Dr. Jen Fry is a Sports Geographer, educator, speaker, tech founder, and the force behind JenFryTalks, where she helps organizations navigate the messy but transformative terrain of conflict and culture. She’s also the author of the razor-sharp new book I Said No, a guide to setting boundaries and reclaiming your power without apology.

In this candid and energizing conversation, Jen takes us inside her unconventional journey—from volleyball coach to PhD to tech entrepreneur—and shares how each chapter shaped her understanding of people, place, and power. We explore why conflict isn’t something to avoid, but a catalyst for innovation, healing, and leadership growth.

We talk about:

- How becoming a Sports Geographer unlocked a new way of seeing people and systems

- Why most of us were never actually taught how to navigate conflict

- The harmful patterns leaders repeat when fear drives the culture

- How her book I Said No helps high-achievers break cycles of guilt and overcommitment

- The parallels between managing conflict and building a tech platform from scratch

- The power of no-regret decisions, reinvention, and honoring the hard moments that shape us

Jen is bold, brilliant, and refreshingly honest. This episode is part masterclass, part storytelling, and part pep talk for anyone ready to stand their ground and lead with clarity.

Find Dr. Jen Fry:

JenFryTalks (all platforms)

Book: I Said No (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or signed copies on her website)

Coordle: Her tech platform for simplifying group travel

Camille “Cami” Lee is redefining what sports storytelling looks like. As the founder of Backfield Media, she’s building a platform that gives athletes a voice—one that highlights their humanity, mental health, education, and community impact beyond the game.

In this episode, Cami joins host Richard Juknavorian to discuss her journey as a journalist, creator, and advocate. From her early love of football and her father’s influence to the challenges of being a woman innovating in a male-dominated industry, Cami opens up about authenticity, advocacy, and how collaboration fuels her mission.

🎙️ Themes: sports media, athlete storytelling, women in sports, mental health, advocacy, journalism, leadership, entrepreneurship, Gen Z creators, community impact

For more information, please see - https://linktr.ee/BackfieldMedia

#MeetingYouWhereYoureAt #PodcastInterview #WomenInMedia #StorytellingPodcast #SocialImpactPodcast #EntrepreneurshipPodcast #SportsMedia #AthleteStories #BackfieldMedia #WomenInSports #SportsJournalism #CollegeAthletes #AthleteAdvocacy #SportsStorytelling #SportsContentCreator #AthleteMentalHealth #StudentAthletes #EducationMatters #MindsetMatters #AdvocacyInAction #MentalHealthAwareness #CommunityBuilding #AuthenticLeadership #GenZCreators #WomenEntrepreneurs #PurposeDriven #InclusiveLeadership #EmpowermentThroughStorytelling #InspirationInAction #RichardJuknavorian #CamilleLee #CamiLee #ODU #InnovationInMedia #NextGenLeadership

Episode Title: Redefining Midlife: Dr. Sonia Singla and the Marigold Approach to Women’s Health

In this inspiring episode of Meeting You Where You’re At, host Richard Juknavorian sits down with Dr. Sonia Singla, founder of The Marigold Center, to explore how she’s transforming the conversation around menopause, aging, and women’s well-being.

After facing her own early menopause at 39, Dr. Singla realized that mainstream medicine was missing something vital—a holistic, compassionate approach that treated women as whole beings. Today, she’s created a sanctuary where science meets soul, offering integrated care that spans hormone therapy, Ayurvedic treatments, nutrition, meditation, and community connection.

Together, Richard and Dr. Singla discuss:

Why menopause is not a medical footnote, but a profound life shift

How The Marigold Center blends Western medicine and Ayurveda—the Sanskrit “science (Veda) of life (Ayur)”

What personalized, two-hour intake visits can teach us about true patient care

The importance of community and storytelling in women’s healing

How midlife can become a decade of power, clarity, and expansion

Meeting You Where You’re At continues to spotlight women who are reshaping the narrative of leadership, entrepreneurship, and well-being—one fearless story at a time.

🌸 Learn more about Dr. Sonia Singla and her work at marigoldc.com

and follow @the_marigoldcenter on Instagram: instagram.com/the_marigoldcenter

Finding Calm in the Chaos: Maleekha Fong and the Cozy Mind Club

Description:

In this uplifting episode of Meeting You Where You’re At, host Richard Juknavorian sits down with Maleekha Fong, founder of Cozy Mind Club and a sophomore at the University of Connecticut, to talk about mindfulness, community, and the power of building something meaningful from the heart.

