Host Anusha Harid-Paoletti sits down with author, activist, and world-record skydiver Melanie Curtis to reframe what fear really is—and how to act anyway. Melanie shares the mental playbook she uses from aircraft door to boardroom: identify fear’s signal, interrupt it with breath, name the sentence you’re believing, and choose a simple, confidence-anchored reframe. She opens up about healing and vulnerability (and why both are skills you can practice), then takes us behind her documentary that parallels the 80-woman, 200-mph world record with the grit of the women’s suffrage movement. For parents, educators, and young women, Melanie offers ways to cultivate safe support, permission to care about what lights you up, and a path to real resilience. We close with what’s next: fewer jumps, more stages, and a mission to champion women and girls by speaking boldly in every room.

Thank you to our sponsors Gies College of Business

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To learn more about Ellevate Network and how we’re building a community that supports women+ at every stage of their careers, visit ellevatenetwork.com or reach out to [email protected].