This Is Woman's Work with Nicole Kalil

Water is life. It’s something we all need, yet so often take for granted. Today, we’re diving into this critical topic with Shilpa Alva, founder and Executive Director of Surge for Water, a nonprofit dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty through access to safe water and sanitation solutions. Over the past 15 years, Surge has impacted over a million lives in 12 countries, and Shilpa’s journey to creating this legacy is nothing short of inspiring. From a successful corporate career to embracing her true purpose, Shilpa’s transition is a testament to the power of pursuing work that aligns with your passion and values. Water is more than a basic necessity—it’s a connector, a lifeline, and a driver of change. Your unique gifts and talents are meant to make a difference, and you get to define how you use them.  Looking to make a meaningful impact? Consider supporting Surge for Water in their mission to provide safe water and sanitation to communities in need. Every dollar helps change lives and create opportunities for a better future. Connect with Shilpa Alva & Surge For Water:  Website: https://surgeforwater.org/  IG: https://www.instagram.com/surgeforwater LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/surgeforwater/ Related Podcast Episodes: What You Should Know About Waste Management with Jessica Gonzalez | 224 156 / Cell Care with Dr. Monisha Bhanote Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is there a challenge you’ve faced or a hardship you’ve endured that could be transformed into something bigger than yourself? On today’s episode of This Is Woman’s Work, we’re joined by Courtney Johnson, a visionary entrepreneur and passionate advocate who turned personal tragedy into impactful change. At the young age of 23, inspired by her father’s battle with lung cancer and the comfort meals brought during his treatment, Courtney founded Culinary Care, a Chicago-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting individuals and families fighting cancer. Over the past 11 years, Culinary Care has provided over 40,000 free meals, reducing loneliness, restoring hope, and fostering a sense of community for those in the midst of their toughest battles.  This episode is a powerful reminder that we all have the choice and opportunity to transform our pain into purpose. Listen as Courtney shares her journey, her insights on resilience, and her mission to create meaningful change. You are stronger than you might feel today, and you have purpose waiting to be uncovered. Connect with Courtney:  The MOST meaningful way people can help is to join The Line, the monthly giving community. https://culinarycare.org/theline and follow CulinaryCare on Social media IG: https://www.instagram.com/culinarycare/  FB: https://www.facebook.com/CulinaryCare LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/culinary-care  Related Podcast Episodes: Survivorship and Breast Cancer with Virginia Carnesale What’s Your Million Dollar Idea? with Taylor and Casey Capuano of CAKES Body Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you love romantic comedies as much as I do, this episode is a must-listen! Today, I’m joined by Lauren Layne, New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of popular romcom books like Made in Manhattan, To Sir With Love, and her latest hit, Miranda In Retrograde. I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy and devoured it in one day. Lauren’s romcoms have sold over a million copies worldwide, captivating readers with their clever, relatable characters. We’ll discuss why romantic comedy novels resonate so deeply, how they offer an escape from life’s stresses, and why adding joy to your day is essential for mental wellness. Whether you’re looking for your next favorite book or a reminder to let more lightness into your life, this conversation will make you smile. Here’s the thing about RomComs - or anything that brings you joy - they remind us that life doesn’t always have to be so serious. We get to choose what we let in, what we make time for, and how we nourish our souls. So, go ahead—embrace what makes you happy, even if it’s just for you. Maybe especially if it’s just for you. Connect with Lauren:  Website: https://laurenlayne.com/ Book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Miranda-in-Retrograde/Lauren-Layne/9781668047972  Related Podcast Episodes: Crafting A Better World with Diana Weymar “Validation is For Parking” - the Audiobook (Podcast Style) Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Romie Mushtaq, a board-certified neurologist and integrative medicine expert, shares insights on conquering the chaos of a 'busy brain.' She discusses the mental toll of chronic stress, especially on high-achieving women, and offers strategies to redefine success and set healthy boundaries. Dr. Romie emphasizes the link between diet, inflammation, and brain health, advocating for practical habits to improve well-being. Listeners can discover tools to assess their brain health and find ways to recharge and reclaim restful sleep.

Israa Nasir, a New York City-based psychotherapist and author of "Toxic Productivity," dives into the dangers of being overly obsessed with productivity. She discusses how societal pressures lead to guilt when resting, creating a toxic cycle that harms mental well-being. Israa emphasizes the difference between genuine productivity and mere busyness, encouraging listeners to prioritize self-care and meaningful connections. Her insights help redefine productivity, advocating for rest as an essential element of a fulfilling life beyond just completing tasks.

