Click on the episode number to enjoy our most recent episodes.
275 Sandy Gordon: A True Advocate Lives for the Causes She Believes In
When Sandy Gordon retired at 70, from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Rosemont, Illinois as Director of Public Relations, a colleague gave her a toast. It said in part: “Sandy has the kind of talent that startles people. Really. Her...
274:Coleen T. Murphy, Ph.D: Cognitive Aging: The Science of Longevity
Coleen T. Murphy, Ph.D is Director, Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, James A. Elkins, Jr. Professor in the Life Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, and LSI Genomics, Princeton University. She is also Director, Paul F. Glenn Center...
273 Dr. Tracey Gendron: Ageism Unmasked: Exploring Bias and How to End It
Dr. Tracey Gendron is an internationally recognized gerontologist with almost 30 years of experience as a grant-funded researcher. She speaks to audiences globally about the real world impact of age bias. She is determined to change people’s negative...
272 Carol Stitzer: Art is the Tapestry of Her Life – Zippers and Bees Abound
Carol Stitzer, 80, lives life in the moment. All you have to do is listen to her and you immediately understand that she is positive, talented, energetic and happy. From early childhood education to development professional, fundraiser, artist and...
271 Nancy Hanson: Following in My Mother’s Footsteps: Fighting for Systemic Change
A life of social service requires a deep commitment to reaching out, helping out and finding those paths that have meaning to you. Throughout Nancy Hanson’s entire life, she has been doing just that. Following in the footsteps of her mother, Nancy knows...
270 Kate Saccany: Battling Long Covid while Running Marathons
Catherine (Kate) Saccany was born to run. She took up jogging and ran barefoot for her first 30 months because there were no running shoes for women. A career banker, Kate joined LaSalle Bank. Coincidentally, LaSalle sponsored the Chicago marathon. She...
269 Eme McAnam: Senior Romance – People Live Who They Are Until Their Last Breath
Joy, love, compassion - the foundation of Eme’s life and her stories. Eme McAnam was a singer-songwriter who charted in the top 100 in Country Music. Her career has taken many turns: Singer/songwriter, novelist, art photographer. Her newest novel,...
268 Gretchen Wilbur: Living with the Maroons: Learning ‘Who I Am, Who I Have Been, and Who I Be Now’
Educational equity, intercultural communication, and teacher education are the threads of Dr. Gretchen Wilbur’s 30+-year career as an educational leader. Upon retiring from DePaul University in 2019, Gretchen traded an urban lifestyle in Chicago for the...
267 Carol Marin: Helping the World Know Someone Else’s Truths
Carol Marin, age 75, is an award-winning television and print journalist renowned for her nearly 50 years of investigative stories on politics, public corruption, and organized crime. In 2016, Carol co-founded and directs DePaul University’s Center for...
266 Joan Price: Talking Out Loud About Ageless Sexuality
Sex educator, Joan Price, is the voice for ‘ageless sexuality.’ In her books, webinars, presentations, newsletter, and blog, Joan talks frankly about spicy and satisfying sex for seniors, whether partnered or solo. She is the first to address sex and...
265: Elizabeth “Betty” Werrenrath: A Life-long Progressive, still Advocating for Change at 110
We love all our interviews. However, meeting Betty Werrenrath in person, and interviewing her in her apartment at the Presbyterian Homes in Evanston, IL was a unique experience that we would not have traded. Betty is inspiring, positive, upbeat and...
264 Patti Temple Rocks: Ageism in the Workplace
Patti Temple Rocks has had a long, successful, and immensely rewarding career in marketing and communications and still she is not done. Her work and her articles and books have been written about in major publications such as Fast Company, Forbes, The...
263 Susan Mazer: Creator of an 1,100 Hospital Patient Relaxation Channel and Full-time Jazz Harpist
Dr. Susan Mazer is a full-time performing jazz harpist and former President, Co-founder, and CEO of Healing HealthCare Systems, producers of The C.A.R.E. Channel, the only evidence-based, 24-hour relaxation channel for patient television. Now in its 30th...
262 Judy Reeves: Traveling Solo to Find My Way
When nearing 50 years of age and recently widowed, Judy sold everything, bought an around-the-world airline ticket, and set off alone on a year-long journey without a planned itinerary. “The outer journey serves as a container” for Judy’s inner “struggle...
261: Helen Hirsh Spence: Valuing the Expertise and Ingenuity of Older Adults
Through Top Sixty Over Sixty, Helen writes articles and speaks at conferences to encourage a reframed narrative of aging, one that reflects the age realities of the 21st century. She emphasizes the need for a longevity focus, encourages an entrepreneurial...
260 Janis Clark Johnston: Aging – So Cool Everyone is Doing It
Janis Clark Johnston is a family psychologist, speaker, and author of several books, most recently Transforming Retirement: Rewire and Grow Your Legacy. When she experienced 9/11, Janis says, she became more sensitive to other’s pain and loss. Planning...
259 Emily and Mitchell Clionsky: Dementia Prevention: Using Your Head to Save Your Brain
Emily Clionsky, MD, and Mitchell Clionsky, PhD, are a physician and neuropsychologist couple who have cared for their own parents with dementia, created a test used by doctors to measure cognitive function, and treated more than 25,000 patients with...
258 Diane Slezak: Expanding Options, Resources, and Services for Older Adults
Diane Slezak is CEO of Age Options, a nonprofit advocacy organization she has been involved with since 1976. Age Options caters to older adults and those who care for them with resources and service options so older adults can live their lives to the...
