A Splash More

Hayley Spitaleri

A Splash More is a podcast about growth in real time — the kind that doesn’t look perfect, feel certain, or follow a clear path. Hosted by Hayley Spitaleri, a seasoned professional with sharp intuition, the show features honest conversations with women navigating ambition, identity, motherhood, health, and reinvention — paired with bold insights and authentic lessons earned through experience. Each episode explores the decisions behind the scenes — the pivots, the discomfort, and the process of letting go of what no longer fits. Because growth is not just about becoming something new — it’s also about releasing what was never meant to define us.

  1. Oct 14

    The Weight of One Moment: Melissa Wolmarans (Part One)

    Season Two of A Splash More begins with one of the most complex and remarkable stories we have ever shared. In the first installment of this special multi-part conversation, Melissa Wolmarans takes us back to the life she was living before a fatal crash took Will’s life and permanently changed the course of two families. Melissa speaks candidly about an earlier alcohol-related driving incident that was resolved as a wet reckless, why that experience did not change her behavior and the choices that led to the night of the crash—including drinking and reaching for her phone to text a friend while driving. She recounts the moment she learned Will had died, the immediate aftermath and the experience of facing a felony conviction and prison sentence. This is not a conversation about minimizing harm or escaping accountability. It is an honest examination of responsibility, grief and whether a person can acknowledge the irreversible consequences of her actions while still believing that one terrible moment does not represent the entirety of her life. Part One concludes with Melissa’s sentencing. Her story continues in the next installment as she begins serving her sentence and confronts prison, faith, profound personal loss, forgiveness and the difficult work of learning how to live again. At the heart of this special Season Two premiere is a question central to A Splash More: Can we take full responsibility for our worst moment without allowing it to become our entire identity? Content note: This episode discusses impaired and distracted driving, a fatal car crash, incarceration and suicidal thoughts. This episode is brought to you by Coastline Aesthetics & Wellness, a boutique medspa in El Segundo where thoughtful, personalized care meets natural-looking results. Coastline’s approach isn’t about changing who you are—it’s about helping you feel more confident and at home in yourself. Learn more about PRX, microneedling, injectables and regenerative aesthetic treatments at Coastline Aesthetics And Wellness. Additional Resources & Ways to Support Remembering Braun Levi | Live Like Braun Foundation Braun Levi was an 18-year-old student and talented tennis player whose life was tragically cut short by an alleged impaired driver in May 2025. His family established the Live Like Braun Foundation to honor his life and carry forward his legacy of kindness, generosity and leadership through scholarships, community initiatives and impaired-driving awareness. Learn more about Braun's life and legacy:   https://livelikebraunfoundation.org/pages/about Support the Live Like Braun Foundation:   https://www.every.org/live-like-braun-foundation Understanding a Wet Reckless Conviction In California, a "wet reckless" is a misdemeanor reckless driving conviction involving alcohol or drugs, often resulting from a reduction of an original DUI charge. It is not simply a traffic citation. Although penalties may be less severe than those associated with a DUI, a wet reckless conviction can carry important legal consequences, particularly for subsequent impaired-driving offenses. Learn more:   https://legalclarity.org/what-is-california-vehicle-code-23103-5-wet-reckless/ Understanding a Watson Advisement A Watson advisement is a formal warning associated with certain California impaired-driving convictions. It informs individuals that driving under the influence can endanger human life and that causing a death while driving impaired in the future could result in murder charges. The warning is named after the landmark California Supreme Court case *People v. Watson (1981)*, which established an important legal precedent for pursuing second-degree murder charges in fatal impaired-driving cases. Learn more about the case:   https://law.justia.com/cases/california/supreme-court/3d/30/290.html *These resources are provided for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice.*

  2. Oct 7 ·  Bonus

    Worth Another Listen: When Staying Silent Isn’t an Option | Tanya Monaghan

    What does it really mean to stand up for what’s right—especially when speaking out feels uncomfortable? In this Worth Another Listen episode, Hayley reconnects with writer, editor and community advocate Tanya Monaghan for a timely conversation about using your voice with courage and conviction. They discuss the allegations at Cornell and the larger questions the situation raises about supporting survivors, demanding institutional accountability and refusing to remain silent when something feels wrong. Tanya also shares what is happening closer to home, why local participation matters and how South Bay residents can make their voices heard on October 17. Then, revisit Hayley’s original conversation with Tanya about moving from frustration to action, overcoming the fear of being the first person to speak and recognizing that meaningful change often begins with one small—but courageous—step. This episode is a reminder that using your voice doesn’t require having every answer. Sometimes it simply means refusing to look away. SOUTH BAY TAKES A STAND: WALK THE STRAND Saturday, October 17, 2026   9:00–10:00 a.m. Join anywhere along the Strand, from Manhattan Beach to Redondo Beach, in solidarity with No Kings efforts taking place across the country. Participants are encouraged to bring signs supporting voting and early voting. Follow @southbaytakesastand on Instagram for updates and additional information. After the Strand walk, community members can continue to the No Kings event at Torrance City Hall beginning at 11:00 a.m. Worth Another Listen revisits some of our favorite conversations from A Splash More, with a fresh perspective on where life has taken our guests since we first sat down. A Splash More returns with brand-new episodes for Season 2 this October.

