalay is a Digital Media Producer, the Managing Editor for World Moms Network, and an advocate with the United Nations Foundation. She founded Documama.org as a way to use her documentary film background in a new medium. After having worked on Feature Films and Television series for FOX, NBC, MGM, Columbia Pictures, Warner Brothers, 20th Century Fox, and Castle Rock Pictures, she studied documentary filmmaking and anthropology earning a Masters degree in Media Studies from The New School in New York. More recently she has worked on social media campaigns for non-profits such as Save The Children, WaterAid, ONE.org, UNICEF, United Nations Foundation, World Pulse, and The Gates Foundation. Elizabeth has traveled through more than 75 countries around the world and lives in New England with her husband and four kids.

To learn more about Elizabeth Atalay:
www.documama.org

To learn more about World Moms Network:
www.worldmomsnetwork.com

Today, Tes talks with Dr. Lalitha Dhareshwar. Dr. Dhareshwar retired as the Head, Laser & Neutron Physics Division of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, in 2010 and continued there as a Raja Ramanna Fellow (RRF), Department of Atomic Energy, for five years (2010 – 2015). She has a Ph.D. in Physics, from the University of Mumbai. She joined the B.A.R.C. Scientific Officers’ Training School (13 th Batch), after completing B.Sc. (Hons.) from the University of Bangalore, in 1969.

Dr. Dhareshwar worked for forty-five years at B.A.R.C., in the field of High Power Lasers, Laser Plasmas & applications and was instrumental in carrying out several prestigious projects She has over seventy five publications in International Journals.

As a Ph.D. Guide for University of Mumbai, she has guided several students to obtain their Ph.D.

Dr. Dhareshwar has been the Chairperson and Convener, at various International and National Seminars, Conferences and Symposiums. She has been invited by International Laboratories and Universities, in USA, Japan, Germany, France, Russia, Spain, Italy, Poland, Lithuania, Czech Republic, for Scientific Collaboration & Training scientists and research scholars, in the latest field of Lasers & Plasma physics.

Dr. Lalitha Dhareshwar is a member of Heartfulness Institute (Shri Ram Chandra Mission), a Spiritual organization, for over 30 years. As a Preceptor and Certified Spiritual Trainer and Self Development Facilitator & Mentor, she imparts Spiritual Training through Heartfulness Meditation. She has conducted numerous Heartfulness and Self Development Training Programmes all over India.

Recognizing the fact that Value Based Education was not part of the school curriculum, Dr. Lalitha Dhareshwar had formulated and conducted Value Based Education programs for the first time at the four Atomic Energy Central schools, from 1992-1995. This syllabus of VBE was then taken up by 37 Atomic Energy Central Schools (AECS) all over India covering about 40,000 students. It was then conducted at several schools and colleges in Mumbai, as well as in Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Dr. Dhareshwar, has been recognized for her contributions in Value Based Spiritual Education, by N.C.E.R.T. and AECS and for her contributions to Community Development, she was honored by Rotary Club, Lions Group, Kanara Saraswat Association, Modern College, Amity University, Pillai group of Institutions, MGM group, Anjuman Islam College and many Universities and Associations.

Dr. Lalitha Dhareshwar is the current President of Indian Women Scientists’ Association (I.W.S.A.), an NGO, which has the main mandate of taking science to society, empowering women and nurturing talent amongst school and college students.

She organizes and conducts several Lecture Workshops, Refresher Courses and Training Programs for college students and faculty, on current topics of interest in science. She is actively involved with the Science Nurture Program of IWSA, wherein school students are taught Science through hands-on experiments in their laboratory. Through IWSA, she is engaged in sponsoring the education of students from weaker economic backgrounds. She is also engaged in several community welfare programs.

April is Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month and my guest today is Deb Pollack – Founder of Drive Toward a Cure.
Deb, a publicist for boutique restoration house Singer Vehicle Design, is both a convertible car gal and a Porsche loyalist – equally loving both her 996 C4 Cab and her replica ’57 speedster. Over the past three decades she’s represented small car companies with big names including Mitsubishi Motors, GM, Ferrari and Maserati. A philanthropist at heart, since 2008 she’s teamed cars and camaraderie to support the challenges of Parkinson’s disease – most notably as founder of Drive Toward a Cure (www.drivetowardacure.org), a nationally-recognized non-profit charity dedicated to finding a cure.

