Most Girls Podcast

Our Episode 22 guest is artist and dancer Nika Kermani. I first met Nika when she and her sister did some modeling for my swimwear brand, and over the last year or so I have enjoyed watching her develop as an entrepreneur. Chrissy and I spoke with Nika about her time volunteering in Israel and the Caribbean, the importance of her Bahai faith and how it is a source of strength for her, her most recent series of paintings and how they were influenced by Georgia O’Keefe, how she started dancing and what it was like to dance with the USC Trojan Dance Force, and opening up her own dance studio in her father’s former auto body shop.

Professional kiteboarder and entrepreneur Sensi Graves joins us to talk about life and business. When she isn’t traveling around the world kiteboarding, Sensi designs and manufactures a line of sustainable, made in the USA swimwear for women. Chrissy and I spoke to Sensi about how she started kiteboarding, learning how to design swimwear and run a business, advice that she has for young entrepreneurs, and how she maintains her hustle.

Teacher, winemaker, and water woman Tarnna Simpers chats with Melissa and Chrissy about the year she spent teaching in Micronesia, her love of the water and how she is sharing it with her daughters, growing up in Hood River and why she moved back, managing a teaching career, a business, and motherhood, and advice that she has for parents heading into a challenging year of homeschooling and distance learning.

Our Episode 19 guest is Britt Oase, CEO of Special Olympics Oregon. From the minute we started chatting, Britt felt like the best friend we hadn’t met yet. Chrissy and Melissa spoke with Britt about her incredible experience working on Super Bowl LII, how she got started in the male-dominated world of football and basketball, why she made the switch from professional sports to the non-profit world, what it was like finding out the organization she had just been put in charge of was completely out of money, and why she decided to stick it out and turn things around.

Our Episode 18 guest is stylist, television personality, lifestyle guru, and activist Robin Allen. Melissa and Chrissy spoke with Robin about growing up biracial in rural Montana, finding her identity at art school, and why she moved back to a small town after years in LA. We talked a lot about the Black Lives Matter movement, and Robin had some wise advice for white women wanting to be allies. We also discussed the roles people play in a revolution, the impact of the Wall of Moms in Portland and why it is getting attention, the responsibility that business and fashion have in promoting diversity and change, and bringing that ethos into our own personal and businesses lives. Because we can’t seem to have a conversation without discussing the pandemic, we also talked about how Robin is pivoting her business model, and her new YouTube show, launching in April.

Chrissy and Melissa spoke with Tess about how she earned multiple scientific patents with no formal scientific education and which of her many talents is her biggest passion. We also chatted about recording her new album and how she came to work with some of the most important producers and musicians in the industry, the ways that her Hood Crest winery is keeping staff and customers safe, the future of music and live performances in a post-Covid world, and which of her many accomplishments she is most proud of.

Melissa and Chrissy speak with Janet Hamada about how a trip to Bali as a young teenager triggered her interest in social work, her family’s experience in the internment camps in WW2, her time spent helping refugees at Guantanamo Bay, the importance of the services that TND provides, and how the pandemic is bringing to light the disparities in our community and what we can do to fix them.

Melissa and Chrissy interview professional mountain biker Bekah Rottenberg, a former teacher who started her own strength training and coaching business a few years ago. We spoke with Bekah about how she started mountain biking, the inequities between men and women in her sport, how boys and girls approach risk differently, why she decided to start her own business, and how the mountain bike industry can make the sport more accessible.

Karen Bureker is an exceptional athlete, a mom of three, and one of the kindest people I know. Melissa and Chrissy spoke with Karen about winning the first women’s pole vault national championship, why she became a firefighter, how diversity within a team only makes it stronger, and how the firefighting profession is changing to be more accessible to women and other minorities.

We will not be releasing an episode of the Most Girls Podcast this week. We had a great interview with firefighter/paramedic Karen Bureker lined up, but I have made the decision to step back for a week to focus on making sure that other voices are heard.

