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Scientista
The Scientista Podcast spotlights women (and allies!) reshaping business, politics, and culture.
Hosted by behavioral scientist Dr. Sweta Chakraborty and former Assistant Secretary of State Monica Medina, this show brings you candid conversations with changemakers and thought leaders from around the world.
Subscribe for behind-the-scenes stories of how some of today’s most inspiring leaders have faced challenges, made tough calls, and turned vision into real-world impact.
Episodes
49 episodes
Thinking Like a Climate Scientist in a Risky World — with Sarah Kapnick
Sarah Kapnick is the Head of Global Climate Advisory at J.P. Morgan—and before that, she spent more than a decade as a climate scientist in government, including serving as Chief Scientist at NOAA.In this episode of the Scientista Podcas...
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41:56
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1.6 Million Moms vs. Pollution
What happens when 1.6 million moms decide clean air is non-negotiable?In this episode of the Scientista Podcast, we speak with Dominique Browning, founder of Moms Clean Air Force, about building one of the most powerful parent-l...
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43:55
A Greenland Law Few Are Talking About — with Jennifer Granholm & Karen Skelton
In this episode of the Scientista Podcast, we’re joined by former Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm and her senior advisor Karen Skelton for a wide-ranging conversation on energy, national security, and how policy actually gets made....
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45:06
Why Fear Doesn’t Move People on Climate
Fear has dominated the way we talk about climate change for decades. But fear doesn’t motivate most people to act—it overwhelms them.In this episode of the Scientista Podcast, Sweta Chakraborty and Monica Medina are joined by Anne-The...
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34:35
Scientista: Highlights from 2025
Scientista: Highlights from 2025 brings together moments from conversations across the year with leaders, decision-makers, and cultural figures shaping what happens next.Hosted by Dr. Sweta Chakraborty and Monica Medina, the Sci...
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1:31
A Year of Building Scientista
In this episode of the Scientista Podcast, hosts Dr. Sweta Chakraborty and Monica Medina reflect on their journey with Scientista, discussing their vision for empowering women in science and the importance of community support. They share perso...
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24:09
Abigail Disney on Why We Don’t Need Billionaires
Do we actually need billionaires?On this episode of the Scientista Podcast, Dr. Sweta Chakraborty speaks with Abigail Disney about extreme wealth, hoarding, and the cultural narratives that allow inequality to persist. Abigail has been o...
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41:43
Abby Hopper on What Comes Next After Nine Years as D.C.’s Top Solar Lobbyist
Abby Hopper spent nearly a decade leading the solar industry’s most influential advocacy organization — and now, she’s stepping into a new chapter.In this episode of the Scientista Podcast, Dr. Sweta Chakraborty sit down with Abby to ref...
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34:03
Building a Place Where Women Lead the Future
Ann Drake and MarySue Barrett are creating the Women’s Leadership Center at Williams Bay, a new hub where women leading in technology, infrastructure, business, and space can come together to tackle real-world challenges. They join Sweta and Mo...
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30:36
After Conservation International: M. Sanjayan on Pivots, Purpose, and the Future of Conservation
In this episode, Dr. Sweta Chakraborty and Monica Medina sit down with Dr. M. Sanjayan—ecologist, award-winning storyteller, and former CEO of Conservation International—for a conversation about what it takes to lead in one of the toughest, mos...
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33:48
Best Of: Menopause in the Oval Office
This episode is part of our Best Of the Scientista Podcast series, where we revisit some of our most impactful conversations.Jennifer Klein, Professor of Professional Practice at Columbia SIPA and former Director of the White Ho...
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30:26
“AI Will Tell You to Walk Across the English Channel”: Dr. Ticora Jones on Science, Power & Public Trust
“AI will tell you to walk across the English Channel… it’s not intelligent. It is pattern recognition.”NRDC Chief Science Officer Dr. Ticora Jones joins the Scientista Podcast for one of our most candid conversations yet.Dr. Jones...
