Grit & Gravitas

Lori Phillips, General Manager of Ski Big Bear and Costa’s Family Fun Park and President of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Recreation Association (PORA) Board of Directors, joins the G&G team to share what happens behind the scenes at the places families go to play.

From camping with her family in York County, Pennsylvania, to rappelling off a silo at age seven, Lori grew up finding adventure outdoors. She dreamed of becoming a summer camp director and today, helping young people grow in their enjoyment and awe of the outdoors remains one of the most rewarding parts of her career.

A first job can become the place young employees find their confidence, discover their strengths, and learn they can do hard things, Lori says. Watching them carry those lessons into college and careers keeps her inspired. 

Join us as Lori shares what the outdoors means to her and why it might be the secret to staying positive and finding perspective in any career.

What does your resume say about you? And more importantly, what can’t it say?

What if, instead of imagining everything that could go wrong, we started imagining everything that could go right?

At 53, Jeannie Zappe swam around Manhattan. At 55, she crossed the English Channel. And at 56, she became the 112th woman to complete the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming. Her journey began with one simple question: “What if I can?”

In this episode of Grit & Gravitas, cohosts Anne Deeter Gallaher and Anne Carnathan welcome Jeannie to explore how a childhood love of swimming evolved into an extraordinary second act after a 20-year career in IT at Bucknell University.

“There are certain places we’re just meant to be in life, and if we’re lucky enough, we get to find them,” Jeannie says.

For Jeannie, that place is the water. She reveals how small steps led to remarkable endurance achievements, what it takes to spend 15 hours swimming the English Channel, and how her husband’s early-onset Alzheimer’s disease inspired her to raise $40,000 for the Clear Thoughts Foundation.

From navigating the English Channel’s unpredictable currents to accepting that even the best-laid plans sometimes change, her experiences offer life lessons and business vitamins in gratitude, redefining failure, and recognizing that we’re capable of far more than we imagine.

Learn more about Jeannie at eternaloptimist.me.

Did you know that 15% of the population uses a food pantry?

Women are expected to inherit an unprecedented share of wealth in America over the next 25 years--close to $100 trillion! The challenge is, are we prepared to be our own chief asset managers?  Financial confidence begins with knowing your numbers, asking questions, and understanding that there is no shame in seeking help and advice.

Recorded live at the Grit & Gravitas Women & Money event at Members 1st Administrative Headquarters, Anne Deeter Gallaher and Anne Carnathan talk with Devon DiBiase, VP of Relationship Management and Market Leader at Members 1st Federal Credit Union, about the financial lessons women often learn later than they should.

Devon shares how a part-time teller position became a career and a calling, and how navigating divorce deepened her understanding of credit, financial independence, and the importance of knowing your accounts, passwords, bills, and financing options. She also explains why the right financial institution should look beyond a credit score, listen to your story, and help you find a path forward.

Whether you are building wealth, repairing credit, preparing for marriage, growing a business, or simply trying to understand where you stand, Devon’s business vitamins are clear: Don’t wait for a crisis to become curious about your money. Ask questions, use your resources, and find trusted advisers who will meet you where you are and help you reach your goals. 

Fresh off the energy of “How to Out-Human AI" with Mark Schaefer, co-hosts Anne Carnathan and Anne Deeter Gallaher explore the power of relationships with clients, in careers, and within the Grit & Gravitas tribe. "Everything essential begins with relationships," says Anne Carnathan. “You are one of one!" 

When relationships leave, AI can’t replace them, so how we manage them matters. Lots of business vitamins in this conversation for people just beginning their career or planning a career move: get in the room, don't wait to be asked, and find a way to meet in person. Don’t miss the penultimate episode of Season 5, including some special shout outs to previous G&G guests!

When most people think about America’s 250th birthday, they picture fireworks and celebrations.

Cassandra Coleman sees something much bigger.

As Executive Director of America250PA, she’s spent nearly eight years building a once-in-a-generation effort to help Pennsylvanians learn from our history, embrace the present, and reimagine the future. Along the way, she’s united communities in all 67 counties, reached more than 50,000 students, launched statewide programs, and kept one principle at the center of every decision: This celebration belongs to every Pennsylvanian.

In this conversation with Anne Deeter Gallaher and Anne Carnathan, Cassandra shares how a small-town mayor came to lead one of the Commonwealth’s most ambitious initiatives. She talks about the importance of listening before leading, believing in the work even on the hardest days, and building something that will inspire pride in Pennsylvania long after the anniversary has passed.

Whether you’ve spent a lifetime in Pennsylvania or are just beginning to appreciate its role in the American story, this episode is a reminder that history isn’t just about where we’ve been. It’s about what we choose to build together.

Mark Schaefer, author, speaker, and global marketing powerhouse, joins Grit & Gravitas cohosts Anne Carnathan and Anne Deeter Gallaher for a riveting conversation about AI, creativity, your personal brand, and what it will take to stay relevant in a world changing faster than most of us can process.

Mark compares AI to electricity: inevitable, powerful, and completely transformational. But this is not a conversation about replacing people. It is a conversation about becoming sharper, more curious, more creative, and more fully human in how we lead, work, connect, and show up.

As Mark says, “We have to out-human AI.”

Jessica Ritchie, President of the UPMC Pinnacle Foundation, joins Grit & Gravitas for a conversation about leadership, healthcare philanthropy, and why “be nice” might be one of the most underrated leadership strategies.

A self-proclaimed G&G super fan, Jessica has been with the Foundation since 2014, helping lead its work through growth, change, and evolving community needs. In this episode, she shares how the Foundation supports more than 100 funds across strategic priorities, including farm-to-hospital programs, indigent patient needs, street medicine, food insecurity, and workforce development.

Jessica also discusses the Women’s Mobile Health Vehicle Powered by Universal Media, supported by Don and Annie Young and connected to the Women for Wellness committee. The mobile vehicle brings basic primary care directly to communities, making healthcare more accessible for women and families across Central Pennsylvania. 

Throughout the conversation, Jessica offers practical business vitamins for women in leadership: know your numbers, understand the needs in front of you, listen well, be kind, and do what you say you’re going to do.

Her advice to younger women? Don’t wait to show your value. Step up to the plate. Walk in and remind yourself: this is my show. Learn more at UPMCpinnaclefoundation.org.

Our latest Grit & Gravitas guest, Melissa Miller, founded a business at age 21 that became more than a company. For years, her stationery design company, madetokeep was her creative outlet, her livelihood, and her identity.

As madetokeep celebrates its 20th anniversary and Melissa evolves into her next ventures, The FAVOUR Agency and the STAGES Foundation, our co-hosts enjoy a candid conversation about creativity, entrepreneurship, perfectionism, and learning when to let go.

Melissa’s refreshingly honest story is full of business vitamins for anyone ready to shed old narratives and step into what’s next. “I finally feel the identity and the purpose and the completeness,” Melissa says.

Her advice to her younger self? “Never quit. Lean into your purpose and path forward. Everything happens for a reason. You have to go through all this junk to get where you want to go, but you'll get there. Continue to have faith and visualize. Do good, be good.”

Melissa also shares how the STAGES Foundation is opening new doors through her upcoming signature event, Belmont Bourbon Bash, a premier race-day celebration of bourbon, culinary craftsmanship, fashion, and community impact. Learn more at https://www.belmontbourbonbash.com/