Conversations with Seven Sisters

This week on Conversations with Seven Sisters, Jen speaks with Robin Newman a children's book author and Bryn Mawr Alum. They discuss her time at Bryn Mawr and her career. Robin shares her experiences studying abroad in France, working as a paralegal, and eventually finding her passion for writing through children's literature. They talk about the importance of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators for aspiring writers, her journey to find an agent, and the process of bringing a book to publication. The episode provides a deep dive into Robin's nonlinear career path and offers inspiration for those looking to pursue writing.Connect with Robin Newman and discover her booksDid you attend a Seven Sisters College?  If so, Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

This week on Conversations with Seven Sisters, Jen speaks with Katrina McGhee again to update us on her book release and how her online business has been going! Katrina wrote the book Taking a Career Break for Dummies and she now runs a coaching business helping people take career breaks and thrive during and after!Find Katrina here: https://www.kmcgheecoaching.com/ Get her book here: https://www.kmcgheecoaching.com/book Get the audiobook here: https://www.audible.com/pd/Taking-a-Career-Break-for-Dummies-Audiobook/B0CYRBG7M3 Did you attend a Seven Sisters College?  If so, Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

This week on Conversations with Seven Sisters, Jen speaks with Bryn Mawr Alum Jennifer Brunton about her new book "The #ActuallyAutistic Guide to Building Independence" (and her previous books too!), her career in community colleges, about being neurodivergent and a mom, and her experience with DEI. Through her consulting business she is a nationally recognized Keynote Speaker,  coach and consultant. Jennifer has an interesting career path and perspective to share with the Seven Sister community! Find Jennifer's Website, book link and more, see the below: https://www.jebphd.com/https://us.jkp.com/pages/the-actuallyautistic-guidesPreorder The Actually Autistic Guide to Building Independence here: https://us.jkp.com/products/the-actuallyautistic-guide-to-building-independence Jennifer's blog: https://fullspectrummama.blogspot.com/ Connect with Jennifer on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-brunton-ph-d-b78693a1/ Did you attend a Seven Sisters College?  Learn more about the Seven Sisters Alum Association on our website: www.sevensistersalum.com Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

Do you have a high schooler who is getting ready to apply for college? You won't want to miss this episode of Conversations with Seven Sisters! This week, Jen speaks with Brooke Stengel (Bryn Mawr ℅ ‘91), an Independent College Counselor with over 30 years of experience. Brooke believes that the college process isn't about finding the "best"​ college -- it's about finding the "right"​ college. Brooke helps students through the process of determining what they are hoping to gain from their college experiences, finding institutions that fit their preferences and then helping them to show the colleges, through their essays and applications, how they will be active members in their future college communities. Be sure to sign-up below for our Zoom in September with Brooke: Application Myths Dispelled: The Ins and Outs of Applying to College.  Resources for getting in touch with Brooke and for more college admissions information: College Admissions Related Websites: https://yourcollegeapps.com/admissions-websitesTest optional colleges: https://fairtest.org/   Brooke can be found at www.yourcollegeapps.com  If you are looking for help in the college admission process, email Brooke at:  YourCollegeApps@gmail.comSIGN UP FOR OUR ZOOM WITH BROOKE: Application Myths Dispelled: The Ins and Outs of Applying to CollegeWednesday, September 18 @7pm EST: click here Sign up for our Seven Sisters newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

