Sandi Klein's Conversations With Creative Women

Marissa Licata and the violin? Perfect together. She was given her first violin at the 'ripe old age' of three! And in the years since, Marissa's been making music - passionate, fiery, eclectic music. She's performed nationally and internationally with a Who's Who in the music world including: Alicia Keys, Gloria Estefan, Wyclef Jean, Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics. Marissa's also active in the orchestral and chamber music scene and has also performed with her all-star band, mixing traditional folk music from Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. We're more than excited for you to meet and get to know this talented, musical artist!

Sugar Hill Creamery. The name says it all. Harlem's first family-owned handmade ice cream shop opened its doors in 2017 and was followed 3 years later by a second location in Hamilton Heights. Sugar Hill is the brainchild of Petrushka Bazin Larsen and her husband Nick Larsen. Their confections include homemade, small batch ice cream, non-dairy frozen desserts with both seasonal and classic flavors. Petrushka's not only a successful entrepreneur, she's also a community activist, hosting programs for Sugar Hill customers and neighbors that include a New Mom's Group, Book Club and Craft Night.

Stephanie Lucianovic has lots of stories to tell. She's written a slew of books including, “The End of Something Wonderful: A Practical Guide to a Backyard Funeral”, “The League of Picky Eaters”, and “Hello Star”. This picture book was inspired by her son, who became very upset after learning at school that stars eventually explode as part of their life cycle. Stephanie talks about the importance of reaching out to children to give them stories they need to become whole again.

Kim Harris has been there, done that. She's the founder and managing partner of PAINTING IT RED, a New York-based event and marketing company. An affirmed "foodie," she's also consulted on restaurant openings in various U.S. cities. Kim also happens to be one of the 3 co-founders of HARLEM HOPS, the first 100% African/American owned craft beer bar located in... the heart of Harlem! Their goal? To be the first to bring incredible craft beers to an incredible neighborhood. Needless to say...mission accomplished. Hear all about that journey and so much more in our conversation with yet another fascinating, creative, visionary.

Lina Roessler, who has numerous film and tv credits to her name, makes her feature directing debut with BEST SELLERS, starring the legendary Sir Michael Caine, Aubrey Plaza, and Cary Elwes. It tells the story of an ambitious young woman, trying to find success in the shadow of her father's legacy running a thriving publishing company. She discovers she owns a book by the crotchety, reclusive, booze-addled author (Michael Caine) who originally put the company on the map years earlier. The two join forces in ways they least expected. Lots to talk about with Lina? You bet!

What's in a name? Plenty when you meet and get to know GLORY Crampton. A musical force to be reckoned with, she has appeared in more than 40 productions and can be heard on 14 Broadway cast and compilation recordings, including her sold-out performances with the National Symphony at London's Abbey Road Studios. As a global concert soloist, she was featured opposite opera great Jose Carreras of The Three Tenors. And, during the pandemic, Glory conceived and directed the award-winning PROJECT9 music video, which pays tribute to the Tony Award winning musical and features 16 actors, singers and dancers who were each filmed and recorded from their quarantined homes.

Born with Larsen Syndrome, a genetic physical disability, Emily Ladau is a wheelchair user. At the ripe old age of 10, she was featured on several episodes of Sesame Street to educate youngsters about living her life with this disorder. And she's been on that mission ever since. Emily's the author of "Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say and How to Be an Ally." Emily's also Editor-in-Chief of the Rooted in Rights blog, a platform highlighting the disability experience. This is clearly an important conversation we're excited to share! Audio Transcript Available at SandiKleinShow.com

What hasn't Ava Thompson Greenwell accomplished? Since 1993, she's taught broadcasting, writing, reporting and producing at Medill/Northwestern University and has held several administrative positions. In addition to her Bachelor and Masters degrees in journalism, Ava has a Phd in African American Studies. She directed and produced "Mandela in Chicago," a documentary about the city's anti-apartheid movement. Ava is also the author of "Ladies Leading: The Black Women Who Control Television News." The book goes 'behind the camera' to document the racism and sexism in television networks and explores the history and experience of Black Women who achieved management positions. So much to talk about with this professional powerhouse!

Owner Betsy Lay, along with partners Kate Power and Jen Cuesta, are the co-founders of Lady Justice Brewing, based in Aurora, Colorado. The three met while working at AmeriCorps VISTA. In 2014, they joined forces and their community-focused brewery was born. Its mission? -   "brewing great beer to make the world a better place." And to that end, Lady Justice gives money to nonprofits and community partners that support and empower women and girls in the state of Colorado. Join us for our conversation with this creative woman whose mission is all about 'giving back.'

