Influential SHE Podcast

As a woman who grew up on a reservation being half Native American and half white, she opens up about her journey to claim herself.  Chepa is totally raw and vulnerable from sharing how her name means “chubby” to the challenges of being a mom when her growing daughter was in trouble.  In this not to miss podcast, Chepa inspires all to live true to Self by claiming  “This is who I am,  I embrace who I am.  I accept who I am.”  Love yourself enough to know whatever you are going to do in the world, the most important person you have to be comfortable with is yourself.”

Dr. Melita “Chepa” Rank (Hunkpati Oyate) is the Chief Executive Officer for the Fort Thompson Indian Health Services (IHS) Health Center in South Dakota.  With a doctorate as a licensed social worker, she is passionate about transformative and innovative best practices to address grand challenges facing tribal communities and people.  She is leading the development of 

Integrated systems to foster well-being, suicide prevention in indigenous nations, and holistic services to create a culture of wellness within tribal nations.

Chepa has spent the majority of her career honored to work in public service in various capacities, primarily across tribal nations.  She began her career working with families in child protection/child welfare services, eventually transitioning to administrative roles.  Her research interests include enhancing tribal community capacity by fostering a culture of wellness, building bridges of economic and social development for tribal communities to reduce disparities, designing collective impact approaches to improve health and utilization of data for programmatic decision-making.

Dr. Rank has an Associate of Arts from Haskell Indian Jr. College, a Bachelors in Social Work from the University of Kansas, a Masters in Social Work from Florida State University and a Doctorate from the University of Southern California.  While education and work experience moved her around the nation, she was drawn back to her “native roots” to live, work and raise a family.

Growing up in London with Sri Lankan parents, early on she developed the skill of assessing the reality of her situation and moving forward based on clarity.  With a well-traveled life that resulted in her becoming a United States citizen, she shares amazing insights about seeking equality and nuggets of fabulous advice about critical life decisions that affect your lifetime “What Is”.

Pras Ranaweera is a Senior Program Officer with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in Washington, DC.  She leads the K-12 Place-Based Delivery through the design and execution of $70-90M RFPs to fund partners best positioned to close race- and income-based achievement gaps.  Prior to this role, she also worked for the Foundation as a Senior Portfolio Manager.  Her entre to the Foundation was as a Contractor on Assignment both in the United Kingdom and Washington, DC.

With a passion for education and the opportunities it creates, Pras’ background includes being a Partner of Academic Strategy for TNTP (non-profit consulting) and Deputy Chief in the Office of Data and Strategy for D.C Public Schools.  Pras worked for Interpol in a variety of capacities beginning as a Case Officer and ending as a Principal Business Planning Manager for the Serious Organized Crime Agency (SOCA).  She also taught English in Switzerland and Japan.

Pras has a MA in Educational Leadership from Broad Center for the Management of School Systems, CA and an MA in Intelligence & International Security from King’s College, University of London.  Her BA in Combined Arts (French, German & English) is from the University of Durham, UK.

As a member of the Oregon State Legislature, Elizabeth is a shining example of how to develop authentic connections to get meaningful work done - both professionally and personally..  She talks about how to facilitate this happening sharing “By really forming connections and asking questions to get to know others better, you can often find places where you overlap, even with people that you might traditionally think you don’t have a lot in common with,”  This podcast is sure to inspire all to pursue real connections which is about “getting to know others as whole people.”

Elizabeth Steiner Hayward, M.D. was appointed to be State Senator from the Democrat Party  representing District 17 in NW Portland/Beaverton, Oregon.  With strong support from her district, she returned to the Senate in 2012 and has been serving in that role since.  Her primary areas of concern and expertise include creating an affordable healthcare system, improving education statewide, improving the economy for small and local businesses and building a balanced state budget.  She serves in leadership as Co-Chair of the Joint Ways and Means Committee and as a member of the Joint Capital Construction and Legislative Audit Committees.

Dr. Elizabeth has an undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago, a medical degree from the University of Massachusetts and moved to the northwest to complete her Family Medicine Residency at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). Prior to becoming a Senator, she was a primary physician for countless individuals and families, eventually becoming involved in caring for the entire state by influencing statewide care and policy standards.  Still today, while not at the Capitol in Salem, she works at Oregon Health & Sciences University teaching medical students and residents as an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine.

As a citizen, community involvement has always been a key priority for her.  While her children were in school, she volunteered at the school, served as a Girl Scout Troop leader and camp physician.  She remains on the Catlin Gabel Board of Trustees.  Elizabeth is also very active with board or clergy search committees within her synagogue congregation, Neveh Shalom. Senator, Doctor Elizabeth has three grown daughters.

