Tomgirl With Jj Jurgens

"I’m making stuff that fills my soul." – Brittany Scott Smith Brittany Scott Smith is a director, producer, and writer who has worked on numerous projects including The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore, A Black Lady Sketch Show, Hello Jack: The Kindness Show, the film All I Didn’t Want for Christmas, and many more.  She won an Emmy for her directorial work on the beloved show Sesame Street and just recently released her first children’s book Wes &Morris Meet Mr. Buck.  On this episode, Brittany talks about working her way up the ladder in the entertainment industry and how she found a way to navigate her own path, the importance of raising your hand and asking for what you want in your career, and how motherhood elevated her game and gave her a new creative superpower that she uses in her artistic endeavors. She also gives insight into the lessons she’s learned working on various projects and gives advice to those interested in pursuing a career in directing, producing, or writing-or all three-that being o

"I teach women how to show up better online by learning how to create and take control of their own content creation." - Rebecca Sanabria Rebecca Sanabria is using her creative superpowers to lift up women everywhere.  As a visual content creator and photographer, she works with women entrepreneurs to dream up fun ways to tell their stories in unique ways and bring their brands to life.  She teaches them how to show up better in their photos and how to start having more fun and confidence in their marketing.  Her extraordinary photos have also been featured on the cover of People magazine, in the LA Times, Fortune, Variety, Good Housekeeping and in Tiffany Thiessen’s two cookbooks, Pull Up a Chair and Here We Go Again.   On this episode, Rebecca will share her journey from actor in front of the camera to finding her passion and love for working behind the lens.  She’ll share tips for taking better photos, creating and controlling your content, what apps will help raise your posting game, and how to

“I am who I am because of all the sports that I’ve done and it’s always been a big part of my life.” - Renee Saunders  At the University of Nebraska Renee Saunders was a two-sport Division I athlete playing both volleyball and basketball and brought home a volleyball National Championship.  At Skutt High School, she is a teacher and coach and has brought home nine Nebraska high school state volleyball championships.  As a sports broadcaster she provided color commentary for the Omaha Supernovas as they brought home the first Pro Volleyball Federation title. In 2017, she was inducted into the Nebraska Athletic Hall of Fame and is the only person to receive both Nebraska Athlete of the Year and Coach of the Year honors in the state. She owns the championship mentality. On this episode, Renee talks about the lessons she has learned through playing sports, shares insights into her coaching strategies, and talks about stepping into the unknown and facing the challenges of sports broadcasting. She also talks about

“We only become what we know so giving more representation and giving women more voices and stories really shows these girls all the paths that are possible to them.” - Erin Brown  Erin Brown is making a difference in the lives of girls across the world.  She’s the Executive Director of Inspiring Girls USA, a non-profit organization with a mission to raise girls’ aspirations and break down gender stereotypes by introducing girls to incredible role models and engaging them in meaningful conversations about their future. Through their events, workshops, and online video hub, they are introducing girls to the full variety of careers and options available to them and inspiring them to aim high. On this episode, Erin talks in-depth about the organization, her role, and all the opportunities they are creating for girls.  She also talks about her personal journey from growing up in a small town in Nebraska to following her adventurous spirit, studying and volunteering abroad.  Erin’s passion and enthusiasm for Ins

“I’m just singing about stuff I know about. It’s all honest and it’s all real.” -Owen Riegling  A small town kid from Mildmay, Ontario is growing up to become one of country music’s hottest rising stars. Owen Riegling has been named a Spotify Hot Country Artist to Watch as well as one of Amazon Canada’s Breakthrough Artists to watch.  He has toured alongside Tyler Hubbard and Chase Rice and played at the NHL All-Star Skills Competition (a dream come true after growing up dreaming of playing in the NHL). His hit single, “Old Dirt Roads,” is resonating with fans everywhere who relate to his downhome vibe and humble lyrics.   In this episode, Owen talks about his music journey, his approach to writing lyrics, the importance of the support from his hometown, and his love of ice fishing. He also gives an incredible acoustic performance of a couple of his favorite songs! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tomgirltv/support

