Your Mom™

If laughter really is the best medicine, please sit back and allow this conversation between Lisa McCaffrey and her former Stanford soccer teammate Julie Foudy cure whatever ails you.

Foudy is a two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist, but the Hall of Famer's ability to effortlessly roast her old pal with stories from their playing days is almost as impressive as anything she accomplished on the pitch.

Speaking of which, Foudy has some poignant reflections on what the United States' first Women's World Cup win in 1999 did for the sport [15:45]. But she also wonders why that watershed moment didn't catapult the growth of and investment in women's soccer at a faster rate.

Foudy gives a great primer on the upcoming 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup that kicks off next month in Australia and New Zealand [24:50]. Hear her describe the challenges the US Women's National Team will face as they try to make World Cup history with a three-peat.

And as a mom of two teenagers who play soccer and basketball, Foudy has the perfect parenting advice for anyone navigating the youth sports scene [33:33].

Please do yourself a favor and after you're done listening, go subscribe to her podcast, Laughter Permitted. We also highly recommend her book, "Choose to Matter: Being Courageously and Fabulously YOU".

A huge thank you to Julie Foudy for continuing to be courageously and fabulously HER, and helping so many young (and old) people along the way.

You can watch this episode on our YouTube channel.

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Join Ashley and Lisa on this episode of Your MomTM as they fulfill their dream of interviewing one of the most influential moms on their bucket list. Pamela Morgan, the mother of world-renowned soccer player Alex Morgan, takes the spotlight.

Alex Morgan was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People of 2019 and 2022, and her resume speaks for itself. She heads into her third World Cup as one of the most prolific goal scorers in U.S. soccer history. She set a unique record this past February for the most goals scored as a mom in the UWSNT.

But as you will learn through this conversation with Alex's mom, there's so much more to her story. Pam shares insights into what it was like raising Alex, offering a glimpse into her childhood [7:15]. Discover why Alex was a coach's dream and the qualities that set her apart [9:50]. Pam also opens up about the impact of Alex's global success on their family dynamic [12:00], her parenting philosophy [20:00], and why Alex chose to play soccer at Cal [21:30].

Pam shares the thing she's most proud of her daughter for and what she believes her lasting legacy will be [38:55]. She also gives an honest assessment of what she would do differently in her motherhood journey if she could go back and do it all again [48:00].

Alex Morgan has affectionately referred to her mom as Wonder Woman, and after you listen to this episode you'll understand why. Enjoy another remarkable story of motherhood, love, and success.

The US Women's National Team opens up the FIFA World Cup on July 21st in New Zealand, where they will face Vietnam.

A reminder that you can watch this episode on on YouTube Channel, thanks as always for being on this journey with us!

https://youtu.be/Nf1XZbWoph0

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Lisa's unending journey for healthy living recently led her to discover Fountain Life, a company dedicated to revolutionizing the healthcare system in order to help people live longer and improve disease detection.

It's a lofty mission and one that our guest, Fountain Life's Chief Medical and Science Officer Dr. Helen Messier, says is fundamental to the future of medicine.

According to the American Cancer Society about 70% of all cancer deaths come from cancers for which there are currently no proven screening tests. So imagine if we could consistently find cancer at stage zero when it's most easily cured? Fountain Life claims their data-driven approach enables them to find cancer, cardiac, metabolic, and neurodegenerative disease early, before they can cause harm.

Dr. Messier received a Bachelor of Science and a PhD in Molecular Immunology from the University of Alberta. She completed post-doctoral studies at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology in San Diego, CA and received her MD from the University of Calgary. She’s board certified in family medicine. In addition to leading the company’s clinical and scientific programs, Dr. Messier will establish Fountain Life University to train Fountain Life certified practitioners and lead the effort to gain insights and publish findings from Fountain Life’s vast amount of data. In addition to being related to the Hall of Fame hockey player Mark Messier, she found out on this episode that she's about to be related to the McCaffreys. Listen on for an informative conversation about a critical topic, which ends with a fun reveal.

To learn more about Fountain Life's mission, offerings, and locations, visit their website.

A reminder that you can watch this episode on our YouTube channel. Thanks as always for listening!

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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].

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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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We’re still processing the Super Bowl, but in the meantime, we wanted to share an awesome conversation from Radio Row last week in Las Vegas.

Ashley had the chance to sit down with her longtime friend Christina Mack for a conversation that touched on everything from the health benefits of team sports to letting go of “mom guilt” to the power of female friendships.

Christina is the Chief Science Officer at global healthcare company IQVIA, and a lead sports science researcher for the NFL and NBA, or as Ashley often explains it, “she has a badass job.”

A highly respected voice in the professional sports industry, she frequently presents to owners on injuries, concussions, and the safety of the game. She’s also an advocate for women in STEM, a mom of three awesome kids, and a superlative scavenger-hunt-maker.

This may be one of our shorter episodes, but it’s chock full of incredible insights about being a parent, a professional, and a friend.

Thanks as always for listening, please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! And a reminder you can watch this episode on our YouTube channel.

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

See you next week!

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