To learn more about Deb Polack:
Facebook: Deb Stearn Pollack
IG: @corsaprgal

To learn more about Drive Toward a Cure:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI8JVVHuLgc
IG: @drivetowardacure

Conversations for a Cause
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJU7UBKsBHA

Today, Tes talks with Jennifer Burden. Jennifer hails from the USA and is the Founder and CEO of World Moms Network, an award-winning online media organization and website promoting a world of peace through the common bonds of motherhood. Jennifer has been nominated Global Influencer Fellow and Social Media Fellow by the UN Foundation, invited to the White House, spoken at the World Bank for the right of a universal education for all children, and her writing has been featured on Impatient Optimists, The Huffington Post, ONE.org and BabyCenter. She is currently at Columbia University in NYC, where she is working toward her Executive Masters in Public Administration with a concentration in global policy studies. She is the mother of two girls and practices Heartfulness meditation.

To learn more about Jennifer Burden:
worldmomsblog@gmail.com

To learn more about World Moms Network:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/worldmomsnetwork
www.worldmomsnetwork.com
Twitter: @WorldMomsNetwk
IG: worldmomsnetwk

Born and raised in a family of medical professionals in Kolkata, India, Urmi Basu received her primary and secondary education in the city. On completion of her first Degree in Sociology, Urmi moved to take her Masters in Social Work at the prestigious Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. During her training she had the opportunity to work in the first cell set up for women in distress by the Mumbai Police Department. She also worked as a relief worker during the Bhopal gas leak tragedy in December 1984 which left a lasting impression on her mind about the need to be prepared for disasters, both natural and manmade.

After fifteen years of professional work Urmi set up a small non-profit named New Light in Kolkata in 2000 with a seed money as little as Rs 10,000 along with two other young people from the Kalighat red light district. The mission of the organization is to promote gender equality and fight violence and abuse of women, girl children and young people. That tiny initiative today provides care and support to a couple of thousand people. The organization also works to fight against child prostitution and trafficking for the purpose of sex- trade, child labour and bonded labour. Urmi has been a part of targeted intervention programs for victims of HIV/AIDS, trans-sexual and trans-gender people.

She lives in Kolkata, India and fights for social justice for the marginalized community every day of her life. In her own words her greatest moment of joy was when she was chosen as a recipient of a blessing from His Holiness The Dalai Lama under the title Unsung heroes of Compassion 2009 on the 26th of April 2009 in San Francisco for her work that promotes compassion and peace. In 2019, it was a distinguished honour for all associated with her as Ms. Urmi Basu received the prestigious Nari Shakti Puraskar from His Excellency the President of India through the Ministry of Women and Child Development, GOI, in recognition of New Light Kolkata’s contribution to women’s empowerment on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

Awards & Accolades

▪ Selected as the NGO co-ordinator by the office of the Governor of West Bengal to make a presentation on micro credit, women’s participation in gender sensitivity and health issues during the visit of the former President of the United States Bill Clinton on 7th of April 2001
▪ Part of the core team that met the past Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on her visit to Kolkata in May 2012 and shared the experience of working against trafficking in persons

▪ Featured in the four hour documentary Half The Sky based on the novel by New York Times columnist, Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl Wu Dunn, which featured Urmi and her work with the victims of trafficking on PBS in October 2012 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXcP7vMnMaM)
▪ Following the documentary she received the Global Citizen Award at the Global Music Festival in Central Park, New York in September 2012 which was organized to mark zero tolerance for hunger, poverty and abuse (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1PW5JFeuPw)
▪ Recipient of Nari Shakti award from His Excellency The President of India on the occasion of International Women’s Day on the 8th of March 2019
▪ Recognized as Person of the Year 2020 By Weekend Leader Chennai at Vellore Institute of Technology for the contribution to the welfare of women and children

To learn more about Urmi Basu:
Twitter: @urmibasu1
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAukNw2T0AY
A life of dignity: dire straits faced by the sex workers in Kolkata – Urmi Basu – TEDxIIFT Kolkata

To learn more about New Light Kolkata:
Twitter: @newlightkolkata
IG: @newlightkolkata
Youtube: https://youtu.be/8hvCr0uxkM8
New Light Kolkata

Today, Tes talks with Christine Wehrli. Christine is a Filipina-American who was born and raised overseas; she considers herself a Third Culture Kid. She is currently an Events Specialist at the Rice University School of Architecture, in Houston, Texas. She graduated with a B.A. from the University of Richmond where she majored in International Studies, and minored in French and History. Prior to working at Rice University, she worked in sustainable tourism in Moshi, Tanzania, and as a library associate for the D.C. Public Library in Washington, D.C.

