Podcasts "Womanars"

Carlana Stone, author of the acclaimed book “Never Give In, Never Give Up”, was paralyzed in a car accident at age 17. In the blink of an eye, Carlana went from cheerleader and gymnast to paraplegic. Not adhering to the stigma and physical restraints of her injury, Carlana forged ahead.

Carlana has chosen to embrace her wheelchair as a force, rather than a hindrance. In stark contrast to the stereotypes placed on the physically disabled, since her accident Carlana has become a certified scuba diver, learned to pilot airplanes, and enjoys sky diving, sailing and skiing.

Using her “chair” as a “platform” for social change, Carlana has become a strong voice in support of stem cell research. “The possibilities are limitless,” Stone says. “Stem cell research will impact millions of lives. I’m committed to doing all I can to make this promise a reality.”

And she’s not all talk. Carlana’s get-up-and-go philosophy has turned many of her dreams into realities. At 25, Carlana became the first wheelchair-bound reporter for ABC in Miami, featured 5 days a week on the evening news. As the station’s dynamic human-interest reporter, viewers could not help but be influenced by Carlana’s infectious enthusiasm and genuine concern for the people behind the stories she shared during her 2-year tenure on WPLG-TV.

Broadening her scope, Carlana moved to Los Angeles to launch a career in talk shows, producing an array of daytime talk shows, such as Leeza, Judge Judy, and Ben Stein, just to name a few. She then went on to produce and Senior Produce Prime Time Network Specials. Currently, Carlana is the Senior Casting Producer for “Intervention” the award-winning documentary series on A & E.

Carlana is also a highly sought-after International Speaker; delivering keynotes in venues ranging from Britain’s illustrious House of Lords to being highlighted at FAWCO International’s annual convention in Berlin, Germany, to keynoting for one of America’s largest employers, Entertainment Partners, in Los Angeles.

Over the last 2 decades, Carlana has toured a variety of schools here in America and England alike, including world-renowned, TASIS, The American School in England. Her passion is to provide content-rich opportunities, a warm and nurturing environment where diversity is prized. Through her personal struggles, Carlana empathizes with others and can share her unique insight to be a vehicle for empowering children and young adults to believe that ANYTHING IS and CAN BE POSSIBLE.

Carlana is called on regularly to represent and speak on behalf of a number of charities, including Americans for Cures Foundation, the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, and the National Pain Foundation, which honored Carlana as 2007’s Pain Awareness Patient Ambassador of the Year.

Fueled by her own philosophy, “Pay no attention to boundaries,” in 2006, Carlana founded The Courage Community and is using her own experience in the face of adversity to support our veterans as they confront the brutal aftermath of war. Carlana is helping soldiers realize their true potential and achieve their dreams. Carlana states:

“It is my dream and ambition to offer our injured Veterans the hope of a better future, and a richer quality of life. We will be sponsoring initiatives which will provide our service men and women access to resources to address even their most basic needs - programs that have enhanced the quality of my own life in spite of my disability. The sky’s the limit!”

The Courage Community will schedule events, appearances, and targeted awareness campaigns in virtual communities as well as launching grass-roots campaigns in local communities, establishing Courage Community Chapters nationwide, engaging community members to become directly involved in supporting their own hometown heroes.

Following her record-making solo-flight as one of the first female paraplegics in the world to solo-pilot a single-engine aircraft, Carlana was featured on every local LA news affiliate, including, KABC, KNBC, KCBS, KTTV; Carlana was also featured on numerous local and national radio shows including, KABC and KFWB; Carlana has appeared in several articles in a host of national and international flight magazines.

In March, 2008, Carlana was chosen to become one of ten contestants on Oprah Winfrey’s Big Give, airing Sunday nights on ABC. This marked a critical day in history for Carlana, as she became the first paraplegic to appear on a national primetime network reality show. “I applaud Oprah and ABC for their willingness to step outside the box and cast me on the show. It’s an honor to be on an equal, level playing field with the other contestants, and have the onus focused on my ability, not my disability.”

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A veterans’ self-help guide from the United Spinal Association advises all veterans with disabilities how to establish that a current disability or condition is related to military service or existed before military service and was aggravated by such service.

Any claim to the Department of Veterans Affairs for disability compensation must have a valid medical diagnosis of a current disability, medical evidence that the disability had its onset during active military service and medical evidence of a linkage between active military service and the current disability.

The online guide, available at www.unitedspinal.org/publications/vetsfirst/, also provides information about VA pensions for veterans whose disabilities are not related to military service and the circumstances under which such pensions might be available.

