Shows / The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
One of the only podcasts in the disability space co-hosted by someone with Williams syndrome. Brenden Lemieux — musician, Special Olympics athlete, and person with WS — is joined by Jennifer Keeton, a WS mom and tireless advocate. With over 100 episodes featuring adults with WS, medical experts, and families across the country, this is a place to find insight, community, and hope. Presented by the Williams Syndrome Association
Episodes
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 123 - We Need a Community with Kayla Gearring and Erin Cunningham
This week, Jen and Brendan are joined by Kayla Gearring and Eric Cunningham ahead of their upcoming WSA Knowledge Network Webinar! They'll discuss building…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 122 - Families Like Ours with Joan Cornachio
This week, the podcast is joined by Joan Cornachio, parent of a 35-year-old with WS and founder of Empowered Family Futures. They'll talk about the six-week…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 121 - Love What You Do (National Disability Employment Awareness Month) with Tyler Levy and Deena Doud
For National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we're proud to welcome Tyler Levy and Deena Doud to the podcast. Tyler was with us in episode 11, but since…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 120 - Friends for a Reason, a Season, and a Lifetime with Sarah Myers
On this week's podcast, Brendan and Jen are joined by Sarah Myers, who calls Williams Syndrome her "superpower." Sarah shares stories from nine years at Camp…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 119 - Cucumber Queen with Arianna Gallagher
Breathe deep and relax this week as the pod welcomes Arianna Gallagher, the Cucumber Queen of Massachusetts. Feel the tension melt away as she, Brendan, and…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 118 - Fairy Godmothering with Susannah Morgan
It's a really important time for the WSA as we begin our strategic planning for the future. Thank goodness the WSA has its very own Fairy Godmother in Susannah…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 117 - Brand New Supports with Alexa Bucci
This week, the pod is joined by Alexa Bucci, her brand new support companion, Nelian, and the voice of her mother! Together Alexa and Nelian talk about how…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 116 - Only 13 Years with Robin Pegg
Another school year has started which means it’s time for our yearly check in with Dr. Robin Pegg. Dr. Pegg joins the pod fresh off her 2 night webinar series…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 115 - The Only Way to Begin is by Beginning with Jennie Dopp
This week, the podcast features Jennie Dopp, one of the founders of CaringTide, an organization dedicated to helping families of individuals with Intellectual…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 114 - Life be Lifing with Mackenzie Schonfeld
This week, the podcast features Mackenzie Schonfeld from Lone Oak, TX. We chat about her life, and her experiences navigating the challenges and dynamics in…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 113 - Where are we going? with Sarah Schaefer
Enough time has passed from Convention that it feels appropriate to check in with WSA Executive Director Sarah Schaefer and ask, "Where are we going?" Beyond…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 112 - Pushing Through with Brian Whelan
This week, we're joined by Brian Whelan, a man who, despite being in his 50s, only discovered he has Williams syndrome last year. He lives on his own, is in…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 111 - Righteous Waves with Keon Eberhardt
Summer is winding down and Jen is still in Italy, so Brendan and Producer Joel are taking a trip up north to Ottawa, Canada, to visit our new friend Keon…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 110 - The Orlando Experiment with Shannon Bohmann
The boys are jealous since Jen is still away with family in Italy, so this week they're talking to Shannon Bohmann of @shannons.great.adventures. As a travel…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 109 - Big Camp News with Emma Thomas
Even if you were at the Convention, you might have missed the big news from Day 1: Camp WSA is changing dates to a better week! Better for who? Well, better…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 108 - Strumming with Charles Ferguson
Jen is still on vacay, so Brendan and Joel welcome Charlie Ferguson from Florida! Charlie talks about his years of working at Publix, his love of playing…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 107 - The Convention Come Down with Brendan and Joel
Jen is off with her family, so Brendan and Joel spend a little time recapping the events of the last week. The 2026 WSA Convention in Buffalo was a huge…
The Starry-Eyed Podcast®Ep 106 - Convention: Tiny Microphone, Big Ideas
On Wednesday, July 8th, it was Exhibitor Night at the 2026 WSA International Convention. Jen, Brendan, and Producer Joel took to the floor with tiny microphone…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 105 - Convention Eve with Producer Joel
