She may not know the famous song by the Go-Go's (We've got the Beat), but Sara Martin knows everything else.

Here is where genius intersects with the kind of friendship everyone needs in their lives.

She is the best friend of our friend and guest Sarah Reeves (episode 11) and it makes perfect sense that they found each other at Cornell. They worked hard and managed to enjoy everything Cornell had to offer. We would have loved to be their friends on campus!

Tune in to hear about Sara's early days at Cornell Engineering, how she transitioned into the world of cardiovascular ultrasound, and what's required of a project manager at Philips. Staggering.

And she took Wines over Zoom - hear how they handled that.

She entertained our pitches and we loved spending time with her. You will love her story.


Not sponsored by or affiliated with Cornell University

Twenty-three years ago, after several years in finance, Vicki Gladstone Dubin founded Victoria Dubin Events. Her vision and creativity set the stage for what would become a premier event planning and design firm. Amanda Dubin, Vicki’s daughter, joined the company a few years after graduation, adding fresh perspectives and twenty-something energy, not to mention valuable business and design expertise. They are two brilliant women, renowned in their field. Vicki and Amanda are an incredible team that creates and produces unforgettable and unmatched luxury events.

Both graduated from Cornell Human Ecology, where they honed their skills in people-centered approaches to business, and then expanded their business knowledge by taking many classes at the Hotel School. Neither may have guessed that this would be the career path, but looking back, it actually makes perfect sense.

We are going to have to sneak into an upcoming event because we are dying to see it all in action. They were really fun and interesting guests, and we could have talked all day. We loved them. Fascinating.

Fun fact: they are cousins of Michelle’s husband

You can find out about their company here:
www.victoriadubin.com

And you MUST check out their instagram:
victoriadubinevents



Not sponsored by or affiliated with Cornell University

Rob Karp, the visionary founder of MilesAhead, a luxury travel agency, is here!

In high school he started a points and travel business that got a lot of attention. Clients saw early on that he was brilliant and trustworthy, and in his own words, scrappy. He has always managed to solve even the most difficult travel problems for his clients, and now he is orchestrating extravagant adventures for celebrities, heads of industry, family and friends.

Rob's journey is one of inspiration and innovation-- he is thriving.  He is also funny and fun, and we have inside information that he was once a dangerous baseball pitcher!

Shout out to Amy Susman Stillman for the referral (she's Rob's aunt) - thank you, Amy!

You can find his company here:
milesahead.co

Not sponsored by or affiliated with Cornell University

Cornell Human Ecology is THRIVING!

One reason?

Dean Rachel Dunifon is a vibrant force behind the exciting changes and future of the school.

Human Ecology has always been forward thinking, graduating students who feel a deep love for their professors and classes, and taking a wide breadth of experience and science based knowledge into the "real world."

With her background in psychology and public policy, Dean Dunifon is helping to reshape the future of the school. She played a key role in the redesign of the Martha Van Rensselaer Building, getting the students through the challenges of covid, and identifying areas for further growth within the university and in the community beyond (lookin' at YOU, New York City!).

This is your chance to really understand Cornell Human Ecology while also being entertained by great anecdotes and life lessons. We could have talked to her for hours.

Despite her busy schedule, which includes conducting her own research, Dean Dunifon prioritizes recreational activities such as running, paddle boarding and attending hockey games, bringing her energy and spirit to the everything she does.

And will she sprint up Libe Slope and go up in a hot air ballon? 

It's been inspiring to hear from Dean Dunifon, who is revolutionizing Human Ecology at Cornell and she is also considering our invitation to be our best friend.

She's written a great book called You've Always Been There for Me: Understanding the lives of Grandchildren Raised by Grandparents

Special thank you to Gwen Whiting for making this happen and to Lori Isman Greene who gave us lots of exciting news to talk about.

You can find more info about Dean Dunifon here:
https://www.human.cornell.edu/spotlights/dunifon-named-dean

Not sponsored by or affiliated with Cornell University

Another yay/boo situation for The Cornell (thank) U Podcast.
HUGE yay: we were invited to be part of a panel at the Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference alongside three amazing social media stars: Matthew Merril, JC Dombrowski and Macy Hung.
This conference is really special.
We were excited.
We booked our travel.
We prepared.
We picked out outfits.
Steph got Covid. (That's the boo, obviously).
So Michelle flew solo and represented, even while feeling sad about it.
That aside, our co panelists were fabulous, the conference was an unbelievable opportunity to network, learn and have fun and the conference director Lindsey Murtland is incredible AND our podcast guest this week. Find out who was there and mark your calendars for next year. It is not to be missed!

