The Trail Dames Podcast Anna Huthmaker

Shadi Ganjavian-Connor has an extraordinary talent for inspiring others, fueled quite simply by her sole desire to help the world in any way she can. Shadi has extensive and diverse marketing experience working with companies such as Marks & Spencer, Harrods, B&Q and ID Technology Group leading the marketing strategy, communication, and project management for several successful high-profile campaigns. Shadi is also co-founder of the community interest company, SHAPE Hampshire, which has been established to introduce Mind, Body, and Education support to Hampshire Schools.

Over the years, Shadi has constantly been involved in kick-starting fundraising and awareness for many community projects such as establishing a community centre in Egypt, raising the profile of The Little Princess Trust by engaging National TV and Newspapers in, what is now a popular national campaign encouraging hair donation to provide wigs to young cancer and alopecia patients.

One of Shadi’s most innovative projects to date was to initiate a design project with O’Neil Wetsuits, for a Marwell Zoo resident penguin named Ralph who was in desperate need of a wetsuit!
Setting her sights higher and higher (quite literally), in June 2016, Shadi climbed Mont Blanc to raise money and awareness for the Teenage Cancer Trust and in 2017, despite her continued fear of heights and dread of cold weather, embarked upon scaling the infamous Matterhorn mountain. This challenge was aimed at flying the flag on the summit, on behalf of children’s charity The Murray Parish Trust. This huge fundraising project raised over £30,000 towards a £2 Million goal which was reached in November 2018. As part of this campaign, TEAM GC also organized the Make A Difference Ball in May 2018 raising a further £45,000 and shared her experience through several television and radio interviews.
These days, Shadi can be found giving a series of talks designed to inspire others that, with self-belief and determination, anything can be achieved no matter the circumstances.
Guest Links-
Shadi's site - https://www.teamgc.co.uk/
Video on Matterhorn climb - https://youtu.be/_DlEKCVxK50
Shadi on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/GanjavianConnor
Team GC on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TEAMGC.CO.UK
Connect with Anna, aka Mud Butt, at info@traildames.com
You can find the Trail Dames at:
Our website: https://www.traildames.com
The Summit: https://www.traildamessummit.com
The Trail Dames Foundation: https://www.tdcharitablefoundation.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/traildames/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/traildames/
Hiking Radio Network: https://hikingradionetwork.com/
Hiking Radio Network on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hikingradionetwork/
Music provided for this Podcast by The Burns Sisters
"Dance Upon This Earth"
https://www.theburnssisters.com

Your host, Anna aka Mud Butt, shares some of the best You Tube channels to follow.
Guest Links-
Jessica “Dixie” Mills Homemade Wanderlust- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQhqmV26773qZhzqJz4VFcw

Hike Oregon- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClmtRlQX9GvG6vQohRcRoSg
Daisy Hikes- https://www.youtube.com/user/kirbsidex

Lostgirl Hikes- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCswSlpI_JvSK9C-3p-NnNsg/featured
Namaste in Nature- Miranda Peterson-
https://www.youtube.com/user/mirandomology

Old Ladies Hiking North on the AT- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxs85biCZIgsnGdq-RYYtDg/featured
Connect with Anna, aka Mud Butt, at info@traildames.com
You can find the Trail Dames at:
Our website: https://www.traildames.com
The Summit: https://www.traildamessummit.com
The Trail Dames Foundation: https://www.tdcharitablefoundation.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/traildames/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/traildames/
Hiking Radio Network: https://hikingradionetwork.com/
Hiking Radio Network on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hikingradionetwork/
Music provided for this Podcast by The Burns Sisters
"Dance Upon This Earth"
https://www.theburnssisters.com

Lauralee Bliss–trail name "Blissful"–is a two-time Appalachian Trail long-distance hiker, north and south, including a thru hike with her teen son. She is currently section hiking the trail for a third time. She has completed other long-distance trails in multiple states, including the Florida Trail, the Colorado Trail, the Foothills Trail, the Long Trail, and the Allegheny Trail. She also served six years as the ridgerunner in Maryland and Shenandoah National Park. Lauralee is a published author of the “Hiking Adventures Series” on the Appalachian Trail and Florida Trail and has been a guest speaker for over forty organizations about her hiking adventures and fulfilling a hiking dream.

Guest Links-
Blissful Hiking Adventures Podcast: https://www.whitefire.tv/podcast-network/blissful-hiking-adventures/?fbclid=IwAR0u-_AWRteUOWGQlPHgwFvTA2SWGqg63UYuhf-qIKg-17KxSP3qjl8VfwE
Blissful Hiking Blog: http://www.blissfulhiking.com
Hiking Adventure Series:
Mountains, Madness, and Miracles - 4000 miles Along the Appalachian Trail - https://www.amazon.com/Mountains-Madness-Miracles-Miles-Appalachian/dp/1939023106
Gators, Guts, and Glory - Adventures Along the Florida Trail - https://www.amazon.com/Gators-Guts-Glory-Adventures-Florida/dp/1946531707
Blissful Hiking on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blissfulhiking
Connect with Anna, aka Mud Butt, at info@traildames.com
You can find the Trail Dames at:
Our website: https://www.traildames.com
The Summit: https://www.traildamessummit.com
The Trail Dames Foundation: https://www.tdcharitablefoundation.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/traildames/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/traildames/
Hiking Radio Network: https://hikingradionetwork.com/
Hiking Radio Network on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hikingradionetwork/
Music provided for this Podcast by The Burns Sisters
"Dance Upon This Earth"
https://www.theburnssisters.com

Judy “HeartFire” Gross is the owner of LightHeart Gear. She lives in the Beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina (a few feet south of the city of Asheville).

