MAKERS

Feb 01, 2012

Misty Copeland's fast rise from scrappy California teen to principal dancer at American Ballet Theater could almost be called a fairy tale. But as she tells it, it's a story of facing down every challenge with just the right mix of grace and gumption.

Feb 15, 2012

Martha Stewart: Lifestyle Mogul

Personal reinvention and astounding business success? Definitely "a good thing." The former Martha Helen Kostyra had married and worked as a model to support her husband's law studies by the time she finished her own 1962 Barnard degree in history and architectural history. Stewart's stockbroker father-in-law piqued her interest in Wall Street, where she spent a few years as an institutional broker for the likes of the Rockefellers, Ford Foundation and Fidelity Fund. But ultimately it was her visionary savvy in the home, garden and kitchen that carried her back to the boardroom. T The renovation of the Stewarts' 1805 farmhouse and start of a successful catering business consolidated her identity as an exemplar of tasteful self-improvement so familiar today. Martha spent the 1980s working on a series of successful cookbooks, and drew the spotlight of both the Larry King and Oprah Winfrey shows. The Martha Stewart Living magazine (1990) and Martha's own television show (1993, now called Martha) helped make her a household name in every sense: her eponymous lines of home-improvement products and furnishings are featured at Macy's, Home Depot, Staples, PetSmart and, soon, at JCPenney. Stewart's talents and unflappability have provided a superlative model for women in the home, as well as in the corporate sphere, where she retains no less than 96 percent of voting power in the vast and publicly-held MarthaStewartOmnimedia.

Jul 12, 2014

Susan Sygall, Disability Rights Activist

MAKERS sits down with CEO of Mobility International USA Susan Sygall who describes her path to helping disabled women and changing the definition of 'disabled.' Susan is an internationally recognized expert in the area of international educational exchange, international development, and leadership programs for persons with disabilities, and especially women with disabilities. Susan, a wheelchair rider, has had a personal and professional commitment to disability rights and women's issues for more than 30 years. She has co-authored numerous publications and has lectured throughout the world on a variety of topics related to inclusive development, international exchange opportunities for persons with disabilities, women's empowerment, and disability rights. Susan has received numerous awards for her passionate advocacy for disability rights. In 2013, she became an Ashoka Senior Fellow and received recognition of her work in 2011 by being awarded the Kellogg Fellows Leadership Alliance Matusak Courageous Leadership Award and receiving an honorary doctorate from Chapman University and the University of Portland. In 2000, she received the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship. In 1995, Sygall received the President's Award from President Bill Clinton for her dynamic leadership in international exchange programs for people with disabilities, for her mentoring of young people with disabilities, and for her active role throughout our country and the world in empowering people with disabilities. Sygall has also been honored with the Rotary Scholar Alumni Achievement Award. She was also awarded a Graduate Rotary Scholarship and the Kellogg National Fellowship.

Jul 17, 2014

Jenette Kahn, First Female Comic Book Executive

Jenette Kahn served as publisher and then president of DC Comics, where she helped the company grow from 35 people (with three women, including herself) to 250 people with women representing half of the staff. Under her leadership, DC became the world's largest English-language publisher of comics. Kahn oversaw the production of groundbreaking comics and graphic novels such as "The Dark Knight Returns," "Watchmen," and "Sandman." Before taking her role at DC Comics, Kahn founded three magazines for young people. First, she started Kids, a publication written and illustrated by kids, for kids. Then in 1973 she created Dynamite for Scholastic, which became the most successful magazine in Scholastic's history. Her third magazine was called Smash; she hired famed graphic designer Milton Glaser to be its art director. Kahn graduated from Harvard with honors in art history.

Aug 02, 2014

Joan Rivers, Comedian & TV Show Host

Iconic comedian and TV show host Joan Rivers started in comedy in the 1950s, when she performed stand up comedy in New York City locales like The Bitter End and The Gaslight Cafe. In 1968, her career took off after she appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. In the '70s she appeared on a variety of comedy shows and opened for singers on the Las Vegas Strip. She also released a best-selling comedy album, What Becomes a Semi-Legend Most?. In 1986, Fox Television Network offered her The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers, making her Carson's competition. Rivers eventually moved into daytime TV with The Joan Rivers Show, for which she won a Daytime Emmy in 1990. She went on to host the annual E. Entertainment Television pre-awards show for the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards with her daughter Melissa. At the end of her life, Rivers was one of four hosts on the E. show Fashion Police, critiquing celebrity clothes. She also hosted a weekly online talk show called, In Bed with Joan. The show took place in Rivers' actual bedroom, in Malibu, Calif. Rivers also authored 12 books, including I Hate Everyone...Starting with Me and Diary of a Mad Diva. Joan Rivers passed away at the age of 81 on September 4, 2014.

Aug 09, 2014

Dee Dee Myers, First Female White House Press Secretary

Margaret Jane "Dee Dee" Myers is a groundbreaking political analyst and former White House press secretary. After graduating from Santa Clara University, Myers took on a full-time role on the 1984 presidential campaign of Walter Mondale, beginning her career in political communications. After serving on a number of local and national campaigns, Myers was asked to join Bill Clinton's presidential campaign team in 1991. When Clinton was elected, she was named his White House Press Secretary, the first woman and second youngest person to ever hold the job. Outside the White House, Myers co-hosted political talk show Equal Time on CNBC. She later served as a consultant and script advisor on Aaron Sorkin's award-winning TV series The West Wing. Myers is also a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and author of 2008 New York Times best-selling book "Why Women Should Rule the World." She is now head of corporate communications and public affairs at Warner Brothers.