In her free time, she enjoys engaging in cultural activities and getting involved in the community. In Washington, D.C., she was an ambassador for InterNations, an expat networking group, and a volunteer Math teacher at the YWCA. In Houston, she is an ambassador for the Filipino Young Professionals and was involved with voter outreach for the 2018 midterm and 2020 U.S. elections.She is a licenced Zumba instructor and has led classes in various countries in her five years of teaching.

To learn more about Christine Wehrli:
IG: @filamestiza

Dr. Shruti Kapoor is an award-winning gender equality activist, economist, Tedx speaker and social entrepreneur. Shaken by the horrific gang rape in Delhi in 2012 that caught the attention of the global news media, she founded her organization, Sayfty. Its goal is to educate and empower women and girls in India against gender-based violence.

Dr. Kapoor was named by Apolitical as one of the most influential people in global policy in 2019. The BrahmaKumaris awarded Dr. Kapoor the “Achievement and Excellence in Human Rights” in 2019. The Indian Ministry of Women and Child Development in 2019 honored Dr. Kapoor as one of the “30 #WebWonderWomen“ who has been driving a positive agenda of social change via social media. In 2018 Richtopia named Dr. Kapoor as one of the top 100 leaders from multilateral global organizations. In 2016, The White House nominated Dr. Kapoor as a change maker for The United State of Women’s Summit 2016, and in India she was named the winner of Barclay’s 2016 “We are the City 50 Rising Stars Award”. In 2015 Femverstising awarded the “People’s Choice Award” to Sayfty for their campaign promoting gender equality, and was chosen to receive a State recognition award by the Uttar Pradesh government in India for the organization’s work advocating for the safety and education of girls. Also, in 2015, Dr. Kapoor was awarded the Rex Karamveer fellowship, whose aim is “to share impactful ideas for action and transform lives through projects and ideas of hope”. Additionally, Dr. Kapoor received the 2015 “Woman of the Year Award (third prize)” from the Regional Council of Aosta Valley, Italy.

Dr. Kapoor earned a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of California, Riverside, and has worked with International organizations such as The World Bank and UN Women. She has also served as an Adjunct Professor of Economics at Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA. Dr. Kapoor served on the core organizing committee of UN’s Youth Forum for the Commission on the Status of Women 2017.

Dr. Kapoor has addressed many public forums including Tedx Gateway, various sessions of the Youth Assembly at the United Nations, UN Women’s events, The World Forum On Urban Violence, IIT Delhi, Merit 360, and the World Woman Summit. She is a regular contributor on gender issues and a network member of Apolitical, a global policy platform and a network of policymakers and thought leaders. As a “World Pulse Impact Leader and Digital Change Maker”, Dr. Kapoor is dedicated to media, digital and traditional approaches to strive for gender equality and gender responsive implementation of the “Sustainable Development Goals”. She is an active user of social media and you can connect with her at:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/kapoors_s
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shrutikapoor1/

To find out more about Sayfty and My Ambar app:
www.sayfty.org
Twitter: @sayfty
My Ambar app – myambar.org

Today, Tes talks with Shanequa Levin. Shanequa is an award-winning social justice leader, motivational speaker, and author. She is also a registered ordained wedding officiant. Shanequa published a memoir titled Poverty’s Phoenix, which is about surviving childhood poverty. She is the founder and CEO of the Women’s Diversity Network, a social movement organization practicing transformative justice processes based on group leadership where marginalized lives are centered. The mission of the WDN is to connect and mobilize women of different backgrounds to create positive change through collective work and a unified sisterhood. Through WDN, she has created the Health Equity Task Force, which focuses on addressing Maternal Mortality. She’s created a yearly summit that brings diverse people together to learn about social justice issues and celebrate cultures.

In 2020 she convened a Black-led, multi-racial, multi-ethnic, multi-generational coalition of organizations, activists, and community members who are working to ensure genuine public safety for all Long Island communities called LI United to Transform Policing & Community Safety. LI United’s mission is to transform public safety by divesting from policing and investing in our communities.

