Daughters of Change

Today’s Daughter of Change is 20-year-old Halle Roy. 

Born in and raised in Maine, Halle is currently getting ready for her second year at Southern Maine Community College where she is studying fire science and is part of a live-in program. Students accepted into the “live in” program live in area fire-EMS stations in exchange for being “on call” during specific hours. They have additional responsibilities and must provide their own meals. Live-in students complete fire+ EMS basic training and are paid for their emergency responses. The Live-In Program requires a high level of motivation and responsibility. 

Halle says -throughout my first year, I obtained my fire one and two and my EMT license. My father and stepfather are both firefighters so I found the same passion as them and I couldn’t be happier. I have a little sister who also wants to be a firefighter paramedic one day, so being able to go through it as a woman in the fire service, I can lead her in the right direction. I hope that I can be a voice for other females who are interested in this career or really are just scared to put themselves out there because I was that same person.

Links to Check Out:

• SMCC Public Safety Live-in Program

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Daughters of Change Podcast Producer:  Sarah Stacey

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Raising girls to be happy, healthy, and successful is a key tenant of the Girl Scouts. In addition, Girl Scouts stands with parents and caregivers as they raise up the next generation of girls and young women. Best of all, Parents can create their own experience while supporting the girls in their lives. 

Today’s guests are a prime example of the Girl Scout family connection. Mom, Mariah, is the leader of her daughter Ava’s Girl Scout troop and they are both enjoying the mother-daughter bond this is strengthening.

We’ll be exploring their adventure, the memories they are creating, and what it means to them both.

Links to Check Out:

• Girl Scouts of Maine Website
• Girl Scouts of Maine LinkedIn
• Girls Scouts of Maine Facebook
• Girl Scouts of Maine Instagram - @girlscoutsofmaine
• Girl Scouts

Donate to support Girl Scouts of Maine: www.girlscoutsofmaine.org/support

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Daughters of Change Podcast Producer:  Sarah Stacey

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Matilda Issata Sawie is the Refugee Congress Delegate for Pennsylvania. She is a former refugee originally from Liberia.

Matilda has had a lifelong commitment to public health and outreach. While in the refugee camp, she volunteered as a peer educator, teaching her peers how to prevent sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancies.

When she came to the U.S., Matilda earned an associate degree in applied sciences and a Bachelor of Science in public health from Temple University, all while maintaining two jobs, caring for her family in her country of origin, and dedicating her time to volunteer. She is passionate about her work as a storyteller, raising awareness about domestic violence against women, rape, climate change, and refugee, asylum-seeker, and immigrant rights - including access to healthcare and other social services.

Matilda has worked as an HIV/AIDS Medical Case Manager. Today, she works as a TB Screening Coordinator in the Department of Public Health. She coordinates TB screening and treatments as per the CDC’s classification for refugees and immigrants. Additionally, she is completing a master’s in public health at West Chester University.

Links to Check Out:

• Refugee Congress Website
• Refugee Storytellers Collective website
• Refugee Storytellers Collective nomination form (we accept nominations year-round!)
• Refugee Advocacy Lab Website
• Refugee Advocacy Lab on Twitter: @RefugeeAdvcyLab
• Refugee Advocacy Lab on Instagram: @refugeeadvocacylab
• Refugee Advocacy Lab on Facebook - The Refugee Advocacy Lab
• Refugee Advocacy Lab LinkedIn
• Email the Refugee Advocacy Lab - @Kate Brick & @Sarah Sheffer

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Daughters of Change Podcast Producer:  Sarah Stacey

• Sarah's LinkedIn Profile

Anna Maria Ponzi has dedicated her life to Oregon wine. At the age of four, she helped plant one of the earliest vineyards as her pioneering parents established one of the first wineries in the Willamette Valley. She’s had the rare opportunity of working in every aspect of the wine business and has served the industry in myriad ways, most importantly, as an ambassador for Oregon wine both nationally and internationally. 