Aug 14, 2014

Nadine Burke Harris, Founder and CEO, Center for Youth Wellness

Nadine Burke Harris founded Center for Youth Wellness, an organization that seeks to recognize and effectively treat toxic stress in children. Burke Harris and her organization address adverse childhood experiences as a risk factor for adult disease such as heart disease and cancer. Burke Harris also serves as an expert advisor on Hillary Clinton's "Too Small to Fail" initiative, aiming to help parents and businesses improve the lives of children ages zero to five. The accomplished doctor received a medical degree at UC Davis and a Master's in public health from Harvard. In 2005, she was called to work at the California Pacific Medical Center, where she developed programs to address health disparities in the San Francisco Bay Area. She noticed a gap in pediatric services especially, and pushed for better medical coverage. In 2007, she served as the founding physician and director of the Bayview Child Health Center, a pediatric clinic that provides children and teens with regular health services, regardless of their family's ability to pay. It was there that she saw the greatest threat to many children's health was their exposure to trauma and adversity.

Aug 21, 2014

Geena Davis, Actor

Geena Davis has made a career of supporting groundbreaking female characters. She made her Hollywood debut in Tootsie, starring opposite Dustin Hoffman. Davis won an Oscar as Best Supporting Actress in The Accidental Tourist and was nominated for Best Actress for her role in Thelma and Louise. She also starred as baseball player Dottie Hinson in A League of Their Own. She also won a Golden Globe for her role as the first female President of the United States in ABC's Commander in Chief. While watching children's entertainment with her young daughter, Davis was shocked at the lack of female characters. In 2007, she launched The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, a research-based organization focused on increasing the presence of female characters in media and reducing stereotyping. The institute has gathered the largest body of research on gender prevalence in entertainment. Davis is an official partner of UN Women and serves as special envoy for women and girls in ICT for the UN's International Telecommunication Union.

Aug 28, 2014

Sara Blakely, Founder, Spanx

"My life was laying the groundwork for Spanx," Sara Blakely says. After attending Florida State University, she planned on becoming an attorney. But she failed the LSAT-twice. So, she worked briefly at Disney World, then sold fax machines door-to-door. While at the office supply company, Blakely came up with the genius idea to invent a footless pantyhose that would smooth her figure and pair seamlessly under white pants. And the rest is history. Blakely spent the next two years developing the invention, writing her own patent and cold-calling hosiery manufacturers. Finally, she got a call from a manufacturer whose daughters liked the idea. She named the product Spanx. When she showed it to a representative of Neiman Marcus-by trying on and demonstrating the power of Spanx in the bathroom-the representative agreed to stock Spanx in seven stores. In November 2000, Oprah Winfrey named Spanx one of her favorite things causing sales of her Spanx to surge. In 2006, she launched The Sara Blakely Foundation to help women through education and entrepreneurial training. In 2012, Blakely was named the youngest self-made female billionaire and ranked the 93rd most powerful woman in the world by Forbes.

Sep 06, 2014

Megan Smith, First Female Chief Technology Officer of the United States

Megan Smith is the CEO at Shift7. Previously, she served as the United States' third-ever Chief Technology Officer. In her role, she helped guide the Obama Administration's information-technology policies and initiatives. Prior to assuming her role at the White House, Smith served as VP of Google[x], a Google facility that develops the company's ""moonshots,"" or high-achieving technological advancements. She was vice president of business development at Google for nine years and also served as general manager of Google.org, the company's social impact arm. She's the former CEO of Planet Out, an entertainment company focused on LGBT communities. In 2012, Smith co-founded The Malala Fund, an organization dedicated to impacting girls education and empowerment around the world. Smith currently serves on the board of MIT, her alma mater.

Sep 14, 2014

Chelsea Handler, Comedian

Unabashed comedian and talk show host Chelsea Handler moved to Los Angeles at age 19. After two years of unsuccessful acting auditions, she started pursuing stand-up comedy. After an appearance on reality series Girls Behaving Badly, she gained momentum with her first book, "My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands," then began starring in her own late-night comedy series Chelsea Lately, on E!, in 2007. The show ran for seven seasons, with its last episode airing on August 26, 2014. She kicked off a multi-tiered partnership with Netflix, starting with her first stand-up special, Uganda Be Kidding Me. She later released a documentary series called Chelsea Does on the streaming service in 2016. In addition to "My Horizontal Life," Handler wrote "Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea," "Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang," and "Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me." All Handler's books hit number one on the New York Times' Bestseller List. In 2012, Handler was included in TIME's list of 100 Most Influential People.

Sep 20, 2014

Shonda Rhimes, Screenwriter & Producer

Shonda Rhimes is a screenwriter, director and producer. A Dartmouth undergraduate, Rhimes studied screenwriting at the University of Southern California and earned a Gary Rosenberg Writing Fellowship Award. In 2001, Rhimes wrote Crossroads, Britney Spears' film debut, then penned one of Anne Hathaway's first starring roles in The Princess Diaries 2. In 2005, Grey's Anatomy debuted on ABC. Rhimes created the show and currently executive produces and serves as head writer. The show has been nominated for over 25 Primetime Emmy Awards. In 2007, Rhimes created and produced the Grey's Anatomy spin-off Private Practice. In 2011, ABC picked up Scandal, Rhimes' series starring Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope, a political crisis management expert. The series debuted in 2012. Rhimes also produced How to Get Away With Murder, starring Viola Davis as a hard-hitting law professor. Next up, Rhimes will be releasing eight original series on Netflix.

Sep 27, 2014

Sarah Silverman, Comedian, Writer & Actor

Sarah Silverman first gained recognition as a writer and featured player on Saturday Night Live, though she only spent one season on the show. She was a featured performer on the HBO sketch comedy show Mr. Show and wrote and performed a series of independent projects. In 2005, she released her comedy show, Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic, based on her one-woman show of the same name. She also played bit parts in movies and TV shows including Seinfeld, There's Something About Mary, and School of Rock. In 2007, her sitcom, The Sarah Silverman Program, debuted on Comedy Central, portraying the everyday adventures of fictionalized versions of Silverman, her sister Laura and their friends. The show ended after three seasons and Silverman went on to create a viral video called "I'm Fucking Matt Damon," in which she and Matt Damon sung about having an affair, betraying Silverman's then-boyfriend Jimmy Kimmel. Silverman won an Emmy for Outstanding Music and Lyrics and a Creative Arts Emmy for the song. In 2010, she wrote a comic memoir, The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee. In 2012, Silverman voiced Vanellope von Schweetz, a main character in Disney's film Wreck-It Ralph. She's also part of the creative team that writes and produces YouTube comedy channel JASH, with Michael Cera, Reggie Watts, Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim. This year she won an Emmy for her HBO variety special We Are Miracles.

