The Starry-Eyed Podcast®

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 Awareness Month. You can find resources to share with others in the WSA Awareness Month Toolkit. We're also joined from the tulip field by Anne Lemieux to discuss her new book of fiction "See the Music, Hear the Light." Find out more and purchase your copy at seethemusichearthelight.com. As always, this episode is sponsored by Innersense Organic Beauty. Click on THIS LINK and complete your purchase and 25% of your purchase will go back to the WSA! Also use promo code MORGAN15 to get 15% off your first purchase!

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 has seen this community grow and change over the years. She spends a lot of time with her friends on The Dream Team, which is a group of our older community members. They frequently get together online, travel together, and hang out together at the convention! Amy and Brendan both were in attendance at the Armellino Center of Excellence for Williams Syndrome at the University of Pennsylvania and CHOP this past weekend to see a talk given by future podcast guest Mark Levin and Sarah Schaefer on Sudden Cardiac Deaths in WS. They share their takeaways from a very informative presentation. As always, this episode is sponsored by Innersense Organic Beauty. Click on THIS LINK and complete your purchase and 25% of your purchase will go back to the WSA! Also use promo code MORGAN15 to get 15% off your first purchase!

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 sneaks in there too), they discuss the research being done to improve elastin in people (which would be a big plus for people with WS), the importance of language and remembering to be diligent, and, of course, the importance of water in the overall health of a person...especially with WS. General hydration information: Staying hydrated is important, but individual fluid needs vary based on age, body size, activity level, health conditions, medications, and local climate. This information is general in nature and not medical advice; always tailor water intake to your personal needs and consult a healthcare professional for guidance specific to your health circumstances. As always, this episode is sponsored by Innersense Organic Beauty. Click on THIS LINK and complete your purchase and 25% of your purchase will go back to the WSA! Also use promo code MORGAN15 to get 15% off your first purchase!

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 60% of your body and 70% of the Earth's surface, well you'd be wrong. And if you got it wrong: drink some water! This week is part 1 of our chat with Dr. Beth Kozel and Dr. Jessica Bowman from Nationwide Children's in Ohio. Together with Jen and Brendan, they discuss the relationship between an individual with WS and their cardiologist and what exactly a cardiologist is looking for when they're testing a person with WS versus a person without WS and, of course, the importance of water in the overall health of a person...especially with WS. As always, this episode is sponsored by Innersense Organic Beauty. Click on THIS LINK and complete your purchase and 25% of your purchase will go back to the WSA! Also use promo code MORGAN15 to get 15% off your first purchase!

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 talk about her journey to discover her people. Although she is an ocean away, she has made strong friendships here in the States. This support has kept her going when dealing with some serious GI issues leading to living with a stoma. Her fortitude and positivity are why she is so beloved in our WS community As always, this episode is sponsored by Innersense Organic Beauty. Click on THIS LINK and complete your purchase and 25% of your purchase will go back to the WSA! Also use promo code MORGAN15 to get 15% off your first purchase!

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 going to happen. This is the case with our new friend and guest this week: Dr. Carolyn Shivers. Not only is Dr. Carolyn a brilliant psychologist working on how to bridge the gap between people with I/DD and the others who don't, she is on the committee working to make this Buffalo Convention the best one yet! Get ready to listen her on ableism, overlooked siblings, and self-determination in a way I guarantee has never been more fun and entertaining! As always, this episode is sponsored by Innersense Organic Beauty. Click on THIS LINK and complete your purchase and 25% of your purchase will go back to the WSA! Also use promo code MORGAN15 to get 15% off your first purchase!

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 Registration to Scholarship cutoff, there's a lot to share and the excitement is building! Expect Niagara Falls, an opening party at Canalside, Buffalo Bisons block‑party + fireworks, nightly karaoke and dances, teen/youth excursions, and a packed exhibitor night. Hotels are tight (waitlist active; more blocks coming), scholarships available, volunteers always welcome, and get your Buddy the Buffalo WSA merch. Don’t miss it — keep checking the WSA Convention website for details! As always, this episode is sponsored by Innersense Organic Beauty. Click on THIS LINK and complete your purchase and 25% of your purchase will go back to the WSA! Also use promo code MORGAN15 to get 15% off your first purchase!

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 time at Camp – which, if you're a kid or teen with WS, you should go! There's more teen-tastic programming coming up with the WSA's first ever Teen Social Club Hangout on Wednesday, March 18th! Teens from all over can meet up over zoom and become friends, play games, and talk about real life stuff! For information about Camp WSA, go to williams-syndrome.org/campwsa. For information about the Teen Social Club Hangout, go to williams-syndrome.org/socialclub As always, this episode is sponsored by Innersense Organic Beauty. Click on THIS LINK and complete your purchase and 25% of your purchase will go back to the WSA! Also use promo code MORGAN15 to get 15% off your first purchase!

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 Thomas, Nick Conley, and Nirakar Thakur. Together they become a three headed camp monster of wonderfulness programming an unforgettable week for kids and teens with WS! This year Camp WSA returns to Camp Twin Lakes - West in Rutledge, GA, from May 24–29th. More information about Camp WSA, scholarships to help pay for camp, and info on signing up to be a staff member for camp can be found at www.williams-syndrome.org/CampWSA As always, this episode is sponsored by Innersense Organic Beauty. Click on THIS LINK and complete your purchase and 25% of your purchase will go back to the WSA! Also use promo code MORGAN15 to get 15% off your first purchase!