257 Darcy Evon: Building a More Age-Inclusive Society
Since becoming CEO of The Village Chicago in 2019, Darcy has overseen the growth and vitality of The Village—including over 500 comprehensive programs that focus on social, emotional, and physical well-being. She promotes improved quality of life for...
256 Susan Cartland-Bode: Born to Share the Gift of Music
For much of her life, Susan Cartland-Bode has shared her gift of music-- as a soloist and choral singer, voice teacher, player of piano and violin and, most recently, fiddle. A resident of Plymouth Place in LaGrange Park, IL, Susan performs solos, sings...
255 Rhea Zakich: The Art of Touching the Human Heart
Rhea Zakich, age 88, touches human hearts as an author, speaker, workshop and seminar leader, and creator of the world’s popular communication game the UNGAME (1973)—5 million sold and still selling. Her dramatic story of the UNGAME has been told on TV...
254 Catherine Hiller: Award-winning Novelist Tackles Taboo Topics
Catherine Hiller is inspired to write against the grain. In her current novel, Cybil Unbound, (her 10th book and 6th novel), she delicately characterizes an older woman and her new-found sexuality. Catherine believes the capacity to fall in love can...
253 Taru Fisher: Helping Women Transform Aging
Taru Fisher coaches women to make aging fearless, fulfilling, and fun. She encourages women to fully respect their own aging process and be vibrantly visible. Taru is a certified NLP Health Practitioner and NLP Coach specializing in aging. She also is a...
252 Julie Iverson: Death Doula—An End-of-Life Ally
In her role as a certified Death Doula (also known as an End-of-Life Doula or Death Midwife), Julie Iverson is passionate about providing non-medical, non-judgmental, holistic care and support to individuals and their loved ones as they navigate the...
251 Sara Gilfert: Hand Paper-Making Artist Makes Waves in Her Community
Sara Gilfert, 94, lives in Ohio. She comes from a family that was populated with teachers and preachers. While she began her college education in journalism, a chance workshop on fiber art caused her to change her major and she became a fiber artist and...
250 Ashton Applewhite: Ageism Harms Us and Obstructs Equity
Ashton Applewhite has been speaking out about aging and ageism for over 15 years. Her 2016 book, This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism, radicalized the present anti-ageism movement. Since then, Ashton has continued her blog, Yo, is This Ageist?,...
249 Connie Zweig: Bringing Your Inner Ageist into the Light of Awareness
Connie Zweig, PhD, is a retired Jungian-oriented therapist and coauthor of Meeting the Shadow and Romancing the Shadow. Her award-winning book, The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul, extends her work on the Shadow into midlife and beyond and...
248 Beth Truett: An Ambassador for Positive Aging
Beth Truett, MDiv, BS, believes in serving. It comes naturally to her and has guided her career path over the years. Her earliest memories are of lunches with the Ladies’ Aid Society. After a lengthy corporate career where she was committed to mentoring...
247 Diane Valletta: Everything Begins As A Thought
Diane Valletta has moved from passion to passion throughout her life. Her mother, who died at 93, was her role model. She had a passion for activism and service. The same is true for Diane, whose desire for service has spanned her entire life. From Women...
246 Aggie Jordan: A Journey from Nun to Feminist
A former nun, teacher, relationship author of The Marriage Plan: How To Marry Your Soul Mate In One Year Or Less, owner of Jordan De-Laurenti, Inc., a training and contract management company and a small business columnist for the Dallas Times-Herald,...
245 Mary Ann Cooper: Saving Lives through Lightning Injury Prevention & Safety
When lightning strikes, where do you go to avoid injury? If you live in the United States, you likely have easy access to a safe building or car. In fact, fewer than 20 people die annually from being struck by lightning. But for people who live in the...
244 Sheree Clark: Navigating the Continuum of Midlife with Courage
Sheree Clark is a Midlife Courage Coach whose varied forks-in-the-road include: university administrator in student personnel; owner of an advertising agency; TV show host; author; health coach; raw vegan chef and more. Through her Talk Series for Midlife...
243 E. Beverly Young: Speak My Name in the Room
E. Beverly Young speaks her truths about gender and race prejudices in the workplace and larger society. She entered professional policing 50 years ago, one of few women in a male-dominated field. During her 26 years in uniform, Beverly achieved the rank...
242 KC Henry: Family Ties and Personal Freedom
KC Henry’s roots are in eleven generations of Ohioans including her five siblings, four adult children and spouses, and 10 grandchildren. “Forgiveness and enjoyment of each other is what makes a family this size work.” KC creates room for consulting with...
241 Berry Dilley: Who Will Be My 24/7? A Concern that Grows with Age
Berry Dilley’s areas of interest cover movement, dance and mindfulness, teaching, creativity, as well as health, disability services, and quality of life for elders. She has degrees in dance, sociology and counseling and more recently trained in Somatic...
240 Ingrid Roze: Public Service: A Tapestry Woven Throughout Her Life
Ingrid Roze is a multi-faceted woman with many interests. Her parents came from Bulgaria and Latvia. Each found their way to Venezuela in 1948 where they met and married. It was there that Ingrid was born and remained until she was 12 when the family...
239 Connie Goddard: Writer and Independent Scholar: Intertwining Labor, Learning, and History
Connie Goddard has reimagined who she is for her entire life. One thing remains constant: her love for writing and for history. Connie lived in Chicago for most of her life; she writes about the city's history, that of the Dakotas where her family is...
238 Terri Banner Fitzsimmons: Rising from the Ashes: A Powerful Testimony to Life
Terri Banner Fitzsimmons hails from British Columbia. She has been in the field of education most of her adult life, as a teacher of all grades, Sociology Professor for twenty years, director of an Independent Study Program, helping adults earn their...
237 Dian Greenwood: Helping Women Discover Their Agency
As a therapist and writer, I support women who struggle with real problems to bolster their agency. - Dian Greenwood Growing up in the basement of the courthouse adjoined to the jail in South Dakota, Dian developed an affinity for people who struggle...
236 Cheryl Keen: Scholarly Activist Follows Her Callings
Cheryl Keen, EdD—scholar, activist, Quaker—has always tried to follow her callings which personify commitment, connection, and community. As a pioneer in significant movements--peace education and justice, service-learning, and progressive higher...
235 Liz Kitchens: Be Brave, Lose the Beige
Meet Beige. Beige is reliable, practical, sensible, and safe. Beige doesn’t put up a fuss; it follows the rules, blends in, doesn’t want to stand out. Now meet Liz Kitchens. She is more of a magenta. Magenta is rich, dynamic, loud, sometimes garish, and...
234 Noelle Nelson: What You Think You Know About Aging is Wrong
Author of more than a dozen books, Dr. Noelle Nelson has appeared on national and international radio and television, been interviewed, quoted or written about in dozens of publications and has spoken on the subject of appreciation before audiences in the...
233 Esther Gandica: Reinvention is a Way of Life
Born in Athens, Greece, Esther Gandica came to the United States, on her own, on a Fulbright scholarship in 1967. She was born in 1949. Her parents lived in Salonica, Greece, which had the largest Jewish population at the time, outside of Israel. The...
232 Valerie Ulene and Byrdie Lifson Pompan: Empowering Women to Care for Themselves with Dignity
Dr. Val and Byrdie are co-founders of Boom Home Medical, a “lifestyle brand that makes home medical products.” Dr. Val, a public health and preventive medicine physician, and Byrdie, a literary agent turned health care leader, recognized that home medical...
Phoebe Rubin and Erica Tanamachi: Work While You Have the Light
This cross-generational pair—Phoebe 76 and Erica 43—believes that younger women don’t hear enough from older women about what it looks like to keep “living out loud…and contributing actively” during the later decades. Why should women accept the cloak of...
230 Allura Adelson: Let Your Goddess Shine Through: Energetically Enliven your Heart’s Center
Living through the unimaginable - caregiving her son from his diagnosis of carcinoma at age 13, and through a 2nd diagnosis at 19, completely altered the trajectory of Allura's life. Her son died at 20. Even before that, Allura’s brother, with whom she...
229 Deanna Berman: An Interior Architect on a Lifetime Journey
“There will be junctions where it will be important for you to ‘just let it happen.’ We ourselves are many people at the same time.” Deanna Berman is an interior architect working with the bones, geometry and structure of 3-dimensional living and working...
228 Roxanne Lorch: Transitions in Work, Love, and Community
Roxanne Lorch, age 85, from Cary, NC, is a full-time artist with a studio in Durham NC who exhibits her work in juried shows and wins awards. Roxanne was among the first women to work in commercial design and graphics (who was not a secretary) and then in...
227 Terry Baum & Carolyn Myers: Pioneers in Lesbian and Feminist Theater
Playwright, director and collaborators for 50 years, Terry and Carolyn fearlessly tackle lesbian and feminist themes. They are thrill-seekers. While Carolyn is married with children, the pair seize every opportunity they can to work together. Terry moved...
226 Celina Edelstein: A Research Scientist Finds Passion, Purpose and Love
Celina Edelstein lived in New York, was married and had a son. They divorced while their son was young. With a background in chemistry and a love for science, she sought a job in research. Angelo, a research doctor, offered her the opportunity to help him...
225 Joyce Porter: New Experiences Uncover New Talents – Meet Joyce, the Writer
Joyce Klowden Porter, 73, has been an actor in 60 films, taught college for 30 years and is a non-fiction author. She recently won several awards for the film, Stairs, and continues to act as roles become available. Joyce’s late husband, Paul, gave her...
224 Francesca James: Helping People Find Their Wholeness
Francesca James, age 71, from Ingelwood CA, is a full-time intuitive wellness coach and energy healer. After a life-threatening bout with cancer, Francesca gave up high-stress work as a successful Black woman in white corporate America to connect “more...
223 Barbara McAfee: Taking the Girdles Off Women’s Voices
As a voice coach, singer, and songwriter Barbara McAfee’s mission is to ‘midwife’ women’s voices. “Tell me your story about your voice” is Barbara’s invitation to help aging women break the sounds of silence, express new sounds for healing, and experience...
222 Edwige Gilbert: Passion Helps you be the Best Version of Yourself
Edwige Gilbert is French. As founder of New Life Directions, she guides women to reinvent their lives and create fresh starts driven by a purposeful vision. She is passionate about women taking care of their bodies and allowing themselves to feel sexy...
Debbie Watts: Ms. Senior World–A platform for women over 70
Crowned Ms. Senior World 70’s for 2023, Debbie Watts’ mission is to empower women, especially as they age. Debbie’s talents as an author, educator, playwright, songwriter and performer, and producer of film and stage plays prepared her to enter the world...