In her former role as owner and CEO of Ponzi Vineyards, she grew her family wine business from a garage operation into a globally recognized wine brand. Among other industry benchmarks, she envisioned and set in motion the transformation of Oregon wine country into a world-class visitor destination. In 1999, she established the valley’s first regional wine bar and, in 2013, opened the valley’s first seated wine-tasting experience. In 2020 she published her memoir Pinot Girl, and the following year successfully negotiated the sale of the winery to Société Jacques Bollinger of Champagne, France. 

She continues to support the state’s wine and tourism industry through ongoing service for multiple organizations and through her wine consulting and speaking firm, amponzi & company. She is also the co-founder of Anthony’s Circle, a non-profit that seeks to empower foster youth through the public school system to achieve an 85% graduation rate. She currently presents her keynote “The Four-Ounce Pour” as a framework to guide our lives toward greater meaning and fulfillment.

Anna Maria is a daughter of change, wife, and mother of two adult children and two rather large dogs. She and her husband live on a 20-acre vineyard overlooking the bountiful and beautiful Willamette Valley. 

Links to Check Out:

• amponzi & company website
• Anna Maria's email - [email protected]
• Link to purchase Anna Maria's book "Pinot Girl"
• Anna Maria Instagram - @amponzi
• Anna Maria LinkedIn Profile

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Daughters of Change Podcast Producer:  Sarah Stacey

• Sarah's LinkedIn Profile

Nejra Sumic has been a refugee advocate for many years, working at various human rights organizations. Currently, she is the National Field Manager with the We Are All America Campaign, where she helps organize refugee leaders across the country. 

Being a former Refugee who was forced to flee from her home country of Bosnia and Herzegovina has instilled in Nejra a sense of purpose, passion, and determination.

In 2021 Nejra received the Refugee Congress Excellence Award, a peer-nominated award that recognizes exemplary role models who dedicate themselves to advocacy, community engagement, capacity building, and mentorship. 

Njera has a master’s in Public Administration from Western International University. She is fluent in English, Spanish, Bosnian and several dialects.  In her free time, she likes to spend time with her family and go on hikes.

Nejra says, “I’m passionate about advocating for refugees because we are helping shape our nation’s history of inclusion, bringing rich cultural diversity and contributing to our communities. Surviving through adversity reminds us of our own strength.”

Links to Check Out:

• Refugee Congress Website
• We Are All America Website
• Nejra's LinkedIn
• Nejra's email: [email protected]
• To Purchase the book "Divine Love"
• Refugee Storytellers Collective website
• Refugee Storytellers Collective nomination form (we accept nominations year-round!)
• Refugee Advocacy Lab Website
• Refugee Advocacy Lab on Twitter: @RefugeeAdvcyLab
• Refugee Advocacy Lab on Instagram: @refugeeadvocacylab
• Refugee Advocacy Lab on Facebook - The Refugee Advocacy Lab
• Refugee Advocacy Lab LinkedIn
• Email the Refugee Advocacy Lab - @Kate Brick & @Sarah Sheffer
• National Partnership for New Americans Website

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Daughters of Change Podcast Producer:  Sarah Stacey

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Today’s Daughter of Change, Thalia-Maria Tourikis, is a self-described digital nomad, successful blogger, and the founder of Notes by Thalia.  With a monthly readership of over 20,000 people and growing, Thalia focuses on realistic wellness and covers topics like health & wellness, self-care, productivity, well-being, and intentional living.

After spending the majority of her twenties in a toxic and soul-destroying job, Thalia decided to create her own business that matched her core values.

She is now doing something that fills her with meaning and purpose every single day while reveling in the discovery journey of life.Her goal - to help her audience define what success means for them - so they can live life on their own terms. 

About Notes by Thalia 

Notes by Thalia is a personal blog that promotes a realistic and sustainable approach to wellness.