Leadership is no longer just about who sits at the head of the table—it’s about making sure everyone has a seat at the table. In this episode, I’m joined by a groundbreaking leader who embodies this philosophy. Anne Chow, the first woman and the first woman of color to become CEO at AT&T Business, shares her insights on leading outside the traditional mold and embracing inclusion as a transformative leadership tool. During her time at AT&T Business, Anne led over 35,000 employees, serving 3 million business customers globally. Today, she continues to lead as the Lead Director on the board of Franklin Covey, as a board member for 3M and CSX, and as a faculty member at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Her book, Lead Bigger: The Transformative Power of Inclusion, offers actionable strategies for leading with authenticity and challenging the status quo—my kind of leadership! Anne Chow’s no-nonsense approach challenges us to rethink leadership—not just as a title or a position, but as an inclusive practice. Because when we lead inclusively, we lead bigger—and we bring out the best in everyone. So LEAD well and lead BIG! Connect with Our Guest: Anne Chow  Website:https://www.theannechow.com/  Book: https://www.theannechow.com/lead-bigger/  IG: https://www.instagram.com/theannechow/  LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annehchow  Related Podcast Episodes: The Sixth Level Of Leadership with Dr. Stacy Feiner Who’s Entitled Now?! with Dr. Jessica Kriegel 4 Truths of Radiant Change with Kristen Lisanti Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s no secret that many work environments were built by and for men, leaving women’s contributions and the feminine underappreciated. But here’s a twist: What role do women play in shaping masculinity itself? Honestly, I didn’t even know where to start. That’s why I’m thrilled to welcome Moe Carrick to the show. Moe is an internationally recognized expert in workplace culture, known for helping organizations like Nike, Nintendo, Amazon, and Reddit foster healthy, inclusive environments. With three TEDx talks under her belt and recognition from Thinkers360, Moe has authored Fit Matters, Brave Space Workplace, and most recently, When Work is Good: What it Means, Why it Drives Results, How You Can Build a Workplace People Love. We all have a part to play in shaping leadership that values every form of energy—masculine, feminine, and everything in between. So, ask yourself: What role will you play in creating a workplace where all forms of leadership thrive? Connect with Moe:  Website:https://moementum.com/  Book:https://www.amazon.com/When-Work-Good-Results-Workplace/dp/B0CGKZWJD1/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&sr=1-1  LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moecarrick/  Take The Pulse Check Quiz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moecarrick/  Related Podcast Episodes: Masculine & Feminine Energetics And How To Unify Them with Dene Logan What It Means to Be Codependent At Work with Amina AlTai Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do we live a fulfilling life, even in the face of life’s inevitable challenges, hardships, or unspeakable trauma? This episode features a conversation with someone uniquely qualified to answer that question—Dr. Edith Eger, psychologist, Holocaust survivor, and author of The Choice, The Gift, and her latest release, The Ballerina of Auschwitz. I’m honored, humbled, and admittedly a little nervous to speak with Dr. Eger, who has redefined what it means to live with fulfillment, no matter the circumstances. Dr. Eger, a colleague of Viktor Frankl, has dedicated her career to working with veterans, military personnel, and trauma survivors. She was once a promising gymnast, cut from her Olympic dreams because of her religion, and later imprisoned in a concentration camp. In that unimaginable darkness, she exercised not just physical flexibility, but mental and emotional resilience—the very qualities she now teaches us to embody.  If you take away one thing from this conversation, let it be this: No matter what life throws your way, you can always choose how you respond—and you can choose to live a life that fulfills you. Tune in to hear this inspiring discussion with Dr. Edith Eger and her grandson Jordan Engel, and prepare to be moved, challenged, and empowered to live your fullest life. Connect With Our Guest: Dr. Edith Eger Website: https://dreditheger.com/  Book:https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Ballerina-of-Auschwitz/Edith-Eva-Eger/9781665952552  IG: https://www.instagram.com/dr.editheger/?hl=en X:https://twitter.com/DrEdithEger1?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor  Related Podcast Episodes: Trauma with Jessi Beyer Healing Mental And Emotional Wounds with Stephanie Kwong Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For many of us, delivering a TED Talk sits firmly on our bucket lists. But how do you move from dreaming to standing on that iconic red circle? In this episode, Nicole reconnects with Ashley Stahl to break down exactly how to make that dream a reality. You may remember Ashley from Episode 92—her career began at the Pentagon in counterterrorism, but she has since transformed into a career expert, international speaker, and author. Ashley’s book, YOU Turn, became an international bestseller, and she is now recognized as a top 100 TEDx speaker. She believes TEDx talks are the super highway to launching your personal brand, and with over 100 successful clients, her coaching boasts a 90% success rate in landing speakers on stage. If giving a TEDx talk has ever crossed your mind, you have an idea worth spreading. This episode will inspire you to gather your courage, find the right support, and take action toward your TED dream. So what do you say? Shall we see each other on the big red circle? Connect With Our Guest: Ashley Stahl  Website: www.wisewhisperagency.com   Special Offer: Mention this podcast to get $1,000 off Ashley's TEDx coaching package Related Podcast Episodes: Holler At Your Dreams with Judi Holler Let’s Get Unapologetically Bold with Vaneese Johnson Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Resilience has become a buzzword in today’s culture, thrown around by influencers, coaches, and even bootcamp instructors, all insisting we need to “push through” no matter the cost. But is resilience always the healthiest path forward? Does mental toughness, positivity, and grit serve us in the ways we think—or is there more nuance to uncover? In this episode, Nicole connects with Soraya Chemaly, activist and author of The Resilience Myth: New Thinking on Grit, Strength, and Growth after Trauma. Together, they challenge conventional ideas about resilience and explore a new way of thinking—one that shifts from individual grit to collective care and community connection. Soraya’s previous book, Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women’s Anger, was widely acclaimed and named one of the Best Books of 2018 by the Washington Post, NPR, and Psychology Today. This conversation offers insight into what really matters: kindness, compassion, belonging, and care—for ourselves and each other. It’s time to rethink resilience as more than just strength in isolation and embrace what it looks like to thrive, together. Connect With Our Guest: Soraya Chemaly Website: https://www.sorayachemaly.com/  Book: https://www.sorayachemaly.com/books  Simon & Schuster: https://www.simonandschuster.com/  Related Podcast Episodes: How to Ask for Help with Dr. Cynthia Bentzen-Mercer Stress Less and Fear(Less) with Rebecca Heiss Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices