Who's Missing?

Emily's conversation with Stephanie Piccirilli in May of 2024 moved us in ways that were deeply complex. We heard the difficult personal journey of her father's terminal cancer. In so many ways "Al" was the star of that episode. Last week, Steph's dad found rest from his battle with cancer. Given all the lessons he taught, we wanted to honor him and Steph with this special release.  Fall feels like such a natural time to grieve, but this conversation is filled with optimism. Listen in on the rich reminders of how people who have died continue to make an impact long after they're gone.

Every month, we drop a leadership and life gem in response to listener questions. Has change made it hard to even recognize yourself? This month's listener question asks for help in reinvigorating self-love and a sense of joy. In this episode, Emily & Katie explore the pathways to finding resilience again. Ask Us Anything is a WM series hosted by Emily Drake and fellow coach, Chicagoan, and counseling professional Katie O'Malley.  How can we help you? Submit your question here. Or call 773-389-3638‬, and leave us a voicemail.

As Emily says, "Don't underestimate what you can accomplish, just by asking a question." Emily Drake's love of making meaningful connections is what drove the creation of this podcast. This is our "Listener Fav" from Season 1 of Who's MIssing? The interviewer is her boyfriend, Arnie Niekamp (Writer / Director at Jackbox Games & Host of Hello From the Magic Tavern). Arnie joins Emily to discuss how the start of this podcast coincided with one of the darkest times of her life, and how she was able to find her way back to joy.

Our month-long celebration of our most-downloaded episodes continues with someone who lives in rare air. Tess Gunty's first published novel won the 2022 National Book Award. Emily's conversation with Tess goes deep on her journey toward writing “The Rabbit Hutch” and then what it was like to live in the world it created for Tess. A heavy challenge for an introvert. Tess also talks about the need to write about women who remain the main character in their own story.

We're celebrating your good taste all month with our most-downloaded episode. This week, its our "Listener Fav" from Season 3. Catherine Zack made a HUGE leap from corporate litigator to open her own yoga studio. Without flinching, Catherine shares every step of her process. WARNING: "The right choice won't come quickly."  During this conversation, you'll learn all about planick and how we all seem to teach what we need.

This month we're celebrating our most-downloaded episodes! It's no wonder this episode stirred so many ears and emotions. Emily and Kate get personal about reclaiming the word fat. Bottom line according to Kate: the body is not there for comparison or correction or consumption by others. Your body is for you. Kate Manne is a professor of feminist, gender, and sexual studies at Cornell University. She is the author of Unshrinking: How To Face Fatphobia. Kate's Recs: Whimsical artist: Enikő Katalin Eged Watching: Why Women Kill on Paramount+ Reading & Listening: The Burnt Toast newsletter and podcast Kate wants to spotlight FatCon which debuted in Seattle in January. Philly FatCon is making a return to Philadelphia this fall. Both events feature keynote speakers, a fashion show and a vendors hall all geared towards generating Fat joy and informing the Fat experience. Learn more at FatCon.org

Every month, we drop a leadership and life gem in response to listener questions. What do you do when your partner agreement is upended? You both agreed kids weren't part of the plan. In this episode Emily guides a listener through radical acceptance, when their partner has a change of heart. Ask Us Anything is a WM series hosted by Emily Drake and fellow coach, Chicagoan, and counseling professional Katie O'Malley.  How can we help you? Submit your question here. Or call 773-389-3638‬, and leave us a voicemail.

Every month, we drop a leadership and life gem in response to listener questions. Negative self talk can be a runaway train, especially when it comes to our bodies. During this episode, Emily & Katie go head first into the reminder, your body is for YOU. Ask Us Anything is a WM series hosted by Emily Drake and fellow coach, Chicagoan, and counseling professional Katie O'Malley. 

Every month, we drop a leadership and life gem in response to listener questions. But recent events threw us into a moment, where Emily asked Katie "how do you feel about being a woman TODAY?" That's how this bonus episode was born. Our regular "Ask Us Anything" episode for August will feature a new listener question dropping August 12th. How can we help you? Submit your question here. Or call 773-389-3638‬, and leave us a voicemail.