Shanequa also founded the Long Island chapter of Mocha Moms, a support group for mothers of color, and is the former director of Every Child Matters in NY, an advocacy and electoral engagement organization on behalf of kids. She is a member of The State of Black Long Island Equity Council through the Urban League of Long Island, a community advisor for the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department, a Co-Chair for the Long Island Million Women Community, a Community Advisor for Hofstra University’s Healthcare Entrepreneurship Community Challenge, and the creator of culturally relevant Facebook groups. She has also been instrumental in advocating policy changes to Early Care and Learning, Raise The Age, Paid Family Leave Insurance, Bail Reform, and more. As a survivor of childhood poverty, drug-addicted parents, an incarcerated father, and a teen mom, she uses her voice to help others break negative generational cycles.

To learn more about Shanequa Levin:
www.shanequalevin.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shanequa.popelevin
Twitter: @AllDayPurple
IG: @shanequalevin

Today, Tes talks with Jeanee James. Jeanee is an award winning photographer, sculptor and potter. She’s also an adventurist, who has seen much of the world. She lives her life with passion and gratitude and believes we create and design each chapter in our life book. Her story is an extraordinary one that will inspire you to be proactive in creating more joy and going after that passion you put on hold because life took over.

Jeanee is an Alaskan, raised in the beautiful town of Homer, a place that is in her DNA and sculpted who she is. She says it gave her the foundation of her journey in art, adventure and travel.

Her love of art started in Alaska, receiving an art scholarship, but she changed paths and achieved a degree in Travel and Tourism.

She has backpacked all over Europe, lived on a kibbutz in Israel, was a deckhand, filleted huge halibut in Alaska, been a tour director through the Canadian Rockies, climbed the pyramids in Egypt, floated in the Dead Sea, scuba dived in the Red Sea, hiked in Australia, explored the Tahitian Islands and people, worked on luxury cruise ships traveling the world. She hiked 556 miles solo across Spain on the sacred pilgrimage called El Camino De Santiago.

She was named Woman Artist of the Year Brevard County central Florida 2008,

Best Photography studio/Photographer Readers Choice Florida 2016

Won National Honors in sculpting with Genius Women in the Arts 2020

She created, designed and leads Women’s Art Retreats she calls “Untethered”, a creative adventure for women to reboot, refill and feed women’s souls through art, hiking, music, food and inspiration.

Here is her story, with lessons of love, heartache, gratitude and ultimately following your dreams.

To learn more about Jeanee James and her custom private group, Untethered retreat:
Facebook: Jeanee Seljestad James
Email: jeanee@jeaneej.com
Website: www.jeaneej.com
YouTube: Alaskan Pilgrim

Today, Tes talks with Maxine Thomas. Maxine exemplifies the true definition of a servant leader in the community. Accordingly, Maxine was awarded the 2017 Bob Dickerson leadership award in recognition for her leadership, courage, persistence, and commitment as a RESULTS Grassroots Volunteer. She is also the recipient of the Do Something, Be Someone Positive Leadership Award awarded by the Saint Florian Leadership Development Center.

She believes that no one should live in poverty and families must take an active role in changing their communities.

Through RESULTS she is improving access to education, health, and economic opportunity by sharing her personal story of triumph. Maxine was elected by the grassroots advocates to serve on the International Board of Directors for RESULTS. Many media pieces have been written about Maxine’s efforts to support her community, one of which is her great success in having her own Op-Ed published on The Hill. She is passionate and committed and uses her voice to influence political change. Through the international work of RESULTS, she maintains ongoing efforts with her members of congress and elected officials. Maxine thrives to build bridges between everyday people and our policy makers.

Throughout her experiences, she has learned that making a significant change can seem impossible and at the very least, takes a lot of work. She is continuously thinking of ways in which she can impact the lives of people around her.

To reach Maxine Thomas:
www.maxinethomas.com
Facebook: Maxine Thomas
IG: m_quia
Twitter: @m_quia

Today, Tes speaks with Roberta Parrino-Clinton. Roberta is the Program Director at Moms for Moms NYC, dedicated to helping and empowering women through her community activism and professional endeavors. She spent over a decade of her professional life in Corporate America in marketing and strategy roles in the financial services and technology industries, before transitioning to helping non-profits and women owned small businesses.

