Aging is inevitable, but decline is not. This episode of Innovate and Elevate features a powerful conversation with Dr. Vonda Wright, an orthopedic surgeon and advocate for aging with power. She makes a compelling case for women to take control of their health long before menopause, starting in their 30s and 40s, or even earlier. Using the moving story of her patient, Miriam, who suffered a preventable hip fracture, Dr. Wright highlights the critical, often-overlooked link between estrogen and bone health. She unpacks the staggering statistics on bone density loss and osteoporosis, revealing that one in two women will experience a fracture. The message is clear: our midlife journey isn't just about managing symptoms, but about aging with power, which starts with proactive steps to build and protect your body. This is a must-listen for every woman who loves HRT and wants to live a better, stronger second half.

What You’ll Learn from this Episode:

• Proactive Steps for Your 30s & 40s: Learn the "Vonda rules" for proactive health, including why it's crucial to get a baseline DEXA scan, REMS scan, how to feed your bones with protein, and the importance of lifting heavy weights.
• The Truth About Estrogen: Understand the profound, protective role of estrogen in bone health and why the widespread fear of hormone replacement therapy is often based on old, misinterpreted data. Dr. Wright explains why there is "zero debate" about its preventative role on bone.
• A Call to Action: Discover practical, actionable steps you can take today—from seeking out your own DEXA Scan to starting a progressive weightlifting routine—to invest in your future health and avoid becoming a burden on your loved ones.

Connect with Sharon:

• Connect with Sharon on LinkedIn
• Learn more about the Innovate and Elevate podcast
• Subscribe to Innovate and Elevate on YouTube
• Join the newsletter to receive the latest episodes in your inbox

Connect with Dr Vonda Wright:

• Connect with Dr Vonda Wright:
• On LinkedIn
• On Instagram
• Learn more on her website
• Buy Unbreakable now

Additional Resources:

• FDA Menopause Panel Video
• Estrogen Matters by Avrum Bluming and Carol Tavris
• Adesso

Skip to the Good Part:

00:00 Introduction to Estrogen and Women's Health

02:20 The Impact of Hip Fractures on Women

04:37 Understanding Bone Health and Estrogen

10:51 The Importance of DEXA Scans

18:19 Making Informed Decisions About Estrogen

25:33 Preventative Measures for Bone Health

32:17 Empowering Women Through Knowledge and Action

Please note: The information on this podcast is for educational...

Are you tired of feeling dismissed by the medical system? Sharon Kedar, MBA, CFA, is here to change the conversation. On the Innovate and Elevate podcast, we go beyond surface-level symptoms to expose the hidden care crisis of perimenopause and menopause. We'll dive deep into women's health and longevity, challenging historical taboos with a data-driven approach. Learn about hormone replacement therapy (HRT), the benefits of HRT, and how to combat symptoms like brain fog, hot flashes, and bone health issues. We feature brilliant guests like Dr. Vonda Wright, Dr. Kelly Casperson, and Dr. Rachel Rubin who are providing menopause solutions and changing the world.

This show is for the woman in her 40s or 50s who wants to age with power and live a better second half. It's for the partners who want to understand the menopause and divorce crisis and support their loved ones. And it's for healthcare providers who want to fill the gaps in their own training and provide the menopause care their patients deserve. Tune in to a new kind of conversation on midlife health, and discover how we can live a life of purpose and power.

In this episode of Innovate & Elevate, Sharon Kedar is joined by Carolee Lee, Founder and CEO of Women’s Health Access Matters (WHAM). Carolee shares her journey from fashion entrepreneur to women's health trailblazer, highlighting how her experience building a global jewelry brand led her to recognize the critical need for change in women's health funding and research.

The conversation delves into the reality of the current state of women's health research and investment. Less than 1% of global research funding is allocated to studying women's health and only 2% of venture capital goes to female-founded startups, with an even smaller percentage dedicated to women's health companies. However, organizations like WHAM are making strides in changing that reality.

Carolee outlines WHAM's groundbreaking initiative, "3Not30," which aims to accelerate change in women's health research and investment within three years. The Initiative is the first of a series of activities WHAM is spearheading in recognition of the 30th Anniversary of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Revitalization Act of 1993, a law which established guidelines that women and minorities should be included in all clinical trials and research which are funded by the NIH. The goals of the program include doubling research funding for women's health, increasing venture capital investment in women-founded companies from 2% to 4%, and improving diversity in clinical trials.

