I'm Here Too

Ara Tucker
  • 5.0 (15)
  • Society & Culture

A podcast, hosted by Ara Tucker that explores the intersections of art, culture, commerce, careers, creativity, family, identity and all that fills the spaces in between.

  1. 3d ago

    RE-RELEASE: Asking for What Matters

    Before Season Two gets underway, I’m sharing one more reflection from the first season of I’m Here Too. At the end of every conversation, I asked each guest: “What’s something the audience can do for you?” Their answers weren’t transactional. They revealed seven ways we ask for meaning, support, and connection in our lives: Asking as Action: applying what we learnAsking as Amplification: helping meaningful work travel fartherAsking as Understanding: staying curious about what people carryAsking as Attention: noticing what’s alive underfootAsking as Contribution: showing up where it mattersAsking as Self-Regard: tending to our internal belongingAsking as Impact: deepening how we support the causes we care about Featuring voices from across the season, this short bonus audio episode weaves those asks with reflections of my own and lands on a closing reflection. Thank you for listening, and for being here too. Off we go, enjoy. This episode was originally released on November 20, 2025.

    RE-RELEASE: Asking for What Matters

  2. 4d ago

    RE-RELEASE: Settling into the Hug of Friendship: a conversation with Amy

    Hi everybody, this episode feels like a late-night call — the kind you don’t want to end. I’m talking with Amy, a friend from my early years in Essex County, New Jersey, and we go deep into what it means to grow, drift, and return to the people who’ve known every version of us. This one’s audio-only, intentionally — I wanted it to feel like the kind of conversation you lean into, where you can just listen. The pauses, the laughter, the quiet — they’re part of the story too. We talk about how friendship can be a kind of home — a mirror, a soft landing, and a reminder that connection isn’t about proximity but about presence. If you’ve ever had a friend who helped you find yourself, this one will feel like an exhale. Off we go. 🎧 CHAPTERS (00:00:06) Opening: A Call Between Old Friends (00:01:32) The Work of Friendship: Staying When It’s Hard (00:03:35) What Deep Friendship Feels Like (00:05:24) You Are a Relief: Finding Calm in Each Other (00:06:37) Learning to Let Yourself Be Seen (00:11:07) Settling into the Hug — Presence as Practice (00:12:36) Holding the Whole of Someone: The Good, the Awkward, the True (00:20:01) When We Leave, When We’re Left — and What Remains (00:22:10) The Invisible Thread Between Us (00:22:50) Imagination as a Bridge in Friendship (00:28:00) Sitting with the Uncomfortable and Staying Open (00:30:54) Where Energy and Empathy Intersect (00:32:39) The Inner Game of Friendship (00:34:05) Until Next Time — The Pause That Holds Connection This episode was originally released on October 22, 2025.

    RE-RELEASE: Settling into the Hug of Friendship: a conversation with Amy

  3. 5d ago

    RE-RELEASE: Honor Your DNA: a conversation with Leelila Strogov

    In this episode, I talk with Leelila Strogov about ambition, stewardship, identity, and what responsibility looks like in midlife. Leelila is the Founder and CEO of AtomicMind, a global education consulting firm helping high-achieving students navigate some of the world’s most competitive institutions. But this conversation isn’t really about admissions. It’s about formation: how people learn who they are, what becomes possible for them, and whether ambition expands or constricts under pressure. We talk about honoring identity early, the difference between joyful ambition and imposed ambition, and why excellence should feel alive rather than extractive. We also explore technology as a tool for becoming more human, the discipline of protecting attention and trust, and what it means to use influence in ways that create possibility for others. Throughout the conversation is a deeper question:What responsibility do we have for the systems, stories, and environments shaping the next generation? Topics include leadership, parenting, institutional culture, technology, identity, ambition, stewardship, and generational responsibility. About Leelila Strogov Leelila Strogov is the Founder and CEO of AtomicMind, a global education consulting firm helping high-achieving students gain admission to the world’s most selective schools. AtomicMind is known for its exceptional success rates at Ivy League and IvyPlus institutions, driven by deep admissions intelligence and insight. Before launching AtomicMind, Leelila was an Emmy Award–winning investigative reporter and producer at Fox News in Los Angeles. She holds a B.S. from MIT and is recognized as a notable alumna. Blending analytical rigor with powerful storytelling, Leelila helps students stand out beyond grades and test scores—ultimately guiding students to craft applications that are strategic, authentic, and compelling. This episode was originally released on May 20, 2026.

