Women Inspired! | Weekly Interviews With Some Of The World's Most Inspiring Women!

Jana Shortal grew up in a small town in southern Illinois and moved to Minneapolis after being wooed by the beauty she saw during a visit to the cities in the fall. She began reporting for KARE 11 in 2003, and she now co-anchors a show called “Breaking the News” on KARE 11. If you have ever encountered Jana on social media, you have likely been struck by her compassion and her incredible way with words. She is also one of the bravest people I’ve ever seen – using her social media presence to be authentically herself and to stand up for causes and topics she feels strongly about. It is for this reason that I am beyond excited to introduce you to Jana Shortal. If you want to stay up-to-date on future episodes or you want access to our Spotify Power Playlist, sign up at www.aprilseifert.com!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Shawntan Howell was known for wearing T-shirts with inspirational quotes and messages, and she loved the way they made her feel. Her “ah-ha” moment came when Shawntan realized that creating her own line of products featuring positive messaging for girls and young women could help them to be confident, make positive decisions and exhibit responsible behaviors. She first designed a “Girls Are Powerful” T-shirt and that led to a variety of inspirational products including shirts, bags, wristbands, notebooks and more.  Shawntan is now the Executive director of Girls Are Powerful, a nonprofit organization whose mission is To help support and create a generation of girls and young women, who are confident, maintain positive relationships, make positive decisions and exhibit responsible behaviors by embracing their power. If you want to stay up-to-date on future episodes or you want access to our Spotify Power Playlist, sign up at www.aprilseifert.com!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy &

Gerda Weissmann Klein is a humanitarian, author, human rights activist, Holocaust survivor and proud naturalized citizen. Gerda Weissmann was born May 8, 1924 in Bielsko, Poland. In 1939 her life changed forever when German troops invaded her hometown of Bielsko. From 1939 until the end of World War II she lived in fear and deprivation. After being separated from her brother shortly after the invasion and from her parents in 1942, she worked in slave labor and concentration camps until she was forced to walk in a 350-mile death march. She never lost the will to live. When World War II ended in 1945, Gerda was left homeless and without family or friends. Despite all that was lost, she found a fairy-tale ending when she married her liberator, U.S. Army Intelligence officer, Kurt Klein. Two years after she immigrated to the United States as Kurt’s wife, Gerda became an American citizen. For more than six decades, Gerda Klein has captivated audiences worldwide with her powerful message of hope, inspiration,

After 3 years of hustling to make an impact in the coaching & online business world (and building a six-figure coaching business & a successful online school for entrepreneurs in the process), Amanda packed up a backpack, sold everything she owned, and left her socially acceptable life behind to become a digital nomad & discover how to build a business that allowed her to be a human. She was recognized in 2015 by Mary Morrissey with the Dream Builder Award of Excellence for her uncommon success in the coaching field, and is certified as a Dream Builder Coach, a Parent Coach, and a Nonprofit Leader. If you want to stay up-to-date on future episodes or you want access to our Spotify Power Playlist, sign up at www.aprilseifert.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Dr. Ashley Smith is a clinical psychologist who specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders. She spends her time providing therapy and training other professionals. Her first book, Childhood Anxiety Disorders, is coming out in April. After working at a nationally recognized specialty center for years, she is branching out on her own by starting a private practice. She helps individuals learn to embrace uncertainty, face their fears, and lead a life that is not ruled by anxiety. Ashley is also legally blind. With a rare untreatable retinal disease, Ashley knows what it's like to face uncertainty. Despite doctors predicting the contrary, her vision has worsened significantly in recent years making daily activities she used to take for granted--like driving, reading books, and recognizing people across the room--impossible. As her vision has declined, she has had to learn to adapt. She will readily admit that living with a disability is a scary struggle, but she strives to keep it from defining her or

Jenn Hunt is an Associate Professor of Psychology at SUNY Buffalo State. She earned her BA at Creighton University in 1995 and her PhD in Social Psychology (minoring in Law) at the University of Minnesota in 2001. Dr. Hunt’s research examines the way that stereotypes, prejudice, and other expectations related to gender, race, and culture influence people’s judgments and behavior. Much of her research examines these issues in legal contexts, examining racial bias in juror decision making, and the influence of race, ethnicity, and culture on jurors’ deliberation behavior. She also investigates the development and impact of gender ideologies and stereotypes on women’s attitudes, relationship beliefs, and career goals. She teaches courses on the Psychology of Gender, the Psychology of Diversity, and Advanced Legal Psychology. Dr. Hunt served as Coordinator for the Women and Gender Studies program at SUNY Buffalo State for six year, and she has an appointment at the Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy at th