What started as Maleekha’s personal search for balance during her freshman year has grown into a multi-channel movement inspiring students to slow down, breathe, and pursue mindful productivity — progress over perfection. Through Instagram, Pinterest, and her Kofi platform, she’s cultivating a safe space for reflection, gratitude, and connection.

Together, Richard and Maleekha explore:

The origins and purpose behind Cozy Mind Club

How she defines “mindful productivity” in a hustle-driven culture

The lessons she learned through UConn’s Werth Innovators Program

The importance of vulnerability, empathy, and building safe online communities

Her new guided journal, Work in Progress

💬 “If I can impact just one person,” Maleekha says, “then I’ve met my goal.”

Follow https://www.instagram.com/thecozymindclub/ and https://ko-fi.com/cozymind to join Maleekha’s growing community — and discover how you, too, can find calm in the chaos.

🎧 Meeting You Where You’re At celebrates women innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders who are creating meaningful change in their communities and the world.

✨ Finding Life Magic in Tech, Leadership, and Spiritual Growth — with Kim Snow

Description:

In this powerful episode of Meeting You Where You're At, host Richard Juknavorian welcomes his longtime friend and mentor Kim Snow—a cybersecurity compliance leader by day and an energy healer, yoga teacher, and speaker by heart.

Over the course of this rich, thoughtful conversation, Kim shares how her 25+ year career in male-dominated tech industries intersected with her deep commitment to spirituality, wellness, and women’s empowerment. From navigating corporate leadership to launching her spiritual practice Life Magic, Kim offers insights on:

Practicing self-advocacy and self-care as a woman in leadership

Balancing motherhood, blended families, and career ambition

Building resilience through yoga, meditation, and energy work

Helping others recognize and activate their inner “light”

What it really means to show up, do the work, and transform

Kim also shares her journey through Cornell Law School’s Master’s program, her upcoming speaking engagements, and the book she’s currently writing.

💻 Learn more about Kim at: www.thekimsnow.com

✨ Follow her Life Magic journey through her website’s hidden gem section

Whether you're a young woman figuring out your path or a seasoned professional craving reconnection with your purpose, this episode will inspire you to trust your energy, live your values, and create space for your own magic.

#WomensLeadership #SpiritualGrowth #EnergyHealing #Cybersecurity #MindBodySpirit #LifeMagic #MeetingYouWhereYoureAt

From Trauma to Tech: Jenny Lynn Walding and the Mission Behind Milkmade

🍼 In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Meeting You Where You’re At, host Richard Juknavorian sits down with Jenny Lynn Walding—marketing strategist, Certified Lactation Counselor, and founder of Milkmade. What began as a personal trauma during her early breastfeeding journey 11,000 miles from home has evolved into a pioneering FemTech innovation designed to transform lactation care through technology, empathy, and data.

Jenny Lynn shares how her lived experience with tongue-tie, mastitis, weighted feeds, and the mental load of postpartum uncertainty led to her “QVC moment”: the realization that the centuries-old nipple shield could—and should—be reimagined. Enter Milkmade: a smart nipple shield that uses embedded sensors to deliver real-time lactation data, empowering both parents and providers with insights that reduce anxiety and improve care.

💡 Together, we explore:

The hidden trauma and ambiguity of early breastfeeding

How the lack of access and equity continues to undermine maternal care

Her journey from mom to “traumapreneur” to startup founder

The science and purpose behind Milkmade’s smart nipple shield

Why rural care, cultural humility, and data equity matter in maternal health innovation

Jenny Lynn isn’t just building a product—she’s leading a movement for better, more compassionate postpartum support.

🌐 Learn more: https://milkmade.me

📲 Follow Milkmade on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milkmade_me/

🔗 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/milkmade-me/posts/?feedView=all

Daring Ventures, Bold Voices: Maddi Holman on Mentorship, Women’s Health, and Rewriting the VC Playbook

📄 Episode Description:

In this episode of Meeting You Where You're At, host Richard Juknavorian sits down with Maddi Holman, Co-Founder and General Partner at Daring Ventures, for an unforgettable conversation on entrepreneurship, resilience, and redefining what success looks like in venture capital.

Maddi’s journey is anything but traditional—from pursuing a pre-med track and playing Division I volleyball at Rice University to discovering her true calling in venture capital through an unexpected course at Imperial College London. Today, she’s leading with purpose, backing early-stage founders with lived experience and a relentless drive to solve meaningful problems.

