Women of Inspiration™ Podcast

The Women of Inspiration™ Podcast, hosted by Monica Kretschmer, Founder & CEO of the Universal Womens Network™, shines a spotlight on trailblazing female CEOs, executives, entrepreneurs, change-makers, and visionaries making an impact locally, nationally, and globally.

This episode, we welcome a woman whose global perspective, strategic influence, and deep expertise are shaping the future of technology and financial innovation.

Kristine Anoska is the Global Account Director at Amazon Web Services, where she accelerates AI-driven transformation for Canada’s leading financial institutions — across personal banking, wealth management, capital markets, and insurance.She is also the 2025 Women of Inspiration™ Women in Tech Award recipient.

And today marks a defining milestone: For the first time, Kristine is stepping into the public spotlight to share her story.

Her journey spans five countries and over 40 visited — from growing up in post-Soviet Latvia, to earning a prestigious Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Scholarship in England, to launching her career at Bloomberg in London, to navigating global markets and high-pressure environments across North America and Russia.

Kristine believes that the one thing AI will never automate is human relationships — and her career is living proof of that philosophy.

This is her moment to step forward publicly as a woman of power, a global thinker, and a leader at the forefront of the generative AI revolution. Kristine, welcome to the Women of Inspiration™ Podcast.”

Get ready to be inspired.

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The Women of Inspiration™ Podcast, hosted by Monica Kretschmer, Founder & CEO of the Universal Womens Network™, shines a spotlight on trailblazing female CEOs, executives, entrepreneurs, change-makers, and visionaries making an impact locally, nationally, and globally.

This episode, we welcome a truly remarkable woman: Dianna Fioravanti-Ashikwe — 2025 Women of Inspiration™ Woman of Power Awardee

Dianna is the first female President of Kuehne+Nagel Canada, leading more than 2,500 logistics professionals across the country. Under her transformative leadership, female representation on the executive team has risen from 15% to 50%, positioning Kuehne+Nagel Canada as a Great Place to Work, Most Trusted Executive Team, and Best Workplace Led by Women.

A trailblazer in a historically male-dominated industry, Dianna has redefined what leadership looks like—anchored in courage, authenticity, and a deep commitment to lifting others as she rises.

She is also the author of the upcoming book Flip the Switch – From Playing It Safe to Crushing It, where she opens up about stepping into her power, reclaiming boldness, and inspiring others to unleash their full potential.

Dianna embodies what it means to be a Woman of Inspiration™—leading with heart, challenging the status quo, and reminding us that “the greatest unfinished project is you.”

Get ready to be inspired.

Learn More & Connect

The Women of Inspiration™ Podcast with host Monica Kretschmer, Founder & CEO of the Universal Womens Network™, shines the spotlight on inspiring female CEOs, executives, entrepreneurs, change-makers, and visionaries making an impact locally, nationally, and globally who lead, inspire and motivate.

Today’s episode is Women in Power – It’s Not a Moment, It’s a Movement, featuring an extraordinary leader who has redefined the game for women in sport — Brenda Andress. Brenda is a trailblazer — the inaugural Commissioner of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, and the visionary behind SheIS, the first cross-sport initiative uniting professional leagues to elevate women in sport through storytelling and collective action.

In this episode, we go beyond the highlight reel to talk about:

•  The gut feeling Brenda had as a young girl that she was meant to change the game for girls everywhere.
•  What it felt like being the only woman in the room — and how she turned discomfort into courage and change.
•  How SheIS is inspiring a movement to unite women in sport with a platform to tell the stories of women in sport.
•   Engaging our SupportHERs to be part of the conversation
•  And the legacy Brenda wants to leave for the next generation of girls who dream of stepping onto the world stage.

Brenda’s story reminds us that it’s not a moment — it’s a movement. It’s about creating space, breaking barriers, and championing every woman who dares to lead. Have a listen, follow, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.

Together, we can help amplify the voices of women in sport and leadership — and inspire others to become part of the movement.

Get ready to be inspired!

The Women of Inspiration™ Podcast with host Monica Kretschmer, Founder & CEO of the Universal Womens Network™, shines the spotlight on inspiring female CEOs, executives, entrepreneurs, change-makers, and visionaries making an impact locally, nationally, and globally who lead, inspire and motivate.

Today’s guest is The Honorable Judge Rosemarie Aquilina — an active Michigan Circuit Court Judge serving on the 30th Judicial Circuit Court in Ingham County, and one of a small number of female judges in the United States who have made history from the bench. Judge Aquilina is a woman whose name is synonymous with courage and justice.

She gained international recognition for her landmark sentencing of Larry Nassar, where she gave a voice to hundreds of women who had been silenced for far too long. Her words — “I just signed your death warrant” — echoed around the world and became a defining moment in the fight for accountability, advocacy, and women’s empowerment.

Beyond the headlines, Judge Aquilina is a single mother, author, advocate, and mentor whose leadership continues to inspire women in law and beyond. Her new book, Speak Up, is a rallying cry for women to find their voice, claim their power, and own their success. This episode is personal.

When I met Judge Aquilina a year ago, our conversation was raw and real. When I shared my own story — 22 days of trial and over 4,800 hours of litigation — she was stunned, but deeply understanding. As a judge who once practiced and presided over Family Law, she knows firsthand how the system impacts women and families. We both agreed — we need more female voices on the bench, especially in cases that require empathy, lived experience, and emotional intelligence.

Today, we’ll dive into her remarkable career, the lasting impact of her sentencing in the Nassar case, her advocacy for women’s confidence and truth, and her perspective on why representation in justice — particularly in family law — should be a requirement, not an exception.

Get ready to be inspired!

The Women of Inspiration™ Podcast with host Monica Kretschmer, Founder & CEO of the Universal Womens Network™, shines the spotlight on inspiring female CEOs, executives, entrepreneurs, change-makers, and visionaries making an impact locally, nationally, and globally who lead, inspire and motivate.

Today’s guest is Michelle Fine-Smith, Senior Vice President of Global Consumer Partnerships at Variety, one of the most iconic and influential brands in entertainment media. With the largest entertainment news-gathering team in the world, Variety is the industry’s link between every showbiz center across the globe, representing 84 countries.

Michelle oversees partnerships across digital, social, print, and live events, leading innovative campaigns for some of the world’s most powerful brands — including Google, Chanel, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Delta, and United Airlines. With a career spanning Forbes, Billboard, and Variety, she has spent over two decades shaping the connection between media, culture, and commerce.

This is also an incredibly exciting time for women in entertainment. From Taylor Swift redefining the music economy, to Jamie Lee Curtis, Jodie Foster, and Scarlett Johansson stepping behind the lens as directors and producers — women are influencing culture, reshaping the economy, and shifting the power dynamic. While progress has been made, there is still much to do to see women consistently in positions of power.

Michelle joins us today to share her journey, her perspective on the trends and innovations reshaping global entertainment, and why celebrating women in leadership and media is not only essential — it’s the future.

Get ready to be inspired!