Join me, Karen Medina, on the Super SMART Women Podcast as I sit down with Deborah Kaminetzky—attorney-turned-tech project manager, lifelong learner, certified PMP/Scrum Master/Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, owner of DeFacto PM, LLC, and mother of three thriving adult children. In this inspiring conversation, Deborah reveals how she leveraged curiosity and confidence to leap from a successful law career into the fast-paced world of technology—and how her passion for serving and mentoring others became the secret sauce behind every bold pivot.

In This Episode You’ll Hear:

• The power of purposeful mentorship
  • and why great mentors aren’t afraid when their protégés surpass them.
• Building transferable skills
  • How “de facto” project management in law prepared Deborah to lead multi-million-dollar tech projects, plus her playbook for earning the PMP, CSM, and Green Belt without being overwhelmed.
• Teaching that sticks
  • From ADA-compliance workshops to CLE “courtroom skits,” Deborah shares creative tactics that teach and applaud learners of every style (yes, even the post-lunch slump!).
• A life-saving PSA
  • As a 15-year colorectal cancer survivor, Deborah serves the wider community with candid, light-hearted reminders to get screened early—and explains how advocacy weaves into her SMART pillars.
• Advice to your 13-year-old self
  • Why confidence trumps perfection, and how to ignore the naysayers when you feel called to pivot.

Throughout the episode, Deborah embodies all five SMART pillars—Serve, Mentor, Applaud, Reflect, Teach—and proves it’s never too late to reinvent your career, your learning style, or your impact.

Deborah’s Resources

• LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahkaminetzky
• Book: The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson – https://a.co/d/euCtp5a
• Podcast: Mel Robbins Podcast – https://linktr.ee/melrobbins
• Podcast: Project Management Happy Hour – https://pmhappyhour.com
• Colon Cancer Screening Guidelines – https://www.cancer.org/healthy/find-cancer-early/cancer-screening-guidelines.html

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Join this Super SMART Women Podcast Eposide for a fascinating conversation with Principal Liz Kelz of Alice Carlson Applied Learning Center, a unique elementary school in the Fort Worth Independent School District (FWISD). As a dynamic leader in this innovative applied learning environment, Liz shares how her campus embraces diversity, encourages parent engagement, and fosters a culture where both students and staff learn side by side.

Hear how her team at Alice Carlson uses thoughtful practices, from the school-wide “first-name” policy to the peer-led conflict manager program, to ensure every child feels valued and equipped to succeed. Throughout the conversation, Liz highlights the power of Teaching - one of our SMART pillars: Serve, Mentor, Applaud, Reflect, and Teach - as she discusses the joy and responsibility of shaping this generation of learners, the next generation of leaders. If you’re ready to discover how supportive leadership and inclusive practices can transform education, don’t miss this inspiring episode!

Liz’s Resources

Alice Carlson Applied Learning Center - Fort Worth ISD - https://alicecarlson.fwisd.org/about-our-school

Zaretta Hammond - Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain - https://crtandthebrain.com/book/

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Join me, Karen Medina, on this very special episode of the Super SMART Women Podcast as I welcome our first Super SMART Man - Dr. Derrick Worrels, President of Ranger College. With over 30 years in education, Dr. Worrels shares how his journey from the housing projects of Tampa to leading a rural Texas community college shaped his mission to reach, teach, and serve students of all backgrounds.

Discover how Ranger College fosters student success through thoughtful initiatives—like its Caring Campus culture, Hispanic-Serving Institution designation, dual-credit opportunities, and more. Listen in as Dr. Worrels reflects on his own college challenges as a first-generation student, offering insights on breaking down invisible barriers and lifting up every learner.

Throughout our conversation, Dr. Worrels embodies the five SMART pillars - Serve, Mentor, Applaud, Reflect, and Teach - with a faith-driven approach to leadership and a powerful commitment to student engagement. Super SMART Women applauds Dr. Worrels for his efforts to help our next generation of leaders, especially our future young women leaders. If you’re ready for an inspiring look at how supportive administrators and innovative programs can transform lives, don’t miss this episode!

Dr. Worrels’ Resources

Ranger College - https://www.rangercollege.edu

New English Translation Bible - https://netbible.com/

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In this exciting episode of the Super SMART Women Podcast, I am talking with Pam Goodwin, CEO of Goodwin Commercial Real Estate and co-founder of the Kiss Breast Cancer Goodbye Foundation. Pam’s journey from early work with Brinker International and brands like Chili’s to investing in commercial real estate is a testament to dreaming big, finding the right mentors, and never giving up.

Listen in as Pam explains how a mentor helped her transition from a comfortable corporate role into launching her own commercial real estate business - proving that knowledge, integrity, and collaboration can open doors you didn’t even know existed. She also shares her passion for service, from chairing the Zoning Board of Adjustments in Lewisville, Texas, to hosting star-studded fundraisers in support of breast cancer research. Along the way, Pam offers practical tips on balancing career growth with community involvement and using the power of genuine relationships to further your goals.

Throughout this inspiring episode, you’ll hear how Pam embodies the five SMART pillars - Serve, Mentor, Applaud, Reflect, and Teach - by intentionally investing her time, talent, and resources where her heart leads. If you’re ready to think bigger, give back boldly, and walk away with real strategies for personal and professional success, don’t miss this conversation!

