Kathy Sullivan Explores

Latest Episodes:

Leadership & Culture Jul 08, 2021

Show notes

Every one of us has personal goals, but we all share similar ways to achieve them. Just like having different takes on everyday events, the tools we use to get to the finish line may not sit well with other people. The kind of attitude that is normal for us - what we use as motivation - may come out as too aggressive or rude to someone else. This is why being a leader involves understanding the culture of those around you. We have to make sure we see their perspective before jumping to conclusions.

In this episode, I share how one training session at the pool taught me a valuable lesson in leadership and culture. I discuss who Rich Clifford was, his status, our goal for that training day, and what he said that made me raise an eyebrow. I discuss the importance of understanding the culture of the people you work with. I also explain why sharing the same purpose is more important than having the same tools to achieve it.

“The key is to understand whether you share the same purpose with that teammate or colleague and you’re just using a different tool to try to get to the same point.” - Kathy Sullivan

This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores:

● How a walk to the swimming pool taught me about leadership and culture

● Who Rich Clifford was and what it was like meeting him for the first time

● Why his self-motivation rubbed me the wrong way

● Why I didn’t think a competitive spur was an ideal way to inspire excellence

● The two tools we all use to accomplish a goal

Spaceship Not Required

I’m Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean.

I’m an explorer, and that doesn’t always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action.

In this podcast, you can explore, reflecting on lessons learned from life so far and from my brilliant and ever-inquisitive guests. We explore together in this very moment from right where you are--spaceship not required.

Welcome to Kathy Sullivan Explores.

Visit my website at kathysullivanexplores.com to sign up for seven astronaut tips to improving your life on earth and be the first to discover future episodes and learn about more exciting adventures ahead!

Don’t forget to leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts!

Spotify I Stitcher I Apple Podcasts I iHeart Radio I TuneIn I Google I Amazon Music.

Diversity, Inclusion & Politics with Yvette McGee Brown Jul 01, 2021

Show notes

Yvette McGree Brown is a Partner at Jones Day, a law practice that provides formidable legal talent with over 2,500 lawyers in 42 offices across five continents. She has 11 years of experience as a jurist, highlighted by her service as a Justice on the Ohio Supreme Court. She specializes in Business and Tort Litigation and Issues and Appeals. Yvette is also Jones Day’s Partner-in-Charge for the firm’s Diversity, Inclusion, and Advancement, where she assists clients with their diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies.

Yvette joins me today to discuss her experience in politics, the wisdom she received from her family, and why what matters most is where you finish in life. She shares her experience of living in a segregated part of the city, what it was like when desegregation orders were being issued, and what she thought equality in schools should have been. She describes what it was like being a Justice and what the election process was like. She explains why she left the courtroom to return to private practice and how she got over the idea that she was no longer a judge. Yvette also shares her thoughts on the current educational system and what she thinks schools should be teaching our children about our country.

\"The one power you have is to vote with your feet. You don’t have to stay some place where you are not respected.\" - Yvette McGee Brown

This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores:

● What it was like growing up in a segregated neighborhood

● Desegregation orders and what she realized about her family when it was mandated for schools

● Yvette\'s experience with talking to a federal judge about the desegregation orders

● The people who influenced Yvette to go into law school

● Yvette\'s thoughts on the number of young people in the prison systems

● Yvette\'s experience as a judge and during the elections

● Why Yvette left her position as judge and how it affected her emotionally

● The importance of family support when it comes to pursuing dreams

● Demanding respect in the corporate world and how leaders earn your loyalty

● Yvette\'s political experience and how it was different over a decade ago

● The day Yvette was sworn in as the first African-American female justice

● How schools should teach students about the government, history, and constitution

Connect with Yvette McGee Brown:

● Jones Day

● Yvette McGee Brown on Twitter

Spaceship Not Required

I’m Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean.

I’m an explorer, and that doesn’t always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action.

Welcome to Kathy Sullivan Explores.

Don’t forget to leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts!

Spotify I Stitcher I Apple Podcasts I iHeart Radio I TuneIn I Google I Amazon Music.

My Crazy Christmas List Jun 24, 2021

Show notes

We all have our quirks and personal interests. Our likes and dislikes are what keeps us unique from the billions of other people on this planet. For the most part, this is fine. People will rarely bat an eye at something harmless or trivial such as enjoying foreign films and music. However, some particular interests and hobbies may not be someone’s cup of tea - especially when you’re five years old and your Christmas wish list has one too many guns.