Twas the night before convention and all through the Buff Not a person was sleeping - they've waited enough! Registration was set in the lobby with care…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 104 - Liaising with Megan Lenihan
We are one week out from the WSA Convention and there's no better time to meet one of the newest staff members: Megan Lenihan! She joins Jen and Brendan to…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 103 - Theater Inclusivity with Rachel Flamm
This week we channel our inner "theater kid energy" as we are joined by Rachel Flamm. She shares about how her love school led to her getting a degree in Early…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 102 - Beyond Awareness Month with Bailey Stack
Today Jen and Brendan are joined by Bailey Stack, who reminds us that WS Awareness is a year-round endeavour! She shares how she found her voice and learned to…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 101 - The Family Network with Laura Spinney
We kick off a new century of podcasts with one of the newest additions to the WSA staff: Vice President of Programs Laura Spinney. Laura shares her extensive…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 100 - Training Doctors for Rare Disorders with Dr. Mo Helgren and Camilo Zeballos Carvajal
1-0-0!!!! For our 100th episode, we celebrated a milestone live on the Weekend for Williams Broadcast. Jen couldn't join us this time, so Joel sat in to help…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 99 - Jules Delivers with Juliet Warren
Nine-nine!! For the last show before we hit the century mark, we're joined by a guest a refreshing as a tropical breeze. Jules Warren is a Chicago transplant…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 98 - Using Your Voice with Joshua Beaupre
From Emperor Palpatine to the King of Pop, Josh Beaupre is a born entertainer. He joins Jen and Brendan this week to talk about his love of voices…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 97 - Lifting Lives with Dr. Elisabeth Dykens and Dr. Elizabeth Roof
Awareness Month keeps rolling on this week with two very special guests: Dr. Elizabeth Roof and Dr. Elisabeth Dykens from Vanderbilt Kennedy Center. They are…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 96 - Awareness Month & Acting with Kara Jackson
Happy Williams Syndrome Awareness Month!! We're kicking off this great month with the wonderful Kara Jackson. She joins Jen and Brendan to discuss her love of…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 95 - Awareness Month Prep with Brendan and Joel
It's a quickie episode this week as Brendan (who is literally tiptoeing through the tulips) and Joel prepare for May - which is, of course, Williams Syndrome…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 94 - The Dream Team with Amy Berg
This week we're joined by Amy Berg from just outside Philly on the Jersey side. Amy is an OG person with WS (diagnosed before there was genetic testing) and…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 93 - Part 2 with Dr. Beth Kozel and Dr. Jessica Bowman
This week is part 2 of our chat with Dr. Beth Kozel and Dr. Jessica Bowman from Nationwide Children's in Ohio. Together with Jen and Brendan (and Producer Joel…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 92 - Hydration! with Dr. Beth Kozel and Dr. Jessica Bowman
A - B - H. A - Always, B - Be, H - Hydrated. Always be hydrated! Always be hydrated!! If you thought water was just this thing that happens to make up around…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 91 - Sláinte! with Erin Oneill
Sláinte! (pronounced "slawn-cha") is Gaelic for "health," which is a great way to greet our guest this week! Erin Oneill joins us from Edinburgh, Scotland, to…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 90 - Psychology & Siblings with Dr. Carolyn Shivers
Sometimes the stars align and a person comes along and you didn't know you were supposed to connect, but once you did you instantly knew that something big was…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 89 - Convention: Full Steam Ahead! with Sarah Schaefer
With 112 days before the start of the 2026 WSA Convention, Sarah Schaefer joins the pod to update everyone on how preparation is going. From Early Bird…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 88 - Teen Social Club with Bennett Liestman & Stella Keeton
As we launch our 3rd year of podcasting stories from the WS community, we're joined by Pod-teens Bennett and Stella. Together they share stories from their…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 87 - Three Headed Camp Monster! with Emma Thomas, Nick Conley, & Nirakar Thakur
Spring is beginning to...well...spring, so now our thoughts turn to Camp WSA! In this episode, we're joined by our fabulous leadership team for Camp WSA: Emma…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 86 - Tornado Cologne with Brett Menna
Consider this episode a palate cleanser from recent heavy subjects as we are joined by Brett Menna! He joins Brendan and Producer Joel (Jen was otherwise…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 85 - Controlling What You Can Control with Jess Iverson
In this episode, we’re joined by Jess Iverson, a parent, former attorney, and soon-to-be licensed therapist. Jess walks us through practical ways to navigate…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 84 - It's Okay to Not be Okay with Martha Maier and Jeff Isensee
