Girl Power Gurus

_*]:min-w-0"> This episode features Dr. Marianne Baernholdt, Dean of the School of Nursing at the University of Virginia, who brings a unique international perspective to healthcare leadership. Born in Denmark and educated across multiple countries, Dr. Baernholdt's journey spans continents, cultures, and nearly every role within the nursing profession. _*]:min-w-0"> We discuss her pioneering research in rural healthcare, which challenges common assumptions about healthcare quality in underserved areas. Her studies reveal that rural hospitals often excel in team dynamics and holistic patient care, providing crucial touchpoints for communities that would otherwise lack access to preventive healthcare. Dr. Baernholdt also shares insights from her global health work, including eye-opening experiences in South Africa where rural clinics demonstrated sophisticated quality tracking methods ahead of their time. _*]:min-w-0"> As an immigrant and first-generation college graduate, Dr. Baernholdt offers honest reflections on dealing with imposter syndrome, finding belonging in new environments, and learning to laugh at yourself along the way. Her advice to young women is refreshingly practical: be curious, don't limit yourself, and do it even when you're uncomfortable—because nobody else can see those butterflies in your stomach. From co-founding Denmark's first women's crisis center to leading a top nursing school while mentoring the next generation, Dr. Baernholdt exemplifies how embracing vulnerability and supporting others can create lasting change.

This episode features a remarkable conversation with Tara VanDerveer, the recently retired Stanford women's basketball coach and one of the winningest coaches in college basketball history. With 1,216 career wins, three NCAA championships, and an Olympic gold medal, Coach VanDerveer has dedicated 45 years to excellence in coaching and developing young women athletes. We explore Coach VanDerveer's unique journey—growing up before Title IX without opportunities to play organized sports herself, yet going on to build one of the most successful programs in women's basketball. She shares her perspectives on what makes a great coach, why competence matters more than confidence, and how to maintain a positive outlook when facing the systemic challenges women in sports still encounter today. We also discuss the current explosion of interest in women's basketball, the impact of players like Caitlin Clark, and the ongoing fight for equality in collegiate athletics. Whether you're an athlete, a coach, or simply someone pursuing their passion, Coach VanDerveer's wisdom about teamwork, preparation, and resilience will inspire you.

The latest episode is with Jenny Rickard, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Common App, a not-for-profit membership organization committed to the pursuit of access, equity, and integrity in the college admission process. Each year, more than one million students, one-third of whom are first-generation, apply to college through Common App's online application. Ms. Rickard was a pleasure to interview, it was fun conversation with lots of great details about her personal journey coupled with great insights and advice for our listeners. Ms. Rickard has shown a strong commitment to college access as evidenced by her accomplishments as the chief enrollment officer at both the University of Puget Sound and Bryn Mawr and in admission roles at Swarthmore and New York University School of Law. Her extensive service within the national higher education community includes a wide range of roles with the College Board, Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools (ACCIS), US Department of Education, and The Common Application Board of Directors — serving as Board President from 2007 to 2008. Within the corporate field, Ms. Rickard was a vice president responsible for higher education product strategy at PeopleSoft. She was also a consultant for the higher education software company Datatel and started her career on Wall Street at J.P. Morgan & Co. Since she joined Common App in August of 2016, the organization has developed a long-term strategic plan and roadmap and has expanded its access initiatives, including the acquisition of Reach Higher, the college access and success campaign founded by former First Lady Michelle Obama during her time in the White House, and the development of a new application system for transfer and adult students. Ms. Rickard serves on the board of directors for the Posse Foundation and College Possible. She is an advisory board member for the National Education Equity Lab and Liaison GradCAS, a centralized application for graduation admission, and she currently sits on the American Council on Education's Washington Higher Education Secretariat. She received a doctorate in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania; a Master of Business Administration degree from New York University, Stern School of Business; and a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Swarthmore College. This interview was extra special for Eli and Jordana due to the common connection of Swarthmore College. It was an fun interview for them, especially connecting on all things Swarthmore. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

A new episode with Dr. Wendy Horton, the Chief Executive Officer at UVA Health University Medical Center. Dr. Horton was a pleasure to speak with, it was fun interview with lots of great details about her background and career along with insights, perspectives, and advice for the future.

A super informative and interesting interview with Dr. Prathibha Varkey, the President of the Mayo Clinic Health System. Dr. Varkey leads over 17,000 employees serving 16 community hospitals and 50 multispecialty clinics across 39 communities in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Dr. Varkey is a Professor of Medicine and Preventive Medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.