UPDATE BELOW!!!!Link to Sign the Petition: https://www.change.org/p/oppose-the-immediate-elimination-of-the-mount-holyoke-tennis-program On today's Conversations with Seven Sisters we have a special edition of the podcast where Jen speaks with members of the Mount Holyoke Tennis Team to discuss their team being cut without prior notice by the administration.  UPDATE! On the 21st of May the tennis team and our parents were offered a follow up meeting with our President, Dean of Students and Athletic Director. To begin this meeting, President Holley went through a list of points she wanted to dispute that she had been told from either faculty, alums and others who had written to her. She wanted to clarify that the decision had not been rash, Eric Cestero was apparently notified individually but the call was not received (we still believe that more effort could have been made), she did take into account the damage that would be caused to student-athletes which is why the smallest team was sacrificed.After this, the team began to discuss our request for 2 more years. We were told this is not possible, as she has already begun putting our $400,000 into other programs. We requested that we fundraise ourselves and only raise enough money for us to be able to play our NEWMAC matches for the next two years, or even one if that is all we can bargain for at the moment. This request was not taken seriously as they do not believe there is any way we can raise this money. However, based on all of the recent support we have received, we believe that this is certainly a possibility. Also, we were told that the $400,000 would not change, even if we only play an extremely minimized season. We found this to be quite counterintuitive and the details of how $400,000 has been calculated were not shared with us. Hopefully, when a similar meeting happens that has been promised with our alums it may be more transparent.Our Athletic Director and President then also brought up the issue of our outdoor courts. They are not deemed playable by NEWMAC and require 3 million in order to be resurfaced. We explained that, like with our most recent season, we can either ask other schools to play on our incredible indoor courts or we use Amherst or Smith's courts if outdoor play is required. To this, they replied that this would be complicated as other school's Athletic Directors must also be in agreement and not just the coaches. We have already been in discussion with other NEWMAC coaches and they would be more than willing to compromise, if this is what will allow us to stay alive. Our President nor our AD had a convincing argument as to why this should not be a viable option.Finally, they attacked our small roster size. Given our slightly smaller than average DIII tennis team, we performed well both on and off the court. Our President brought up the issue of our match against MIT during the season, where we were forced to forfeit two matches due to two of our players being unable to play. In Coach Aldo Santiago's 31 years, this has never happened! As you can agree, this hardly seems like fair justification for our team's sudden and cruel termination.Our AD then said that NEWMAC had complained that due to us not bringing a full roster, it meant that some MIT players may not have been able to receive all-conference honors. However, the NEWMAC fixed that situation immediately and they were honored. Our athletic director really narrowed in on this particular event however one of our players, Kirat Kaur, received this award this season. She is the first one to receive this honor from MHC since 2018, which just further shows how much more successful our team is. Additionally, the MHC Athlete who received this award in 2018 was also a member of the tennis team. Mount Holyoke did not mention this or

Does global warming play a role in your decision to have children or not? This episode dives into how the climate crisis impacts family planning. This week on Conversations with Seven Sisters Jen speaks with Meghan Kallman and Josephine Ferorelli, authors of The Conceivable Future: Planning Families and Taking Action in the Age of Climate Change. They explore the ways in which the climate crisis is affecting our personal decisions about family planning, parenting, and political action. Jen asks about parenting tips for how to speak and act with your children about climate change. They reframe the current conversation about population control and having children in the face if the climate crisis. Whether you want kids or not, this is a fantastic episode about all the facets of climate change and how to take action in and out of the family structure. Buy The Conceivable FutureConnect with Meghan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghan-kallman-6030a3229/ Did you attend a Seven Sisters College?  If so, Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

Have you heard of being faceblind? Yes, that is a real diagnosis, called prosopagnosia, that means you can't tell faces apart. This week on Conversations with Seven Sisters Jen speaks with Sadie Dingfelder (Smith ℅ 2001) about her career journey from writing a Washington Post article to writing a book all about discovering neurodivergence. Sadie shares all about her career from starting at Emily's List to working for Washington Post as a Staff Writer to being a freelancer and now publishing a book. If you are neurodivergent, interested in a career in writing, or just a Seven Sisters Alum looking ro reminisce, this is the episode for you! Buy Sadie's Book here!Follow Sadie on Instagram!Connect with Sadie on Linkedin!Attend her NYC book party!Attend her DC book party!Did you attend a Seven Sisters College?  If so, Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