In this episode, I share what it was like being a five-year-old child with a crazy Christmas list. I describe the one thing I had always wanted when I was five, why it made my teacher uncomfortable, and the lessons that experience taught me. I discuss how my unique childhood interest affected the way I lived my life. I also explain how I coped with those who told me what I should be interested in and how my loving parents supported me through all of it.

“In our house, exploring anything that interested you was perfectly okay - no matter what anyone else might think.” - Kathy Sullivan

This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores:

● Writing down a Christmas list and what I have always wanted as a child

● Why my Christmas wish list included all guns

● How our teacher reacted to my Christmas list

● My passion for exploration and how my family supported me

● How I responded to those who criticized my interests

Spaceship Not Required

I’m Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean.

I’m an explorer, and that doesn’t always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action.

Welcome to Kathy Sullivan Explores.

Don’t forget to leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts!

Spotify I Stitcher I Apple Podcasts I iHeart Radio I TuneIn I Google I Amazon Music.

Mountain Climbing, Deep Ocean Diving & The Purpose of Life with Victor Vescovo Jun 17, 2021

Show notes

Victor Vescovo is the Founder, Chief Executive, and Chief Submersible Pilot at Caladan Oceanic, a private marine research organization. Caladan Oceanic aims to explore the deepest parts of the oceans with the latest technology, and letting the world see just what is at the bottom of our oceans. He is also a Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Insight Equity, a private equity firm that makes control investments aimed at strategically viable, middle-market companies. Before dedicating his life and resources to marine research and exploration, Victor served more than 20 years in the US Navy as an Intelligence Officer and Intelligence Instructor.

Victor joins me today to discuss his experience as the head of a marine research organization, some of his most memorable dives, and the technical aspects of deep-sea exploration. He shares where he gets his passion for marine research and why mountain climbing has a more spiritual feel than diving in a submarine. He explains the effects of plastic waste on bodies of water, the deepest they’ve found plastic and garbage, and our responsibilities as stewards of this planet. He also describes some of his most exciting finds and shares what he thinks is the purpose of life and why he’s no longer interested in the monetary aspect of his research.

“For heaven’s sake, experience your world. You’re not going to be here for long.” - Victor Vescovo

This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores:

● What it was like exploring the Mariana Trench

● What drives Victor\'s passion for exploration

● Victor\'s business side and his interests in finances and the economy

● The similarities and differences between mountain climbing and ocean exploration

● Why it\'s more challenging to explore the ocean than it is to climb a mountain

● The amount of pressure a submersible is experiencing when deep diving

● Why a spherical shape is the best for submersibles

● How Victor assembled his team of researchers for the Hadal expedition

● The struggles of having a professional film crew with their expeditions

● What it means to focus on the problem instead of the people when something goes wrong

● The importance of making a decision, even if it turns out to be the wrong decision

● Victor\'s thoughts on castigating and praising team members in public

● What it\'s like to explore the deepest and darkest parts of the ocean

● Why the Titanic dive was one of Victor\'s most dangerous dives

● How deep can plastic waste go into the sea

● The trenches with the most contaminations in the world

● The trash Victor and his team found in the deepest ocean trenches

● Some of the most interesting structures and animals Victor has seen in his dives

● Why bureaucracies can hinder dives and other explorations

● Giving back as a researcher and philanthropist

● What Victor believes is the purpose of life

● Why Victor thinks people should be more self-sufficient

Connect with Victor Vescovo:

● Caladan Oceanic

● Caladan Oceanic on Instagram

● Caladan Oceanic on Facebook

● Caladan Oceanic on Twitter

● Caladan Oceanic on YouTube

● Victor Vescovo on LinkedIn

Spaceship Not Required

I’m Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean.

I’m an explorer, and that doesn’t always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action.

Welcome to Kathy Sullivan Explores.

Don’t forget to leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts!

Spotify I Stitcher I Apple Podcasts I iHeart Radio I TuneIn I Google I Amazon Music.

Vivid Memories of Viewing Earth Jun 10, 2021

Show notes

It’s one thing to pour over photos of Earth from space but having the opportunity to observe Earth with my own two eyes is something I will always cherish. I want you to know what it was like to witness this event.

In this episode, I share two stories about the most vivid memories I have about being in space and being able to see the Earth. I talk about going on a spacewalk and having to “do a handstand” while looking down as the earth passes by. I also share the experience I felt watching the Earth transition from day to night and knowing that a little girl was watching me somewhere out there and knowing she would be inspired to do great things.