Roberta has her MBA from the D’Amore McKim School of Business at Northeastern University and a Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation from the University of Connecticut.

In her spare time she enjoys learning about different cultures through food and travel with her husband and two sons, reading, baking specialty cakes, and working out.

To reach Roberta Parrino-Clinton:
IG: @roberta_pc7

To reach Moms For Moms NYC:
https://www.momsformomsnyc.org/
Twitter: @MomsForMomsNYC
IG: @momsformomsnyc
Facebook: MomsForMomsNYC

Smita Sharma is an independent photojournalist and visual storyteller whose work questions deep-rooted stereotypes and sheds light on underreported stories. Smita is known for her work on complicated human rights, gender and social issues and for her ability to represent people with dignity.

Smita’s work has been published in various places like The New York Times, BBC World, TIME, Channel 4, CNN, National Geographic Magazine amongst many others. She is a Getty Images grantee and an IWMF Reporting Fellow. Other than her home country India, she has also worked in different countries highlighting sensitive stories.

Smita received the Indian Of The Year award in 2017 and Exceptional Women of Excellence award by Women Economic Forum in 2018. In 2019, she won the One World Media Awards for her film Rebels With a Cause at BAFTA, London. She has exhibited and shown her work globally including the UN Headquarters in New York. Smita is a graduate from the photojournalism and documentary photography program of International Center of Photography, New York and is based in Delhi.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2020/10/stolen-lives-harrowing-story-of-two-girls-sold-into-sexual-slavery-feature/

To learn more about Smita Sharma:
Twitter & IG: @smitashrm

Today, Tes talks with Chrysula Winegar. Chrysula is Senior Communications Director at the United Nations Foundation, where she leads the New York public affairs team focused on UN system communications liaison and special initiatives. Prior to her current position, she founded Wake Up World Communications, a digital communications agency focused on social action, working with clients including the United Nations Foundation, Fox Searchlight, Malala Fund, EngenderHealth, Family Planning 2020 and many others. Her earlier career was in various marketing and communications roles in the private sector, including Ernst & Young, Estee Lauder Companies and NatWest UK.

To learn more about Chrysula Winegar:
Twitter: @chrysula
IG: @chrysula_w

Today Tes talks with Dr. Eve Krief. Dr. Krief has been practicing general Pediatrics in the town of Huntington for over 22 years. She attended Undergraduate School at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where she majored in Comparative Literature. She went on to receive her medical degree from Tel Aviv University. She completed her Pediatric Residency training at Schneider Children’s Hospital of Long Island Jewish Medical Center. Dr. Krief is on the executive committee of the Long Island-Brooklyn/Queens chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, where she serves as Legislative Advocacy chair. She is an outspoken advocate for children and was recognized as the “Woman of Distinction” for Suffolk County’s 18th Legislative District in 2018. She received the American Academy of Pediatrics Outstanding Achievement Award in 2019 and a NYS Senate Commendation Award in 2019 for her advocacy work. She is the founder of Long Island Inclusive Communities Against Hate and sits on the steering committee of the Town of Huntington’s Anti Bias Task Force.

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.

Today, Tes talks with Maureen Hitipeuw. Maureen is a Community Leader and Founder of Single Moms Indonesia. With experience in office management for over a decade, a background in public relations, as well as being a former public relations manager, Maureen used her experiences and skills to develop the community she founded. A Facebook Certified Community Manager, she’s one of the first few people who received this certification from Facebook and was involved in creating the program with the Facebook team.

In 2018 she was recognized by Facebook as “One of the 115 most inspiring community leaders in the world”. She was selected to join The Facebook Community Leadership Program, a year-long program where she received knowledge, skills, tools, funding, and support to activate Single Moms Indonesia in new and innovative ways to promote positive and lasting impact.

Single Moms Indonesia was formed in 2014 as a community for single moms in Indonesia to come together and support each other. This closed group provides a safe space for members to share their stories and experiences, as well as learning from various empowerment programs designed to help its members rebuild their lives.

To learn more about Maureen Hitipeuw & Single Moms Indonesia:
Website: https://www.singlemomsindonesia.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maureen.hitipeuw
IG: @maureen.hitipeuw
IG: @singlemomsindonesia