Thalia’s mission is to empower women to prioritize wellness in a way that works for them. Throughout her content, Thalia aims to encourage women to create their own version of a healthy and fulfilling life.

You will regularly see Thalia writing about self-care, mindful productivity, daily routines, periods, self-development, and how to live with intention.

She’s also a fan of debunking toxic wellness trends, especially those seen on Instagram and TikTok.

Links to Check Out:

• Notes by Thalia Blog
• Thalia on Instagram
• Thalia on Pinterest
• Sign up for Thalia's Wellness Emails

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Daughters of Change Podcast Producer:  Sarah Stacey

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Ayda Zugay is an award-winning leader, published author, and activist. She is a believer in people’s individual capacity to drive global change. As a refugee trailblazer, Ayda uses her multinational, diverse field expertise to create and mobilize positive change across government, market, and civil society. She has lived and worked in Europe, North America, and Africa either as an implementing partner of UNHCR, leading nonprofits and companies, consulting for heads of state, or speaking internationally about human rights, policy, and her experience as a refugee. 

Ayda also serves as a founding member of the Refugee Storytellers Collective, an initiative of people who have experienced forced displacement in the United States who believe in sharing their perspectives and experiences for social change. She is also the Founder of the Impact Investments Fund, a cross-sector partnership that advances socially responsible business performance for the well-being of people and the planet.

In 2021, Ayda was chosen as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Leaders by the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce. She was also honored as one out of ten leaders selected to participate in Harvard Business School’s Young American Leaders Program whose goal is to inspire collaborative innovation in cities across the U.S. to bring shared prosperity to America’s communities. In 2022, Ayda was selected as one of the global “Resilient 100” leaders by the Refugee Investment Network, honoring Advancing Agency.

Links to Check Out:

• Refugee Congress Website
• Advancing Agency Website (Ayda's Company)
• Ayda's LinkedIn
• Refugee Storytellers Collective website
• Refugee Storytellers Collective nomination form (we accept nominations year-round!)
• Refugee Advocacy Lab Website
• Refugee Advocacy Lab on Twitter: @RefugeeAdvcyLab
• Refugee Advocacy Lab on Instagram: @refugeeadvocacylab
• Refugee Advocacy Lab on Facebook - The Refugee Advocacy Lab
• Refugee Advocacy Lab LinkedIn
• Email the Refugee Advocacy Lab - @Kate Brick & @Sarah Sheffer

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Daughters of Change Podcast Producer:  Sarah Stacey

• Sarah's LinkedIn Profile

The United States houses over 1.3 million incarcerated women.

Today’s Daughters of Change are working on the inside to help incarcerated women heal - both individually and collectively - through creative connection.

Nikki Weaver is the founder and Executive Director of On the Inside. Caroline Cox is the Program Manager as well as a board member. 

On the Inside builds creative connections for incarcerated women - both individually and collectively. They do this by telling stories, igniting hearts, and sparking dialogue. By utilizing creative connection for the greater good - On the Inside creates a community for women on the inside and outside by breaking down the walls that keep us apart.

Both Nikki and Caroline come to this work from different backgrounds and perspectives making their work together hugely impactful. Join us and learn how their individual journeys brought them together for this important endeavor, and how this unique program is cultivating a sisterhood of transformation.

Links to Check Out:

• On the Inside Website
• Contact Nikki and Caroline
• Join a Class
• Donate to On the Inside
• Get Involved
• Purchase the Book “Breaking Down Barriers”
• On the Inside’s Instagram Profile: @ontheinside2
• On the Inside’s Facebook Page: @ontheinside.space

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Daughters of Change Podcast Producer:  Sarah Stacey

• Sarah's LinkedIn Profile

Today I’m honored to be interviewing a very special Daughter of Change, Dr. Riane Eisler.  

Riane’s decades-long career as a social systems scientist, cultural historian, futurist, and attorney has produced a body of research and work that has transformed the lives of people worldwide.  

