What happens when a woman refuses to follow the script she was handed?

In this episode of This Is Woman’s Work, Nicole Kalil sits down with award-winning journalist, bestselling author, and former Good Morning America co-host Joan Lunden to talk about reinvention, leadership, pay equity, aging, caregiving, and choosing yourself — again and again.

Joan was offered the co-host role at Good Morning America the same day she found out she was pregnant. In the 1970s. When working mothers were barely visible on television, and “breastfeeding” wasn’t even a word you could say on air. She brought her baby to work anyway.

Throughout her career, she negotiated creative compensation before pay equity was a mainstream conversation, pushed back on being labeled “second banana,” navigated public scrutiny, and later reinvented herself again — this time as a fierce advocate for women’s health, breast cancer awareness, dense breast legislation, and caregiver rights.

In this conversation, she shares:

How to reinvent yourself at every stage of life

What it takes to negotiate power in male-dominated spaces

The pressure of being the “perfect working mom”

How she handled media criticism and public expectations

Why sisterhood and strong women behind the scenes mattered most

Joan’s story is proof that reinvention isn’t a phase — it’s a practice. And ambition doesn’t expire just because culture says it should.

Choosing yourself isn’t one bold move. It’s a lifetime of them.

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Connect with Joan:

Website: https://joanlunden.com/

Book: https://www.amazon.com/JOAN-Beyond-Script-Joan-Lunden/dp/1637634927/ 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/therealjoanlunden/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/JoanLunden

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