“I have two styles, full glam and dirty.” - Angela Rickerson  On this episode, we’re talking cocktails and off-roading with Angela Rickerson. Angela is the bar manager at one of Seattle’s top restaurants, Copine, a Top 5 finisher for the coveted James Beard Outstanding Restaurant award in 2023. When she’s not creating delicious drinks, you can find her exploring the outdoors and tackling rugged terrain in her Jeep, Ronda Rhino. A massive contributor to the women’s off-road community, Angela leads other females on adventures and enjoys fostering female empowerment and strength. She’ll also be competing in this year’s Rebelle Rally. Tune in as she shares tips on making her favorite cocktails and mocktails, discusses being a female in a male dominated field, and gives insight to the fun and adventurous world of off-roading! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tomgirltv/support

“I’m trying to keep the spirit of those original rowdy fans alive, that’s what I’m about.” – Lynn “Weirdwolf” Schmidt Super Bowl Sunday is almost here and to get you fired up for the big game is one of the most iconic members of Kansas City’s wolfpack, Lynn “Weirdwolf” Schmidt!  For twenty-four seasons, Lynn has been dressing up as Weirdwolf for Kansas City Chiefs games and encouraging fans to get rowdy! He even coined the phrase “Decibel Up” which led to the fans setting the Guinness World Record title for the world’s loudest stadium at 142.2 decibels. In 2002, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as the ultimate fan for that year. Last season, he attended the Super Bowl and cheered his team on to victory, even appearing in Apple Music’s commercial for Rihanna’s halftime show. In this episode, he’ll talk about his journey with the Chiefs and their fans, give a look inside his gameday activities, and give advice to anyone out there dreaming of becoming the ultimate fan for their favorite team.

“We feel like we’re a special breed of women. We’re yes women, we’re risk takers, we’re people with special hobbies and just maybe a little bit more grit and badassery.” – Team 102  They’re baaaack! Fresh off competing in the 2023 Rebelle Rally, Jolene Bibian and Adriana Dorothy are here to tell us all about their epic adventure!  The Rebelle Rally is the longest competitive off-road race in the United States, which also happens to be just for women. Sixty-five teams competed over eight days, traveling over 2,120 kilometers, through two states with no GPS, no cell phones, and no support crews. With Jolene as the driver and Adriana as the navigator, they made up rookie Team 102: Pivot & Persist, and they learned how to do just that over the grueling endurance competition. In this episode they’ll discuss their training and preparation for the event as well as share their experiences, from the highs to the lows, to the unexpected discoveries along the way.  They’ll also talk about how the Rally has changed t

“I’ve always been able to be very truthful with myself when I write, and it’s been this safe, nurturing space for me.” Nicole Sophia Santa Barbara native Nicole Sophia has been writing songs since she was nine years old.  It was during the pandemic however, after hours of writing songs in a shed, that she discovered it was really her true calling and the passion she wanted to pursue for her career. Now, she just signed with Voracious Records and has her first album, Reveal Your Heart, releasing on January 12th. In this episode, Nicole talks about her career, her life-long battle with severe OCD, and her journey to define her sexuality.  She openly dives into the raw emotion and vulnerability behind her song lyrics and talks about navigating love and learning how to show up as her authentic self. She also discusses methods she uses to help manage her OCD and offers advice to others.  For anyone looking to travel to Santa Barbara, you also won’t want to miss her insider tips for all the must dos!

“Sometimes you have to stretch and dream bigger than you can even imagine to accomplish the things that you want to in your life.”– Brenda VanLengen Brenda VanLengen is an Emmy-award winning sports broadcaster who has announced over 1200 women’s basketball games in her career. She’s worked for conferences such as the Big 12, SEC and Big 10 and for major outlets including ESPN and Fox Sports. Prior to broadcasting she coached at the University of Nebraska and was a former college athlete herself, playing basketball at Kearney State College. Now, she’s executive producer of the docuseries, If Not For Them, an epic story of the forgotten women who changed the world through their love of basketball.  The docuseries dives into the history of women’s basketball and uncovers many great historical facts and entertaining stories, told through the eyes of the legendary women who lived them. In this episode, Brenda talks about the making of the docuseries and shares the incredible stories she discovered in the process.