Other important VA programs covered in the guide include: benefits for dependents and survivors of veterans; the VA health-care system; appeals of claims for VA compensation and pension; and, getting help from VA-authorized veterans service organizations such as the United Spinal Association.

While this publication contains some information specific to VA benefits for veterans with spinal cord injuries and diseases such as multiple sclerosis and ALS, much of its content is applicable to any veteran of U.S. military service.

The United Spinal Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for all Americans with spinal cord injuries or disorders, especially through its VetsFirst program. For more information, visit www.unitedspinal.org or call (800) 404-2898.

Karen Vonder Meulen is the new Corporate Communications Manager for Rolls Royce North America and shares her automotive career path, aspirations and experience in this enlightening podcast interview.

Karen Vonder Meulen brings more than 15 years of communications and media experience to Rolls-Royce. She joined BMW North America in 1998, where she was the Marketing, Events, Sports and Cultural Communications Manager. In this role she was responsible for media relations and communications strategy for a wide range of projects and initiatives, including the development of the company’s arts and culture program.

In her new position, Vonder Meulen is responsible for Rolls-Royce corporate communications across the United States, Canada and Mexico. She will be located at the company’s North American headquarters at Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Patty is responsible for overall brand management for Shell Rotella^®, Shell Rimula^® and Pennzoil Long-Life^® products. Her duties include managing all advertising, public relations, promotions, tradeshows, research, event marketing and racing sponsorship needs.

Prior to joining Shell, Patty was a Partner and an Account Director on the agency side for Shell’s advertising agency of record working for 10 years on the Shell lubricants business. Patty oversaw strategic and tactical planning, market analysis, budget management, broadcast and print production, promotions, tradeshow marketing, direct marketing and integrated communications.

Patty holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Communications and Journalism from Texas A&M University. She is currently a member of the Houston Advertising Federation.

For more information and consumer tips on oil and gas products go to:

Shell Answer Columns

www.Rotella.com

www.Shell.com

About Shell Lubricants

The term ‘Shell Lubricants’ collectively refers to the companies of the Shell Group engaged in the lubricants business. Shell lubricants companies are global leaders in lubricants and operate in approximately 120 countries worldwide. They manufacture and blend products for use in a range of applications from consumer motoring to food processing and heavy industry to commercial transport. The Shell portfolio of top-quality lubricant brands includes Pennzoil^®, Quaker State^®, FormulaShell^®, Shell Tellus^®, Shell Cassida^®, Shell Rotella^® T, Shell Spirax^® and a portfolio of car care products and Jiffy Lube^® services.

Sarah Draley is the Vice President of Marketing and Acquisitions at Rocket City Automotive Group, Inc.

In 2002, eBay Motors invited Sarah Draley to jump start their “Dealer Assistant” program in the Chicago market. Since then, she has assisted hundreds of dealerships throughout the United States sell vehicles on eBay Motors. In early 2007, her second company, SODAauctions.com, was acquired by the Rocket City Automotive Group, Inc. (RCAU), holding company for CompleteAuto.com. Ms. Draley joined the RocketCity team as Vice President of Marketing and Acquisitions.

Sarah has earned the reputation as an expert on how to buy and sell on eBay Motors. She provides extensive training to dealerships and private parties on how to approach the “world’s largest online marketplace” with confidence and success. Her podcast will give you tips on how to buy, sell, and traverse the online vehicle auction world.

Her tips will help you buy smartly, sell your vehicle safely and gain eBay Motors savvy!

You can visit Complete Auto at www.CompleteAuto.com

You can see Sarah Draley's full bio here .

Mary Aichlmayr is managing editor of Tire Review magazine, a business publication read by more than 30,000 independent tire dealers in North America.

Tire Review is dedicated to the success of tire dealers serving the passenger, commercial, agricultural, specialty and off-the-road tire markets. Mary writes several feature articles for the monthly magazine as well as a regular column that focuses on business operations and management strategy. She also manages the Tire Review Web site.

Mary will be sharing tips on tire safety, including checking your tire pressure and making sure your tread is sufficient. Aren’t those sidewall measurements a mystery? Well, not any longer with Mary’s help. She will tell you how to easily read the sidewall of your tire!

You can visit Tire Review at www.tirereview.com

You can see Mary Aichlmayr's full bio here.

Heather Conary is a founding partner of Illumination Design Creative Services, based out of Orrington, Maine. She also works in communications at Downeast Toyota-Scion-Buick in Brewer, Maine.

Heather is currently attending the University of Maine’s Orono campus, working towards a Bachelors degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing.

Heather has published articles in AutoSuccess Magazine, an automotive trade publication, as well as online at SitePoint and SEOChat as well as AskPatty.com! Heather brings her marketing experience, professional knowledge, and her willingness to learn and adapt to Women's Automotive Association International, and serves us as the Director of Women Dealer Relations.