Ann Hu's's personal story would make for a great bio pic. Knowing no one, she was among the first students to come to the U.S. from mainland China after the Cultural Revolution to attend college. After graduating from NYU, she made her mark in the business world, but eventually wound up switching gears. In 1992, she took courses at NYU's Film School and in the years since has directed four features. Her latest, CONFETTI, offers a window into Asian/American immigrant life and is based on Ann's personal experiences. It is a powerful, passionate and timely story. And speaking of stories, Ann has many to share during our time together.

The recipient of several prestigious honors, including a Guggenheim Fellowship and a Sundance Screenwriting and Directing Fellowship, Tracy Droz Tragos' work focuses on issues involving women, inequality, rural America, and education. Her latest film, "The Smartest Kids in the World," based on the New York Times bestseller, focuses on the crisis in U.S. high school education. It chronicles a year abroad of four American teenagers. Join us as Tracy shares her passion for cinematic story-telling.

Author, activist and former kindergarten teacher, Nyasha Williams - who was adopted into a trans-racial family - grew up in South Africa and the U.S. A former kindergarten teacher and author, her picture book, "I Affirm Me: The ABCs of Inspiration for Black Kids" was inspired by the words Nyasha and her students recited at the beginning of every day: "I am confident and capable. I learn at my own pace. I am loved, and I believe in me. I believe in us." Nyasha is pursuing social justice, decolonizing work and creating for her community full-time. You won't want to miss this fascinating conversation.

New York Times bestselling author Emily Lockhart of "We Were Liars" has written children's picture books, young adult novels, and adult fiction. "Genuine Fraud," was also a Times bestseller and LA Times Book Prize finalist and her novel, "The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks" was a National Book Award finalist. Emily's latest work, "Whistle: A New Gotham City Hero," is a graphic novel about a Jewish teenage activist who gets superpowers and infiltrates the city's criminal underworld. Lots to talk about? You bet!

Christina Fontana has been a force in the film and tv industry for more than two decades. She was an editor on documentaries and unscripted tv projects for Fox, NBC, CBS, Netflix, A&E, The History Channel to name a few, and received an Emmy nomination for her work on The Amazing Race. Christina makes her directorial debut with "Relentless," a 6-episode true crime series that tells the story of 21-year-old Christina Wittaker, who disappeared from her home town of Hannibal, Missouri. Using more than 400 hours of footage, "Relentless" also chronicles the journey of a filmmaker who becomes dangerously caught up in the story she's telling.

Jess deCourcy Hinds is a fiction/nonfiction writer and founding library director of the Bard H.S. Early College in Queens, N.Y. A New York Times Modern Love columnist, her writing has also appeared in Newsweek, Ms. Magazine, Literary Hub and Quarterly West. Jess, a queer feminist, is completing a novel about bisexual and sexually fluid graffiti artists in post-9/11 New York. Check out her website and sign up for her newsletter, I'm an Open Book: On Libraries, Love and Life-Building. A lot to talk about?? You bet! 

Raising awareness for the mental health of student athletes, while confronting the stigma within the world of sports is the mission of The Hidden Opponent. Chief Operating Officer Leeann Passaro is more than familiar with the pressures of competing. She's a former student-athlete at a Division 3 school who struggled with anxiety and depression. You won't want to miss this timely, honest, no-holds barred conversation.

For more than 30 years, Evetta Petty has designed hats in her uptown Manhattan shop and studio. Her creations have graced the heads of men and women: runway models, actors, churchgoing seniors. They've been worn to the Kentucky Derby and England's Royal Ascot. Evetta's hats have appeared in movies, television, fashion magazine covers and articles. Her hats have humor, whimsy, rhythm and fantasy… just like their designer!

As a Speech-Language Pathologist, Christina Hunger works with both children and adults, teaching them to use Augmentative and Alternative Communication devices, or AACs to express themselves non-verbally. However, humans aren't her only clients. In 2018, when Christina brought her new puppy home, she had an epiphany - one that she shares in her book, "How Stella Learned to Talk." Since dogs can understand words, why couldn't Stella use an AAC device to express herself?? And she has! You really won't want to miss this fascinating, engaging, captivating conversation about Stella, the world's first talking dog!

How to describe Cynthia Kaplan? Let us count the ways: author, musician, songwriter, actress, producer, co-host. Called a 'young Dorothy Parker' by the New York Times, her credits include 2 acclaimed books of comic essays. She's acted in numerous plays and several films and... composes and sings hilarious songs, performing with her band, The Cynthia Kaplan Ordeal. There's plenty to talk about with this multi-talented, engaging, creative woman.

Betty Yu combines film, new media platforms and community-infused approaches in her work. A tireless promoter of social justice initiatives, she is a co-founder of Chinatown Art Brigade, a cultural collective which uses art to oppose gentrification in the New York City neighborhood, resulting in the loss of affordable housing and mass displacement. Join us for an eye-opening and inspiring conversation with this passionate, committed activist-artist.