Stagione 1
FutureFWD: STEM's Reality Check
Passion, Purpose & Professional Survival
Recalibration Required
Let's Go Girls: The $1B FemTech Opportunity
The Motherhood War
Recoding Confidence
Today we’re asking: Is STEM still a smart path as AI reshapes everything? With automation taking over tasks once done by software engineers and computer scientists—and creeping into mechanical, electrical, chemical, and manufacturing roles—the old promise of job security feels shaky. We break down which fields are being disrupted, which are evolving, and what skills actually matter when machines can handle so much of the technical work. And we get real about the question so many people are quietly asking: should you still go into this arena, or rethink the plan? Let’s cut through the noise to explore what a future-proof STEM career looks like in the age of AI. Tina Zwolinski is an award-winning serial entrepreneur known for her innovative mindset, bold perspective and passion for empowering our next gen thru gamification as the founder & CEO of Skillionaire Games by skillsgapp. With a family legacy rooted in the aerospace and defense giant Pratt & Whitney, Tina worked in military manufacturing before launching her own global branding and marketing firm. She eventually found her calling in advancing innovative workforce development solutions that break down barriers and expand access to life-changing career opportunities for youth. Filmed at DISTRICT New Haven
We examine how women often navigate a complex intersection of passion, purpose and professional survival, frequently utilizing duality—altering speech, appearance, or behavior—to fit into male-dominated cultures. While driven by a desire to innovate, many feel pressured to conform to avoid negative stereotypes, which can lead to burnout. Authentic leadership requires systemic change, moving from forcing adaptation to embracing diverse identities. We explore the roles we perform almost without thinking. At what point does the constant search for our authentic selves (or our passion) become exhausting rather than empowering? And when does the pressure to find a singular purpose start to feel like a trap instead of a guide? Michelle Andersen spent nearly two decades at the intersection of engineering, product design and compliance at a global aerospace and defense company until hitting a reset in her career five years ago to become her own boss. She’s the founder and lead consultant of Andersen Advisory, LLC, based out of Connecticut. A fellow STEMinist and SWEster, she’s passionate about women and girls in engineering. She served as the President of the Hartford Connecticut Section of the Society of Women Engineers in the early 2010’s.
We break down the neuroscience and physiology behind stress, stamina, and the body’s energy systems—what fuels resilience, and what quietly erodes it. Alongside the science, we spotlight holistic techniques that go beyond the usual “self-care” clichés. These are strategies rooted in evidence and lived experience: boundary-setting that sticks, recovery practices that restore cognitive bandwidth, and mindset shifts that help women reclaim control in environments that rarely slow down for them. Jan Turner is an ICF-credentialed executive coach and strategic advisor with over 25 years in the C-suite at Fortune 100 and Dow 30 companies. Jan knows what happens behind the highlight reel. The burnout. The breaking point. The reinvention. She helps leaders shatter the patterns that keep them stuck—perfectionism, self-doubt, overdrive—and reconnect with something far more powerful: presence, intuition, and wholeness. Blending deep executive experience with Integral Coaching®, mindfulness, and real inner work, Jan is on a mission to bring humanity back into leadership.
We’re spotlighting the explosive growth of feminine health technology—and the engineering breakthroughs finally filling decades-old gaps in research. From menstrual health and fertility to pelvic floor care, menopause, and wearable diagnostics, we look at how engineers and scientists are building solutions for problems long dismissed as “niche.” We explore the real opportunity behind FemTech: a massive unmet medical need, a rapidly expanding market, and a wave of innovation happening in biomedical labs, mechanical design studios, and research centers worldwide. This episode makes the case that feminine health isn’t a side topic—it’s one of the most impactful, overlooked frontiers in STEM. Dr. Brittany Barreto is a geneticist turned entrepreneur, author, and operator who thrives at the intersection of science, business, and innovation. After founding and selling a women’s health consulting firm and leading ventures across biotech, digital health, and investment, she now works with companies on a fractional / contract basis to drive key initiatives forward. She brings 10+ years of experience across science, entrepreneurship, venture capital, and consulting. Her career highlights include: founding and selling FemHealth Insights, a leading data and consulting firm in women’s health; hosting 250+ episodes of FemTech Focus podcast with 250k+ downloads worldwide; advising Fortune 500 brands, startups, and investors on women’s health innovation and strategy; and speaking globally at HLTH, SXSW, VivaTech Paris, Heartland Festival, and more.
Tracking the impossible maze women face when STEM careers, marriage, and motherhood collide—and the criticism that hits them from every direction. Through lived experiences and expert voices, it exposes how male-built systems still expect women to shrink themselves while calling it “progress.” The conversation digs into the double bind mothers walk into the moment they return to work: the pressure to rebound instantly, stay late to prove loyalty, pump out of sight, and outperform just to be treated as baseline competent. It also uncovers the quieter penalties aimed at women who don’t become mothers—being treated as endlessly available, handed extra work, and subtly sidelined in workplaces where the default perspective remains male. This episode doesn’t just shine a light on the system—it throws down a challenge and calls women to push back, loudly and together. Dr. Heather Liu Leary is a recovering academic and corporate biotech businesswoman. She’s a Duke and Yale trained biomed engineer and mathematician. She's also a new mom. When Salay & I were looking for a baddie to have this conversation with, Heather immediately came to mind. I've been a fan girl since her PhD days, at Yale and especially in this newer season of her life, bc she's an incredible storyteller w/ an amazing vibe. Self-styled fierce hype woman who wants to GSD, is creative AF, and thinks the two most beautiful things in the world are 1/ mathematics and 2/ the complexity of human behavior.
Let’s break down the unwritten rules women face in male-dominated workplaces—starting with the “small talk tax” and why visibility often hinges on conversations that feel optional but aren’t. We dig into how women can build confidence and a personal brand rooted in data, not self-doubt, and how to state achievements clearly without shrinking. From there, we cut straight to the dynamics that silence women—like the young engineer with the deepest expertise but no space to speak—and why real leadership means actively pulling her into the conversation. We also spotlight how neurodivergent women navigate these environments with strengths the system still struggles to recognize. All the way from the UK, Amy Kean is the CEO and creative disruptor behind Good Shout, the training company powering confidence, communication, and creativity with a massive global following! A TEDx speaker, bestselling author of The Little Girl Who Gave Zero F*cks, and creator of House of Weeds, she blends psychology, culture, and rebellion into tools that help people speak boldly and show up without shrinking. With accolades like LinkedIn Top Voice, Campaign Trailblazer, co‑founder of DICE, and writer‑performer of the sold‑out play GROUP, Amy is a force for confidence, inclusion, and unapologetic self‑expression.
We’re examining the internal psychological architecture we carry into every room—the imposter, the critic, the chameleon, the overachiever, and the other archetypes that quietly shape her reactions under pressure. This episode zeroes in on these internal characters: how they form, how they hijack decision‑making, and how to reclaim authority from them. Dr. Christine Smith is a licensed psychologist in private practice and adjunct professor of psychology and counseling at several Boston-area institutions. Her clinical work spans eating disorders, anxiety, depression, PTSD, body image, the pressures faced by high-achieving professionals, and more. A former chemical engineer with published research on women in STEM, Dr. Smith brings a valuable perspective—using her deep understanding of workplace dynamics, identity, and performance‑driven environments to help navigate bias, burnout, and value misalignments. She’s a public speaker and author including one of the Top Outstanding Articles of 2025 by the Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering.