The Shining Beautiful Series Podcast
Listen to this podcast and discover the power of "Shining Beautiful" in life and in your community. Mikelle is perhaps the only non-verbal podcaster in the world. How does she do it? With technology. Meet Mikelle, who experiences cerebral palsy, her mother, Katherine Carol, and Gretchen Storm, speech therapist, and assistive technology guru. Together they talk about everyday life with a disability, how technology empowers people with disabilities to own their lives. This sassy team of coffee drinking techies interview technology and rehabilitation experts as they sit around the kitchen table at Mikelle's home.
- Update frequency
- every 19 days
- Average duration
- 25 minutes
- Episodes
- 143
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2025
The Gift Lives On
Some people change the course of our lives. In this episode, we pay tribute to the quiet pioneer in special education who changed the lives of Katherine and Mikelle forever. This pioneer is Katheine'…
Let's Talk Advocacy!
The more we think about advocacy, it seems to us that we are in a time of NextGen Advocacy as schools undergo some dramatic changes. Still, some old-school strategies may play well in this new world…
Saying Goodbye to Liz (after 8 years)
From 21 to 29 years old, Liz has been a mainstay at the Shining Beautiful household. It is a bittersweet moment of celebration of friendship, loyalty, and sisterhood. One of the most difficult exper…
It is New Wheelchair Time!
When the controls no longer work, the batteries won't charge, and the seat just isn't comfortable enough, it could be time for a new wheelchair.
In this episode, Mikelle, Maryann, and Katherine shar…
Futures Planning is Better with Friends & Coffee
What do friends, floods, and futures have in common?
February! While these events all happened during the month of love, they are not exclusive to a time period. Although most of the floods we have…
Jenny Seigle, Sports Media Producer and Advocate. Breaking the Glass Ceiling.
This small woman is doing big things in the Colorado sports world. As a sports media producer for ##AltitudeSports. In her job, she works with the #DenverBroncos, the #ColoradoAvalanche, and the #Den…
A Slow Leaving. Let the transition begin.
Happy New Year!
Let's face it. Mikelle turns forty this year, and Katherine had her major milestone senior citizen birthday last year. As successful as our partnership has been, it does have an expir…
Season"s Greetings!From
From our hearts to yours, we wish you the happiest of holiday seasons.
Peace, love, and shining beautiful always and in all ways!
See you next year!
Mom Moment. Should We Start a Co-op?
Succession planning is on our minds daily. In this follow-up episode, Katherine details her lunch meeting with several other mothers who share her concerns. It was a meeting of the moms minds. Ever…
Mom Moment! Mothers Gather to Ask Who Will Replace Us?
A Quick Mom Moment! This Saturday, the coffee will brew, and the moms who met when our children were in elementary school will gather not to discuss school strategies or setting up our children for e…
How to Make the Holidays Work for You!
Double the fun...triple the work? The holidays for a family with a differently abled family member can be full of love and stairs, staff taking vacation time, extra work and shopping, etc.
Mikelle,…
Election Day Jitters. Will we be ok?
Listeners, thank you for listening to Katherine's rather raw thoughts on today's election. Katherine articulates one family's concerns about the future and her ideas on negotiating the changing lan…
It is STILL Scary! Teacher/Para Shortages
Happy Halloween!
It is October, and the realities of teacher shortages are frightening. The hard work and best intentions of providing a good education might fall short due to staffing shortages. I…
Innovate for Change in a Post Covid World
Meet Shaun Woods from WISE (GoWise,org) in Washington State. Shaun and his organization are dynamic innovators. During COVID, WISE pivoted faster than most organizations using this chaotic time to …
Our Thoughts on Balance. Three Perspectives on Staying Grounded in Turbulent Times
Balancing during these times of constant change is challenging. Long-term planning is less predictable than in the past. The team at Shining Beautiful is navigating the increasing pace of change by…
Summer Fun. Can it be an Essential Part of Transition Planning?
We welcome back our friends, Jen and Codi Mendenhall, from Grand Junction, Colorado. Jen and Codi are entering that critical transition planning phase as Codi celebrates her sixteenth birthday, has …
Meet Powerhouse Advocate Ricky Broussard
"I love to work." "Be sure to think out of the box." These are just some of the comments from Texas advocate Ricky Broussard. Ricky's unique perspectives include having lived in several more exten…
Mikelle and MaryAnn Spill the Beans...two weeks without Mom!
The Shining Beautiful team shares the ups and downs of navigating two weeks without Katherine. It wasn't perfect, but it was good. Listen as MaryAnn and Mikelle share their experiences including a t…
I Just Have to Go Back to the Islands
22 Cents an Hour
Join Mikelle and Katherine as we explore with Doug, the history of subminimum wages, and the c…