    RE-RELEASE: Honor Your DNA: a conversation with Leelila Strogov

  4. 6d ago

    RE-RELEASE: Mastering the Art of YOU: a conversation with Dana Bernstein

    Hi everybody! Welcome to this episode of I’m Here Too: Mastering the Art of YOU, a conversation with Dana Bernstein. Among many things, Dana is a conflict resolution author, speaker, consultant and Principal of Dare to Live Brave. With over 2500 coaching hours and more than 100 clients, Dana specializes in de-escalation, negotiations, contracts, project management and high stakes situations.  In 2025, Dana published “It’s the Thought That Counts: Mastering the Art of YOU vs. you,” an interactive book helping individuals resolve internal conflict to better navigate external challenges.  Dana and I got to know each other as part of the Rutgers Leadership Coaching for Organizational Performance program and it was a real treat to get to sit down with her. As I think you’ll learn during the conversation, Dana has a way with words and I asked her to elaborate on a number of quotes that resonated with me after reading her book and listening to some of her other podcast appearances including:  --> “The words that make you tick, are the same ones that tick you off.” --> “Sometimes the mountains are there for a reason.” --> "If you’re not vulnerable, you don’t have the stickiness to grow.” --> “You get to choose your hard.” Dana also generously did some live coaching with me, shared her thoughts on how quiet the outside noise so you can tune into your true inside voice and at your own pace, had some wild adventures and musical experiences to share, and somehow did all of this without missing a beat - even when we got disrupted briefly by a technical glitch. If you want to witness someone living their values out loud and in service of helping others, if you want to learn how to navigate in this fast paced world, or if you’re just curious about my least favorite food, then I think you’re really going to like this conversation. Off we go, enjoy! CHAPTERS (00:00:05)  Introduction (00:02:30) ‘Dare to Live Brave’ (00:04:01) How do we trust ourselves? (00:05:32) Moving to France without knowing (much) French (00:08:45) Wherever we go, there go our values (00:11:13) Do we have to live in the fast lane? (00:14:22) Building connection with others and showing them they matter (00:15:03) Becoming your best and most intentional self (00:18:40) What’s your ideal emotion? (00:19:56) Writing “It’s the Thought That Counts” (00:24:30) Curiosity, Play and Leadership (00:27:21) “The words that make you tick are the words that tick you off” (00:31:30) “Sometimes the mountains are there for a reason” (00:32:57) “If you’re not vulnerable, you don’t have the stickiness to grow” (00:35:50) “You get to choose your hard” (00:38:45) A diverse career journey and finding joy in work (00:42:20) Handling stress and navigating when “something happens” (00:43:55) Preoccupations (00:46:35) Superpowers (00:49:32) Be good to yourself (00:51:13) Binge watching and mosh pits (00:56:53) Closing About Dana Bernstein Dana Bernstein is a Conflict Resolution author, speaker, consultant and Principal of Dare to Live Brave. In 2025, Dana published “It’s the Thought That Counts: Mastering the Art of YOU vs. you,” an interactive book helping individuals resolve internal conflict to better navigate external challenges. Dana has a Master’s in Dispute Resolution from Montclair State and is a court-appointed volunteer mediator. She is an ICF NJ Board Member, Co-Director of Programs with a PCC Credential. She is a Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Meeting Professional (CMP). An avid volunteer, Dana has been working with the Girl Scouts and the Girl Scout Service Unit Leadership Team for 15 years. She is a strong supporter of women advocating for informed health choices for those who have breast cancer. Dana helps people use their voice in managing conflict. Dana offers a vast portfolio of business accomplishments with a proven track record of leadership and successful outcomes. This episode was originally released on October 14, 2025.