Have you ever dreamed about sipping Italian coffee on a terrazza every morning? Why not make that dream a reality! This week on Conversations with Seven Sisters Jen speaks with Fosca D'Acierno, a Bryn Mawr Alum and expert on life in Italy. They speak all about how Fosca has ended up as an American living in Italy for over two decades with a successful career and family. Fosca is an Italian American born and raised in New Jersey whose year abroad in Italy changed her life. She spent 23 years working for Stanford's Study Abroad program in Florence and recently started her own business, Ask Fosca, to help people experience life in Italy. They get into her time at Bryn Mawr, doing an M.A. at Brown University, and moving to Italy to pursue love and a career! Discover how Ask Fosca can help you make the leap: https://www.askfosca.com/ Listen to 15 with Fosca the Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@15withFoscaPodcast Connect with Fosca on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/foscadacierno/ Did you attend a Seven Sisters College?  Want to learn more about the Seven Sisters Alum Association?  We have over 80,000 Seven Sisters Alums and Undergrads connecting on our platform. Click here to visit our website (www.sevensistersalum.com). On the website you will find our Seven Sisters Small Business Directory, links to our over 70 Facebook groups, our Merch Shop and more! Our Seven Sisters Job Board on FB has over 18,000 members, click here to join! Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news and upcoming online or in-person events. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

From the halls of Bryn Mawr College to the offices of Goldman Sachs. You can imagine the culture shock as one has every leadership position filled by women and the other is… lacking female presence. This week on Conversations with Seven Sisters, Jen speaks with Bryn Mawr College Alum Jamie Fiore Higgins about her time at a Seven Sisters College and the transition from a women led environment to a male environment. Jamie shares about her time at Goldman Sachs and how it impacted her career and personal life. Jamie wrote Bully Market: My Story of Money and Misogyny at Goldman Sachs to share and insider's account on Wall Street—an updated Liar's Poker—where greed coupled with misogyny and discrimination enforces a culture of exclusion in the upper echelons of Goldman Sachs. Jamie became one of the few women at the highest ranks of Goldman Sachs. Bully Market sounds the alarm on the culture of finance and corporate America, while offering clear, actionable ideas for creating a fairer workplace. Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamiefiorehiggins/ Learn more about Jamie: https://jamiefiorehiggins.com/ Did you attend a Seven Sisters College?  If so, Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

Have you ever thought about writing a book? Maybe even getting it published? Well this episode is for you! This week on Conversations with Seven Sisters Jen speaks with Jeanne Blasberg (Smith College Alum) all about writing and getting novels published. Jeanne Blasberg is an award-winning and bestselling author and essayist. She has written three novels in a thematic trilogy. Her forthcoming novel, Daughter of a Promise (SWP, April 2, 2024) is a modern retelling of the legend of David and Bathsheba, completing the trilogy she began with Eden and The Nine.Jeanne cochairs the board of the Boston Book Festival and serves on the Executive Committee of GrubStreet, one of the country's preeminent creative writing centers. She reviews contemporary fiction for the New York Journal of Books, When not in New England, she splits her time between Park City, UT, and growing organic vegetables in Verona, Wisconsin.More about Jeanne ​​https://jeanneblasberg.com/ Did you attend a Seven Sisters College?  If so, Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

 “Everyone can have financial ease, calm and confidence” - Ariel Nathanson.Don't believe it's possible for you after struggling with finances? Or you want to make it even simpler for yourself? Listen to this episode with financial educator and Wellesley Alum, Ariel Nathanson. This week on Conversation with Seven Sisters Jen speaks with Ariel Nathanson on all things finances and how she has gone from being the financial advice friend to go to, to a financial expert who opened her own business, Finances for Feminists.  There are so many money issues that we are never taught in school and that are critical to our financial well-being, especially as women. Ariel is here to educate women on how they can reach a point of financial ease and confidence despite all of the hurdles in our way. This episode is full of wisdom on how you can take control of your finances and reach your goals.You can find Ariel and Finances for Feminists at https://www.financesforfeminists.com/  Did you attend a Seven Sisters College?  If so, Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

