This week, Jessica speaks with Marianne Poon, Financial Advisor, Piano Teacher, and Registered Piano Technician. 

The child of immigrants, Marianne grew up playing the piano and earned her diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music. She won third place in the national finals of the Canadian Music Competition.

Marianne studied finance and economics at the University of Toronto and built her expertise in corporate finance, where she helped manage 4 billion dollars in institutional pension funds. Along the way, she earned her CFA credential and an MBA from UC Berkeley. 

Today, she works as a financial advisor, piano teacher, and tunes and repairs pianos. 

Marianne lives in Bethesda, Maryland, where she enjoys swimming, attending the opera, and spending time with her wife and their dog, Honey.  

Learn more about Marianne at www.OnyxFN.com and www.mariannepoon.com. 

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Join us for The Ampersand Summit live event in San Francisco on Sunday, October 19th, 2025 from 3-6:30pm at the SF Community Music Center: Registration + more details here 

This in-person event will bring together people who straddle multiple worlds to meet each other, share what we're working on, and talk openly about what it's like to lead a multi-passionate life.

All are welcome, not just people who currently identify as Ampersands, but also aspiring Ampersands and supporters. :)

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Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand looking for a sounding board? Jessica helps executives, leaders, and founders like you gain clarity and lead bravely. As your trusted advisor and growth partner, she works with you to make the invisible visible and develop an action plan to fulfill your goals. 

For nearly two decades, Jessica led marketing teams, launched products, and grew businesses at places like Apple, the San Francisco Opera, Smule, and Magoosh. As an Ampersand in many facets, she knows personally what it’s like to hold many roles simultaneously, to sit on the executive team, and to find fulfillment. With a BA in Music and a BS in Product Design from Stanford, coupled with an MBA from UC Berkeley and coach training from the Center for Executive Coaching, her unique mix of analytical & creative allows her to bring both depth and breadth of perspective into the coaching process.

As a coach, Jessica works to champion you – the full, multifaceted you – so you can thrive.

Visit ⁠jessicawan.com⁠ or BOOK AN INTRO CALL: ⁠https://calendly.com/jessicawancoaching/intro-call-coaching⁠

Credits

Produced and Hosted by ⁠Jessica Wan⁠

Co-produced, edited, sound design, and original music by ⁠Carlos Schmitt

Want to support this show in a small way? Rate and review it at theampersandmanifesto.com, or buy me a coffee: ⁠coff.ee/jessicawan⁠

In a special interview, Jessica speaks with her voice teacher of 20+ years, Susan Gundunas. Susan is a renowned singer and actor, voice teacher, and mom. Consistently praised for her consummate vocal talent and stage presence across the US and internationally, her notable roles include Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, Lucia di Lammermoor, Madama Butterfly, Violetta in La Traviata, and Carlotta in the Phantom of the Opera. A voice teacher for over 25 years, Susan has taught hundreds of students 1:1 in her private studio and at UC Berkeley, as well as in her Complete Package Performer Boot Camps. Susan studied Theatre Arts at Santa Clara University and began her career with San Jose Repertory Theatre and Opera San Jose. She is a proud mom of two boys, a stepson, and a stepdaughter.

Learn more about Susan at www.susangundunas.com and Susan’s vocal studio at www.susangundunasvocalstudio.com. 

~

Join us for The Ampersand Summit live event in San Francisco on Sunday, October 19th, 2025 from 3-6:30pm at the SF Community Music Center: Registration + more details here 

This in-person event will bring together people who straddle multiple worlds to meet each other, share what we're working on, and talk openly about what it's like to lead a multi-passionate life.

All are welcome, not just people who currently identify as Ampersands, but also aspiring Ampersands and supporters. :)

~

Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand looking for a sounding board? Jessica helps executives, leaders, and founders like you gain clarity and lead bravely. As your trusted advisor and growth partner, she works with you to make the invisible visible and develop an action plan to fulfill your goals. 

For nearly two decades, Jessica led marketing teams, launched products, and grew businesses at places like Apple, the San Francisco Opera, Smule, and Magoosh. As an Ampersand in many facets, she knows personally what it’s like to hold many roles simultaneously, to sit on the executive team, and to find fulfillment. With a BA in Music and a BS in Product Design from Stanford, coupled with an MBA from UC Berkeley and coach training from the Center for Executive Coaching, her unique mix of analytical & creative allows her to bring both depth and breadth of perspective into the coaching process.