“’Let’s do this journey in a beautiful way.” – Suzana Pires  Suzana Pires is an award-winning actress, writer, producer, entrepreneur, author, and champion for women. She created the women’s empowerment organization Dona de Si in Brazil with an aim to increase the number of women leaders in all sectors of the Brazilian economy and create a place for women to cultivate the life they deserved. Now, she is expanding her reach globally to help women worldwide uncover their inner power with her new book, Unleashed. The book guides readers toward a path of personal growth and is a call to action to take control of your own destiny and create your own opportunities. Suzana is one of the most celebrated and respected actresses in Brazil as well as Brazil’s first actress to also serve as a showrunner. She has starred in dozens of films, TV series, and plays.  In addition to acting, she has been a featured contributor for Marie Claire Brazil, Vogue Brazil, and Forbes Brazil. In this episode, Suzana gives us all the

“If you have a dream you have to say, ‘I’m going to do it’.” – Natalie Burn   Natalie Burn was born in Kyiv, Ukraine and from a young age, dreamed of being a movie star.  She spent her childhood devoted to dance and became a professional ballerina who trained with the Royal Ballet School and performed with the Bolshoi Ballet.  But the acting bug kept biting, so she bought a one-way ticket to Los Angeles to pursue her dream.  Now, with numerous films and acting projects under her belt, she can be seen starring in the just released action-packed indie film TIL DEATH DO US PART. Natalie portrays a runaway bride who ends up having to fight off angry groomsmen to survive, a role that demanded an intense amount of physicality and Natalie impressively does all her own stunts. Natalie is also a producer for the film and has her own production company BORN TO BURN films. In this episode, Natalie talks about the film and the training required to perform all those killer stunts, the lessons she learned from ballet and

“I cannot stop creating, wandering, or loving the natural world.” – Adele NG For over 15 years, Adele NG worked in the entertainment industry creating visual effects for projects like blockbuster Marvel films, Disney movies, and television shows.  But after years of putting in long hours at the office, adventure came calling.  She decided to answer the call and gave up her job to pursue her passion for photography and the outdoors. She created her business, Red Bark Photography and began capturing epic pictures of people, their pets, and nature. Now a social media sensation with her @mywhiskeygirl Instagram account, Adele invites followers to come along on her adventures as she explores mountains, lakes, and trails with her two beloved Vizslas, Whiskey and Bourbon. In this episode, Adele talks about her journey to discovering her passion, offers advice on how you can turn your furry best friend into a rockstar adventure buddy, and gives tips on some of the best adventure dog gear out there. She also discusse

“No one’s path is going to be your path, my path, his path, so find your own and just stick with it.” – Kearran Giovanni  Kearran Giovanni originally planned on becoming a doctor. But, after falling in love with acting her path changed and she found herself on Broadway.  She starred in numerous productions like Sweet Charity (opposite Christina Applegate), On Broadway (with Hugh Jackman), Tarzan, Catch Me If You Can, and Anything Goes. She then made her way to television and has gotten to play a variety of roles ranging from a detective to a supervillain. Her credits include Major Crimes, The Rookie, Black Lightning, Designated Survivor and many more. She currently can be seen in the CW hit series Walker.  As a kid, she grew up dancing and competing in gymnastics. Now, she brings that athleticism and competitive nature to her roles, performing her own stunts whenever she can.  In this episode, she discusses her various roles, how she uses the lessons she learned from sports in her profession, gives advice to

“I live for this. I just am a dirt gremlin. I love to be out in the desert. I love to be behind the wheel. I love maps and compasses and getting from point A to point B.” – Adriana Stovall Adriana Stovall is an environmental scientist, off-roader, surfer, snowboarder, dispersed camper, and solo backpacker. She is also a member of Team Pivot + Persist and is competing in this year’s Rebelle Rally, the longest competitive off-road race in the United States that just happens to be entirely for women. Adriana’s enthusiasm for the outdoors began after giving birth to her son who has been “a whirlwind of dirt and boogers since the day he popped out of the womb.”  Adriana quickly realized the outdoors was the only place her kid belonged, and so the adventures began.  Her love for the outdoors has grown and grown and now she is also using her voice to encourage women and women of color to embrace the outdoors and start exploring. In this episode, she’ll talk about her preparation for the Rebelle Rally, some of her