Heather will share tips on how to make the most of your private=party sale, from the cleaning to the price negotiation. Her tips will take you through the entire process and take the guess work out of selling your car on your own. She will even provide a resource for printable checklists to help you even more!

You can visit ID Communications at www.illuminationdesign.com.

See Heather Conary's full bio here.

Kim Walker is Owner and Marketing Director of Peak Automotive, an independent auto shop in Apex, North Carolina. Recently Peak Automotive was selected by Motor Age Magazine as one of the Top Ten Shops in America and is recognized as “The Most Female Friendly Shop in the Triangle,” which consists of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill.

One of Kim’s favorite quotes is “Those who never risk going too far never know how far they can go.” Kim has taken her career from that of an Elementary School Counselor to becoming fully involved in the day to day operations and marketing of their family business, Peak Automotive.

Kim will share tips and background on pre-purchase inspections. When you are ready to purchase a used vehicle, you should definitely get a pre-purchase inspection on the vehicle. Kim will offer advice on what to do before you buy and what to make sure you to look for before you make a purchasing decision!

Be educated and be safe! Get your pre-purchase inspection!

You can visit Peak Automotive at www.peakautomotive.com .

See Kim Walker's full bio here.

Lori Johnson, Owner and Instructor of Ladies, Start Your Engines!, automotive classes for women, will offer advice and step-by-step guidelines for proper engine fluid maintenance. She will go over oil and coolant and what they do and how to maintain them in order to stretch the life of your vehicle.

Lori has 7 years experience as an automotive technician and a new car service manager for a Honda dealership and has prepared test preparation guides for the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence.

Ms. Johnson holds professional licenses and certifications in a number of areas including Air Conditioning Refrigerant, Pennsylvania Emissions Inspection and Pennsylvania Safety Inspection and is ASE certified. She is a qualified Motorcycle Safety Instructor and is a Pennsylvania State Inspection instructor.

Lori earned a certification in Automotive Technology from Pennco Tech and in Client Server Technology from Penn State University. She has an A.A.S. degree in Automotive Technology and is currently pursuing a B.A. in Women's Studies at Temple University.

To find out more about Lori’s classes, go to www.ladiesstartyourengines.net

Go here for a complete bio on Lori Johnson

Marti Barletta, CEO and Founder of The TrendSight Group, a consultancy specializing in marketing to women, will offer information and tips on how to market and sell to women correctly and successfully. She will bring you insight into the woman's mind during the sales process, as well as share some personal experiences and stories to highlight the most successful sales and marketing techniques for women.

Barletta, author of Marketing to Women, and co-author with Tom Peters of Trends is a recognized authority on building marketing, sales, recruiting and retention results through better communications with women. Her third book, PrimeTime Women: How to Win the Hearts, Minds, and Business of Boomer Big Spenders, which was released in January 2007, focuses on the golden bulls-eye of target marketing, PrimeTime Women™.

Marti's passion is figuring out what women want and showing her clients how to grow their business by boosting their appeal to the world’s biggest spenders, women.

Marti combines gender expertise, marketing experience and a lively sense of humor. I think you’ll agree that she delivers eye-opening insights and practical “how to” pointers that you’ll find enlightening, entertaining and easy to apply.

You can learn more about Marti and Marketing to Women at www.trendsight.com.

Jenny Trostel, President and Owner of Saab of Baltimore (a Female Friendly dealer), will give you tips on financing a vehicle, leasing a vehicle, new car warranties and gap insurance. She will give you pointers on the steps you should take to know what vehicle price is best for you and how to know if you should lease or buy.

When Jenny was learning to drive, her father told her, “if you are going to drive them, you need to know how to fix them.” Jenny spent a summer working on cars and working in the family business. In May, 1999, Jenny opened Hunt Valley Saab with 2 business partners. In October, 2004, Jenny purchased the ownership from her 2 partners and In March 2006, the business changed its name to Saab of Baltimore.

Click here for a complete bio on Jenny Trostel.

Amy Mattinat, author of “How To Buy A Great Used Car”, will give you advice and helpful tips on how to shop for, inspect, test drive, and negotiate the sale of a used car. Amy will provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to create a budget for your purchase and how to factor in insurance and warranties when you are looking for that perfect vehicle.

Amy Mattinat has written both newspaper and magazine columns on automotive repairs, maintenance, car care and safety. After selling used cars for 6 years, she penned her easy-to-use manual, “How To Buy A Great Used Car,” available at www.usedcarexperts.com.

Click here for a complete bio on Amy Mattinat .