As a coach, Jessica works to champion you – the full, multifaceted you – so you can thrive.

Visit ⁠jessicawan.com⁠ or BOOK AN INTRO CALL: ⁠https://calendly.com/jessicawancoaching/intro-call-coaching⁠

Credits

Produced and Hosted by ⁠Jessica Wan⁠

Co-produced, edited, sound design, and original music by ⁠Carlos Schmitt

Want to support this show in a small way? Rate and review it at theampersandmanifesto.com, or buy me a coffee: ⁠coff.ee/jessicawan⁠

Jessica speaks with Emily Holland, co-founder of Wild Poppy Creative Consulting, a podcast consulting company that helps small business owners hone and increase their impact on the world. She loves spending time outside rock climbing, trail running, running ultramarathons, hiking, skiing, or just watching her rescue pup Kayda frolic in the woods. Through her work on The Stokecast she told stories of how top outdoor athletes, adventurers, and entrepreneurs build their lifestyles and careers while in pursuit of adventure, purpose, and stoke. And in her podcast Nature Untold, she explored the intersection of addiction, recovery and sobriety with the outdoor community. Emily is based in Boulder, CO with her partner and pup. 

Follow Emily at https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilylholland/

Learn more about Wild Poppy Creative Co at https://www.wildpoppycreativeco.com/ 

Learn more about Founded Outdoors, where Emily serves as Community Manager: https://foundedoutdoors.com/ 

 ~

Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand looking for a sounding board? Jessica helps executives, leaders, and founders like you gain clarity and lead bravely. As your trusted advisor and growth partner, she works with you to make the invisible visible and develop an action plan to fulfill your goals. 

For nearly two decades, Jessica led marketing teams, launched products, and grew businesses at places like Apple, the San Francisco Opera, Smule, and Magoosh. As an Ampersand in many facets, she knows personally what it’s like to hold many roles simultaneously, to sit on the executive team, and to find fulfillment. With a BA in Music and a BS in Product Design from Stanford, coupled with an MBA from UC Berkeley and coach training from the Center for Executive Coaching, her unique mix of analytical & creative allows her to bring both depth and breadth of perspective into the coaching process.

As a coach, Jessica works to champion you – the full, multifaceted you – so you can thrive.

Visit ⁠jessicawan.com⁠ or BOOK AN INTRO CALL: ⁠https://calendly.com/jessicawancoaching/intro-call-coaching⁠

Credits

Produced and Hosted by ⁠Jessica Wan⁠

Co-produced, edited, sound design, and original music by ⁠Carlos Schmitt

Want to support this show in a small way? Rate and review it at theampersandmanifesto.com, or buy me a coffee: ⁠coff.ee/jessicawan⁠

Jessica speaks with Alyssa Jarrett, a romance author and content marketer based in the San Francisco Bay Area — where the only thing funnier than working in tech is writing about it. She's currently writing and self-publishing a 5-book series of Silicon Valley rom-coms. Her latest novel, Book 3 in the series, is an Armenian bakery romance titled LOVE AND PAKLAVA. As a content marketer, she worked for a decade in B2B marketing roles for tech companies, including Rockerbox, Iterable, and Ripple. Alyssa holds a B.A. in Literature from UC Santa Cruz and an M.A. in Mass Communication and Journalism from Fresno State. 

Learn more about Alyssa and find her books at https://www.alyssajarrett.com, and follow her on Substack at https://alyssajarrett.substack.com.

 ~

Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand looking for a sounding board? Jessica helps executives, leaders, and founders like you gain clarity and lead bravely. As your trusted advisor and growth partner, she works with you to make the invisible visible and develop an action plan to fulfill your goals. 

For nearly two decades, Jessica led marketing teams, launched products, and grew businesses at places like Apple, the San Francisco Opera, Smule, and Magoosh. As an Ampersand in many facets, she knows personally what it’s like to hold many roles simultaneously, to sit on the executive team, and to find fulfillment. With a BA in Music and a BS in Product Design from Stanford, coupled with an MBA from UC Berkeley and coach training from the Center for Executive Coaching, her unique mix of analytical & creative allows her to bring both depth and breadth of perspective into the coaching process.

As a coach, Jessica works to champion you – the full, multifaceted you – so you can thrive.

Visit ⁠jessicawan.com⁠ or BOOK AN INTRO CALL: ⁠https://calendly.com/jessicawancoaching/intro-call-coaching⁠

Credits

Produced and Hosted by ⁠Jessica Wan⁠

Co-produced, edited, sound design, and original music by ⁠Carlos Schmitt

Want to support this show in a small way? Rate and review it, or buy me a coffee: ⁠coff.ee/jessicawan⁠

Sid Mofya, capital architect & band leader, has built a career helping founders, investors, and business leaders bridge capital and opportunity. For years, he led the Draper Venture Network, a 2.5-billion-dollar global alliance of VC firms with over 650 tech companies. Now, he runs MOTIF Africa, a boutique consultancy expanding the capital stack for African enterprises in sustainable resources, agriculture, and renewable energy. A self-taught musician and producer, he created The Flight Risks, a virtual band exploring sound and culture. They launched their EP in Sept 2024. Sid is the co-founder of the Capital and Culture Conference, a pioneering conference in his home country of Zambia that connects global capital with Africa’s creative and entrepreneurial energy.

Learn more about Sid at www.sidmofya.com and hear The Flight Risks EP at https://weareflightrisks.bandcamp.com/album/we-are-the-flight-risks-ep. 

 ~

Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand looking for a sounding board? Jessica helps executives, leaders, and founders like you gain clarity and lead bravely. As your trusted advisor and growth partner, she works with you to make the invisible visible and develop an action plan to fulfill your goals. 

For nearly two decades, Jessica led marketing teams, launched products, and grew businesses at places like Apple, the San Francisco Opera, Smule, and Magoosh. As an Ampersand in many facets, she knows personally what it’s like to hold many roles simultaneously, to sit on the executive team, and to find fulfillment. With a BA in Music and a BS in Product Design from Stanford, coupled with an MBA from UC Berkeley and coach training from the Center for Executive Coaching, her unique mix of analytical & creative allows her to bring both depth and breadth of perspective into the coaching process.

As a coach, Jessica works to champion you – the full, multifaceted you – so you can thrive.

Visit ⁠jessicawan.com⁠ or BOOK AN INTRO CALL: ⁠https://calendly.com/jessicawancoaching/intro-call-coaching⁠

Credits

Produced and Hosted by ⁠Jessica Wan⁠

Co-produced, edited, sound design, and original music by ⁠Carlos Schmitt

Want to support this show in a small way? Rate and review it, or buy me a coffee: ⁠coff.ee/jessicawan⁠

Dr. Janine Lee is an award-winning Learning and Development Leader with 20 years of experience at Fortune 500 companies. In her business life, she focuses on organizational effectiveness, strategy and operations, digital transformation, change management and Belonging. 

She's also known to the world as JetsetJanine, a food and travel content creator who has explored over 100 countries and eaten at over 100 Michelin-starred restaurants. As a food and travel influencer, she's partnered with top brands such as Delta Airlines, Visa, Hyatt, Marriott, Four Seasons, and Cirque Du Soleil, and many others.

Janine has an MBA from UC Berkeley and a Doctorate of Education from USC. She's a certified executive coach, keynote speaker, LinkedIn Learning instructor, published best-selling author, and a Lecturer at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business.

Learn more about Janine at janinelee.com, jetsetjanine.com, and on Instagram at @drjaninelee and @jetsetjanine.

~

Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand looking for a sounding board? Jessica helps executives, leaders, and founders like you gain clarity and lead bravely. As your trusted advisor and growth partner, I work with you to make the invisible visible and develop an action plan to fulfill your goals. 

For nearly two decades, Jessica led marketing teams, launched products, and grew businesses at places like Apple, the San Francisco Opera, Smule, and Magoosh. As an Ampersand in many facets, she knows personally what it’s like to hold many roles simultaneously, to sit on the executive team, and to find fulfillment. With a BA in Music and a BS in Product Design from Stanford, coupled with an MBA from UC Berkeley and coach training from the Center for Executive Coaching, her unique mix of analytical & creative allows her to bring both depth and breadth of perspective into the coaching process.