“Women rule. We can compete on a bigger stage than we think.” - Rachel Entrekin   Rachel Entrekin is an ultra runner who has competed in marathons, fixed time ultras and standard race ultras, bringing home numerous first female finishes as well as a first outright finish at the Plain 100, beating all the boys as well.  She also holds FKTs (Fastest Known Time) on numerous trails including the Wonderland Trail, Rae Lakes Loop, and theTrans-Catalina Trail. She loves smashing stereotypes about women in endurance sports and crushing these epic runs. In this episode, Rachel talks about discovering her passion for running after seeking treatment for an eating disorder in high school, gives tips on how to mentally and physically endure long runs, and shares her favorite trail run destinations for getting lost in nature. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tomgirltv/support

“Do the work and then believe in yourself and let it go.” – Julie Tolivar   Julie Tolivar is multi-hyphenate performer whose recent credits include the new FX series Fleishman is in Trouble and the hit NBC series Law & Order: Organized Crime.  She began her acting career at an early age in the theatre and has performed in numerous on and off-Broadway shows, even winning the prestigious Kevin Kline award for Best Actress in a Musical for her work in Crazy for You. In this episode she’ll talk about what it was like working on Fleishman is in Trouble alongside Jesse Eisenberg, her acting journey, lessons she learned along the way, and offer advice to aspiring actors. She’ll also talk about balancing motherhood and her career, and her philanthropy work with Women to the Front, an organization that does fundraising for small nonprofits that support women. Fun fact, she’s also a self-proclaimed lover of boats and oysters! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/tomgirltv/support

“I want women to have that same feeling I have when I show up to the Rubicon trail and show up those assholes who think I can’t do it. I want other women to have that feeling. I want them to move from the passenger’s seat to the driver’s seat and have their boyfriend ride shotgun.” – Shelby Hall Shelby Hall is an off roader, driver, adventurer, Team Bronco Ambassador, and rising star in the racing world. The granddaughter of Baja racing legend Rod Hall, Shelby started out as a little girl helping her grandfather as his navigator. But once she was big enough to drive on her own, it was on!  She has competed in numerous endurance races including The Baja 1000 and the Rebelle Rally, which she won in 2020. Shelby is a huge advocate for women and getting more women behind the wheel. She works as a trainer for Rebelle U and Overland Expo helping women gain driving knowledge and fuel their passion for off road adventure. In this episode, Shelby talks about her journey, leaving a 9 to 5 to follow her dreams, and

“I like to go at things that make me scared.“ – Virginia Hamilton Virginia Hamilton is a voiceover rockstar. Currently she can be heard on The View, Windy City LIVE, and on over 20+ news stations across the country. As the live announcer for some of the biggest events in sports and entertainment, including the ESPYs and the On The Red Carpet show for the Oscars, she has been breaking down barriers for women in the voiceover world. In this episode, Virginia will talk about her voiceover journey, the importance of advocating for yourself and asking for opportunities, and give tips on building a successful voiceover business. She’ll also share some of her favorite adventures such as surfing in Costa Rica and swimming with sharks! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/tomgirltv/support

“I’ll do anything to get to do this the rest of my life“ – Josh Ross Josh Ross grew up an athlete, competing in hockey, football, and professional motocross. He received a scholarship to play football in college at Western University and dreamed of playing in the CFL. But after he found himself on the sidelines due to injuries, country music found its way into his heart. He poured that passion and dedication he had for sports into becoming a country music singer. Now, his songs have generated over 29 million global streams. His Gold-certified ballad “First Taste of Gone” soared onto the Top 5 Canadian Country Music Charts, he’s been on Spotify’s top country playlists in the US and #1 on Spotify Canada’s Viral 50 Chart, and was nominated for the Rising Star Award at the Canadian Country Music Awards. He also just performed at the Grey Cup Halftime Show alongside Jordan Davis and Tyler Hubbard. In this episode, Josh talks about discovering his passion for country music, his journey to becoming one of country mu