So many people who lose someone close to them are blindsided by the administrative burden that comes and causes so many issues during a time of immense grief. But there are things you can do to prepare and prevent such a burden and we have an expert on the subject to help you! This week on Conversations with Seven Sisters Jen speaks to Barnard Alum, Abby O'Leary, who has used her life experience to build a business that helps people deal with the paperwork and logistical burden of loss. Abby O'Leary faced the loss of her mother at just 14 years old and lost her father at 35 years old. She decided to use her experience of grief and of dealing with the financial, legal, and administrative burden of loss to help other people who want to prepare for death or who are dealing with loss. Abby founded Fare Well Associates LLC in 2022 to help others prepare for and tackle all of the administrative and logistical challenges that accompany the loss of a loved one. If you are interested in working with Abby find out more here: https://www.farewellassociates.com/Did you attend a Seven Sisters College?  If so, Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

Have you struggled with your job in facing a toxic workplace or discrimination? If so, you'll want to listen to this episode with Jamie Lee who can help you navigate workplace politics. In this episode of Conversations with Seven Sisters, Jen talks with Jamie Lee (Smith College ℅ 04), a coach who helps women who hate office politics get promoted and paid. Jamie and Jen discuss the toxic jobs they have both worked in the past and how quitting them, aka voting with your feet, is often the right thing to do when HR and your boss don't help. Jen shares how tapping into your network and growing your community is essential to an evolving career. They share tips for moving to New York City after college. Jamie shares how her career was very non linear and how she has taken advantage of opportunities as they arrive. If you are looking for help navigating your career and getting promotions, then Jamie Lee can help you and you can find her at www.jamieleecoach.com Did you attend a Seven Sisters College?  If so, Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

Have you ever wondered what lie outside of the United States would look like? Especially for your career or education? If so, this episode is for you. In this episode of Conversations with Seven Sisters Jen speaks with recent Mount Holyoke Alum Lexi Lobdell on her journey since graduation over the Atlantic to study in Finland and work in Norway. Lexi was a neuroscience major with an interest in entrepreneurship who had no great interest in studying or living abroad until she was tapped to apply for the Fulbright program in Finland. She has since moved to Finland and completed a masters degree and moved again to Norway to work at an education startup. Lexi shares with us her knowledge of doing a masters degree abroad and how working in Europe as an American is a great way to propel your career. You can connect with Lexi here.Did you attend a Seven Sisters College?  If so, Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

Since the events of 2020 have you been worried about the state of our democracy and want to help protect it? If you are looking for ways to get involved, make sure to listen to this episode. In this episode of Conversations with Seven Sisters, Jen is honored to be joined by distinguished Wellesley College Alum, Secretary Jocelyn Benson, to discuss how her role is critical to our democracy, how she got there, and how you can help in our elections.  Secretary Benson shares why she entered the race for Secretary of State and why she continues to be so passionate about her position as a keeper of democracy for Michigan and the whole country. She shared how you can get involved in elections in your local community. And of course she shares some of her favorite things from her time at Wellesley College and how it felt to be their commencement speaker last year. Did you attend a Seven Sisters College?  If so, Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

Do you wonder if you are truly ready for the financial responsibilities in your future? Well this week we speak to financial advisor Karen Van Voorhis about all things money and retirement. Karen is a Certified Financial Planner™(CFP®) and work as the Director of Financial Planning at  Daniel J. Galli & Associates. She advises clients and their families on a wide range of topics including investment management, retirement planning, tax management, estate planning, insurance coverage, college planning, and charitable giving. In the episode Jen and Karen talk about how we can best prepare for our financial futures and the common mistakes people make when managing finances. Find Karen on Linkedin Or book at time with her. Did you attend a Seven Sisters College?  If so, Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

