Talk to Jess: Conversations with Today's Thinkers, Movers, and Shapers

Lynn Johnson is the co-founder and CEO of Spotlight: Girls, a multi-media platform and summer camp that educates and inspires girls to step into the spotlight and be leaders in their community. Through her work, Lynn is empowering young girls to fight against the constant media messages that tell them to sit down and be quiet. She’s helping them harness their power and use their voice. In this episode, Jess and Lynn talk entrepreneurship and business as a social good.

This special edition episode is powered by Dove Real Beauty Productions. To celebrate its 60th Anniversary at the Mom 2.0 Summit, we are creating conversations with inspiring women around the evolution of self-discovery and the definition of real beauty. Ilana is the creator of Mommy Shorts, where she blogs about her experiences as a working mom raising two young girls with her husband in New York City. Ilana is also a successful writer, having turned her hilarious essays on parenting and her family into a book on being an average but successful parent. In this episode, Jess and Ilana talk advertising, self-esteem, and the myth of the perfect mother.

Kristin Hayden is a speaker, an Ashoka Fellow, the CEO and co-founder of VisionVenture and the Chief Partnership Officer at IGNITE, a non-partisan organization that helps young women find their passion for civic engagement. In all of her work, Kristin helps young women to find their voice and their vision through a journey of self-discovery. In this episode, Jess and Kristin talk cutting through the noise to find their passion for changemaking, blazing their own path, and how they both inspire others to do the same.

This special edition episode is powered by our friends at Dove Real Beauty Productions. To help celebrate their 60th Anniversary, we’re here at Mom 2.0, to create conversations with inspiring women around the topics of self-discovery and redefining beauty. KJ Dell’Antonia is the lead writer and editor of the New York Times’ Well Family, where she offers advice on handling everything from classroom bullies to healthful eating to facing racism in high school. She also co-hosts the “#AmWriting” podcast, where she and co-host Jess Lahey discuss writing, reading, and getting things done. In this episode, Jess and KJ talk how finding the confidence of a mediocre white man can help you achieve your goals.

This special edition episode is powered by Dove Real Beauty Productions. To celebrate its 60th Anniversary at the Mom 2.0 Summit, we are creating conversations with inspiring women around the evolution of self-discovery and the definition of real beauty. Jeannette Kaplun is the CEO of Hispana Global, a bilingual platform where she addresses tips and trends for the modern woman, offering advice on everything from parenting to travel to fashion and food. She is an amazing connector between multicultural women across the globe; empowering them with positivity and self-love. In this episode, Jess and Jeannette talk creating your own path instead ofwaiting around for mainstream media to tell the stories you want to see.

Monique Coleman is an actor and activist best known for her role in the Disney Channel phenomenon High School Musical, and now she’s back for part two of her Talk to Jess conversation. Unemployed and feeling unwelcome in Hollywood, Monique talks to Jess about making ends meet while out of work, coming back to a completely changed industry, and how she had to find her confidence as an actor to find her next role.

This special edition episode is powered by Dove Real Beauty Productions. To celebrate its 60th Anniversary at the Mom 2.0 Summit, we are creating conversations with inspiring women around the evolution of self-discovery and the definition of real beauty. Back again this week is Ana Flores, who founded the #WeAllGrow Latina Network, the first and largest network of Latina digital influencers in the country. Beyond being a successful entrepreneur and changemaker in how Latina women are portrayed in media, marketing, and advertising, Ana is a mom to a young girl and she cares deeply and passionately about changing the next generation’s view of themselves. In this episode, Jess and Ana talk the heterogeneity of Latinos and how to tear down tired stereotypes in media.

This special edition episode is powered by Dove Real Beauty Productions. To celebrate its 60th Anniversary at the Mom 2.0 Summit, we are creating conversations with inspiring women around the evolution of self-discovery and the definition of real beauty. Jill Krause was an early standout in the blogging community and has been recording her journey of motherhood since 2007 at her site BabyRabies.com. Through her platform she playfully illustrates how we can all be better at supporting mothers and women. In this episode, Jess and Jill talk the myth of the perfect mother and how to forgive yourself when you can’t live up to society’s expectations.

Monique Coleman is an actor and activist best known for her role in the Disney Channel phenomenon High School Musical, but she’s been in everything from Gilmore Girls to Boston Legal and even Dancing with the Stars. Even in the face of insecurity and self-doubt, Monique is not afraid to let herself grow. In this episode, Jess and Monique deconstruct fame and discuss the highs and lows of superstardom.

This special edition episode is powered by Dove Real Beauty Productions. To celebrate its 60th Anniversary at the Mom 2.0 Summit, we are creating conversations with inspiring women around the evolution of self-discovery and the definition of real beauty. Kita Bryant is the blogger behind ItsReallyKita.com, where she helps small businesses, start-ups, and bloggers develop the confidence they need to succeed. In this episode, Kita tells Jess her story — the good, the bad, the loss — and she tells it her way. As Kita puts it: “I am me. If you don’t like it, BYE!”