220 Connie Kiosse: Who Am I & Where do I Belong?
Connie Kiosse is a complex woman. A deep thinker whose life has taken many twists and turns. A lover of women’s literature and the authors who write them. She is always questioning how to use the artifacts of her past and asks, “Art and words - how do...
219 Anne White: Green Elder–Climate Justice Advocate
Anne fell in love with nature as a young girl spending summers on her grandparents’ farm in north Georgia. Often alone with “nothing to do,” she read books and made friends with the insects, plants, snakes, and trees. After several decades as an...
Kathryn Grody: The Unexpected 3rd, a Work in Progress
A true Renaissance woman, Kathryn Grody is an actor, playwright, and activist. She wanted to act since childhood. While born in Los Angeles, she recognized that living there was a cosmic error and never felt at home until she moved to New York City....
217 Karen Egoff: Healing Energy Gives You the Gift of Self-Care
Karen Egoff realized at a young age that she has extra gifts. She didn’t know what to do with the energy she felt from others until she became a young woman. Through practice, Karen has learned to manifest healing energy and help relieve aches, pains and...
216 Sara Paretsky: V.I. Warshawski Fights on for Women’s Rights
Sara Paretsky is a lifelong reader of crime fiction. She developed her social conscience early on, realizing that women were so often represented in negative ways, and so often invisible. Years later when she began to write crime stories herself, she...
215 Dr. Robin H. Miller – Keys to Well-being– Heart, Brain, and Gut
Dr. Robin H. Miller is a general internist and integrative medicine expert who founded and directs Triune Integrative Medicine in Medford, Oregon. Dr. Miller came close to quitting medicine altogether until, several decades ago, she completed a fellowship...
214 Diane Gilman: Risk-taking and Boldness are the way to Transformation
Bold and vivacious herself, Diane’s 2nd book: Too Young to Be Old: How to Stay Vibrant, Visible, and Forever in Blue Jeans: 25 Secrets from TV's Jean Queen shows women how to face life with unfailing optimism and be risk-averse. As she reached her 60’s,...
213 Helen Shiller: Daring to Struggle, Daring to Win
Helen Shiller, age 75, was a six-term alderperson in Chicago’s poor and oppressed communities where she advocated for radical changes to police misconduct, poverty, and racism. Starting in the early 1970s, Helen’s activism took a page from the Black...
212 Joyce Feustel: An Unstructured Life- Happiness is creating a business from your passion
Joyce Feustel earned three degrees: BS in English Education, MS in Health Education and MA in Health Services Administration. While pregnant with her first child, she was elected to the County Board of Supervisors. After her daughter was born in December...
211 Kimbeth Judge: Becoming A Widow
Kimbeth Judge has been writing her entire life. At age 4 she was already fascinated by adult behavior. Understanding human nature has preoccupied her ever since. Putting words to paper enables her to make sense of what she thinks she sees. Her mother...
210 Opal Lee and Dione Sims: A Lifelong Fight Ensures Freedom, Food, Housing & Clothing for Everyone
Dynamic duo, Opal Lee, 96 and her granddaughter, Dione Sims, 54 are relentless in their fight for freedom. Opal’s activism started as a home school counselor in South Fort Worth, TX. Opal believed that “access to information and resources is what helps us...
209 Catherine Johns: You’ve Been Fired…Now What?
Catherine Johns found her way to an early career in broadcasting. She thought she went to college to become a nurse. There was this guy in her dormitory……how many stories started out that way in the ‘60s? “You have an amazing voice. You should be on the...
208 Susan Weininger Understanding Artists’ Lives and Work
Dr. Susan Weininger, age 78, is professor emerita of art history at Roosevelt University, Chicago, where she was Chair of the Department of History, Art History and Philosophy. She concentrates on art from the first half of the 20 th century, delving...
207 Eileen Joyce Donovan: Historical Research Unleashes a Writer’s Path
Eileen Joyce Donovan has been a writer throughout her life. It was not until she had been an adult for many years that she began to pursue writing seriously. Until then, she never felt her stories were “good enough”. It was her late husband who...
Claudia Cooley: Doing What She Loves Ignited Her Success
Claudia Cooley lives in Southern California with her husband of 61 years, one of the many ‘balcony people’ in her life who believed in her ability to make an impact. Self-taught, forward thinking and willing to put herself in uncomfortable positions,...
152 Ricki McKenna: Yes You Can Eat Well & Eat Right
Ricki (mchealthy) McKenna is an entrepreneur, author and functional certified nutritionist who believes healthy eating is the key to a vibrant life. She started her business in Colorado by visiting farmers’ markets to buy ingredients for soup, building an...
151 Vanessa Kettler: Building Better Balance As You Age: Prevent or Overcome Falls
Vanessa Kettler has danced all her life. She became an exercise coach 20 years ago and now focuses on older people so they, too, can experience a higher quality of life as they age. Feelings of fear, depression, anxiety and stress can be controlled...
150 Karen Bennett: Life Experiences as Gist for My Fiction Writing
Karen Bennett, from Baltimore MD, entered adulthood in the 1960s among Beatniks and ‘starving’ artists. After leaving art studies and a first marriage, as a mother of three, Karen became a nurse practitioner working in correctional institutions, including...
149 Sue Smith: Sue Talks Trash & Fights Dirty
Sue Smith’s life has educated her as much as she educates others in her position as teacher, trainer and consultant, first for middle school children, and then 30 years for Keep America Beautiful. Sue recently retired from KAB. The love in her voice as...