  3. Sep 23 ·  Bonus

    Worth Another Listen: This Isn’t the Life I Planned, It’s Better | Shira Lazar & Stephanie Shim

    Sometimes you don’t understand the detour until you get to see where it leads. Earlier this year, Hayley sat down with Stephanie Shim and Shira Lazar for a conversation about the lives we plan, the timelines we're handed, and what can happen when we stop measuring our lives against where we think we're supposed to be. Now, that conversation feels even more meaningful. Stephanie has built a tremendous career as one of the key executives at YouTube Music, while refusing to compromise on what she wanted in her personal life simply to meet someone else's timeline. This past weekend, Hayley watched Stephanie get married—not as the moment her life finally began, but as another beautiful chapter in a life she had already built on her own terms. And Shira has continued creating her own version of what's possible, too. Since this conversation, she's been named one of the TIME100 Creators, appeared on CNN, taken the stage at Create & Cultivate, and brought her advocacy for the creator community to Washington. Two women. Two completely different paths. And neither one built her life by following somebody else's blueprint. In the original conversation, Stephanie and Shira talk about rejection, ambition, reinvention, relationships, changed timelines, self-trust, closed doors and unexpected opportunities—and what happens when the life you're living starts looking very different from the one you once imagined. Because sometimes the detour isn't taking you away from your life. Worth Another Listen revisits some of our favorite conversations from A Splash More, with a fresh perspective on where life has taken our guests since we first sat down. A Splash More returns with brand-new episodes for Season 2 this October.

  4. Sep 16 ·  Bonus

    Worth Another Listen: When a House Becomes a Home | The Pen + Napkin Project

    What does having a home really mean after you’ve experienced what it feels like not to have one? In this special Worth Another Listen episode, Hayley revisits her conversation about The Pen + Napkin Project, a nonprofit transforming empty houses into homes for families rebuilding their lives. But this time, there’s a new chapter. After recently helping furnish and transform a home for a family of five who experienced job loss and the loss of their housing, Hayley sits down with the mom for a short, deeply personal conversation about what it felt like to finally receive the keys, what having a space of their own means to her children, and what it was like to walk into a home created with so much care by people they had never met. Then, revisit the original conversation that inspired Hayley to get involved with Pen + Napkin in the first place. It’s a reminder that this work has never really been about furniture or decorating. It’s about dignity, stability, community, and giving a family a place where they can finally exhale. Because sometimes a fresh start begins with something as simple, and as powerful, as having a place to call home. 🤍 A Special Thank You 🤍 This home came together because of an incredible community of people and businesses who said yes. A special thank you to Vitale Design Group and all of the partners, donors and volunteers who gave their time, talent and generosity to help turn an empty space into a home for this family. We are so grateful to every person who helped make this fresh start possible. Worth Another Listen revisits some of our favorite conversations from A Splash More, with a fresh perspective on where life has taken our guests since we first sat down. A Splash More returns with brand-new episodes for Season 2 this October.

  5. Sep 9 ·  Bonus

    Worth Another Listen: From Young Celie to Stepping In as Nala on Broadway | Phylicia Pearl Mpasi

    From Young Celie in The Color Purple to stepping onto the Broadway stage as Nala in The Lion King, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi has had quite a journey. Phylicia is back on A Splash More for a brand-new catch-up before we revisit our original Season One conversation. Hayley and Phylicia catch up on where life has taken her, what it feels like to be back on Broadway, what success means to her now, what she's dreaming about next, and how her perspective on race, identity and representation continues to evolve. Then, we're taking you back to their original conversation. Phylicia opens up about the road that eventually led her to playing Young Celie in The Color Purple and the many “no's” that came along the way. She and Hayley talk about rejection, resilience, manifestation, and what it means to keep believing in something even when the path there looks nothing like you imagined. They also have an honest and deeply personal conversation about the experiences that have shaped Phylicia not only as a performer, but as a Black woman and storyteller, and what it means to find your place in an industry where representation matters. Worth Another Listen revisits some of our favorite conversations from A Splash More, with a fresh perspective on where life has taken our guests since we first sat down. A Splash More returns with brand-new episodes for Season 2 this October.

4.7
out of 5
23 Ratings

About

A Splash More is a podcast about growth in real time — the kind that doesn’t look perfect, feel certain, or follow a clear path. Hosted by Hayley Spitaleri, a seasoned professional with sharp intuition, the show features honest conversations with women navigating ambition, identity, motherhood, health, and reinvention — paired with bold insights and authentic lessons earned through experience. Each episode explores the decisions behind the scenes — the pivots, the discomfort, and the process of letting go of what no longer fits. Because growth is not just about becoming something new — it’s also about releasing what was never meant to define us.

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