As a coach, Jessica works to champion you – the full, multifaceted you – so you can thrive.

Visit ⁠jessicawan.com⁠ or BOOK AN INTRO CALL: ⁠https://calendly.com/jessicawancoaching/intro-call-coaching⁠

Want to support this show in a small way? Rate and review it, or buy me a coffee: coff.ee/jessicawan

Credits

Produced and Hosted by ⁠Jessica Wan⁠

Co-produced, edited, sound design, and original music by ⁠Carlos Schmitt

Jessica speaks with Dr. Bree Rosenblum, Professor of Global Change Biology & Ampersand Cultivator. Bree is the Koshland Distinguished Chair for Innovative Teaching and Research at UC Berkeley, and her work has been featured broadly in the press, including the New York Times, National Geographic, The Discovery Channel, NPR, the BBC movie Endangered, and on the TEDx stage. Bree weaves her work on the biodiversity of our planet with her passion for supporting others on the journey of life as a coach, consultant, and workshop facilitator. She draws on an eclectic background as a professor, author, meditation teacher, potter, climber, roving naturalist, and art nerd. Bree received her BA from Brown University and her PhD from UC Berkeley. Her new book, "AND: The Tiny Word That Can Radically Transform Your Life" offers a personal and universal approach to cultivating an ampersand life.

Sign up for Bree's mailing list and find out about her workshops and coaching at breerose.com. 

Follow Bree on Amazon to see her books AND plus the Guided Companion Journal. 

~

Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand looking for a sounding board? Jessica helps executives, leaders, and founders like you gain clarity and lead bravely. As your trusted advisor and growth partner, I work with you to make the invisible visible and develop an action plan to fulfill your goals. 

For nearly two decades, Jessica led marketing teams, launched products, and grew businesses at places like Apple, the San Francisco Opera, Smule, and Magoosh. As an Ampersand in many facets, she knows personally what it’s like to hold many roles simultaneously, to sit on the executive team, and to find fulfillment. With a BA in Music and a BS in Product Design from Stanford, coupled with an MBA from UC Berkeley and coach training from the Center for Executive Coaching, her unique mix of analytical & creative allows her to bring both depth and breadth of perspective into the coaching process.

As a coach, Jessica works to champion you – the full, multifaceted you – so you can thrive.

Visit ⁠jessicawan.com⁠ or BOOK AN INTRO CALL: ⁠https://calendly.com/jessicawancoaching/intro-call-coaching⁠

Credits

Produced and Hosted by ⁠Jessica Wan⁠

Co-produced, edited, sound design, and original music by ⁠Carlos Schmitt

Jessica speaks with Emily J. Smith, a writer and tech professional based in Brooklyn, New York. Her debut novel, NOTHING SERIOUS, published by William Morrow (HarperCollins), is out now wherever you buy books. Emily studied Electrical and Computer Engineering at Cornell and earned an MBA from UC Berkeley. She has led teams at top tech companies and nonprofits, and she is the founder of the dating app, Chorus. Her writing has appeared in The Rumpus, Catapult, Slate, Hobart, The Washington Post, Vice, and other publications. 

Follow Emily’s work at emjsmith.com, and buy NOTHING SERIOUS wherever you get your books.

~

Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand looking for a sounding board? Jessica helps executives, leaders, and founders like you gain clarity and lead bravely. As your trusted advisor and growth partner, I work with you to make the invisible visible and develop an action plan to fulfill your goals. 

For nearly two decades, Jessica led marketing teams, launched products, and grew businesses at places like Apple, the San Francisco Opera, Smule, and Magoosh. As an Ampersand in many facets, she knows personally what it’s like to hold many roles simultaneously, to sit on the executive team, and to find fulfillment.

With a BA in Music and a BS in Product Design from Stanford, coupled with an MBA from UC Berkeley and coach training from the Center for Executive Coaching, her unique mix of analytical & creative allows her to bring both depth and breadth of perspective into the coaching process.

As a coach, Jessica works to champion you – the full, multifaceted you – so you can thrive.

Visit ⁠jessicawan.com⁠ or BOOK AN INTRO CALL: ⁠https://calendly.com/jessicawancoaching/intro-call-coaching⁠

Credits

Produced and hosted by ⁠Jessica Wan⁠

Co-produced, edited, sound design, and original music by ⁠Carlos Schmitt

What happens when you refuse to choose just one path? 

