Champions of Active Women

Jenné Blackburn has been at the forefront of innovative strategy and storytelling for more than 15 years, collaborating with brands such as VMware, WeWork, SONY, Location Based Technologies, American Idol/ABC, USA Volleyball, and numerous local, national, and global NGOs. 

Recently, she launched her latest initiative and book, Always An Athlete, at the espnW Summit in partnership with the Center for Sport, Peace, and Society at the University of Tennessee. The "Always An Athlete" book, is a guide designed to help athletes transition from their sports careers to the next phase of their lives. She also serves as the Global Alumni Community Manager for the U.S. Department of State's Global Sports Mentoring Program.

For more information about Always an Athlete, visit: https://www.alwaysanathlete.com/.  

If you enjoy this podcast, please click "subscribe" wherever you listen to episodes and we hope you'll consider leaving us a review. 

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If you want to help us sustain the Champions of Active Women podcast, please consider donating to the University of Kentucky Active Girls Healthy Women Program at https://give.uky.edu/campaigns/47165/donations/new?aft=87003cbf2438ea9d126a47dbe0395353 

Emily Manning is a Figure Skating coach at the Lexington Ice Center with over 9 years of professional coaching experience. She is a triple U.S. Figure Skating Association Gold Medalist in Skating Skills, Adult Skating Skills, and Adult Singles. From figure skating to hockey; her coaching style emphasizes building a strong technical foundation while nurturing each skater's individual growth - whether training for competition or skating recreationally. She brings her expertise in athletic conditioning to broader audiences as well through her work at Proof Fitness as a group fitness instructor. Her ultimate goal is to inspire people of all ages to move with strength, purpose, and joy. 

If you enjoy this podcast, please click "subscribe" wherever you listen to episodes and we hope you'll consider leaving us a review. 

Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/UKAGHW, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ukaghw, or LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/active-girls-healthy-women.  

Sign up for the Active Girls Healthy Women newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/h6e30b or learn more about our Program here: https://linktr.ee/ukaghw. 

If you want to help us sustain the Champions of Active Women podcast, please consider donating to the University of Kentucky Active Girls Healthy Women Program at https://give.uky.edu/campaigns/47165/donations/new?aft=87003cbf2438ea9d126a47dbe0395353 

Karolina Kopyonkina is joined the Active Girls Healthy Women team as the Program Coordinator in June 2025.  

Originally from Ukraine, Karolina moved to Kentucky at the start of high school and earned both her Master of Science in Medical Sciences and her Bachelor's in Neuroscience from the University of Kentucky. With experience in health research, teaching, and mentoring, she's passionate about empowering girls to stay active and build confidence.  

Karolina is a competitive figure skater who took up the sport as an adult, fulfilling a longtime dream. Now she trains regularly, competes, and performs in recitals at the local ice rink, using her journey as a reminder that it's never too late to try something new or pursue a passion. 

If you enjoy this podcast, please click "subscribe" wherever you listen to episodes and we hope you'll consider leaving us a review. 

Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/UKAGHW, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ukaghw, or LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/active-girls-healthy-women.  

Sign up for the Active Girls Healthy Women newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/h6e30b or learn more about our Program here: https://linktr.ee/ukaghw. 

If you want to help us sustain the Champions of Active Women podcast, please consider donating to the University of Kentucky Active Girls Healthy Women Program at https://give.uky.edu/campaigns/47165/donations/new?aft=87003cbf2438ea9d126a47dbe0395353 

Allie Riley earned her PhD in social work with a specialization in positive youth development in social settings from Ohio State University (OSU) and also holds a master's degree in social work with a concentration in clinical practices with children and youth from OSU, a master's degree in kinesiology from Purdue University and a bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Virginia. With over ten years of experience designing, implementing and evaluating physical activity-based positive youth development programs, Allie oversees the development and delivery of all programming and training at Girls on the Run to ensure maximum impact. 

For more information about Girls on the Run, visit: https://www.girlsontherun.org/.  

If you enjoy this podcast, please click "subscribe" wherever you listen to episodes and we hope you'll consider leaving us a review. 

Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/UKAGHW, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ukaghw, or LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/active-girls-healthy-women.  

Sign up for the Active Girls Healthy Women newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/h6e30b or learn more about our Program here: https://linktr.ee/ukaghw. 

