The Shining Beautiful Series Podcast

The Shining Beautiful Series
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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.

  1. 4D AGO

    From Memoir to Imagination: Brittany Gilbert Begins Her Fiction Journey

    In this return conversation, Brittany "Lenny" Gilbert joins us again—this time stepping into an exciting new chapter as she begins work on her first fiction book. Many of you will remember Brittany from our earlier conversation around Ruby and Me. Now, her storytelling is stretching in new directions, shaped by imagination, lived experience, and a deep desire to reach the next generation. Together, we explore what it means to move from telling your own story… to creating stories for others. Brittany shares how her experiences as a writer and as a person with cerebral palsy are influencing her approach to fiction, and why representation, creativity, and voice matter.  This episode is about growth. About creative risk. About trusting that your voice can evolve—and that your story doesn't end with the first book. It's also about something bigger: the quiet power of writing stories that help young people see themselves, imagine more, and believe in lives that are wide open with possibility. Pull up a chair, pour a cup of coffee… and settle in for a conversation about new beginnings, creative courage, and the stories we write. Here is the link to our first interview with Brittany and her author website. Our first interview with Brittany: Ruby and Me. Brittany's website

    30 min

  2. MAR 18

    Caring Through the Squeeze: What Sustains Us When Everything Costs More and Government Budgets Tighten

    As grocery bills climb, gas prices rise, and budgets tighten, caregivers are feeling the pressure in real and immediate ways. In this mid-month reflection from The Shining Beautiful Series, Katherine shares a deeply personal story that reaches back through generations—from a rustic mountain cabin in Colorado to the pioneers who endured hardship on the plains, cutting lumber, and in coal mines. At a time when families are navigating increasing costs and uncertain systems, this episode explores a powerful truth: while systems may shift, it is community, resilience, and the strength we inherit that continue to sustain us. From stories of survival and sacrifice to the everyday realities of caregiving today, this episode offers both grounding and perspective. Because even in the squeeze of rising costs and shrinking resources, something steady remains.

    29 min

  3. MAR 8

    Discovery Begins at Home: Peter Smith on Customized Employment and the Family Discovery Model

    What happens when we begin the employment journey not with a system—but with the people who know someone best? In this episode of The Shining Beautiful Series, Katherine and Mikelle welcome Peter Smith, a long-time leader in the customized employment movement in Australia, for a thoughtful conversation about his emerging work on the Family Discovery Model. Discovery has long been a cornerstone of Customized Employment, helping people with disabilities identify their strengths, interests, and ideal conditions for work. But Peter's recent work asks an important question: What role do families play in that process—and what happens when we intentionally bring their knowledge, history, and insights into Discovery? Drawing from research, practice, and decades of experience, Peter explores how families often hold the richest understanding of a person's talents, rhythms, and possibilities. Yet too often that wisdom sits quietly on the sidelines of formal employment services. Together we discuss: How Customized Employment and Discovery open doors to meaningful work Why families are an untapped resource in employment planning The ideas behind the emerging Family Discovery Model How practitioners and families can work together more intentionally What this means for people with disabilities seeking real jobs, real belonging, and real contribution This conversation is not about learning a new "program." Instead, it's about sharing ideas across communities, reflecting on what we've learned through experience, and continuing to build pathways to employment that honor the full story of a person's life. For families, employment professionals, and advocates, this episode offers both insight and encouragement: the journey toward meaningful work is strongest when the voices closest to the person are invited into the conversation. Sometimes the most powerful discovery begins right at the kitchen table. Here is a link to Peter's work on Family Discovery.

    27 min

  4. FEB 25

    When Love Organizes Itself

    In this mid-month reflection, Katherine shares a deeply personal experience from a friend's celebration of life — a gathering that revealed what real community looks like when it has been intentionally nurtured over decades. Drawing from the work of Peter Block and his book Community: The Structure of Belonging, this episode explores how belonging is built through invitation, small gatherings, shared ownership, and love. This was not just a memorial. It was a living ecosystem. Women from college days. Women from work life. Neighbors. Mothers. Children who will now grow up together because their mothers loved well. Katherine reflects on creative community — how women weave connection through crisis, how leadership often looks like hospitality, and how the spirit of one woman continues through the people she gathered. She also reflects on how this friend was one of Mikelle's first roommates, and how over time she has found herself a kind of surrogate mom to many of the young women who orbit Mikelle's life — women who are now carrying the torch of thoughtful, inclusive leadership into the next generation. Community is not a program. It is an act of creation. And creativity may be our most powerful form of resistance in uncertain times.

