Advancing Women Podcast

What can a Division I basketball coach teach us about confidence, identity, leadership, and becoming the women we're meant to be?

As it turns out…a lot.

In this episode of the Advancing Women Podcast, Dr. Kimberly DeSimone sits down with University at Buffalo Women's Basketball Head Coach Kristen Sharkey for a conversation that goes far beyond the basketball court.

The connection began at a women's leadership conference, whe...

What if everything you've been told about success is true...just not equally true?

For generations, women have been given a roadmap to success. Work hard. Earn the degree. Build your expertise. Develop executive presence. Negotiate. Become exceptional.

And millions of women have done exactly that.

So why d...

Summer has a funny way of becoming another thing to accomplish.

The perfect vacation. The perfect family memories. The backyard projects. The bucket list. The pressure to make every sunny day count.

But what if we've been measuring summer all wrong?

In this episode, Dr. Kimberly DeSimone explores the surpr...

What started as a frustrating battle with my health insurance over a medication that has worked successfully for nearly two years led me to ask a much bigger question:

Why are we so comfortable with women's suffering?

In this episode, I explore why women's pain is so often treated as "normal"…whether it's menopause, chronic pain, ...

What if one of the most common compliments women receive isn't really a compliment at all?

In this episode of the Advancing Women Podcast, Dr. Kimberly DeSimone explores the cultural obsession with "effortlessness" and the hidden costs that accompany it. Inspired by conversations following a recent Women's Leadership Summit, this episode examines how language shapes pe...

What if getting dressed became less about managing perception…and more about self-expression and shaping our experience?

In this episode of the Advancing Women Podcast, Dr. DeSimone explores the surprising emotional depth behind something that initially seems lighthearted: overdressing for no reason, Disney ears on a cruise, bold earrings, sparkle, whimsy, and the idea that maybe “less is more” has quietly turned...

Every May, social media fills with beautiful tributes to motherhood.

“Moms are superheroes” “A mother’s love knows no bounds" ”Home is where mom is”

And that gratitude matters. The acknowledgment matters.

But underneath all the flowers, hashtags, “best mom ever&rdq...

What if the greatest loss in your life isn’t failure, burnout, or even heartbreak, but the quiet absence of moments that make you feel alive?

In this episode, we explore Deferred Life Syndrome…the pattern of postponing joy, rest, and meaningful experiences for “later.” After the busy season. After things calm down. After everything lines up per...

What happens when the people we believe are on our side… can’t hear us?

In this episode, I explore what I call the “good guy problem”…those moments when someone who sees themselves as fair, supportive, and an ally is given feedback, and instead of responding with curiosity, something shifts. The conversation moves away from what was expe...

We hear it all the time: “You’re too busy because you make yourself too busy.” “It’s your own fault.” “You just need to learn to say no.”

But what if it’s not that simple?

In this episode, we unpack the uncomfortable truth behind that advice, and why it so often falls flat for women. ...

What if “overwhelm” isn’t actually the problem?

In this episode, we take a closer look at a word many women use to describe their lives—and challenge what it might be hiding.

Because when women say they’re overwhelmed, it often sounds like a capacity problem…like we simply can’t handle everythin...

When we think about heroes, the names that come to mind are often male. Yes, in history books, but also in everyday pop culture.

From Neo in The Matrix to Luke Skywalker in Star Wars to Harry Potter himself, many of our most celebrated hero narratives center on a single “chosen one”. But when we look more closely at those stories, we often discover somethin...

February is Black History Month! A time to honor the leadership, scholarship, and activism of African Americans whose contributions have shaped our nation. In this episode of the Advancing Women Podcast, we center and celebrate the Black women whose intellectual and political leadership fundamentally transformed feminism and continue to shape the ongoing work of gender equity.

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