Kelly Corrigan Wonders

As part of our Women of Consequence series, Kelly sits down with podcaster and author Nora McInerny, who says without hesitation that her life is the product of women. The woman at the center of it all is her grandmother Mary Jane — a ceramicist who lived alone in a one-room cabin in the Minnesota woods, went back to college in her eighties, and moved through the world with a kind of fearless delight that rubbed off on everyone lucky enough to be around her. Nora lost her husband Aaron and her father within weeks of each other, and when the world fell apart, it was Mary Jane she thought of — a woman who had buried two of her own children and still showed up wildly in love with life. This episode has been made possible by a grant from Ingeborg Initiatives, a social impact platform dedicated to improving maternal health and making it easier to raise a family. To learn more, please visit: ingeborginitiatives.com To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A story about a 16-year stalemate unlocked by asking a different question that led to $320 million for pre-K. A look at how rephrasing prompts progress in politics, parenting, and building projects. Practical examples show finding the place someone can say yes and using impatience constructively to invite collaboration.

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham once dyed her hair red, said goodbye to her husband, and went undercover in a nursing home to expose the neglect that no one else was willing to see—much less work to change. That's who she is. She grew up watching her parents navigate an impossible road for her disabled sister — no roadmap, no safety net, no one coming to help — and she has never forgotten what it feels like to be out there alone fighting a system that isn't built for you. She went on to become a two-term governor who moved New Mexico from 50th in childhood poverty to 17th, made it the first state in the nation to offer universal childcare, and launched free college for every resident. Those wins matter enormously but what Kelly really wanted to dig into was how she got there— and what she found was a leader who owns her impatience like a superpower and knows that asking the right question can unlock everything. This episode has been made possible by a grant from Ingeborg Initiatives, a social impact platform dedicated to improving maternal health and making it easier to raise a family. To learn more, please visit: ingeborginitiatives.com To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A daughter reads a birthday letter that traces a life of risk and reinvention, from a bold move to Sweden to returning to school for a PhD. There are vivid memories of museum trips, nightly family dinners, and choosing experience over material things. Most moving is the account of steadying a family through grief while grieving in private.

They unpack why compassion fades as suffering grows and how empathy can burn out. They explore reframing maternal health as an economic investment with an 11-to-1 return. They discuss behavioral economics, framing effects, and practical reframes that pair moral stories with financial arguments to win policy and sustain change.

Suzy Welch, three-time NYT bestselling author and NYU professor who teaches decision-making, joins to explore self-authorship and purpose. She contrasts inheriting life stories with actively writing your own. She celebrates the growth and joy that comes from doing things that scare you.

Olivia Walton, founder and CEO of Ingeborg Investments and maternal health advocate, discusses storytelling-driven philanthropy. She covers why maternal health is foundational to thriving economies. She explains policy tools like presumptive eligibility, strategies for scaling state wins nationally, and why investing in women-led solutions and language choices matter for change.

Liz Moody, podcaster and author who turns research-backed health science into practical habits. She describes building the rooms she wanted by emailing strangers, forming candid peer groups, and why targeted salary transparency matters. She shares her motto of never saying no to herself and celebrates the power of women gathering to share metrics, tactics, and real-life support.

A deep dive into courage as action, not a feeling. A champion’s decision to speak up despite shaking hands and racing heart. When speaking truth risks status and safety, the real costs are weighed. One person’s named fear can loosen many others and even change policy. A final nudge: take the step even when you are terrified.

Allyson Felix, 11-time Olympic medalist and founder of Seiche, speaks about standing up for mothers in sport and building footwear for women. She recounts negotiating maternity protections, NICU struggles, and how advocacy changed industry policy. Short, candid stories about integrity, family, and creating space for future women.