148 Ilene Dillon: Rethinking Anger & Fear Opens up a World of Possibilities
Ilene’s life is colorful and eventful. Overcoming her own fear and anger has allowed her to experience adventure in unique and satisfying ways. Author, social worker and host of Full Power Living for 12 years, she now lives primarily in an RV and...
147 Margo Morris: Diversity, Animals & Art – An Unlikely Frame for a Spectacular Life
Create diverse communities and better the lives of all people. This one sentence perfectly describes Margo Morris, 78. The communities themselves were diverse: corporate America, education, Lincoln Park Zoo, Garfield Park Conservatory and other...
145 Linda Seger: Prolific Author, Screenwriter, Pianist, Rider of Horses and Feminist Theologian – A Life of Creativity and Spirituality
How do you describe a woman, in a few short paragraphs, whose passions are so numerous, her curiosity endless, and her life filled with joy in all she pursues? This is Dr. Linda Seger. Never satisfied to only do, Linda seeks the best teachers in each of...
144 Defying Gravity: Finding Purpose, Rhythm and Enjoyment in Retirement with Iris Goldfein & Monica Israel
Childhood friends, Iris Goldfein and Monica Israel, are both highly accomplished professionals in male saturated fields, who approached retirement with apprehension and excitement. They co-founded DefyingGravity.life in 2018 with the mission to...
143 Karen Grassle: Reflections on Life, Loss and Love from Little House’s Ma
Many know Karen Grassle as ‘Ma’ on the hit TV series, Little House on the Prairie. She is also an actress of stage and film and now a published author with her memoir (Nov 2021) Bright Lights, Prairie Dust. Meet the real Karen Grassle who talks openly...
142 Dara Marks: Engaging the Feminine Heroic – A Journey of Discovery
Within us all are stories to tell that are relevant and essential. Dara Marks, international script consultant, lecturer, author and workshop presenter has always been fascinated by story. Her newest book and seminar, Inside Story, takes you into the...
141 Pamela Tate: Full-time Activist for a Healthier Planet
Pamela Tate, age 75, did not foresee becoming a full-time volunteer leader of climate reality actions at grassroots and national levels. As a member of the Climate Reality Project-Chicago Metro Chapter, Pam co-chairs the Task Force on Electrifying Public...
139 Pauline Coffman: Justice Ministry for Human Rights
Pauline Coffman’s early involvement in youth ministry evolved into justice ministry during her 20+ years as an advocate for peace and justice in the Middle East. Her first visit to Lebanon was as a student in 1959; her next visit to countries in the...
137 Karla Klinger: Writing Emotional Truths Across the Decades
Karla Klinger, age 87, has been a poet much of her life. However, until now, most of her work has been shared privately. As an early podcast guest, Karla read This Particular Dot in Time. This penetrating poem is the last entry in her first published...
135 Ellen Shubart: Journalism, Preservation, Policy, Architecture – and Still Going Strong
Ellen’s mother died at 101. Like her mother, Ellen’s current life path is filled with enthusiasm and enrichment. She is fueled by the strong community that is the Docent Volunteers of the Chicago Architecture Center. Even before becoming a docent...
119 Margot Wallace: Continue Learning, Take Risks, Do Things Well
Margot Wallace is a marketer, academic, author and life-long learner. Starting out, Margot was a writer and creative director for J. Walter Thompson (now JWT), global advertising agency. At age 62, Margot earned a master’s degree from DePaul University...
118 Nancy Manahan: Philanthropy and Writing in Support of Women
Nancy Manahan, Ph.D., age 75, lives an inspired life with her wife, author Becky Bohan, on the Florida coast in an intentional community of 500 women, aptly called Carefree. Life partners for 27 years, Nancy and Becky have published six books between them...
097 Sunny Fischer: Philanthropy for Women’s Rights
At age 76, Sunny Fischer (Evanston, IL) has advocated for women to be free from violence, exercise reproductive choice, afford their homes and possess financial stability. Sunny’s radicalization for women’s issues began in the 1970s while working directly...
093 Nancy Fuhrman: Goals Drive Your Actions in Retirement
Nancy has always worked hard to keep everyone in her large blended family connected. As she and her husband, Steve, looked far into the future, she brought the family together to discuss their estate plan and guidelines, ensuring they would all be...
092 Ronne Hartfield: Art and Religion in Public Life
At age 84, twenty-some years beyond retirement, Ronne Hartfield continues to make a difference as her commitments and curiosities flourish. Ronne honed her executive management talents at Chicago’s Urban Gateways and in two leadership positions at The Art...
090 Get Real: Gail & Catherine Reflect on 2020
As 2020 comes to a close, Catherine and Gail “get real” while looking back on a year of growth for both the podcast and their personal lives. This year has been a reminder of the importance of staying connected: zoom gatherings, podcast club, and other...
088 Julie Percell: Life in Hawaii when you are not Hawaiin
After graduation, Julie Percell visited friends in Hawaii and has lived there ever since. She has enjoyed a rich entrepreneurial career in sales, training and teaching. Working closely with local associations and government to provide resources to startups and...
087 Kate Kunkel: Music Helps Us Stay in Tune
Life in Ecuador lends itself to mindfulness, meditation and music. However, no matter where we live, the quality of our lives and our health is intimately connected to our diet and lifestyle. That is what determines how balanced our gut microbiome is,...
