Women We Know

Joining Mallory and Allison on a bonus episode of the podcast is Dr. Marie Cartier, who was initiated at the Theta Gamma Chapter at the University of New Hampshire. Dr. Cartier teaches at Univ. Calif. Irvine in Film and Media Studies, and at California State University Northridge in Gender and Women's Studies as well as in Queer Studies. Her Ph.D. is in Religion from Claremont Graduate University in Women Studies and Religion, with an emphasis on theology, ethics and culture. Her book, Baby You Are My Religion: Women, Gay Bars and Theology before Stonewall was published by Acumen Press in 2013. She also has three Master of Fine Arts Degrees – Film Studies and Theater from UCLA and Visual Art from Claremont. Learn more about Marie at https://babyyouaremyreligion.com 

Today, on the season two finale of the Women We Know Podcast, Allison and Mallory are joined by Ashley Weir Casto, Zeta Phi-Slippery Rock University, who you may have seen in the winter issue of The LAMP. Ashley began her journey as an entrepreneur and small business owner five years ago. After experiencing burnout in her first career in higher education, Ashley channeled her stress into candle-making and turned a hobby into her new career. Her company, The Haute Wick Social, celebrates all things that make a home feel more like home, from candles, tart melts, and bath and body products in a variety of signature scents and combinations made right in the store, located in Huntington, West Virginia. You can find her online at www.thehautewicksocial.com and follow them on Instagram at @thehautewicksocial. 

 Nara Chompunich's journey since university has taken her across the globe after graduating from the Delta Theta Chapter at the University of Houston. Born and raised in Missouri City, Texas, Nara took an interest in music from an early age. She gravitated towards singing, which became her outlet for creative expression as she got older. She auditioned for American Idol and sang her way into the show's Top 60. Encouraged by that success, Nara ventured into the music industry in her parents' homeland of Thailand. Now, she is the ring announcer for ONE Championship every week on ONE Friday Fights. She describes herself as a High-octane personality with an old soul who has made a living using her thunderous voice. Hear her weekly at https://www.onefc.com/ or follow her on Insatagram @naranaranara_official. 

Today's podcast guest is Sandy DeMauro. Initiated at Stockton University's Omicron Beta Chapter in New Jersey, Sandy is someone Allison knows from her early days in the fraternity/sorority advising field. Sandy is now an Associate Professor at Palm Beach State College in Florida. Sandy describes herself as an encourager of the heart who seeks to positively impact someone's life or give someone a reason to smile. She's recreated herself, both personally and professionally, many times over and she is sharing her story on today's episode. Connect with Sandy on LinkedIn after the show.

Joining Allison and Mallory on today's episode is Sandy Shaddix Bartlett, who was initiated at the Iota Upsilon Chapter at California State University, Fullerton. Currently living in the Pheonix Arizona area, Sandy is the CEO/Founder Sandy Bartlett Coaching. She's been a CCD for Delta Zeta and then volunteered as a Regional Collegiate Director and National District Director.  With a background in human resources, Sandy is fulfilling her dream of empowering women now in her “retirement”! As a Self-Discovery Coach and bestselling author, she works with women on the various areas of 'self' so they can create a life filled with confidence, purpose, and fulfillment. Find out more about Sandy, and her new book, on her website at https://thesandybartlett.com/. 

Our guests this week were featured on the Fall 2023 LAMP cover story, where their special sisterhood story was shared. Lacey Schollenberger and Ashleigh Flanery, both from the Kappa Tau Chapter at Morehead State University in Kentucky, share more than their Delta Zeta sisterhood. This week, they celebrate their 5-year Kidney-versary. When Lacey, who had dealt with the side effects of lupus from an early age, needed a kidney transplant, Ashleigh was there and gave her the gift of a lifetime by donating her own organ. It is obviously an incredible story of friendship, and the connection between the two is inspiring. 