On The Ampersand Manifesto, host Jessica Wan – executive coach & classical singer – sits down with “the most interesting people at the dinner party” – those who have made their mark in two or more seemingly different worlds. Through candid conversations, we explore what it takes to navigate multiple callings, find the connection points between them, and redefine success on our own terms. Together, we’re co-creating The Ampersand Manifesto – principles for leading a bold, multi-passionate life.

In Season 4 she talks with a range of folks who have written books, given talks and workshops worldwide, and invented new ways of connecting the world. Get ready to meet Ampersands who straddle roles like product leader & novelist, financial advisor & piano teacher, and capital architect & bandleader.

~

Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand looking for a sounding board? Jessica helps executives, leaders, and founders like you gain clarity and lead bravely. As your trusted advisor and growth partner, I work with you to make the invisible visible and develop an action plan to fulfill your goals. 

For nearly two decades, Jessica led marketing teams, launched products, and grew businesses at places like Apple, the San Francisco Opera, Smule, and Magoosh. As an Ampersand in many facets, she knows personally what it’s like to hold many roles simultaneously, to sit on the executive team, and to find fulfillment. With a BA in Music and a BS in Product Design from Stanford, coupled with an MBA from UC Berkeley and coach training from the Center for Executive Coaching, her unique mix of analytical & creative allows her to bring both depth and breadth of perspective into the coaching process.

As a coach, Jessica works to champion you – the full, multifaceted you – so you can thrive.

Visit ⁠jessicawan.com⁠ or BOOK AN INTRO CALL: ⁠https://calendly.com/jessicawancoaching/intro-call-coaching⁠

~

Credits

Produced and Hosted by ⁠Jessica Wan⁠

Co-produced, edited, sound design, and original music by ⁠Carlos Schmitt

Music by ⁠Denys Kyshchuk⁠ and ⁠Stockaudios⁠ from ⁠Pixaba⁠y

Episode description:

In our final episode of Season 3, Jessica speaks with Josh Willis, actor, improviser, filmmaker and occasional Elvis impersonator. 

Known to his friends and fans as Climate Elvis, he also has a secret identity: Josh is a climate scientist who studies global warming for NASA. He's the lead NASA scientist for the satellites that measure sea level rise from space. He worked on a project called Oceans Melting Greenland, or conveniently, OMG for short, where he led an airborne mission to Greenland to understand how the oceans were melting away Greenland’s ice from below. 

Josh studied physics and mathematics at the University of Houston and earned his PhD in Oceanography from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. He's a graduate of the Conservatory Program of The Second City Training Center and teaches improv in the LA area at Turbine Arts Collective.

Follow the OMG Nasa project on Instagram @omgnasa

Find Climate Elvis at facebook.com/ClimateElvis

Take an improv class with Josh at https://www.turbine-arts.org/

Find out more about Cazadero Performing Arts Family Camp at cazfamilycamp.org

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This is our last episode of season 3, and what a season it's been! 

We started off with a conversation with Rich Lyons, Chancellor of UC Berkeley + Musician – all the way back in July, and have talked with an aspiring Olympian, several authors who straddle other worlds, and a meditation teacher who's created art with Björk. 

We're going to be taking a holiday break and will be back with new episodes in early 2025. Take this chance to catch up on episodes you might have missed, and if you want to give some extra love, leave a rating and review so more people can find out about this show. 

Have a beautiful, safe, and peaceful holiday season.

~

Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand who's recently taken on more responsibility at work? 

From steering relationships at the C-level to piloting conversations with teams and peers, increasing visibility and opportunities in your field, integrating your creative endeavors, or connecting the dots in your personal life — as a parent, child, and partner — Jessica can help you traverse the unknown challenges and situations that arise as a leader.

BOOK AN INTRO CALL: ⁠https://calendly.com/jessicawancoaching/intro-call-coaching⁠⁠

Follow Jessica on LinkedIn

Credits

Produced and Hosted by ⁠⁠Jessica Wan⁠⁠

Co-produced, edited, and sound design by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Carlos Schmitt⁠

Theme music by ⁠⁠Denys Kyshchuk⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Stockaudios⁠⁠ from ⁠⁠Pixaba⁠y