Do you remember where you were that fateful night in November 2016? Well our guest Ann O'Leary most definitely does as she was with Secretary Hillary Clinton in New York. In this episode of Conversations with Seven Sisters, Jen is honored to be joined by distinguished Mount Holyoke College Alum Ann O'Leary. Ann is an attorney and American political advisor, attorney, and nonprofit leader. Ann O'Leary is originally from the state of Maine and pursued her dreams of attending Mount Holyoke College where she enjoyed canoeing and running around farm land. We get to hear about her journey from South Hadley to Washington, D.C. to San Francisco as she works towards equality for women and families. Ann shares how she sees the upcoming election and how we can fight for our democracy against threats. Ann served as Chief of Staff to the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom. Prior to joining the Governor's office, O'Leary was a law partner at Boies Schiller Flexner. She served as Senior Policy Advisor to Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign and Co-Executive Director of the Clinton-Kaine Transition Project. She was a Deputy City Attorney in San Francisco; Executive Director of UC Berkeley Law's Center on Health, Economic and Family Security and lecturer-in-law at UC Berkeley Law; legislative director for Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton; and a policy advisor with the White House Domestic Policy Council under President William Jefferson Clinton.O'Leary holds a B.A. from Mount Holyoke College, a M.A. in Education Policy from Stanford University, and a J.D. from UC Berkeley School of Law. More about Ann O'Leary:  https://www.jenner.com/en/people/ann-o-leary  Did you attend a Seven Sisters College?  If so, Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

This week Jen speaks to Erica Thomas(Smith College ℅ ‘94) about how common emotional eating is and how we can overcome it using self compassion. Erica explains how she got into the field of therapy and has used it to help people who struggle with their relationship to food and how to bring more self-compassion into your life. She tells the story of how she went from a gap year in England to Smith College and then the Peace Corps. Erica started with a more non traditional career path and explains how that has helped her be a better therapist. You can find Erica at www.eatingwithselflove.comHer class is on Eventbrite: "Heal Emotional Eating with Self-Compassion" https://HealEmotionalEatingwithSelfCompassion.eventbrite.comYou can use discount code 7sisters at checkout PLUS receive 2 - 15 min individual calls with me during the 8 weeks of the class.Email Erica with any questions: efthomasma@gmail.comDid you attend a Seven Sisters College?  If so, Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

In this episode of Conversations with Seven Sisters Jen is chatting with Dr. Wendy Dean (Smith College ℅ ‘87) on the fascinating topics of moral injury, the medical industrial complex, and how you as a patient can address the issue in your actions.  Have you been to a doctor's appointment lately and noticed the rushed nature of your visit and of course the ever growing bill you got after? Well you won't want to miss this episode with a doctor who is an expert on the subject of US healthcare systems. Check out Dr. Deans Podcast Moral Matters. Did you attend a Seven Sisters College?  If so, Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

This week we are joined by Topsy (Martha) Siderowf (Smith College ‘61) to discuss her experience at Smith College in the 1950-60's and how Smith has impacted her long career. Topsy was also lucky enough to have a personal experience with one of Smith College's most famous alums, Sylvia Plath, who was her English professor her freshman year. Listen along for her stories of Sylvia in class and out and how she navigated her career in the sports industry at a time when not many women were working there. Did you attend a Seven Sisters College?  If so, Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

On this episode of Conversations with Seven Sisters we are joined by Katrina McGhee (Smith College ℅ ‘01), a Career Break Coach, to discuss finding the right career for you, her own career break, the challenges of writing a book, and why you should take a career break too. Katrina is a Career Break & Sabbatical Fairy Godmother here to make your dreams come true. She is a certified master coach with an MBA, who help 9-5ers create successful, mind-blowing career breaks and fight through the fear of breaking from their conventional career paths to create a life that brings fulfillment, joy, adventure or whatever they are craving.You can check out Katrina's coaching resources here. Did you attend a Seven SIsters College?Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. 