Oct 06, 2014

Lena Dunham, Writer, Director, Actor & Producer

Dunham began making films while pursuing her undergraduate degree at Oberlin College. After she graduated in 2008, Dunham made Tiny Furniture, a film centered on the struggles of post-grad life. In 2010, the film won Best Narrative Feature at South by Southwest - Dunham wrote, directed, and starred in the movie. In early 2012, HBO greenlit Dunham's TV series Girls, executive produced by Judd Apatow. Centered on a group of twenty-somethings living in New York City, the show's consequent three seasons launched to critical acclaim. Dunham was nominated for three Emmys in 2012, then took home three Golden Globes for Girls in 2013. That same year, she also became the first woman to win a Directors Guild Award for Outstanding Director in a Comedy Series. In 2014, Dunham published her first book, "Not That Kind of Girl: A Young Woman Tells You What She's 'Learned'," which she describes as a "series of dispatches from the front lines of the struggle that is growing up," that ultimately serves as an inspirational guidebook for millennial women. No stranger to women's issues, Dunham, alongside her close friend and Girls showrunner, Jennifer Konner, created the publication Lenny Letter, a feminist online newsletter that was unveiled in 2015. Lenny Letter has since been discontinued. Her sophomore book effort, "Is It Evil To Be Sure?" hit bookshelves May 2016.

Oct 12, 2014

Ellen Ochoa, Director of the Johnson Space Center & First Hispanice Woman in Space

Ellen Ochoa became the first Hispanic woman to go into space when she served on a mission aboard the shuttle Discovery in 1993. After graduating with a Master's of Science degree and doctorate in electrical engineering from Stanford, Ochoa became an astronaut in July 1991. Since then, she has served on four space flights, logging nearly 1,000 hours in space. In 2007, she joined the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas as deputy director, helping manage the Astronaut Office and Aircraft Operations. By 2013, she was promoted to director, becoming the first Hispanic and second female director of the Johnson Space Center.

Oct 19, 2014

Linda Bray, First U.S. Woman to Lead Troops into Combat

Captain Linda Bray was the first woman to lead U.S. troops into battle during the invasion of Panama in 1989. Linda Bray first got involved the armed forces when she joined ROTC in 1982. In 1983, she was assigned to duty in Germany where she guarded the Special Weapons Depot as a military policewoman. After she came back to the States, in 1988, Bray took command of her Military Police Company. In 1989 they were deployed to Panama. While there, she led a force of 30 military policemen through a firefight to capture a kennel holding Panamanian Defense Force guard dogs and, it was discovered, a cache of enemy weapons. This groundbreaking event led to a big debate at the time. Congress questioned whether women should be allowed to take leadership positions (or do anything, for that matter) on the battlefield. With Bray's performance under fire as an example, Congresswoman Pat Schroeder introduced a bill that would officially allow U.S. military women to serve in combat roles. The bill died when top generals lobbied against it, arguing that female soldiers couldn't handle the physical challenges of combat. But in January 2013, the Pentagon's prohibition against women serving in ground combat finally ended, and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta admitted women were integral to the military's success.

Oct 26, 2014

Indra Nooyi, Former CEO of PepsiCo

Indra Nooyi is the former CEO of PepsiCo. She led PepsiCo's global strategy for over a decade. In 2013, she was named the third most powerful woman in business by Fortune and is consistently on Forbes' list of 100 Most Powerful Women, ranking second in 2015. Nooyi was born in India and received a B.A. in physics, chemistry and mathematics from Madras Christian College and an M.B.A. from Indian Institute of Management Calcutta before moving to the U.S. to attend the Yale School of Management. After graduating from Yale, Nooyi joined the Boston Consulting Group, then worked in strategy at Motorola and power company Asea Brown Boveri. She joined PepsiCo in 1994 and became president and CFO in 2001 before being appointed CEO in 2006. She stepped down from her role at PepsiCo in 2018. She serves as a board member for Amazon.

Nov 02, 2014

Elizabeth Warren, United States Senator, Massachusetts

MAKERS sits down with the U.S. Senator from Massachusetts to discuss her early beginnings in Oklahoma where she was told women could only be teachers or nurses to her career as a Harvard Law School professor, and eventually U.S. Senator.

Nov 09, 2014

Jennifer Hyman: Co-Founder & CEO, Rent the Runway

Before starting Rent the Runway, Jennifer Hyman was director of business development at IMG, worked in ad sales at WeddingChannel.com and served as an in-house entrepreneur for Starwood Hotels. On Thanksgiving break from Harvard Business School, Hyman stayed with her sister in New York. Her sister had just bought an expensive dress for a wedding even though her closet was already filled with options. Hyman realized that social media had made re-wearing dresses an unappealing idea and that there might be a way to save her sister from buying new dresses and crowding her closet, again and again. The answer was to challenge the idea of ownership. In 2009, Hyman started Rent the Runway with a classmate from Harvard Business School. Using technology, Hyman's company makes the rental of designer dresses and accessories convenient and affordable. The New York Times called it "a Netflix model for couture." By April 2019, Hyman and her co-founder, Jenny Fleiss, had raised approximately $541.2 million in venture capital funding for Rent the Runway. They have 5 million members and 287 employees. Fast Company named Hyman "the most influential woman in technology," while Forbes included her on their list of the "most disruptive names in the business."