086 Kathryn Haueisen: It Takes a Village to Write a Story
Kathy Haueisen first moved to Houston with her family in 1982. After a brief return to her home state of Ohio, she again settled in Texas in 1996. Already a journalist and published writer, she earned a Master of Divinity degree in 1985, intending to...
085: Celebrating 70 Women Over 70
In this special edition of Women Over 70-Aging Reimagined, we celebrate reaching our milestone of interviewing 70 women over 70. Guests Susanne Dumbleton (Ep #082) and Judith DeVeries (Ep #002), who were our 1st and 70th guests (despite the episode...
084 Linda Randall: Sharing Your Stories: Sad or Happy
Feisty and outspoken! That is how we describe Linda Randall - semi-retired psychotherapist, board member of Village Chicago, active and resilient. Linda does not mince words when it comes to loss and grieving. Loss comes in many forms: physical,...
083 Marie Kisiel: Upstaging Time–Creativity in Later Life
At age 91, Dr. Marie Kisiel continues to pursue her passions as a mentor to people of all ages and as a writer about seasons in human life, centering on food, learning and work. The daughter of immigrant parents who had little formal education, Marie...
082 Susanne Dumbleton: The Power of Women as Forces for Human Rights
Susanne Dumbleton, Ph.D., does the research and then creates courses--e.g., Little Women, Joan of Arc, women leaders of social movements--to enlighten adults about the fight for women’s and human rights in the United States and around the world. She also...
081 Elizabeth (Zib) Hinz: Play Involves Activity, Curiosity and Spontaneity
In early adulthood, small town girl Zib Hinz changed her mind about living life by the script. She set out to direct her own path, guided by curiosity and opportunity. In the late 1960s and early 70s, Zib traveled across Europe, the Middle East, and hiked...
080 Dolly Kennedy: Meet ‘Arizona’s Dolly’
Since 1983, Dolly Kennedy has worked to keep the Dolly Steamboat filled with people. A natural-born publicist, she first worked with her husband, creator of the steamboat. They had a dream to put Canyon Lake AZ on the tourist map. They were so successful...
079 Sara Hart: Prime Spark: It’s Our Time
“The red fuzzy PJ’s stood for everything I lost.” - Sara Hart A PhD and professor of communication, successful head of training in the HR division of Pfizer, author, speaker, and coach, Sara Hart is a model of how women are making a difference even as...
078 Cat Parenti: Living in Afghanistan: An Extraordinary Life of Service
“Building bridges of culture, understanding and respect… I thank you for giving voice to the wonderful history and culture of the region.” – Hillary Rodham Clinton This honor by Clinton is only one of numerous accolades that chronicle Cat’s journey from...
077 Lyn Williams: Love Your Space, Love Your Life, Love Yourself
Lyn Williams has moved 25 times throughout her life. She says it was always fun and gave her a sense of adventure. Her mother made it an adventure, too, and each place they lived turned into home. Home, Lyn believes, is the stage for our lives, and it is...
076 Naomi Paulson: Courage, Curiosity and Grace – A Life Well-lived
Growing up during the depression, Naomi Paulson's earliest memories are of living during wartime and experiencing multiple moves. At 9, she moved from New Jersey, where she loved the outdoors and had the freedom to roam, to New York. Always one to make...
075 Let’s Get Real: Catherine and Gail Remember Ruth Bader Ginsberg
Maintaining social distance, Catherine and Gail “get real” as they reflect on the life of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. The duo discuss the impact Ruth had on America, and reflect on how it personally feels to lose a women's rights icon....
074 Rita Wilkins: Live the Life You Love by Design
Rita Wilkins is a nationally recognized interior design and lifestyle design, expert. Her TEDx Talk, Downsize Your Life, Why Less is More, tells it all. The inspiration for her downsizing journey began in Senegal where for the first time in her life, she...
Julie Cook Downing: Caregivers Comfort – Support, Motivation and Inspiration
“Caregivers give the greatest gift of all, with their love, guidance and direction.” – Julie Cook Downing As the President and founder of Caregivers Comfort Creations, LLC, Julie's mission is to empower and support millions of family Caregivers and...
072 Susan Stall: Advocacy for Community Development
Susan Stall highlights transformative experiences that shaped her path as a Community Sociologist and advocate for women’s equity and empowerment and grass-roots community development. While on the faculty at Northeastern Illinois University, Susan taught...
071 Susana Stoica: One Woman’s Story of Healing Brain Injury
Susana was born in Romania, worked in Canada and now resides in the United States. She has a Ph.D. in Computer Design Engineering and over 30 years of experience defining and using advanced technologies. During this time, she experienced two traumatic...
070 Karin Crilly: The Story of the Blue Satin Nightgown
At 85, Karin has been widowed twice, always has a man in her life, and lives out her dreams with passionate reality. She is gutsy and game! Her 2nd husband had passed away from complications due to Parkinson’s disease. After retiring from a career in...
069 Harriett Cholden: Everything to Help and Nothing to Hinder
As a young adult, Harriett visited Chicago from her home in Waterloo, Iowa, and never looked back. She got a job teaching 5th grade at an independent school based on the progressive philosophy of John Dewey and stayed for 40 years. Upon retirement 16...
068 Bobbi Wilsyn: Leaning, Learning & Leading: Music with a Message
Jazz/Blues performer, educator, actress and Professor Emerita at Columbia College Chicago, Bobbi Wilsyn, 72, has lived a life of purpose. Now in her 3rd act, she is redesigning her career and looking forward to new adventures and opportunities to serve,...