At 10 years old and our youngest podcast guest to-date, she lives with significant food allergies to eggs and mustard seed, Julia has had to find her voice and grow her confidence early in life.  Wanting to “teach people that allergies are not just something that can’t be eaten but something that can affect your whole life”, Julia shows how our youth should not be underestimated in how they can influence the world.  

Julia lives in Westchester County, New York with her mom, dad, younger sister and Labradoodle Gracie. She is going into the 5th grade.

She loves reading, writing stories about her dog, art and playing violin. Julia also loves baking and decorating cakes and cupcakes. She is currently allergic to eggs and mustard seed having already outgrown allergies to milk and sesame.

As a true “possibilist” she shares her delightful story of scary risk-taking that moved her from a clock-watching job to being a salon business owner with 21 stylists renting space.  With her “I am not willing to fail” attitude, Amber cuts to the chase about what it means to follow your dreams and live an authentic, creative life.  Her story of believing in something bigger for herself is an inspiration for all to just “go for it”!

Amber Stegman is a businesswoman who in January of 2020 purchased her own Studio South Salon that has twenty-one rooms/chairs.  Dually licensed as a cosmetologist and aesthetician, she tirelessly worked her way from being an employed stylist to owner in her 30”s.  Savvy in offering quality niche services to meet client needs, she became certified in sugaring (instead of waxing) and hair extensions in a region where none of these options existed.  

 Amber graduated from Mayville State University, Mayville, ND with a business degree.  She worked for two years at State Bank and Trust in Fargo in the IT department.  In spite of success and promotion in that role she left to attend Joseph’s West Academy cosmetology school, also in Fargo and began her dream career at MJ Capelli Salon.  Now with her business, Amber at Studio South, she and her husband Tyler live in Grand Forks, ND with their two daughters.

At 18 years old, our youngest guest-to-date, she shares an amazing story of getting to know her core self and then just “going for it.” From feeling restless and unfulfilled as a Sophomore, she talks about her journey of self-discovery and steps forward with  “I just started doing things that I was definitely afraid of.” Brenna’s “I know myself and love when I can pour myself into something that I can believe in”, will inspire women of any age to fully claim their powerful, influential selves!

Brenna Pangelinan just graduated from Eastlake High School, Chula Vista, CA with a cumulative GPA of 4.64. After a six month intensive interview process, she was selected by the Governor as the sole student representative on the California State Board of Education for 2019-20. As a voting member, she served with eight women and one man on the highest policy-making board for California public K-12 education.

Prior to this appointment, Brenna served as a Board Member for Sweetwater Union High School District, Chula Vista, CA. She was Chair of the President’s Council for the Associated Student Body (ASB) of Eastlake High School and Leader of the ASB Athletics Commission. Also she was President of her HS Nothing but Nets club, raising dollars to send insecticide treated beds to malaria endemic countries, and in that role was a United Nations Foundation Campaign Champions Council Member. She regularly met with Congressional and Senate members advocating for federal support of global health legislation.

Brenna is an accomplished athlete in swimming and was varsity captain for the water polo team where she was named All Mesa League 1st Team, and varsity defensive player of the year. In 2017 and 2019 she was part of the Mesa League Division II CIF Semifinalist Varsity Swim Team. She was honored as Freshman Swimmer of the Year, and a California State High School Championship Qualifier in the 200 Freestyle Relay.  In 2017 she was part of a team of six that completed the 21 mile Catalina Channel Relay in the ocean. Brenna was accepted at Brown University, Providence, RI beginning her freshman year in January 2021 (start delay due to COVID pandemic).

Her story is one of being a true innovator from the moment she pursued a “rare air” doctorate in Educational Technology. Using story as a powerful truth-telling about claiming authenticity, Julie constantly has charted new ground - including a year of wandering - and talks about how “We have to just push through our fears of worrying about disruption and figure out how to make those disruptions work in a way that gets us to our mission.”  

Julie Mathiesen, Ed.D. is the Director of Technology and Innovation in Education (TIE) in South Dakota providing executive  leadership for a statewide education organization with a multimillion-dollar budget.  Through her work, educators and leaders are empowered with professional learning experiences merging education and technology.  TIE serves a range of entities, including historically under-served and at-risk populations.

Julie was the recipient of the prestigious Bush Fellowship which enabled her take a two-year leave from her work and achieve a Doctorate in Educational Technology from Pepperdine University in California.  She has a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction and a Bachelor’s degree in Biology, both from Black Hills State University in South Dakota.

Previously Dr. Mathiesen worked as an Education Technology Specialist for TIE and as a Program Director for Three Rivers Special Services Cooperative.  In the genesis of her career,  Julie taught art and biology at the high school level.  She serves on numerous professional boards and committees, and is a sought after national speaker within her field.  Julie and her husband Steve had two grown children, Sienna and Sawyer, and live in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota.