Nov 16, 2014

Nina Jacobson: Motion Picture Producer

Nina Jacobson graduated from Brown University in 1987, then started her first job the same year at Disney. She spent the following years at various production companies before joining Universal Pictures as SVP of production, where she advocated for "left of center" productions like Twelve Monkeys and Dazed and Confused. She later moved to Dreamworks and then Disney where she developed scripts and oversaw film production for Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures and Hollywood Pictures. As studio executive, her projects included The Sixth Sense, Remember the Titans, and Pearl Harbor. In 2006, she was unceremoniously fired from Disney immediately after the birth of her third child. But by the beginning of 2007, Jacobson established her own production company, Color Force, with which she's produced Diary of a Wimpy Kid and The Hunger Games series.

Nov 23, 2014

Eileen Collins, NASA's First Woman Commander

Eileen Collins was born in Elmira, N.Y. in a lower-middle class family. Eileen's love of science came early, in the halls of her hometown library. After receiving her Bachelor's in mathematics and economics from Syracuse University, she joined an Air Force pilot training program. Out of a class of 320, she was one of only four women chosen. After climbing the ranks within the US Air Force for over a decade, Collins applied to NASA in 1989 while studying to become an Air Force Test Pilot. In 1991, Collins joined NASA, becoming the first woman to go through pilot training for the space shuttle program and, only a few years later, she would become the space shuttle's first female pilot. In 1999, she would break another barrier: becoming the first woman to command a space shuttle mission. During her NASA career, Collins flew on a total of four shuttle missions, two as a pilot and two as a commander.

Nov 24, 2014

Chely Wright, Country Music Artist and Gay Rights Activist

Chely Wright is a country music artist and gay rights activist. She was the first major country music performer to come out as lesbian. Wright grew up in a small Kansas town, where she started singing and taking piano lessons as a child. After graduating high school, Wright moved to Nashville, where she eventually signed with MCA and began producing hit songs. The Academy of Country Music awarded her Top New Female Vocalist in 1995, and Wright has since released seven studio albums. In 2010, Wright founded the Like Me Organization, a charity dedicated to supporting the LGBT community. In 2011, she married fellow LGBT rights advocate Lauren Blitzer, with whom she has two sons.

Dec 07, 2014

Kathy Griffin, Comedian & Actor

Kathy Griffin is a comedian and actor famous for her Emmy award-winning reality show, Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List. Now very much A-List, Griffin has performed many successful stand-up specials for Bravo and has produced several comedy albums. Her first comedy album, For Your Consideration, made Griffin the first female comedian to debut at #1 on the Billboard Top Comedy Albums chart. Since that 2008 release, every one of Griffin's albums has been nominated for a Grammy, culminating in a 2013 win for Calm Down Gurrl. Griffin briefly hosted a weekly one-hour talk show on Bravo called Kathy before heading on a stand-up world tour called "Laugh Your Head Off." In addition to her comedy work, Griffin has been an award-show host, a voice actor in animated series such as The Simpsons, and a frequent talk show guest. In 2009, Griffin's autobiography "Official Book Club Selection: A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin," topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Dec 11, 2014

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Actor & Producer

Julia Louis-Dreyfus was hired out of college to act on Saturday Night Live. In 1990, she moved on to Seinfeld, playing Elaine, the show's only female lead. Seinfeld debuted in 1990 and ran for nine years, giving Louis-Dreyfus her first Emmy for best supporting comedic actress. Louis-Dreyfus won her second Emmy in 2006 for her role as Christine in The New Adventures of Old Christine, a show about a divorcée's ups and downs in dating and parenting. In 2012, she took on the role of Vice President as Selina Meyers in Veep. In addition to starring in Veep, Louis-Dreyfus also produces the HBO show. Veep earned Louis-Dreyfus her third and fourth Emmy wins, and in 2013 she became the most-nominated comedic actress in Emmy history, surpassing Lucille Ball. She was honored with the Kennedy Center Mark Twain Award for American Humor in 2018.

Dec 21, 2014

Alfre Woodard, Actor

Alfre Woodard is a prolific actor; she has acted in over 25 TV series and over 70 films during her long career. Woodard grew up in Tulsa, Okla., and didn't consider becoming an actor until one of the school nuns suggested the idea. After attending Boston University, she took to the stage in 1974 in Washington, D.C. She made appearances in a handful of films before earning an Oscar nomination for her 1983 performance as Geechee in Cross Creek. Soon after, she won Emmys for her roles on cop show Hill Street Blues, and L.A. Law. In 1997, she won an Emmy, a Golden Globe, and a SAG award for playing the titular character in Miss Evers' Boys. In 2006, Woodard had a starring role in Desperate Housewives. She was nominated for another Emmy for her work on HBO's True Blood in 2010. Woodard took part in a pivotal scene for 2013's Best Picture-winning 12 Years a Slave, and played the President of the United States in NBC's State of Affairs.

Jan 14, 2015

Wenda Harris Millard, Vice Chairman, MediaLink

Wenda Harris Millard has always been entrepreneurial. She began her media career at age nine as the publisher, circulation director, editor and sole staff writer of the Archer Lane Scoop. Now a seasoned executive, she has led both ""traditional"" media companies and digital ventures to unprecedented success. After the Archer Lane Scoop, Wenda moved on to sales and management roles at publications including Ladies Homes Journal and New York Magazine. She then joined Adweek, Mediaweek, and Brandweek magazines, serving as executive vice president and group publisher. She pioneered the strategy of marketing each individual magazine as a singular brand. Millard later served as president of Standard Rate and Data Service before becoming a founding member of DoubleClick Inc., establishing the brand and serving as executive vice president. In 2000, Wenda became president at Ziff Davis Internet. In 2001, Wenda joined Yahoo!, serving as the chief sales officer, then senior vice president until 2007. She was responsible for driving the North American sales of the Yahoo's advertising and marketing services initiatives and leading the North American sales organization. She joined Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia in 2007, serving as co-chief executive officer until 2009. She oversaw MSLO's media businesses, which include publishing, Internet and broadcasting. In 2009, Wenda became president and chief operating officer of MediaLink LLC. She also serves as an advisor of Archer Martin Ventures.

Mar 08, 2015

Melinda Gates, Co-chair & Trustee, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

As co-chair and trustee of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Melinda Gates helps to shape and approve strategies, setting the overall direction for the foundation. In developing countries, the Foundation harnesses science and technology to save lives while empowering the world's poorest people to lift themselves out of hunger and poverty. In the U.S., it works to improve U.S. high school and post-secondary education. Over the years, Melinda has become a champion for women and girls' rights and health around the world. In 2012, she spearheaded the London Summit on Family Planning, aiming to deliver contraceptives to 120 million women in developing countries by 2020. And on her storytelling platform Better by Half, she shares stories about individuals and organizations doing work to empower women and girls. In 2014, Gates began her partnership with Hillary and Chelsea Clinton on No Ceilings, a project to collect and analyze data on global gender equality in the 21st century.

Apr 05, 2015

Jane Fonda, Award-Winning Actress, Author & Fitness Icon

Actor, producer and activist Jane Fonda didn't always know what she wanted to be. But when she took a class with Lee Strasberg at his famed Actors Studio (sitting next to Marilyn Monroe), she realized acting would be her field of choice. Initially, Fonda was repeatedly cast as the stereotypical "girlfriend," until she was offered a role in the 1969 film They Shoot Horses Don't They? for which she received her first Oscar nomination. After she realized she wanted more control over her filmmaking process, Fonda began producing her own movies, among them 9 to 5, a film starring Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton, that spoke to real-life working women of the 80s. Around the same time, she began her series of aerobics videos, which eventually became the highest-selling exercise videos of all time. When Fonda turned 60, she began what she called her "third act," writing her memoir and relaunching her acting career with movies including Monster-in-Law and The Butler. In May 2015, she launched a Netflix series, Grace and Frankie, with Lily Tomlin.

Apr 12, 2015

Annie Clark (St. Vincent), musician

Musician Annie Clark, known professionally as St. Vincent, began playing guitar at age 12. As a teenager, she got a sense of a touring musician's life when she accompanied her uncle Tuck Andress on tour as he traveled with his popular jazz duo Tuck and Patti. After graduating from high school in 2001, Clark spent three years studying at the Berklee School of Music, leaving in 2004 to join Baroque pop group the Polyphonic Spree. Two years later, Sufjan Stevens asked Clark if she would work with him. Before going on tour, she recorded an EP to sell at the shows, for which she adopted the name St. Vincent. In 2007, she released her first full-length album, Marry Me, under the label Beggars Banquet. Her second album, Actor (released with British independent label 4AD) earned strong reviews and, coupled with her energetic live performances, moved the album from indie to mainstream charts. Her third album, Strange Mercy, was released in September 2011. The next year, Clark collaborated with David Byrne to create Love This Giant, a joint album from St. Vincent and the Talking Heads musician. Clark spent most of 2012 and 2013 touring in support of the project. Her fourth solo project, the self-titled St. Vincent, was released in February 20.

Apr 23, 2015

Glenn Close, Actress

Glenn Close has been a Hollywood star for many decades and is best known for her many Oscar-nominated roles. More recently, she is also known for her Emmy award winning role on FX's Damages and her Golden Globe-winning role in The Wife. Close was born on March 19, 1947, in Greenwich, Connecticut. She studied acting at the College of William and Mary and made her New York stage debut in 1974. Her debut in The World According to Garp lead to an Oscar nomination. Later on, she would receive five more Oscar nominations, for The Big Chill, ""The Natural, Fatal Attraction, Dangerous Liaisons and Albert Nobbs. Close has also found success on the stage and is the winner of three Tony Awards with The Real Thing, Death and the Maiden and Sunset Blvd.

May 05, 2015

Donna Shalala, President & COO, The Clinton Foundation

As both an educator and political advocate, Donna Shalala's resume is impressive. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1941, Shalala grew up with an intense curiosity about the world - and in particular, the Middle East. Her experience serving in the Peace Corps in Iran in the 1960s was instrumental in influencing her outlook on both education and policy-making. Shalala's work in academic administration began in 1980 when she served as the tenth president of Hunter College. From there, she was named chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She then served as University of Miami's fifth president for 14 years. In September 2014, the former Health and Human Services Secretary announced she would step down from her role as University of Miami president to move to New York to head the Clinton Foundation.

May 18, 2015

Sheila Lirio Marcelo, Founder, Chairwoman & CEO, Care.com

Sheila Marcelo was born and raised in the Philippines and later relocated to the United States with her family in 1977. While she was an undergraduate student at Mount Holyoke College, she met her husband and became pregnant during her sophomore year. Marcelo balanced earning her M.B.A. and J.D. degrees at Harvard University while raising her two young boys. Her passion for technology grew during her career and was fueled by her belief that it can help solve real problems. When she entered the workforce, she joined Upromise, a company that helped families save for college, where she served as Vice President of product management and marketing. Eventually, during her role as an Entrepreneur in Residence at Matrix Partners, she began to develop Care.com. Marcelo's company was among one of the first internet companies that's both female founded and funded. Today, Care.com is the world's largest online resource for finding and managing family care and has millions of members across 16 countries. Among her many accolades for her work, she received one of the highest honors for Filipinos, the Filipino Heritage Award, from President Benigno Aquino III of the Philippines. In 2010, she founded WomenUp.org to increase women's roles in the global economy by providing leadership training, mentorship and support to girls and women.