If you want to help us sustain the Champions of Active Women podcast, please consider donating to the University of Kentucky Active Girls Healthy Women Program at https://give.uky.edu/campaigns/47165/donations/new?aft=87003cbf2438ea9d126a47dbe0395353 

Sarah Dwyer-Shick, founder of The Sports Bra Project, is currently an Associate Commissioner for the WPSL and trains the Vassar College goalkeepers. Since 2021 she has also contributed content and managed the Soccer Parenting  Youth Coach Advisory Group. 

A multi-sport athlete in high school and college, Sarah holds a Master's degree in Sports Management from the University of Denver, an undergraduate degree from Smith College, and certifications from NSCA, United Soccer Coaches, and USSF. 

With more than 30 years working in soccer, she has been a head or assistant coach at all three NCAA divisions, has worked with youth programs from the recreational to elite levels throughout the U.S., and has coached at soccer schools in Austria and Brazil. 

Drawing on these experiences, and recognizing the multiple barriers still faced by girls and women in sports, Sarah founded The Sports Bra Project in 2018. The nonprofit works to ensure that girls have the support and equipment they need to participate. With the goal of growing the number of women in decision-making roles in sports, The Sports Bra Project also provides leadership opportunities for young athletes. 

For more information about The Sports Bra Project, visit: https://www.thesportsbraproject.org/.  

If you enjoy this podcast, please click "subscribe" wherever you listen to episodes and we hope you'll consider leaving us a review. 

Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/UKAGHW, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ukaghw, or LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/active-girls-healthy-women.  

Sign up for the Active Girls Healthy Women newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/h6e30b or learn more about our Program here: https://linktr.ee/ukaghw. 

If you want to help us sustain the Champions of Active Women podcast, please consider donating to the University of Kentucky Active Girls Healthy Women Program at https://give.uky.edu/campaigns/47165/donations/new?aft=87003cbf2438ea9d126a47dbe0395353 

Brandi Mitchell is the founder of San Diego Soccer Women, an organization that serves to increase opportunities for women to join, continue or return to soccer without the limits of age or gender. Positioned as an advocate for "Play at Every Age," Brandi is connecting and expanding the global community of recreational female soccer players of every ability level.  

Growing up in Southern California, where Title IX legislation had already made girls' sports widely available, Mitchell ran onto the soccer field at age 5 to play alongside her older sister and under the direction of her Coach-Dad. She competed year-round as an adolescent and teenager, stopped playing after high school, and then found a recreational women's soccer league near her San Diego home at age 27. Her 4 year-old-daughter and 1 year-old-son first watched from the sidelines and are now adults cheering her on. 

Brandi completed a Bachelor of Arts degree and graduate coursework in International Policy Studies and French at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California. Since graduating in the late 1990s, her professional experience has been focused on partnering with small businesses and nonprofits with roles in accounting, human resources, marketing and brand development. Ms. Mitchell is a member of the board of directors for The Sports Bra Project and Street Soccer USA - San Diego. She has been recognized as an ambassador to the Global Goals World Cup, United Nations Association of San Diego and the Equal Playing Field 2019 World Record Event. Mitchell was featured on local public television in San Diego and national public radio for her promotion of gender equity through grassroots women's football. The San Diego Soccer Women Norway Squad jersey was selected for an exhibit at the COPA90 Clubhouse in Paris during the FIFA Women's World Cup 2019.  

Brandi's recreational soccer resources for players, teams, leagues, tournaments, events, charitable giving and female-focused gear was launched after realizing how extensive the community is in the U.S. -- and could be globally. She coordinates trips for older women to one of the most unique football pitches in the world, in Lofoten Islands, Norway in 2018 and 2023, and was co-organizer of a women-led tournament in Southern Spain in June 2022.  

The San Diego Soccer Women website, social media profiles and printed shirts show the world that women can play soccer throughout their lives while challenging the societal view that women are defined by their role within a family, i.e. "soccer mom." Her social media posts have been featured on the FIFA and FIFA Women's World Cup social media channels. Next steps for Brandi include improving access for women through beginner sessions, walking soccer and goalkeeper training. Inspired by the UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, she sees a future where everyone can experience the physical and social benefits of play. 

For more information about San Diego Soccer Women, visit: https://sandiegosoccerwomen.com/.   