Every month, we drop a leadership and life gem in response to listener questions. Sometimes we find relief, but is it the relief we wanted? Listen in to hear how Emily and Katie pursue the options for "Tired Lawyer," a brave listener seeking answers when it feels like they've tried everything. How can we help you? Submit your question here. Or call 773-389-3638‬, and leave us a voicemail.

Susan Voelz is a poet, musician, and composer with a penchant for Yoga Nidra. As a violin virtuoso, she has redefined the use of strings in Rock 'n Roll. Emily and Susan examine the long shadows of childhood, the joys of improvisation, and the preservation of your life force energy.

Pinckney Benedict grew up on a dairy farm in West Virginia dreaming up stories of transformation and fantasy. Those roots propelled him to Princeton University, where he began his journey as an award-winning fiction writer. So, how did he become an AI consultant? Well, nobody can unpack that kind of story like Emily Drake. Click play for adventure.

There are 16,000 young people who are unhoused in Chicago, and only one in four find a bed to rest each night. Stephanie Piccirilli has the fire in her belly to fix that, and so much more. During this episode, Stephanie and Emily talk about the limits of time, the power of silence, and the necessity of tethering to each other.

Every month, we drop a leadership and life gem in response to listener questions - and this month we have two from listeners in Chicago - and they're both a little . . . sticky. Which we love! Ask Us Anything is a WM series hosted by Emily Drake and fellow coach, Chicagoan, and counseling professional Katie O'Malley. How can we help you?  Submit your question here. Or call 773-389-3638‬, and leave us a voicemail.

A first-gen Ghanaian-American, Dometi Pongo guards the intersection of pop culture and social justice. During this conversation, he and Emily talk about how he blended Chess Club and Hip Hop. Plus, you'll hear his hack for getting honest dialogue in the superficial “red carpet” world.

Emily Edlynn is a clinical psychologist and author passionate about helping parents thrive and retain their sense of self as they raise their kids. During this episode, the two Emilys explore a more sustainable way to parent where it stops being a competition, and becomes collaborative.

Robin Farris served more than three decades of a life sentence, before clemency freed her last year. She and Emily explore how she parented from prison, and her journey from existing to persisting.

Kate Manne is a professor of feminist, gender, and sexual studies at Cornell University. She joins Emily to reclaim the word “fat” and share the story of her life that led to writing  Unshrinking: How To Face Fatphobia. Kate's Recs: Whimsical artist: Enikő Katalin Eged Watching: Why Women Kill on Paramount+ Reading & Listening: The Burnt Toast newsletter and podcast Kate wants to spotlight FatCon which debuted in Seattle in January. Philly FatCon is making a return to Philadelphia this fall. Both events feature keynote speakers, a fashion show and a vendors hall all geared towards generating Fat joy and informing the Fat experience. Learn more at FatCon.org

Every month, we be drop a leadership and life gem in response to an anonymous question . . . submitted by our Who's Missing? listeners! You can submit a question online, or leave us a voicemail at 773-389-3638.   Ask Us Anything is a series hosted by Emily Drake and fellow coach, Chicagoan and counseling professional Katie O'Malley. Just like Who's Missing? the conversation will be juicy, the questions will be interesting, and we also hope our advice will be helpful.

Jamie joins Emily to discuss how to make societal change, brick by brick, as the COO of an incredibly fast-growing family business and a determined advocate and activist for equity in so many ways. And yes, with all that hard work, Jamie has fun too - that you'll really want to hear about!  

As an architect, Aseel Honein is driven to connect communities. She joins Emily to share her wisdom on gender equity, the necessity of finding your tribe, and how she built an oasis in the middle of a pandemic.

AJ Links is an Emmy award winning casting director known for The Bear, Station Eleven, and Fargo. She joins Emily to talk about lessons around grief and loss, being brave enough to be honest, and her supreme imagination.

The first Friday of every month, we be drop a leadership and life gem in response to an anonymous question . . . submitted by our Who's Missing? listeners! We have spring fever, and that means our April episode is in your feed early!   Ask Us Anything is a series hosted by Emily Drake and fellow coach, Chicagoan and counseling professional Katie O'Malley. Just like Who's Missing? the conversation will be juicy, the questions will be interesting, and we also hope our advice will be helpful.   How can we help you? Submit a question here.