This conversation underscores that women's health is everyone's health. By raising awareness about these disparities, WHAM is driving collaborative efforts across sectors to create meaningful change. Carolee’s parting message is powerful: while individual efforts are crucial, it's the collective power of everyone working together that will ultimately create substantial change in women's health research and investment.

Connect with Sharon

• Connect with Sharon on LinkedIn: Sharon Kedar
• Learn more about Innovate and Elevate innovateandelevatepodcast.com
• Subscribe to Innovate and Elevate on YouTube
• Join the newsletter to receive the latest episodes in your inbox: Innovate and Elevate Newsletter

Connect with Carolee

• Follow Carolee LinkedIn
• Follow WHAM on LinkedIn

Additional Resources

• WHAM (Women's Health Access Matters)
• The WHAM Report
• WHAM 3Not30 Initiative

This podcast is produced by The Wave Podcasting

In this episode of Innovate and Elevate, Sharon is joined by Shelley Zalis, Founder and CEO of The Female Quotient, a media and experience company that advances gender equality in the workplace. Shelley is a pioneer in online research and the first female chief executive ranked in the research industry's top 25.

The importance of mentorship and community building is a central theme of Shelley’s career. She shares powerful advice for young women who are starting to build up their careers and addresses the concept of imposter syndrome, emphasizing how important it is to recognize and own your value.

Shelley reflects on her journey as a self-proclaimed "Chief Troublemaker" and discusses how breaking rules has led to her success. She isn’t afraid to ruffle feathers and encourages everyone to practice self-advocacy, create new norms in the workplace, and challenge the status quo.

Shelley highlights the need for better data and storytelling to change narratives around women in business and VC funding. She discusses her efforts to challenge existing statistics and uncover more nuanced data about female founders and diverse investors. This approach, she argues, is crucial for shifting perspectives and driving change in the industry.

Episode Outline

(01:27) Chief Troublemaker

(06:12) Shut That B***h Up in Your Head

(09:27) Data Driven: The Power to Tell New Stories

(13:40) Together We Rise: Closing the Mentorship Gap

Connect with Shelley

• Follow Shelley on LinkedIn
• Learn more about The Female Quotient

Additional Resources

• Shelley's column in Forbes
• Shelley's article for Time Magazine: Women Drive Wealth. So Why Is Equity Still Inequitable?

Connect with Sharon

• Connect with Sharon on LinkedIn: Sharon Kedar
• Follow Sharon on Instagram
• Learn more about Innovate and Elevate innovateandelevatepodcast.com
• Subscribe to Innovate and Elevate on YouTube
• Join the newsletter to receive the latest episodes in your inbox: Innovate and Elevate Newsletter

This podcast is produced by The Wave Podcasting

A special episode 10 thank you:

Thank you to all the doctors, nurses, and hospital staff who work tirelessly to ensure patients receive the quality care they deserve. We recognize that, despite best efforts, healthcare is inherently complex and challenging. Your dedication and commitment are deeply appreciated, even in the face of difficult situations such as misdiagnoses. Your continuous striving to provide the best possible care makes a significant difference in countless lives.

In this powerful and heartfelt episode of Innovate & Elevate, Sharon Kedar is joined by two remarkable young women, Alice Paul Tapper and Audrey Maged, for an inspiring discussion on the importance of self-advocacy and resilience, particularly in the face of medical misdiagnosis.

Alice, a high school senior and author of two picture books, including her upcoming release "Use Your Voice," shares her harrowing experience of surviving untreated appendicitis that led to a life-threatening sepsis diagnosis. She details her journey from feeling dismissed by healthcare professionals to becoming a fierce advocate for herself and others. Her story is a testament to the critical need for patients, especially young girls, to speak up and advocate for their own health, even when it means challenging authority.

Audrey Maged, Sharon’s daughter and a fourth grade student, was diagnosed with pseudotumor cerebri, more commonly known as idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), a condition that involves increased pressure around the brain, leading to symptoms like severe headaches. Audrey joins the conversation to reflect on the common barriers children face when trying to express their needs in a healthcare setting. Both Alice and Audrey emphasize the importance of teaching young people to use their voices, not just in healthcare but in all areas of life.