Meredith is an alternative investment consultant, one of Inc.com’s 17 inspiring women to watch in 2017, and author of Women of The Street: Why Female Money Managers Generate Higher Returns (And How You Can Too), which won an Axiom Award Gold Medal in 2016. She began her alternative investment career as the Director of Research at Van Hedge Fund Advisors International where she was responsible for manager selection, due diligence, index construction and aggregate industry research for the $500 million fund of funds. Meredith was then recruited by hedge fund analytics provider PerTrac Financial Solutions. Her research on emerging managers, initiated in 2006, and women and minority-owned funds created new investment categories. It has changed the way investors and money managers behave - both in the way investors allocate and how money managers market to and seek investors. Meredith served as Director of the Rothstein Kass Institute, an Alternative Investment Think Tank at the professional services firm Rothstei

Claudia Perlich is a professional in the growing field of data science. With more than 50 published scientific articles, she is a widely acclaimed expert on big data and machine learning applications. Claudia is the past winner of the Advertising Research Foundation’s (ARF) Grand Innovation Award and has been selected for Crain’s New York’s 40 Under 40 list, Wired Magazine’s Smart List, and Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People. Claudia holds multiple patents in machine learning.  And has worked at IBM’s Watson Research Center, focusing on data analytics and machine learning.  She is currently the Chief Scientist at a startup company called Dstillary. She holds a PhD in Information Systems from New York University (where she continues to teach at the Stern School of Business), and an MA in Computer Science from the University of Colorado. If you want to stay up-to-date on future episodes or you want access to our Spotify Power Playlist, sign up at www.aprilseifert.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircl

Jennifer Schneider is the Chief Medical Officer for Livongo Health. Prior to joining Livongo, Jenny held several leadership roles at Castlight Health, most recently as Chief Medical Officer. She has held leadership roles in the provider setting as a health services researcher and Chief Resident at Stanford Hospital. She has practiced medicine as an attending physician at Stanford, The Palo Alto VA, and Kaiser Permanente. Jenny has an undergraduate degree from the College of the Holy Cross, received her MD from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and MS in Health Services Research from Stanford University. She completed her internal medicine residency at Stanford University Hospital. If you want to stay up-to-date on future episodes or you want access to our Spotify Power Playlist, sign up at www.aprilseifert.com  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

DelRae Messer, Doctor of Chiropractic, graduated Magna Cum Laude from Northwestern Health Sciences University in March 2007. DelRae was the developer of her own nutraceutical line, Dr DelRae Detox & Weight Loss System and has been featured on ShopNBC with Suzanne Somers, Fit and Firm Magazine, Natural Muscle Magazine, Southwest Metro Magazine, local and regional radio, and contributes to the Make-a-Wish Foundation. DelRae transitioned from her online business and manufacturing her own nutraceutical weight loss system to choosing network marketing after hitting rock bottom emotionally, physically and financially. She was introduced to Isagenix through Angelike Norrie and was moved by her ability to connect with her WHY, which is to leave a lasting legacy for her daughters and create a movement of wellness with global impact. She now considers herself a Mompreneur and is committed to helping others achieve their goals and create time and financial freedom in their lives through the business of network marke

Jenny C. Evans is a speaker, award-winning author and on-air expert on resiliency, stress, performance, exercise physiology, nutrition and health. She is the founder and CEO of PowerHouse Performance and author of the book The Resiliency rEvolution: Your Stress Solution for Life – 60 Seconds at a Time. She is also the creator of PowerHouse Hit the Deck, the ultimate tool for combating stress and increasing fitness. Working with thousands of C-suite executives, leaders and employees worldwide, her dynamic presentations inspire and educate audiences to increase their capacity for stress and to recover from it more quickly and effectively. Clients improve their performance and productivity, all while enhancing their health. Jenny’s corporate client list includes Yale School of Management, AT&T, Estée Lauder Companies, Comcast, Nationwide, Ameriprise Financial, Procter & Gamble, Target and many other Fortune 500 companies. She has been quoted on National Public Radio, in Health Magazine, Women’s Health, a

Heather Shore is a fashion and trend veteran who discovered a passion for parenthood and a need to help support other breastfeeding and pumping moms by simplifying their dynamic lives. She returned to work after having a child and realized how sparse the clothing options were for breastfeeding and pumping moms. Rather than complaining about it, Heather took action and launched Nourish Collection, an on-trend clothing line designed specifically for women who are breastfeeding or pumping. Non-Profit Organizations mentioned by Heather during her interview: Everyday Miracles Emerge Mother's Academy Jeremiah Program Babies Need Boxes PS - Here is the amazing, structured dress that I fell in love with! You can actually breastfeed in this thing! If you want to stay up-to-date on future episodes or you want access to our Spotify Power Playlist, sign up at www.aprilseifert.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Donna Adams was born and bred in Minnesota and loves winter! She is a Software QA professional with a History degree, but that's not the focus of our interview. Rather, we spend our time talking about her experiences as a competitive powerlifter! Donna has been competing in powerlifting since May, 2015. She holds several current and past Minnesota State Powerlifting records in the Masters 1a division (ages 40-44). She plans to compete in the Masters 1b division (45-49) in 2017. Donna is an absolute powerhouse! Through her time in the sport of powerlifting, she has discovered her own physical and mental power and is using her blog (www.donnathedestroyer.com) and its Facebook page (www.facebook.com/donnathedestroyer) to share the message of women's empowerment with others. If you want to stay up-to-date on future episodes or you want access to our Spotify Power Playlist, sign up at www.careerkindling.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/priv

