In this Author Spotlight episode of Her Best Chapter, Michelle Savage sits down with Kate Houlihan – bestselling author, fire dancer, and live-stream producer – to discuss Kate's inspiring journey of integrating her analytical career in finance with her passionate creative pursuits like fire dancing and music.

Kate is a due diligence expert and strategist with 20 years navigating the intersection of business and the arts who loves using her portfolio management skills to bring large scale artistic visions into reality. She reviews grants for The Mockingbird Foundation, which funds at-risk youth music education programs, and she collaborates on and off camera with Purple Bee, which is a livestream concert venue and production studio.

Key topics:

• The challenge women face in being pigeonholed into a single identity in high-achieving careers

• Kate's transition from a strategic finance career to passionate fire dance and art projects

• The importance of listening to your body's signals and following your creative intuition

• How COVID prompted Kate to reconnect with her passion for fire dancing and art during lockdown

• Real story of Kate's accident with a fire skirt and her resilient recovery

• Creative problem-solving as a form of universal creativity applicable beyond art

• Building community and giving back through art and craft, including philanthropic projects

• The ongoing expansion of Kate's vision, from Burners to fire organ installations for burn survivors

Links and Resources:

• Luminaries: Women Leaders Who Light the Way

Connect with Kate:

• www.instagram.com/k8fuego

• www.linkedin.com/in/k8houlihan

Get Connected

Free Mini-Masterclass — everything you need to go from blank page to published book.

Work with Sulit Press | Apply for the Multi-Author Book Program

Connect with Michelle Savage on IG: @michellesavagewriter

Disclaimer

This show is independently produced by Sulit Press. The views shared belong to the hosts and guests. Questions? Email [email protected]

In this Author Spotlight episode of Her Best Chapter, Michelle Savage sits down with Carrie Quintanilla – two-time bestselling author and co-founder of ModOps Consulting – as she shares insights on blending strategic thinking with inner guidance, emphasizing vulnerability, trust, and collaboration.

Carrie is a transformational leader known for blending operational rigor with intuitive insight to help teams navigate complexity, strengthen collaboration, and deliver meaningful results.

Over a 30-year career, she has led complex operations in high-demand environments, earning a reputation for bringing clarity, momentum, and stability to challenging work. Her leadership approach combines strategic execution with a deep understanding of people, creating environments where teams can think creatively, communicate openly, and perform at their best.

Today, Carrie is co-founder of ModOps Consulting, where she partners with business leaders to improve operational effectiveness, performance, and culture. She is an award-winning author and leadership development expert, recognized for her work in collaborative leadership, creative problem-solving, and helping teams navigate complex challenges with clarity and confidence.

Key topics:

• Carrie's personal journey balancing woo-woo concepts with corporate leadership and how inner guidance can influence business decisions.

• Why leaders are increasingly integrating intuition with data-driven strategies in a rapidly changing world

• Practical methods Carrie uses to develop and tune into her intuition, including the importance of silence, nature, and disconnection from technology.

• The role of emotional intelligence and critical thinking alongside AI and technological advancements.

• Signs that indicate an organization is thriving, such as open communication and collaborative culture.

• Lessons from personal hardships, like witnessing her mother's resilience, that foster confidence and optimism.

Links and Resources:

• Luminaries: Women Leaders Who Light the Way

• Woo-Woo: Stories of Magic, Miracles & Infinite Possibilities

Connect with Carrie:

• www.linkedin.com/in/carriequintanilla

• www.modopsconsulting.com

Get Connected

Free Mini-Masterclass — everything you need to go from blank page to published book.

Work with Sulit Press | Apply for the Multi-Author Book Program

Connect with Michelle Savage on IG: @michellesavagewriter

Disclaimer

This show is independently produced by Sulit Press. The views shared belong to the hosts and guests. Questions? Email [email protected]

In this heartfelt episode of Her Best Chapter, Michelle Savage sits down with Diedra Brownell, bestselling Luminaries author and President of the Round Rock Fire Foundation, to discuss her inspiring story of transforming unimaginable grief into a movement of support for firefighters and their families. Her journey highlights the power of love, community, and small acts of kindness in healing and creating lasting impact.

Diedra is the founding Executive Chair and President of the Round Rock Fire Foundation, a Texas-based nonprofit built from concept to operation to strengthen fire families and their communities. A firefighter spouse, mother, and former clinical mental health therapist, Diedra brings expertise in crisis response, family systems, and resilience to her leadership.