    RE-RELEASE: Mastering the Art of YOU: a conversation with Dana Bernstein

  5. Aug 13

    RE-RELEASE: Seeing the Forest and the Trees: a conversation with Becky Moon

    Hi everybody! Welcome to this episode of I’m Here Too: Seeing the Forest and the Trees, a conversation with Becky Moon. Becky is many things; she’s an artist, a philosopher and an admirer of ants. So, you can imagine when we got together, we had a lot to talk about around all of these intersections, but most importantly about the spirit of generosity that Becky brings to her work, her life and her practice. So, if you’re someone who is interested in questions like: What does it all mean? Why am I here? Now what do I do? then stay tuned, because I think you’re really going to like this conversation. Off we go, enjoy! CHAPTERS (00:00:06) Introduction (00:01:05) Becky’s Artistic Journey (00:03:11) The Ig Nobel Awards Connection (00:06:36) Isolation and Connection (00:09:59) Art and Feminist Philosophy (00:19:30) Interconnectedness of Art, Science and Philosophy  (00:30:52) 10,000 Trees, Swiss Cows and Ant Power (00:37:34) Influence of Parents (00:42:50) Humor in the Creative Process (00:50:51) Building a Community of Artists (00:55:44) Preoccupations (00:56:53) Superpowers (00:58:53) Finding Joy in the Smallest Things (01:00:31) Neko Case and Fish Sense (01:01:35) Closing About Becky Moon Becky Moon (b.2002) is an artist based in New York City who comes from a half North Korean and half South Korean heritage. She paints the imagined structure of the invisible human mind through the arrangement of fictional objects. In this limitless world built from meticulous brushstrokes, each thought transforms into a branch, rock, or snail shell.  She is pursuing her MFA in Visual Arts at Columbia University. Previously, she earned a BFA in Art with a Second Major in Philosophy at Washington University in St. Louis and attended Yale Norfolk School of Art. She has also worked as an education associate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Museum. Her most recent solo exhibitions were held at Bruno David Gallery in St. Louis, MO, and at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA.  This episode was originally released on September 14, 2025.

    RE-RELEASE: Seeing the Forest and the Trees: a conversation with Becky Moon

  6. Aug 12

    RE-RELEASE: Writing Our Lives, a conversation with Heather Lanier

    Hi everybody! Welcome to this episode of I’m Here Too: Writing Our Lives, a conversation with Heather Lanier. Heather is an essayist, memoirist, poet, professor and TED speaker whose talk, “Good and Bad Are Incomplete Stories We Tell Ourselves” has been viewed over three million times and translated into 18 languages. I had the good fortune of meeting Heather back in 2009 when we were roommates at the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference. It was great to catch up and talk about a number of things including: writing and spirituality, staying attuned to our dreams, making space for more honest emotions including vulnerability, grief and joy, finding community and connection with other writers, and the challenges of writing about the people closest to us. And make sure you stick around for the lightning round where Heather reveals the secrets to thrifting, among other interesting facts. If you’re a writer, a reader or someone who’s just looking to build connection in an ever changing world, then stay tuned because I think you’re really going to like this conversation. Off we go, enjoy! CHAPTERS (00:00:06) Introduction (00:02:04) Writing as a Spiritual Practice (00:07:55) It All Belongs: Joy, Grief and Wholeness (00:12:22) Finding Creative Community (00:17:55) Lessons from Teaching and Staying Put (00:27:02) “Good or Bad, Hard to Say” (00:31:48) Writing About the People We Love (00:37:28) Parenting, Memoir and Presence (00:39:56) Protecting Energy and Finding Rest (00: 42:24) The Lightning Round: Preoccupations, Superpowers and Building Connection (00:53:47) Closing About Heather Lanier Heather Lanier is an essayist, memoirist, and poet. She’s the author of the memoir, Raising a Rare Girl, along with two award-winning poetry chapbooks. Kirkus Reviews called her full length poetry collection, Psalms of Unknowing, “a powerful poetic reckoning with motherhood and religion.” Her nonfiction has appeared in The Atlantic, TIME, Salon, The Sun, Longreads, The Wall Street Journal, and elsewhere. A recipient of an Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award, a Vermont Creation Grant, and a New Jersey Artist’s Fellowship, she works as an Associate Professor of Creative Writing at Rowan University. Her TED talk, “‘Good’ and ‘Bad’ Are Incomplete Stories We Tell Ourselves,” has been viewed three million times and translated into 18 languages. This episode was originally released on October 8, 2025.