Melissa and Chrissy speak with Judge Karen Ostrye about what it was like to attend law school as a mom, serving as a judge in a small community, why there aren’t more women on the bench, her advocacy work for children, and how we can better help children in foster care.

Melissa and Chrissy talk with entrepreneur Ali McLoughlin, who graduated from the University of Oregon and worked in Bend for a few years before moving to the Southwest with her husband, who was in the military at the time. She had two children and worked in medical sales while her husband was deployed out of the country for long stretches. The family made their way to Hood River, where Ali combined her love for wine with her love for being active and started her own business hosting bicycle wine tours. Chrissy and I talk to Ali about why she started her business, pivoting during the pandemic, the future of tourism and the delicate balance between commerce and safety, and how she is finding balance in her life.

Melissa and Chrissy talk to adventurer and entrepreneur Katie Crafts. Katie grew up in the Northwest and moved to Hood River after college. She worked in the world of windsurfing for a few years before starting a career as a tech recruiter. Adventure called and she spent 5 years working as a guide in the Arctic and Antarctic, culminating in a grand adventure kiteskiing across Greenland. Chrissy and I talk to Katie about how she ended up working in the world of polar tourism, pushing through fears and overcoming imposter syndrome, balancing her need for adventure with the need for some basic stability, the importance of preparing for polar bears, and how her adventure in Greenland was similar to being quarantined during the pandemic.

Melissa and Chrissy talk to activist Gaby about how and why her family ended up in Hood River, her journey from DACA recipient to green card holder, her activism around the environment and Latino social justice, the concept of generational decolonization and how it relates to her family, and what it is like to balance working from home and homeschooling a seven year old as a single mom.

Melissa and Chrissy talk to anti-trust attorney Jennifer Hackett about how her bi-coastal work life has changed since the self-quarantine started, how the pandemic might affect the professional development of women, how she is spending her free time these days, and how her kids are holding up while stuck at home.

Melissa and Chrissy talk to singer, actress, and music teacher Molly Schwarz about her life as a struggling actress in LA and NY, how she ended up in Hood River, why she started her annual sell-out I Hate Cancer concerts, and what life is like in quarantine with three small children.

Melissa and Chrissy speak with high school activist Eva Jones about activism and her take on feminism, the pressures of speaking to a Senate subcommittee, how the quarantine and school closure have affected her, and her plans for the future.

Melissa and Chrissy speak with Anna about why she decided to run for office and how her experience has lined up with her expectations, changes that would make our state government work better, the value of women in legislative leadership, how campaigning will work in our new normal, and the state government’s role in steering us through this pandemic.

Olympian and author Lisa Kosglow talks about why being an Olympian was a blessing and a curse, how she transitioned out of Olympic sports and eventually into writing books and running outdoor camps for kids, and the annual six week adventures that her family has in Mexico.

Melissa and Chrissy chat with Olympic snowboarder Lisa Kosglow about why she inspires them, the ups and downs of her Olympic experiences, transitioning out of high level athletics and into "civilian" life, and the challenges of becoming a mom.

Melissa and Chrissy talk to Molly about her path to becoming a doctor and a mother, the ways that medicine has changed since she became a doctor, how she finds time to volunteer, how she changed from being an introvert to one of the most outgoing people we know, what fills her cup, and who inspires her.

Melissa and Chrissy talk to Dr. Molly Fauth about why social distancing is so important right now, when you should call your doctor vs when you should see your doctor, and how you can protect your family and your community. Chrissy provides insight on how our local school board is handling the school closure, where families can access free meals while schools are not in session, and how we can balance our busy lives with trying to provide home schooling to our children.

In this episode Melissa and Chrissy interview entrepreneur Tracy Bech. Melissa lists the reasons she admires Tracy, and they discuss betting on yourself and the importance of being able to figure things out on your own. They also discuss motherhood, learning how to set aside time for yourself, and knowing who and when to trust.

Melissa and Chrissy discuss what the podcast is about, how they met, and why they decided to work on the podcast together. Melissa talks about why she admires Chrissy, and they discuss Chrissy's recent state senate campaign and the challenges of running for office as a woman and and a mother.