May 28, 2015

Maria Bartiromo, Business News Journalist

Maria Bartiromo has been a pioneer in the business journalism industry. She joined CNBC in 1993 after five years as a producer, writer and assignment editor with CNN Business News, where she wrote and produced some of CNN's top business programs. In 1995, she became the first journalist to report live from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on a daily basis. Bartiromo has covered business and the economy for more than 25 years and was one of the building blocks of business cable network CNBC. During her 20-year tenure as the face of CNBC, she launched the network's morning program, Squawk Box, anchored The Closing Bell with Maria Bartiromo and was the anchor and managing editor of the nationally syndicated On the Money with Maria Bartiromo (formerly The Wall Street Journal Report with Maria Bartiromo). Bartiromo joined FOX Business Network as their Global Markets Editor in January 2014. She is the anchor of Mornings with Maria Bartiromo and Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo. She is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including two Emmys and a Gracie Award. In 2009, the Financial Times named her one of the "50 Faces That Shaped the Decade," and she was the first female journalist to be inducted into the Cable Hall of Fame Class of 2011. Bartiromo is the author of several books, including "The Weekend That Changed Wall Street," and "The 10 Laws of Enduring Success," both released in 2010. She lives in New York City with her husband Jonathan Steinberg.

Jun 04, 2015

Samantha Bee and Jessica Williams, Writers, Correspondents

Jessica Williams is an actress, writer and all-around funny woman from Los Angeles. She currently co-hosts the popular podcast 2 Dope Queens alongside Phoebe Robinson, which recently became an HBO special in 2018. She credits her ability to be hilarious on her very large funny bone - she's been 6-feet tall since middle school. After practically ""killing it"" at every single comedic venue in L.A., Williams decided it was time to conquer New York City. She joined The Daily Show with Jon Stewart in 2012 as the youngest correspondent in the show's history. She resides in Brooklyn, N.Y. Samantha Bee was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, and began her career in comedy by doing numerous commercial campaigns as well as participating in the all-female sketch troupe, The Atomic Fireballs. Bee joined The Daily Show"" in 2003, and was the show's longest-serving regular correspondent. In 2016, Bee launched her critically acclaimed show Full Frontal with Samantha Bee on TBS, which filters current cultural and political moments through an unapologetic, self-assured lens. In addition to her work on the show, Bee appears opposite her husband and fellow correspondent, Jason Jones, in the 2010 movie Coopers' Camera. She has also appeared in the 2009 film Motherhood, plus the TV series Bored to Death and Bob's Burgers. Bee is the recipient of the 2005 Canadian Comedy Award for ""Pretty Funny Female."" When Bee is not working, she enjoys photographing her children in foolish outfits and correcting spelling errors on menus.

Jun 11, 2015

Ava DuVernay, Filmmaker

Ava DuVernay is an award-winning director and writer. Her film, Selma, about voting rights in the 1960s, earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. She is also the first African-American woman to direct a film with a budget over $100 million, with 2018's A Wrinkle in Time. DuVernay's other notable film, Middle of Nowhere, she wrote, produced and directed. The film earned her the award for best director at 2012's Sundance Film Festival. Film critic Roger Ebert hailed her 2010 narrative feature, I Will Follow as ""one of the best films I've seen about the loss of a loved one."" Her film expertise also includes documentaries, such as hip hop documentary This is the Life and Venus VS for ESPN. DuVernay is the founder of AFFRM, the African American Film Festival Releasing Movement. She is a member to both the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences along with the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. She sits on the board of Film Independent and the Sundance Institute. DuVernay is a UCLA graduate and currently lives in Los Angeles.

Jul 11, 2015

Cady Coleman, Astronaut

As a chemist and an astronaut, Cady Coleman boasts an impressive list of accolades that orbit around science and space. The former United States Air Force officer has logged nearly 4,500 hours and 180 days in space as a NASA astronaut. She's a veteran of two space shuttle missions, and participated in a six-month tour on the International Space Station. Coleman is also an American chemist with a doctorate in polymer science and engineering from University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Bachelor's in chemistry from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. While completing work for her Ph.D. at UMASS, she joined the U.S. Air Force as Second Lieutenant. She retired from the Air Force in 2009. Coleman later served as a liaison to NASA's newest Commercial Space partners where she helps assemble and integrate supply ship operations aboard the International Space Station (ISS). She retired from NASA in 2016.

Aug 03, 2015

Jane Wurwand, Founder, Dermalogica

Jane Wurwand is one of the world's most talented skin therapists. Her journey in skin care began after she emigrated from the United Kingdom to the United States with her husband Raymond in 1983. With an education rooted in skin therapy, she decided to put her knowledge to good use. New to the American ""esthetician"" industry, she quickly realized that skin and body therapy education was practically non-existent in the United States. In Los Angeles, Calif., she opened up a classroom under the name The International Dermal Institute (IDI). While teaching at IDI, she also realized that there wasn't a skin care product line that correlated with her skin care philosophies. Dermalogica began in 1986. Even with the launch of her skin care brand, IDI was still a priority. The institute is responsible for the research and development of Dermalogica products and treatments. Today, Dermalogica products are sold in the U.S., the U.K., Australia, Ireland and Canada, and can be found in more than 80 countries around the world. Aside from providing top skin care products, Wurwand has also lent her hand in philanthropic efforts. The Dermalogica Foundation was founded in 1999 and strives to enhance the lives of women and children. In 2011, the Dermalogica Foundation's Financial Independence Through Entrepreneurship (FITE) initiative launched partnership with Kiva to fund small loans for female entrepreneurs in developing countries. Since then, FITE has funded more than 60,000 women across 68 countries and includes support for education, mentoring and job-skill training for women and girls. The foundation also works to support local grassroots initiatives in order to help women become leaders, passionate citizens and champions for pressing social issues.

Aug 19, 2015

Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama

As the former Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama, Valerie Jarrett oversaw the Offices of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs and chaired the White House Council on Women and Girls. During her career at the White House, she helped diverse groups of advocates' efforts to strengthen and improve access to middle class and helped champion equality and opportunity for all Americans. She continues to work on campaigns to end sexual assault and workplace policies that empower working families and promote entrepreneurship and early childhood education. Prior to serving in the White House, Jarrett was the chief executive officer of The Habitat Company in Chicago, chairman of the Chicago Transit Board, commissioner of planning and development and deputy chief of staff for Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. Prior to that, she served as co-chair of the Obama-Biden Presidential Trans Team and the director of corporate and not-for-profit boards including the Board of the Chicago Stock Exchange, the University of Chicago Medical Center Board of Trustees, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Jarrett received her Bachelor's degree in psychology from Stanford University in 1978 and received a Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School in 1981.

