Episodes

Lisa Fennell shares her non-linear career path—from studying police science at a technical college, to restaurant work and administrative roles, to becoming a business analyst and eventually a sales and marketing leader in ut...

In this episode of Ordinarily Extraordinary: Conversations with Women in STEM , host Kathy Nelson sits down with Dr. Elizabeth Mendes , a newly minted PhD and postdoctoral researcher whose work focuses on rare and aggressive ...

In this episode, Kathy sits down with Vinayasri Nidadavolu , a specialist engineer in offshore wind energy at Siemens Energy. Vinaya’s story spans continents, megawatts, and life stages — from earning a rare degree in wind en...

In this episode, Kathy and Linda LaTourelle sit down with Linda Rhodes, a former large-animal veterinarian, pharmaceutical executive, entrepreneur, and author, to explore an extraordinary career path rooted in agriculture, sc...

In this episode, Kathy sits down with Christine Hollis , the Chief Talent and Diversity Officer at Marshall Gerstein & Borun — one of the top intellectual property law firms in the U.S. Christine brings a fresh, energetic per...

In today’s episode of Ordinarily Extraordinary – Conversations with Women in STEM , Kathy and Linda sit down with environmental engineer and river guide Mishael Umlor — a woman who pressed pause on her engineering career to l...

In this special episode, Kathy and her co-host Linda sit down for a heartfelt conversation about the release of Kathy’s brand-new Women in STEM Coloring Book —a three-year passion project created in collaboration with her dau...

Episode Summary In this inspiring and deeply human episode, Kathy and Linda sit down with Amanda Mavropoulis, a global project and portfolio management leader in technology including 15 years in the electric utility space, and one extraordinary career pivot. Amanda shares her unconventional STEM jo…

In this bonus, Halloween and Bat Week episode, we talk with Dr. Kristen Lear , a bat conservation scientist , National Geographic Explorer, and If/Then® Ambassador whose lifelong passion for misunderstood creatures turned int...

In this episode, Kathy and Linda talk with Catherine Jackson Jones, a coach and mentor with the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI), a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding STEM opportunities for students and ...

In this episode, Kathy and Linda talk with Manyphay Viengkham , an accomplished technology leader whose career spans energy innovation, systems engineering, and entrepreneurship. With degrees in biochemistry and computer scie...

In this episode of Ordinarily Extraordinary – Conversations with Women in STEM , Kathy and Linda sit down with Lawanda Parnell , a retired technology and utility leader whose career began at IBM in the early 1980s and spanned...

After almost a year away, Ordinarily Extraordinary: Conversations with Women in STEM is back — and we’re relaunching with something new: a co-host! In this episode, Kathy is joined by her longtime friend and new co-host, Lind...

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Fae Gaze is a mathematician, data scientist, and machine learning researcher with degrees in mathematics, molecular biology, computer science, and data science engineering. She shares her journey into the world of math, data ...

Dr. Sandra Johnson, a groundbreaking electrical engineer and entrepreneur, is the first black woman to earn a Ph.D. in computer engineering. Her journey from a high school introduction to engineering to her current roles as a...

Sheila Buswell is the founder and CEO of Buswell Biomedical. Sheila's story is fascinating as she transitions from roles in mechanical engineering and as an army technician to becoming an innovator in the biomedical field, inspired by her own injury experiences. We dive into imposter syndrome, wome…

Sarah Garcia is a Project Executive and Director of DEI at Novo Construction. She is a civil engineer who has worked in the construction industry for most of her career. She is passionate about getting women and other minorit...

Kalpana Pot is an actor, writer, host, and space communicator. Renowned for her vibrant online presence, particularly in space science, Kalpana has cultivated a platform with over 200K followers on Instagram and 4.4 million l...

Dr. Audra Morse, Dean of the College of Engineering at Michigan Tech, is a distinguished professional with a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering and degrees in Environmental Engineering. Her journey from student to dean highlights the...

Dr. Syatta Wallace is an advocate for women in STEM and Founder of Janisaw Company. With over 15 years in developing gender-based programs, Dr. Wallace specializes in addressing the unique challenges women face in STEM caree...

This episode of Ordinarily Extraordinary Conversations with Women in STEM' features Charli Matthews, a champion for empowering women in STEM fields and trades. Charli Matthews is a visionary leader with a mission to Connect, Inform, and Educate the Global Pump Industry. Charli's groundbreaking onli…

Dr. Chanfeng Zhao is the VP of R&D Chemistry at TriLink BioTechnologies. She has over 25 years of experience in nucleotide and modified nucleotide chemistry for sequencing and genomics applications. She co-founded MyChem LLC,...

Abigail Fritschel is about to graduate from Iowa State University with a degree in Aerospace Engineering. Abby was first on the podcast as Episode 13 when she had just graduated from high school in the summer of 2020. She's b...