Ep. 56: Niners' reporter Kate Rooney joins Your Mom™

12/19/23 • 53 min

Our first guest for season two is YourMomTM’s biggest fan: Kate Rooney, a sports anchor for KRON4 in San Francisco and mom of two adorable kiddos: Harlow and Brady.

Kate and Ashley forged a tight bond over a decade ago during the launch of the Pac-12 Network. While Kate’s sports broadcasting career might have begun because of a hiring mix-up (full story on the pod), she’s proven that she’s a formidable talent in the field. As the host of the weekly 49ers show, “The Red and Gold Zone,” she frequently interviews Christian and was able to confirm Lisa’s allegation that he is, in fact, “a huge nerd.”

Brimming with humor and heart, our conversation with Kate touches on a wide range of topics, from the fellowship of women in the sports industry to breast-pumping in the Niners’ media room to the best karaoke song for any occasion. Come for the football scoop and stay for Kate’s Bing Crosby inspired rendition of “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”

Thanks as always for listening, please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!

Questions, comments or feedback? Email: [email protected].

You can watch this episode on YouTube by clicking here.

Previous Episode

Ep. 55: Your Story with Betsy Bloom & what teachers want parents to know

We’re thrilled to introduce you to our executive producer, Betsy Bloom. Everyone agrees that Betsy Bloom has a name made for showbiz, so it’s only natural that she join us in front of the mic in addition to her work behind the scenes.

While Ashley and Betsy first met via their husbands (Ashley’s husband’s Chris is best friends with Betsy’s husband Mac), they quickly forged their own love affair. Ashley recalls first falling in love with Betsy when she heard Betsy recite her vows on her wedding day; while Ashley wasn’t the intended recipient of the vows, Betsy is glad they landed with such a receptive listener.

As Ashley began to brainstorm starting a storytelling company, she found herself wanting to talk through the idea with Betsy. Meanwhile, Betsy was struggling with post-pandemic teacher burnout and looking for a different creative outlet. When Ashley called to discuss working together, Betsy interpreted it as a sign from above and jumped at the opportunity. The two have been collaborating and swapping stories ever since.

Join Betsy and Ashley as they discuss the cathartic power of storytelling, interactions with online trolls, and what teachers wish parents understood about kids. Stick around until the end to hear their contingency plan should their husbands decide to run off together.

Thanks as always for listening, please rate and subscribe wherever you listen and if you'd like to watch this episode on YouTube please click here.

As always, please send any comments or feedback to [email protected].

More about Betsy Bloom:

As an only child with an active imagination, Betsy spent much of her time reading and inventing stories. In middle school, she was an inaugural member of the club “Spin-A-Storytellers”, and she still has the t-shirt to prove it. Her love of language continued through her time at Colgate University, where she earned a B.A, and after graduating, Betsy worked in book publishing, where she engaged with literature in a new way, working directly with authors (meeting Judy Blume remains a career highlight).

Betsy left publishing to earn a Masters in Literature from Middlebury’s Bread Loaf College of English, where she spent four summers studying stories, writing essays, and consuming obscene amounts of Vermont cheddar; she also met her husband through the program.

While earning her degree, Betsy made a career transition into teaching English; seven years later, it remains her most challenging and rewarding professional experience to date. Betsy and her husband reside in Buffalo NY, (Go Bills) where they are currently renovating a hundred-year-old home, binging The Great British Bake Off, and testing the area’s best wings.

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Next Episode

Ep. 57: Tis’ the season for…mixed emotions

Tis’ the season for...mixed emotions

We’re trying to be present, while rushing to buy all the presents.

We’re treasuring moments of togetherness, while wishing for just.one.minute of alone time.

And we’re looking forward to a new year, while reflecting on the regrets of the past.

In today’s episode Ashley Adamson and Chantal Below delve into the pangs of regret and sadness that tend to surface this time of year. Rather than packing them away with the ugly ornaments, Chantal encourages us to hold space for uncomfortable feelings: “We have a tendency to lean into joy and skim over the negative emotions: resentment, regret, sadness, shame, embarrassment. And yet they live in us if we don’t let them live through us.”

Chantal’s superpower lies in her ability to reframe narratives that don’t serve us. In this instance, she encourages us to consider the upside of regret. How might regret be an opportunity for reflection? How might we grant compassion to our former selves, who were often doing the best they could with the decisions they had?

Amidst the holiday hustle and bustle, take 45 minutes for yourself to listen to this inspiring conversation. You won’t regret it.

If you’re interested in delving deeper, here are the awesome resources we mentioned in the episode:

Wishing you a peaceful, bustling, joyful, contemplative, frivolous, and fulfilling holiday season!

Pro tip: it’s not too late to buy your mom something other than a robe.

More about Chantal Below: Chantal moved from the US to England in third grade. She never developed a love of cricket, but did develop a fascination with humanity, unconsciously examining how different cultures and beliefs expand or limit our choices.

After graduating from Georgetown University, she started her career as a 4th grade teacher with Teach For America, hoping to expand choices for too-often marginalized children in low-income schools. She loved the energy of the kids and the vibrancy of the community, but no one really wanted her teaching long division.

Since then, she’s been exploring the many dimensions of the human condition while avoiding math. She worked for years in the education non-profit world leading teams and developing leadership development programs. Then, she ventured out on her own and started Redcliff Coaching, Inc. She supports leaders in all industries - with clients at Google, Homeless Prenatal Program, and to get out of their own way and live and lead in the way they most want.

She also attempts to parent three kids who are curious, compassionate, hysterical, and only vaguely pay attention to her advice. She lives in Oakland, CA.

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