We dive into:

- Her bold pivot from medicine to venture capital

- How Daring Ventures is disrupting VC norms with a focus on founder authenticity and real-world obsession

- Why mentorship is a cornerstone of her approach—and how her athletic roots shaped her leadership

- Her podcast Let’s Be Heard, which spotlights taboo-breaking conversations in women’s health

- The power of vulnerability, community, and cold outreach that actually works

This is a must-listen for founders, aspiring VCs, and anyone passionate about making an impact through innovation and empathy.

🔗 Connect with Maddi:

Website: https://daringventures.vc/

Podcast: Let’s Be Heard: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gUuN40KsBHJFxykuKBg8e?si=fb5988ca0aab4fed

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maddi-holman-0b5b5a113/

✨ Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to support more conversations like this!

#VentureCapital #WomenInVC #Founders #Entrepreneurship #MeetingYouWhereYoureAt #DaringVentures #WomensHealth #LetsBeHeard #Mentorship #Innovation #Podcast

Bilingualism, Equity & Advocacy with Dr. Maggie Marcus

📻 Meeting You Where You’re At Podcast

In this inspiring episode, host Richard Juknavorian sits down with Dr. Maggie Marcus, Executive Director of the Sullivan Family Charitable Foundation, Fellow at the Century Foundation, and a passionate advocate for equitable access to dual language education.

Together, they explore:

🌍 Maggie’s personal journey — from teaching Spanish in Puerto Rico and Washington, DC, to raising her own children bilingually.

🏫 How early experiences shaped her career in bilingual education and systems change.

🧠 The powerful intersection of language access, mental health, and culturally responsive learning.

💡 What “relational philanthropy” looks like in action and why it matters in educational equity.

🏫 Models of dual language instruction that work — and what school districts and policymakers still get wrong.

📣 A call to action for anyone looking to volunteer, mentor, or support multilingual learners in their local community.

Whether you're a parent, educator, policymaker, or aspiring social innovator, this episode offers rich insights into the real-world challenges — and possibilities — of creating equitable, multilingual education systems.

🔗 Learn more about Maggie and her work:

🌐 Sullivan Family Charitable Foundation - https://sullivanfamilycharitablefoundation.org/

🔗 The Century Foundation - https://tcf.org/

🔗 Connect with Maggie on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-marcus-ph-d-8547b450/

🎙️ Subscribe for more stories of impact, resilience, and social innovation from women leading change.

In this episode of Meeting You Where You’re At, host Richard Juknavorian sits down with Andrea Giancontieri (pronounced Jahn-con-TYEH-ree), a digital marketer, advocate, and entrepreneur who turned her personal journey through menopause into a powerful movement.

Andrea shares her candid and often humorous story of navigating misdiagnoses, dismissive doctors, and finally finding her voice as an advocate. From co-founding The Whiny-Guiny to testifying at the Massachusetts State House in support of menopause awareness legislation, Andrea is leading the charge to break the silence and stigma surrounding menopause.

✨ In this conversation, Andrea and Richard discuss:

Why menopause is still so stigmatized in 2025

How personal experience can spark advocacy and entrepreneurship

Andrea’s journey from media buyer to co-founder of The Whiny-Guiny

What needs to change in medicine and society to better support women

🎧 Whether you’re experiencing menopause, supporting a loved one, or passionate about women’s health advocacy, Andrea’s story will leave you inspired, informed, and empowered.

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe to the channel for more inspiring conversations with women leaders and innovators.

🔗 Visit: https://thewhinygynie.com/

🔗 Follow: https://www.instagram.com/the_whiny_gynie/

In this episode of Meeting You Where You’re At, Richard sits down in person with Jasianna Ortiz, founder of Apothecary Braids and the creative force behind Braided by Jasy.

What started as a side hustle during the pandemic has grown into a thriving business rooted in artistry, culture, and community. Jasianna shares her journey from teaching herself how to braid as a child, to navigating the challenges of being a solopreneur, to graduating from the EforAll accelerator program and winning multiple awards.

Together, we explore:

How Jasianna built her business from her dining room table to a professional studio.

The importance of protective styles and hair health in her work.

The role of mentorship, community, and wellness in sustaining entrepreneurship.

Her advice for anyone afraid to take that first step toward starting their own venture.

Follow and connect with Jasianna here:

📸 Instagram (Braided by Jasy): https://www.instagram.com/braidedbyjasy/

📸 Instagram (Apothecary Braids): https://www.instagram.com/apothecarybraids/

🌐 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/braidedbyjasy

Tune in for an inspiring conversation that celebrates resilience, creativity, and the power of following your passion.