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 engaged) about figuring out what's next after high school, music, tornados, cologne, tornado cologne, and a bunch of other subjects. Just 3 dudes chattin' 'bout life...as bros do. As always, this episode is sponsored by Innersense Organic Beauty. Click on THIS LINK and complete your purchase and 25% of your purchase will go back to the WSA! Also use promo code MORGAN15 to get 15% off your first purchase!

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 loss and grief, especially in moments when life feels chaotic or out of control. She shares her PEACE framework, which stands for Proactive, Emotions, Advocate, Connect, and Embrace. It offers a simple and steady guide for moving through hard seasons. You can find the full PEACE resource on the WSA website and across our social media channels. If things feel heavy right now, we hope this conversation offers something grounding and helpful. To honor and remember those we’ve lost, please visit the WSA In Loving Memory page. As always, this episode is sponsored by Innersense Organic Beauty. Click on THIS LINK and complete your purchase and 25% of your purchase will go back to the WSA! Also use promo code MORGAN15 to get 15% off your first purchase!

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 circumstances, it has left many of us feeling shaken. This episode is the first in a small series focused on death and grief. We welcome back Martha Maier and Jeff Isensee. Martha reached out to the WSA to share some of the tools she’s using to help Jeff navigate his fears and anxiety around death. Together, they talk honestly about where they are right now and what it looks like to keep moving forward. Whether it’s something you hear in this episode or in those to come, we hope you find a small piece you can hold onto when things feel especially heavy. This is not an easy conversation, but it’s one we need to start having. To honor and remember those we’ve lost, please visit the WSA In Loving Memory page. As always, this episode is sponsored by Innersense Organic Beauty. Click on THIS LINK and complete your purchase and 25% of your purchase will go back to the WSA! Also use promo code MORGAN15 to get 15% off your first purchase!

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 personal connection into powerful fundraising. From the Walk for Williams Syndrome to creative DIY fundraisers, Paola shares how volunteers can make a real impact and have fun doing it. As always, this episode is sponsored by Innersense Organic Beauty. Click on THIS LINK and complete your purchase and 25% of your purchase will go back to the WSA! Also use promo code MORGAN15 to get 15% off your first purchase!

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 studying rocket science, because apparently running 100 miles in just over 24 hours was not ambitious enough. Fueled by friendship with the Cloer family, Holden turned one very long run into awareness for Williams syndrome. Get ready for some grit, purpose, and a finish line measured in miles, blisters, and heart. Lace up. Hydrate. Listen. As always, this episode is sponsored by Innersense Organic Beauty. Click on THIS LINK and complete your purchase and 25% of your purchase will go back to the WSA! Also use promo code MORGAN15 to get 15% off your first purchase!

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 Joel flip on Jen and interview her and the Birch's about their collaboration on a fundraising fashion show for the Arc of Colorado! It's pretty evident that putting the 5 of us together (even virtually) is a recipe for laughter. This episode is sponsored by Innersense Organic Beauty. Click on THIS LINK and complete your purchase and 25% of your purchase will go back to the WSA! Also use promo code MORGAN15 to get 15% off your first purchase!

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! Having started signing at an early age, she's taught herself enough to earn her ASL certification and now she's working her way toward becoming a full time ASL interpreter. It was an absolute delight getting to spend a little time with her and learning a little ASL ourselves. This episode is sponsored by Innersense Organic Beauty. Click on THIS LINK and complete your purchase and 25% of your purchase will go back to the WSA! Also use promo code MORGAN15 to get 15% off your first purchase!

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 trying to find proper living arrangements for an adult with WS. While it took some time and trials and errors to find what works for Jeff Isensee, the end result seems to be a great fit for him, Martha Maier and Phil Isensee. It's a great reminder that a housing search for a person with WS isn't just about finding 4 walls, it's about creating a home. This episode is sponsored by Innersense Organic Beauty. Click on THIS LINK and complete your purchase and 25% of your purchase will go back to the WSA! Also use promo code MORGAN15 to get 15% off your first purchase!

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 - not a chance! Her passion and desire to impact change on the world is the perfect way to close out 2025 and get excited for 2026! This episode is brought to you by Innersense Organic Beauty. Shop Innersense using this link https://tidd.ly/47mWg4F and when you complete a purchase after clicking, WSA earns 35% commission during the holidays through 1/2/2026. Plus if you haven't purchased from Innersense before, use code WSA15 to save 15% on first purchases. New episodes every Tuesday. Video available on the WSA page on YouTube and The Starry-Eyed Podcast page on Facebook. Audio version available on a podcast platforms.

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 become a fixture of our adult community. Hear just how easy it is to step up and volunteer and maybe you can join her (and many other volunteers) at future WSA events! This episode is brought to you by Innersense Organic Beauty. Shop Innersense using this link https://tidd.ly/47mWg4F and when you complete a purchase after clicking, WSA earns 35% commission during the holidays through 1/2/2026. Plus if you haven't purchased from Innersense before, use code WSA15 to save 15% on first purchases. New episodes every Tuesday. Video available on the WSA page on YouTube and The Starry-Eyed Podcast page on Facebook. Audio version available on a podcast platforms.

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 rendezvous. Friendships grow fast, inside jokes spread, and yes, there may be a little extra interest when two people “step out for some fresh air” at the same time. Shop Innersense using this link https://tidd.ly/47mWg4F and when you complete a purchase after clicking, WSA earns 35% commission during the holidays through 1/2/2026. Plus if you haven't purchased from Innersense before, use code WSA15 to save 15% on first purchases. New episodes every Tuesday. Video available on the WSA page on YouTube and The Starry-Eyed Podcast page on Facebook. Audio version available on a podcast platforms.