Married to Assistant Chief Wylie Brownell, her work is grounded in the memory of their daughter Bailey and the support of their fire department family. Diedra established the foundation's governance structure and helps lead its annual fundraiser, the Blazing Paddles Pickleball Tournament. At the center of her work is the launch of the 1884 Fund, designed to provide support for firefighter families in crisis.

Her leadership integrates operational design with a clear understanding of how trauma and stress affect first responder households, with a focus on building a replicable model for family integration and nonprofit governance nationwide.

Key topics:

• The raw experience of grieving the loss of her daughter Bailey and how it shaped her purpose

• Building a nonprofit foundation to support firefighter families in perpetuity

• The importance of community, connection, and small acts in times of crisis

• Practical advice for coping with grief and supporting others through tough times

• Leadership lessons from the fire service about loyalty, longevity, and caring for well-being

• How listeners can support the bestselling book Luminaries: Women Leaders Who Light the Way

Links and Resources:

• Luminaries: Women Leaders Who Light the Way

• www.roundrockfirefoundation.org

• https://www.facebook.com/roundrockfirefoundation/

• www.instagram.com/roundrockfirefoundation

Connect with Diedra:

• https://www.instagram.com/diedrabrownell/

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/diedrabrownell/

Get Connected

Free Mini-Masterclass — everything you need to go from blank page to published book.

Work with Sulit Press | Apply for the Multi-Author Book Program

Connect with Michelle Savage on IG: @michellesavagewriter

Disclaimer

This show is independently produced by Sulit Press. The views shared belong to the hosts and guests. Questions? Email [email protected]

On this "solosode" of Her Best Chapter, Michelle Savage explores the power of rewriting your life story, embracing authenticity, and living intentionally. She shares personal insights on overcoming fear, making big life pivots, and cultivating a life aligned with deep purpose and joy. Whether you're seeking to break free from societal expectations or find more fulfillment, this conversation provides practical guidance and inspiration to lead the life you truly desire.

Key Takeaways:

• The concept of rewriting your life story and being the narrator of your experience

• Jumping timelines and shifts in energetic or spiritual realities

• Recognizing signs of misalignment and tuning into inner guidance

• The emotional journey of major life changes such as divorce and career shifts

• Practical steps for auditing your life and closing the gap between outer experience and inner truth

• The role of support, community, and surrounding yourself with uplifting people

• Letting go of what you can't change and focusing on what's within your control

• The power of authenticity and living in alignment with your desires

• The concept of a "Life Craft"—designing a life built on personal truth and found objects

Click here to join Life Craft, the next multi-author book from Sulit Press, and learn about the amazing opportunities awaiting you!

Connect with Michelle:

www.instagram.com/michellesavagewriter

www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-savage-43032659/

www.sulitpress.com

Disclaimer

This show is independently produced by Sulit Press. The views shared belong to the hosts and guests. Questions? Email [email protected]

In this episode of Her Best Chapter, Michelle Savage sits down with Loree Tamayo – bestselling author of Luminaries and founder of Yesterday's Gone. Loree shares her powerful story of escaping domestic abuse, her journey of forgiveness, and how she turned her pain into purpose through her nonprofit.

Loree is the owner of a lucrative healthcare consulting company. She is also an abuse survivor. After years of therapy, Loree rose above her abuse and trauma and discovered the path to true restoration beginning with her identity.

Loree believes in paying forward what she has been blessed with. Her business success has made it possible to start a non-profit called Yesterday's Gone, a transitional housing program which helps women experiencing domestic violence, abuse, and trauma transition into living independently with strength and dignity.

Key topics:

• Lori's personal experience with emotional and psychological abuse and how she recognized the signs

• The ongoing process of forgiveness and the concept of reforgiveness inspired by faith and mental health practices

• How helping others accelerates personal healing and adds purpose to pain

• Innovative therapies like advanced resolution technique for trauma recovery

• The critical role of community, mentorship, and simple acts of kindness in supporting survivors

• Practical steps for women leaving abusive relationships, including rebuilding independence and avoiding the cycle

• Challenges faced by survivors, such as handling trauma triggers, rebuilding self-trust, and making wise future choices

Links and Resources:

• Luminaries: Women Leaders Who Light the Way

Connect with Loree:

• YesterdaysGone.org

• Instagram

• Call 210-326-6662 to speak with Loree personally

Get Connected

Free Mini-Masterclass — everything you need to go from blank page to published book.

Work with Sulit Press | Apply for the Multi-Author Book Program

Connect with Michelle Savage on IG: @michellesavagewriter

Disclaimer

This show is independently produced by Sulit Press. The views shared belong to the hosts and guests. Questions? Email [email protected]

In this episode of Her Best Chapter, Michelle Savage sits down with Sarah Talley – bestselling author of Luminaries and founder of Next Step Connect – to discuss transforming support for first responder families. Through leadership, mental health, and community-building initiatives, Sarah promotes the importance of connection and practical tools for fostering resilience.