“The odds are only zero if you sit on the sidelines and don\'t try.” - Kathy Sullivan

“Some have wanted to be an astronaut for as long as they can remember. That was a goal they set for themselves at a very young age. I wasn\'t any of those people. I\'d been drawn to the adventurousness of the lives of the early astronauts.” - Kathy Sullivan

This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores:

● Why Kathy felt compelled to become an astronaut

● How Kathy was recorded during a spacewalk

● What it feels like to look down on the Earth while hanging off a spaceship

● Watching the world transition from day to night multiple times in a “day”

● Kathy’s hope that her being in space inspires another little girl

Spaceship Not Required

I’m Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean.

I’m an explorer, and that doesn’t always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action.

Welcome to Kathy Sullivan Explores.

Don’t forget to leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts!

Spotify I Stitcher I Apple Podcasts I iHeart Radio I TuneIn I Google I Amazon Music.

Performing in and Running a Theater Group with Stacie Boord Jun 10, 2021

Show notes

Stacie Boord is the CEO and a featured performer of Columbus\' Shadowbox Live, the nation\'s largest resident theatre ensemble. Recognized for her larger-than-life personality and as a powerhouse rock, blues, and musical theatre vocalist, her career spans over three decades. In addition to appearing in over 10,000 Shadowbox Live performances, her work has been critically acclaimed by local and regional critics alike. In addition to being one of the troupe’s most popular meta-performers, Boord pioneered all the Fundraising, Community Relations, and Education efforts. Boord has spearheaded groundbreaking and nationally recognized arts education programs such as STEM Rocks the Box, The Summer Arts Immersion Program, & The Artistic Sign Language Course with Columbus State Community College.

Today, Stacie joins me to share her life story and explain how she came to run Shadowbox Live. She talks about the role music had in her childhood and how she was initially scared of performing only to audition for her first musical and land the lead role. Stacie shares what it was like working with Stev Guyer, the founder of Shadowbox, and how she learned to run every aspect of the theater. Stacie also opens up about the difficulty of being an artist and how it is not a profession she recommends for many people. She also talks about the youth education programs Shadowbox Live runs and how she helps young performers find their confidence in pursuing theater.

“There\'s so much power in just moving forward. Don\'t stop. Don\'t stop. I mean, you can pause, reassess, maybe change your direction, but you don\'t stop.”

- Stacie Boord

“We\'re all on our own path. Some paths are a lot rockier and a lot hillier than others, and nobody has a smooth path. I don\'t care what they tell you. Nobody has a paved path.”

- Stacie Boord

This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores:

● How Stacie got started performing in theater

● The people in Stacie’s life that helped encourage her to pursue music as a career

● How Stacie learned to run the business side of Shadowbox Live

● The difference between singing operatically and contemporarily

● Why the operatic “story” did not resonate with Stacie

● How Covid changed the work structure for Shadowbox Live

● The artistic practice and why it’s difficult to be an artist

● What Stacie hopes she can do to help aspiring performers

● Stacie’s work with the Maryville Women’s Prison

Mentioned Resources:

· Delivering Happiness, by Tony Hsieh

Connect with Stacie:

· Shadowbox Live

· Shadowbox Live on Facebook

· Shadowbox Live on Instagram

· Creative Mornings

· Getting the Brand Back together

Spaceship Not Required

I’m Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean.

I’m an explorer, and that doesn’t always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action.

Welcome to Kathy Sullivan Explores.

Don’t forget to leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts!

Spotify I Stitcher I Apple Podcasts I iHeart Radio I TuneIn I Google I Amazon Music.

Astronauts as Answering Machines Jun 10, 2021

Show notes

It’s always fun getting to play silly tricks on fellow teammates. Sometimes they get a laugh out of everyone, and sometimes they cause a company phone line to be overloaded with phone calls!

In this episode, I share the story of how my co-astronaut, Sally Ride, decided to play a bit of a joke on mission control during our wake-up call. I share what happened when the joke caused people to call into a mission control landline and eventually crashed it. I also explain how I helped Marc Garneau, the first Canadian in space, to have some fun and show a bit of Canadian pride.

“I\'m a rookie. I\'m not playing jokes like that anytime soon. Lest it cost me the opportunity to fly again.” - Kathy Sullivan

“We learned later that the phone lines in mission control crashed completely within about two minutes of his doing that as people raced to call in and see if they could actually talk to John or maybe even get patched through and talk to the space shuttle.” - Kathy Sullivan

This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores:

● The wake-up routine during a mission in space

● A prank game between astronauts and mission control

● How a mission control landline crashed

● How I helped the first Canadian in space, Marc Garneau, share some Canadian pride

Spaceship Not Required

I’m Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean.