Riane is the president of the Center for Partnership Systems, dedicated to research and education, -Editor-in-Chief of the Interdisciplinary Journal of Partnership Studies - an online peer-reviewed journal at the University of Minnesota that was inspired by her work - keynotes conferences nationally and internationally - has addressed the United Nations General Assembly, the U.S. Department of State, and Congressional briefings. She has spoken at corporations and universities worldwide on applications of the partnership model introduced in her work.

She is internationally known for her bestseller The Chalice and The Blade: Our History, Our Future. Her book on economics, The Real Wealth of Nations: Creating a Caring Economics; her book on nursing, Transforming Interprofessional Partnerships, co-authored with Teddie Potter, and her Equal Rights Handbook, on the proposed ERA, as well as her award-winning Tomorrow’s Children, Sacred Pleasure, and Women, Men, and the Global Quality of Life (statistically documenting the key role of women’s status in a nation’s quality of life), all drawing from Riane’s interdisciplinary research. Her most recent work, co-authored with anthropologist Douglas Fry is NurturingOur Humanity: How Domination and Partnership Shape Our Brains, Lives, and Future, published by Oxford University Press in 2019. 

She is the only woman among 20 major thinkers in Macrohistory and Macrohistorians in recognition of the lasting importance of her work as a cultural historian and evolutionary theorist - And has received many honors - including honorary PhDs, the Nuclear Age Peace Leadership Award, the Feminist Pioneer award, and inclusion in the award-winning book Great Peacemakers as one of twenty leaders for world peace, along with Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, and Martin Luther King.

So, put on your contemplation cap and hunker down for this thought-provoking conversation with one of the world’s top systems scientists – you’ll be glad you did!

Links to Check Out:

• Riane's Website
• Riane's Books
• Rian's Twitter Account - @RianeEisler
• Riane's LinkedIn
• Center for Partnership Systems Website
• Center for Partnership Systems Facebook Page
• Center for Partnership Systems on Twitter - @CenterforPship
• Center for Partnership Systems LinkedIn

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Daughters of Change Podcast Producer:  Sarah Stacey

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Once upon a time, people’s perception of Girl Scouts was of girls singing around campfires, earning badges, and selling cookies. That is no longer the case! While girl scouts still do participate in these activities, they are also learning leadership skills to help with their careers.

On top of that, financial literacy is a component of girl scouting that aims to help girls develop confidence in money matters.so they can learn to make sound financial decisions and develop a healthy relationship with money. 

That’s why we thought it would be fun and educational to combine both of these topics and do a podcast focused on careers in the banking industry. 

And who better to do that with than our collaboration partner in the Passion to Action Series - First National Bank?

Today I’ll be talking with Kristen McAlpine, Corporate Engagement and Development Officer at First National Bank in Maine.

Kristen is the 2023 winner of the Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce Sarah Dubay Professional Service Award. Recognized as an individual who embodies a generous spirit and donates her expertise over an extended period to both the chamber and the community at large – Kristen is a Daughter of Change who is leading the charge in the banking industry.  

Kristen has worked in banking for 18 years, rising through the ranks to the position she holds today. We’ll discuss the trajectory of her career, how to harness the power of networking and mentorship, the benefits of a career in banking, and how the traditionally male-dominated banking field is becoming an opportunity-filled career path for women.

First National Bank Links:

• First National Bank's Website
• First National Bank Careers
• First National Bank Facebook - @FirstNationalBankMaine
• First National Bank Instagram - @firstnationalbankme 
• First National Bank LinkedIn
• Kristen's LinkedIn

Girl Scouts of Maine Links:

• Girl Scouts of Maine Website
• Girl Scouts of Maine LinkedIn
• Girls Scouts of Maine Facebook
• Girl Scouts of Maine Instagram - @girlscoutsofmaine
• Girl Scouts

Donate to support Girl Scouts of Maine: www.girlscoutsofmaine.org/support

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Daughters of Change Podcast Producer:  Sarah Stacey

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