Sarah Talley is the Founder of Next Step Connect LLC, which specializes in mindset, financial wellness, and lifestyle transformation for individuals and families in the first responder community. With over 15 years as an advisor and more than 20 years immersed in the fire service as a first responder spouse, she combines wellness, leadership, and personal development into practical strategies that create lasting change.

Sarah also helps lead the Round Rock National Spouse Conference, advocating for stronger support systems for firefighters and their families. Alongside her husband, she champions conversations around identity, mental health, transition, and the long-term impact of the job on family life, helping departments take a more whole-family approach to wellness and leadership.

Passionate about empowering women and fire families, Sarah speaks on growth, connection, resilience, and living with purpose both personally and professionally.

Key topics:

• Celebrating the bestseller Luminaries and the tremendous impact of writing retreats

• Sarah's shift from writing her own book to joining a multi-author book project

• The significance of behind-the-scenes leadership and supporting roles

• The shift towards mental health awareness and holistic support in fire departments

• Building community and connection among first responder families

• Practical strategies for self-care and managing resilience

• The growth and impact of the spouses conference and community support initiatives

• Resources for non-fire first responder families and community support

Links and Resources:

• Luminaries: Women Leaders Who Light the Way

• Neurolinguistics Programming (NLP)

• The Gottman Institute

Connect with Sarah:

• Website: https://thenextstepconnects.com

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sarahtalley

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarah.nelson.3726

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenextstep4real_sbtalley14/

Get Connected

Free Mini-Masterclass — everything you need to go from blank page to published book.

Work with Sulit Press | Apply for the Multi-Author Book Program

Connect with Michelle Savage on IG: @michellesavagewriter

Disclaimer

This show is independently produced by Sulit Press. The views shared belong to the hosts and guests. Questions? Email [email protected]

In this episode of Her Best Chapter, Michelle Savage sits down with Jen Porter, author of Lioness: Stories to Awaken Your Roar Within, to explore how women can embrace their true power, overcome fears, and step into leadership with confidence. Jen shares her journey of discovering her lioness essence, the importance of community, and practical steps for women to find and use their voice unapologetically.

Jen Porter is a Career Resiliency and Leadership Coach who helps ambitious women rise into who they were created to be—strengthening their voice, expanding their influence, and securing their place in a rapidly changing professional world. With over 20 years of experience across Fortune 500 companies and global nonprofits, Jen blends strategic career positioning with deep personal and spiritual alignment, guiding women to lead with clarity, courage, and conviction.

Her work goes beyond career advancement. She equips women to become known, trusted, and impossible to overlook—building careers that are not only successful, but deeply meaningful and aligned with their calling.

Key topics:

• The symbolism of the lioness and what it represents for women's strength, stories, and community

• Practical practices for women to strengthen their voice in safe, supportive environments

• How to unlearn societal conditioning that encourages women to stay small and agreeable

• The process behind selecting women's stories for the book and the value of shared vulnerability

• Practical advice for women feeling stuck or uncertain about claiming their power

Resources & Links:

• Lioness on Amazon (Amazon link pending publication)

• Jen's Website

Connect with Jen Porter:

• Jen's LinkedIn

Get Connected

Free Mini-Masterclass — everything you need to go from blank page to published book.

Work with Sulit Press | Apply for the Multi-Author Book Program

Connect with Michelle Savage on IG: @michellesavagewriter

Disclaimer

This show is independently produced by Sulit Press. The views shared belong to the hosts and guests. Questions? Email [email protected]

In this episode of Her Best Chapter, Michelle Savage interviews Danyele Easterhaus, a bestselling author, speaker, entrepreneur, and advocate, who explores how to love big while maintaining personal boundaries. Danyele shares her journey through philanthropy, vulnerability in her story of adoption, and practical insights on sustainable giving, authenticity, and self-empathy.

Danyele believes every person—no matter their story—deserves to be seen, felt, heard, and loved. She is the founder of Danyele Easterhaus Consulting, where she equips mission-driven leaders to create cultures of belonging and lead with authenticity.

Her perspective is shaped by decades of nonprofit leadership and her family's journey through adoption, parenting, and fostering. Alongside her husband, Ryan—affectionately known as "Hot Hubs"—she is raising four daughters, has fostered 11 other children, and continues to advocate as a GAL in the court system, fighting for the best interests of kids who no longer have a voice in DCS. With lived experience that includes parenting a daughter on the autism spectrum and another navigating mental health and borderline personality disorder, Danyele writes and speaks from the messy middle of real life, reminding others that leadership, like family, is never perfect but always worth showing up for.