067 Martha Holstein, Ph.D.: Own Your Own Age
Dr. Holstein, a vocal advocate for women aging, speaks both to individuals and the larger politic. She urges women to own their age—if you are old, acknowledge it. Live by your norms, not those for people far younger: Intergenerational conversations are...
066 Sallie Reynolds: An Uncommon Life
From childhood, Sallie longed to communicate with creatures different from her - human and otherwise. Her difficult upbringing and early adulthood influenced the paths she chose in her life. A white woman growing up in the south, guided by a black...
065 Diana Appell-Kassler: Life is a Puzzle – Families are a System
Living in 9 places in 11 years taught Diana how to adapt as a young woman. She had to figure things out. First an art therapist and then a school adjustment counselor, Diana realized she would need multiple degrees to further her career and provide her...
064 Nancy Reid: Born to Sell – How Natural Ability Drove Her Career
Nancy Reid started her career as a greeter at a television executives conference in Miami, FL. The executive who hired her was so impressed by her innate ability to sell that he asked if he could professionally mentor her. That launched her into 30 years...
063 Lydia Denworth: Friendship The Best Remedy for Aging
Lydia Denworth shares stunning revelations about the importance of friendship for humans and other species, drawing on her recent book, -Friendship: The Evolution, Biology, and Extraordinary Power of Life’s Fundamental Bond. Science tells us that...
062 Emily Axelrod: Appreciating Life Through Multiple Lenses
These days, Emily Axelrod, age 77, uses the camera to record significant aspects of life, from photos of birds in natural habitat to survivors of the holocaust. She looks for new ways, whether guiding transformational change in large organizations,...
061 Sandy Rogers: From Adoption Reform to “Ask Sandy Rogers”
Pregnant at 15, Sandy gave up her baby for adoption. 20 years later, she and her son were reunited, in no small part due to her advocacy efforts and work with Concerned United BirthParents and American Adoption Congress. "My joy comes in working with...
060 Let’s Get Real: Disruption, Time and Connection
Maintaining social distance, Catherine and Gail “get real” as they reflect on their lives in light of the global pandemic. They discuss what disruption looks and feels like, the meaning of time left, the need to connect with family and friends, and the...
059 Susan Halverson Westerberg: Using Professional Know-How for the Social Good
Susan, age 71, reflects on the life steps that brought her from farm life in Minnesota, to advanced degrees and licensures in Virginia, to a faculty position in Oregon—a new Ph.D. at age 50. While on sabbatical from her work in marriage and family...
058 Marion Giles: Adventure, Independence & Social Connection at Any Age
Marion, age 103, is a long-time resident of Plymouth Place Senior Living in LaGrange Park, IL. For her 100th birthday, Marion threw a cocktail party for 100 people and 3 animals from the Brookfield Zoo. She also gave up her car that year. Marion reflects...
057 Lydia Manning: Gerontologist, Educator and Entrepreneur on Aging
Lydia Manning’s formative years include fond memories of relationships with elder members of her family. Her experiences put her on a path to create a unique set of skills to work both in academia and entrepreneurship to help people think about aging. “I...
056 Mary Reckhemmer-Meyer: Life Taught Her to Dream and Visualize
Mary Reckhemmer-Meyer grew up in North Dakota on a farm. Today she lives in Surprise, AZ. Experiences like being divorced after 26 years of marriage and dealing with a serious cancer illness led her on a journey to find herself. “Life sometimes isn’t...
055 Dianne Michels: Possibility Partner Workplaces Where Everybody Matters
At age 76, Dianne Michels continues to reinvent herself, having explored several careers before finding her passion in Human Resources as an HR Futurist. She believes retirement is an outdated concept that implies work is a burden you survive rather than...
054 – Chris Hauri: Bringing Creativity, Fun & Intuition to Life
Chris Hauri lives with the spirit of creativity and fun. As an entrepreneur and intrapreneur, Chris leads individuals and groups—e.g., The Human Company (currently), The Grand Group, Girl Scouts, Crayola -- to tap into their creative and intuitive...
053 – Pat Honiotes: Equal Part Irreverent Rascal and Kick-Butt Coach
A voice for the voiceless, Pat’s life-long career has focused on finding tools she can use to support the voiceless until they gain a voice of their own - children in special education, people with disabilities, the behaviorally disordered and more. From...
052 Sky Bergman: Lives Well Lived: Secrets, Wit and Wisdom of Age
Sky Bergman set out to pay tribute to her very active 99 year-old grandmother. She soon realized that “everyone has a story to tell if we just take time to listen.” Sky’s listening project evolved into a documentary feature-length film starring 40 people...
051 – Mary Gray: Poetic Justice is Sweet Revenge
Active writer, and published author, Mary Gray graduated from Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University in 1955. A long career in public relations, then as a corporate travel agent, led Mary to ghostwriting and worldwide travel. She always...
050 Frances Fuller: Helping Yourself Grow Old
Frances Fuller grew up in poverty. All of her books belonged to the state of Arkansas. Her mother had a 4th-grade education. It is a wonder, then, that Frances became a writer and publisher and left a legacy in the form of an entire body of literature in...
Mari Frank: Conflict Management — Helping Women Win
Master mediator, attorney, author and professor, Mari Frank is a bundle of energy and information. Her primary focus is conflict management and she helps women (and men) get what they want. Mari believes in emotional intelligence and how having it...