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27:20
Emmy Award–Winning Meteorologist Amber Sullins on the Art of Science Communication
How do you explain science when people stop believing in facts? Amber Sullins, chief meteorologist at ABC15 Phoenix and a five-time Emmy Award winner, joins Dr. Sweta Chakraborty and Monica Medina to talk about the changing climate of communica...
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29:16
CNN's Juliette Kayyem on the Case for Being “Less Bad” in a World of Constant Crisis
National security isn’t just about borders and threats—it’s about how we prepare, respond, and rebuild. CNN analyst and Harvard professor Juliette Kayyem joins Monica Medina and Dr. Sweta Chakraborty to talk about women in crisis leadership, wh...
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28:05
Jean Oelwang: How Great Leaders Make Others Shine
What do Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, and Mary Robinson have in common? According to Jean Oelwang, the founding CEO of Virgin Unite, it’s not charisma or power—it’s humility. In this episode, Jean shares stories from decades spent alongside the...
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32:57
Jigar Shah: The Clean Energy Industry Needs Its Own “Got Milk?” Campaign
Clean energy is winning on technology—but losing the story. Jigar Shah tells Sweta Chakraborty and Monica Medina why solar, wind, and EVs need the swagger (and budget) of a “Got Milk?” campaign. From plug-in hybrids to nuclear power, he explain...
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42:54
Jennifer Morris: Leading the World’s Largest Environmental Organization
Jennifer Morris, CEO of The Nature Conservancy, joins the Scientista Podcast to share her journey from women’s development projects in Namibia to leading thousands of employees across 80 countries. She discusses how TNC is reimagining ...
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40:15
Leading Kamala Harris’ Presidential Campaign: Lessons from Campaign Manager Julie Chávez Rodriguez
What does it take to manage a presidential campaign? In this episode of the Scientista Podcast, we sit down with Julie Chávez Rodriguez, who served as campaign manager for Vice President Kamala Harris.Julie takes us inside one of the mos...
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34:18
Billie Eilish’s Mom, Maggie Baird, Is Feeding People and Fighting for the Planet
You may know her as Billie Eilish’s mom, but Maggie Baird is also an activist, storyteller, and founder of Support + Feed, a nonprofit tackling hunger, equity, and climate change with plant-based meals. What began as a living room idea during C...
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40:03
Lindsay Levin: How TED Countdown Uses Storytelling to Grow the Climate Movement
Lindsay Levin, Co-Founder of TED Countdown, joins Monica Medina to reflect on how the initiative has grown into a global platform reaching millions. Levin shares how TED Countdown is flipping the climate script — spotlighting solutions, buildin...
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39:21
Helen Mountford: Yes, We’re Still Talking About Gender
“Are we still talking about gender?” Yes—because it’s not solved. Climate leader Helen Mountford sits down with Dr. Sweta Chakraborty and Monica Medina to reveal how women are driving bold climate solutions around the world, why organizations p...
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32:30
Dana R. Fisher: Ignoring Local Organizing Weakens the Climate Movement
Climate shocks are coming — faster, harder, and more often. American University’s Dana R. Fisher explains why the climate movement can’t afford to ignore local organizing, and how community power can drive national change. From disruptive prote...
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38:46
Bernadette Woods Placky: Why Weather Forecasters May Be Our Best Climate Communicators
In this episode of the Scientista Podcast, meteorologist and Climate Central’s VP for Engagement Bernadette Woods Placky explains why local weather forecasters may be the most trusted—and underutilized—climate communicators we h...
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35:59
Best Of: Gina McCarthy on The EPA, the White House, and Public Health
We’re bringing back one of our most popular episodes with Gina McCarthy—former EPA Administrator and the first-ever White House National Climate Advisor.From her early days in local public health to shaping national climate policy at the...
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29:42
Dr. Raj Panjabi: Why Preemptive Health Is the Future and What We Lose If We Stop Investing
What if we could prevent disease before it starts? Dr. Raj Panjabi—former White House Senior Director for Global Health Security—explains how biotech, AI, and early intervention can revolutionize healthcare. But with science under attack and pu...
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42:21