    25 min
  5. And, Still We Love. Love, Laughter, and a Little Bit of Nerves.

    FEB 13

    And, Still We Love. Love, Laughter, and a Little Bit of Nerves.

    In this special Valentine's Day episode of The Shining Beautiful Series, Katherine, Mikelle, and Maryann gather for a heartfelt conversation about what they truly love and appreciate — in their lives, in each other, and in the communities they're building together. This isn't a sugary sweet Valentine's episode. It's honest. It's grounded. It's real. Together, they reflect on: The friendships that have lasted decades The caregivers, colleagues, and quiet leaders who show up every day The small rituals — coffee time, creative work, shared laughter — that sustain them And yes… the subtle undercurrent of anxiety many of us are carrying in uncertain times In a year marked by policy shifts, funding questions, and a rapidly changing landscape for families and people with disabilities, love can feel both powerful and fragile. This conversation explores how gratitude and worry can coexist — and how choosing appreciation, even now, is an act of courage. Mikelle shares what she loves about her work and friendships. Maryann reflects on mentorship, inclusion, and the next generation of leadership. Katherine offers perspective from decades of advocacy — reminding us that even in seasons of change, we are more resilient than we think. This episode is a reminder that love is not naïve. It is strategic. It is sustaining. It is how communities survive. 💛 As you listen, we invite you to ask yourself: What do you love right now? Who do you appreciate but haven't told? What steady presence in your life deserves your gratitude? Still, we love. And that matters.

    20 min

  6. JAN 27

    The Quiet Leadership of Care: Honoring a Legacy That Lives On

    In this solo episode of Shining Beautiful, Katherine reflects on the legacy of nurse, mentor and caregiver Alex Pretti--and the profound, often unseen impact caregivers have on our lives, families, workplaces and communities.  Through personal insight and gentle storytelling, Katherine explores the quiet leadership of caregiving: the small acts of kindness, presence, and compassion that shape human connection and create lasting change.  From hosptial rooms to grocery store liens, this episode is a reminder that caregive is not only what we do--it is who we are. A thoughtful pause, an invitation to lead with humanity, and a tribute to those whose lives continue to ripple forward through the people they touch.

    25 min
  7. Still Working: Customized Employment in a Time of Change with Cary Griffin

    JAN 15

    Still Working: Customized Employment in a Time of Change with Cary Griffin

    There's a particular kind of laughter that shows up when people have lived through enough systems change to know two things at once: that the work matters deeply—and that taking ourselves too seriously won't get us very far. That spirit framed our recent conversation with Cary Griffin, a longtime leader and truth-teller in the field of customized employment. We came together to talk about what's shifting at the federal level, what those changes mean on the ground, and how individuals with disabilities and families can continue shaping meaningful employment journeys in an increasingly uncertain environment. The headlines can feel heavy. Policy priorities change. Funding structures wobble. Programs are renamed, restructured, or reduced. Families and self-advocates are often left translating vague language into very real, very personal decisions. And yet—this conversation wasn't rooted in fear. It was rooted in perspective. Cary reminded us that customized employment was never about fitting people into tidy systems. It has always been about creativity, alignment, relationships, and listening deeply—to individuals, to businesses, and to communities. Those fundamentals don't disappear when administrations change. In many ways, they become even more important. We talked about what it looks like to: Stay grounded when policy signals are confusing or discouraging Reframe employment as an evolving and meaningful journey rather than a fixed outcome Help individuals and families focus on strengths, contributions, and relationships instead of program limitations Keep joy, humor, and humanity at the center of serious work There was laughter—real, unfiltered laughter—because sometimes humor is how we tell the truth gently enough to hear it ourselves.

    58 min

  8. 12/31/2025

    And, Still, We Begin. New Year's 2026

    As a new year begins, Katherine reflects on the mixed emotions many of us are carrying—hope, fatigue, uncertainty, and cautious optimism. In this episode, she shares her honest thoughts about the changes ahead, including concerns about funding, policy shifts, and the stability of long-term supports for people with disabilities. Drawing on decades of lived experience as a parent, advocate, and community builder, Katherine reminds listeners that we are not entering this year unprepared. She explores how the skills developed over years—storytelling, resourcefulness, advocacy, and translation—equip individuals, families, and communities to navigate change without losing sight of what matters most: meaningful lives, inclusive communities, and shared responsibility. This episode is an invitation to begin the year grounded, nimble, and connected—trusting what we've already learned, and moving forward together.

    31 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

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.

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