Libsyn Directory

176. Maya Browne, The Road Not Taken

Release Date: 07/20/2026

184. Mimi Rocah, Mom, Prosecutor, & Author

The 92 Report

Mimi Rocah lives in Westchester, New York, with her husband David Anders, a fellow lawyer she met while working as a prosecutor in the Southern District of New York. After working for a few years between college and law school, she attended NYU Law School with the intention of becoming a prosecutor. She completed two clerkships, one for the Eastern District of New York and one for the Second Circuit, before starting at the Southern District of New York in February 2001. Mimi spent 17 years at the Southern District of New York, eventually moving into teaching and legal commentary for...

183. Thomas Norman, Professor & Faculty Founder of the CSUDH Innovation Incubator

The 92 Report

Show Notes Thomas Norman grew up in Duluth, Minnesota, before moving to northwestern Wisconsin. He lobbied to add a class period in high school so he could take four years of foreign language, to ensure he was competitive for universities like Harvard. While at Harvard, he focused on social studies and wrote a thesis regarding the economic forces behind NAFTA which led him to his first job. Transitioning to Business Banking After graduating, Thomas worked for Procter and Gamble in Minnesota before transitioning into business banking. He had to take night classes in accounting to learn how to...

182. Leo Clark, A Career in the Financial Markets & Some Side Adventures

The 92 Report

Show Notes: Leo Clark participated in the Jean Monnet Program at Ecole Polytechnique in Paris following his graduation from Harvard. The fellowship was a work-study-travel program focused on the European Union that included seminars and internships. He completed an internship within the operations research department at Air France. He talks about connecting with fellow alumni in Paris and developing his French language skills through immersion. Exotics Trading to Sales and Swaps Marketing Leo explains what exotic derivatives trading is and his experience working in that field....

181. Kath Mertens, Next Chapter: Animal Behavior

The 92 Report

Kath Mertens (Kath Ulman) reflects on her life stage, mentioning her 20-year-old son heading to college, her divorce, and her part-time work. She describes feeling on the cusp of a new life phase, similar to when she graduated from Harvard. Becoming a Veterinarian Kath shares her initial career aspirations of becoming a veterinarian and the challenges she faced due to the lack of a pre-vet focus at Harvard. Kath recounts her first post-Harvard job in Jackson, Wyoming, where she worked as a ski bum and later as a wrangler on a dude ranch. She rediscovered her passion for veterinary medicine...

180. Kristen Fowler Garland, From Cambridge to Japan to Alaska

The 92 Report

Show Notes: Kristen Fowler Garland majored in East Asian Studies and Japanese at Harvard. She explains her decision to spend five years in Japan after graduation, including two years with the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) program. She describes her experience with the JET program, teaching conversational English in Toyama, and her efforts to learn Japanese. Kristen shares her job search in Japan, landing a position with a foreign subsidiary in Tokyo, where she learned to use Excel in Japanese. Market Research and Field Hockey Kristen recounts her work in market research, tracking the shift...

179. Clare Scherrer, Investment Banker, CFO, Public Board Director

The 92 Report

Show Notes Clare Scherrer outlines her career journey in three main chapters: 25 years at Goldman Sachs in Investment Banking, a number of years as a public company Chief Financial Officer, and her current role as a director on two public company boards of directors. Clare also shares her life immediately post-graduation, including getting married and completing McKinsey's Business Analyst program in New York City. Love at First Blind Date Clare recounts her initial post Harvard plan to join the Foreign Service and how a blind date led to her getting engaged and pivoting her career path. She...

178. Mara (Beverwyk) Christine, Librarian, Teacher, Lawyer

The 92 Report

Show Notes: Mara Christine (formerly Mara Beverwyk) describes her circuitous path, starting with a job at the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) in Berkeley, followed by a role in the Oakland public library system. She pursued a library degree in Michigan and returned to New Mexico, where she worked as a school and research librarian. She transitioned to teaching at a Montessori elementary school, earning her certification, and later went to law school at age 46, becoming a prosecutor. A Career Move to Law Mara explains what drew her to the law, and she cites her midlife crisis and...

177. Kiki Snyder, Assigned Karen at Birth

The 92 Report

Show Notes: Kiki (formerly Karen) Snyder shares her 35-year journey since her breakdown at Harvard, which landed her in restraints at McLean Hospital during exams in 1991. She discusses being misdiagnosed as severely bipolar, the 32 years she lost to toxic psychiatric medications, and the self she rediscovered. "Karen was full of fear and anger. Karen wanted to speak to the manager. But Kiki's in charge now. I am the manager." Learn more about her transformation on Instagram at and at . From Karen to Kiki Kiki elaborates on her transformation from Karen to Kiki. A massage therapist...

176. Maya Browne, The Road Not Taken

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 ...

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/