Pam’s Resources

Joyce Meyer’s YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/user/joycemeyerministries

Sharon Lechter - https://sharonlechter.com/

Pam’s Books - https://pamgoodwin.com/products/

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Join me, Karen Medina, your host of the Super SMART Women Podcast, for a fascinating conversation with Kristi Mayfield—founder and CEO of WineWise, certified sommelier and a teacher at heart. Drawing on her extensive background in international sales and leadership, Kristi shares how her curiosity for wine blossomed into a dynamic education platform and an education podcast, Everyday Sommelier, that takes the fear and pretension out of selecting, tasting and truly enjoying wine.

Listen as Kristi explains why understanding what you don’t like is just as important as knowing what you do like, and how the same wine variety can taste dramatically different depending on where and how it’s grown. Whether you’re a young professional ordering wine for clients, a server hoping to enhance your expertise, or simply an enthusiast eager to broaden your horizons, Kristi’s mission is to make wine approachable, fun and memorable.

Tune in to discover how Kristi, a teacher at hear, helps you level up your wine game. As a Super SMART Woman, she helps you find your own path to wine confidence. If you’re ready to boost your wine knowledge, transform your tasting experiences, and enrich your connections—both in business and life—this is an episode you won’t want to miss!

Kristi’s Resources

Kristi’s Learning Platform - www.winewize.com

Wine and Spirit Education Trust - www.wsetglobal.com

Wine Certification Explained with Jenny Hemmer - wine-wize.com/wine-certification-jenny-hemmer/

Kevin Zraly - Wine Book Author - www.kevinzraly.com

Karen MacNeil - Author of the Wine Bible - www.karenmacneil.com/product/the-wine-bible/

Wine Confident by Kelli White - https://www.amazon.com/Wine-Confident-Theres-Wrong-Enjoy/dp/1917084498

John Maxwell - Maxwell Leadership Podcast - https://www.maxwellleadership.com/podcast/

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Join me, Karen Medina, your host of the Super SMART Women Podcast, in this lively episode as I speak with Tiffany Slowinski—CEO of Team Spark Advisors, Executive Advisor with Culture Index, co-owner of three thriving franchises, and proud mom of four daughters. Tiffany shares how she balances family, entrepreneurship, and community leadership through strategic delegation, embracing imperfection, and leaning into her unique strengths.

Listen in as Tiffany unpacks how Culture Index helps leaders pinpoint the right people for the right roles, reducing turnover and boosting team morale. She also reveals how she overcame imposter syndrome to pivot from a career in education to become a successful business owner and servant leader. From her engagements in BNI and Entrepreneurs’ Organization, Tiffany proves that diving headfirst into community and professional groups not only fosters growth but also creates invaluable connections.

Throughout the conversation, Tiffany highlights the power of the five SMART pillars—Serve, Mentor, Applaud, Reflect, and Teach—as she shares insights on setting healthy boundaries, building confidence at any age, and trusting yourself to take bold leaps. If you’re ready to elevate your team, nurture your own potential, and discover new paths to success, don’t miss this inspiring episode!

Tiffany’s Resources

Tiffany’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanyslowinski

Team Spark Advisors - https://www.teamsparkadvisors.com/

Take the Culture Index Survey - https://surveys.cultureindex.com/s/Lv49EHwgMe/92247

BNI (Business Networking International) - https://www.bni.com/

Entrepreneur’s Organization - https://eonetwork.org/

Girl Scouts - https://mygs.girlscouts.org/

Arbinger Institute - The Anatomy of Peace - https://arbinger.com/store/the-anatomy-of-peace/

Alex Hormozi - https://www.youtube.com/c/alexhormozi

Learn more about Super SMART Women on our website at www.superSMARTwomen.com

Watch this podcast on YouTube - https://youtu.be/m_UDnkzkJro

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Join me as I share my top 10 favorite things about Christmas! From celebrating the birth of Jesus and my cherished Fontanini Nativity Set to dressing up as Mrs. Claus, baking and decorating cookies, enjoying Christmas movies (yes, even Die Hard!), and big family meals, this episode is all about the magic and meaning of the Christmas Season.

I also reflect on how this year is extra special with my grandchildren visiting and spending precious moments with my mom, who has always been the heart of our Christmas traditions. Let’s celebrate the joy and true meaning of Christmas together!

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In this powerful and heartfelt episode of Super SMART Women, we sat down with Chloe Wilder, a Campaign Fundraising Manager for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Visionaries of the Year program. At just 24, Chloe is making waves with her servant heart and incredible ability to recognize and uplift those around her.

But behind Chloe’s inspiring professional journey is a deeply personal Domestic Violence survival story. A story of resilience, healing, and faith. Chloe bravely shares how she overcame the darkest period of her life—surviving an abusive relationship that nearly cost her everything. From enduring emotional and physical trauma to finding her strength and leaning into her faith, Chloe’s testimony is one of courage and hope. In this episode Chloe shares the lessons she learned, the challenges she faced, and her passion for helping others find safety and healing. This episode is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the power of choosing to rise above. This moving conversation that will leave you inspired to embrace your own journey with grace and courage.

Chloe’s Resources

Hinds’ Feet on High Places - Hannah Hurnard - https://a.co/d/9GJRj6x

Sadie Robertson Huff - WOAH that’s good - https://liveoriginal.com/podcast/

Habakkuk 3:17-19 (NIV)

(17) Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, (18) yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. (19) The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.

Domestic Violence Resources

National Domestic Violence Hotline - 800-799-SAFE (7233)

This hotline can connect you with an advocate that can provide safety plans, discuss options, and offer resources in your area.

Save Texas Moms - https://www.savetexasmoms.org/domestic-survivors

Focus Ministries - Faith Based Domestic Violence Help - https://www.focusministries1.org/

Super SMART Women

Learn more about Super SMART Women on our website at www.superSMARTwomen.com

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