Joining Mallory and Allison on today's episode is Ali Manion, who was initiated at the Sigma Chapter at Louisiana State University, where she earned a B.A. in Mass Communication, concentrating in Public Relations and minoring in Dance and Business Administration. When she was young, Ali eagerly anticipated her family's annual vacations to Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL, and discovered her dream of becoming a Disney Cast Member. After graduation, Ali pursued this dream through the Disney College Program, kick-starting her career at Walt Disney World. Ali has spent most of her Disney career in Entertainment as a performer, Guest Experience Manager and Communications Manager. She has also worked in social media and as a Disney Traditions Facilitator. She is finishing her time as a 2022-2023 Walt Disney World Ambassador, representing more than 75,000 Cast Members as a company spokesperson for media and in the Central Florida community while also planning and participating in Cast Member recognition events. Ali was a Truly Talk speaker at this past summer's Everlasting Sisterhood event and National Convention and was recognized as a 2023 Delta Zeta 35 Under 35 honoree. Find Ali on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/alimanion/ 

On this week's podcast, Mallory and Allison are recording in person! As a mid-season break, they discuss how Delta Zeta has brought women together and created opportunities they might not otherwise have. We get to share some books we are reading and podcasts we listen to. Plus they share an excellent ice cream recommendation in Shelton, CT!

Joining Mallory and Allison is Jennifer Oknin, a chapter sister of Allison's from the Alpha Upsilon Chapter at the University of Maine, so of course they name-drop some other Black Bear alumnae names! Jen is a former corporate employee who left the high stress of her job behind years ago and has embarked on a new life empowering women to take control of their health. She is a Certified IHP or integrated health professional who creates results for professional women 40+ lose weight, balance hormones, manage the "crazies", and feel healthy, energized & confident using her Fatigued to Fabulous signature 90-day program. She candidly shares her story of health with sisters in today's episode!Connect with Jen on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenoknin/ or on her website https://jenoknin.com. 

On this episode, our podcast guest is Sandrine Akindo, from the Omicron Pi Chapter at Frostburg State University in Maryland. After graduating with a degree in Psychology she went on to earn a master's degree from West Virginia University's John Chambers College of Business and Economics in Industrial relations and human resource management.  Sandrine is a Senior Human Resource Manager for PepsiCo, Inc., where she has digitized several work streams to streamline HR work. Sandrine is also a philanthropist. She is the Co-Founder and Executive Board Member for Assistance for Kids in African Villages (AKAV), which is a new non-profit organization focused on enhancing the educational experience of students in African villages. When Sandrine moved from Maryland to California, she served as the Alumnae Chapter President of the West Inland Empire Alumnae Chapter. And, in 2022, Sandrine was named a Delta Zeta 35 Under 35 honoree. Today's episode does deal with some more serious themes of mental health and loss.

Joining us on today's podcast is Kate Bay Jaramillo, Delta Tau-Temple University. She is a business strategist, entrepreneur, coach, and three-time author. She also describes herself as a wife, mom, bonus mom and pet parent.  Working alongside fellow Delta Zeta sister and 8-figure entrepreneur Kelly Roach, Kate leverages her experience in building and leading online businesses and her certifications in Mindset, NLP, Hypnotherapy, and Timeline Therapy to help business owners scale from 0-8 figures. Kate has served Delta Zeta in several volunteer capacities throughout the years. Make sure to listen all the way through to hear Kate's STEAR model to handle life!

Danielle Levien, Pi Theta-Rollins College is bringing a bit of magic and pixie dust to today's podcast. She is the Communications Manager for  Disney's Magic Kingdom Park and Animal Kingdom Theme Park. Allison and Mallory learn more from this skilled communicator about building connections.  And listen all the way through to find out Danielle's all-time favorite Disney movie!

After a fun summer break, Mallory and Allison are back with season two of the Women We Know podcast! In this episode, they are joined by Kelly Turner, a founding member of the Pi Beta Chapter at the University of Hartford. Kelly found her leadership voice because of Delta Zeta and has flourished in her role as a Mortgage Loan Officer. Her passion is to help women see that homeownership is possible and educate them on what they need to do to realize that goal. 

Allison and Mallory are closing out Season 1 of the Women We Know podcast with Deirdre Keane, Xi Upsilon-Northeastern, whose inspirational story was shared in the spring issue of The LAMP. To battle the depression that came with her Covid-19 hospital shifts as a nurse practitioner in NYC during the pandemic, Deirdre turned to running. Her experience turned into a huge goal of completing the World Marathon Challenge – which meant completing seven marathons in seven days on seven continents! Her story is incredible but more incredible because it is so relatable to so many people on many levels. Look for Season 2 of the Women We Know Podcast in September! And send us any women WE should know by emailing LAMP@deltazeta.org. 