    RE-RELEASE: Writing Our Lives, a conversation with Heather Lanier

  7. Aug 11

    RE-RELEASE: Building the Foundation for a Well-Lived Life: a conversation with Cynthia Cuffie, MD

    Hi everybody! Welcome to this episode of I'm Here Too: Building the Foundation for a Well-Lived Life, a conversation with Cynthia Cuffie, MD. I'm really excited for this one. We're going to sit down with Cynthia and hear about her early academic experiences and how those paved the way for her career success as a physician, as a corporate executive and as an executive coach. We'll also learn how she managed to find the time to be an engaged mom of three, while giving back to her community. And if you're a lover of all things home renovation, then listen closely toward the end, because I think you may find that you have a show or two in common with her. So I mentioned that she found the time to be an engaged mom of three, and yes, you may notice the resemblance…she is my mom. I'm really excited and really grateful that she took the time to sit down. So looking forward to sharing this conversation with you. Off we go, enjoy! CHAPTERS (00:00:06) Introduction (00:01:08) Childhood Challenges and Family Support (00:03:52) Early Academic Experiences and Influences (00:07:55) Finding Musical Inspiration and High School (00:10:03) College Years at Cornell University and the Road to Becoming a Physician (00:19:50) Influencing Children's Education and Ambition (00:25:10) Passing Educational Values to Grandchildren and the Power of Empathy (00:31:11) Learning Through Professional Experiences (00:37:47) Impact of Travel on Professional Perspective (00:40:49) Purpose and Integrating Family and Career (00:46:00) Leadership and Community Service (00:54:15) Hopes for the Next Generation (00:55:04) The Importance of Education and Not Limiting Yourself (00:56:27) Cynthia's Superpowers (00:57:45) Cynthia's Ask of the Audience (00:58:33) Cynthia's Love of All Things Home Renovation (01:00:59) Parting Words: Enjoy Life, Keep it Broad About Cynthia Cuffie, MD Cynthia is an endocrinologist with more than 25 years of experience in global pharmaceutical clinical development. As a corporate executive, she led strategic and operational cross-functional teams in global research, developed and executed leadership development programs for emerging leaders, and led a regional employee group mentoring program during organizational restructuring. During these years, she also maintained patient contact and student teaching responsibilities as an attending physician and clinical instructor at university hospitals. As an executive coach, Cynthia leverages her corporate leadership experience and clinical training. She provides executive and career coaching, leadership development, and candidate selection guidance to individuals, teams, and organizations. Cynthia is also an experienced course facilitator. A certified assessor of a variety of assessments such as leadership, conflict and change management, team, and 360 feedback, she offers comprehensive customized services. Cynthia completed an endocrinology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY. She received a MD degree from Rutgers University and a BS degree from Cornell University College of Human Ecology. She is an International Coaching Federation certified executive coach with a certificate in career planning from New York University. She has served on various boards, including the American Heart Association of Central New Jersey, the Cornell University Board of Trustees and The Pingry School. This episode was originally released on August 22, 2025

    RE-RELEASE: Building the Foundation for a Well-Lived Life: a conversation with Cynthia Cuffie, MD

  8. Season 4, Episode 2 Trailer

    Finding Your Voice | I'm Here Too: Twenty Conversations Later

    How do you find your voice? I spent a long time trying to make certain parts of myself smaller. More normal. More predictable. I figured it'd be an easier way to move through the world. It wasn't — but it took some smart, compassionate therapists, friends, and family to help me remember the exuberant kid I used to be. The one who was too busy living her life to apologize for who she was. This week, we’ll revisit my conversation (and very first I’m Here Too Podcast episode) with my mom, Cynthia Cuffie, MD about the foundations that helped her build a life that integrated her career, family, community, and interests. I catch up with my old Bread Loaf Writer’s Conference roommate, Heather Lanier to talk about staying attuned to your own dreams even when writing about the people closest to you. Becky Moon, one of the most generous and enthusiastic artists that I know, shares her insights on the meaning of life, art, and the importance of humor and noticing the little things. Coach and author Dana Bernstein treats us to some live coaching and tips on quieting the outside noise long enough to hear your own voice. Leelila Strogov, Founder and CEO of Atomic Mind talks about the importance of honoring our identity early. And Amy, an old friend, reveals the beauty and difficulties of sustaining close friendship over decades. Off we go.

    Finding Your Voice | I'm Here Too: Twenty Conversations Later
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About

A podcast, hosted by Ara Tucker that explores the intersections of art, culture, commerce, careers, creativity, family, identity and all that fills the spaces in between.

Information

  • Creator
    Ara Tucker
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    45
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Ara Tucker
  • Show Website
    I'm Here Too