Join us this week on Conversations with Seven Sisters for a discussion with Reshma Saujani, who you may recognize from her work as the founder of Girls Who Code and currently the CEO of Moms First (formerly Marshall Plan for Moms), to learn more about how you can use your powers and advantages to support moms. Reshma shares about how she found her passion of supporting women and moms and has channeled that into her very successful non-profit ventures. She also discusses how now, more than ever, we need young people to enter government and how you can find different ways to support the causes you care about. We hope you enjoy listening to Resham and Jen chat about all things motherhood, supporting moms, and the current state of reproductive rights. Did you attend a Seven Sisters College?  If so, Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

This week on Conversations with Seven Sisters,  Jennifer Pollock McNally, the Seven Sisters Founder & Smith Class of 94, is interviewed by fellow Smithie, Montserrat Coughlin Kim (Smith College ℅ ‘94).  Jen & Montse talk about all things Seven Sisters - how it started, what is new, how to get involved and what is on the agenda in the future.   We also learn about the origin of everyone's favorite verb, "Seven Sistering", Jen's first couple jobs out of college & how this podcast got started.Montserrat is a published children's book author and founder of When a Dragon Comes. When a Dragon Comes is an independent publisher focusing on children's books about cancer and death. Montserrat oversees all aspects of book development, design, production, distribution, and marketing.  Learn more at www.whenadragoncomes.org.A huge thanks to Montse for helping all of us learn something new about Jen & the Seven Sisters Alum Association.Did you attend a Seven Sisters College?  If so, Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

This week on Conversation with Seven Sisters we are honored to celebrate the Fourth of July with Becca Balint, D-VT, the first woman and openly LGBTQ+ person to represent VT in Congress.She received her BA from Smith College, graduating magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. Becca earned her masters in education from Harvard University in 1995 and her MA in history from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 2001.Rep. Becca Balint is a mom, teacher, and progressive leader who comes to Washington ready to fight for working families. As the daughter of a working-class mother and immigrant father, Becca is deeply committed to defending American democracy and protecting vulnerable communities. Did you attend a Seven Sisters College?  If so, Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

This week on Conversation with Seven Sisters we hear from Dorie Clark (Smith College ℅ ‘97) who you may know as a multifaceted author, marketing expert, coach, and speaker. Dorie's most recent book, The Long Game: How to be a long-term thinker in a short-term world, is all about how we can break past the fast paced nature of today's work culture and stay focused on our long term growth goals. Dorie also wrote Stand Out, Reinventing  You, and Entrepreneurial You. Dorie attended Smith College at the young age of 16 and studied philosophy before attending Harvard Divinity School for a Masters of Theological Studies. She currently resides in Miami, Florida where she enjoys the sun and avoids the alligators. Did you attend a Seven Sisters College?  If so, Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

On today's episode of Conversations with Seven Sisters we have Valerie Kay (Vassar ℅ ‘89), a Managing Director at Morgan Stanley, who shares advice on how to get your career started, being your own CEO and being intentional with your career. Valerie shares about how her career on Wall Street got started with an ad in the paper, being a woman in finance in the ‘90's, and developing her personal brand. Valerie Kay has been working at Morgan Stanley for over 25 years in a variety of roles leading up to her role as a Managing Director of the International Securities Group. She lives in New York City with her husband, two daughters, and two big dogs. While at Vassar she played rugby, got involved in the community, and studied economics. Did you attend a Seven Sisters College?  If so, Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

This week on Conversations with Seven Sisters Shastia Azulay (recent ℅ 2023 Smith graduate) tells us all about how she saw immense food waste problem on campus and found a way to use her resources as a student to combat it. She founded the Food Rescue Network that has successfully donated over $25,000 worth of meals to local shelters in Northampton. She discusses how she does it, how you can get involved in the food waste movement, and much more about her time at Smith and beyond. Interested in learning more about the Food rescue Network at Smith or potentially assisting with funding this program?  Find Shastia on IG and message here there: @smithfoodrescueDid you attend a Seven Sisters College?  If so, Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

This episode of Conversations with Seven Sisters Amy Walsh (Vassar ℅ ‘87) shares about her career trajectory starting as a philosophy major at Vassar, going to Fordham Law, working in the Southern District of New York as a young lawyer and eventually making her way to partner of an international law firm. This episode is filled with interesting stories of cases ranging from violent homicides, to the Theranos case, to a Voting Rights case. Did you attend a Seven Sisters College?  If so, Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

This week on Conversations with Seven Sisters Jen recaps her weekend at the Smith College reunion and discusses the value of connecting with your fellow alums, seeing campus changes, and how reunions are a  great way to get involved with the community. Here is the article on Maya Lin and the new Smith LibraryJoin as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. 