There’s no easy way to begin this episode. Over the past few weeks, the Williams syndrome community has experienced several losses, and regardless of the…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 83 - Passion Meets Purpose with Paola Martinez
This week Paola Martinez joins the Two-Timers Club! She recently became the WSA’s new Development Manager, and she joins Brendan and Jen to talk about turning…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 82 - It Keeps You Runnin' with Holden Cammarata
This episode's guest did not just jog into the Williams syndrome community. He kept going. And going. And going. Holden Cammarata is a Georgia Tech student…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 81 - Totally Birchin with the Birch Sisters
This week the fabulous Birch Sisters (Victoria and Alexandra) return to join the "2-timers Club!" Amongst the silly chaos of friends catching up, Brendan and…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 80 - Signing the Times with Kylie Stenger
Ep 80 - Signing the Times with Kylie Stenger This week we celebrate episode 80 with Kylie Stenger, a young woman with a lovely gift of gab - with her hands!…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 79 - Making a Home with Martha Maier, Jeff Isensee, and Phil Isensee
Happy New Year from your favorite pod fam! While Jen is getting an internet upgrade, Producer Joel joins Brendan to hear about the challenges that come with…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 78 - Closing it out with Sophia Napoli
Queen Crouton herself has returned! This week we're joined by our good friend Sophia Napoli. If you think she's become more tame since her last appearance -…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 77 - All In & No Pay with Darcie Wolfe
This week the pod is joined by volunteer extraordinaire Darcie Wolfe. She took a chance on volunteering at Camp Blue Skies with her husband's cousin and has…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 76 - Wired for Connection with Nicole Courtney
This week the gang welcomes Nicole Courtney for a lively look at what really happens when adults with WS get together at conventions, camps, or other…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 75 - Sandwiching with Catherine Warden
This week, Jen and Brendan welcome Catherine Warden, who has taken over as primary caregiver to her brother Glenn. Catherine gives us and unflinching and…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 74 - Riding the Rails with Meg Kidulas
This week’s guest is Meg Kidulas from Holland, MI! When she isn’t showing her engine-uity in grad school or chugging along at work, she’s blowing off steam and…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 73 - Let's Include...Carly with Carly Oberle
This week on the pod we talk to Carly Oberle who founded the organization "Let's Include Landon" with the intent to create opportunities to bring children &…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 72 - Unlearning the Norms with Renie Zitomer
This week, Jen and Brendan are joined by Renie Zitomer. She is the younger sister to Stu Zitomer (WS) and gives us a wonderfully frank look at what it's like…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 71 - Kitty Kat Katie Boland
This week Jen and Brendan are joined by Katie Boland. Along with her brother, Sam, Katie is a usual fixture at WSA Camp working with kiddos and foster a love…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 70 - Convention's Coming! with Sarah Schaefer
Joining the show is Sarah Schaefer, WSA Executive Director, to talk about the upcoming WSA International Convention in July 2026! UPDATE: We know many of you…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 69 - More Feelings and International Waters with Nick Doris (Part 2), Holly Griffin, Dagmar Hakonandottir, and Nathan Carlton
We're back with more Nick Doris, who is leading the WSA's Wellness programming! This week he guides Jen and Brendan through some exercises and discusses the…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 68 - Feelings and Pie with Nick Doris (Part 1) & Kiersten Frickey
It's our first two-parter! Jen and Brendan welcome our dear friend Nick Doris to talk about the WSA's Wellness programs: Wellness Wednesday and Mindfulness…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 67 - Providing Hope with Hope Hansen
Note on Episode 67: The $15 million inheritance mentioned in Episode 67 was part of a spam email scam. Of course we didn’t fall for it, but it was fun to joke…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 66 - 1 in 100 Million with Jennifer, Liv & Kaya Scheuerell and Jeff Isensee
This episode features something truly remarkable. Jennifer Scheuerell and her daughters, Liv & Kaya, share their story of 2 daughters, born years apart, yet…
- The Starry-Eyed Podcast®
Ep 65 - Back to School: Year 3 with Dr. Robin Pegg
WSA Educational Consultant Dr. Robin Pegg returns to the WSA's Starry-Eyed Podcast for her third year with some fantastic back-to-school advice for parents and…
The Starry-Eyed Podcast®Ep 64 - It's Clogging Time with Clancey Hopper
For many of our families, Clancey Hopper has been a constant figure in the WS community. She has spent years as a kind and powerful advocate for herself and…