Advertise on podcast: Grit & Gravitas

Did you know that 15% of the population uses a food pantry? For the Season 6 premiere of Grit & Gravitas, Anne Carnathan and Anne Deeter Gallaher welcome Shila Ulrich, CEO of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, for a timely conversation at the close of Hunger Action Month. Shila explains the often-misunderstood role of a food bank and what it takes to serve 27 Pennsylvania counties through a network of more than 1,100 partner programs. She also humanizes hunger, sharing why stigma keeps people from asking for help and why seeking food assistance can be an act of courage: “What does it take to walk into a room full of strangers and say, ‘I can’t make my family dinner tonight?’ It’s an act of bravery.” Our conversation follows Shila’s path from a first-generation college student and longtime food pantry volunteer to nonprofit executive leadership, including 10 years with The Caring Cupboard and her move to the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank in 2025. We dig into fundraising, showing up in rooms where we don’t always feel we belong, and the principle that guides both her work and her family: “Easy and right are seldom aligned, and we will always choose right,” says Shila. Join us for a wide-ranging conversation about hunger, community, leadership, and what it means to keep showing up for your neighbors.

Women are expected to inherit an unprecedented share of wealth in America over the next 25 years--close to $100 trillion! The challenge is, are we prepared to be our own chief asset managers?  Financial confidence begins with knowing your numbers, asking questions, and understanding that there is no shame in seeking help and advice. Recorded live at the Grit & Gravitas Women & Money event at Members 1st Administrative Headquarters, Anne Deeter Gallaher and Anne Carnathan talk with Devon DiBiase, VP of Relationship Management and Market Leader at Members 1st Federal Credit Union, about the financial lessons women often learn later than they should. Devon shares how a part-time teller position became a career and a calling, and how navigating divorce deepened her understanding of credit, financial independence, and the importance of knowing your accounts, passwords, bills, and financing options. She also explains why the right financial institution should look beyond a credit score, listen to your story, and help you find a path forward. Whether you are building wealth, repairing credit, preparing for marriage, growing a business, or simply trying to understand where you stand, Devon’s business vitamins are clear: Don’t wait for a crisis to become curious about your money. Ask questions, use your resources, and find trusted advisers who will meet you where you are and help you reach your goals.

Fresh off the energy of “How to Out-Human AI" with Mark Schaefer, co-hosts Anne Carnathan and Anne Deeter Gallaher explore the power of relationships with clients, in careers, and within the Grit & Gravitas tribe. "Everything essential begins with relationships," says Anne Carnathan. “You are one of one!"  When relationships leave, AI can’t replace them, so how we manage them matters. Lots of business vitamins in this conversation for people just beginning their career or planning a career move: get in the room, don't wait to be asked, and find a way to meet in person. Don’t miss the penultimate episode of Season 5, including some special shout outs to previous G&G guests!

When most people think about America’s 250th birthday, they picture fireworks and celebrations. Cassandra Coleman sees something much bigger. As Executive Director of America250PA, she’s spent nearly eight years building a once-in-a-generation effort to help Pennsylvanians learn from our history, embrace the present, and reimagine the future. Along the way, she’s united communities in all 67 counties, reached more than 50,000 students, launched statewide programs, and kept one principle at the center of every decision: This celebration belongs to every Pennsylvanian. In this conversation with Anne Deeter Gallaher and Anne Carnathan, Cassandra shares how a small-town mayor came to lead one of the Commonwealth’s most ambitious initiatives. She talks about the importance of listening before leading, believing in the work even on the hardest days, and building something that will inspire pride in Pennsylvania long after the anniversary has passed. Whether you’ve spent a lifetime in Pennsylvania or are just beginning to appreciate its role in the American story, this episode is a reminder that history isn’t just about where we’ve been. It’s about what we choose to build together.

Mark Schaefer, author, speaker, and global marketing powerhouse, joins Grit & Gravitas cohosts Anne Carnathan and Anne Deeter Gallaher for a riveting conversation about AI, creativity, your personal brand, and what it will take to stay relevant in a world changing faster than most of us can process. Mark compares AI to electricity: inevitable, powerful, and completely transformational. But this is not a conversation about replacing people. It is a conversation about becoming sharper, more curious, more creative, and more fully human in how we lead, work, connect, and show up. As Mark says, “We have to out-human AI.” From the future of business to the urgency of personal brand, from AI backlash to the danger of being merely competent, this episode is packed with business vitamins for anyone trying to rise above the noise. Because in an AI world, the work that stands out will be the work only you can do.