This week on Conversations with Seven Sisters Lori L. Tharps (Smith College ℅ 94) shares her story starting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to her current home in Malaga, Spain! Lori and Jen discuss what drew her to Smith, pursuing a career in journalism, balancing kids and writing, living as a Black woman in Spain, and much more.    Lori L. Tharps is a Smith graduate as well as a journalist, author and creative writing coach whose work lands at the intersection of race and popular culture. She is the author of three critically acclaimed non-fiction books that deal with race, culture and identity; Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America (St. Martin's), Kinky Gazpacho: Life, Love & Spain (Atria), and her most recent, Same Family Different Colors: Confronting Colorism in America's Diverse Families (Beacon). Lori is also the author of the novel, Substitute Me (Atria).In 2021, Lori moved with her family to the south of Spain and she now works full time as a creative writing coach and the host of the Read, Write and Create podcast and blog.You can check out all of the literary resources on the Read Write Create website at ReadWriteandCreate.com.You can listen to the Read Write Create podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.And you can follow Lori for more literary news and opportunities on Instagram @LoriLTharps and on Twitter @ReadWriteCre8Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. 

On this episode on Conversations with Seven Sisters Winter Miller (Smith College ℅ ‘95) joins us to discuss traveling to Chad with The New York Times' Nicholas Kristof to do research for her award winning play, In Darfur, being mentored by Gloria Steinem, writing the play “When Monica Met Hillary,” and authoring a children's book about her cat Gato, Not a Cat. Winter is a founding member of the Obie-winning collective 13Playwrights. She graduated from Smith College with Latin honors and holds a Masters in Playwriting from Columbia University. She has published numerous Award-Winning plays, a children's book, and has written 90+ articles for the New York Times. Learn more about Winter. Did you attend a Seven Sisters College?Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. 

On this episode of Conversations with Seven Sisters, we are joined by Karen Armstrong (Mount Holyoke College ℅ ‘87) to discuss her love for Mount Holyoke, how a visit to career services changed her life, the changing amount of compromise in politics, how being a Seven Sister Alum has served her well, and what her favorite Mount Holyoke traditions were. Karen Armstrong is Executive Vice President at the New York Bankers Association (NYBA) which she joined in 1998, after having worked in Connecticut politics for ten years. Karen is serving her second term as Vice President of The Friends of the Cos Cob Library and chairs the Communications Committee. She lives in Stamford, Connecticut with her husband Clyde and their dogs, Angus and Annabel.Did you attend a Seven Sisters College?Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. 

On the inaugural episode of Conversations with Seven Sisters, Jaqueline Woo (Wellesley College ℅ ‘96) joins us to discuss working at Goldman Sachs as a member of the LGBTQ+ Community, being in the right place at the right time, making big career pivots, how Wellesley Swimming impacted her long-term, and more.Jaqueline is the Chief Financial Officer at Acumen, a global non-profit that uses entrepreneurship to tackle poverty, and prior was a portfolio manager at Goldman Sachs Asset Management. Jacqueline holds a BA in International Relations from Wellesley College and an MBA from Columbia University's Graduate School of Business.Did you attend a Seven Sisters College?Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. 

Introducing the podcast to amplify the voices of the Seven Sisters Alum community. Hosted by Jennifer Pollock McNally, founder of the Seven Sisters Alum Association and a graduate of Smith College, who holds conversations with a different alum each episode covering their careers, lives, and how the Seven Sister experience has impacted them. Stay tuned for fascinating conversations full of stories and advice from the Seven Sisters Alum Association.