Sharon, Alice, and Audrey unpack the societal norms that often discourage girls from being assertive and how these norms can have serious consequences when it comes to healthcare. They also discuss the emotional and psychological impacts of feeling unheard and the role parents and communities play in empowering children to advocate for themselves.

Episode Outline

(01:47) Raise Your Hand: Be Bold, Be Brave

(09:42) Alice’s Misdiagnosis Journey

(18:45) Use Your Voice: You Are Your Best Advocate

Connect with Sharon

• Connect with Sharon on LinkedIn: Sharon Kedar
• Follow Sharon on Instagram: @sharonkedarcfa
• Learn more about Innovate and Elevate innovateandelevatepodcast.com
• Subscribe to Innovate and Elevate on YouTube
• Join the newsletter to receive the latest episodes in your inbox: Innovate and Elevate Newsletter

Additional Resources

• Use Your Voice by Alice Paul Tapper
• Raise Your Hand by Alice Paul Tapper
• Raise Your Hand Girl Scout Patch

In this episode of Innovate and Elevate, Sharon Kedar is joined by Dr. Renee Wegrzyn, the inaugural director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), a government agency designed to drive high-impact health innovations. Appointed by President Biden in 2022, Dr. Wegrzyn shares her deep experience in both synthetic biology and biosecurity, drawing from her work at DARPA, IARPA, and Ginkgo Bioworks.

The conversation dives into the unique role of government in fostering breakthrough technologies, emphasizing ARPA-H’s mission to transform health outcomes. Dr. Wegrzyn explains how ARPA-H takes on ambitious, high-risk projects with the potential to revolutionize healthcare, much like DARPA’s past successes in defense technologies, such as the early development of mRNA technology.

Dr. Wegrzyn highlights ARPA-H’s approach to maximizing the return on investment for American taxpayers by focusing on scalable, impactful solutions that can transition to the private sector. She walks listeners through transformative projects, including NITRO, GLIDE, ADAPT, and POSEIDON.

ARPA-H has a unique Program Management structure, which provides hands-on mentorship and support to ARPA-H grantees. Dr. Wegrzyn identifies how the partnership helps innovators address cost, accessibility, and user experience in health innovations. Sharon and Dr. Wegrzyn also discuss the ARPA-H’s Sprint for Women's Health and how the funding opportunity addresses critical unmet challenges in the women’s health sector.

Episode Outline

(01:50) How the US Government Drives Innovation

(04:01) The Return on Investment to Americans

(09:27) ARPA-H Programs and Funding

(12:42) How To Work with ARPA-H

(15:28) The Audacity to Imagine Success

(18:59) Improving Research and the Standard of Care

(21:40) Women’s Health Innovation

(26:45) Beyond Conversation: Embracing Data-Driven Solutions

Connect with Sharon

• Connect with Sharon on LinkedIn: Sharon Kedar
• Learn more about Innovate and Elevate innovateandelevatepodcast.com
• Subscribe to Innovate and Elevate on YouTube
• Join the newsletter to receive the latest episodes in your inbox: Innovate and Elevate Newsletter

Connect with Dr. Renee Wegrzyn

• Follow Renee on LinkedIn
• Learn more on the ARPA-H website

Additional Resources

• Subscribe to the ARPA-H Vitals newsletter
• Full list of ARPA-H programs
• The hidden questions behind the Heilmeir Questions
• The White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research

This podcast is produced by the women at

In this episode of Innovate and Elevate, Sharon welcomes Lucy Pérez, a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company and Coleader of the McKinsey Health Institute. Lucy is also coauthor of the groundbreaking report, "Closing The Women's Health Gap: A $1 Trillion Opportunity to Improve Lives and Economies," copublished with the World Economic Forum. Sharon and Lucy discuss the report’s key findings and the significant economic and social benefits of closing the women's health gap.

Lucy shares that closing the women’s health gap could add an astounding $1 trillion to the global GDP annually. This economic boost would come from healthier women having fewer missed workdays, increased productivity, and less time spent on unpaid caregiving duties. She highlights that women, despite living longer than men, spend more time in poor health, particularly during their most productive years (ages 20-60), which has considerable economic implications.

