Sandi Klein's Conversations with Creative Women

Joan Lobis, Retired NYS Supreme Court Judge

Although state courts handle more than 95% of all court cases in the U.S., a report from the American Constitution Society found that white men comprise 58% of state court judges; less than 33% are women and 20% are people of color. You're about to meet one of the 33%. Although recently retired, Joan Lobis spent more than 30 years on the bench, 26 as a New York State Supreme Court Judge. Her election to Civil Court in 1988 made Joan the first openly gay female judge in New York and then on the Supreme Court. She was one of the founding members of the New York City Bar Association's Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights. We cover a lot of territory during a conversation you won't want to miss.

Rhonda Ross, Singer/Actress

Singer-songwriter, actress, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, Rhonda Ross Kendrick is a force to be reckoned with. Her parents are music industry icons. Mom is Diana Ross; dad is Motown founder and hit maker Berry Gordy. The oldest of Diana's 5 children, Rhonda's maternal half-sister is actress Tracee Ellis Ross. So...put your 'to do' list on the back burner and spend the next 30+minutes with a very classy, refreshingly honest, creative woman.

Cantor Ellen Tilem

Ellen Tilem knew from a very young age that she wanted to be a Cantor. In Jewish tradition the Cantor is a musician trained in the vocal arts, who along with the Rabbi, leads the congregation in prayer. But there's so much more for Cantor Tilem. She's been a member of the clergy at Temple Emeth, a reform congregation in Teaneck, New Jersey since 1994 following her Ordination from the Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion - School of Sacred Music. She officiates at weddings, funerals and baby namings. And, as an experienced Pastoral Counselor she connects with congregants who are struggling with life's challenges: grief, spirituality, illness, divorce. Join us as Cantor Tile shares her personal and professional stories.

Debbie Reese, Activist and Scholar

You're about to meet activist, scholar, educator, critic, writer and publisher, Debbie Reese, Ph.D., an enrolled member of Northern New Mexico's Nambe Pueblo tribe. Her research and writing are centered on how Native Americans are represented in children's literature - from books for infants, through and including the young adult genre. She is the author of the critically acclaimed blog, American Indians in Children's Literature. This is one hell of an eye-opening, powerful and long overdue conversation.

Leah Warshawski, Filmmaker

Meet Michelle Materre, who during her 30+ year career, has amassed the following credits: producer, writer, arts administrator, distribution and marketing specialist and professor. For more than 20 years, her critically acclaimed film series,"Creatively Speaking," has been a respected forum for presenting works by and about women and people of color. Michelle is also a Associate Professor of Media Studies and Film at The New School. This creative woman has plenty to share, so sit back and enjoy this conversation.

Michelle Materre, Television and Film Producer, Writer

Meet Michelle Materre, who during her 30+ year career, has amassed the following credits: producer, writer, arts administrator, distribution and marketing specialist and professor. For more than 20 years, her critically acclaimed film series, "Creatively Speaking," has been a respected forum for presenting works by and about women and people of color. Michelle is also a Associate Professor of Media Studies and Film at The New School. This creative woman has plenty to share, so sit back and enjoy this conversation.

Talya Tibbon, Filmmaker

Talya Tibbon is an award-winning documentary film and television director, producer and writer whose projects have focused on contemporary social and political issues. Talya has documented street gangs, drug dealers and users, former Guantanamo detainees setting out on a new path and now, perhaps the greatest humanitarian crisis of our time - the plight of refugees leaving war-ravaged Syria to seek asylum  in other countries. Her riveting documentary "SKY AND GROUND" chronicles the journey of one such family as they make their way from Aleppo, Syria, to a refugee camp on the border of Greece and Macedonia, to their eventual goal - Berlin. You can't afford to miss this honest, compelling conversation with one helluva creative, committed woman.

Jodi Katz, Entrepreneur

For Jodi Katz, it's all about the beauty business. Capitalizing on her expertise as the first US Creative Director of L'Occitane en Provence, Jodi founded Base Beauty Creative Agency. Its focus is strategic marketing, content creation, packaging design and advertising and includes successful campaigns for: Clinique, Con Air, Weight Watchers, L'Oreal-Paris.  Jodi not only talks about her work with giants of the beauty world, but also how she's forged partnerships with emerging brands to help grow their businesses.

Jessica Thompson, Filmmaker

Meet Australian-born film editor, writer, director, producer Jessica Thompson, who moved to New York City in 2010 and where she co-founded Stedfast Productions, a collective of visual storytellers who use imagery to entertain, provoke thought and explore the human condition. Jessica, who has several short films under her belt, recently made her feature writing and directing debut with "Light of The Moon." It premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival and won the audience award for Best Narrative Feature. It tells the story of Bonnie, a young, successful Latina architect who is sexually assault walking home after spending the evening with friends at a bar in Brooklyn. There's plenty to talk about with yet another, creative, accomplished, engaging woman.

Jill Schlesinger, Certified Financial Planner and Business Analyst

Money matters to Jill Schlesinger. And to that end, the Certified Financial Planner covers the economy, markets, investing and whatever else contains a $-sign. An Emmy-nominated Business Analyst for CBS News, she shares her expertise on the network's radio and tv stations across the country. You'll want to make time to listen to Jill's jaw-dropping, but empowering stories about what it's been like to be a woman in a man's world.