Libsyn Directory

176. Maya Browne, The Road Not Taken

Release Date: 07/20/2026

The 92 Report

Show Notes: Maya Browne recounts her senior year at Harvard, including writing her thesis "Idealizing Vision" which was about how magazine editors, photographers, and designers had shaped the ideal female form in the 20th century, and additionally another was an article for Essence magazine about eating disorders. It was the first article of its kind that drew data from women of color, and it won an award called the Excellence in Media Merit Award (EMMA). Writing, Modeling, and Playing Violin Maya describes her first job at Details magazine under James Truman, where she handled...

175. Chana Gable Selmon, Medicine Without Borders

The 92 Report

Show Notes: Chana Gable Selmon explains she joined Harvard as a transfer student in 1990, overlapping two years with the class of 1992. She graduated in 1993 after completing science requirements due to her history concentration. Chana decided to go to medical school at Cornell, followed by an internship in Emergency Medicine at Bellevue NYU and residency at Harvard. Commuting between Jerusalem and New Jersey Chana had her first child in 2000 and continued working as an ER doctor. She describes her experience as a fourth-year resident at Brooklyn Hospital Center during 9/11. She later ...

174. Jenny Davidson, Professor of English & Comparative Literature

The 92 Report

Show Notes: Jenny Davidson describes her continued passion for literature, reading, and writing, her interest in primatology, adventures in Tanzania, and her new hobbies. Form and Technique in Powerlifting She details her fitness routine, including powerlifting, running, swimming, triathlon, and yoga. Jenny shares her experience with a longstanding injury affecting her ability to do high-volume aerobic training. Jenny explains the basics of powerlifting, distinguishing it from Olympic lifting. She describes her favorite lift, the deadlift, and the other two main lifts: squat and...

173. Teresa Nakra, Exploring Music through Culture, Technology, & Creative Coding

The 92 Report

Show Notes Teresa shares her background as a music major at Harvard, focusing on conducting. She discusses her decision to apply for the Michael C. Rockefeller Fellowship to study Indian classical music in India. Teresa describes her year in India, living with a family and studying North Indian classical music. Exploring Indian Classical Music Teresa explains her experience with the violin, which was introduced to Indian classical music by the Portuguese in the 1500s. She details the differences between Western tonal harmony and Indian classical music, including the use of a drone and melodic...

172. Michael Lim, Physicist, Mentor, Traveler

The 92 Report

Show Notes: Kim Goyette reflects on Michael Lim’s early days at Harvard, starting with their time in Dorm Crew. They met in Lionel Hall and became friends, with Michael being a physics major and Kim a sociology major. Their relationship began tentatively in their sophomore year, with many ups and downs before they officially became a couple by graduation. From Harvard to the University of MIchigan After graduation, Michael went to the University of Michigan for his PhD in physics, while Kim went to Tulane University for her MA in sociology. They maintained their relationship during...

171. Chuck Hughes, The Road To College

The 92 Report

Show Notes: Chuck Hughes talks about his role on the Harvard Hockey team, being intimidated by recruiting processes and obtaining his teaching certificate while at Harvard. He taught maths, science, and english at a high school. He earned a masters in political science at Boston College. Working in Harvard Admissions Chuck talks about his transition to Harvard Admissions in 1995, influenced by a friend's job offer in Stanford Admissions. He describes his experiences in admissions, including visits to remote areas like Alaska and interactions with diverse applicants. Chuck highlights his...

170. Jessica (McBee) Kerrigan, CASA Staff and Volunteer

The 92 Report

Show Notes: Jessica Kerrigan (formerly Jessica McBee) shares that she applied for an internship with the American Symphony Orchestra League but didn't get it, leading her to work with the Greater Boston Youth Symphony. She moved to Iowa City to be with her boyfriend, Wade Kerrigan, who was in law school, and worked at American College Testing. Jessica got engaged, married, and moved to Kansas City, where she worked for Andrews McNeil Publishing as a contract administrator. From Publishing to Nonprofit Work Jessica describes her transition from publishing to nonprofit work. She took some time...

169. Ian F. McNeely, Historian of Knowledge and Dean

The 92 Report

Show Notes: Ian McNeely talks about his academic path, including a PhD in History from the University of Michigan and a position in the Society of Fellows at Harvard. He met his wife at Harvard, and they both found work at the University of Oregon where they became professors. They raised a family and lived there for 24 years. In 2024, Ian moved to UNC Chapel Hill, where he continues as a professor of history and oversees undergraduate education. The Society of Fellows When asked about the Society of Fellows, Ian explains that he thought of it as a mystique during his undergraduate...