A major challenge in addressing women's health is the shocking underinvestment in research. Currently, only 1-2% of R&D dollars are dedicated to women's health issues, excluding cancers. Lucy emphasizes the need for increased funding and better understanding of sex-based differences in medical research. Conditions like cardiovascular disease and autoimmune diseases often present differently in women, necessitating tailored approaches to diagnosis and treatment.

Lucy provides actionable advice for how individuals can close the women’s health gap, including ways to be proactive in healthcare interactions, raise awareness about women's health issues, and support initiatives aimed at closing the health gap. She also underscores the importance of leveraging real-world data to drive innovation and improve health outcomes, advocating for strategic partnerships and increased funding to address health inequities.

Episode Outline

(02:13) What Is The Business Case For Investing In Women's Health?

(07:50) Understanding Sex-Based Health Differences

(11:43) When Women Are Healthier, Everyone Benefits

(18:06) Opportunities for Women's Health Research, Development & Funding

(25:01) How Can We Contribute to Closing The Women's Health Gap?

Additional Resources:

• Closing the Women's Health Gap: A $1 Trillion Opportunity to Improve Lives and Economies

Connect with Sharon

• Connect with Sharon on LinkedIn: Sharon Kedar
• Learn more about Innovate and Elevate innovateandelevatepodcast.com
• Subscribe to Innovate and Elevate on YouTube
• Join the newsletter to receive the latest episodes in your inbox: Innovate and Elevate Newsletter

Connect with Lucy Pérez

• Follow Lucy Pérez on LinkedIn: Lucy Pérez

This podcast is produced by the women at The Wave Editing

In this episode, Sharon is joined by Erin Lambroza, Vice President of L Catterton, a consumer-focused private equity firm. Erin holds Director roles on the boards of Alice Mushrooms—a functional health supplement business pairing chocolate with the power of adaptogens from legal mushrooms; an unannounced beauty and wellness platform providing solutions to women who are navigating menopause; and Yummers, a pet food company founded by “Queer Eye” stars Jonathan Van Ness and Antoni Porowski alongside the former CMO of Petco.

In this conversation, Erin and Sharon discuss what makes a women's health company fundable and how to navigate the challenges in this space. Erin brings her extensive experience in early-stage investments with a focus on health and wellness to provide invaluable advice for founders and investors alike.

Erin emphasizes that the success of a women’s health startup relies on the same factors as any other sector: a growing market, scalable growth, and demonstrated product-market fit. She highlights the importance of understanding unit economics, ensuring that the business model is sustainable and profitable, especially after the first year in the market. The conversation also touches on the historical challenges in women’s health, such as underinvestment and the lack of viable exit paths, which make fundraising particularly difficult. Erin notes that overcoming these obstacles requires innovation at the research level to build a foundation for profitable businesses.

The episode delves into the historical context of women's health, revealing that women were excluded from clinical trials until 1993, resulting in a significant lack of comprehensive data and chronic underrepresentation in healthcare research. Erin also discusses the origins of the word "hysteria" and its longstanding impact on the perception of women's health issues. This historical lens underscores the need for deliberate and targeted innovation in areas such as autoimmune diseases, Alzheimer's, and cardiovascular disease, which disproportionately affect women.

Erin offers practical advice for founders, emphasizing the importance of surrounding oneself with the right people who genuinely support the mission, being receptive to investor feedback while synthesizing advice from multiple sources, and seeking strategic, active capital rather than passive investment. Her insights provide a roadmap for founders looking to make a meaningful impact in women’s health.

Episode Outline

(01:56) What Makes a Women's Health Business Fundable?

(04:49) The Audacity of Profit

(08:53) Beyond Bikini Medicine: Addressing Innovation in Women’s Health

(12:06) You Are Not Alone: Common Challenges All Startup Founders Face

Connect with Sharon

• Connect with Sharon on LinkedIn: Sharon Kedar
• Learn more about Innovate and Elevate innovateandelevatepodcast.com
• Subscribe to Innovate and Elevate on YouTube
• Join the newsletter to receive the latest episodes in your inbox: Innovate and Elevate Newsletter

Connect with Erin Lambroza

• Follow Erin Lambroza on LinkedIn
• Learn more about L Catterton
• Learn more about