Key topics:

• How to align giving with core personal values and priorities

• Finding the sweet spot between impact and capacity

• The importance of boundaries, authenticity, and self-empathy in leadership

• Lessons from Danyele's pathway through adoption and advocacy

• Building authentic community through simple, genuine connection

• Embracing the messy middle as a space for growth and healing

Resources & Links:

• Empathy Impact: The Wild Effects of Kindness in Action

Connect with Danyele:

• Website: www.danyleeasterhausconsulting.com

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danyele-easterhaus

• Instagram: instagram.com/danyleeasterhaus

Get Connected

Free Mini-Masterclass — everything you need to go from blank page to published book.

Work with Sulit Press | Apply for the Multi-Author Book Program

Connect with Michelle Savage on IG: @michellesavagewriter

Disclaimer

This show is independently produced by Sulit Press. The views shared belong to the hosts and guests. Questions? Email [email protected]

In this episode of Her Best Chapter, host Michelle Savage interviews Dr. Paulette Evans, engineer and author of Your X-Factors: Turning Hidden Struggles into Undeniable Strengths. Dr. Paulette shares practical insights on turning life's struggles into opportunities for growth and success by shifting and reframing setbacks and challenges.

Dr. Paulette Evans, BSEE, MBA, SSBB, CPHQ, PMP, CKF lives in Charlotte, NC and identifies as a process improvement/project management expert who utilizes proven methodologies to effectively and efficiently solve problems at work, at home, and everywhere in between. Because this ability comes naturally to her, she launched Evans Efficiency Experts, a process engineering consultancy focused on helping people and organizations solve complex problems, implement lasting changes, and increase productivity in their lives. Dr. Paulette also has a passion for empowering women to be strong, self-reliant, and successful in all of their endeavors, so she spends any free time she has volunteering for organizations that have this same focus.

Key topics:

• The power of self-perception and storytelling in shaping our realities

• The origin of the "X-Factors" equation and how it helps reframe perceived failures

• Strategies to release limiting beliefs and embrace growth from mistakes

• Using the PURGE method to manage emotional baggage

• Cultivating a mindset of curiosity and gratitude

• The role of resilience in leadership and personal development

• The significance of internal validation and confidence for women

Resources & Links:

• X-Factors by Dr. Paulette Evans (Amazon link pending publication)

• Dr. Paulette Evans - Website

Connect with Dr. Paulette Evans:

• LinkedIn

Get Connected

Free Mini-Masterclass — everything you need to go from blank page to published book.

Work with Sulit Press | Apply for the Multi-Author Book Program

Connect with Michelle Savage on IG: @michellesavagewriter

Disclaimer

This show is independently produced by Sulit Press. The views shared belong to the hosts and guests. Questions? Email [email protected]

In this episode of Her Best Chapter, Michelle Savage sits down with Karen Cerezo – board-certified health coach, personal trainer, menopause expert and founder of Lifestyle Fitness – to highlight the often overlooked realities of women's midlife transitions.

With over a decade of experience helping women in midlife navigate perimenopause and beyond, Karen blends science-backed education with real-life practicality to help women reclaim strength in their bodies, their choices, and their confidence. Karen specializes in menopause education, hormone health, strength training after 45, and the hidden cost of ignoring midlife health in the workplace. She is the author of Navigating Menopause: A Comprehensive Wellness Tracking Journal and a sought-after speaker who makes complex hormone conversations clear, relatable, and actionable.

Karen's mission is to help women stop playing small and start leading boldly through midlife and beyond.

Key topics:

• The societal and workplace pressures women face during hormonal transitions

• Differences between perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause and the importance of understanding these stages

• The vital role of self-advocacy and tracking symptoms for better healthcare

• How lifestyle factors such as sleep, diet, stress, and exercise impact menopausal symptoms

• The significance of revaluing women's wisdom, experience, and contributions in society and the workplace

• Resources for women including books, tools, and community support networks

• How to reframe societal views on menopause and unlock a new era of women's empowerment and wisdom

Get Connected with Karen Cerezo

Karen's Linktree

Karen's Instagram

Order Karen's book on Amazon

Get Connected

Free Mini-Masterclass — everything you need to go from blank page to published book.

Work with Sulit Press | Apply for the Multi-Author Book Program

Connect with Michelle Savage on IG: @michellesavagewriter

Disclaimer

This show is independently produced by Sulit Press. The views shared belong to the hosts and guests. Questions? Email [email protected]