Sep 02, 2015

Sarah Jessica Parker, actor

Sarah Jessica Parker is an actress, producer and designer. Her career in the entertainment industry is rooted in live performance. In 1976 at the age of 11, she made her Broadway debut in the revival of The Innocents. From there, she went on to star in the title role of the Broadway musical Annie three years later. Her film career launched in the 1980s when she made appearances in ""Footloose"" and Firstborn. The following decade she starred in films like L.A. Story, Honeymoon in Vegas, Hocus Pocus, Ed Wood, and The First Wives Club. Parker is most notably known for her leading role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO hit television series, Sex and the City. During her time on the show she served as executive producer, won two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2001, and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2004. Parker also won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Series Musical or Comedy in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2005. She has also won three Screen Actors Guild Awards for her leading role on Sex and the City. Aside from her extensive entertainment career, Parker is also a well-known figure in the fashion industry. She's appeared in numerous TV and print ads and served as a spokesmodel for fashion brands such as Gap and Jordache Jeans. In 2005, she released her first perfume called Lovely. Then, two years later she partnered with discount clothing chain Steve and Barry's and launched her own fashion line, Bitten, along with the release of her follow up fragrance, Covet. In 2014, Parker started an exclusive footwear line, the SJP Collection, at Nordstrom. Parker currently stars in Divorce, an HBO comedy series that premiered in 2015.

Oct 21, 2015

Fran Lebowitz, Cultural Satirist

Writer, humorist, author and public speaker Fran Lebowitz was born and raised in Morristown, N.J. Lebowitz was thrown out of high school, skipped college and moved to Manhattan where she first worked odd jobs to make ends meet. At the age of 21, Lebowitz was hired by Andy Warhol as a columnist for Interview magazine and began a column, "I Cover the Waterfront." Following that, she worked for Mademoiselle magazine. In 1978, she wrote her first book titled "Metropolitan" and in 1981, she released the best-selling collection of comedic essays, "Social Studies." Both essays can be found in "The Fran Lebowitz Reader," which was released in 1994. She is also known for the unpublished novel, "Exterior Signs of Wealth," about rich people who want to be artists and artists who want to be rich people. The cultural satirist regularly appeared on Late Night with David Letterman, and played a reoccurring role as Judge Janice Goldberg on Law and Order from 2001 to 2007. Lebowitz is a heavy smoker who is known for advocating for smokers' rights. An excerpt of her forthcoming novel "Progress" was published in Vanity Fair in 2004. According to The New York Times, the novel will be published within the century.

Nov 05, 2015

Andra Rush, Trucking Mogul

Mohawk Native American Andra Rush is the founder of Rush Trucking - the largest Native American owned business in the United States. Rush is a descendant of the Mohawk Tribe from the Six-Nation Reservation, Bay of Quinte Tribe near Branford, Ontario in Canada. She earned a Bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of Michigan Ann Arbor and started her business career as a full-time nurse. While working evenings and nights, she pursued an M.B.A. during the day and night. While pursuing her M.B.A., she accepted an internship at Timely Air Freight where she became interested in the trucking industry. In 1984, driven by the growth potential of the trucking industry, she founded Rush Trucking with just $5,000 she borrowed from her parents and $10,000 from her credit cards. Today, Rush Trucking is one of the top freight transport and trucking companies in the U.S., transporting goods for Fortune 100 companies in the U.S. and Canada. What started as just a three-truck company, has grown to more than 700 tractors, 1,100 trailers, 450 employees and company drivers, and 400 owner-operators. She was honored in April 2015 by the Michigan Women's Foundation with its Women Achievement and Courage Award and inducted into the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame in October 2014 for innovation job created and manufacturing ingenuity. Rush is the proud mother of three sons.

Nov 19, 2015

Gina Bennett, CIA Counterterrorism Analyst

Gina Bennett has been an analyst at the C.I.A.'s Counterterrorism Center for 25 years. While working at the Bureau of Intelligence and Research inside the state department in 1993, Bennett wrote the first C.I.A. report that warned about the dangers of Osama bin Laden. She was the principal author of the 2006 National Intelligence Estimate "Trends in Global Terrorism: Implications for the U.S." Today, Bennett is a mother of five and author of the book, "National Security Mom." In the book, Bennett writes about the underworld of terrorism, showing that securing our nation is similar to how parents secure their homes and families. She appeared in the 2015 The Spymasters documentary that detailed the inside workings of the C.I.A.

Jan 31, 2016

Caitlyn Jenner, Executive Producer, "I Am Cait"

MAKERS sits down with the 1976 Olympic Games decathlon gold medalist who earned the title of "World's Greatest Athlete." Now, 20 years later, she discusses her journey as a transgender woman and how it has impacted her family and society.

Feb 07, 2016

Kimberly Bryant, Founder, Black Girls Code

Kimberly Bryant is the Founder and Executive Director of Black Girls CODE, a non-profit organization focused on introducing girls of color (ages 7-17) to the field of technology and computer programming with a concentration on entrepreneurial concepts. Ms. Bryant's has enjoyed a very successful professional career as a Biotechnology Engineer in a series of technical leadership roles for various Fortune 100 companies such as Genentech, Merck, and Pfizer. Ms. Bryant serves on the National Champions Board for the National Girls Collaborative Project, and the National Board of the NCWIT K-12 Alliance. In August 2012, Kimberly Bryant was also given the honor of receiving the prestigious Jefferson Award for Community Service for her work to support communities in the Bay Area with Black Girls Code and was selected by Business Insider in 2013 on its list of BusinessInsider list of The 25 Most Influential African-Americans in Technology.

