Ordinarily Extraordinary - Conversations with women in STEM
Kathy Nelson
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About This Podcast
We’re Kathy Kale Nelson and Linda LaTourelle — co-hosts of Ordinarily Extraordinary: Conversations with Women in STEM.
Our mission is to amplify the voices of ordinary women doing extraordinary work in science, technology, engineering, and math.
We’re deeply committed to:
- Normalizing the presence of women in STEM by making their stories visible
- Building community for women who may be the only ones like them in their workplace
- Educating listeners about the wide variety of STEM careers — and what they actually look like
- Empowering growth and retention by addressing the challenges behind the leaky pipeline
From early-career professionals to experienced leaders in a wide variety of STEM fields, our guests share how they got started, how they’ve grown, and what they’ve learned along the way. This podcast is a space where women in STEM can be seen, heard, and supported — because representation isn’t just powerful, it’s essential.
Podcasting 2.0 Features
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Recent Episodes
S2E145 145. Lisa Fennell - Technical Sales in the Utility Industry
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…
S2E144 144. Dr. Elizabeth Mendes (Elizabeth the Scientist); Pediatric Cancer Research; Molecular Biology.
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…
S2E143 143. Vinayasri Nidadavolu - Wind Engineer
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…
S2E142 142. Linda Rhodes Large Animal Veterinarian, Animal Pharmaceuticals, Author
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…
S2E141 141. The STEM Side of Patent Law: Inside IP With Christine Hollis
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…
S2E139 139. Mishael Umlor: Designing a Life You Love - Environmental Engineer & River Guide
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…
S2E140 140. STEM Super Stars: Introducing the Women in STEM Coloring Book — A Conversation with Kathy & Linda
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…
S2E138 138. Science the Hell Out of It: Career Pivots & Unicorn Jobs with Amanda Mavropoulis
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…
S2E137 137. Bonus Halloween Episode! Dr. Kristen Lear – Bat Scientist & Conservationist | It’s Bat Week!
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…
S2E136 136. Catherine Jackson Jones: STEM Opportunities for Every Student - National Math and Science Initiative
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…
S2E135 135: Manyphay Viengkham-Systems Engineer; Resilience, Reinvention, and Creating Your Own Path
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…
S2E134 134. Lawanda Parnell – A Technology Career Across Generations
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…
S2E133 133. Stacy Cluff; Utility Technology Leader
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…
S2 Relaunch Trailer - Introducing Co-Host Linda LaTourelle
S1E132 132. Fae Gaze, Mathematician, Data Scientist, and Machine Learning Researcher
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…
S1E131 131. Dr. Sandra Johnson, Entrepreneur, Global Technology Leader, Author
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…
S1E130 130. Sheila Buswell- CEO, Biomedical Engineer & Innovator
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…
129. Sarah Garcia; Civil Engineer, Construction Industry
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…
S1E128 128. Kalpana Pot - Actor, Writer, Host, and Space Communicator
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…
S1E127 127. Dr. Audra Morse- Dean, Professor, Civil Environmental and Geospatial Engineering
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…
Frequently Asked Questions
Ordinarily Extraordinary - Conversations with women in STEM has published 146 episodes since May 2020, covering topics in Mathematics, Science.
Ordinarily Extraordinary - Conversations with women in STEM is currently sporadic with new episodes every 2 weeks. Average episode length is 1h.
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