168. Peter Schmidt, From Math to Neuroscience

The 92 Report

Show Notes: Peter Schmidt talks about his senior year during the Iraq War, and how the news on the problem of jobless recovery led him to consider graduate school. The Journey from Student to Dean Peter studied biomechanics at Cornell, focusing on the mathematics of biological systems and modeling clinical trials in orthopedics. He was admitted into a fellowship program in New York at an orthopedic hospital where he worked on total joint replacement. His career path led him to neuroscience, where he led clinical research and worked for a nonprofit before becoming the...

167. Lauren Messmore, From Banks to Boards

The 92 Report

Show Notes: From Hiking to River Cruises Lauren Messmore opens the conversation by sharing her experience of hiking Hadrian's Wall in England with her husband, which she describes as a highlight of her international travels. She explains that her husband, an anglophile, had the idea and that she enjoyed the travel and training for the hike, and that she had also lived in England for a few years in the ‘90s. Lauren details her training routine, including walking six to seven miles two to three times a week and using hiking sticks. They used a service called Mac Adventure for the hike,...

More Episodes

Show Notes:

Maya Browne recounts her senior year at Harvard, including writing her thesis "Idealizing Vision" which was about how magazine editors, photographers, and designers had shaped the ideal female form in the 20th century, and additionally another was an article for Essence magazine about eating disorders. It was the first article of its kind that drew data from women of color, and it won an award called the Excellence in Media Merit Award (EMMA).

Writing, Modeling, and Playing Violin

Maya describes her first job at Details magazine under James Truman, where she handled reader mail and sometimes made-up stories. She shares how she got her job at Conde Nast through a letter from Professor Martin Perez and a meeting with Andre Leon Talley in Paris. Maya describes her side job as a fit model and her transition to working for James Truman at Details. She recounts a call from Jonathan Newhouse offering her a job in London in sales, which she declined to pursue a career in editorial. She shares her involvement in the music industry, playing the violin in music videos and with various artists like James Brown and BB King.

Missed Opportunities and Film Experience

Maya discusses her move to Heart & Soul magazine, a fitness and beauty magazine for women of color. She describes her transition to the advertising business in San Francisco and her marriage to Peter Brattander. Maya recounts a missed opportunity to play with Nine Inch Nails at the MTV Awards and her later involvement in the film Ray. She shares her experience of fame and the attention she received after Ray won six Oscars. She talks about her involvement in the film industry and why she left it to go back to business school.

Philanthropy and Transitioning to Business School

Maya describes her mentorship at The Robin Hood Foundation, leading to her involvement in philanthropy and with Quogue Chamber Music. She talks about her work on the board of The Door, a nonprofit for runaway and homeless youth. Maya shares her current work as an educational consultant and her plans to help kids at The Door in the future. She discusses her involvement in the film Brother Versus Brother and her ongoing interest in supporting various projects.

Rituals, Relationships, and Resources

Maya updates on her current activities, including playing the violin, writing, and fitness. She shares her experience of meditating and journaling as part of her daily routine. Maya talks about interviewing the rising king of Hip Hop, Puffy Combs, and she recounts a recent experience at Bergdorf Goodman during the Knicks parade and the unexpected encounter with Basketball Wives. She reflects on the importance of rituals, relationships, and resources in her life.

Harvard Reflections

Maya found the majority of her courses and professors at Harvard hugely influential. She mentions Professor Martin Peretz and shares a memorable experience from a design class where she made up a story to avoid an F and played the violin instead. Maya talks about her current work with Brownstone as an educational consultant and her approach to helping students with college applications. She emphasizes the importance of early conversations about college goals and the sacrifices required for success.

Timestamps:

03:59: Early Career in Media and Music

34:43: Transition to Advertising and Film

35:08: Involvement in Philanthropy and Education

35:26: Current Activities and Reflections

38:32: Impact of Harvard and Career Highlights

Links:

Instagram: @iammayabrowne

Maya’s Podcast, Stories from the Brink: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stories-from-the-brink/id1552888806

D’Angelo “Cruisin’” Video: https://youtu.be/JAfuUZRou7g?si=TmizL6CpKE1Ub3Lk

Brownstone Tutors: http://www.brownstonetutors.com/

Quogue Chamber Music: https://quoguechambermusic.org/