If you enjoy this podcast, please click "subscribe" wherever you listen to episodes and we hope you'll consider leaving us a review. 

Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/UKAGHW, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ukaghw, or LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/active-girls-healthy-women.  

Sign up for the Active Girls Healthy Women newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/h6e30b or learn more about our Program here: https://linktr.ee/ukaghw. 

If you want to help us sustain the Champions of Active Women podcast, please consider donating to the University of Kentucky Active Girls Healthy Women Program at https://give.uky.edu/campaigns/47165/donations/new?aft=87003cbf2438ea9d126a47dbe0395353 

Nicoletta Nerangis is the founder and Executive Director of Run4Fun with the inspiration of her son, Panagiotis. Nicoletta has completed 12 marathons, including the Boston and NYC Marathon. Nicoletta's life mission is to spread the powerful and healing impact of physical activity on children's mental health and sense of empowerment. Nicoletta, a LMSW, is a certified RRCA Coach, holds a BM in Opera Performance from Shenandoah University and an MSW from Fordham University. Nicoletta's work has spanned over 30 years with young people as a social worker, crisis counselor, teacher and coach, receiving awards for her work with children and individuals with disabilities. Nicoletta, a trained opera singer, can be heard singing at the start of running races that she runs together with her son, youth, and communities. Nicoletta firmly believes that children generate powerful ideas that can truly change the world. 

For more information about Run4Fun, visit: https://www.run4funinc.org/.  

If you enjoy this podcast, please click "subscribe" wherever you listen to episodes and we hope you'll consider leaving us a review. 

Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/UKAGHW, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ukaghw, or LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/active-girls-healthy-women.  

Sign up for the Active Girls Healthy Women newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/h6e30b or learn more about our Program here: https://linktr.ee/ukaghw. 

If you want to help us sustain the Champions of Active Women podcast, please consider donating to the University of Kentucky Active Girls Healthy Women Program at https://give.uky.edu/campaigns/47165/donations/new?aft=87003cbf2438ea9d126a47dbe0395353  

In January 2013, following a transformative 72-pound weight loss, Shuntella Whitfield launched Fabulously Fit Fitness—a wellness movement rooted in her belief that fitness should feel empowering, not intimidating. Her journey inspired a mission to help others prioritize self-love and take control of their health, whether they're focused on losing, gaining, or maintaining weight. 

By 2014, Shuntella became a Zumba instructor, energizing her community with joyful dance workouts for four years before unveiling her own signature class, Soca Mi Shirt, in November 2018. This vibrant, high-energy cardio and toning experience fuses Afro-Caribbean Soca rhythms with strength-building movements, encouraging participants to "soak their shirts"—and their doubts—in sweat and self-confidence. 

A year later, Shuntella added "author" to her title, self-publishing the Fabulously Fit Fitness Journal, a practical and motivating tool for anyone navigating a fitness or wellness journey. 

In 2020, she launched Thick & Fabulous, a dynamic talk radio show on RadioLex (WLXU 93.9FM), where she dives deep into topics affecting women's holistic health—mentally, physically, spiritually, and financially. The show also streams as a podcast across all major platforms, reaching listeners wherever they are. 

At the heart of Fabulously Fit Fitness is Shuntella's unwavering commitment to community. She has created a safe, affirming space for individuals to connect with instructors, nutritionists, and like-minded fitness family members who support one another and stay accountable. Her guiding philosophy? Love yourself first, heal from the inside out, and embrace the skin you're in—because wellness is personal, and every journey is worth celebrating. 

For more information about Fabulously Fit Fitness, visit: Fitness | Fabulously Fit Fitness.  

If you enjoy this podcast, please click "subscribe" wherever you listen to episodes and we hope you'll consider leaving us a review. 

Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/UKAGHW, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ukaghw, or LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/active-girls-healthy-women.  

Sign up for the Active Girls Healthy Women newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/h6e30b or learn more about our Program here: https://linktr.ee/ukaghw. 

