This week, Ava reunites with her former middle school chorus classmate, Madison Mintegui, for a heartfelt and uplifting conversation about passion, purpose, and the unpredictable path from adolescence to adulthood. Together, they dive into Madison’s lifelong love of musical theater and her exciting plans to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to pursue Speech-Language Pathology.

Madison opens up about her shift from chasing a BFA to discovering her calling in speech therapy—a path deeply inspired by her younger brother, who has autism. And don’t worry, she’s not stepping away from the stage anytime soon. Ava and Madison talk about her plans to minor in musical theater, her love for R&B, and the dream role she’s dying to play: Mimi in Rent.

It’s a grounded, honest conversation about rethinking your plans, figuring out what you truly want, and embracing the fact that you don’t need to have everything figured out yet. A reminder that it’s okay to take your time, pivot, and grow at your own pace.

Follow the podcast on Instagram | @wheretfpodcast

Find Madison on Instagram | @madison.mintegui