Judy has been making tents and other ultralight backpacking gear since 2009. She started out just planning on making a tent for herself, but a friend suggested she make kits and sell them. ‘After all, hikers like to make their own gear’. Well, she decided to make the tent and sell it- and thus a business was born. Now her business is a thriving hub of outdoor gear, along with clothing for women.

Guest Links-
https://lightheartgear.com/
Tent Buying Guide- https://www.backpacker.com/gear-item/tent-buying-guide/
How to Choose a Tent- https://www.backcountry.com/explore/how-to-choose-a-backpacking-tent
Andrew Skurka article- https://andrewskurka.com/backpacking-shelters-big-tall-sprawwwl/

Connect with Anna, aka Mud Butt, at info@traildames.com
You can find the Trail Dames at:
Our website: https://www.traildames.com
The Summit: https://www.traildamessummit.com
The Trail Dames Foundation: https://www.tdcharitablefoundation.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/traildames/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/traildames/
Hiking Radio Network: https://hikingradionetwork.com/
Hiking Radio Network on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hikingradionetwork/
Music provided for this Podcast by The Burns Sisters
"Dance Upon This Earth"
https://www.theburnssisters.com

Lisa Work:
Lisa has been in education for over 30 years serving in private schools and public schools in theroles of teacher, administrator, and consultant. In October 2020, she was named a Postulant for Holy Orders to the Priesthood in the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania.

Lisa has always loved doing things in nature. Growing up, her family spent vacations car camping. That tradition continued as her daughters were born and grew up and, as a single mom, she continued car-camping and day hiking local trails.
Lisa will be celebrating her 18th year as a breast cancer survivor this year. She became more serious about backpacking when she decided to participate in "Seek-the-Peak" in the White Mountains as a way to celebrate being a cancer survivor in 2012.
Lisa and her husband Mark, and their dog Emmie live in York, PA. They have 4 adult children who live relatively nearby and this year, they became grandparents.
Lisa dreams of hiking the Camino De Santigo (Camino Francés route) and thru-hiking the AT.
Audrey Scanlan:
Audrey serves as the Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Central Pennsylvania - an elected position that gives her oversight of 60 churches and 11,000 folks who belong to the Episcopal Church in the region. Conveniently, the AT runs right through the middle of the area that she oversees!

She lives just 4 miles from a trailhead in the middle of the Cumberland Valley (PA) which is one of the most gentle (read: flat) sections of the entire AT! Audrey tries to get out on the trail at least once during the week and walk and run around the cornfields in our neighborhood on most mornings.
Audrey was ordained in her mid-40s after two other careers-one as a restaurant chef, and another working in the guidance department of my town's elementary school. She grew up and lived in Northwestern CT until moving to PA almost 6 years ago. She will be 63 in September.
She loves to cook, still, and is happiest in the kitchen, or out on the trail.
Audrey and her husband Glenn have three children and two toddler grandsons who they are going "love up" as soon as Covid is over!
And, like lots of folks, some day... she wants to thru-hike the AT. :)

Guest Links-
Lisa on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisa.amspacher.work
Article: https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/2019/06/11/appalachian-trail-inspires-episcopalians-to-embark-on-weeklong-camino-trek-in-pennsylvania/
Article: https://religionnews.com/2019/06/28/episcopalian-pilgrims-bring-spains-camino-de-santiago-to-the-appalachian-trail/
Lisa's trip blog: https://www.logosyork.org/reflections-from-an-episcopalian-pilgrimage-on-the-appalachian-trail
Audrey's blogs: www.diocesecpa.org/blog
www.ourselvesoursoulsandbodies.com
Connect with Anna, aka Mud Butt, at info@traildames.com
You can find the Trail Dames at:
Our website: https://www.traildames.com
The Summit: https://www.traildamessummit.com
The Trail Dames Foundation: https://www.tdcharitablefoundation.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/traildames/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/traildames/
Hiking Radio Network: https://hikingradionetwork.com/
Hiking Radio Network on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hikingradionetwork/
Music provided for this Podcast by The Burns Sisters
"Dance Upon This Earth"
https://www.theburnssisters.com

Anna is the host of the Trail Dames Podcast, and when not interviewing amazing women for the podcast, can be found running her family violins shop, Huthmaker Violins, in Atlanta, GA, as well as running Trail Dames, Inc, and the Trail Dames Charitable Foundation.

Guest Links: http://bettleslodge.com/
Time Lapse video of Lights at Bettles Lodge - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RemFI0G1kCU

Connect with Anna, aka Mud Butt, at info@traildames.com

You can find the Trail Dames at:
Our website: https://www.traildames.com
The Summit: https://www.traildamessummit.com
The Trail Dames Foundation: https://www.tdcharitablefoundation.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/traildames/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/traildames/
Hiking Radio Network: https://hikingradionetwork.com/
Hiking Radio Network on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hikingradionetwork/
Music provided for this Podcast by The Burns Sisters
"Dance Upon This Earth"
https://www.theburnssisters.com