The first Friday of every month, we'll be dropping a leadership and life gem in response to an anonymous question . . . submitted by our Who's Missing? listeners!    Ask Us Anything is a series hosted by Emily Drake and fellow coach, Chicagoan and counseling professional Katie O'Malley. Just like Who's Missing? the conversation will be juicy, the questions will be interesting, and we also hope our advice will be helpful.   How can we help you? Submit a question here.

The first Friday of every month, we'll be dropping a leadership and life gem in response to an anonymous question . . . submitted by our Who's Missing? listeners!    Ask Us Anything is a series hosted by Emily Drake and fellow coach, Chicagoan and counseling professional Katie O'Malley. Just like Who's Missing? the conversation will be juicy, the questions will be interesting, and we also hope our advice will be helpful.   How can we help you? Submit a question here.

The first Friday of every month, we'll be dropping a leadership and life gem in response to an anonymous question . . . submitted by our Who's Missing? listeners!    Ask Us Anything is a series hosted by Emily Drake and fellow coach, Chicagoan and counseling professional Katie O'Malley. Just like Who's Missing? the conversation will be juicy, the questions will be interesting, and we also hope our advice will be helpful.   How can we help you? Submit a question here.

Brandon Kazen-Maddox is an ASL (American Sign Language) artist, dancer, and filmmaker, and Co-Founder of Up Until Now Collective. They join Emily to share their fascinating story and give their insights on how to find your place in this world.

Rena Singer is a Rabbi at Temple Sholom of Chicago. She joins Emily to discuss quitting: when it's “okay” to quit, how to reframe it, and why there's so much judgment around it. 

The first Friday of every month, we'll be dropping a leadership and life gem in response to an anonymous question . . . submitted by our Who's Missing? listeners!    Ask Us Anything is a series hosted by Emily Drake and fellow coach, Chicagoan and counseling professional Katie O'Malley. Just like Who's Missing? the conversation will be juicy, the questions will be interesting, and we also hope our advice will be helpful.   How can we help you? Submit a question here.

Katie O'Malley is a career coach, workplace consultant, and founder of (en)Courage Coaching, with over 15 years of professional experience in the nonprofit, corporate, and education sectors. Katie joins Emily to discuss unique challenges for women in the C-suite: the cognitive and emotional labor that women bear, internalized capitalism, and the vital importance of rest.    Episode Citations: fairplaypolicy.org

Sara Alvarado is the co-founder of Own It: Building Black Wealth, and author of Dreaming in Spanish: An Unexpected Love Story in Puerto Vallarta. She joins Emily to discuss taking responsibility without shame, blame, and guilt, and the art of having difficult conversations. https://saraalvarado.com/free-resources/

Puja Ramaswamy is the choir director at Lake View High School, and she was awarded the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2022. She joins Emily to discuss navigating boundaries in the workplace and how to strive for career excellence while living within your values.

Catherine Zack is a corporate litigator turned wellness consultant and owner of Village Yoga. She joins Emily to discuss balancing external vs. internal change, our tendency to conflate decisions, ongoing wellness practices, and “planicking.”

The first Friday of every month, we'll be dropping a leadership and life gem in response to an anonymous question . . . submitted by our Who's Missing? listeners!    Ask Us Anything is a series hosted by Emily Drake and fellow coach, Chicagoan and counseling professional Katie O'Malley. Just like Who's Missing? the conversation will be juicy, the questions will be interesting, and we also hope our advice will be helpful.   How can we help you? Submit a question here.   Episode citations: Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab

Emily Achler is the CEO and Co-Founder of the book tracking app Italic Type. She joins Emily Drake to discuss our society's obsession with productivity, optimization, and always doing more, more, more.

Ethan Lim is a chef and owner of Hermosa. In 2022, he was awarded the Jean Banchet Award for Rising Chef of the Year in Chicago. He joins Emily to discuss all things stress: how he relates to it, how to deal with it, and how to decide what's “worth it.”

Tamika Maria Price is a vegan blogger and content creator (@plantbasedtamika), and owner of Standout Style Boutique. She joins Emily to discuss the risks and rewards of investing in your dream, and how to trust yourself along the way.