Linda Brandt promotes worksite wellness as a part of a team at Hennepin County Public Health Promotion. In that role, she supports healthy organizational cultures through sharing low- and no-cost resources. In her free time, she founded and co-manages a growing chapter of Lean In circles inspired by Sheryl Sandberg's book Lean In. The group has grown from 12 people almost 4 years ago to over 2,100 currently. During Linda's episode, we get into the best discussion! We talk about the importance of involving men in our work toward gender equality. We talk about how to be an ally for other women and support their passions, and the importance of knowing what you want and negotiating for it. If you want to stay up-to-date on future episodes or you want access to our Spotify Power Playlist, sign up at www.careerkindling.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Jen Halvorson grew up in White Bear Lake, MN and recently graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in Journalism. Her goal is to have a career in sports broadcasting, although this would be her second career. Her favorite city to visit is Cape Town, South Africa, and she would love to live in New York City.  When Jen was 12 years old, she broke into the modeling industry, working independently as well as nationally in the U.S. In her episode, we discuss her experience in the industry and the way it impacts people (for good and bad). She talks about how she kept a level head in an industry that throws many people off-track, and she discusses how her experiences have shaped her future goals in journalism and broadcasting.  Jen leaves us with some great advice on focusing on how you make people feel when you work with them and the importance of maintaining focus on your goals.  If you want to stay up-to-date on future episodes or you want access to our Spotify Power Playlist, sign up at www.careerki

Keepin' it real this week. I wanted to share with you all something that happened to me today because I think it's something that a lot of us struggle with. I hope that by being open and honest about my own experiences, it gives you the courage to be open and honest about yours.  If you want to stay up-to-date on future episodes or you want access to our Spotify Power Playlist, sign up at www.careerkindling.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Cami Dodge-Lamm was born and raised in Watford City, North Dakota. She attended North Dakota State University in Fargo where she earned a BA in Political Science in 2003. That same year she and her husband moved to Washington DC where Cami proceeded to work for Senator Dorgan of North Dakota, the British Embassy, and as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Energy. During that time she also earned a Master of Public Policy degree from George Mason University. She currently lives in Vienna, Austria with her husband and two children, and they are currently building a home in Vienna’s 22nd district. In Cami's episode, we get into such good stuff! We talk about the importance of networking, setting big goals, and how we all can be mentors for others around us. If you want to stay up-to-date on future episodes or you want access to our Spotify Power Playlist, sign up at www.careerkindling.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Jen Wheeler picked up a camera in grade school, and proceeded to force her sisters to dress up and model for her "photo studio," which usually consisted of a piece of tagboard taped to a wall. After many years, and after a stint in corporate America, actual clients began to request her portrait services. She specialized in weddings for several years, while nurturing a passion for the one-on-one, fine art nature of boudoir photography.   In Jen's episode, we get into the reasons why women want to feel beautiful (for themselves vs for others). We talk about trusting yourself to do what comes naturally, and the winding journey that life can take.  If you want to stay up-to-date on future episodes or you want access to our Spotify Power Playlist, sign up at www.careerkindling.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week's guest is professionally known as Dr. Amy Hillard -- psychology professor at Adrian College, a small college in southeast Michigan. Non-professionally, she is known as "Dr. Maims U" ("Maims" or "Maimy," for short) -- roller derby skater on an internationally competitive team called the Ann Arbor Derby Dimes. Her team is currently ranked #32 out of 400+ leagues IN THE WORLD. Amy began her roller derby career during her last year of graduate school and is currently competing in her sixth season. If you want to stay up-to-date on future episodes or you want access to our Spotify Power Playlist, sign up at www.careerkindling.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Lynn Broberg grew up in Stillwater, Minnesota doing some of the normal things that kids from Minnesota do.  During the summers, you could find her on the soccer field, and in the winters, on the ice with her hockey team.  After high school graduation, Lynn attended the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish. After college graduation, Lynn eventually found herself immersed in the field of child and school nutrition.  She's currently the Business Systems Manager for Nutrition Services at Saint Paul Public Schools, and recently earned her School Nutrition Specialist (SNS) credentials.  School nutrition isn't the only thing that Lynn eventually found herself immersed in. As a celebration of her 30th and her aunts 45th birthdays, Lynn made her first tandem skydive on September 17, 2005.  Because of her nerves, it was a jump she almost did not make.  Fast forward 11 years, and you'll find Lynn at a drop zone almost every weekend adding to her over 3,000 s