Sandi Klein's Conversations with Creative Women

Past guest Jennifer Baumgardner's back and for good reason. The feminist activist, journalist, author and former publisher of The Feminist Press has launched a new venture. She's the founder of Dottir Press, an independent publishing house. Dottir is Icelandic for daughter and speaks to its mission of passing down and building upon feminist intellectual and creative legacies to fill the void in our history and present culture through storytelling in all forms and for all ages. Join us for yet another important and powerful conversation.

Shannelle Armstrong Fowler is the owner and founder of Haute & Co. Bridal Boutique, Chicago's only luxury plus size bridal shop that caters to women sizes 14-32. By the way, the average woman in the U.S. happens to be a size 16. Shannelle is also the star of the PeopleTV series, "The Perfect Fit." It follows a dozen curvy women as they search for their 'perfect' wedding dress. We cover a lot of ground with this fashion entrepreneur and body positive advocate.

Growing up, Gizel Jimenez had no idea she would wind up a successful and celebrated actress.  Painfully shy, she couldn't imagine performing in front of a live audience, much less making it a career.  But that all changed after Gizel got her BFA at the University of Florida's New World School of the Arts.  She never looked back - and has worked ever since. Her credits include: Olivia, the teenager estranged from her mother, an undocumented immigrant in the acclaimed Off-Broadway show, 'Miss You Like Hell.'  Gizel played the Mistress in 'Evita' and Rosalia in a National tour of 'West Side Story.'  Regional Theater includes roles in 'Oklahoma,' 'In The Heights.'  She's also appeared on HBO's 'Divorce,' 'Law & Order SVU,' and 'The Tale of Two Jimmy Chins.'   This is an open, honest, emotional conversation with one helluva creative woman.

Meet visionary and fashion activist, Sugandh Agrawal who shares with us her "American" dream story. Born in India, she moved to the U.S. to attend college and work in the industrial design field. And... it is here that she founded Gunas, an ethically-sourced, 100% vegan line of luxury handbags, backpacks, wallets, totes, satchels. That means no silk, no fur, no wool, no down feathers, no leather. Gunas products are made from a variety of fabrics and in sweatshop-free environments. What began as a NYC-based label in 2010, Gunas has gone global. You don't want to miss this inspiration conversation.

There are yoga instructors - and then there's Halle Becker, founder of New York City's Home Girl Yoga.  Halle, who "teaches from the parts of her life that have need healing and spiritual examination," shares her very personal story of overcoming addiction, starting her own production company and adopting a daughter from Russia.  This is one honest, raw and 'out there conversation!'

Darci Picoult is a force to be reckoned with. She's an actress, an award-winning playwright, screenwriter, producer, teacher. Her credits are long and varied and include her powerful and very personal one-woman show, "My Virginia," which was presented in theaters and solo festivals around the country and broadcast on National Public Radio. Darci also wrote the screenplay for "Where is Kyra," starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Keifter Sutherland. It premiered at Sundance in 2017 and tells the story of a middle-aged woman who loses her job and struggles to survive on the income of her ailing mother. Join us for a very personal, open and honest conversation with this accomplished woman.

You're about to meet yet another accomplished, creative female powerhouse. Deborah Grace Winer is an: author, dramatist, historian and producer. And...she's also a leading expert on the American Songbook and Musical Theater. Her shows have celebrated such icons as Dorothy Fields, Jerome Kern, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers. As you'll hear, Deborah's career is a rich and varied one.

Rachel Israel is an artist on several levels. She studied painting at Rhode Island School of Design and went on her to get Masters in Fine Arts at Columbia University. Rachel also happens to be a filmmaker, having directed numerous shorts that have been shown at various Festivals, including Sundance. One of them, "Keep the Change," premiered at the Columbia Film Festival in 2013 and went on to win the top award of Focus Feature Best Film. The feature-length version took home Best US Narrative Feature honors at Tribeca in 2017. The romantic comedy tells the story of two autistic adults who strike up an unlikely and transformative relationship.

Julie Maloney is a woman of many talents. A former dancer, choreographer and artistic director of the Julie Maloney Dance Company, she is also an acclaimed poet. Her book, "Private Landscape" is an intimate look into the heart of a woman negotiating life after a cancer diagnosis. Julie's debut novel, "A Matter of Chance," tells the story of an 8 year old girl's disappearance from a town on the Jersey Shore and her mom's relentless search to find her. Julie is also the founder/director of Women Reading Aloud, a non-profit that promotes female writers. Needless to say, we cover a lot of ground in this conversation.