Hoping to get our co panelists on the podcast soon.


Not sponsored by or affiliated with Cornell University

A total thrill.
 
Our friends Lori and Greg Greene introduced us to Tim and Steph (Carter) Barry, both entrepreneurs, both brilliant and both have a GREAT sense of humor.

Tim and Steph have remained deeply involved in the Cornell community. Their passion for supporting a wide array of initiatives, ranging from human centered design to athletics is truly inspiring.

BIG NEWS: Tim's entrepreneurial spirit and dedication were recently recognized when he was awarded Cornell University Entrepreneur of the Year 2024—which speaks volumes about his innovative contributions at VillageMD, Cornell, and beyond.

Outside of their impressive achievements, Tim and Steph bring a lot of laughs to this episode as they reflect on how they met, their most embarrassing moments, and how Tim and his former football teammates recently lost relay races to families with small children. You will love them as much as we and the Greenes do!

 Also, have you heard of PM Dawn?


 Not sponsored by or affiliated with Cornell University

He's one of the most charismatic guests we've had.

Nelson's career has been dynamic and multifaceted, and it started early. He juggled classes, friends, internships, clubs and being part of a very exciting start up while at Cornell.

He leaned into everything the Hotel School had to offer and had a chance to experience some very exciting industries during and after Cornell.

An expert on luxury vacations, he entertained our ideas for brand ambassadors at Belmond, where he is Account Director.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the behind-the-scenes workings of the entrepreneurial hospitality world and life as a hotelie!

Find Nelson here:
LinkedIn: Nelson Billington
Instagram: Nelson Billington

Belmond:
https://www.belmond.com/

Not sponsored by or affiliated with Cornell University

We've missed him! He's a former Cornell bestie whom we could not find for decades.
 
He was in the CIA.
 
In fact, he was one of the CIA’s most highly decorated operations officers who served in multiple field assignments for the U.S. government. 

Here are some of his medals: he received the Distinguished Intelligence Medal, the Intelligence Commendation Medal, the Intelligence Medal of Merit, and the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal. 

He specialized in counterterrorism, in the Middle East and South Asia, including extensive time in Iraq and Afghanistan.

And now, with his wealth of knowledge and insights, he has become a trusted commentator, offering valuable perspectives on global affairs through various media platforms. Maybe you've also seen him talk about Havana Syndrome.

This is an episode unlike any other not just because he takes us inside the CIA, but because even with all that he has seen (and done), he is still the same great guy we knew (and pranked) at Cornell. You will love his story and love him equally.
 
There is so much to know and read about Marc.
Start here:
https://marcpolymeropoulos.com/about/

Buy his incredible book here:
https://www.amazon.com/Clarity-Crisis-Leadership-Lessons-CIA/dp/B08QZZ31G5/ref=sr_1_1?crid=331XGW8ZZ8T1H&keywords=clarity+in+crisis&qid=1707780288&sprefix=clarity+in+%2Caps%2C315&sr=8-1

X/Twitter:
@Mpolymer

LinkedIn:
Marc Polymeropoulos

Not sponsored by or affiliated with Cornell University

Whether you are on a budget or not, everyone likes free stuff. Especially in New York City.

In today's episode, we dive into Rebeka Tannenbaum Getty's story of turning her passion for uncovering freebies in New York City into a thriving Instagram and website.

Shout out to her mom for the introduction and to Joanne for listening to this podcast! Thank you!

We had a lot of fun, one big surprise, and pitched some of our ideas for free events to get Rebeka's expert opinion.

You can find Rebeka here:
Website:
https://www.nycforfree.co/
Instagram
nyc_forfree
and TikTok:
nycforfree

Not sponsored by or affiliated with Cornell University

Some might say that Camden Winkelstein pours himself into everything he does. His life is one of incredible discipline, creativity, learning and fun.

Cam shares his experiences as a member of Cornell's ROTC program- from the rigorous schedule to the camaraderie forged. We get an inside look at the unique dynamics of military life at Cornell.

And then we discover the unexpected parallels between Cam's military service and the engineering prowess required to successfully operate his distillery, Bellemara. 

He graciously entertains our cocktail suggestions and arms us with the drink order that increases our coolness factor exponentially.

Whether you're a cocktail enthusiast, curious about ROTC at Cornell, or just interested in unique alum life journeys, this episode is for you! We loved him!

Shout out to his aunt Nancy Winkelstein for the introduction!

Everything Bellemara:
Instagram:
bellemaradistillery
Website:
https://www.bellemaradistillery.com

Not sponsored by or affiliated with Cornell University