The first Friday of every month, we'll be dropping a leadership and life gem in response to an anonymous question . . . submitted by our Who's Missing? listeners!    Ask Us Anything is a series hosted by Emily Drake and fellow coach, Chicagoan and counseling professional Katie O'Malley. Just like Who's Missing? the conversation will be juicy, the questions will be interesting, and we also hope our advice will be helpful. How can we help you? Submit a question here.

Dr. Emma Belcher is the President of Ploughshares Fund, a foundation that supports initiatives to prevent the spread and use of nuclear weapons, and to prevent conflicts that could lead to their use. She joins Emily to discuss imposter syndrome within the scope of her work in the nuclear field, and its effect on women in particular.

Michael Goi is a 4-time Emmy nominated director, cinematographer, writer, and producer, known for his work on American Horror Story, Glee, My Name is Earl, Avatar: The Last Airbender on Netflix, and The Rookie: Feds, to name a few. He joins Emily to discuss his journey from Chicago to Hollywood, the role that mentoring plays in his life, and embracing the discomfort of success.

Arionne Nettles is a journalist and the Director of Audio Journalism Programming at Northwestern University. She's also getting her PhD in Educational Leadership from DePaul University. She joins Emily to discuss engaging with her audience, her holistic approach to teaching, and her bout of depression during the height of her career (and how she got through it).

Dr. Corrie Moreau is a myrmecologist with a PhD in Evolutionary Biology from Harvard University. She's the CALS Senior Associate Dean of DE&I at Cornell University and the Founder & Co-Chair of The Field Museum's Women in Science. She joins Emily to discuss being a first generation college student, empowering women to pursue a career in science, and of course: her love of ants and bugs!

Sophie Evanoff is a pastry chef and owner of Vanille Patisserie in Chicago. She joins Emily to discuss self-compassion, how she relates to her inner critic, and what we get wrong (and right!) with our romanticization of owning a bakery.

Ashley January is an oil painter. After going through a traumatic delivery of her son, she decided to channel it into her art. Her oil portraits depict fellow survivors and aim to raise awareness of the growing crisis of black maternal and morbidity rate in the United States. She joins Emily to discuss this issue, her own experience with preeclampsia, and how she uses art to create positive change around birth equity.

Simba Gandari, a Zimbabwean immigrant, is a student at Harvard getting his Masters in Education Leadership, Organizations and Entrepreneurship. He joins Emily to discuss how mentorship has shaped his life, the power of underestimation, and navigating what it means to be a man in today's world.

Sarah Littlefield is a dairy farmer and the Executive Director of the Maine Dairy & Nutrition Council. She joins Emily to discuss life on a farm, her decades-long love of cows, and how there's no such thing as a “half-hearted farmer.”

Pamay Bassey is the Chief Learning and Diversity Officer at the Kraft Heinz Company, and author of My 52 Weeks of Worship. She's a first generation Nigerian-American, and she has a B.S. in Symbolic Systems with a concentration in AI from Stanford. Pamay joins Emily to discuss the power of being a lifelong learner, and inserting joy into your day to make it “delicious.”

Emily Blum is the Executive Director of Disability Lead. One in five people live with a disability, and many of those disabilities are invisible. Emily Blum joins Emily Drake to discuss her journey with dystonia, misconceptions about people with disabilities, and shifting the conversation around it.

To kick off Season 2, we have the wonderful Tess Gunty: An award-winning author whose first published novel, The Rabbit Hutch, received the 2022 National Book Award for Fiction. She holds a BA in English with Honors in Creative Writing from the University of Notre Dame, and an MFA in Creative Writing from NYU. Tess joins Emily to discuss intentionality behind focus and attention, the journey behind writing her first published novel, and the experience of living an external life as an introvert.

In this bonus episode, Emily is interviewed by her boyfriend, Arnie Niekamp (Writer / Director at Jackbox Games & Host of Hello From the Magic Tavern). Arnie joins Emily to discuss how the start of this podcast coincided with one of the darkest times of her life, and how she was able to find her way back to joy.

It's the Season 1 finale! Ruth Foley is a former Chicago Public School teacher, and Emily's mom. Ruth joins Emily to discuss being a professional woman in the 60s, her civic engagement, and how she navigated the complexities of marriage and motherhood. This week's spotlight: League of Women Voters