Karen Panzarella and Julie Garel

Karen (K) and Julie (J) introduce themselves and read each other’s bios.

K shares her life story. She says she grew up in Niagara Falls and was the first in her family one to go to college. K says she’s been passionate about education ever since. She adds that she received her PhD while going through a divorce and says it was a form of therapy for her. K says her professional life is very important to her. She says her personal life has not been as smooth as her professional life but she is currently happily married to her 4th husband.

J shares her life story. She says she was an only child and felt like she grew up very quickly because her parents had a lot of fears. J says she worked in advertising, and would periodically take a break from her career to go back to school. J says she currently works with an organization supporting Afghan refugees and it is extremely gratifying.

K talks about her best friend who is one of the kindest people she knows. K says when she shared the news that her second husband and the father to her children is on his deathbed with covid, her best friend offered support and was there for her.

J talks about her friend and neighbor whose steady, positive presence in her life has been tremendously sustaining.

J shares her earliest memory of politics: the assasination of JFK and MLK. J also shares that her mother was “obsessed” with WW2 and spoke about it in a level of detail that J felt was appropriate for a kid to hear.

K says her parents weren’t very concerned with politics growing up. She says she became very passionate about healthcare as a young physical therapist. K adds that as soon as she entered the working world, she saw the atrocities of the United States healthcare system.

J and K share why they wanted to participate in the interview. K says she has a hard time talking to people in her life, including her daughter.

Julie explains that she views “proving things to herself and others” as a negative thing because it does not honor her sources of joy. She says, however, she does not regret any of her experiences but views them as stepping stones to what she really wanted to do.

K discusses her view on tough love and competition.

K says she works with young people and there is a ton to learn from young people about the power and effects of technology.

J says she admires young people’s passion and anger.

K talks about her view on white privilege. J explains how her and her children’s school use the term.

J shares that she wishes she had more confidence. She adds that she’s been on lifetime quest to fill that in.