Sandi Klein's Conversations with Creative Women

Jessica Dermody and Lolita Brinkley - Life Without Parole

Meet Jessica Dermody, producer/director/writer and actress Lolita Brinkley. Their paths have come together in the production of Life Without Parole. The powerful 6-character play is based on the original transcripts and testimonies of inmates at the California Institution for Women at Chino who were convicted of killing their abusive partners. Jessica's the director, Lolita - one of the cast members. Our conversation extends well beyond the play to include their lives on stage, as well as in front of and behind the camera.

Lorraine Rodriguez Reyes

Actress/Producer Lorraine Rodriguez Reyes has a lot to talk about: growing up in the Bronx, getting her MFA from Harvard, spending a semester at the Moscow Art Theatre Institute for Advanced Theatre Training, auditioning, performing and landing roles on stage, television and film, including "Mami Confessions," her one-woman show. Tune in to hear her tell-it-like-it is tale of 'making' it as a performer.

Rebecca Parrish

Rebecca Parrish uses film and video to share the stories of real people, their struggles and their successes. An award-winning film-maker, based in Chicago, Rebecca is the director of Radical Grace. The documentary follows three amazing, passionate and committed American nuns who risk their standing in the Church after being censured by the Vatican for 'radical feminism.'

Rebroadcast - Teresa Loveless

New Mexico's Teresa Loveless was born into a family of artists. When she was 4, Teresa's grandmother, Rachel Brown, known for her work creating and promoting weaving and textile arts, gave her a loom and taught her to weave. In 1980 Brown began Weaving Southwest, a gallery and yarn-dyeing business outside Taos. Teresa currently runs the business - carrying on Rachel's legacy. She hand dyes an array of weaving and knitting yarns, teaches contemporary tapestry weaving and represents several local artists in the gallery. Her's is a true labor of love.

Rebroadcast - Nancy Giles

Nancy Giles is opinionated...and that's a good thing. The actress, comedienne, voice over artist has been sharing her 'take on life' since 2002 when she joined CBS Sunday Morning as a commentator/contributor. Nancy's views, cutting and comedic have garnered her an Emmy and two "Gracie" Awards from American Women in Radio and Television/Alliance for Women in Media. No topic's off-limits in this 51%: Conversations with Creative Women rebroadcast.

Bitsy's Brain Food

Healthy bodies and healthy minds are connected, and learning to eat smart should be fun. Those two simple beliefs are behind Bitsy's Brainfood.... brain child of Alex Buckley Voris and Maggie Jones Patton. There's nothing artificial in their alphabet-shaped treats for kids made with real fruits and vegetables and packed with vitamins and Omega-3. Their website (Bitsysbrainfood.com) features interactive games and characters designed to promote good health, as well as nutritious recipes for the whole family.

Janet Hoffman

Janet Hoffman is one of the more than 6 million people who have learned the Transcendental Meditation technique. She subsequently became a teacher and for 30 years, directed and taught at the New York City TM Centers. Janet is currently the Executive Director of the TM Program for Women Professionals and also writes about consciousness and its relevance to women's emotional, mental and physical health. Sit back, listen and relax.

Deborah Koeningsberger

Deborah Koenigsberger is a force of nature. A successful businesswoman/entrepreneur, her boutique Noir et Blanc has been around since 1989. But, a walk through a Manhattan park 20 years ago, with her young sons proved to be a seminal, life-changing moment. It was there she came upon a mom and her child sleeping in a cardboard box. That prompted Deborah to start Hearts of Gold, a non-profit that provides sustainable changes in the lifestyles and levels of self-sufficiency for homeless moms and their children. More than 30,000 families have benefited from her dedication, commitment and hard work.

Dr. Faye Feller

Faye Feller knew very early on she wanted to be a doctor. Her determination, commitment and hard work paid off. Since June, 2013, Dr. Feller has been an Instructor in the Leukemia Department of New York City's Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the number 2 cancer hospital in the country. Learn all about a work-day in the life of a research doctor - who has to marry the scientific with the emotional.

Sky Pape

Meet Canadian-born, New York-based contemporary abstract artist Sky Pape, who specializes in drawing and whose work is in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim, as well as other public, corporate and private collections. Learn all about her unconventional approach to traditional materials like ink, graphite and handmade paper.