Episode 64: Hollywood Actress Shohreh Aghdashloo On Why Doing Films On Violence Against Women Is her Passion

Shohreh Aghdashloo is an Emmy Award-winning, Oscar-nominated actr ess. Originally from Iran, she is not banned from her native country. Her prolific work on stage and screen has been lauded for decades in both her native Iran and worldwide, especially in her adopted home, the United States. American audiences know her best from her Oscar-nominated performance in House Of Sand And Fog and her Emmy-winning role in HBO’s acclaimed “House Of Saddam.” But I know Shohreh from her 2008 film The Stoning of Soraya M.

As a diverse talent and voice-over artist, Shohreh has moved between television, film, and theatre with much ease. Shohreh has an iconic voice, and has voiced characters for the video games Mass Effect, Destiny and animated TV series like Arcane. She also has narrated audiobooks like "The Bible of Clay" by Julia Navarro, "And the Mountains Echoed" by Khaled Hosseini. You may have seen her on Law & Order: SVU, Will & Grace, or in Star Trek: Beyond, X-Men - The Last Stand, and The Lake House.

In this episode Shohreh and I talk about her newest film Still Smiling, a film about domestic violence- a topic that she’s passionate about, we talk about her early life in Iran, and what she’s working on.

Episode 63: Tessy Antony de Nassau- Veteran, Mother, Former Princess, and Business Woman

Photo Credit: Tessy Antony de Nassau /Instagram

Tessy Antony de Nassau is a Wife, Mother, Social Entrepreneur, Business Woman, Philanthropist, Military Veteran, Public Speaker, Activist, and Co-Founder of a fashion brand.

Wearing many hats, Tessy actively promotes a number of issues, including global health and women’s rights. She is passionate about pushing her different agendas to benefit the Sustainable Development Goals and has committed her time and energy to furthering the work of organizations in which she believes in. If you follow Tessy’s life, you see that everything she has done or is doing, she was prepped to do. Her work in the Luxembourg military, and being a former member of the Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg where she was styled as princess prepared her for her activism, private sector, and NGO work. Quite egalitarian in how she carries herself, Tessy makes the effort to be amongst the people, helping when and where she can.

In this episode, she opens up on her journey of growing up in Luxembourg, of her military service, her sweet moment of being a princess- though I’d argue she still is in spirit and soul, and what she has been up to. 

Episode 62: Rebecca George- Knowing You’re Not Too Late In A Hurry-Up World

Rebecca is the founder of Radical Radiance® - a podcast community where listeners are equipped to blend what they love with Jesus, who makes them shine. She is a podcaster, speaker, and author whose greatest joy in life is discipling others to pursue their passions in a way that builds the Kingdom. In her new book “It’s Not Too Late,” Rebecca unpacks how to deal with the experience of longing, whether that be for a spouse or a child, for a healing in a broken relationship, or for a clearer direction in our calling. Because of this waiting, we can fall into resentment about what we lack—or we can see our unmet desires as an invitation to draw closer to a trustworthy God.

In her free time, you can find her running outside, writing, or trying a new recipe with 90s country playing in the background. You can connect with her on IG at @rebeccageorgeauthor or at radicalradiance.live

Episode 61: Keni Silva Opens Up About Her Book "Divorce As An Opportunity "

Keni is a multi-talented media personality, philanthropist, film industry investor, woman empowerment activist and speaker, model, entrepreneur and certified divorce coach. She was just honored by Orange County in California during Women’s History Month in March. When she’s not walking red carpets like Cannes, Venice, LACMA, or being featured for her fashion sensibility for Vogue, WWD, Daily Mail, and others, she’s helping others. She sits on the board of the Children's Oncology Support Fund, and supports Baby2Baby, Amfar, and Visionary Women.

We talk about her new book “Divorce As An Opportunity," a comprehensive guidebook empowering women to navigate divorce successfully and challenging the traditional narratives surrounding separation.

Episode 60: Nelson L. Schuman- From Banking to Inner Healing Ministry

Nelson L. Schuman is an author, teacher, speaker, founder and president of Restored To Freedom located near Dallas, TX. Before he did what, he does now, Nelson was successful in the banking world. But through family challenges, God guided him into full time ministry: helping people get free from soul wounds.

Nelson’s focus is the restoration of lives and marriages, specifically helping people get healed from their past soul wounds and delivered from demonic strongholds. He has helped thousands around the world, and has seen many healed from physical infirmities.