Jessica Ritchie, President of the UPMC Pinnacle Foundation, joins Grit & Gravitas for a conversation about leadership, healthcare philanthropy, and why “be nice” might be one of the most underrated leadership strategies. A self-proclaimed G&G super fan, Jessica has been with the Foundation since 2014, helping lead its work through growth, change, and evolving community needs. In this episode, she shares how the Foundation supports more than 100 funds across strategic priorities, including farm-to-hospital programs, indigent patient needs, street medicine, food insecurity, and workforce development. Jessica also discusses the Women’s Mobile Health Vehicle Powered by Universal Media, supported by Don and Annie Young and connected to the Women for Wellness committee. The mobile vehicle brings basic primary care directly to communities, making healthcare more accessible for women and families across Central Pennsylvania.  Throughout the conversation, Jessica offers practical business vitamins for women in leadership: know your numbers, understand the needs in front of you, listen well, be kind, and do what you say you’re going to do. Her advice to younger women? Don’t wait to show your value. Step up to the plate. Walk in and remind yourself: this is my show. Learn more at UPMCpinnaclefoundation.org.

Our latest Grit & Gravitas guest, Melissa Miller, founded a business at age 21 that became more than a company. For years, her stationery design company, madetokeep was her creative outlet, her livelihood, and her identity. As madetokeep celebrates its 20th anniversary and Melissa evolves into her next ventures, The FAVOUR Agency and the STAGES Foundation, our co-hosts enjoy a candid conversation about creativity, entrepreneurship, perfectionism, and learning when to let go. Melissa’s refreshingly honest story is full of business vitamins for anyone ready to shed old narratives and step into what’s next. “I finally feel the identity and the purpose and the completeness,” Melissa says. Her advice to her younger self? “Never quit. Lean into your purpose and path forward. Everything happens for a reason. You have to go through all this junk to get where you want to go, but you'll get there. Continue to have faith and visualize. Do good, be good.” Melissa also shares how the STAGES Foundation is opening new doors through her upcoming signature event, Belmont Bourbon Bash, a premier race-day celebration of bourbon, culinary craftsmanship, fashion, and community impact. Learn more at https://www.belmontbourbonbash.com/

Theatre Harrisburg’s story is Harrisburg’s story. This Tuesday’s Grit & Gravitas features special guest Lorien Reese Mahay, Executive Director of Theatre Harrisburg, as the organization celebrates 100 years of creativity, resilience, and community.    Founded by a group of women in the basement of the Harrisburg Library, Theatre Harrisburg has spent a century bringing people together through productions built by local hands and local talent. Lorien shares what makes community theatre so powerful and reflects on her unexpected path to Harrisburg, stepping into the role on the very day the theatre reopened after COVID.  As Lorien opens up about stewardship, imposter syndrome, and listening before leading, tune in for business vitamins and a beautiful reminder that art gives us a place to belong. Theatre Harrisburg is presenting Godspell through May 10 and “Follies” & Festivities: A Theatre Harrisburg Centennial Celebration in Two Acts. Learn more at theatreharrisburg.com.

Recently, Team G&G took our show on the road to Shippensburg University for a live, interactive podcast focused on one thing students don’t get enough of: financial clarity. Today, we’re excited to share that conversation! Cohosts Anne Deeter Gallaher and Anne Carnathan are joined by fellow SHIP alum Jessica Whitmyer of Members 1st Federal Credit Union and SHIP Finance Professor Lee Fortenberry, CFP, for a conversation built around five essential moves—understanding your credit score, using credit cards strategically, knowing your student loans, building a simple budget, and taking advantage of compound interest early. This is a topic most of us were never prepared for—discussions about money, debt, and what it really takes to build a life. Join us for a candid, real-world look at the financial choices that shape your future, and the freedom that comes with getting them right. Students and young people ready to start out on your own, this one’s for you.

What happens when a part-time job turns into a 20+ year mission and a leadership role you never planned for? Today on Grit & Gravitas, Anne Deeter Gallaher and Anne Carnathan sit down with Cheryl Cuddy, CEO of Vision Resources of Central Pennsylvania, whose career began in medical assisting and evolved into something far bigger. What started as screening children’s vision while raising her own family grew into a calling rooted in patient care, purpose, and impact. From early childhood screenings to low vision rehabilitation, Cheryl shares how her team helps more than 5,000 people each year maintain independence and quality of life, and why leadership means never getting too far from the people you serve. “If I ever lose sight of what I’m doing, I go sit in the low vision center and watch someone regain their independence,” says Cheryl. Listen for business vitamins and inspiration in a conversation that brings an often unseen impact into focus.