A true expert in women’s health, she digs deep into how the body responds to stress and what choices are best to stay in balance.  Jessica shares “If you don’t have any energy and you can’t think clearly, there is no way you are going to be effective at whatever you try to do” highlighting how important balanced body health is to being truly influential.  

Jessica Morrell is a Certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner with Avera Medical Group Functional Medicine in Sioux Falls, SD.  She was in the first cohort in the world to become a Certified Provider from the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFMCP, 2015).  She has extensive experience caring for women, providing a safe respectful place for healing and the ability to achieve optimum health. Her approach is one of digging deeper into each person’s history, genetic risk, exposures, life influences, and situations to determine causation/correlation.  Taking into account hormonal imbalances no matter what the stage of life, she helps women establish long term lifestyle management interventions to achieve a fulfilling life.

Jessica’s background includes being a Captain in the Air Force serving the United States at Lackland Air Force Base (AFB) and Sheppard AFB both in Texas, at Eielson AFB in Arkansas and Osan AFB in the Republic of Korea.  Additionally she has been a Gastrointestinal Navigator at the Avera Cancer Institute, worked with Emerald Coast Gastroenterology in Crestview, FL and as an RN at the Eglin AFB OB/Gyn clinic.

Jessica achieved her MS in Nursing from the University of Nebraska Medical Center and her BS in Nursing from South Dakota State University.  She and her husband Mark have three growing daughters.

Doing is all about developing the acuity to redirect actions, building decision making muscle that results in the ability to get things purposely done.  Katherine exemplifies this idea in her personal and professional life, sharing that it is not always easy, “We as women particularly need to embrace discomfort, and that’s hard for us.”  She highlights that hoping is not doing, underscoring how “Respect and credibility are built by what you actually do in your work. Join in this rich dialogue about how purposeful doing leads to a juicy influential life!

Katherine Bassett is Chief Executive Officer/Co-Founder of Tall Poppy, a nationwide consultancy firm providing leadership development and other services to schools, districts, associations and connecting educators with opportunities in policy, research, and advocacy. Additionally she co-founded Research and Assessment Design: Science Solution, radssolution.com, to assess social and emotional learning skills across career verticals which include incarcerated citizens, reentry citizens, educators, students and workforce. 

Past experience includes being President/CEO for the National Network of State Teachers of the Year, the Director of Policy and Partnerships for The Center for Educator Effectiveness at Pearson, and for twelve years with Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ as the Director of Educator Relations Group and other leadership roles.  She also served as the Assessment Developer/Facilitator for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.  The genesis of her career was as a Library Media Specialist, Ocean City Intermediate School in New Jersey.

She has an M.A. in Elementary Education along with a Post-Graduate Certificate in Computers in Education from Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, and a B.S in Educational Media/Library Science from Millersville University, Millersville, PA.  

Katherine has received numerous awards and honors for her work, such as being the 2000 New Jersey State Teacher of the Year, New Jersey State Legislature Honoree & Congressional Honoree and twice being the New Jersey Best Practices awardee. She is an expert educator and executive volunteer with respect to education assessment and standards development.  

She is highly published and a sought after national speaker.

As a true risk-taker, Becky spent most of her twenties and early thirties in China. By living in four different cities and three different provinces, she uncovered her true self sharing, “Continually moving teaches you a lot about yourself - for better or worse.  But with each one I was able to fine tune, to hone, what was important to me in a career, in a living environment and even regarding the people I want to work with”  Becky opens up about the vulnerability and fear that can be experienced by all when forced into uncomfortable situations that ultimately help you to discover who you really are.

Rebecca “Becky” Nelson is the Assistant Director of International Recruitment and Admissions for Northern State University, Aberdeen, SD.  She is professionally fluent in Mandarin Chinese and Spanish.  Her most recent experience was as an English Foreign Language teacher for Weilanhaian Kindergarten, attached to Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, Beijing Normal University.  

Becky had held multiple international positions leading to a rich, diverse background. She was Account Manager/Trainer for Sino Associates in Shenzhen, and Client Executive for Burson-Marsteller in Shanghai.  Additionally she was an Operations Manager for Dianhuo International Education Consulting, Changsha, Hunan Province and for Guangcheng International Education, People’s Republic of China.  She served as an Assistant Field Director and Volunteer Oral English Teacher for WorldTeach, Changsha and Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province People’s Republic of China.

Becky has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Augustana University, South Dakota, 3 summers of Intensive Immersion College course from Beloit College, Wisconsin and completion of Critical Foreign Language Programs for 1st, 2nd and 3rd year Mandarin Chinese from Fudan University, Shanghai, China.