He has 13 books available on Amazon including his best-selling book Freedom From Soul Wounds and Demons. He has trained over 500 people in 15 countries under his Restored to Freedom ministry to do soul wound healings and deliverances. His Facebook Soul Wound Healing and Demon Deliverance group helps people worldwide to receive support when they have been hurt by people.  You can also visit his TikTok page,  You Tube channel and watch his monthly deliverance sessions as well as hear personal testimonies and his daily teachings.

Episode 59: Eliza Huie on Equipping People to Engage With Trauma

As a licensed clinical professional counselor with advanced specialized training in trauma care, Eliza has just published a new book. She opens up on why it’s important to have understanding and empathy in the area of trauma, when engaging with people.

Today, an increasing number of people will be exposed to a traumatic situation in their lifetime. From natural disasters and violent crime to wars and personal loss, the research shows that more than two-thirds of the population will experience a traumatic event by the time they are 16 years old. The invisible and deep wounds left by these events can be difficult to identify and easy to misunderstand.
Eliza Huie, a licensed clinical professional counselor with advanced specialized training in trauma care, and she just wrote a new book Trauma Aware: A Christian’s Guide to Providing Help and Care. In this insightful book, she guides readers to become trauma-aware helpers by equipping them with tools to recognize the signs of trauma and offer compassionate, lasting help to survivors.  
We chat about her work in equipping and training church leaders in how to deal with trauma, she explains how to deal with friends that may have trauma, and she outlines examples of trauma in the Bible. Enjoy this podcast episode with Eliza.

Episode 58: Sara Murad- A Network Media Presenter and Perfumer

Photo courtesy of Sara Murad/ Instagram

Since 2013, Sara Murad has been a media presenter in the Middle East. She’s a Senior TV Presenter on MBC 1 and a founder of her own fragrance brand, By Sara Murad. Her work has taken her around the world, capturing stories and meeting people. You can often find Sara sitting front row at fashion weeks, at Formula 1 in Jeddah, or hosting some of the Middle East’s biggest events. Originally from Saudi Arabia, Sara is very proud of her heritage, and she aspires to show her country to the world.

One way she introduces Saudi Arabia to the world is through her brand. Growing up around the unique scents of Oud and Musk, inspired her first fragrance: Black Oud. The brand isn’t just a scent but an experience, it’s a bridge between the timeless traditions of the past and the bold spirit of the present with a clear vision of the future.

Episode 57: Drew Baldridge “Nashville Kind Of Gave Up On Me, I had 4 Failed Singles”

The Country Music singer opens up about his turnaround career as an independent artist at C2C Music Festival in London

So, it’s the C2C Music Festival that happens every year between London, Dublin, and Glasgow. It’s the largest Country Music festival outside of the US. You might know his songs ‘She’s Somebody’s Daughter’ and ‘Tough People.’ But before these songs became hits, Drew thought he had failed in Country Music. He faced quite a few setbacks, one being 4 failed number 1 hits another being he couldn’t get a record label to put out his music, but Drew believed in himself and created his own record label and self-released ‘She’s Somebody’s Daughter’, which reached number 1. This path in his music journey is an inspiration to anyone who believes that dreams can come true. The RIAA GOLD-certified viral hit has garnered over 1.1 billion streams and impressions across all platforms, making history as the highest-charting self-funded song ever on the Billboard Country Airplay chart. This led to him partnering with BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville/Stoney Creek for his new single, “Tough People.” In addition to his singles successes, Drew has been a part of writing over 500 songs for other Country artists from Bailey Zimmerman, LOCASH, and Chase Matthew, and he’s currently on tour with Cody Johnson’s Leather Deluxe Tour and will join Bailey Zimmerman’s New Country Tour later this year.

Episode 56: Aurore Gautier- Celebrity Makeup Artist Shares Her Journey

Aurore is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. Of Italian heritage, she lived in France for many years, and now calls Portugal home. In the middle for the autumn-winter 2025 women’s Paris Fashion Week season, I sat down with Aurore to talk about her journey as a celebrity makeup artist. She’s self-taught, kind, and inspiring.

Episode 55: Mary Marantz- Author, Speaker, Podcaster Talks Her Book “Underestimated”

Photo Credit: Justin Marantz

Mary Marantz is the bestselling author of Dirt and Underestimated, as well as the host of the popular podcast The Mary Marantz Show. She grew up in a trailer in rural West Virginia and was the first in her family to go to college before going on to Yale for law school. Her work has been featured on CNN, MSN, Business Insider, Bustle, Thrive Global, Southern Living, Hallmark Home & Family and more. She and her husband Justin live in an 1880s fixer-upper by the sea in New Haven, Connecticut, with their two very fluffy golden retrievers, Goodspeed and Atticus.