It’s podcast Tuesday, and Anne & Anne are excited to introduce a guest who embodies resilience, grit, and grace: Dr. Ivy Buchan. From saving for college at age seven to working multiple jobs and writing checks to pay her way through school, Ivy has always taken ownership of her career and life journey. She said yes to opportunities before she fully understood them and built a 20+ year career in nonprofit strategy by doing the work and learning as she went. Today, as Principal of Invoke Nonprofit Consulting, she helps organizations navigate governance, fundraising, and strategy. But what stands out most about Ivy isn’t just what she’s built, it’s how she built it. Ivy's advice is simple: “If you want something bad enough, you will figure out how to do it.” “I’m nervous—and I do it,” she says. So many business vitamins in this episode. Don’t miss the last two advice-packed minutes.

As we celebrate Women’s History Month and the week of International Women’s Day, Grit & Gravitas is marking the moment with a conversation about curiosity, courage, and the power of listening. Anne Deeter Gallaher and Anne Carnathan sit down with Ashley Walkowiak, Executive Director of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Women, who is leading the most comprehensive look at women’s issues in Pennsylvania in more than a generation. Ashley’s path to this work is deeply personal. After surviving sexual violence as a teenager, it took years before she felt ready to disclose and begin processing her trauma. Over time, that experience helped shape her commitment to public service and to creating systems that better support victims and families. She also shares a defining early moment in her career when curiosity pushed her out of her comfort zone. Her advice today reflects both her personal and professional journey: stay curious and listen well. “It’s easy for us to take experiences and put them aside to get through the day instead of processing it, working on it, and integrating it into the fullness of who you are as a human being,” Ashley says. Follow the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Women on Facebook and Instagram: @pawomen.

In this episode of Grit & Gravitas, Anne & Anne sit down with Carolina Harvey, founder of Cure the Clutter and host on A&E’s Hoarders, for a conversation that goes far beyond tidy closets. Carolina started her business in 2008 after becoming a mom of two and feeling called to serve her community. A mathematics major by training, she still looks at spaces like solvable problems. From downsizing families to overwhelmed professionals to messy churches and business offices, what sets Cure the Clutter apart is the listening, care, and compassion Carolina and her team bring to every client and space. “My goal is to give you your time back. When you have a clean and organized space, then you’re getting to do what you want, not what you have to,” says Carolina. Desperate for some organization in your life? Join us as we talk about Carolina’s five daily habits anyone can adopt to reduce clutter and regain control, including being one-task minded and scheduling your hardest work for when you are at your best. If your home, office, or calendar feels heavier than it should, this conversation will deliver business vitamins and practical tips to make your life lighter.

In this episode of Grit & Gravitas, Anne & Anne tackle the question we often avoid: how do we plan for purpose, relevance, and meaning as our roles change? Inspired by a recent Wall Street Journal article, they explore what happens when titles fade, influence shifts, and the world moves on. When your business card disappears, what anchors your value? How do you stay intentional when your network, identity, and sense of being needed evolve? The challenge for listeners: work backward. Define how you want your life to matter by starting at the end. What do you want your name to mean when it’s mentioned? What legacy are you building now? This episode offers business vitamins for anyone navigating what comes next, at any age.

Five years ago, we recorded our first episode of Grit & Gravitas with a simple premise: progress starts when you do. That idea feels even more relevant in a culture obsessed with resolutions, trends, and arbitrary dates that supposedly predict when people will fail. “New Year’s resolutions bug me, and Quitter's Day bugs me. I don’t want to wait for anything for today to be the day,” Anne Carnathan says. In this episode, Anne Deeter Gallaher talks about returning to swimming by simply showing up—no research, no preparation, no audience. Anne Carnathan shares why she started personal training with a friend, both to make her workday less solitary and to support someone she cares about. Anne Deeter Gallaher sums it up: “If you wanted to, you would. I finally got to the day where I wanted to.” Today’s business vitamin is simple: whether it’s starting a workout, making a phone call, reaching out on LinkedIn, or launching a business, the hardest part is beginning. We can do hard things—and we should.