Feb 18, 2016

Carla Harris, Morgan Stanley Vice Chairman

Carla Harris is Vice Chairman of Wealth Management, Managing Director and Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley. In August 2013, she was appointed by President Barack Obama to chair the National Women's Business Council. Harris has been named to many prestigious lists, including Fortune magazine's 50 Most Powerful Black Executives in Corporate America and U.S. Bankers Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Finance. She is the past Chair of the Board of the Morgan Stanley Foundation and sits on the boards of many organizations, including the Food Bank for NYC, The Executive Leadership Council and the Robert A. Toigo Foundation. Harris is also an accomplished singer and has released three gospel CDs. She is the author of "Strategize to Win" and "Expect to Win."

Feb 22, 2016

Sana Amanat, Co-Creator, Kamala Khan & The New "Ms. Marvel"

As Marvel's VP of Content and Character Development, Sana Amanat oversees the expansion of Marvel's content across the company's various platforms into the hands of global audiences. She started out her career at Marvel as a comic book editor. Her past editorial credits include Captain Marvel, Hawkeye, and Miles Morales. She is most known for co-creating a Muslim-American female super hero named Kamala Khan - the new Ms. Marvel - which gained worldwide media attention and sparked excitement and dialogue about identity and the Muslim-American narrative. Sana is also an executive producer on Marvel Rising, Marvel's newest animation franchise featuring the next generation of Marvel heroes. As a part of her larger efforts to bring in broader audiences to Marvel, she helped launch the Women of Marvel platform that has activated and excited a new generation of fans. Sana has appeared on various television programs like the Late Night with Seth Meyers, and gave an acclaimed TedxTeen talk about the need for representation in storytelling. She was a part of Marie Claire's 2016 New Guard of America's 50 most influential women, as well as featured in Vogue's 2018 American Women special. She also had the distinct honor of representing Marvel Entertainment at the White House and introducing President Barack Obama, who called Sana a "real life super hero."

Mar 24, 2016

Regina Wilson, FDNY Firefighter

Regina Wilson was only the 12th African-American woman to join the FDNY when she entered the force in 1999. During the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001, she was on the scene as one of the first responders at the World Trade Center site. Seven members of her firehouse - Engine 219 in Park Slope, Brooklyn - died that day. Wilson remains one of only 10 African-African women on a force of more than 10,000 firefighters and officers, according to the Vulcan Society. She has spoken out about how the presence of women at Ground Zero went unrecognized - as have the sacrifices of female firefighters in general. "We always see images showing the brotherhood of our white male firefighters," Wilson said. "But there were a lot of women out there and not only women firefighters, but also female construction workers and emergency service responders. We all contributed to the recovery, but we were disregarded. It was disturbing, but I had to work and I did." Regina bounced between Brooklyn and Los Angeles as a child - her mother was (and is) a long-term drug addict, and Regina's home life was deeply troubled. Regina sought refuge and support with her Grandmother, Aunt, and extended family in Los Angeles every summer. She credits her Grandmother with setting her up for success, despite so many setbacks at home, and instilling a sense of worth and purpose. "I never felt that I didn't belong or wasn't wanted," Wilson said. " And my caring [for] other people comes from her. She taught me the beauty of helping people."

Apr 07, 2016

Abby Wambach, Team USA soccer player

American soccer icon, Olympic gold medalist, and World Cup champion Abby Wambach is regarded as one of the world's best players. Wambach currently holds the record as the No. 1 all-time leading scorer in international soccer history with 160 career goals. The USA's leader was her country's leading scorer in the past two Women's World Cup tournaments, and the 2004 and 2012 Olympics (she missed Beijing 2008 due to a broken leg). Her ability to wear down defenses with her physical play, aerial game and hard running has long been a key to team USA's success. Wambach leads on and off the field. She is an ambassador for Right to Play and USAID, among other organizations. Wambach is the youngest of seven children and claims she got her toughness from her four older brothers.

Apr 14, 2016

Rosie Rios, Treasurer of the United States

Rosie Rios served as the 43rd treasurer of the United States under President Barack Obama. She oversaw the U.S. Mint, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and Fort Knox and was a key liaison with the Federal Reserve. In addition, the treasurer serves as a senior advisor to the secretary in the areas of community development and public engagement. Rios is especially passionate about supporting women in finance and issues of Main Street in the economic recovery. Prior to her confirmation as treasurer, Rios worked at MacFarlane Partners, where she was the managing director of investments. Working with MacFarlane Partners' development and global capital partners, Rios played a central role in facilitating equity transactions for large mixed-use development projects in major urban areas. In November of 2008, Rios took a leave of absence from MacFarlane Partners to serve on the treasury and federal reserve transition team and is a graduate of Harvard University.

Apr 28, 2016

Christy Turlington-Burns, Model & Activist

Mother, director, social entrepreneur, activist and model Christy Turlington Burns is known for her iconic work representing Calvin Klein's Eternity, Maybelline and more. She currently focuses her efforts on helping mothers worldwide. In 2010, Turlington Burns founded a nonprofit organization called Every Mother Counts. The organization is dedicated to making pregnancy and childbirth safe for every mother and supports maternal health worldwide in countries like Tanzania, Haiti, Bangladesh, and Syria. In March 2016, Every Mother Counts was recognized as one of Fast Company magazine's Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Not-For-Profit. Turlington Burns became compelled by the need for quality maternal medical care around the world after she endured childbirth complications. She directed and produced the 2010 documentary, No Woman, No Cry, about maternal health challenges that impact the lives of millions of girls and women around the world. She has been recognized as one of TIME magazine's 100 Most Influential People list and Glamour magazine's Women of the Year. Turlington Burns is also a member of the Harvard Medical School Global Health Council and serves on the advisory Board of New York University's nursing school. She holds a BA from NYU's Gallatin School of Individualized Studies and has studied Public Health at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. Turlington Burns currently lives with her husband, filmmaker Edward Burns, and their two children in New York City.

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