It might be summer, but today's podcast guest is still busy! After graduating from the University of Rhode Island, where she was a member of the Beta Alpha Chapter,  Chris Boucher Carr,  has been an elementary school physical education teacher for almost 30 years. This year, she's written a new book, “Corwin and Friends: We can do it” which gives kids the tools to cope with life challenges. Based on her experiences in the elementary school gym, Chris's book shows that with help from others, friends can learn to use the right tool to get the job done. Find out more about Chris and her new book at https://chriscarrink.com/. 

Lucky episode 13 and joining the show today is Kerri Mather, Kappa Epsilon-Plymouth State (NH), is more recognizable by her stage name, Kerri Louise. She is a stand-up comedian and actress based out of New York City where she lives with her family and 2 cats and a mini golden doodle. She had taken her experiences as a mom of three boys (4 if you count her husband, who is also a stand-up comic) and has turned them into a YouTube web series called, “My Mommy Minute” and wrote two books, “Mean Mommy: Tales of Motherhood Survival from the Comedy Trenches of New York City,” a funny how-to mom book, and a children's book entitled “Harry the Elephant has An Allergy.”  Allison and Mallory were lucky that Kerri was up to the challenge of being our 13th guest! Find out more, and get a laugh, by visiting Kerri's site https://kerrilouise.com and follow her on social media @KerriLouiseComedy, especially as she grows her TikTok following!

Go back in time with Allison and Mallory's guest on today's show, Jeanne Bokina Christie, Zeta Beta - Wisconsin/Stout, as she shares her passion for sharing women's roles during wartime. We start with her own experiences as a Donut Dollie with the Red Cross Supplemental Recreation Activities Overseas program during the Vietnam War.  Jeanne then spent a career as a university professor, first teaching at the University of Richmond before moving to Connecticut, where she taught Communications and Leadership at Post University, Western Connecticut State University and Manhattanville College. She's just published a book, "The Women of City Point, Virginia, 1864-1865" which focuses on the many roles of women in the City Point area during the siege of Petersburg and the end of the Civil War.

A collegiate chapter connection introduced Allison and Mallory to today's guest! Jessilin Quint, Zeta Zeta-West Texas A&M, is a Texan living in Maine who is the CEO and owner of Smart Eye Care. Jessilin started her career as an Optometrist after receiving her Doctorate of Optometry from Indiana University. She completed her residency at the Illinois Eye Institute and moved to Augusta, Maine, where she runs her own practice. The conversation goes beyond the doctor's office and how our Delta Zeta connections open doors! 

Allison and Mallory are talking all things financial today with their guest, Melissa Myers, who is a wealth manager and certified financial planner. She has authored "Going Rogue! Unconventional financial strategies for women," and the 2023 proceeds are going directly back to the Delta Zeta Foundation! Melissa is a woman on a professional mission to empower women with their finances so they can live their ideal lives and be a blessing to others. Melissa got her Delta Zeta start at the Xi Psi Chapter at Grand Valley State University. You can follow her on social media with her handle @askMelissaMyers or visit her website at www.melissamyersgroup.com. 

Today Allison and Mallory are joined by Dr. Darnell Lattal, who is the CEO and President, ABA Technologies, Inc., a female owned online learning company. She has spent a lifetime on issues of coercion and its fallout across educational, health, mental health, and workplace settings. A clinical psychologist by training, she spent her first two decades of professional life in special education, adult clinical, and community mental health while addressing the suppressive effects of poverty on infant development, child and spousal abuse, and literacy in rural America. Dr. Lattal has published six books, and her seventh, The Wisdom Factor: Reducing the Control of Bias, Threat, and Fear to Build a Better World, is just out. An alumna of the Alpha Gamma Chapter at the University of Alabama, Darnell shares her wisdom learned over her lifetime with sisters!

Allison and Mallory are back after spring break and are joined by Washington, D.C.resident Brea Ellis. This amazing sister is giving back to her community through her work with Suited for Change, a non-profit preparing women for the workforce.  Brea was initiated into the Delta Tau, Temple University, and when she is not traveling for her full-time job as a Client Outreach manager for Union Plus, a non-profit and consumer benefits organization created and endorsed by the AFL-CIO, she's blogging about those travels and her style sense on her site www.breaellis.com.  