In this episode we talk about Underestimated, and dive into topics around the book. Listen as Mary unpacks themes of what it means to be crippled by fear, but when we overcome, we are often underestimated by those around us. Learn more about Mary at MaryMarantz.com.

Episode 54: May El Khalil- The Woman That Brought A National Marathon To Beirut

May El Khalil is the Founder and President of the Beirut Marathon Association. The Beirut Marathon Association oversees the annual Beirut International Marathon, a race and social movement that has been held every autumn since 2003, and has attracted tens of thousands from over a hundred countries. 

From Aley, Lebanon, May spent much of her adult life in Nigeria where her husband's business was located. In Nigeria, Mrs. El Khalil became part of an international community and established the Lebanese Ladies in Nigeria. When she returned to Lebanon, she found religious differences that she never knew, and in 2001 when she was running in Dubai, she was hit by a bus and suffered a near-fatal accident that placed her in a coma. After spending two years undergoing dozens of surgeries she was able to walk again. Determined to celebrate the gift of life and mobility, she founded the marathon to help mend divisions in Lebanon.

She's a kind soul and brings light into a room. This is a previous conversation I had with her a few years ago, that was a part of an old podcast that I had, but her story and wisdom is still relevant. Enjoy this podcast episode with Mrs. May El Khalil. 

Episode 53: Deb Sofield- Keynote speaker, Author, Speech & Media Coach, and Crisis Communications Trainer

Deb Sofield is a global Communications Consultant, a Keynote Speaker, a former Radio Talk Show Host, a Podcaster, and President of her own Executive Speech Coaching Co. She’s skilled in training people for success in: speaking, crisis communications, presentation, media, and message development.

Quite simply she can transform your messaging to be understood by the masses, helping you curate communications for political and corporate clients through private speech coaching and debate preparation. She’s also an author, and visiting professor at Harvard University and their John F. Kennedy School of Government, she’s also on the faculty of The Campaign School at Yale University. And Deb has also served on the board for the Women’s Democracy Network of Washington, DC, and she served as a mentor and trainer for The Center for Liberty in the Middle East.

She’s inspiring and has done a lot in her career. In this episode we talk about her Lebanese roots, what makes for a good speech, she touches on the US president whose speaking style she admires most, and what doesn’t make for a good speech.

To learn more about Deb visit: http://www.debsofield.com

To purchase her Books or Kindle downloads visit: https://amzn.to/34Wab0n

Episode 52: Lauren Jenkins- Singer, Songwriter, Filmmaker

Since the age of 15, Lauren Jenkins has been touring, sharing her Americana talent with the world. The New York Times named her as an artist to watch, and she has been given various accolades by Billboard, Rolling Stone, and others. In this interview we talk about how being born in Texas, yet raised in both Carolinas impacted her worldview, we talk her music, and her film work.

Episode 51: Joanne Moody Unpacks The Significance Of The Prophetic

Jo is the president of Agape Freedom Fighters, a ministry that exists to set captives free through healing and evangelism. A believer in Jesus, Jo suffered with chronic nerve pain for 14 years and was set free. In this episode she shares her story, unpacks what the prophetic means, and talks about how total emotional and physical healing in Jesus name is possible.

Episode 50: Kevin Dix Unpacks What Has Been And What Is Going Wrong With The LA Fires

LA resident Kevin Dix opens up about what’s going on in the city with the fires, but he also delves deeper into how government mismanagement is part the problem that led to many losing their homes, he talks about all the multi-billions of dollars of destruction, and how this disaster is a bipartisan issue.

Episode 49: Born Into A Syrian Refugee Camp, Kurdish-Kiwi Singer Nouri Opens Up About Her Music

Ally sat down with Nouri, a singer who has over twenty singles under her belt to talk about her early life of being a refugee, why her mom is her hero, music’s impact on her, and why she likes Country Music.

Episode 48- Diriyah’s Group CEO, Jerry Inzerillo “I Love To Serve”

From humble beginnings, to handling some major projects around the world, he remains humble

Jerry Inzerillo is the Group CEO of Diriyah, a $63.3 billion project, part of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s Vision 2030 initiative, in Saudi Arabia’s capital. The project is bringing 42 luxury hotels, a royal opera house, luxury residences, a Greg Norman designed golf course, cultural centers, F&B, a boulevard the same length as Paris’ Avenue des Champs-Élysées, and much more in a space of 28 square miles. It’s quite the feat to be in charge of such a project which is simply restoring the ancestral home of the original Saudi state.

