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Success is when you help somebody on a path to a better tomorrow. – Catherine Pisacane

There is no shortage of women doing great things with their lives and Catherine Pisacane is proof of that. For her, success is not measured by fame or fortune, but rather, by the impact she makes on her community. After hearing a news story about 4 brothers who had been removed from their home by the police after it was discovered that they were being starved by their parents, Catherine noticed that each child had been given a stuffed animal by the police officer, as a way of comforting them. Catherine was inspired to do her own stuffed animal drive and after receiving thousands of stuffed animals, she donated them to fire and police departments, as well as social services. In 2003, Project Smile was born with a broad mission: dedicated to helping people in need. In 2020, she launched another initiative called Suites & Smiles which provides work attire for men of all ages and ethnic backgrounds who face barriers to getting a job because they don’t have the clothing they need to show up at a job interview. In this episode, Catherine gives advice to anyone who wants to create a non-profit. She also reflects on why doing what she does brings her so much joy, and what success really means.

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This is all about heart, it’s about passion, it’s about giving back. -Beth Veneto “Ginger Betty”

Beth Veneto calls her bakery Ginger Betty’s www.gingerbettys.com and the cookies she bakes are filled with love. One of 8 children raised in Quincy, Massachusetts, Beth’s cookie story began when she was about 10 years old, while baking gingerbread under the watchful eye of her big sister, Karen. For Beth, baking gingerbread cookies became a passion, not just at Christmas time, but all year long. In 1995, she decided to make her dream of opening her own bakery at delicious reality and Ginger Betty’s was opened on a little side street in North Quincy, MA. It wasn’t long before the smell of her soft, gingersnap cookies filled the air and loyal customers lined up for her yummy macaroons covered in M&M’s, brownies to die for and personalized gingerbread boys, girls, brides and grooms. A new, 5,000 square foot location was found and today, Ginger Betty and her team ship their products far and wide. A true patriotic, Beth created the Ginger Betty Foundation to support U.S. troops. She is the author of two children’s books: “Ginger Betty, the Gingerbread Girl” & “Ginger Betty’s Christmas.” In this interview, Beth shares her sweet philosophy about  the importance of living your dreams, sharing cookies, and making friends.

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If I won the lottery, I would still come back and do this. To me, that’s success. – Dallas Reed, MD.

Dr. Dallas Reed loves what she’s doing with her life and it shows. In this interview, she reveals that a tragic loss early in her life shaped her decision to focus on women’s reproductive health and perinatal genetics. Raised in Plano, Texas in a bi-racial home, Dallas was always at the top of her class. She attended Dillard University as an undergrad and won a prestigious scholarship that enabled her to travel to London to attend King’s College. Dallas joined the Boston University School of Medicine Early School Selection Program and would go on to graduate from Boston University Medical School. These days, Dr. Reed is using all of her talents as the division Chief of Genetics in the pediatric department at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, MA where she is also the Director of Perinatal Genetics, an attending physician in the OB/GYN department, chair of several leadership positions within the hospital, and Assistant Professor of OB/GYN at Tufts Medical School. But what makes this interview very special, is Dr. Reed’s recent experience as the mother of baby boy born 13 weeks early and her devotion to the work being done by the March of Dimes around healthcare inequities for brown and black mothers and babies. For a look into the life a woman driven to do what she loves for the greater good, hit that download button.

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Success is the opportunity to elevate what other people are doing. -Catharine Smith

This week’s story is about a woman who has been leading others since she was in her 20’s. From her humble roots in the midwest to traveling to Argentina, Brazil and Uraguay on a Fulbright scholarship, Catharine Smith has always been focused on social action. The time she spent in these countries shaped her views about how economic cooperation can lead to better outcomes for all, especially women and families. The stories women in these countries shared with her are etched in her mind and have followed her on a career path that includes The Harvard Center for Primary Care and the Clinton Foundation, where Catharine was part of a team that worked with faith leaders in the south to create a deeper understanding of our nation’s opioid epidemic. These days, you’ll find Catharine leading the way as the Executive Director of The Termeer Foundation, one of the most influential foundations in the world. The Termeer Foundation is named after biotech genius, Henri Termeer, the Dutch biotechnology genius and CEO of Genzyme. Created in honor of Henri after his sudden death in 2017 by friends, colleagues and mentees, The Termeer Foundation continues Henri’s lifelong work around finding cures for rare diseases, patient centered care and continued mentoring of the next generation of biotech leaders.