Episodes

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Tiffany Barfield- Senior Director, Policy and Advocacy at the National Academy Foundation

Tiffany Barfield- Senior Director, Policy and Advocacy at the National Academy Foundation

Episode 17 · · 21:38

Tiffany tells us how her sister's disability sparked a passion for advocacy at a young age, the leadership lessons she learned while working at the Whitehouse during 9/11, and gives ...

Hadley Heath Manning: Director of Policy at Independent Women's Forum

Hadley Heath Manning: Director of Policy at Independent Women's Forum

Episode 16 · · 27:47

Hadley Heath Manning is the director of policy at the Independent Women's Forum where she frequently comments on health care, entitlements and economic policy. She was named to Forb...

Sylvie Légère: Co-founder, The Policy Circle

Sylvie Légère: Co-founder, The Policy Circle

Episode 15 · · 25:50

After Sylvie personally encountered the unique challenges women face in public policy, she co-founded The Policy Circle to provide women with opportunities to gain confidence in publ...

Jason Isaac: former state representative and distinguished fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation

Jason Isaac: former state representative and distinguished fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation

Episode 14 · · 26:21

Join Ellen as she interviews former state representative Jason Isaac.  Jason was her first employer in the public sector when she worked as his chief of staff.  They discuss how the...

Stacy Hock: Philanthropist, Activist, TPPF Board Member

Stacy Hock: Philanthropist, Activist, TPPF Board Member

Episode 13 · · 27:25

Stacy Hock is a philanthropist, public policy activist, and business owner who has done everything from serving as a gubernatorial appointee to leading the charge on improving our ed...

Mandy Gunasekara: Former EPA Official and Climate and energy strategist

Mandy Gunasekara: Former EPA Official and Climate and energy strategist

Episode 12 · · 27:58

Mandy Gunasekara, a Climate and energy strategist and communicator, tells us how she became the presidential appointee for the EPA and gives her insight on why a flourishing economy ...

Keeping up with Alice Marie Johnson

Keeping up with Alice Marie Johnson

Episode 11 · · 31:43

You may know her as one of the President’s guests at the 2019 State of the Union, from the recent Super Bowl ad featuring her story, or from the attention of a high-profile reality s...

Virginia Foxx: U.S. Representative, North Carolina

Virginia Foxx: U.S. Representative, North Carolina

Episode 10 · · 19:32

Congresswoman Virginia Foxx details her journey from extreme poverty to Congress and how she uses her platform to encourage others to get involved and make a difference with their ta...

Cathy McMorris Rodgers: U.S. Representative, Washington

Cathy McMorris Rodgers: U.S. Representative, Washington

Episode 9 · · 27:36

Did you know that of the nearly 11,000 who have served in Congress, only 366 have been women? In this episode of the Step Up Podcast, Ellen chats with the 200th woman elected to the ...

Shoshana Weissmann: Digital Media Manager, R Street

Shoshana Weissmann: Digital Media Manager, R Street

Episode 8 · · 29:37

The purple-haired social media influencer with 50,000 twitter followers talks about how she’s made mundane topics like occupational licensing reform great again!

Katie Linehan: American Federation for Children, Deputy Communications Director

Katie Linehan: American Federation for Children, Deputy Communications Director

Episode 7 · · 19:03

Katie discusses how witnessing the benefits of school choice on the lives of low-income students in New Orleans pulled her away from pursuing law towards issue-based advocacy.

Yvette Herrell: Candidate for Congress, former New Mexico State Representative

Yvette Herrell: Candidate for Congress, former New Mexico State Representative

Episode 6 · · 23:58

Declared the winner in her Congressional race on election night and the loser the next morning, Yvette discusses the impact of 9/11, campaigning, and how sharing a skin care tip earn...

Libby Szabo: County Commissioner, Jefferson County Colorado

Libby Szabo: County Commissioner, Jefferson County Colorado

Episode 5 · · 19:30

A former State Representative who gave up her seat to become a County Commissioner,Libby dispels common assumptions about power at different levels of government, and explains why sh...

Lisa Nelson: Executive Director, American Legislative Exchange Council

Lisa Nelson: Executive Director, American Legislative Exchange Council

Episode 4 · · 22:28

From Public Affairs Director for Newt Gingrich to the leader of an influential national organization and Commissioner of the White House Fellows Program, Lisa Nelson knows how to inf...

Julie Emerson: State Representative, Louisiana

Julie Emerson: State Representative, Louisiana

Episode 3 · · 35:06

Elected when she was 27 years old, Julie is the youngest woman in the Louisiana Legislature, and lets us in on a secret: constituents are the most powerful lobbyists in politics.

Patricia Rucker - State Senator, West Virginia

Patricia Rucker - State Senator, West Virginia

Episode 2 · · 25:21

From Venezuelan immigrant to homeschooling mom to Senator, Patricia talks about her unlikely journey and how the bank bailouts in 2008 compelled her step up to ensure the country tha...

Ellen Troxclair: Mom, Wife, Conservative, Former Austin City Council

Ellen Troxclair: Mom, Wife, Conservative, Former Austin City Council

Episode 1 · · 17:51

Welcome to Step Up — the podcast where we learn to advocate like a woman! I’m your host Ellen Troxclair. Each week we talk to a different leader about how she became active in policy...