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...
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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...
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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...
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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 ...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
info_outlineShow 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 @assignedkarenatbirth and at assignedkarenatbirth.com.
From Karen to Kiki
Kiki elaborates on her transformation from Karen to Kiki. A massage therapist specializing in Somatic Experiencing taught Kiki that our brains lie to us, our bodies know the truth. Kiki’s body clearly told her it was finally time to leave the zip code she'd lived in for 50 years. She describes the upheaval of uprooting from Northern Virginia to coastal North Carolina after her mother's passing, and the impact of that change on her emotional well-being.
Facing Pain and Healing from Trauma
Kiki discusses the debilitating effects of the psychiatric medications she was on for 32 years and her work to taper off them. She describes the emotional numbness and exhaustion she experienced while on these medications. Kiki explains how getting off the medications allowed her to process trauma and emotions, leading to a significant personal transformation. She emphasizes the importance of sharing her story to help others who may be going through similar experiences.
A Career in Social Media
Kiki recounts her career in social media, including her role at AOL in the early days of the Internet. She describes her work at VeriSign, where she first discovered Web 2.0, which became social media. Her perseverance in the face of resistance resulted in the founding of VeriSign's social media program. Kiki shares her regret at not even considering the offer to relocate to Silicon Valley when the program she founded was moved there. She now realizes that her fear of not being strong enough was fueled by medications and years of being told she was fragile and sick. She discusses her subsequent role at the Federal Aviation Administration, where she founded their social media program.
Layoffs and Life Changes
Kiki shares her experience of being laid off from her dream job at a big ad agency on the same day she moved to coastal North Carolina in 2024. Her entire division was cut, an early wave of workers displaced by AI. She reflects on the impact of the layoff, leading to a significant life change.
Spirituality and Synchronicity
Kiki talks about her interest in spirituality, metaphysics, and Jung's concept of synchronicities. She talks about sharing her story with the world and the positive responses she has received from others. Kiki discusses her efforts to let go of control, a trait she inherited from her former self, Karen.
A Burner Phone and AI “Therapy”
Kiki shares her tips for beating her phone addiction. She installed the BePresent app, which helps her limit wasted time on social media. She recommends Claude, the AI chatbot she uses as a sounding board and where she worked through the grief and anger of losing three decades. And most importantly, a second phone. Every night the real phone stays in the kitchen and the "burner" comes to the bedroom, holding only music, an alarm, and the chatbot. Her advice to anyone trying to put their phone down: Get another phone!
Harvard Reflections
Kiki reminisces about her favorite classes at Harvard, including Irv DeVore’s human behavioral biology class and Helen Vendler's poetry class. She shares her fascination with language and culture, particularly the unique language of Gen Z. Kiki discusses her plans to create new content by translating Shakespeare's sonnets into Gen Z slang. She expresses her excitement about learning and exploring new topics, including spirituality and metaphysics.
Timestamps:
04:40: Transformation from Karen to Kiki
08:31: Impact of Medications and Emotional Healing
12:43: Career in Social Media and Early Internet
17:07: Significant Moments in Social Media Career
21:23: Learning and Personal Growth
25:40: Current Life and Habits
30:06: Reflections on Harvard and Personal Interests
Links:
Instagram: @assignedkarenatbirth
Website: https://assignedkarenatbirth.com/