048 Rebecca Sive: Women Engaging Civically and Politically
For the past five decades, Rebecca Sive, age 70, has built coalitions—across lines of age, ethnicity, race, gender, and political persuasion-- to address a range of social issues. Her primary focus is advancing women’s rights in all fronts, especially...
047 Dinah Lin: Daring to Follow Your Dream – It’s Never Too Late!
Dinah Lin began life in Shanghai, China. She, along with her mother and two siblings, escaped on the last boat out of Shanghai in 1949, just before the Communists closed the borders. Her father was already in the United States on a research grant. Dinah...
046 Susan Ross: Living Solo with Verve
Sue Ross, age 74, took 8 years to transition from her full-time faculty position in Social Work to “being done” in 2018. Even though Sue taught gerontology and retirement transition, she needed plenty of time to “find my way” through the process. A...
045 Gail & Catherine: The Many Ways We Embrace Our Age
Amid a global pandemic, from separate locations, Catherine and Gail reflect on themes that emerge from the inspiring and provocative stories of our guests. In this retrospective episode, we highlight women who have experienced spiritual awakenings and now...
044 Jennifer Grainger: Reinvention Through Spiritual Awakening
Jennifer is an inspiring advocate of aging. A horrific accident that fatally killed all members of a friend’s family, plus her own bout of unremitting pain from a shingles attack, completely shook her faith. The path she embarked on resulted in authoring...
043 Jackie Walker: Walk Out of Your Closet with a Dose of Self-Esteem
As soon as the conversation starts with Jackie Walker, you are drawn in. Here is a woman who has spent her entire career in mainstream fashion, first on the retail floor, then in HR. And then she had an AHA. She reinvented herself and became known as the...
042 Linda Schaefer: Finding Your Happy Place
Come springtime, you will find 70-year-old Linda Schaefer at the Minnesota Twins ballpark, where she works as an usher about 55 days of the season. Linda’s love of the Twins spans over 60 years, starting in grade school when she listened (yes, listened,...
041 Cordelia Ryan: Retired With A Smile On Her Face
Cory Ryan is a former nun of the Congregation of Maryknoll Sisters in Maryknoll, New York. She saw it as a way to pursue a life of exploration and service. She participated during a period of time when the church began to recognize that sisters were...
040: Ginger Littleton: Bravery is Conscience in Action – We Just Have to Act.
Would you want your claim to fame to be that you attacked a mysterious shooter, at your monthly Board Meeting in 2010, by smacking him in the head with your small (Brahmin) purse? At this Bay District school board meeting, with 300+ people attending,...
039 Heather Booth: Organizing Can Change the World
At age 74, Heather Booth thrives as a visionary leader who makes big change happen. Ever since her teen years, Heather has championed social movements and built organizations—civil rights, women’s rights, labor rights, and others. She describes her entry...
038 Yukiko Iino: Lost Identity Leads to Passion Work
Born and raised in Kobe, Japan, Yukiko moved to the United States in the 9th grade when her father accepted a job in New York. After 4 years, her family returned to Japan. She was determined to complete her education in the States. Graduating from City...
037 Jania Aebi: Finding Life’s Purpose at 75
In this episode: Jania Aebi, age 86, lives and works in Switzerland as a healer. Challenges have always shaped her. Born in Poland before World War II, she was sent to England at 11 years old to continue her studies. She had no language, no family and a...
036 Jacky Grimshaw: Transportation Advocacy Changes Peoples’ Lives
In this episode, Gail and Catherine talk with Jacky about her long career advocating for equitable transportation and environmental justice. She has worked with the nonprofit Center for Neighborhood Technology since 1992, currently in a part-time role as...
035 Pam Culley-McCullough: Transformational Healing From the 3rd Realm
Pam’s life has unfolded in unpredictable fashion. Her experience, and practical work, as a counseling psychologist, led her to understand she was a healer. As she began to rely more and more on her intuition, she could access, through her clients,...
034 Peggy Keonjiian: Mastering Life with No Regrets
Peggy’s love of life caused her career to move across many paths. She never expected to travel, live in unexpected places or have the life experiences she did. A graduate in biological science/zoology, it was only as field editor for Better Homes &...
033 Rita Corley Baker: Lifelong Advocate, Therapist and Activist
Growing up in a patriarchal Irish Catholic home, Rita followed her 2 older siblings into the convent, believing a life of service was only available inside a religious community. 12 years later she had come to understand that she could be a witness and...
032 Gerda Meyer Bernstein: Bearing Witness to Man’s Inhumanity to Man
In this episode, Gail, Catherine and Gerda discuss her lifelong commitment to creating art that bears witness to human experiences of conflict, disruption, loss, prejudice, and violence. Gerda chronicles her early life history as a Jew in Germany,...
031 Donna Marie Scheifler: Crone Wisdom Shining Brightly
In this episode, Gail, Catherine, and Donna Marie discuss: What happened when Donna Marie hit a wall and how she emerged whole. How blindly joining a Women’s Circle completely changed her life. How difficult life can get and how exhilarating it is to get...
030 Gail & Catherine: Reflections on Episode Themes
Periodically, Catherine and Gail will reflect on themes that emerge from the inspiring and provocative stories of our guests. In this first retrospective episode, we highlight four themes that emerged during 2019: living by choice; reinventing oneself;...
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