I’m an explorer, and that doesn’t always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action.

Welcome to Kathy Sullivan Explores.

Don’t forget to leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts!

Spotify I Stitcher I Apple Podcasts I iHeart Radio I TuneIn I Google I Amazon Music.

Children, Writing, and Elephants with Kim Frank Jun 10, 2021

Show notes

Kim Frank is an adventurer, writer, and storyteller. She is constantly terrified of almost everything but never lets her fear stop her from going any less than all the way.

Today, she shares her story. She talks about her parents’ first attempt to buy a house and the struggle to realize that she was intelligent. She shares how her experience working in a daycare led her to study the policy of early childhood education. She muses on the experience of adopting a baby and explains why she doesn’t regret leaving her career to raise her child. She talks about the process of learning to write and shares the story of when she met Anthony Doerr, author of All the Light We Cannot See. She shares her experience with the elephants in India and the urgency of their situation.

“For me, exploration is just neater and sweeter when I can write about it.”

- Kim Frank

“I don’t do things in small letters.”

- Kim Frank

This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores:

● Kim’s struggle to realize she was intelligent

● Why Kim loves archery

● The experience of adopting a baby

● Why Kim dropped her career to raise her child

● The process of learning to write

Spaceship Not Required

I’m Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean.

I’m an explorer, and that doesn’t always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action.

Welcome to Kathy Sullivan Explores.

Visit my website at kathysullivanexplores.com to sign up for seven astronaut tips to improving your life on earth, and be the first to discover future episodes and learn about more exciting adventures ahead!

Don’t forget to leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts!

Spotify I Stitcher I Apple Podcasts I iHeart Radio I TuneIn I Google I Amazon Music

Being Scolded by the Royal Air Force Jun 10, 2021

Show notes

On October 5, 1984, after much preparation, I launched for the first time. Only two of the training preparations had run smoothly, so I was nervous.

Today, I talk about that flight. I share the experience of taking off and of seeing the earth from above. I also tell the funny story of how, when flying over London, we accidentally barged in on the Royal Air Force’s frequency, but were over Africa by the time we came up with a good response for the man who angrily scolded us.

“The first two and a half minutes of the shuttle launch were more like being in an earthquake than anything smooth: a lot of shake, rattle, and roll, the very turbulent burning of the solid rock that’s pushing you off the planet.”

- Kathy Sullivan

“We had started eight and a half minutes earlier bolted to the ground in Florida, and we were now essentially over England.”

- Kathy Sullivan

This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores:

● The experience of taking off

● Looking down on the earth

● A humorous story

Spaceship Not Required

I’m Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean.

I’m an explorer, and that doesn’t always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action.

Welcome to Kathy Sullivan Explores.

Don’t forget to leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts!

Spotify I Stitcher I Apple Podcasts I iHeart Radio I TuneIn I Google I Amazon Music

From Rodeo Queen to Marine Biologist with Emily Newton Jun 10, 2021

Show notes

Emily Newton is a marine biologist who grew up spending most of her time on a horse in the mountains of central Oregon. She discovered the fusion of scuba and science while pursuing her undergraduate degree and has parlayed this fusion into research and her work as an undersea specialist with Lindblad Expeditions.

Today, Emily joins me to talk about what has led her to where she is today. She shares her experience as a rodeo queen and how she pivoted from horse-related activities to marine science. She discusses how she overcame a bad scuba diving experience and stresses the importance of determination. She talks about how she got her job at Lindblad and explains why it’s okay not to know everything. She talks about Antarctica and shares some of her plans for the future.

“People are just curious, just like me, and they just want to know what you know.”

- Emily Newton

“Nature is so powerful in how it affects each of us, I think, and all you need is the opportunity to feel that and to experience that.”

- Emily Newton

This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores:

● Being a rodeo queen

● The roots of Emily’s interest in marine science

● Emily’s experience scuba diving

● The importance of letting people know without shame when you don’t know the answer to a question

● Emily’s plans for the future

Spaceship Not Required

I’m Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean.

I’m an explorer, and that doesn’t always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action.

Welcome to Kathy Sullivan Explores.

Don’t forget to leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts!

Spotify I Stitcher I Apple Podcasts I iHeart Radio I TuneIn I Google I Amazon Music