If you want to help us sustain the Champions of Active Women podcast, please consider donating to the University of Kentucky Active Girls Healthy Women Program at https://give.uky.edu/campaigns/47165/donations/new?aft=87003cbf2438ea9d126a47dbe0395353  

Amy Barmore, Head Volleyball Coach, Transylvania University and Co-Director, Lexington United Volleyball Club

Amy is from Louisville, KY and went to Georgetown College where she was a four-year volleyball player and graduated in 2010. After graduation, Amy coached at a few high schools in Lexington and Scott County. She began her collegiate coaching career at Georgetown College in 2012 and left Georgetown College in 2014 when she was hired as an assistant coach at Transylvania. After being the assistant for 4 years, she was named Head Coach at Transylvania and is going into her 8th year in that role. Her teams have won 5 straight conference tournaments and have been to the elite 8 and sweet sixteen. Amy also serves as the Senior Women's Administrator. While coaching at collegiate level, Amy has also been a club director. She started coaching club volleyball in Lexington in 2008 and has not stopped. In 2020, I was the club director for Alpha performance for one year. After Chris Beerman passed away, she and Jenni Morgan merged Alpha Performance and Lexington United and she has been the co-club director of Lexington United since.

Jenni Morgan, Head Volleyball Coach, Dunbar High School and Co-Director, Lexington United Volleyball Club

Jenni Morgan is originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana. She attended Western Kentucky University, where she played college volleyball and earned a degree in Exceptional Education. She went on to obtain a Master's in Elementary Education from Georgetown College and later achieved her Rank I certification in Leadership from the University of the Cumberlands. She has two children, Kennedy (16) and Clayont (13), and two step children, Alayana (21) and Griffin (15).

Since graduating college, she has dedicated the past 25 years to teaching and coaching, with a focus on Special Education. At Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, she has served in multiple leadership roles, including Special Education Department Chair, member of the SBDM Committee, and Assistant Athletic Director.

Her coaching journey began right out of college when she was a student assistant under current Head Coach Travis Hudson. Before moving to Lexington, she coached one year in Indiana and two years in Illinois. In 2004, she began coaching at Dunbar, and was honored to be named Head Coach in 2005. Over the years, the Dunbar volleyball program has secured 10 District Championships and 7 Regional Championships. In 2022, Dunbar became one of only three public schools to reach the state tournament finals. She has been recognized as Region 11 Coach of the Year six times and was named the 2023 Kentucky High School Volleyball Coach of the Year.

In addition to her work at Dunbar, she has been actively involved in club volleyball, coaching in Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky. In 2020, following the passing of Club Director Chris Beerman, she and Amy Barmore merged Lexington United and Alpha to continue building and supporting the volleyball community.

For more information about Lexington United Volleyball Club, visit the website: https://lexunitedvbc.com/.                                            

If you enjoyed this podcast, please click "subscribe" wherever you listen to episodes and we hope you'll consider leaving us a review.

Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/UKAGHW, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ukaghw, or LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/active-girls-healthy-women.

Sign up for the Active Girls Healthy Women newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/h6e30b or learn more about our Program here: https://linktr.ee/ukaghw.

If you want to help us sustain the Champions of Active Women podcast, please consider donating to the University of Kentucky Active Girls Healthy Women Program at https://give.uky.edu/campaigns/47165/donations/new?aft=87003cbf2438ea9d126a47dbe0395353

Dr. Ferrin Peterson is a multiple stakes-winning jockey, a licensed equine veterinarian, former NCAA Division 1 pole vaulter, humanitarian, and podcast host. Dr. Peterson earned her undergraduate degree from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. She started her career as a jockey in California, then spent several years on the east coast, and has been in Kentucky for four years. In 2025, Dr. Peterson launched "The Boundless Podcast" where she features prominent figures in horse racing. With a deep love for horses, unmatched work ethic, and a fearless spirit, Dr. Peterson has earned the respect of racetracks and clinics alike.

For more information about Ferrin Peterson, visit her website: https://www.ferrinpeterson.com/.                                                    

If you enjoyed this podcast, please click "subscribe" wherever you listen to episodes and we hope you'll consider leaving us a review.

Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/UKAGHW, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ukaghw, or LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/active-girls-healthy-women.

Sign up for the Active Girls Healthy Women newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/h6e30b or learn more about our Program here: https://linktr.ee/ukaghw.

If you want to help us sustain the Champions of Active Women podcast, please consider donating to the University of Kentucky Active Girls Healthy Women Program at https://give.uky.edu/campaigns/47165/donations/new?aft=87003cbf2438ea9d126a47dbe0395353