In this week's episode, Mallory and Allison talk to Kaliela Osha, Xi Upsilon – Northeastern University, the Founder & CEO of Brillie, an online community created to combat the workplace gender gap by driving more women into positions of leadership quicker. She is passionate about leveraging technology to solve big problems and make the world a better place. After graduating with a degree in behavioral neuroscience, Kaliela found that though the workplace gender gap starts at the beginning of our careers, there were limited resources available for early-stage career women - primarily due to costs and accessibility. She now lives in California, where she is launching Brillie to the world. Find out more at https://www.brillie.org/ and connect with Kaliela on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kalielaosha. 

This week, Mallory and Allison have a conversation with Kristen Field, Gamma Nu Chapter at Eastern Illinois University. This past January, Kristen inspired presidents and chapter officers during her Presidents Academy and CORE keynotes, Strategic Leadership is an Act of Love. Kristen currently serves as the Executive Director of Friends of Prentice, committed to researching and improving women's healthcare across all socio-economic, racial and gender identity backgroundsShe holds an MS in Public Service Management from DePaul University, a Non-Profit Certificate from the University of Notre Dame and a BS in Political Science and Pre-Law from Eastern Illinois University. Kristen's passion is social justice and advocates for peace, healthcare, the arts, the environment and equality especially concerning women, children and refugees. In late 2020, Kristen was named 26 Most Influential Chicagoans for her extensive contributions to the community. Kristen is a lover of nature, Lake Michigan, a golden retriever Mom, a member of Old St. Patrick's Church and a Crossroads Marathoner.

Besides running, Allison and Mallory both love to read. On today's episode of the Women We Know podcast, they sit down with author and Delta Zeta Julie Sneed Womack, a graduate of the Xi Omicron Chapter at Loyola Marymount University in California. Julie now lives in Oklahoma with her family. She shares a bit more about her newest book, Taking Her to Mykonos, which is based on a group of sorority sisters tackling life challenges as they honor one of their own who passed away too early.   Follow Julie on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/juliesneedwomack/ and Instagram @juliesneedwomack. 

Allison and Mallory are joined on this week's episode by Amanda Boehme, Alpha Rho, Ohio Wesleyan, who, when faced with making life decisions, decided to take the road less traveled.  After graduating college, Amanda took a two-year road trip and taught English in China then backpacked alone around Southeast Asia. First, she volunteered on a farm in Singapore, then designed mosaics in Thailand, and finally interned in Malaysia at a Scuba Diving Center. While she did not pursue these career paths, Amanda discovered her talent for planning trips, languages, art and a passion for learning about new cultures and connecting with people from all over the world. 

The Ohio connections are strong in our third episode, where Allison and Mallory are joined by Cleveland, Ohio, resident Christina Hidek, Alpha Theta-Kentucky. Christina is a self-proclaimed serial volunteer who has built a network of thousands in her work as an organizing guru and decluttering coach. She is now inspiring parent leaders in schools with her newest venture, PTO Ventures. Find her online at streamlinedlivingoh.com and ptoanswers.com. Follow her Facebook page www.facebook.com/ptoanswers. 

Joining Allison and Mallory on today's episode is broadcast journalist Devin Bartolotta, a 2013 graduate of Ohio University and an alumna of the Omicron Gamma chapter of Delta Zeta. She earned a bachelor of science in journalism from THE E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. She is currently a main evening anchor for WWL-TV, the CBS affiliate in New Orleans, Louisiana. She's a four-time Emmy winner and recipient of a New Orleans Press Club award for her work covering Hurricane Ida. From TikTok to mental health, we were really excited to get to know Devin and think you'll love her too!

Join Mallory and Allison as they chat with Lindsey Casella, a sustainability strategist and marketing professional currently based in NYC, on a mission to inspire + build positive change for the planet and people. Currently, she is an executive MBA candidate at NYU Stern and graduated from Temple University Summa Cum Laude from the Honors Program with a B.A. in Advertising Research + Strategy. 

Join hosts Mallory Golski and Allison St. Germain as they introduce Delta Zeta's newest way to connect - the Women We Know podcast!