A Crash, a Diagnosis, and a Double Scoop: Joanie Cullinan on Her New Path
By Nina Livingstone | Boston Spirit Magazine For Boston College graduate Joanie Cullinan becoming a member of the Wellesley Fire Department was a perfect match. Growing up with three brothers, the Needham native was competitive - an athlete who “played every sport possible.” She knew she needed a career that spanned both of her passions: [...]
Strong bond keeps this mother-daughter team connected
Cindy and Kayla Caulfield share a little insight By Nina Livingstone Kayla Caulfield has graced Destination Mirth before. The local talent started modeling at 14 and starred in her first film at 17. One of her nearly two-dozen roles includes “Off-Key Girl” in the Oscar-winning film “CODA.” With new films coming out, Kayla and [...]
Sweet Dreams Are Made of This
A Chocolate Dream mother-daughter team share recipe for success By Nina Livingstone Vicki Frassica and Mary Nielsen A Chocolate Dream on Leonard Street in Belmont Center has been thriving for almost three decades, thanks to mother-daughter duo Mary Nielsen and Vicki Frassica. When small businesses felt the oppressive crush from the pandemic, the [...]
From NYC, Rebecca Alexander has something to say: She will “Not Fade Away”
Nina's 9: Interview with Rebecca Alexander By Nina Livingstone Rebecca Alexander has shared her story on national television, as an international keynote speaker, and in her award-winning memoir, “Not Fade Away: A Memoir of Senses Lost and Found.” The author, psychotherapist, extreme athlete, group fitness instructor, disability rights advocate, and public speaker carries degrees from Columbia University [...]
Jane Sutton has Chutzpah and Here’s Why
The author unveils her latest book By Nina Livingstone When a college professor encouraged Jane Sutton to write about something that she’d always wanted to do, the assignment proved to be life-changing for the Brandeis University student, who shared her love of writing children’s books. Jane Sutton Now, with 12 books to her [...]
Finding her true fortune: Lisa Schiller exits corporate life to enter a world of possibilities
By Nina Livingstone In the late ‘90s, Lisa Schiller was a movie producer working with Hollywood stars Tyne Daly and Ally Sheedy. By the 2000s she was vice president of operations for a Fortune 500 company serving clients that included Procter & Gamble, TD Ameritrade, Wells Fargo, among others, across more than 50 countries. “My [...]
A Race from the Heart: Becca Pizzi is a Worldwide Verb
By Nina Livingstone Becca Pizzi believes she trained her whole life to run the World Marathon Challenge, which she did in 2016, completing seven marathons in seven continents in seven consecutive days. Then, two years later, the Belmont native decided to do it again. Both times she walked away with a new world record. (The [...]
The Art of the Eye: How Artist Alexia Stefanovich Sees the World
By Nina Livingstone Alexia Stefanovich started Right Eye Studios in 2018. Due to health complications, Alexia has slowly gone blind in her right eye. “I thought of the name as a way to honor what I've lost while remaining grateful for everything I do have that allows me to continue painting,” she writes. Alexia [...]
In The Closet With Fran Lebowitz
A wide-ranging conversation with the witty New York writer and humorist. By Nina Livingstone When I saw the first few episodes of 2021’s “Pretend It’s a City” on Netflix (made by Martin Scorsese), I was struck by Fran Lebowitz’s acerbic wit and savvy sense of humor. By the end, I knew that I would be [...]