He’s got an impress resume having been the President and CEO of IMG Artists, President of the Kerzner Entertainment Group where he changed the reputation of One&Only and Atlantis hotel brands, he was COO of Sun City in South Africa, he’s the Vice Chairman of Forbes Travel Guide, and he’s had other notable positions. In 2023, President Biden awarded him with the Presidential Medal of Volunteerism and Service.

I first met Jerry at a fashion show in Diriyah, and we passed each other and he said something like, “hello, I know you and began listing my resume.” I had no idea who he was and introduced myself. Of all the accomplishments he has, and with all the people in his rolodex, what sticks out the most is that Jerry is humble- and his Brooklyn accent sticks out too. From humble means he’s able to be relatable and on the same level with anyone, while God has placed in his hands some heavy tasks. This isn’t a formal podcast interview, rather moments I’ve had with Jerry, and I wanted to put our conversations into one episode, so forgive the mix matched background noise and enjoy this episode with Jerry Inzerillo.  

Episode 47- Film Director Christine Swanson Talks Her New Film “Albany Road”

Lynn Whitfiend and Renee Elise Goldsberry in Albany Road | Photo provided by Faith FIlmworks

Ally sat down over Zoom with Christine, who is known for her film The Clark Sisters, to talk about her newest film Albany Road, out on limited release on November 15th. Taking 23 days to shoot in Champagne, Illinois, it stars Renee Elise Goldsberry and cinema legend Lynn Whitfield.

Albany Road is anchored in the idea of Black Joy, laced with redemption and forgiveness, as you might expect from a company called Faith Filmworks, the production company headed by Christine and her husband Michael Swanson.

The film touches on the plethora of relationships that we have in life, and through colorful characters starring (Renee Elise Goldsberry’s) Celeste, a high powered, jittery ad executive, and her almost mother-in-law Paula (Lynn Whitfield).  A freak snow storm and a ticking clock forces them to share the last remaining rental car in a fierce snowstorm. Awkward! As their literal and emotional journey continues, secrets are unearthed, lost loves confronted, and messy, scary life events come to light. 

As a writer, filmmaker, and multiple award-winning director with an MFA in Film from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Christine has developed, written and/or directed entertainment projects for HBO Films, Lionsgate, Universal Television, Warner Bros. Television, CBS Television Studios, TV One, A&E Networks, BET Films, Starz and Faith Filmworks.

Photo provided by Faith FIlmworks

Gary Dourdan and Renee Elise Goldsberry | Photo provided by Faith FIlmworks

For over a decade, Christine has made films championing Black women. And her experience with this movie has led her to believe that mostly white, mostly male studio executives are all for telling Black Trauma stories, especially during Awards Season, but allergic to Black Joy projects. While the film does face some harsh realities of life, it does not focus on Black Trauma. She and Ally gets into this in the interview.  

Enjoy this podcast interview with Christine Swanson.

Episode 46- Sara Al Madani On Taking Entrepreneurial Risks

Sara Al Madani is one of the realest people that you’ll meet. Since recording this, she has landed on Bravo TV’s Real Housewives of Dubai. Al Madani has been a fashion designer, but she’s also a serial entrepreneur. She’s all about self-love, and this is coupled with knowing and respecting herself, which results in her having a love of humanity.

Recorded during the Covid pandemic times, we discuss taking that risk to start a business, how to know if the person you're thinking to partner with is the right business partner, what else is needed (being emotional, mentally, and socially equipped) to start a business, and what she wishes she had known before starting her first business.

Episode 45- Mariano Di Vaio Opens Up about His Faith in Jesus, Family, and Character

Mariano di Vaio is a model, fashion designer, and entrepreneur of Neapolitan origins, but was born in Perugia, Italy in 1989. He moved to London to pursue a career as an actor and model, but he didn’t know English and worked as a dishwasher. Those humble moments shaped him. He learned English and pushed himself to be more than a dishwasher.

Mariano then moved to the United States, where he attended acting courses at the New York Film Academy. Upon returning to Italy, he launched himself into the world of fashion, managing to obtain several covers and collaborations with international brands such from Roberto Cavalli, Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren.

He launched is online fashion blog MDV Style, sharing his travels and fashion activities, expressing his opinion on the trends of men's fashion. This gave him a certain visibility that led him to win the Best men's fashion blog award at the Berlin Fashion Week in 2015, as well as other awards.